Seven years in the making, a nation and the world will finally get to see one of the biggest events of this century come to life. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad begin very shortly and NOW Sports has secured a live feed to watch the Opening Ceremonies as it unfolds. NOW Sports will give you LIVE BLOG coverage of the Opening Ceremonies with updates every half hour on the latest going on inside the Bird's Nest at http://nowsport.blogspot.com and here at http://nowsportsamerica.blogspot.com
Meanwhile, here at NOW Sports Daily, we will start to give you Olympic Updates with the latest news, results, TV listings and guide for viewers in the United States and much more. Remember for television coverage of tonight's opening ceremony, tune to your local NBC station tonight at 7:30PM for the breathtaking ceremony.
In just a little more than 15 minutes, beginning at 8PM, NOW Sports will go into full Olympic mode as the festivities occur inside National Stadium.
Finally, the world centers its attention on Beijing and the greatest sporting event in the world, and NOW Sports is happy to serve you throughout these games.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Thurs Aug 7: Less than 24 hours until the Opening Ceremony...
We've looked at baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, track and field and swimming as well as NBC's planned broadcast and online coverage for the games. With only less than 24 hours until the Opening Ceremonies, let's take a look at some of the top Olympic stories in some of the biggest sports that we haven't looked at.
1. Chinese Domination of Diving
In Athens 2004, the Chinese nearly swept all of the medals. Of the eight available sets of medals in Athens, China won six gold medals, as well as two silver and one bronze. Guo Jingjing is one of the favorites to win gold in the 3m Individual and Synchro competitions after winning the last four world championships in those events and the gold in Athens. Qin Kai could pull off the same kind of victory in Beijing when he competes in the springboard competitions. He dominated in Melbourne last year and he is poised to do the same this year.
The only one that may have a chance to upset the Chinese is Russia's Gleb Galperin, the only non-Chinese gold medalist at last year's world championships. Meanwhile, Canada's Alexander Despatie and American Laura Wilkinson are trying to write comeback stories in Beijing. Despatie was recently named to the Canadian Olympic team after his fractured right foot sufficiently recovered last week. Wilkinson, now 30 years old, won the platform event at the U.S. Olympic Trials and looks to get a medal after placing fifth in Athens four years ago.
2. Possible Federer-Nadal Final in Beijing Appeals Tennis Fans
Tennis fans have a lot to look forward to at this year's Beijing Olympic Games as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have the potential to meet each other again in an epic final, this time with an Olympic gold medal at stake. After last month's epic Wimbledon final, many will wonder whether Nadal can win the elusive triple of French Open, Wimbledon and an Olympic Gold Medal, all in one summer. But some may believe that Nadal may be too worn out from the year to win a gold medal, or even make the final.
Meanwhile, Federer is looking for a gold medal as well. After Federer was ousted from the second round in Athens, the Swiss flagbearer is looking to avenge his grand slam losses to Nadal with a gold medal in Beijing.
China may have a lot to cheer for as well in the sport of tennis. Zheng Jie is China's best chance to win a gold medal after becoming a semifinalist at this year's Wimbledon. China is also the defending gold medalists in women's doubles.
For more of an Olympic Tennis Preview, visit this link at NBCOlympics.com.
3. Sarah Hammer looks for top cycling prize in Beijing
Track cyclist Sarah Hammer of the United States retired prior to the Athens Olympic Games to focus on other things but decided to come back after realizing that she has a legitimate shot at a medal. She is the reigning world track cycling champion and multiple gold medalist at the world championships. But the one thing that she hasn't had her hands on is an Olympic medal and she hopes to get one in Beijing.
Meanwhile, Mark Cavendish is looking to follow up his success at the Tour de France with a medal in Beijing. The British rider that won multiple stages in France this year on the road will be making his pursuit for gold on the track in the Olympic Velodrome.
Look out for the Australians, however, to dominate the track while the Swiss is most likely to grab gold in mountain biking. And BMX Cycling is looking to grab the attention of young viewers across the globe as it makes its debut in Beijing.
4. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Look to Dominate the Sand
This sport is apparently so hot that the finals have been placed in the morning so that it can be broadcast live in primetime. And the primary reason why is because of the United States team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and their dominant success in the past four years. After capturing gold in Athens, they are currently in a 101-match, 18-tournament winning streak. On the AVP Tour, they have won every single tournament that they have entered.
But the Chinese may very well be a threat as they have had several wins in multiple FIVB women's tournaments. Wang Jie and Tian Jia are the second ranked team in the world on the FIVB tour and lost to May-Treanor and Walsh in the 2007 World Championships. Besides the Chinese, never forget the about the Brazilians. They were in the finals of both the men's and women's finals in Athens and just seem to be naturally good in volleyball.
5. Chinese National Pride
While I don't think that politics and the Olympics should ever combine, we can't ignore that it does. These games mean so much to China as the communist nation tries to polish their image and give the nation that has been known for their harsh policies on human rights and their suppression on protests a much more positive spin. China is a rising economic power that looks to celebrate their recent global power success with these Olympic games. Prior to 2001, China has been seen as an isolated country. Now the nation with a rich and long cultural history seeks to open its doors to the world and share its new found success with the rest of the globe.
More importantly, these games will serve as a test for the Chinese government to see how they will react to criticism, especially on their policies regarding Tibet, human rights and pollution. How the people of China will react to these games are important too. A lot of sacrfices were made by the Chinese people for these games and we'll see if it is all worth it by the time these games end.
So those are the top 5 stories to look out for throughout the Olympic Games, which now stand at less than 20 hours away. Come back here to NOW Sport Daily more frequently as the games approach.
1. Chinese Domination of Diving
In Athens 2004, the Chinese nearly swept all of the medals. Of the eight available sets of medals in Athens, China won six gold medals, as well as two silver and one bronze. Guo Jingjing is one of the favorites to win gold in the 3m Individual and Synchro competitions after winning the last four world championships in those events and the gold in Athens. Qin Kai could pull off the same kind of victory in Beijing when he competes in the springboard competitions. He dominated in Melbourne last year and he is poised to do the same this year.
The only one that may have a chance to upset the Chinese is Russia's Gleb Galperin, the only non-Chinese gold medalist at last year's world championships. Meanwhile, Canada's Alexander Despatie and American Laura Wilkinson are trying to write comeback stories in Beijing. Despatie was recently named to the Canadian Olympic team after his fractured right foot sufficiently recovered last week. Wilkinson, now 30 years old, won the platform event at the U.S. Olympic Trials and looks to get a medal after placing fifth in Athens four years ago.
2. Possible Federer-Nadal Final in Beijing Appeals Tennis Fans
Tennis fans have a lot to look forward to at this year's Beijing Olympic Games as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have the potential to meet each other again in an epic final, this time with an Olympic gold medal at stake. After last month's epic Wimbledon final, many will wonder whether Nadal can win the elusive triple of French Open, Wimbledon and an Olympic Gold Medal, all in one summer. But some may believe that Nadal may be too worn out from the year to win a gold medal, or even make the final.
Meanwhile, Federer is looking for a gold medal as well. After Federer was ousted from the second round in Athens, the Swiss flagbearer is looking to avenge his grand slam losses to Nadal with a gold medal in Beijing.
China may have a lot to cheer for as well in the sport of tennis. Zheng Jie is China's best chance to win a gold medal after becoming a semifinalist at this year's Wimbledon. China is also the defending gold medalists in women's doubles.
For more of an Olympic Tennis Preview, visit this link at NBCOlympics.com.
3. Sarah Hammer looks for top cycling prize in Beijing
Track cyclist Sarah Hammer of the United States retired prior to the Athens Olympic Games to focus on other things but decided to come back after realizing that she has a legitimate shot at a medal. She is the reigning world track cycling champion and multiple gold medalist at the world championships. But the one thing that she hasn't had her hands on is an Olympic medal and she hopes to get one in Beijing.
Meanwhile, Mark Cavendish is looking to follow up his success at the Tour de France with a medal in Beijing. The British rider that won multiple stages in France this year on the road will be making his pursuit for gold on the track in the Olympic Velodrome.
Look out for the Australians, however, to dominate the track while the Swiss is most likely to grab gold in mountain biking. And BMX Cycling is looking to grab the attention of young viewers across the globe as it makes its debut in Beijing.
4. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Look to Dominate the Sand
This sport is apparently so hot that the finals have been placed in the morning so that it can be broadcast live in primetime. And the primary reason why is because of the United States team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and their dominant success in the past four years. After capturing gold in Athens, they are currently in a 101-match, 18-tournament winning streak. On the AVP Tour, they have won every single tournament that they have entered.
But the Chinese may very well be a threat as they have had several wins in multiple FIVB women's tournaments. Wang Jie and Tian Jia are the second ranked team in the world on the FIVB tour and lost to May-Treanor and Walsh in the 2007 World Championships. Besides the Chinese, never forget the about the Brazilians. They were in the finals of both the men's and women's finals in Athens and just seem to be naturally good in volleyball.
5. Chinese National Pride
While I don't think that politics and the Olympics should ever combine, we can't ignore that it does. These games mean so much to China as the communist nation tries to polish their image and give the nation that has been known for their harsh policies on human rights and their suppression on protests a much more positive spin. China is a rising economic power that looks to celebrate their recent global power success with these Olympic games. Prior to 2001, China has been seen as an isolated country. Now the nation with a rich and long cultural history seeks to open its doors to the world and share its new found success with the rest of the globe.
More importantly, these games will serve as a test for the Chinese government to see how they will react to criticism, especially on their policies regarding Tibet, human rights and pollution. How the people of China will react to these games are important too. A lot of sacrfices were made by the Chinese people for these games and we'll see if it is all worth it by the time these games end.
So those are the top 5 stories to look out for throughout the Olympic Games, which now stand at less than 20 hours away. Come back here to NOW Sport Daily more frequently as the games approach.
Wed Aug 6 - Women's Soccer Kicks off Competition at Olympic Games
Depending on which game viewers were watching, they most likely got a pretty good taste of the action that is to come over the next several weeks in Beijing. Earlier this morning, the preliminary matches in women's football (soccer) got underway and it served as a sign that the Olympics are less than two days away.
Women's Soccer Roundup
There were several great matchups on the opening day of the women's soccer competition, including a rematch of the final of last year's FIFA Women's World Cup. Germany and Brazil played to a scoreless tie where each team had several good opportunities to score. Many shots hit the crossbar or came into the hands of the goalkeepers. Brazil made five shots on goal to Germany's three but none of them were able to break the scoreless tie. Both Brazil and Germany each received a point in the standings.
Meanwhile, North Korea scored a goal against Nigeria to get into the top of the group that both Brazil and Germany are in, making the race for a spot in the quarterfinals very interesting as the preliminary rounds continue. Host nation China was able to geta 2-1 win over Sweden earlier today and the defending Olympic champion United States fell to Norway after allowing two goals early in the game during the second and fourth minutes.
The most competitive game today was between Japan and New Zealand. The All Blacks were up 2-0 over the Japanese when late goals helped to rally Japan to a 2-2 tie. Women's preliminary action will continue on Saturday, August 9 on the first official day of Olympic competition.
Latest Women's Soccer News and Updates (NBC Olympics)
NOW Sports' LIVE BLOGGING Schedule (Week 3)
Remember that NOW Sports will be blogging throughout the Olympic Games with half-hour updates throughout each day (or rather, night) of the competition from 6PM EDT to 12PM EDT the next day (times and events subject to change). In addition, NOW Sports will have LIVE BLOGGING of several events throughout the week, including gymnastics events, swimming finals and soccer and basketball games. Below is a schedule of the final week's LIVE BLOGGING of the competition 2008 Olympic Games. All times are in EDT.
Mon Aug 18
12AM - Triathlon: Women's Final
6AM - Women's Soccer Semifinal
9AM - Women's Soccer Semifinal
10PM - Triathlon: Men's Final
Tues Aug 19
2:20AM - Women's Water Polo: Semifinals
4:45AM - Women's Basketball: Quarterfinal
9AM - Men's Soccer Semifinal
9PM - Men's Water Polo Quarterfinals
Wed Aug 20
2:15AM - Men's Handball Quarterfinal
8AM - Men's Volleyball Quarterfinals
9PM - Cycling BMX Finals
9PM - Beach Volleyball Women's Final
Thurs Aug 21 - Sun Aug 24
To Be Determined
Remember that the LIVE BLOGGING will be available on our alternate website: http://nowsport.blogspot.com/. These times and events are subject to change and we may add more events like diving or gymnastics if possible. Don't forget that this is IN ADDITION to the continuous live half-hour updates that NOW Sports will be giving throughout the night and into the next morning, starting at 7AM on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies. Competition updates will begin at 6PM EDT later that day when Day 1 of competition begins. Check back here and http://nowsport.blogspot.com/ for the latest updates throughout the games.
Women's Soccer Roundup
There were several great matchups on the opening day of the women's soccer competition, including a rematch of the final of last year's FIFA Women's World Cup. Germany and Brazil played to a scoreless tie where each team had several good opportunities to score. Many shots hit the crossbar or came into the hands of the goalkeepers. Brazil made five shots on goal to Germany's three but none of them were able to break the scoreless tie. Both Brazil and Germany each received a point in the standings.
Meanwhile, North Korea scored a goal against Nigeria to get into the top of the group that both Brazil and Germany are in, making the race for a spot in the quarterfinals very interesting as the preliminary rounds continue. Host nation China was able to geta 2-1 win over Sweden earlier today and the defending Olympic champion United States fell to Norway after allowing two goals early in the game during the second and fourth minutes.
The most competitive game today was between Japan and New Zealand. The All Blacks were up 2-0 over the Japanese when late goals helped to rally Japan to a 2-2 tie. Women's preliminary action will continue on Saturday, August 9 on the first official day of Olympic competition.
Latest Women's Soccer News and Updates (NBC Olympics)
NOW Sports' LIVE BLOGGING Schedule (Week 3)
Remember that NOW Sports will be blogging throughout the Olympic Games with half-hour updates throughout each day (or rather, night) of the competition from 6PM EDT to 12PM EDT the next day (times and events subject to change). In addition, NOW Sports will have LIVE BLOGGING of several events throughout the week, including gymnastics events, swimming finals and soccer and basketball games. Below is a schedule of the final week's LIVE BLOGGING of the competition 2008 Olympic Games. All times are in EDT.
Mon Aug 18
12AM - Triathlon: Women's Final
6AM - Women's Soccer Semifinal
9AM - Women's Soccer Semifinal
10PM - Triathlon: Men's Final
Tues Aug 19
2:20AM - Women's Water Polo: Semifinals
4:45AM - Women's Basketball: Quarterfinal
9AM - Men's Soccer Semifinal
9PM - Men's Water Polo Quarterfinals
Wed Aug 20
2:15AM - Men's Handball Quarterfinal
8AM - Men's Volleyball Quarterfinals
9PM - Cycling BMX Finals
9PM - Beach Volleyball Women's Final
Thurs Aug 21 - Sun Aug 24
To Be Determined
Remember that the LIVE BLOGGING will be available on our alternate website: http://nowsport.blogspot.com/. These times and events are subject to change and we may add more events like diving or gymnastics if possible. Don't forget that this is IN ADDITION to the continuous live half-hour updates that NOW Sports will be giving throughout the night and into the next morning, starting at 7AM on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies. Competition updates will begin at 6PM EDT later that day when Day 1 of competition begins. Check back here and http://nowsport.blogspot.com/ for the latest updates throughout the games.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tues August 5: Competition Starts Tomorrow! Men's Olympic Basketball Preview
Can you feel it? Can you feel the excitement, the moment coming closer and closer? Tomorrow morning is the start of the football (soccer) competition and NOW Sports will begin its LIVE BLOGGING of the competition with Germany vs. Brazil in women's soccer. Today, we release the schedule for the second week of competition (first full week of the games, starting with Mon Aug 11). We also make our final competition preview before the games start--Men's Olympic Basketball.
NOW Sports LIVE BLOGGING SCHEDULE (Week 2)
Remember that NOW Sports will be blogging throughout the Olympic Games with half-hour updates throughout each day (or rather, night) of the competition from 6PM EDT to 12PM EDT the next day (times subject to change). In addition, NOW Sports will have LIVE BLOGGING of several events throughout the week, including gymnastics events, swimming finals and soccer and basketball games. Below is a schedule of next week's LIVE BLOGGING of the competition 2008 Olympic Games. All times are in EDT.
Sun Aug 10
10:30PM - Men's Field Hockey, Preliminary Round: Pakistan vs. Great Britain
Mon Aug 11
5AM - Women's Water Polo, Preliminaries: United States vs. China
8PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
8PM - Gymnastics: Men's Team Final
11:15PM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: Croatia vs. Russia
Tues Aug 12
2AM - Men's Handball, Preliminaries: China vs. France
7:15AM - Equestrian: Team and Individual Eventing (Jumping)
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
10:30PM - Gymnastics: Women's Team Final
Wed Aug 13
5AM - Men's Soccer, Preliminaries: Nigeria vs. United States
8AM - Women's Volleyball, Preliminaries: China vs. Cuba
8:30PM - Women's Field Hockey, Preliminaries: China vs. Netherlands
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11PM - Gymnastics: Men's Individual All-Around Final
Thurs Aug 14
2:30AM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: Angola vs. China
8AM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: USA vs. Greece
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11PM - Gymnastics: Women's Individual All Around
Fri Aug 15
2:30AM - Women's Basketball, Preliminaries: Russia vs. Brazil
6:30AM - Badminton: Women's Doubles Final/Men's Singles Semifinals
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11:30PM - Baseball, Round Robin: USA vs. Cuba
Sat Aug 16
6AM - Men's Football: Quarterfinal Match
9AM - Men's Football: Quarterfinal Match
7:30PM - Athletics: Women's Marathon
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
Sun Aug 17
2AM - Women's Handball: Norway vs. Romania
4AM - Tennis: Men's Singles and Women's Doubles Gold Medal Final
9:30PM - Men's Water Polo, Preliminaries
11:15PM - Men's Basketball: Australia vs. Lithuania
Remember that the LIVE BLOGGING will be available on our alternate website: http://nowsport.blogspot.com/. These times and events are subject to change and we may add more events like diving or gymnastics if possible. Don't forget that this is IN ADDITION to the continuous live half-hour updates that NOW Sports will be giving throughout the night and into the next morning, starting at 7AM on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies. Competition updates will begin at 6PM EDT later that day when Day 1 of competition begins.
Check back here and http://nowsport.blogspot.com/ for the latest updates throughout the games.
Men's Olympic Basketball Preview
It's been awhile since we've seen Team USA come into an Olympic Games where they are not the defending Olympics Gold Medalists in men's basketball. We've definitely seen the game grow on a global scale, but the United States is looking to get back the gold medal in Beijing after they lost in the semifinals to Argentina four years ago in Athens.
From the exhibition matches that they have been playing prior to these Olympic games, Team USA has shown that they have great confidence and even greater chemistry on the court. They routed their opponents in exhibition matches against Canada, Lithuania and Russia while Australia provided the biggest challenge to the American team in the last game of the pre-Olympic exhibition series.
The United States defeated Australia earlier today by a score of 87-76 with the Aussies playing without their biggest player, Andrew Bogut. Against Australia, the Americans shot poor free throws and could not make their 3-point shots in, thus letting Australia keep the game rather close in Shanghai.
If international basketball fans have learned anything from the past decade, it is that Team USA is no longer the lone medal contender in major international competitions. Argentina defeated Italy for the gold medal in Athens four years ago while the Americans went home with the bronze. In the 2006 World Championships for Men, then-European champions Greece defeated the United States in the semifinal round before falling to Spain in the championship game. Spain then fell to Russia in the final seconds in the 2007 Eurobasket final.
Almost every team competing in the men's basketball tournament has a big name player and nearly every team in Team USA's pool can provide a major threat to the Americans. Spain is known for the deep talent and is led by Juan Carlos Navarro and Pau Gasol. Greece, FIBA World Championship finalists, Germany, led by Dirk Nowitski and China, led by home favorite Yao Ming, can be a challenge to Team USA. But if the Americans play as well and better than they have been playing during their pre-Olympic tour, then expect the United States to be able to progress to the knockout round.
The other pool is expected to be just as competitive, with the favorites to come out of the round robin stage and into the knockout round being defending Olympic champion Argentina, led by Manu Ginobili, Australia and Russia. After the preliminaries, it is really hard to predict who may capture the gold medal, but I wouldn't bet against Spain, the United States, Australia or even China to make it as far as the semifinals.
Other Olympic News...
Delegations have started to stream into the Olympic Village as the Opening Ceremonies are less than three days away. Meanwhile, the Olympic Torch relay has entered its final leg as it arrives in the city of Beijing. On Wednesday, it will make several historic stops, including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
There are still several concerns that have surrounded the last minute preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games. Beijing Olympic Organizers have continually calmed all fears of terrorism, though the threat of attacks has steadily risen as the opening ceremonies approach.
Other worries include pollution and internet censorship, issues that aren't likely to go away by the time the cauldron has been lit.
Hundreds of websites still censored at Beijing Olympics (LA Times)
US Cyclists Arrive In Beijing Wearing Masks (NY Times)
Tomorrow...
We'll release the LIVE BLOGGING schedule for the third week of the Beijing Olympic Games and we also get started with out LIVE BLOGGING with coverage of the women's preliminary football matches. Please go to http://nowsport.blogspot.com which is our alternate website and home of the LIVE BLOGGING for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
It's almost time...
NOW Sports LIVE BLOGGING SCHEDULE (Week 2)
Remember that NOW Sports will be blogging throughout the Olympic Games with half-hour updates throughout each day (or rather, night) of the competition from 6PM EDT to 12PM EDT the next day (times subject to change). In addition, NOW Sports will have LIVE BLOGGING of several events throughout the week, including gymnastics events, swimming finals and soccer and basketball games. Below is a schedule of next week's LIVE BLOGGING of the competition 2008 Olympic Games. All times are in EDT.
Sun Aug 10
10:30PM - Men's Field Hockey, Preliminary Round: Pakistan vs. Great Britain
Mon Aug 11
5AM - Women's Water Polo, Preliminaries: United States vs. China
8PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
8PM - Gymnastics: Men's Team Final
11:15PM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: Croatia vs. Russia
Tues Aug 12
2AM - Men's Handball, Preliminaries: China vs. France
7:15AM - Equestrian: Team and Individual Eventing (Jumping)
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
10:30PM - Gymnastics: Women's Team Final
Wed Aug 13
5AM - Men's Soccer, Preliminaries: Nigeria vs. United States
8AM - Women's Volleyball, Preliminaries: China vs. Cuba
8:30PM - Women's Field Hockey, Preliminaries: China vs. Netherlands
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11PM - Gymnastics: Men's Individual All-Around Final
Thurs Aug 14
2:30AM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: Angola vs. China
8AM - Men's Basketball, Preliminaries: USA vs. Greece
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11PM - Gymnastics: Women's Individual All Around
Fri Aug 15
2:30AM - Women's Basketball, Preliminaries: Russia vs. Brazil
6:30AM - Badminton: Women's Doubles Final/Men's Singles Semifinals
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
11:30PM - Baseball, Round Robin: USA vs. Cuba
Sat Aug 16
6AM - Men's Football: Quarterfinal Match
9AM - Men's Football: Quarterfinal Match
7:30PM - Athletics: Women's Marathon
10PM - Swimming: Gold Medal Finals
Sun Aug 17
2AM - Women's Handball: Norway vs. Romania
4AM - Tennis: Men's Singles and Women's Doubles Gold Medal Final
9:30PM - Men's Water Polo, Preliminaries
11:15PM - Men's Basketball: Australia vs. Lithuania
Remember that the LIVE BLOGGING will be available on our alternate website: http://nowsport.blogspot.com/. These times and events are subject to change and we may add more events like diving or gymnastics if possible. Don't forget that this is IN ADDITION to the continuous live half-hour updates that NOW Sports will be giving throughout the night and into the next morning, starting at 7AM on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies. Competition updates will begin at 6PM EDT later that day when Day 1 of competition begins.
Check back here and http://nowsport.blogspot.com/ for the latest updates throughout the games.
Men's Olympic Basketball Preview
It's been awhile since we've seen Team USA come into an Olympic Games where they are not the defending Olympics Gold Medalists in men's basketball. We've definitely seen the game grow on a global scale, but the United States is looking to get back the gold medal in Beijing after they lost in the semifinals to Argentina four years ago in Athens.
From the exhibition matches that they have been playing prior to these Olympic games, Team USA has shown that they have great confidence and even greater chemistry on the court. They routed their opponents in exhibition matches against Canada, Lithuania and Russia while Australia provided the biggest challenge to the American team in the last game of the pre-Olympic exhibition series.
The United States defeated Australia earlier today by a score of 87-76 with the Aussies playing without their biggest player, Andrew Bogut. Against Australia, the Americans shot poor free throws and could not make their 3-point shots in, thus letting Australia keep the game rather close in Shanghai.
If international basketball fans have learned anything from the past decade, it is that Team USA is no longer the lone medal contender in major international competitions. Argentina defeated Italy for the gold medal in Athens four years ago while the Americans went home with the bronze. In the 2006 World Championships for Men, then-European champions Greece defeated the United States in the semifinal round before falling to Spain in the championship game. Spain then fell to Russia in the final seconds in the 2007 Eurobasket final.
Almost every team competing in the men's basketball tournament has a big name player and nearly every team in Team USA's pool can provide a major threat to the Americans. Spain is known for the deep talent and is led by Juan Carlos Navarro and Pau Gasol. Greece, FIBA World Championship finalists, Germany, led by Dirk Nowitski and China, led by home favorite Yao Ming, can be a challenge to Team USA. But if the Americans play as well and better than they have been playing during their pre-Olympic tour, then expect the United States to be able to progress to the knockout round.
The other pool is expected to be just as competitive, with the favorites to come out of the round robin stage and into the knockout round being defending Olympic champion Argentina, led by Manu Ginobili, Australia and Russia. After the preliminaries, it is really hard to predict who may capture the gold medal, but I wouldn't bet against Spain, the United States, Australia or even China to make it as far as the semifinals.
Other Olympic News...
Delegations have started to stream into the Olympic Village as the Opening Ceremonies are less than three days away. Meanwhile, the Olympic Torch relay has entered its final leg as it arrives in the city of Beijing. On Wednesday, it will make several historic stops, including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
There are still several concerns that have surrounded the last minute preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games. Beijing Olympic Organizers have continually calmed all fears of terrorism, though the threat of attacks has steadily risen as the opening ceremonies approach.
Other worries include pollution and internet censorship, issues that aren't likely to go away by the time the cauldron has been lit.
Hundreds of websites still censored at Beijing Olympics (LA Times)
US Cyclists Arrive In Beijing Wearing Masks (NY Times)
Tomorrow...
We'll release the LIVE BLOGGING schedule for the third week of the Beijing Olympic Games and we also get started with out LIVE BLOGGING with coverage of the women's preliminary football matches. Please go to http://nowsport.blogspot.com which is our alternate website and home of the LIVE BLOGGING for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
It's almost time...
Monday, August 4, 2008
Mon Aug 4: Less than FOUR DAYS Left! - UPDATED NEW!: Women's Basketball Preview
We're into the final few days before the Olympics. NBC's Matt Lauer, the Today Show Crew and even Bob Costas are already in Beijing and so are the athletes. Today we have a lot more previewing to do as we take our first look at the basketball competition and also release this week's LIVE BLOGGING schedule for the games.
Latest Sports News...
First, we take a look at this past weekend in sports, briefly.
- So apparently, Brett Favre is actually back with Green Bay. I only have three words to say: Good for him. But apparently, the rest of America always has more to say and it has become the top sports story of the weekend. For the full story, click here to link to our favorite worldwide sports leader, ESPN.
- Although Rafael Nadal didn't make the final of the Cincinnati Masters Final, he made it farther than Roger Federer. Thus we saw an official changing of the guard today when this week's ATP Tour rankings came out and Rafael Nadal was at the top of the list. It breaks a 236-week record that Federer held and sets up a huge potential showdown in the final of the Beijing Olympics Tennis tournament.
- And in golf, Vijay Singh won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after missing three putts inside eight feet on the back nine in the final round yesterday, nearly throwing away the title.
It was a relatively calm weekend in sports but that will change very soon next week as the networks of NBC will present wall-to-wall coverage of the games. And NOW Sports will be sharing the viewing experience with all of you.
NOW Sports' LIVE BLOGGING Schedule (Week 1)
Remember that NOW Sports will be blogging throughout the Olympic Games with half-hour updates throughout each day (or rather, night) of the competition from 6PM EDT to 12PM EDT the next day (times subject to change). In addition, NOW Sports will have LIVE BLOGGING of several events throughout the week, including gymnastics events, swimming finals and soccer and basketball games. Below is a schedule of this week's LIVE BLOGGING of the competition 2008 Olympic Games. All times are in EDT
Wed Aug 6:
5:00AM - Women's Soccer: Germany vs. Brazil
7:30AM - Women's Soccer: USA vs. Norway
Thurs Aug 7:
5AM - Men's Soccer: Honduras vs. Italy
7AM - Men's Soccer: Ivory Coast vs. Argentina
Fri Aug 8:
7AM - Opening Ceremonies (updated every half-hour with full recap after)
10:30PM - Women's Shooting: 10m Air Rifle Shooting (First Gold Medal to be Awarded)
Sat Aug 9:
10:30AM - Women's Indoor Volleyball: USA vs. Japan
8PM - Swimming Gold Medal Finals
10:30PM - Tennis Preliminary Matches
Sun Aug 10:
8AM - Men's Basketball: Australia vs. China
8PM - Swimming Gold Medal Finals
Remember that the LIVE BLOGGING will be available on our alternate website: http://nowsport.blogspot.com. These times and events are subject to change and we may add more events like diving or gymnastics if possible. Don't forget that this is IN ADDITION to the continuous live half-hour updates that NOW Sports will be giving throughout the night and into the next morning, starting at 7AM on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies. Competition updates will begin at 6PM EDT later that day when Day 1 of competition begins.
Check back here and http://nowsport.blogspot.com for the latest updates throughout the games.
Women's Olympic Basketball Preview
It's the only sport that we have yet to cover, but basketball is sure to provide some thrilling action at this year's Olympic Games. The United States women's basketball team is a favorite yet again after winning five of the last six Olympic tournaments. But the competition is expected to be a lot more tougher in Beijing as the rest of the world may have finally caught up with Team USA.
At the 2006 FIBA World Championships for Women held in Brazil, the United States lost to Russia in the semifinal round, 75-68. Though the Americans progressed through the tournament relatively easily, Russia provided the biggest challenge to the United States, a team that lacked three of its biggest players: Dawn Stanley, Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards. Australia eventually won the gold medal over Russia, establishing the Aussies as a power in women's basketball.
Lisa Leslie is back with Team USA for this year's Olympic Games along with five other members who were part of the gold medal winning team in Athens (Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Candace Parker and Tina Thompson). Though the United States presents a deep team with a lot of experience and talent, the Russians and Australians have improved since the last Olympics as well.
For the past week leading up to the games, the United States played exhibition matches against their biggest rivals, earning hard-fought wins over both Russia and Australia. On Tuesday night in China, the United States defeated Australia by a score of 71-67. This close victory followed a relatively easy 93-58 win over the Russians, and Becky Hammon, when three different American players scored in double digits. Hammon, a South Dakota native, competes for CSKA Moscow club team and became naturalized in Russia.
Though the United States was able to defeat Australia, the Americans showed that they are still a raw team that hasn't had much experience playing with each other. As opposed to the Australians who have been playing together for awhile, the United States women's basketball team has only been together for a week and had trouble finding their comfort zone in the opening game of the pre-Olympic tournament against Latvia.
The United States is expected to progress to the quarterfinals easily with Australia and Russia placed in the other group. In preliminary play, the biggest threat to the United States could be home nation China and Spain, the Eurobasket finalist last year that fell to Russia in the championship game. China defeated the United States last year in the final of the "Good Luck Beijing" tournament, 84-81.
But it's anybody's game in the knockout round of the competition and the gold medal will be decided by which team has the best chemistry playing with each other and also has the most experience. And while the U.S. has the most experience overall, they may find it a bit challenging to keep up with the current talent of the other teams.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Sat Aug 2/Sun Aug 3: Last Weekend To Plan - Surviving the Olympic Viewing Marathon
With only six days left until the Opening Ceremonies, we continue to make plans for our Olympic coverage. At the same time, NOW Sports has some tips to enhance your viewing experience.
Yesterday, we focused our discussion on when to stay awake and when to take naps during the Olympic Games. Today, we'll talk about some more strategies, activities and even food suggestions to make viewing the Beijing Olympics almost as awesome as watching the Super Bowl.
As we mentioned yesterday, the live Olympic coverage will occur in the United States at night and in the morning hours. Sleeping habits will have to change if viewers wish to catch the action live. Fans who are looking to pull off Olympic all-nighters should plan ahead on what events they plan to watch, how they'll keep themselves awake and more importantly, what food to eat.
Most people won't watch everything (though I will) and when NBC was planning their broadcast schedule, they had on their minds (besides money) the intent to give viewers as many choices as possible. Thus NBC is planning to give us 3600 hours of coverage available on television and online. NBC is also providing access to the games on your mobile phone and downloads of Olympic broadcasts will be available to those who own Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.
So the trouble for most people will be deciding what to watch. It's easy for those who just want to watch the marquee events of track and field, gymnastics and swimming. All viewers will have to do is just watch the primetime shows. Swimming and most of gymnastics will be aired live, as well as the beach volleyball gold medal games and the men's and women's marathons. But track and field fans will be disappointed with having to wait approximately 12 hours after the event has completed in Beijing to watch their favorite athletes compete. But what NBC is hoping for is that viewers will keep watching the Olympics after the United States dominates the pool live in primetime during the first week of the Games.
But outside of the marquee events that will be saved for primetime, there are tons of options for sports fans and most of those options will involve using the internet. With 2200 of the 3600 hours to be streamed online, fans of lesser-known sports like archery, badminton and table tennis, will enjoy watching those competitions online while the cable networks of NBC air the other 1400 hours of planned coverage, most of which will involve team sports like basketball, volleyball and waterpolo and semi-popular sports like rowing, equestrian and tennis.
For a description of the planned television coverage, check out this press release from NBC.
And for the latest TV listings, click here to link to the NBC Olympics website and also come back to this blog here at NOW Sports for the latest TV listings during the Olympics.
So when you figure out what to watch and when, you'll need to figure out how, and maybe even where you'll be watching the Olympics. Most sports bars will be tuned into the Olympics, especially since the networks of NBC are airing over 200 hours of coverage per day. Watching at home and hosting Olympic parties may be the best option since you can control what you want to watch and have your computer complement the coverage.
Sometimes it's nice to be doing something besides just watching the Olympics. For me, I'll be blogging to help keep me up through the wee morning hours. Completing your work or projects or maybe even cleaning the house while watching the games can help you through the less exciting sports (like race walking or equestrian). It's also nice to learn about the countries and athletes that are competing. The most fun activity to complement viewing the games is actually playing sports. Play volleyball or basketball on your backyard or driveway after or before watching the event. If your the sports-oriented kind of family, having an Olympic games yourself can be fun too.
But the Olympic Games themselves are the main focus and you can't do that (or anything really) without food. For viewing the Olympics, you mainly want finger food or something easy to snack on. Just think of it as a really long Super Bowl party with much more variety of food. Chinese food would obviously be a good choice to go with the theme of these games. Especially during the Opening Ceremonies when China's rich history and culture will be glorified, spring rolls and lo mein noodles would be great dishes to satisfy our Olympic-sized hunger.
This is also your chance to experiment (or order) food from different cultures. For example, you can try out Brazilian barbeque when they play beach volleyball matches or Korean food when South Korea takes the field in archery. Break out the Jamaican jerk chicken during the track and field relays or order some pizza before Italy goes on the pitch for their football (soccer) games. Planning out which events to watch and when can also help out plan what to eat while viewing the Games.
But don't forget that team USA will be featured every day of the games on NBC. So what better way to cheer them on than by making all-American food. Have a barbeque, make some burgers and ribs and get the buffalo wings out because the Olympics is the top sporting event and sports wouldn't be the same without the classic pub food.
NOW Sports will be helping you out by providing recipes of the day. Starting on Thursday, August 7, NOW Sports will be providing some of my favorite recipes to make, cook or even order while watching your favorite events. So remember to check that out too during the majority of the Olympics (remember I leave for college on Thursday, August 21).
So the important thing that I want you to take away from this post is to plan out your experience and watch the Olympics the way you want too. Don't be the guy or gal who ran out of beer, food or sleep by the time we get to the second week of the games, because you'll have to live with that mistake for four years.
Tomorrow we'll get back to sports news and previewing the games as it continues to inch closer to the Opening Ceremonies.
Yesterday, we focused our discussion on when to stay awake and when to take naps during the Olympic Games. Today, we'll talk about some more strategies, activities and even food suggestions to make viewing the Beijing Olympics almost as awesome as watching the Super Bowl.
As we mentioned yesterday, the live Olympic coverage will occur in the United States at night and in the morning hours. Sleeping habits will have to change if viewers wish to catch the action live. Fans who are looking to pull off Olympic all-nighters should plan ahead on what events they plan to watch, how they'll keep themselves awake and more importantly, what food to eat.
Most people won't watch everything (though I will) and when NBC was planning their broadcast schedule, they had on their minds (besides money) the intent to give viewers as many choices as possible. Thus NBC is planning to give us 3600 hours of coverage available on television and online. NBC is also providing access to the games on your mobile phone and downloads of Olympic broadcasts will be available to those who own Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.
So the trouble for most people will be deciding what to watch. It's easy for those who just want to watch the marquee events of track and field, gymnastics and swimming. All viewers will have to do is just watch the primetime shows. Swimming and most of gymnastics will be aired live, as well as the beach volleyball gold medal games and the men's and women's marathons. But track and field fans will be disappointed with having to wait approximately 12 hours after the event has completed in Beijing to watch their favorite athletes compete. But what NBC is hoping for is that viewers will keep watching the Olympics after the United States dominates the pool live in primetime during the first week of the Games.
But outside of the marquee events that will be saved for primetime, there are tons of options for sports fans and most of those options will involve using the internet. With 2200 of the 3600 hours to be streamed online, fans of lesser-known sports like archery, badminton and table tennis, will enjoy watching those competitions online while the cable networks of NBC air the other 1400 hours of planned coverage, most of which will involve team sports like basketball, volleyball and waterpolo and semi-popular sports like rowing, equestrian and tennis.
For a description of the planned television coverage, check out this press release from NBC.
And for the latest TV listings, click here to link to the NBC Olympics website and also come back to this blog here at NOW Sports for the latest TV listings during the Olympics.
So when you figure out what to watch and when, you'll need to figure out how, and maybe even where you'll be watching the Olympics. Most sports bars will be tuned into the Olympics, especially since the networks of NBC are airing over 200 hours of coverage per day. Watching at home and hosting Olympic parties may be the best option since you can control what you want to watch and have your computer complement the coverage.
Sometimes it's nice to be doing something besides just watching the Olympics. For me, I'll be blogging to help keep me up through the wee morning hours. Completing your work or projects or maybe even cleaning the house while watching the games can help you through the less exciting sports (like race walking or equestrian). It's also nice to learn about the countries and athletes that are competing. The most fun activity to complement viewing the games is actually playing sports. Play volleyball or basketball on your backyard or driveway after or before watching the event. If your the sports-oriented kind of family, having an Olympic games yourself can be fun too.
But the Olympic Games themselves are the main focus and you can't do that (or anything really) without food. For viewing the Olympics, you mainly want finger food or something easy to snack on. Just think of it as a really long Super Bowl party with much more variety of food. Chinese food would obviously be a good choice to go with the theme of these games. Especially during the Opening Ceremonies when China's rich history and culture will be glorified, spring rolls and lo mein noodles would be great dishes to satisfy our Olympic-sized hunger.This is also your chance to experiment (or order) food from different cultures. For example, you can try out Brazilian barbeque when they play beach volleyball matches or Korean food when South Korea takes the field in archery. Break out the Jamaican jerk chicken during the track and field relays or order some pizza before Italy goes on the pitch for their football (soccer) games. Planning out which events to watch and when can also help out plan what to eat while viewing the Games.
But don't forget that team USA will be featured every day of the games on NBC. So what better way to cheer them on than by making all-American food. Have a barbeque, make some burgers and ribs and get the buffalo wings out because the Olympics is the top sporting event and sports wouldn't be the same without the classic pub food.
NOW Sports will be helping you out by providing recipes of the day. Starting on Thursday, August 7, NOW Sports will be providing some of my favorite recipes to make, cook or even order while watching your favorite events. So remember to check that out too during the majority of the Olympics (remember I leave for college on Thursday, August 21).
So the important thing that I want you to take away from this post is to plan out your experience and watch the Olympics the way you want too. Don't be the guy or gal who ran out of beer, food or sleep by the time we get to the second week of the games, because you'll have to live with that mistake for four years.
Tomorrow we'll get back to sports news and previewing the games as it continues to inch closer to the Opening Ceremonies.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Fri Aug 1: One Week Left - Planning Your Olympic Viewing Experience
Well we've hit the home straightaway and are less than a week until the Opening Ceremonies at the Beijing Olympic Games. And since the games are just one long sports party for the fans and viewers watching around the world, NOW Sports helps you get ready for viewing this 17-day spectacle with this viewing guide.
NBC will also have events live online and some of the cable networks owned by NBC like CNBC or USA Network will have live coverage in the middle of the night. And NBC doesn't have to be your only source for live Olympic coverage. The internet can be your best friend if you look hard enough. ESPN's Sportscenter will also start their live morning editions conveniently during the Olympics (trust me, this isn't coincidence). So ESPN, though they won't have video coverage, can also be helpful too.
It's A Huge Sports Marathon: How to Balance Watching and Sleeping/The Rest of Your Life
The Olympics are a big deal. It comes every four years and its important that fans relish as many great moments as possible. And since NBC will be covering it 24/7, you'll need a battle plan to ensure that your eyes won't give out by the second week.
I've learned from watching the Athens Games that you don't need to watch everything. Actually, it's impossible to watch everything. But in order to catch the great moments of the games, you may need to change your sleeping habits a bit, given that you are able to and have no prior commitments.
The prime hours that you want to be up to watch the games are between 7PM Eastern and 12 Noon Eastern the next day. That's right, you'll want to pull out an all nighter if you want to see the latest live action. Between these hours, you'll be getting the best highlights from the previous day in primetime on NBC and also watch the live events that are available to you, and trust me there are a lot of live events available to you during these hours. Because NBC secured holding several events in the morning in Beijing so that they can be live in primetime here in the states, you're more likely to watch the events in primetime than you did back in 2000, when the games were held in Sydney and everything was tape-delayed.
NBC will also have events live online and some of the cable networks owned by NBC like CNBC or USA Network will have live coverage in the middle of the night. And NBC doesn't have to be your only source for live Olympic coverage. The internet can be your best friend if you look hard enough. ESPN's Sportscenter will also start their live morning editions conveniently during the Olympics (trust me, this isn't coincidence). So ESPN, though they won't have video coverage, can also be helpful too.You definitely want to be awake during those early to late morning hours. In fact, 8AM-12PM is primetime in China, meaning that there will be some big events going on in the morning hours, including track and field and the event finals in gymnastics. Basketball, soccer and volleyball will also be played during these hours as well.
So when do you sleep or do anything else? Well if you have work, or some projects and stuff to do, see if you can do that while you're watching the Olympics at night. It may help keep you awake. And for sleeping, the prime hours for sleeping during the Olympics will be during the daytime hours. Though the networks of NBC will be broadcasting during the day, most of that will be tape-delayed. If you want to watch the event, then DVR or TiVo will be your best friend. I'd say 1PM to 6PM would be good hours to sleep since nothing is happening in China during those hours.
But if you must be awake in the daytime to do whatever, then your alarm clock will be your best friend. Power naps during the Olympics will help and getting most of your sleep done in the first half of the Olympics will be key to enhancing your Olympic viewing experience. NBC will be showing a lot of preliminary action during the first few days of competition so it's okay to take a nap during the Gymnastics qualifying or the first round games of beach volleyball. If you don't budget your sleep, then you'll have trouble catching the track and field events or the medal rounds of many team sports.
I know a lot of this sounds completely crazy and many of you will live your lives normally during the Games and go to sleep at night. But the Games only come once every four years and being that it is in Beijing, this will definitely be an experience unlike any other.
So let's not waste this opportunity. Stay up for a night or two or ten. Trust me you won't want to miss it. Tomorrow, we'll talk about enhancing your Olympic viewing experience with activities, food, etc to do while you watch.
Other Notes and News:
Men's USA Basketball Team Defeated Lithuania Easily in Pre-Olympic Exhibition
BBC Sport Gets Excited About the Games After Arriving in Beijing
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