Impromptu Viewer Rebellion Prompts Reconsideration of Olympic Beach Volleyball
As we take stock of the winding-down Summer Olympics, not every story emerging from Beijing can deal with an upbeat panoply of would-be stars and swimmer abs. There's plenty to improve on for 2012, starting with women's beach volleyball — an athletic travesty so grave that readers of one TV blog have mounted sort of an accidental revolt against its continuation four years from now in London:
Reader Palo on the U.S. athletes: "Too much beach volleyball. NBC would have done even better if they hadn't OVERDOSED with that duo of Kerri Walsh/Misty May on the screen every night during primetime. Some NBC executives probably thought men want their T&A every night. But those women look like the jolly green giants" ... Reader ML on the nature of the Olympics: "Enough volleyball already! There are other sports and other players worthy of coverage! We're showing our 6-13-yr-old kids old vacation movies at this point since the only alternative is beach volleyball again. What's wrong with NBC?" ... Reader Kalliope on staying up late to watch key events: "I've watched a lot of beach volleyball, in an attempt to stay awake to watch the events I'm really interested in seeing. I have failed every night thus far ... it's USA women's Misty May-something and her partner what's-her-name. Night-after-night. Have they won yet? At one point I had to check my television because I thought I might have landed on the Beach Volleyball channel" ... Reader "Family Reunion sports should not be Olympic sports" on Olympic badminton: "WTF is up with sand volleyball and badminton being Olympic sports? Any sports my 75 Grandma can play at my family reunion should not be an Olympic sport. What's next? Horseshoes, Lawn Darts, Croquet? Sack Races? Egg Toss? Memo to NBC: I don't give a darn about Volleyball. PLEASE MAKE IT ALL STOP!!!"
OK — but be patient! Our surefire injunction will be ready by Sunday's telecast, we promise.