Back to last night and Primetime. Tirico notes Team USA wining their first 4 Men Rowing gold since 1960, plus Team Fencing their first gold. Then it's off to swim finals from the past afternoon--Women's 200m Fly, and a Canada win. Then there's a Peacock Promo for a game show displayed, for some reason, in "portrait" mode on the big TV screen--oops. Then the Men's 200m Back, and a win for Hungary.
But enough of that--it's the Main Event of the evening, the Women's Gymnastics All-Around, aka Simone v. Sumi. Samantha Peszek replaces Laurie Hernandez in the booth, to provide a more clinical (and less emotional) analysis. Simone gets a music video / package, narrated by Beyonce. Unlike most of the field, Biles has such high difficulty that she can screw up the landing and still get a higher score. It's similar to how figure skating has "progressed"--it's all about the tricks.
There's also a package on Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who could challenge Biles. We make our way through part of the competition, then NBC makes us wait through more swimming semis and finals. Kate Douglass gets a video package about her hometown in NY--and rubber ducks. She wins her final, and we get her medal ceremony. A Tirico whiparound, and back to Gymnastics. The final gymnastics round is, of course, "The Event of the Night" (with limited commercial interruption). By the end, Peszek reached Hernandez-level enthusiasm. Biles, Andrade, Lee, in that order.
NBC follows that up with a music video (”Run to You”) previewing track and field, which begins today. Back to the pool, with the Women’s 4x200m Free Relay (Aussie win), and Snoop visits the Louvre. Tirico gives the medal count (US ahead of France by 10, and now has the second most golds) before he wraps it up with a tribute to Suni Lee and the medal ceremony.
Still no Late Night QISE show recording, huh Plex? I could always go watch it on Peacock...
Today Show--lots o’ medalists (including Suni Lee), with the Bobbsey Twins playing the proud aunts (”what is is with you and the TikToks?”). Snoop drops by as “Special NBC Sports Correspondent”. He seems to be everywhere--how are they transporting him between events so fast? Martha Stewart is apparently his “plus one” for Dressage. The US Men’s Rowing team arrive, with their first gold in 64 years. Poor Claire Weinstein--she swam the anchor leg in the US swimming silver win, and they keep asking her about Katie Ledecky. Allyson Felix previews track and field (there’s already been heats this morning), and the promised collab with Sesame Street comes to fruition. C is for Croissant!
Onto today’s coverage. Lowe sends us to more Beach Volleyball, then Track and Field gets underway. Early rounds of the Women’s 100m (Sha’Carri Richardson) and Hammer Throw. Then it’s off to Archery--US v India in a bronze medal match--US wins. It’s all about stilling your body and breath. The compound bows are ridiculously complicated--I remember trying it in Junior High gym, and it is HARD, even when the goal is to just hit the hay bale. The gold match (South Korea beats Germany) follows.
Lowe interviews Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris QISEOC--who is (unsurprisingly) very positive about the whole thing. Then it’s Equestrian Jumping from Versailles. Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (do you get the idea that this is the sport of Richie Riches?) is one of the best. His horse, King Edward, is considered “sensitive” (does he write poetry?). Horses aren’t allowed to see the course beforehand, so they can’t make cheat sheets. Team GB wins the gold (first since 2012), and US the silver. Laura Kraut of the US wins a medal at age 58--the oldest to do so in any sport since 1904.
Back to the pool for more heats., and then a whiparound, including Trampoline, Tennis, Futbol (The US Men are out), and Judo (France wins the heavyweight again). The US is now in a three-way tie on golds (with China ahead). More 3x3 B-Ball, with the US women winning in a squeaker, and the men (”He’s feeling it like a recent breakup”) barely getting to the next round.
By this point, I was caught up, so I switched to Peacock and their “Gold Zone”, only to find--Handball. What’s on Multiview? OK, BMX Racing works for me. A group is released all at once like a horse race, and with a lot of hills and curves, there’s a lot of action--and crashes. The goal is to get in the lead up front and stay there. Don’t blink or it’s over.
Later, I realized that a 3 hour afternoon block didn't record for some reason. Fortunately, the big stuff will re-air tonight. This also gave me the opportunity to flag items from today under Peacock's "My Stuff". Meanwhile, NBC goes to volleyball--both beach and indoor varieties. The afternoon wraps up with Mary Carillo--she went to Provance (via Viking Cruises--synergy!), and checked out olive oil.
More to come.
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