The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were officially the most-watched U.S. television event of all time with 211 million viewers tuning into NBC and its sister cable channels, according to Nielsen Media Research. (That's 2 million more than the previous record-holder, the 1996 Atlanta Games.)
Here are 10 of the many moments that made the Beijing Games the most strangely wonderful Olympics in recent memory.
The Opening Ceremonies
How I wished I could have seen Bob Costas and Matt Lauer's faces as they chatted awkwardly through the most jaw-dropping spectacle ever televised. If they felt anything like I did -- part scared, part inspired, another part scared -- it's probably best only their voices were on deck. Conceived by beloved Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the show featured more than 15,000 performers, lasted more than four hours, and was reported to have cost over $100 million. The perfectly robotic movements, stunning precision, and almost eerie perfection of the event mingled to send a single message: China was here, and they meant business.
Michael Phelps does something amazing
It seems odd to choose just one moment from the 2008 Phelps Games, but this one is the stuff of legends. In one of the closest races of Phelps' entire career, he out-touched -- literally -- second-place finisher Milorad Cavic of Serbia by one-hundredth of a second in the 100-meter butterfly. He didn't set a world record this time, but had he not tweaked his usual style and taken an extra stroke, his quest for an Olympics record of eight gold medals would have been over and Mark Spitz wouldn't be crying himself to sleep right now.
Usain Bolt sets new world records in the 200 and 100-meter finals
Sure, he was a little brash and full of himself, but wouldn't you be too? The Jamaican sprinter not only won gold in the men's 200-meter final in a world record time of 19.30, he also set a world record in the 100 meters, running it in a scant 9.69 seconds. Bolt is the first man since Don Quarrie in 1976 to hold both sprint world records at the same time. I'd say that qualifies him for an extra-long victory lap, wouldn't you?
Japanese win the last gold medal ever in Oympics softball
It was one of the biggest upsets in these Olympics -- and any other, really -- when the Japanese defeated the reigning U.S. ladies 3-1 to win the softball gold medal, the last one ever to be awarded for this sport at the games. It has been nixed for 2012 because the Americans had dominated for so long (they had a 22-game wining steak and three consecutive golds), so I wonder: Is there is a do-over rule at the IOC? I love to see these ladies match up again in 2012.
He Kexin wins gold for China on the uneven bars
Eesh, this was a relief. We may never know how old she really is, but seeing China's He Kexin kiss her gold medal after the women's uneven bars final was a rare tender moment for so-young-how-can-she-be-this-good? star gymnast. I definitely have mixed feelings about such young girls being under so much pressure, but seeing this little sprite of a thing make her country proud somehow, for that moment, seemed totally perfect.
Dara Torres wins silver in all her events
Oh, I wished for a gold for this plucky lady. At 41, Torres was the oldest member on the U.S. Olympics swim team and the oldest female swimmer to medal at the Olympics. She won a silver in each of her events: the 50-meter freestyle (where she was beaten by one-hundredth of a second); the 4x100-meter freestyle; and the medley relays. She is also the first swimmer from the U.S. to compete in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008. Geez, aren't any extra medals left over for honorable mentions?
China's only track star, Liu Xiang, bows out before running his race
It was the moment Liu Xiang's 1.3 billion countrymen had been waiting years for. China's only track and field superstar, he was ready to defend his 110-meter hurdles title at home. But just before the race, he bowed out because of a painful lingering tendon injury. Just like that, his Olympics were over. He left the stadium without speaking to reporters while fans cried in the audience. A more heartbreaking moment in Beijing there was not.
Weightlifter dislocates elbow
It was the stuff of nightmares: While attempting to lift 148 kilograms (326 pounds) in the men's 77-kilogram division (170 pounds), Hungarian weightlifter Janos Baranyai's elbow popped out of its socket like a piece of rubber. The 24-year-old competitor fell to the floor, crying out in pain as I winced at home, thinking "Um, isn't this the main reason most sane people avoid lifting three times their body weight?"
Shawn Johnson wins gold on the beam; Nastia Liukin wins in the women's all-around
Let's face it: Gymnastics is the dessert of the Olympics (and I'm thinking rowing and pretty much any volleyball event are the veggies ... snooze). The first week wasn't kind to the U.S. ladies.gymnastic team as China took home its first team gold. Then came Shawn Johnson: The 4'9" 16-year-old nailed her beam performance and scored gold (a particularly exciting moment as her coach, Liang Qiao, is a native of China). And our salvation didn't end there as 18-year-old Nastia Liukin earned gold for her flawless showing in the women's individual all-around and, officially, won back our hearts.
Swedish Greco-Roman wrestler throws down his bronze medal in protest
If the contest had been for poor sportsmanship, the guy would have clinched it. "I don't care about this medal," Ara Abrahamian told reporters after winning bronze in the semi-finals. "I wanted gold." (His coach said Abrahamian's defeat in the semi-finals was a result of "politics." Shocking!) The Swede, who won silver in Athens in 2004, now faces an official IOC hearing for his tantrum. This was one moment I felt totally free to laugh. Ah, ain't sports grand?
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