Olympic Fever, Part Deux

I mentioned a while back how much I love the Olympics, and that it's the Winter Games that really get me. I'm all wrapped up again, glued to the TV most nights watching things I'd never otherwise watch (short track skating? sure! curling? you bet!), and in my old-man, not-uncool-to-say-this-anymore state I'll even admit to watching and enjoying figure skating.

Really looking forward to the US-Canada hockey game tomorrow. As many have written, the Olympic hockey tournament is the best hockey tournament in the world. Olympic hockey rules allow for a more free-flowing, artistic game and the national pride (especially in this case for the home team) increases the passion and desire to win to a whole new level. I remember the "Miracle on Ice" fairly well, but didn't really appreciate the game at the time. The greatest hockey game I can remember watching was the gold medal game between Canada and Sweden in Lillehammer in 1994 that ended in a shootout. The shootout itself was of course exciting, but I remember the whole game as being just awesome. Hopefully tomorrow's game won't disappoint; perhaps it'll be a taste of a possible gold medal game a week away.

just because we didn't think of it doesn't mean it's not a great idea

baseball has often been identified as the sport most tied to its traditions and history. it's come up a lot recently with the arguments over instant replay in baseball, and tradition (or unnecessary adherence to it) has been for years a central point in the argument for or against the DH.

just this morning, i read about the US baseball team's loss to cuba in the olympics and learned of a new rule instituted to avoid limitless extra inning games. per the article:

"International baseball's new extra-innings rule was used for the first time Friday. Beginning in the 11th inning, runners go to first and second and teams can start at any point in their batting order." (this rule is quite similar to the overtime format in college football, where each team starts with the ball on the 25 yard line until the tie is broken.)

i love this rule. i love free baseball as much as the next guy, but long extra-inning games are more of a war of attrition than any kind of skilled victory. sure, managing a bullpen takes some savvy, but most games that go past 14-15 innings are beyond managerial skill and are left to chance.

having this overtime system in play would save wear and tear on bullpens and would likely see the end of position players having to pitch. it would still require plenty of managerial acumen, as saving the right guys for the overtime would come in to play. the international rule allows for only one true extra inning, which i think is a little stingy. in finkworld, the overtime would go into effect after 3 extra innings (i.e. the 13th inning). or, maybe we'd start in the 11th as they do, but do it progressively- for the 11th, you could start your lineup anywhere but have no one on base, for the 12th you'd get a guy on first and start the lineup anywhere, and the 13th 2 guys on.

"tradition" will keep this from ever happening, and the pitchers' lobby will be sure of that. (this system would not go over well with pitchers, but would be great for middle-of-the-order guys looking to increase their numbers since they'd likely get an AB in each extra inning.)

but who knows- if baseball does implement replay this year, as is widely expected, it shows that as long as fans and players put up enough of a stink, even tradition can be put aside for the good of the game.

olympic fever

i've loved the olympics since the first ones i remember- the 1980 winter games in lake placid. being a new yorker, and one who vacationed in the adirondacks, there was a great connection to those games. certainly the hockey team and the eric heiden 5-medal haul were big factors in the allure of those games for americans, but i was drawn to the pageantry, the national pride, the international flair, and the olympic spirit that make the games more than just a world championship of sport.

the boycott of the moscow games deprived me of experiencing the summer olympics until '84, but being in LA there was again that sense of nationalism that made the games even bigger. and being 4 years older, i was able to appreciate it even more. i remember loving the sheer diversity of events in the summer games. for someone who was the furthest thing from a swimmer, runner, or gymnast, events like archery, rowing and javelin were appealing because they seemed reachable.

since then, i've watched each olympics with enthusiasm and interest. still prefer the winter games to the summer, but i find myself attached to the TV this week, watching plenty of swimming and gymnastics- two things that as exciting and artistic as they may be, i'll likely never watch at any other time during the next 4 years.

the downside to NBC's "more hours that in real life" coverage is that because they want you to tune in to their prime time broadcast, none of their affiliates are showing any events during the evening hours. i'd love to watch some fencing, or weightlifting, or table tennis, even if it were taped. maybe i'll have to start setting the tivo. then i may not leave the couch until labor day.