Olympics

Viewing Tips Synchronize your lunch break with the synchronized swimming team final, 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. on WBAL-TV. The women's field hockey gold-medal match airs 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network. Primetime coverage starting at 8 p.m. includes Track & Field relays and BMX finals, on WBAL-TV. Listings Midnight to 2:30 a.m. Thursday highlights Telemundo 12:35 a.m. to 1:35 a.m. Rythmic Gynmastics/Javelin WBAL 1:35 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. Thursday primetime repeat WBAL 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. Boxing CNBC 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Taekwondo NBCSN 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Boxing NBCSN 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Multiple sports Telemundo 10 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. Canoe/Kayak WBAL 10 a.m. to Noon Men's Volleyball MSNBC 10:40 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Men's Water Polo WBAL 11 a.m. to Noon Wrestling NBCSN 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Canoe/Kayak WBAL Noon to 2 p.m. Men's Basketball NBCSN Noon to 1:30 p.m. Men's Handball MSNBC 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Swimming WBAL 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Synchronized Swimming WBAL 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wrestling MSNBC 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Rhythmic Gymnastics WBAL 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Women's Field Hockey NBCSN 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Men's Soccer MSNBC 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wrestling WBAL 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. TBA WBAL 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Men's Basketball NBCSN 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Men's Handball MSNBC 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Boxing CNBC 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Women's Field Hockey NBCSN...

Pew reports that "large majorities of Americans" are following the Olympics on TV, online and on social networks in a new survey released today. Among the most compelling findings is that 76 percent of those surveyed believe NBC is doing an "excellent" or "good" job in coverage. That is certainly at odds with perception of widespread criticism in social media, with some analysts saying there are "millions" of disgruntled audience members. Also of note, the finding that 68 percent "say they are watching events in the evening after they have occurred.

The darkened arena pulsed with anticipation, the thousands of spectators roaring and their cameras flashing like giant fireflies as the boxers swaggered in, punching the air, bouncing on the balls of their feet and glaring like gladiators. And then, the chanting started for the favorite of this particular crowd: "Katie!" "Katie!" "Katie!" Despite the deafening cheers - officials at the ExCel Arena said it was one of loudest crowds of the Games so far at 113.7 decibels - you might also have heard a glass ceiling shattering: Boxing, the last Summer Olympics sport to be limited to men, opened its ranks to women for the first time here.

The deadline for submitting sports copy is 9 a.m. on Mondays. We prefer email (howardcountysports@patuxent.com). We do not accept results by phone. When two Howard County teams play, players from both teams (first and last names) must be mentioned in the write-up. Questions? Call 410-332-6606. Jump rope Kangaroo Kids Sixteen members of the Kangaroo Kids competition team competed at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Houston, Tex. The event featured 325 jumpers from 30 jump rope teams from the United States, Australia and Canada.

Bolt a stunner Diane Pucin Los Angeles Times It hurts to say this because I've been with Gabrielle Douglas from her emergence at the U.S. nationals as a sparkling star, through her turn at the Olympics trials where she brushed off a fall as if it was an annoying fly then to watching her lead the U.S. women's gymnastics team to its second gold medal in history, before finally going out and winning her own all-around gold medal. But for creating an "Oh my gosh moment," for creating the memory that will be talked about, debated over and most of all remembered from these 2012 Olympics, that would be Usain Bolt and his insane 100-meter win Sunday.

The greatest Olympian of all time now apparently has a girlfriend, according to E Online. E Online reports Michael Phelps has been getting very cozy with a certain young woman Megan Rossee. The two were spotted out in London this weekend and Rossee tweeted this picture of the two of them siting quite close. According to E, she's a 25-year-old model from Los Angeles. But will he be bringing her back to Baltimore? Will she be grabbing a stool with him at Pete's Grille ?

Does it feel as if NBC and its affiliates are getting a little greedy with its London coverage? As one who has defended the network's right to try and make as much money as it can off the games in hopes of offsetting the $1.18 billion it paid for rights, I have to admit even I have been getting a little queasy as to the way  that long-held patterns of network prime-time programming and affiliate news are being bent in pursuit of extra profits....

The Olympic flame may not be extinguished along the Chesapeake Bay. A key organizer of the region's unsuccessful bid for the 2012 Summer Games is gauging interest in making a run at the 2024 Games. Dan Knise, president and CEO of the Washington-Baltimore 2012 Regional Coalition, believes "there's a little bit of a spark" in the region for another try. "There have been some informal discussions with people. The energy the Olympics create, the optimism it creates, I feel that again.