HIGHLIGHTS FROM NBC’s AUGUST 18 PRIMETIME COVERAGE OF THE BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES

“This is not about one country versus another, the Chinese have been fabulous, it’s about one routine versus another.” — Daggett

“If there’s an Olympic record for looking like you’re not trying, he’s won that as well.” – Hammond on Bolt

BEIJING – August 19 2008 – NBC’s primetime coverage of the 2008 Beijing Games continued Monday with the women’s individual gold medal finals in uneven bars and men’s gymnastics individual gold medal finals in rings and vault, track gold medal finals and live beach volleyball.

Below are highlights from NBC’s primetime coverage:

TRACK ANALYST ATO BOLDON TO BOB COSTAS ON USAIN BOLT’S 100M WIN: “So far the performance, by far, of these games.”

BOLDON ON BOLT’S ABILITY DESPITE HIS HEIGHT: “I mean this guy could be on the ‘Redeem Team,’ and here he is just destroying guys who are a lot shorter.”

BOLDON ON EARLY CELBRATION BY BOLT IN THE 100M: “It is, and was, a display that should not have been there.”

TRACK PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR TOM HAMMOND ON BOLT’S CELEBRATION: “Some say his youthful exuberance is compelling and others say it’s borderline bad sportsmanship.”

HAMMOND ON BOLT’S 200M SEMIFINAL RACE WHERE HE WON BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN: “If there’s an Olympic record for looking like you’re not trying, he’s won that as well.”

GYMNASTICS ANALYST TIM DAGGETT ON QUESTIONABLE JUDGING: “What it comes down to Bob (Costas), is that the people on the floor (judges) have to follow the rules.”

DAGGETT ON NASTIA LIUKIN LOSING TO CHINA’S HE KEXIN IN THE TIEBREAKER ON THE UNEVEN BARS:
“I think that they dropped the ball on this one (the judges).”

“It’s a very convoluted process.”

“This is not about one country versus another, the Chinese have been fabulous, it’s about one routine versus another, and I thought that the one girl wearing the red, white, and blue was definitely better today.”

“It should not have gotten to that point (a tiebreaker).”

DAGGETT ON WATCHING LIUKIN’S MOM WAVING TO HER DAUGHTER: “She should be waving to an Olympic gold medalist on the uneven bars and that is my very strong opinion.”

DAGGETT ON THE FACT THAT NO JUDGES ARE ALLOWED FROM COMPETITORS COUNTRIES: “The problem is you end up with judges that aren’t that experienced.”

“The one that really jumps out at me is the Australian judge that took a full point from Nastia Liukin and only .07 for He Kexin.”

BELA KAROYLI TO BOB COSTAS ON CONFUSION OVER GYMNASTICS SCORING AND JUDGING THROUGHOUT OLYMPICS:
“This is adding to the already brewing controversy and frustration in the heart of the athletes including the viewers.”

BOB COSTAS DELIVERING DR. NANCY SNYDERMAN’S TIPS FOR VIEWERS LOSING SLEEP WATCHING THE OLYMPICS:

1) Stay hydrated

2) Tell yourself you only need four hours of sleep - really

3) Wear sunglasses to hide red eyes

4) Crack up your iPod and listen to anything Michael Phelps does

5) Skip work (you’re never going to see an Olympics like this again anyway)

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