Set your TIVOs or Clear Your Schedule: The Olympics Begin 8/8 Friday 7:30p

Just wanted to make everyone aware that the Olympics will begin at 7:30p (1/2 hr earlier than expected) - Reuters.
The opening ceremonies will be 3 1/2 hours long.

NBC will present an unprecedented 3,600 hours of Beijing Olympic Games coverage, the most ambitious single media project in history featuring the most live coverage (nearly 2,900 live hours in total), across the most platforms, of any Summer Olympics in history.

Tags: nbc, olympics

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Comment by Eugene on August 4, 2008 at 8:16pm: by Goenz
I think the Olympics games are awesome because it's when South Korea and North Korea have walked together during the opening ceremonies. It's where people from Iraq and America can play soccer together. It's a time when politics shouldn't matter, because it's beyond that. It makes us realize that we can all get along even if it's a temporary denial.

Comment by alice on August 4, 2008 at 7:46pm: I get what you're saying about the way China's handling things as the host country but how can you think that they wouldn't be oversensitive? Perhaps believing that China would act completely openly like our country would is our mistake. China has a lot riding on these games - and it has nothing to do with sports. It's how they come across to the world, their national pride that is now at stake. I'm not agreeing with their behavior, agreeing to provide full internet access to foreign news media and then going back on that promise isn't right. (Related article NY Times.) However, if we can remember that China is a "a closed society captive to its dated Communist structure" (USA Today's Juan Williams) perhaps we can be a bit more understanding.

Plus - the way China is acting shouldn't take away from all the joy and excitement of the games! A time when we can all put aside our differences and just enjoy a little friendly competition.

Like my sis said, Go Phelps! :)

Comment by rp {|} // .MrPresident___++ on August 4, 2008 at 7:19pm: Eh...I'm not interested at all. All of the contra verse surrounding the event just sucked all of the flavor out of it. I don't really care for the way the chinese government is trying to control every little thing.

from the internet usage, to denying visas. its ridiculous. Hopefully the next Olympics will be in a place where there isn't so much closed-mindedness amongs the powers that be. The Olympic organizers go to great lengths to put on a historical show only to be undermined by the government. Viva freedom.

I was in Atlanta for the 96' Olympics, we were so psyched, until that damn bomb went off. After that we didn't even really want to be there.

Comment by PANDA JU on August 4, 2008 at 4:17pm: can't wait to watch the coverage in HDeeeee weee!

Gooooo China!

Comment by SiMonster on August 4, 2008 at 2:52pm: i love the olympics for the sport and unity of it all, but it always makes me a bit sad/pissed that i'm too old to compete at that level.

except maybe in curling, but that's just lame. i can just imagine being in a bar:

hot babe: "hi there. what do you do?"
simonster: "i'm competing in the olympics."
hot babe: "ooooooh! really?!? what sport??? *starts pulling out her hotel key*"
simonster: "curling"
hot babe: "... huh?"
simonster: "curling. basically i brush ice with a broom while another dude slides a rock with a handle."
hot babe: "oh. *discreetly puts hotel key away* oops, my friends are leaving, byeeeeeee."

Comment by alice on August 4, 2008 at 1:32pm: NY Times
NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, Telemundo, Universal HD and Oxygen (the newest in the fold) will combine for an exhaustive 24-hour presence that in many cases will overlap during parts of each day.

NBC’s 225 hours of afternoon, prime-time and late-night coverage will be an eclectic mix but will focus on gymnastics, track and field, volleyball, swimming and diving.

USA (2 a.m. to noon Eastern) will specialize in United States men’s and women’s basketball and soccer; CNBC (midnight to 4:30 or 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) will focus partly on boxing; and Oxygen (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) will carry equestrian events and gymnastic recaps. Telemundo (in three daily blocks) and MSNBC (5 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will show various sports and Universal HD will have 24 hours of CNBC and MSNBC simulcasts.

But even with the abundance of live streams, one truism remains: prime time on NBC still rules. Those watching online will not see live gymnastics, track and field, swimming, diving, volleyball or beach volleyball. That is reserved for NBC from 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Eastern to midnight or beyond, when the audience is at its height and advertisers are paying the most.

Comment by Caroline Jihae Turk on August 4, 2008 at 11:51am: I can't wait for the Olympics! Dada da dadala dadada dada da da dadum... that's the best known theme song in the world.. Go Phelps!