It's Too Early for Savannah Guthrie

 Good morning!

Did you happen to catch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics this morning? I did, kind of by mistake. And I actually didn't watch the whole thing.

When the alarm went off at 5 a.m., I rolled over and turned on the television to catch the weather report. What appeared was a bunch of dancers doing their jobs among a bunch of laser lights. NBC host Savannah Guthrie informed me that what the dancers and the lights represented was the arteries pumping blood to the muscles of the athletes, or some such thing.

I know it was early, but it appeared to me that NBC wasn't doing too great of a job with their camera angles. What was being shown was closeups of dancers in dark lighting. That wasn't too bothersome, but the inane chatter of the hosts was what me turn the channel to where I could find the weather. (Apparently, I should bring an umbrella with me today.)

Once I had a chance to start thinking, my brain turned its attention over to the Olympics and wondered why the opening ceremonies were being broadcast at five in the morning. I mean, I understand time differences and that it was being carried live. I just didn't understand why it was being carried live. Why not time delay it until this evening when I might be in a better frame of mind to enjoy Japan putting its best foot forward for a global audience?

Obviously, television can broadcast everything live as it happens, and with actual sporting events I can see this occurring. With our instant culture there is a belief that no one will want to watch if they already know the outcome. Trouble is, I have a life doesn't include getting up in the wee hours to watch interpretive dance with Guthrie letting me know what it all means. Which kind of taps into a pet peeve I have about art - it shouldn't have to be explained. If it does, it hasn't achieved its goal.

In any event, the Olympics have finally started after a year delay. I've always liked the Olympics and I'm sure that I'll be watching some of these games. I am looking forward to seeing Simone Biles perform, and I enjoy watching people run fast. However, we all know that the Olympics are more than just athletic performances. NBC has a lot of air time to fill and with a cue of sad music we will be introduced to athletes who overcame long odds to achieve their dreams of being an Olympian. It can get pretty maudlin.

We also are being fed controversies to gin up the ratings. Just in a casual glance of the morning headlines over the past couple of weeks I have learned that a US runner got kicked off the team for smoking dope, which was unfair. The Polish swim team filled out their paperwork wrong and several people who were on the team were sent home, which also is unfair. And the US women's soccer team lost its first game to Sweden. Some critics point out they lost because they didn't have the courtesy to at least stand while our national anthem was played.

I don't know about all that and I try not to get bogged down in things I have no control over. Smoke dope or don't; fill out your paperwork or don't; stand, sit or kneel or don't. It matters little to me. I will say, though, that with seemingly every little aspect of all of our lives now be scrutinized through a political lens, I'd be happy just to watch the top athletes in the world doing their best to win a gold medal. I may be sympathetic to your causes and support your right to shout it out on every mountain top. That doesn't mean I really want to hear it while I'm eating a pizza and watching the men's handball final.