The Agony of Victory

I have to admit that after the overblown excesses of the opening ceremonies, NBC's Olympics coverage has settled down to a comfortable rhythm and is far superior to that of ABC in previous years. Gone are the tedious, treacly "Up Close and Personal" profiles. Now it's almost a hundred percent athletic events, as it should be, and it's great watching. Only one complaint. I knew it was long distance bicycle racing because the commentators told me, but it was hard to tell bicycles from pushcarts through the Beijing smog.