A handful of great moments from NBC’s Olympics announcers:
“Oh, the air came out of the balloon and with those mighty lungs from America’s Midwest, Paul Hamm filled it up and gave himself belief that this was possible, and it was. And it is.”— Al Trautwig, on Paul Hamm’s comeback in the gymnastics all-around.
“Despite the beauty of the marathon, some unfortunate continuing squalor elsewhere.”— Jim Lampley juxtaposes the sublime with the nefarious, commenting on Olympic doping cases.“For them, the Olympics have been an up and down rollercoaster ride.”— Ted Robinson, on the up and down rollercoaster that is men’s beach volleyball.“This is one of those overwhelming moments of sheer participation.”— Marathon commentator as last of women runners neared the finish line.
“The Japanese men will climb to the podium and hear the national anthem of their nation.”— Trautwig on which national anthem is the national anthem of Japan.
“It almost defies believability to think that when Blaine Wilson crashed to the mat at Madison Square Garden in New York in late February with a torn bicep that he would be in this position for his team in these Olympics.”— Trautwig defies logic to underline a gymnast’s drama.
"You want it to be one way. But it's the other way."