Yikes

I just accidentally deleted a 14,000-word post on cheese. Ouch. While I rewrite it, you can read two great e-mails. First, Jeff Y. on what is fast becoming the second-most popular sport of this blog:

Hey, I know you've already had a few comments supporting the wacky sport of biathlon, but read one more. This is a bit long, but hear me out.

I've never biathloned (?) and certainly couldn't name a biathlete if you put a gun to my head, and I have no agenda here, but during the last Olympics in SLC I realized that biathlon was the most exciting sport I've ever seen. Here's the story: somehow biathlon shows up on the regular evening T.V. broadcast one night (some low-level tech guy/schmo at NBC must have hit the wrong button) and after a few confused minutes, I realize I'm actually watching the biathlon. Very bizarre because I hear about it every four years by way of people making fun of it, but like most Amercians, have never actually seen it.

Okay, here's the thing. This is key. In sports, what is the most exciting thing that can happen during a competition?? Lead changes. I.e., one team pulls ahead, then the other, and then back to the other, and so forth. You're just dying. On the edge of your seat. Your man dunks it. You're back in the lead! Sweet! But then, a triple off the wall scores two runs! No!, You're back in despair. But then, he serves an ace. YES! Game and set! But then, stupid QB throws an interception! No, no, no, no! We were about to score! But then, he slips past the defender and flicks it in the goal! Yeah, baby!! One minute you're insane with joy, then the next you fall back in despair. These are the games you talk about for the rest of your life. Even if your team/guy loses, you still talk about it forever and the what ifs never end. And if they won, oh man, you can't even sleep for two days, you're so excited.

Anyway, this is why biathlon is so exciting: I have never seen a sport where you get these constant lead changes like biathlon. It's practically guaranteed. Back to the story, I don't change the channel and I start watching this biathlon and then start praying that NBC won't go back to bobsled or skeleton or whatever (which, of course, they do after 15 minutes), because it is so dang exciting.

See, the skiiers are going around, someone is in the lead, he/she arrives at the shooting area, takes their shots and they miss one or two. So they have to take a penalty lap. Or two. And so a few other skiiers pull ahead and take the lead! Then the new leader pulls in. Takes his shots. He misses one. Take a lap, buddy. Someone else pulls ahead of him! Or he misses all five and he's totally out of it. Then they all ski some more, and the original leader makes all his shots. So he scoots ahead while the other guy takes another lap. He's back in the lead! And they keep going like this the entire race. No lead is ever safe. If a guy skis too fast, he can't shoot well and loses the lead. Anyway, it was great and I hope to see some on T.V. this year. And that's all I have to say.

As an aside, I watched Nagano and SLC highlights last night on Eurosport, and the biathletes had amazing amounts of drool and spittle hanging off their chins. It was pretty nasty, actually. But I'm still planning on going to the biathlon venue.

And this sweet e-mail from Nancy McCarthy of Columbia, S.C.:

Dear Mr. Steinberg: If you're hungry for something other than cheese, go talk to my son Joe Britt, age 24 and a chef, who was invited to Torino to cook for the IOC, dignitaries, Olympic sponsors, and other very important people. He might fix you something to eat. Poor Joe has been dying for a hamburger since January 14th, the day he arrived in Torino.

Joe had to leave his hotel yesterday because of a glitch in reservations and is now sleeping on a couch loaned to him by some Australians. The only information I have about his cooking venue is that he is cooking in a palace and there is a window in the kitchen that overlooks the awards stage. Since he also has no cell phone service now that he has nowhere to hook up his laptop, perhaps he could give you something good to eat if you let him borrow your cell phone or lap top so he can get in touch with his mother, i.e., me. We've been communicating daily and I miss talking to him and hearing about his adventures in Italy.

Joe is a very polite young man from South Carolina and is guaranteed to say yes, sir and no, sir to you should you happen upon his kitchen. Please pass along that I miss and love him very much.

I'll try, Nancy, I'll try.

By Dan Steinberg |  February 10, 2006; 10:27 AM ET
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Posted by: Bill | February 10, 2006 10:45 AM

Posted by: Nancy | February 10, 2006 12:21 PM

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