Not a Big Truck

Here is the Oddball segment from Countdownyesterday.  Pay attention only to the first 1:20 or so.  Olbermann gives a lot of respect to Jim Thorpe in response to the whole “Michael Phelps is the greatest” crowd.  Thorpe was amazing.

No doubt about it, Morgan Freeman has one of the greatest narration voices ever.  Case in point: the Visa commercials currently airing during Olympic coverage.  Here’s the one I particularly like, featuring British runner Derek Redmond at the ‘92 Games in Barcelona.  The man could make a grocery list sound compelling.

One interesting Olympics-related story which I haven’t seen extensively discussed in the MSM is China’s decision to prevent Robert Mugabe from attending the games. It seems that given how much grief (much of it deserved) China has gotten for supporting corrupt African regimes and its nice to see that they can be swayed by international opinion, even on minor issues. Interestingly, Mugabe made it as far as Hong Kong before being told he was not welcome in Beijing. I would be interested to hear more about whether he has planning a stopover in Hong Kong or whether his plans were abruptly cut short and he just had to land in Hong Kong to refuel before heading home. For that matter, does anybody know whether he has a Zimbabwean Air Force Billion (which was an Air Force One but has since been hurt by inflation)?

I’m watching the Olympics opening ceremony right now on NBC, and the Parade of Nations has just begun.  I’ve admittedly been somewhat apathetic about the Olympics and skeptical of the pomp and fanfare, but I have to say that I was deeply impressed by the Zhang Yimou-choreographed spectacle that was the first half of the ceremony.

Funny moment: George W. Bush peering through binoculars at the Turkmenistan delegation marching around the track.