A few of you may not have even realized that the 2000 Summer Olympic Games are currently underway Down Under in a city which I am not allowed to mention in Kristen's presence. Indeed, according to early Nielsen ratings, a lot of people seem to have taken little notice of the NBC coverage of the Olympic games. Some blame it on the 15-18 hour time delay between the Australia and the States. People want to see the action LIVE. Others say that there is simply more competition now for our attention with the advent of cable/satellite TV and the Internet.

I, however, am obsessed with watching the Olympics.
[Editor's note: Obsessed isn't an exaggeration. This weekend Erika and I finally decided to start reading Memoirs of a Geisha together. On Tuesday night, when we pried her away from the television long enough to dine on tapas and sangria, I asked her if she'd started the book. She got all flustered and yelled, "NO... IT'S THE OLYMPICS!" Erika never, ever yells. Definitely obsessed.]
No chat room or Lifetime movie takes the place of seeing the finish of a close race or watching the emotions of the athletes who have made these fleeting moments in the Olympics a full-time endeavor.

In week one, the spotlight has been on the swimming and gymnastic events. While the swimmers have been knocking down world record after world record, the gymnasts have found it hard not to fall off the equipment.

Now you may not be into watching sports, but allow me to share some of my highlights from week one of the 2000 Olympics, and maybe you will decide to tune in for an hour or two of next week's competition.

Hottest US Swimmer:
Lenny Krayzelburg
 
While I usually prefer the overall lean frame of a Soccer player to the tapered one of a swimmer, I certainly have no problems watching Lenny. He's tall, blond, rugged with a killer smile and a slight Ukrainian accent. The American Dream in a Speedo.

Hottest Non-US Swimmers:
Pieter van den Hoogenband (Netherlands) and Alexander Popov (Russia)
 
Pieter is fair and smooth. Alexander is darker and chiseled. Thank goodness for variety.

Hey Don't Count Me Out:
Gary Hall, Jr. (swimmer, USA)
 
He's got diabetes, and people don't really seem to take him seriously. Better watch out though, he's got 3 medals so far!

It Gets Better With Age:
Dara Torres (swimmer, USA)
 
The oldest female swimmer to win a gold medal at age 33. That means that if I started training in the pool right now, I could surpass her in six years.

Big Boo Boo:
The Vault at the Women's Gymnastics All-around
 
Two of the best gymnasts in the world perform some of the worst vaults in their competitive careers and fall to the bottom of the standings. Is it nerves or is it because the vault is 5 centimeters too short? The gymnasts were offered a second chance after the height had been corrected halfway through the meet, but it was too little too late as the poor vault performance had already made an impact on their other routines.

Biggest Upset:
USA Women's Softball Team
 
Hopefully to become the Best Comeback. The defending gold medal champions lose three games in a row, but they are not out of the mix yet.

Most Excited Winner:
Misty Hyman (swimmer, USA)
 
Everyone was surprised that Misty had beaten the hometown favorite, but none more than Misty herself. She reminded everyone that a gold medal is not something that you should just expect to win.

Most Gracious:
Ian Thorpe (swimmer, Australia)
 
He's a phenomenal swimmer. He knows he's a phenomenal swimmer, but is he a jerk about it? No way. He speaks well of everybody and is just glad to be there.

Rah Rah Rah:
USA Women's and Men's Soccer
 
Team sports are not usually big news in the Olympics, but if you are looking to cheer on the USA in a team sport, go with Soccer. The competition is not a joke and the play is intense. Women are through to the semi-finals and Men through to the quarter-finals.

Coolest Venue:
White Water Kayaking
 
If I ever build a water amusement park, I've got to have one of these.

It's About Time:
Women's Pole Vault
 
I remember my days in Wayland High School field house watching the boys learn the pole vault and thinking, "How fair is that?".

What the Heck:
Trampoline
 
The first gold medal has been awarded for the Trampoline. I can't wait to see what this is all about.