They get what they deserve

We've all heard them for weeks -- the sob stories that NBC will lose hundreds of millions of dollars on the Vancouver Winter Olympics. I can't say I've felt bad. The network that stabs its people in the back deserves it.

And now the Olympics have arrived and all can say is this: I hope it's even worse than they thought. NBC is mishandling these games like Martin Brodeur.

It really came to a head for me on Sunday night. The USA vs. Canada men's hockey game was the first event of these games I've really cared about, so I tried to tune in on MSNBC at 7:45. I say tried because I was unable. Instead, I got some typical MSNBC program about people in prison.

I turned back to regular NBC to see if I'd just misunderstood. I got the men's super combined, which I already knew Bode Miller had won that afternoon.

Wake up, Dick Ebersol, the games aren't in Beijing this time! Vancouver is in North America, so it's OK to broadcast live.

So then I try to tune in online, but find I don't subscribe to the right cable carrier to watch online. Apparently, it's only for the beautiful people. (I also begin to suspect this is why my version of MSNBC doesn't carry it.)

Instead, I have to keep checking espn.com every little bit (no chance of using nbc.com at this point) to see what's going on.

For me, a big fan of team sports, Sunday was the most important moment of these games so far, but NBC stole a lot of my excitement. I don't know if it's corporate posturing or just not caring about fans, but they are completely ruining these games.

It's sad to know what was once the best television network has now become a fourth-rate operation like this, but I don't plan to be watching any of their shows any time soon.

Maybe Fox should get a shot at the Olympics. They couldn't do any worse, could they?