Talking Points: NBC’s win means delays for fans

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Terrible news for sports fans.

Great news for soap opera and “reality” TV fans.

NBC has won the rights to telecast the Olympics through 2020.

That means more delayed coverage.

That means more teases.

“Find out if John Q. America can win the gold … right after this commercial break.”

Then, after the commercial, more talk, more waiting, then a shot of the John Q. America warming up.

Then another commercial.

Then a feature on John Q. America who has overcome the death of his sister’s cat, who was hit by a car, then a truck, and finally, a bobsled.

Followed by a commercial for Nine Lives cat food.

Then, we will see the John Q. America, go for the gold.

Never mind that the event happened hours ago.

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We were hoping ESPN would get the Olympics. Not that ESPN is perfect, but it is perfectly situated to give us the best of both worlds. (ESPN did a fine job with the World Cup, after all.)

There could be live coverage on ESPN’s many channels for the true sports fan. And on ABC, there could be the traditional prime-time show, with rose ceremony reality TV set-ups, and highlights from around the Olympics for that day. The non-sports fan fans, the ones who only watch sports during the Olympics, would still have a place to watch, and cry about that poor cat.

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So, we wonder if the Milwaukee Brewers hoped that if they offer the son of Scott Boras a chance to play in the majors that his super-agent father would go easy on them in regards to Prince Fielder. Trent Boras, a high school third baseman, was drafted by the Brewers in the 30th round. Fielder, a pending free agent, is a client of Scott Boras.