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Dear Bob

Thelma has taken to personifying the NBC Olympic Games broadcasts by calling them Bob in honor of Bob Costas, the prime time host.  When they cut away from the third and final set of a men's beach volleyball match to show the women's 200m backstroke, she hurled a "C'mon Bob!" at the TV.  So, taking a cue from Thelma, here's my letter to NBC.

Dear Bob:

First of all, thank you for the 3-hour tape-delayed broadcast of the Olympics here on the West Coast.  Sure, I can watch the Olympics live on the Canadian network, CBC, but I kind of like sticking it to the Canadians by ignoring their broadcast.  Every night is like winning my very own gold medal over those impatient Canadians who just can't wait to tune in and see how many medals they didn't win.

Second, thank you for putting the "Live" banner on the broadcast.  I especially like the way it sometimes shows the "live" time on the east coast and in Beijing.  It makes me feel like a time traveler who can jump three hours into the past to watch something that will happen tomorrow.  It might be a little hard to understand, but call me tomorrow and I'll explain it to you yesterday.


Tonight was particularly good.  I tuned in about 9:45 PM (Pacific) to watch Michael Phelps swim the 100m butterfly in hopes of winning his seventh gold medal of  the games.  When the announcer started raving at 10:01 PM about this being "one of those rare chances to watch live" as someone attempted to make history, I just smiled.  I knew something he didn't.


When Phelps neared the wall and everyone in attendance wondered whether he had done enough to win, I just chuckled.  I knew something they didn't know.

Being the mental super hero that I am, I picked up on the Visa commercial you showed ten minutes earlier at 9:54 PM congratulating Phelps on his victory that hadn't happened yet.  Thanks, Bob.  That was a nice touch.  You don't get that kind of VIP treatment on the east coast or in Beijing.

So tell all of the good folks at NBC there to keep up the good work.
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Thelma said…
Adam Adam Adam. You crack me up and it's not even late at night when I'm silly tired and ANYTHING cracks me up.

Blessed among women...that's me!
August 16, 2008 at 6:45 AM
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