Beijing Olympics time, you guys! Which means the greatest challenge facing Americans is upon us: Do we TiVo Weeds for later so we can catch the last bastion of American hope in the games — the virile Michael Phelps — go for eight gold medals in swimming, or watch it live and wait for the results to be posted online?

Growing out of 2004’s Athens Games, Phelps quickly became the U.S. poster child for athletic greatness; he appeared on, we’re guessing, 213 magazine covers, signed on to promote Visa, PowerBar, and Speedo, then virtually disappeared — only to be trumpeted out a few months ago, and have his manhood digitally erased, as the marketing machine known as American Pride began prepping for today, August 8, 2008, when everything is on the line.

Yes, everything. American bragging rights. A resurrected skirmish with Big China. And, while we’re at it, the future of NBC.CONTINUED »

Permalink | post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg
Post tags: Michael Phelps, NBC, Olympics

Read more at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/jossip/~3/359641782/.