The first 13-hour day

8/4/08 21:08 Local Time, Broadcast Compound, Water Cube

I find it a bit crazy how much money NBC has been willing to spend just to set up for the broadcasts of these Games. The gymnastics trailers on our compound are all decked out in Chinese souvenirs, including decorative outdoor lanterns, banners with Chinese writing, a gong, and Chinese tea set -- all because the director and producer wanted them, and all on NBC's money. Our producer decided he wants posters of the U.S. swimmers up in his office, so our office people have been in a complete frenzy trying to figure out how to get them for him as quickly as possible. It's like a contest for who can have the best decorated trailer for our 2 weeks of broadcasting. And whatever the producers want, the producers get, even if it's a case of Pepsi in a cooler every day.

Furniture for the offices is another issue. If a trailer needs something that it doesn't already have, someone either goes out and buys it here or it's ordered and shipped here the next day. They've put couches in a bunch of the trailers as well as air mattresses and blankets and pillows for people who just sleep here when the Games start. And today we had to build a sound proof box inside one of the voice over rooms out of 1x4 pieces of lumber and soundproof paneling -- all ordered yesterday and delivered because the producer wanted it. And I realized the one thing they didn't specify at our orientation -- how much money NBC invests in these Games. I'm very curious to know. Oh, we have a hammock outside, too, attached to the only 2 trees in our compound. One of our editors is sound asleep in it right now. He looks like he's going to hit the ground any second.

The U.S. Swim team had its first official practice at the Olympic venue earlier tonight. Shannon and I went over around 5:00 to check it out, but we found out they changed their practice time to 7:00 instead. We watched the Australian team practice as a consolation. Not too shabby.

We've been at work for almost 13 hours now, but Shannon and I did get to head back over to the pool to catch part of the U.S. team practice. It's crazy because I've seen these people before -- I've swam in some of the same meets, I've been on the same pool deck -- but seeing all of them as Olympians practicing in the Olympic pool is an entirely new level. Here, it's like you know what they're here for, you know their goals, you know their competition. We saw so many people, too -- Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay, Ryan Lochte, Dara Torres, Katie Hoff, Margaret Hoelzer, Kate Ziegler, and my personal favorite Brendan Hansen. And watching all of them swim from Bob Costas' broadcast platform above the pool deck with Rowdy Gaines is completely indescribable.

And speaking of Rowdy Gaines, we were all in the office today with him and Dan Hicks and Dan asked me if I swam at school. I told him yes, but I explained how our team is getting cut and our athletic director is creating a women's ice hockey team in our place, and he got all upset for me and said he thought it was a story he could possibly work into his broadcasts. I'm not sure if he was serious or what, but how cool would it be if our story actually got aired?! We proceeded with the conversation to discuss our athletics department, which apparently a lot of the big names know of, and even women's ice hockey and the future of that sport. It's definitely interesting to hear some professional takes on our issue.

The Today Show was filming practice, as well, while we were there. I met one of the producers and a few of the camera people. When I talked to my mom back home, she said they were showing it on TV, and it was cool to tell her that I was standing right there. She was explaining what they were showing and I was telling her that I saw all of it from Costas' platform and knew exactly what she was talking about. I literally was 5 feet away from all of it.

On a side note, the Water Cube is all lit up in different colors right now. It's so amazingly cool. And the broadcast tower is all different colors, too, so the whole Olympic Green is glowing and gorgeous. Only 3 1/2 days until the Games begin! I am legitimately wondering if I will ever make it back to my Media Village room before that torch is lit.