Beauty of Sport in Eye of Beholder, Rights-Holder

Monday meanderings: For those television sports types who say they are not big fans of the Winter Olympics — with the possible exception of hockey and perhaps another event or two and cast aspersions on ice dancing, luge, etc. — something says your opinion might change if your network happened to have the TV rights to the Games.

Jaquie Ohh has us still thinking about Valentine’s Day.

* Speaking of televised sports of varying degrees of interest, the NBA’s all-star game was … uh, not sure how to assess because your humble correspondent saw little game action. The aforementioned lack of viewing time was a direct result of the game not really looking like a basketball contest. The pregame player introductions (video below) were criticized for being too long. The only portion that I paid anything approaching close attention to was halftime (video below); and the only criticism that we can offer regarding that is it was too short.

* Speaking of the NBA all-star game, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah had eight points, five rebounds and five assists for the East squad that prevailed 163-155 in New Orleans. No word from the league whether he might be fined for actually playing some defense during the exhibition effort.

* Right-hander Ryan Dempster, who toiled for the Chicago Cubs during most of his 16-year career, announced he was taking the season off from pitching for the Boston Red Sox. At 36, Dempster quite likely ends his career with having struck out a batter to end a World Series victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1. There are worse exits. With his wit (not to mention his Harry Caray impersonation), he likely will end up doing radio and/or TV if he is so inclined.

* There’s nothing quite like a weather forecast of more snow in mid-February during a winter of record snowfall. As long as climate change does not hit Florida and Arizona (where baseball’s spring training has begun), we will weather on and anticipate the first intrasquad games and the optimism they can provide. Yes, even if said optimism is unwarranted. Nobody said baseball fans — like fas of other sports — had to be rational.

* Speaking of the Olympics (well, we were a few paragraphs ago), don’t you think it’s time to add another figure skating event? In addition to mixed pairs, what about unmixed pairs? Meaning two men or two women. Anyone expecting the International Olympic Committee to do something like that might not want to hold your breath for that to occur.

Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the elementary efforts of the editorial and video departments at ElliottHarris.com):

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