NBC To Show Gold Medal Game Live Across The Country

Saturday, August 23, 2008


So the payback to all of you not living in east coast standard time is a live gold medal basketball game tonight that isn't starting at 2:30 in the morning (the start time for us East Coasters). NBC, for once, plans on airing the USA-Spain game tonight (tomorrow in Beijing) live in all parts of the country.

Sure the game is going to be on awfully late in most States outside of Hawaii, but if you're a night owl and a Basketball fan, you should be able to make it through the whole thing. Who hasn't gone to bed at 4:30am (Okay, don't answer that)? Here are your start times for the game and while NBC has made terrible scheduling decisions for those destinations out West, at least they're getting one right before the Closing Ceremonies.

Eastern- 2:30am
Central- 1:30am
Mountain- 12:30am
Western- 11:30pm
Alaska- 10:30pm
Hawaii- 8:30pm

I still haven't decided what my plans are for the evening, but if I'm up, you might see something in this spot early Sunday morning.

NBC's Coverage of The Beijing Olympics Has Been...Slightly Better (Bleacher Report)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 12:20 PM

45 Comments:

Sick and Tired of the West Coast crying about not getting to see games live. Hey West Coast, you don't have to stay up until 2:00am to watch the World Series or the NBA Finals.

Anonymous said...
Aug 23, 2008, 1:29:00 PM  

The one time NBC gives us a live game, it's at 11:30 at night.


Oh well, better than nothing.


Scott F, piss off.

Anonymous said...
Aug 23, 2008, 2:30:00 PM  

scott, we've already covered this. go back and look through all the other nbc-related posts.

as for the start time itself, this has more to do with the olympics than it does nbc. the basketball final (like the winter olympics hockey final) is always on the last day. since the closing cermonies are in the evening, the game is in the afternoon.

-dan

Anonymous said...
Aug 23, 2008, 2:33:00 PM  

It's called the Pacific time zone. Western time zone is in Australia.

Anonymous said...
Aug 23, 2008, 3:21:00 PM  

What time are they rebroadcasting it on Sunday?

Maynard said...
Aug 23, 2008, 6:54:00 PM  

Scott, you're missing the entire point. The eastern time zone may have to wait very late to see live NFL/NBA games, but you still get to see it LIVE.

Whereas, west coast viewers had to wait until **after** the rest of the world already knew the results. We literally had to not log onto the internet, watch TV, or talk to anybody so they wouldnt spoil the results.

Huge difference

Dell said...
Aug 23, 2008, 9:34:00 PM  

What does it matter? Theres no way in hell team USA doesn't win by at least 25 points.

Lammy742 said...
Aug 23, 2008, 10:47:00 PM  

"Whereas, west coast viewers had to wait until **after** the rest of the world already knew the results. We literally had to not log onto the internet, watch TV, or talk to anybody so they wouldnt spoil the results."

Humanity existed for millions of years without knowing things happening on the other side of the globe exactly as they happen, I reckon the species will survive this epic calamity.

Maynard said...
Aug 23, 2008, 11:13:00 PM  

Daniel,

I'm sure if you had to watch the Super Bowl twelve hours tape delayed, you'd freak out.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 12:14:00 AM  

Really wish I could watch the volleyball gold medal match live...

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 12:20:00 AM  

Humanity has evolved and so has our worldwide ability to communicate with each other.

The only "calamity" here is the NBC braintrust. NBC has made programming decisions in the Pacific Time Zone that have, no doubt, cost them money and viewership and impacted enthusiasm for the Olympics in general. Call me loopy, but somehow it's not as exciting, for example, watching Michael Phelps win something you knew he won hours ago because it was the headline on every sports website, news broadcast and newspaper and the topic of every conversation around you.

NBC... master at taking away the "edge of your seat" factor. And, no doubt, they will survive to make further such blunders for years and years to come.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 12:26:00 AM  

the games on the east coast were delayed by 15 minutes or so anyway so it wasn't "live" live. probably could have gotten the score faster online than on tv. east coasters, we have something to cry about!

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:04:00 AM  

This start time makes me wish I lived in Hawaii even more.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:17:00 AM  

At least this is the last weekend where people will be complaining about not being able to see sporting events they would normally be able to see, right?

/Ohio & Iowa residents w/o the BTN

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:26:00 AM  

Anyone crazy enough to live blog this?

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:36:00 AM  

cj s.,

don't worry. I live in Hawaii and our idiot affiliate here decided to stick with tape delaying everything and showing the primetime coverage in, well, primetime. So Hawaii won't get it until late night on tape.

Unless, you are on digital cable and you have the basketball specialty channel. This is one of the few times I'm happy that I have it.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:36:00 AM  

Great reporting by Sager. Do you think Rubio told the trainer that in Spanish?

Mi muñeca está hiperextendida!

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:47:00 AM  

Good to see Wade playing like Flash, again.

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:49:00 AM  

The biggest disappointment of the entire Olympics is the lack of Craig Sager-worthy attire worn by Craig Sager. Where's the orange suit?

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:50:00 AM  

Spain has quickly discovered they cant keep up with the US in a run-n-gun track meet style of game.

Who needs the best 2 players in the NBA?

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:55:00 AM  

Spoiler alert... The refs are winning this game.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 2:55:00 AM  

anyone see what just caused the spanish bench to go crazy?

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:00:00 AM  

Breen - "The ref, a Sting look-alike."

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:01:00 AM  

Anon: they thought that Kobe traveled on that dunk (he didn't). Nevermind the 4 steps that Fernandez got on the next possession.

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:07:00 AM  

The Spanish bench was going nuts on the Kobe dunk because they claimed he took too many steps. That will NEVER get called on a breakaway dunk. Ever.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:08:00 AM  

Dwyane Wade should have started dating Star Jones* long ago.

*allegedly

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:11:00 AM  

Barkley probably kicked him out of his Fav 5 before the Olympics; Wade is playing to get back in.

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:13:00 AM  

This first half is fitting of 3:30 AM Eastern: Sloppy, ugly at times and quick scoring. All we need is a fight and it's any bar parking lot at closing time.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:27:00 AM  

Was Doug Collins ever jobbed out of a Gold Medal? I never heard of it before...

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:35:00 AM  

What does it matter? Theres no way in hell team USA doesn't win by at least 25 points.

They better pick it up with the US only having a 6 point lead in the 3rd.

Aug 24, 2008, 3:48:00 AM  

viva espana +23!!!

Unknown said...
Aug 24, 2008, 3:57:00 AM  

Ruh-roh.

Aug 24, 2008, 4:01:00 AM  

Rudy freaking Fernandez!!!!
USA's lead back down to eight.

Aug 24, 2008, 4:07:00 AM  

Four point play for Kobe and Rudy Fernandez? He gone.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:12:00 AM  

THE GOLD IS COMING HOME

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:20:00 AM  

And we'll get you back out to the Gold Medal ceremony for the Redeem Team, but first...MORE MICHAEL PHELPS!!!!!

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:36:00 AM  

it was cool when they all went and gave high-5s to collins and breen after the game.

-dan

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:36:00 AM  

nice job of showing the gaye commercial after the win. the collins shot afterwards was really touching. fuck the soviet union.

bring it home gentlemen

BackBergtt said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:42:00 AM  

Great work team America. Kobe saved the day with that four point play. I was afraid most of the way that we had no idea what to do in a close game but Kobe's clutchness led the way and saved the day. In the end I'm glad it was close because now I don't have to regret staying up to watch it lol

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:47:00 AM  

It took until the last day of competition, but at least NBC got something right.

Aug 24, 2008, 4:49:00 AM  

loving the montages
bring on the medals!

BackBergtt said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:50:00 AM  

jorts?

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:55:00 AM  

+1 to Howard and Kobe for being the only anthem singers.

BF said...
Aug 24, 2008, 5:05:00 AM  

Psst... given the times in the post, Hawaiian time should be 9:30.

Morgan Wick said...
Aug 24, 2008, 4:11:00 PM  

During the Women's Gold Medal B-ball game, did you know that Craig Sager revealed the results of two sports? I am not sure if saying the Women's Gold Medal soccer game was a spoiler, but saying that USA won the Women's Volleyball gold was a spoiler.

It just so happened that USA did not win the Gold in the Women's Volleyball. So, is that still a spoiler? If anything it was misinformation that got my wife's hopes up.

Anonymous said...
Aug 24, 2008, 10:25:00 PM  

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