The NBC coverage

I know no one who doesn't have some complaint about the way NBC has covered these Olympics.

Some dislike the way they have to wait until after 11PM to watch their favorite events. Some disdain the uninformed commentators. Others object to the US-centric coverage. Some dislike Bob Costas.

At least we no longer have those "up close and personal" segments we were forced to sit through 12 and 16 years ago. Remember those? "Little Johnny lost his grandfather when he was only 12. Ever since that traumatic loss, he's trained with his grandfather's original encouragement in mind, and he's dedicating this Olympics to his grandfather's memory."

NBC filmed those in a cynical attempt to woo female viewers for the Olympics, thinking that these sappy, prepackaged, utterly ridiculous vignettes would stir emotions in female viewers which would cause them to want to watch the Games more.

Journalism is at its worst -- and this is saying a lot -- when it tries to milk emotions for and from their viewers. How many times have you seen some reporter, under the guise of false sympathy, ask some recently bereaved relative how she feels about her loss, hoping desperately to get her to cry?

NBC's up close and personal segments, now long gone, were really not too far removed in spirit from that.

At least we can be thankful that those are gone.