Here's my rant for the night... I really HATE that there is so little skating on TV these days. And in an Olympic year! An hour of men, and hour of ladies, and no pairs or dance. Criminal! (and no downhill skiing on cable??!). Yet there are many sports channels, some with only one brand. I can't believe there are fewer people watching competitive skating than there are watching fishing and such. I guess skating charges too much, and is harder to find sponsors? I'd guess that more women buy the things advertised than men buy fishing lures and gear!
It's finally sinking in that Lipinski and Weir will be commentating for the Oly games, too. UGH! They aren't bad as announcers, but they both repulse me. Tara was like a spinning pencil on the ice. A little kid with no grace, style, emotion - except that giggly smile and more spins. Her Oly medal was a low point for the sport, for me. Poor Michelle. Everything I loved in skating, but she never got her Oly prize. The pressure seemed too much? And Weir is just too creepy! Marilyn Manson on ice. (I stopped watching Men's about 8 years ago. I don't relate to them like I do the Ladies, whose emotional side gets to me. I do like Pairs and Dance as much as Ladies. And let me insult Asians, too. The best skaters, but I don't feel any emotion in or from their skating. If it's there, it goes right over my cultural head)
And of all things. Formula One racing is the 2nd biggest sport in the world, and niche in the States. I tuned in for qualifying last week for the US GP. This is a big event for this country! What I saw was the last half hour of curling. Yes - CURLING! They showed the first half hour of F1 qualifying - the least interesting part, and skipped the last hour. Then they showed women's curling. I know - one niche sport eclipsing another. But I've never seen curling on TV, outside of the Olympics. I like my sports more on the edge!