NBC DOESN'T LIKE THIRD....BUT I DO

The Chinese redeemed themselves after finishing 5th in 2004 Athens Olympics. And yes they obviously prevailed in a few of the five required functions.....Floor Exercises, High Bar, Parallel Bars, Rings and Pommel Horse...particularly in the RINGS. The Chinese were incredibly strong in that function along with the Parallel Bars......BUT IN THE OTHER THREE....I THINK THE UNITED STATES KICKED ASS.

OF COURSE I DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE CHINESE DO THE HIGH BAR BECAUSE IT PLAYED AT 1:37AM AND MY DVR PLAYER STOPPED AT 1:30.

NBC DID NOT HIGHLIGHT (PRIME TIME) THE MEN'S GYMNASTICS EVENT AND I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS BASED ON A THIRD PLACE FINISH.

IF THE UNITED STATES MEN TEAM HAD WON...THE COVERAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN PRIME TIME.....

BUT NBC FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE UNITED STATES FINISHING THIRD IN THIS OLYMPICS IS AS BIG AN UPSET AS ANY TEAM PERFORMANCE IN THE OLYMPICS.

This team lost two of it's best members two weeks ago and two alternatives were added and one of those alternatives was responsible for the BRONZE MEDAL.

SASHA ARTEMEV, on the HORSE, was the last performer and needed to be all he could be in order for the United States to finish third. The two performers before Sasha had total meltdowns...but

SASHA ROCKED AND WAS STUNNING

AND

THE UNITED STATES GOT THE BRONZE

His performance was remarkable and deserves to be replayed over and over and over.

JONATHAN HORTON AND JUSTIN SPRING PERFORMANCES ON THE HIGH BAR WERE LEGENDARY AND ALSO DESERVE TO BE OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS.....BUT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BRONZE WE PROBABLY WON'T SEE REPEATED REPLAYS...

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH MEDIA COVERAGE.....if you don't finish first you are not considered a winner.....and making the Team is a VERY BIG DEAL.....getting a medal of any color is an added bonus and winning Gold is just like winning the lottery.

IS EVERYBODY THAT PLAYS THE LOTTERY AND DOES NOT WIN......A LOSER?

IS EVERY OLYMPIC PERFORMER THAT DOES NOT WIN A MEDAL......ALOSER?

AND

ACCORDING TO NBC

DOES EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T WIN A GOLD MEDAL.....A LOSER?

i think not...but

what the hell do I know

But something has to change and please don't misinterpret my rant....

I LOVE IT WHEN

SOMEONE FROM THE UNITED STATES WINS A GOLD MEDAL

but I also

LOVE IT WHEN SOMEONE FROM THE UNITED STATES WINS A SILVER MEDAL

and I also

LOVE IT WHEN SOMEONE FROM THE UNITED STATES WINS A BRONZE MEDAL

GOD FORBID THAT MICHAEL PHELPS DOESN'T WIN 8 GOLD MEDALS....

he will be such a loser

LIKE THE LOUSY AMERICAN GYMNAST'S THAT ONLY GOT A THIRD PLACE MEDAL

NBC SHOULD BE ASHAMED.....

I THINK EACH ONE OF THOSE THREE PERFORMERS MENTIONED ABOVE.....JONATHAN, JUSTIN AND SASHA SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY SIGNED BY WHEATIES AND LET AMERICA KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE GREAT EFFORTS EVEN WHEN THOSE EFFORTS ONLY RESULT IN A BRONZE MEDAL.

It might help the balance of how AMERICA looks at their performers.

IT MIGHT

GO WHEATIES.....GIVE IT A TRY!

PROMOTE THIRD PLACE FINISHING!

CELEBRATE THE EFFORT EVEN IF IT DOESN'T RESULT IN GOLD.

TEACH NBC AN IMPORTANT LESSON!

Michael Timothy McAlevey