Olympic                                                                          
     Coverage  

When we were in the States, John and I enjoyed watching the Olympics, and also (enjoyed ?) grumbling that Olympic coverage had too many 'up-close and personals' (which was much truer years ago than it is now), that it focused too much on a few highlighted sports, and that the coverage jumped around from one event to the next.

We, like most people, enjoy watching figure skating, speed skating, short track skating, ice hockey, ski jumping, and snow boarding competitions.  But we like other sports too.  Like curling.  We think it's cool (no pun intended) and in the States, if you one doesn't have cable TV, there is little coverage.

Well...It's both the same here and different.

Up close and personals:  I don't think there is so much of the "Here is athlete Per, at home in the small town of...", but of course there is some of it.  But there are long, very very long, interviews.  Relaxed persons sitting around a fire in a studio talking for (OK we are not sure because we typically do not keep it on, but ) up to 45 minutes?

Focus on highlighted sports?  Yup.  The coverage corresponds somewhat to the medal summary.  That makes sense.  The athletes excel in those sports in which people are interested.  And of course, viewers are interested in watching their countrymen do well.

1. Sweden

   The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

                                      Gold                   Silver                  Bronze                Total

   Cross-Country	2	5	4	11
   Curling	0	1	1	2
   Ice Hockey	0	1	0	1
   Freestyle Skiing	0	0	1	1

2. 
   

And so we watched a lot of cross country skiing, biathlons, a lot of curling, ice hockey, freestyle snowboarding and skiing events.  There was coverage of skating, but one had to look for it.

And does the coverage jump from one sport to the next?  Not at all.  Which is nice. But, lest I be satisfied and not have anything to whine about, the downside  is that when it is between periods of the ice hockey game, if the cameras do not go to the studio for conversation, one might be viewing the Zamboni (yes really).

And so it goes.  It is the same and different all at once.  Not better or worse (except that this time I had to pay to watch).

As I type this I am smiling because we are watching the closing ceremonies and John is grumbling because he is being subjected to ballet.  Poor soul...  ; )