Sportsfrog.com

That person being me.

—The cross-country ski events are death to watch on TV. My condolences to the announcers who are trying to make it interesting.

—NBC’s refusal to understand that that they have purchased a sports event and not a scripted drama continues to confuse me on a biannual basis.

—There is no excuse to ever do anything other than show the men’s and women’s downhill live and in its entirety. The crazy speed, the edge that each skier races to in order to be as fast as possible, it is edge-of-the-seat compelling. THAT is the kind of event that needs to be covered in its entirety.

—As opposed to say, short track speed skating. In a line going around a circle, in a line going around a circle, in a line going around a circle, etc. etc. etc., waiting for last lap when someone tries to do something. The opposite of compelling television.

—I join the throng who is now sucked into curling. Never a curling joke will leave my lips again. Great stuff. Side note to NBC though, STOP cutting away during ends. Show the effin’ match as it unfolds, please. The first several rocks have plenty of strategic value and your viewers would like to see the play unfold.

—The part of me going to hell wondered if NBC killed the one skater’s mother and made it look like a heart attack just to get a human interest angle going. It feels like the athletes need to fake an injury they are overcoming, find a relative with a disability, or they are in danger of NBC needing to spice up their years of dedication with an angle and eliminate a loved one.

—As always, NBC, a plea to consider showing the Olympics next time around with a focus on the sports aspect. Just this once, give it a shot.

I guess I’m used to seeing pictures of Danica Patrick or Anna Kournikova in bikinis when this argument is made, but instead, Lindsey Vonn’s SI cover this week is “a sexualized pose” according to Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi.

Over the last 60 years researchers have shown that about 4% of all SI covers have portrayed women.

When females are featured on the cover of SI, they are more likely than not to be in sexualized poses and not in action–and the most recent Vonn cover is no exception.

The crux of LaVoi’s argument is based on the fact that Vonn doesn’t have a helmet and goggles on, and it’s a passive photo. And given that criteria, SI just loves making athletes objects. Look at Jimmy Connors and his come hither grin! Or Tom Brady and his fantastic teeth and shirtless body!

Without the proper context of Sports Illustrated cover poses over the years, LaVoi comes off as looking as an uninformed feminist using the Vonn cover to try to make a point that really isn’t there. If Vonn had been scantily clad, this may be a legitimate argument. Instead, it looks pretty foolish.

(h/t The Big Lead)