Glenn Kubish

Okay, I'll ask the question. Why is Olympics viewing so addictive? I mean, this morning, if you were walking down our front street wondering about the blue flickers framed in our picture window, yes, that was me inside watching Olympic horse jumping. At 5:30 am. And, as always, Michael provides a perspective that is of little value -- until you think about it a bit. "Dad," he said tonight when I put the question to him, "the Olympics are addictive because they are the Olymprocks." It's a reference, of course, to a plot in The Flintstones, which Mikey is too young to remember. There are many reasons why the Olympics convince us to watch. The athletes are beautiful, and seem to be getting beautifuler. The story persists that the athletes, being amateur, or amateur at heart, are a more pure version of the sporting personality. The television is spectacular, especially in its use of super slo mo, making it a joy to watch. It is an opportunity to see dif...

Higher, stronger, faster are the three words that guide the efforts of Olympians, but, for the television storytellers at London 2012, it's more like higher resolution, stronger effect, and slower. Much, much, muuuuuuch slower. Slow motion is everywhere in these Olympics. We have mentioned this before (May 22, 2012 blog "Slow Down, You Move Too Fast), but it bears a quick review. The technology has advanced to the point where video almost surrenders to the medium it pushed aside: photography. And, so, now we see the bead of perspiration, the droplet of water, the look of determination. And all in HD. It is brilliant. We can see with the eye of the expert. If those synchronized divers do their water-bound artistry too fast, we can see where the one on the right actually came out of her pike a little too soon. In field hockey, we can see the stick laid down to set up the penalty shot. In water polo, we see the leg kick that moved the ball up to the player's hand for...