I’ve watched more TV in the last three days than I’ve watched in a long, long time. I’ve been avidly following the Olympics: on Friday night, Matt and I watched the opening ceremonies, and over the last two nights I’ve watched several hours of swimming and gymnastics and even a little weightlifting. All these amazing feats of physicality have turned me into a slothful couch potato.

Here’s a question: swimmers or gymnasts? The swimmers wear less clothing, of course, and they have great chests and backs. And they’re fun to watch as they warm up; because they’re so tall, their long arms get all floppy when they shake them out. It’s cute. Tall, floppy-armed, broad-chested swimmers.

As for me, though, I prefer the gymnasts. They have those nice, built, compact bodies and the clean-cut haircuts, and anyway, I just love watching gymnastics in general, male or female. I’m in awe of what they do. It’s interesting that the men and the women perform on different equipment: the pommel horse for the men vs. the balance beam for the women, the high bar for the men vs. the uneven parallel bars for the women. And the men have the rings, of course. Mmmm… I love watching the men on the rings.

I’ve also seen certain commercials (or, rather, fast-forwarded through them on TiVo) more times than I can count. There’s the one where the strange woman walks down the street, passing out open bottles of Coke to random people while singing. (Matt told me to beware those types of people on the street.) Then there’s the Michael Phelps cellphone commercial (where exactly is he pulling that cellphone from?). And there are a couple of funny Expedia commercials, including the one in which the wife suggests to the husband that they try to see “Magique” while in New York and the husband gets nightmares about it in his head.

It’s so unlike me to (1) watch so much TV and (2) be so interested in athletics. I guess the Olympics draw me in in a way that other, more “masculine” sports, such as football and basketball, don’t. I’ve never felt I belonged to the cult of straight American manhood, but anyone’s allowed to watch the Olympics.

Even me.

[Addendum: And the divers. How could I forget the divers?]

Following up on my post the other day about Frank Wildhorn and “Dracula,” The New York Times has a very perceptive article this weekend on why Wildhorn’s shows suck.

I’m just gonna post every article from today’s Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s main newspaper, on the McGreevey thing.

News

McGREEVEY QUITS, ADMITS GAY AFFAIR

Gov. James E. McGreevey announced yesterday that he will resign, citing an adulterous affair with a male lover and declaring, “I am a gay American.”

Exit upends political landscape

Another political bombshell, another politician stepping aside, and suddenly New Jersey’s political world is in tumult like never before.

After a calm morning, a thunderbolt

The day New Jersey’s governor quit and revealed he is gay started like most Thursdays in August. Vacations had emptied many offices. The stuffy, hurricane-driven weather was the top news. It looked to be a boring day.

The man who toppled a governor

The seeds for Gov. James E. McGreevey’s stunning announcement yesterday that he is gay and that he will resign in November were planted four years ago at an elegant political reception in Israel.

Charge can end a career even it if can’t be proved

Sexual harassment is a charge often hard to prove, yet critically damaging by its very nature.

Right place, right time — again

Once again, the dust has settled, and Richard Codey is standing on top.

Dramatic admission rekindles memories

Yesterday, Gov. James E. McGreevey came out like few others, standing under the gold dome of the Statehouse, in front of scores of reporters and carried live on a national television news bulletin.

90-day delay avoids chaos, focuses power

Gov. James E. McGreevey’s decision to time his resignation to take effect in mid-November keeps the governor’s office in Democratic hands at least until January 2006 and gives extraordinary power to his successor, Senate President Richard Codey.

A Jersey guy who seemed so real

For as long as he was in public office — and that was 14 years — everyone who met James E. McGreevey thought they were seeing everything there was to know.

Compassion , scorn dot party lines

Compassion from fellow Democrats.

Still welcome in Woodbridge

From the Formica counter at the Reo Diner in Woodbridge, where Gov. James E. McGreevey greeted so many coffee-drinkers, to the treadmills of the Club at Woodbridge, where the former mayor jogged so many miles, his hometown stood by their former mayor after he proclaimed himself a gay American and resigned.

On street, the news rates three or more ‘Wows’

At Antones Tap Room in Union County, the news silenced the jukebox.

At first surprise and then support

People’s hearts bled for her.

Editorial

McGreevey falls short of the full truth

Gov. James E. McGreevey chose a curious construction yesterday in the wording of his stunning announcement that he is a homosexual and will resign his office on Nov. 15. “My truth,” he said, “is that I am a gay American.” Not the truth, but “my truth.”

Opinion

Three line headline

It was a well-written speech, and the delivery was inspired. James E. McGreevey — his wife, Dina, at his side, his parents standing behind him — was by turns wistful, eloquent and insightful as he spoke of the mysteries of sexual desire, his confusion as a troubled youth and his determination to play it the straight way.

Smashing the wrong facade

As I was getting ready to drive over to Trenton for the governor’s press conference yesterday, I rummaged through my bureau to find a T- shirt to throw into the car. I needed it because I like to go for a run on the way home after work. A nice, long run followed by a few cold beers relaxes me.