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Had a fun weekend with Vera Valmore at a horse show. It was a lot of fun to get away and be off the “grid” for a couple of days.

I’ve written before about how Vera competes in dressage, that equestrian sport that involves training a horse to perform various gaits and movements — e.g., walk, trot, canter, passage, piaffe, pirouette, etc. Sometimes dressage gets referred to as “horse ballet” or compared to gymnastics, although the judging (in my opinion), while necessarily subjective, is much more heavily technique-based. (That’s a diagram of a dressage ring, by the way.)

Vera had a couple of nice rides this weekend, although her competitiveness and drive necessarily caused her to think she could have done better. We were at the show with some other riders, one of whom did particularly well in her two rides, netting a couple of high scores and first-place finishes in her classes. After her first ride, our friend came away expressing surprise that she had scored so well.

“It’s such a crapshoot,” she said, although I think she was being mostly humble.

Like I say, the scoring is somewhat subjective — it has to be, to some extent. But I do think that since the scoring is so carefully managed by a detailed score sheet on which judges mark the quality of every prescribed movement in a given ride, it really isn’t as much of a “crapshoot” as is the case in other kinds of competition.

That said, like in poker, there is definitely a “chance” element that can have something to do with how riders end up doing. At this particular event, one of the rings in which riders rode was unfortunately close to a nearby highway. Thus would the passing of a loud truck or some other traffic noise potentially startle the horses, and thus perhaps negatively affect a ride. Even just a stray rock stepped on by the horse during a ride can upset things in a significant way.

We were all talking at the show at one point when someone mentioned poker. I had brought some cards and a chip set, and eventually had fun teaching one of the other husbands there how to play no-limit hold’em. Without knowing what I’ve been up to this summer or over the last few years, the woman who had had the good rides then mentioned how her employer had gone to Las Vegas recently.

“Yeah, he played in this… what was it? World Series or something? World Series of Poker?”

I laughed and nodded. Did he play in the Main Event, I asked? She wasn’t sure. Was it a $10,000 buy-in event? Yes, it was. Indeed, he’d played in the ME, busting on one of the Day Ones.

I told her how I’d been there reporting on the Series, and while I didn’t recognize her employer’s name from the thousands who’d played the ME, I told her how he and I may very well have crossed paths at some point when he was there.

She went on to say how her understanding was that he is a very good player, although his credentials primarily consisted of his being a card counter. “He was even banned from one of the casinos because he was so good,” she said. I didn’t explain how card counting wasn’t so relevant in poker, but assumed that indeed the fellow probably had at least some acumen when it came to poker.

“Small world,” I thought, additionally considering how people from all sorts of backgrounds and locations go to Las Vegas each summer expressly to compete in the WSOP Main Event.

On the way home, I chatted some with the fellow to whom I had taught hold’em this weekend about how the ME worked. He was surprised to learn that only the top 10% of finishers got paid.

“Kind of like buying a lottery ticket, huh?” he asked, and I had to agree that in some respects it was. Though I did go on to explain that while one did probably have to get lucky to get all of the way to the final table and the millions of dollars waiting there, like with dressage, it wasn’t quite right to call it a complete “crapshoot.”

Then again, I guess just about anything — especially any competitive endeavor — could be regarded as a “crapshoot,” depending on one’s perspective.

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From NBC Sports -

NBC ANNOUNCES TALENT ROSTER FOR VANCOUVER OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES - 53 COMMENTATORS IN ALL

NEW YORK - Feb. 9, 2010 - Bob Costas leads a lineup of 53 NBC Olympic commentators who will broadcast more than 835 hours of Vancouver Olympic Winter Games coverage - the most total hours ever for a Winter Olympics - when the Games commence on Feb. 12. The lineup returns many of the network’s signature Olympic hosts, play-by-play commentators and analysts.

NBC Universal Olympic commentator notes:

· The roster includes 18 Olympians who have won a combined total of 16 Olympic medals (seven Gold, six Silver and three Bronze). Team NBC would have been seventh in the Torino medal count; ahead of Sweden and just behind Norway.

· Bob Costas, a 20-time Emmy Award winner, serves as primetime host for the eighth time and works his ninth overall Olympics for NBC; Al Michaels, who will serve as daytime host, makes his NBC Olympic debut and works his fifth Games overall after a 22-year absence and 30 years removed from his legendary “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call; Mary Carillo, who serves as both late night host and Olympic correspondent, works her 10th Olympic Games and seventh with NBC; and Cris Collinsworth, also serving as an Olympic correspondent! , makes his third Olympic appearance for NBC.
· Olympic correspondent Dick Button has more experience at the Olympics than any NBC commentator, appearing at his 17th Olympic Winter Games and his second for NBC. Button won gold for the U.S. team in men’s figure skating at the 1948 and 1952 Winter Olympics.
· Eight commentators are making their NBC Olympic debut: the aforementioned Michaels; hockey analysts Mike Milbury, Ed Olczyk and Jeremy Roenick; Olympic freestyle gold medalist Jonny Moseley; two-time curling World champion Colleen Jones; Olympic skeleton silver medalist Lea Ann Parsley; and Olympic short track silver medalist and four-time Olympian Andy Gabel.
· The commentator roster includes seven Canadians: Sandra Bezic, Todd Brooker, Don Duguid, Colleen Jones, Tim Ryan, Elfi Schlegel and Tracy Wilson.
· The 53 commentators will cover more than 835 total hours of coverage on six NBCU platforms - NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC and Universal HD, as well as NBCOlympics.com - the most in-depth coverage in history for a Winter Olympics.

Following is a rundown of NBC’s Olympic talent:
HOSTS:
· The 2010 Vancouver Olympics will be Bob Costas’ ninth for NBC Sports and his eighth as primetime host. After serving as late night host in 1988 from Seoul, Costas has won acclaim and Emmy Awards for his work as primetime host from Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens, Torino and Beijing. Costas, who has the longest tenure of the network’s sports announcers, joined NBC in 1980.
· Al Michaels, one of the most renowned commentators of all-time and whose legendary “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics 30 years ago stands as the most famous call in sports history, will work his first Olympic broadcast assignment in 22 years. He last covered hockey and hosted the Closing Ceremony at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics for ABC. Michaels will serve as host of NBC’s live weekend and weekday daytime coverage from V! ancouver .
· Mary Carillo will host NBC’s late-night coverage for the second time, reprising her role from Beijing. Carillo will also serve as an Olympic correspondent in her 10th Olympic games and seventh for NBC.
· Bill Patrick will serve as hockey host in Vancouver, his second appearance as a full-time Olympic host.
· Fred Roggin, the sports director at KNBC-TV, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, will work as curling host, his sixth Olympic assignment for NBC. Roggin hosted CNBC and MSNBC’s curling coverage from Torino.

OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENTS:
· Cris Collinsworth: A 10-time Emmy Award winner and currently the analyst for NBC “Sunday Night Football,” Collinsworth will serve as an Olympic correspondent, providing on-the-scene reports throughout Vancouver. This will be his third Olympic assignment and first Winter Games. He joined NBC’s Olympic coverage at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics proving his versatility as a commentator and receiving critical praise while working as a reporter for track & field. In 2008, he provided on-the-scene reports throughout the Beijing Summer Games.
· Dick Button: Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Emmy Award-winner Button will serve as Olympic correspondent in Vancouver, his second Olympic assignment with NBC. Vancouver will mark the 17th Olympic Winter Games he has attended in some capacity, including winning gold for Team USA in men’s figure skating in 1948 and 1952. Button made his television debut during CBS’s coverage of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley. In 1962, he moved to ABC Sports where he served for more than 40 years as a figure skating analyst. He joined NBC for the 2006 Torino Olympics.

SPORTS DESK REPORTERS:
· Lester Holt, weekend anchor of “NBC Nightly News” and co-anchor of NBC’s weekend edition of “Today,” returns for his fourth Olympic assignment. Emmy Award-winner Jimmy Roberts will work his sixth Olympic Games. NBC Newsâ€! ™ Peter Alexander returns for his second Olympic Games. Alex Flanagan, NBC Sports’ sideline reporter for Notre Dame home football games, returns for her second Olympic assignment, along with three-time Olympian, Dwight Stones, who will serve on NBC’s team for his ninth Olympic Games and 10th overall.

SPORT BY SPORT:
· ALPINE SKIING: Play-by-play commentator Tim Ryan returns to NBC for his ninth Olympics and his sixth Games serving in this role. Also returning is Todd Brooker, a three-time World Cup downhill champion who previously worked as an analyst for both the Torino and Salt Lake City Games. Returning to NBC for the first time since Salt Lake in 2002 is 1984 Olympic giant slalom silver medalist Christin Cooper, who will serve as an analyst. Former U.S. Ski team downhill racer Steve Porino again serves as an on-course reporter, his third Olympic assignment with NBC.

· BIATHLON/CROSS COUNTRY: Al Trautwig, a sportscasting veteran for over two decades, returns to NBC for his eighth Olympic assignment and 13th Olympics overall as the play-by-play commentator. Working alongside Trautwig in his second Olympic broadcast assignment is former U.S. Biathlon team member Chad Salmela.

· BOBSLED/LUGE/SKELETON: Returning to NBC for his eighth Olympic assignment, Bob Papa will serve as the bobsled/luge/skeleton play-by-play commentator. Lewis Johnson, reporting from his sixth Olympic Games, will work alongside Papa as a reporter in all three disciplines. Serving as analysts are: former U.S. National Bobsled team member John Morgan (bobsled); three-time Olympian Duncan Kennedy (luge); and Olympic silver medalist Lea Ann Parsley (skeleton).

· CURLING: In his sixth Olympic assignment with NBC, Fred Roggin, sports anchor at KNBC-TV, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, and winner of 28 regional Emmy awards, will serve as host. Andrew Catalon, a sports anchor from NBC’s affiliate in Alban! y, N.Y., returns as a play-by-play commentator in his second Olympic assignment and first winter Games. Serving as analysts are two-time world champions and native Canadians Don Duguid and Colleen Jones. Reprising her role as curling reporter, Elfi Schlegel, who is also from Canada, returns for her 10th Olympics.

· FIGURE SKATING: Tom Hammond, working his ninth Olympics, will serve as figure skating play-by-play commentator. Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medalist, member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and one of the most recognized male figure skating stars in the world, will serve as an analyst. Working alongside Hamilton are analysts Sandra Bezic, a former Olympian and Canadian pairs champion, and Tracy Wilson, who was part of the first Canadian ice dance team to earn an Olympic medal in 1988. Andrea Joyce, who returns for her sixth Olympic assignment with NBC, will serve as a reporter.

· FREESTYLE SKIING: In his second Olympic assignment with NBC, Todd Harris, will serve as the play-by-play commentator for freestyle skiing. Joining Harris in his Olympic broadcasting debut is Olympic moguls gold medalist Jonny Moseley, who will serve as an analyst. In her second Olympic appearance and her first time covering freestyle skiing, Tina Dixon, a former professional snowboarder, will provide reporting. Harris and Moseley will also handle ski cross duties.

· HOCKEY: Veteran broadcaster Bill Patrick will host all hockey coverage in Vancouver, his second Olympic broadcast assignment with NBC. Mike “Doc” Emrick (sixth Olympics and third with NBC) and Kenny Albert (third Olympics, all with NBC) will serve as play-by-commentators for both men’s and women’s hockey. Analyst Ed Olczyk (first Olympics), inside-the-glass reporter Pierre McGuire (second Olympics) and studio analyst Mike Milbury (first Olympics) will reprise their NHL on NBC “Game of the Week” roles in Vancouver. Joe Micheletti (game analyst), making hi! s sixth Olympic appearance, and former NHL all-star Jeremy Roenick (studio analyst), making his Olympic broadcasting debut, will bolster the men’s hockey roster. Micheletti will also serve as a reporter for both men’s and women’s hockey. Olympic gold medalist Cammi Granato returns to NBC for her second Olympic appearance as women’s hockey studio analyst. Reprising her role from Torino, AJ Mleczko will serve as women’s hockey analyst.

· SHORT TRACK: Ted Robinson, working his seventh Olympic Games and his sixth with NBC, returns as play-by-play commentator for short track speed skating. Making his NBC broadcasting debut is Olympic silver medalist and four-time Olympian Andy Gabel, who will work alongside Robinson as an analyst. Andrea Joyce will serve as a reporter.

· SKI JUMPING: In his fourth Olympic assignment, Matt Vasgersian reprises his role from Torino as ski jumping play-by-play commentator. Working alongside Vasgersian is four-time national champion Jeff Hastings, who will serve as an analyst for his seventh Olympics and third with NBC.

· SNOWBOARDING: Pat Parnell will serve as lead play-by-play commentator for snowboarding, a role he served in Torino as well. World champion and former U.S. Olympian Todd Richards returns as an analyst in his second Olympic broadcast assignment. Tina Dixon will serve as a reporter.

· SPEED SKATING: Dan Hicks, host of NBC Sports’ Emmy Award-winning golf coverage, will serve as the lead play-by-play commentator for speed skating, his eighth Olympic assignment for NBC. Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen, serving as an analyst, returns for his fourth Olympic assignment. This is the duo’s third Olympic speed skating assignment as a broadcast team. In her second Olympic appearance, Andrea Kremer will provide reporting.

UNIVERSAL SPORTS AT THE VANCOUVER GAMES:
As previously announced, Universal Sports will present Unive! rsal Spo rts at the Vancouver Games, delivering five hours of live daily news and information as well as continuous news and results updates throughout the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Universal Sports’ talent roster for Universal Sports at the Vancouver Games includes a cast of celebrated Olympians, renowned commentators, Olympic insiders and veteran journalists.

Veteran sports host and anchor Terry Gannon will host Vancouver Olympic News Center daily at 10 a.m. ET from the Olympic Broadcast Center in Vancouver and will be joined by sports journalist/anchor Lindsay Soto. Gannon will also host The Vancouver Figure Skating Hour daily at 2 p.m. ET.

Emmy Award-winning NBC Sports reporter and host Jimmy Roberts will anchor Meet the Olympic Press, a daily roundtable discussion featuring veteran Olympic reporters including, among others, NBCOlympics.com’s Alan Abrahamson, Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune, Vicki Michaelis of USA Today, and John Powers from the Boston Globe. Reporter Stacey Dales will be in and around Vancouver with updates, and Olympic swimming gold medalist and television personality Summer Sanders will do the same from Whistler.

Universal Sports’ roster of expert analysts includes Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and Olympic silver medalists Paul Wylie and Peter Carruthers on figure skating; Gold medalist Picabo Street and two-time Olympian Jeremy Bloom on skiing; NBC Sports action sports analyst Kenan Harkin on snowboarding; and former U.S. Nordic Combined Team Coach Tom Steitz on the Nordic sports. These insiders will examine the personalities behind the athletes, describe the pressures of Olympic competition and explain how storylines are impacted by training technology, state-of-the-art equipment and weather conditions.

In addition, Craig Hummer, a member of NBC’s broadcast team for the past three Olympic Games, will serve as the anchor of Universal Sports’ daily show, based at Universal Sports’ facilities outside of Los Angeles.
SPORT-BY-SPORT ROSTER:
ALPINE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Tim Ryan
Analysts: Todd Brooker and Christin Cooper
Reporter: Steve Porino

BIATHLON/CROSS COUNTRY:
Play-by-Play: Al Trautwig
Analyst: Chad Salmela

BOBSLED:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: John Morgan
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

CURLING:
Host: Fred Roggin
Play-by-Play: Andrew Catalon
Analysts: Don Duguid and Colleen Jones
Reporter: Elfi Schlegel

FIGURE SKATING:
Play-by-Play: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Tracy Wilson
Reporter: Andrea Joyce

FREESTYLE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Todd Harris
Analyst: Jonny Moseley
Reporter: Tina Dixon

MEN’S HOCKEY:
Host: Bill Patrick
Play-by-Play: Mike Emrick and Kenny Albert
Game Analysts: Ed Olczyk and Joe Micheletti
Studio Analysts: Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick
Reporters: Pierre McGuire, Joe Micheletti and Mike Milbury

WOMEN’S HOCKEY:
Host: Bill Patrick
Play-by-Play: Mike Emrick and Kenny Albert
Game Analysts: AJ Mleczko
Studio Analysts: Cammi Granato
Reporter: Joe Micheletti

LUGE:
Play-by-play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Duncan Kennedy
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

SHORT TRACK:
Play-by-Play: Ted Robinson
Analyst: Andy Gabel
Reporter: Andrea Joyce

SKELETON:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lea Ann Parsley
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

SKI JUMPING:
Play-by-Play: Matt Vasgersian
Analyst: Jeff Hastings

SNOWBOARDING:
Play-by-Play: Pat Parnell
Analyst: Todd Richards
Reporter: Tina Dixon

SPEED SKATING:
Play-by-Play: Dan Hicks
A! nalyst: Dan Jansen
Reporter: Andrea Kremer

SPORTS DESK REPORTERS:
Peter Alexander
Alex Flanagan
Lester Holt
Jimmy Roberts
Dwight Stones

UNIVERSAL SPORTS:
Vancouver Olympic News Center Hosts: Terry Gannon and Lindsay Soto
Vancouver Figure Skating Hour Host: Terry Gannon
Figure Skating Analysts: Kristi Yamaguchi, Paul Wylie, and Peter Carruthers
Meet the Olympic Press Host: Jimmy Roberts
Meet the Olympic Press Panelists: Alan Abrahamson - NBCOlympics.com, Brian Cazeneuve - Sports Illustrated, Helene Elliott - Los Angeles Times, Tracee Hamilton - Washington Post, Phil Hersh - Chicago Tribune, Vicki Michaelis - USA Today, John Powers - Boston Globe, Amy Shipley - Washington Post
Skiing Analysts: Picabo Street and Jeremy Bloom
Snowboarding Analyst: Kenan Harkin
Nordic Sport Analyst: Tom Steitz
Reporters: Stacey Dales and Summer Sanders
Universal Sports Host (Westlake Village, Calif.): Craig Hummer

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From NBC Sports -

NBC ANNOUNCES TALENT ROSTER FOR VANCOUVER OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES - 53 COMMENTATORS IN ALL

NEW YORK - Feb. 9, 2010 - Bob Costas leads a lineup of 53 NBC Olympic commentators who will broadcast more than 835 hours of Vancouver Olympic Winter Games coverage - the most total hours ever for a Winter Olympics - when the Games commence on Feb. 12. The lineup returns many of the network’s signature Olympic hosts, play-by-play commentators and analysts.

NBC Universal Olympic commentator notes:

· The roster includes 18 Olympians who have won a combined total of 16 Olympic medals (seven Gold, six Silver and three Bronze). Team NBC would have been seventh in the Torino medal count; ahead of Sweden and just behind Norway.

· Bob Costas, a 20-time Emmy Award winner, serves as primetime host for the eighth time and works his ninth overall Olympics for NBC; Al Michaels, who will serve as daytime host, makes his NBC Olympic debut and works his fifth Games overall after a 22-year absence and 30 years removed from his legendary “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call; Mary Carillo, who serves as both late night host and Olympic correspondent, works her 10th Olympic Games and seventh with NBC; and Cris Collinsworth, also serving as an Olympic correspondent! , makes his third Olympic appearance for NBC.
· Olympic correspondent Dick Button has more experience at the Olympics than any NBC commentator, appearing at his 17th Olympic Winter Games and his second for NBC. Button won gold for the U.S. team in men’s figure skating at the 1948 and 1952 Winter Olympics.
· Eight commentators are making their NBC Olympic debut: the aforementioned Michaels; hockey analysts Mike Milbury, Ed Olczyk and Jeremy Roenick; Olympic freestyle gold medalist Jonny Moseley; two-time curling World champion Colleen Jones; Olympic skeleton silver medalist Lea Ann Parsley; and Olympic short track silver medalist and four-time Olympian Andy Gabel.
· The commentator roster includes seven Canadians: Sandra Bezic, Todd Brooker, Don Duguid, Colleen Jones, Tim Ryan, Elfi Schlegel and Tracy Wilson.
· The 53 commentators will cover more than 835 total hours of coverage on six NBCU platforms - NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC and Universal HD, as well as NBCOlympics.com - the most in-depth coverage in history for a Winter Olympics.

Following is a rundown of NBC’s Olympic talent:
HOSTS:
· The 2010 Vancouver Olympics will be Bob Costas’ ninth for NBC Sports and his eighth as primetime host. After serving as late night host in 1988 from Seoul, Costas has won acclaim and Emmy Awards for his work as primetime host from Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens, Torino and Beijing. Costas, who has the longest tenure of the network’s sports announcers, joined NBC in 1980.
· Al Michaels, one of the most renowned commentators of all-time and whose legendary “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics 30 years ago stands as the most famous call in sports history, will work his first Olympic broadcast assignment in 22 years. He last covered hockey and hosted the Closing Ceremony at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics for ABC. Michaels will serve as host of NBC’s live weekend and weekday daytime coverage from V! ancouver .
· Mary Carillo will host NBC’s late-night coverage for the second time, reprising her role from Beijing. Carillo will also serve as an Olympic correspondent in her 10th Olympic games and seventh for NBC.
· Bill Patrick will serve as hockey host in Vancouver, his second appearance as a full-time Olympic host.
· Fred Roggin, the sports director at KNBC-TV, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, will work as curling host, his sixth Olympic assignment for NBC. Roggin hosted CNBC and MSNBC’s curling coverage from Torino.

OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENTS:
· Cris Collinsworth: A 10-time Emmy Award winner and currently the analyst for NBC “Sunday Night Football,” Collinsworth will serve as an Olympic correspondent, providing on-the-scene reports throughout Vancouver. This will be his third Olympic assignment and first Winter Games. He joined NBC’s Olympic coverage at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics proving his versatility as a commentator and receiving critical praise while working as a reporter for track & field. In 2008, he provided on-the-scene reports throughout the Beijing Summer Games.
· Dick Button: Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Emmy Award-winner Button will serve as Olympic correspondent in Vancouver, his second Olympic assignment with NBC. Vancouver will mark the 17th Olympic Winter Games he has attended in some capacity, including winning gold for Team USA in men’s figure skating in 1948 and 1952. Button made his television debut during CBS’s coverage of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley. In 1962, he moved to ABC Sports where he served for more than 40 years as a figure skating analyst. He joined NBC for the 2006 Torino Olympics.

SPORTS DESK REPORTERS:
· Lester Holt, weekend anchor of “NBC Nightly News” and co-anchor of NBC’s weekend edition of “Today,” returns for his fourth Olympic assignment. Emmy Award-winner Jimmy Roberts will work his sixth Olympic Games. NBC Newsâ€! ™ Peter Alexander returns for his second Olympic Games. Alex Flanagan, NBC Sports’ sideline reporter for Notre Dame home football games, returns for her second Olympic assignment, along with three-time Olympian, Dwight Stones, who will serve on NBC’s team for his ninth Olympic Games and 10th overall.

SPORT BY SPORT:
· ALPINE SKIING: Play-by-play commentator Tim Ryan returns to NBC for his ninth Olympics and his sixth Games serving in this role. Also returning is Todd Brooker, a three-time World Cup downhill champion who previously worked as an analyst for both the Torino and Salt Lake City Games. Returning to NBC for the first time since Salt Lake in 2002 is 1984 Olympic giant slalom silver medalist Christin Cooper, who will serve as an analyst. Former U.S. Ski team downhill racer Steve Porino again serves as an on-course reporter, his third Olympic assignment with NBC.

· BIATHLON/CROSS COUNTRY: Al Trautwig, a sportscasting veteran for over two decades, returns to NBC for his eighth Olympic assignment and 13th Olympics overall as the play-by-play commentator. Working alongside Trautwig in his second Olympic broadcast assignment is former U.S. Biathlon team member Chad Salmela.

· BOBSLED/LUGE/SKELETON: Returning to NBC for his eighth Olympic assignment, Bob Papa will serve as the bobsled/luge/skeleton play-by-play commentator. Lewis Johnson, reporting from his sixth Olympic Games, will work alongside Papa as a reporter in all three disciplines. Serving as analysts are: former U.S. National Bobsled team member John Morgan (bobsled); three-time Olympian Duncan Kennedy (luge); and Olympic silver medalist Lea Ann Parsley (skeleton).

· CURLING: In his sixth Olympic assignment with NBC, Fred Roggin, sports anchor at KNBC-TV, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, and winner of 28 regional Emmy awards, will serve as host. Andrew Catalon, a sports anchor from NBC’s affiliate in Alban! y, N.Y., returns as a play-by-play commentator in his second Olympic assignment and first winter Games. Serving as analysts are two-time world champions and native Canadians Don Duguid and Colleen Jones. Reprising her role as curling reporter, Elfi Schlegel, who is also from Canada, returns for her 10th Olympics.

· FIGURE SKATING: Tom Hammond, working his ninth Olympics, will serve as figure skating play-by-play commentator. Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medalist, member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and one of the most recognized male figure skating stars in the world, will serve as an analyst. Working alongside Hamilton are analysts Sandra Bezic, a former Olympian and Canadian pairs champion, and Tracy Wilson, who was part of the first Canadian ice dance team to earn an Olympic medal in 1988. Andrea Joyce, who returns for her sixth Olympic assignment with NBC, will serve as a reporter.

· FREESTYLE SKIING: In his second Olympic assignment with NBC, Todd Harris, will serve as the play-by-play commentator for freestyle skiing. Joining Harris in his Olympic broadcasting debut is Olympic moguls gold medalist Jonny Moseley, who will serve as an analyst. In her second Olympic appearance and her first time covering freestyle skiing, Tina Dixon, a former professional snowboarder, will provide reporting. Harris and Moseley will also handle ski cross duties.

· HOCKEY: Veteran broadcaster Bill Patrick will host all hockey coverage in Vancouver, his second Olympic broadcast assignment with NBC. Mike “Doc” Emrick (sixth Olympics and third with NBC) and Kenny Albert (third Olympics, all with NBC) will serve as play-by-commentators for both men’s and women’s hockey. Analyst Ed Olczyk (first Olympics), inside-the-glass reporter Pierre McGuire (second Olympics) and studio analyst Mike Milbury (first Olympics) will reprise their NHL on NBC “Game of the Week” roles in Vancouver. Joe Micheletti (game analyst), making hi! s sixth Olympic appearance, and former NHL all-star Jeremy Roenick (studio analyst), making his Olympic broadcasting debut, will bolster the men’s hockey roster. Micheletti will also serve as a reporter for both men’s and women’s hockey. Olympic gold medalist Cammi Granato returns to NBC for her second Olympic appearance as women’s hockey studio analyst. Reprising her role from Torino, AJ Mleczko will serve as women’s hockey analyst.

· SHORT TRACK: Ted Robinson, working his seventh Olympic Games and his sixth with NBC, returns as play-by-play commentator for short track speed skating. Making his NBC broadcasting debut is Olympic silver medalist and four-time Olympian Andy Gabel, who will work alongside Robinson as an analyst. Andrea Joyce will serve as a reporter.

· SKI JUMPING: In his fourth Olympic assignment, Matt Vasgersian reprises his role from Torino as ski jumping play-by-play commentator. Working alongside Vasgersian is four-time national champion Jeff Hastings, who will serve as an analyst for his seventh Olympics and third with NBC.

· SNOWBOARDING: Pat Parnell will serve as lead play-by-play commentator for snowboarding, a role he served in Torino as well. World champion and former U.S. Olympian Todd Richards returns as an analyst in his second Olympic broadcast assignment. Tina Dixon will serve as a reporter.

· SPEED SKATING: Dan Hicks, host of NBC Sports’ Emmy Award-winning golf coverage, will serve as the lead play-by-play commentator for speed skating, his eighth Olympic assignment for NBC. Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen, serving as an analyst, returns for his fourth Olympic assignment. This is the duo’s third Olympic speed skating assignment as a broadcast team. In her second Olympic appearance, Andrea Kremer will provide reporting.

UNIVERSAL SPORTS AT THE VANCOUVER GAMES:
As previously announced, Universal Sports will present Unive! rsal Spo rts at the Vancouver Games, delivering five hours of live daily news and information as well as continuous news and results updates throughout the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Universal Sports’ talent roster for Universal Sports at the Vancouver Games includes a cast of celebrated Olympians, renowned commentators, Olympic insiders and veteran journalists.

Veteran sports host and anchor Terry Gannon will host Vancouver Olympic News Center daily at 10 a.m. ET from the Olympic Broadcast Center in Vancouver and will be joined by sports journalist/anchor Lindsay Soto. Gannon will also host The Vancouver Figure Skating Hour daily at 2 p.m. ET.

Emmy Award-winning NBC Sports reporter and host Jimmy Roberts will anchor Meet the Olympic Press, a daily roundtable discussion featuring veteran Olympic reporters including, among others, NBCOlympics.com’s Alan Abrahamson, Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune, Vicki Michaelis of USA Today, and John Powers from the Boston Globe. Reporter Stacey Dales will be in and around Vancouver with updates, and Olympic swimming gold medalist and television personality Summer Sanders will do the same from Whistler.

Universal Sports’ roster of expert analysts includes Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and Olympic silver medalists Paul Wylie and Peter Carruthers on figure skating; Gold medalist Picabo Street and two-time Olympian Jeremy Bloom on skiing; NBC Sports action sports analyst Kenan Harkin on snowboarding; and former U.S. Nordic Combined Team Coach Tom Steitz on the Nordic sports. These insiders will examine the personalities behind the athletes, describe the pressures of Olympic competition and explain how storylines are impacted by training technology, state-of-the-art equipment and weather conditions.

In addition, Craig Hummer, a member of NBC’s broadcast team for the past three Olympic Games, will serve as the anchor of Universal Sports’ daily show, based at Universal Sports’ facilities outside of Los Angeles.
SPORT-BY-SPORT ROSTER:
ALPINE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Tim Ryan
Analysts: Todd Brooker and Christin Cooper
Reporter: Steve Porino

BIATHLON/CROSS COUNTRY:
Play-by-Play: Al Trautwig
Analyst: Chad Salmela

BOBSLED:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: John Morgan
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

CURLING:
Host: Fred Roggin
Play-by-Play: Andrew Catalon
Analysts: Don Duguid and Colleen Jones
Reporter: Elfi Schlegel

FIGURE SKATING:
Play-by-Play: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Tracy Wilson
Reporter: Andrea Joyce

FREESTYLE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Todd Harris
Analyst: Jonny Moseley
Reporter: Tina Dixon

MEN’S HOCKEY:
Host: Bill Patrick
Play-by-Play: Mike Emrick and Kenny Albert
Game Analysts: Ed Olczyk and Joe Micheletti
Studio Analysts: Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick
Reporters: Pierre McGuire, Joe Micheletti and Mike Milbury

WOMEN’S HOCKEY:
Host: Bill Patrick
Play-by-Play: Mike Emrick and Kenny Albert
Game Analysts: AJ Mleczko
Studio Analysts: Cammi Granato
Reporter: Joe Micheletti

LUGE:
Play-by-play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Duncan Kennedy
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

SHORT TRACK:
Play-by-Play: Ted Robinson
Analyst: Andy Gabel
Reporter: Andrea Joyce

SKELETON:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lea Ann Parsley
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

SKI JUMPING:
Play-by-Play: Matt Vasgersian
Analyst: Jeff Hastings

SNOWBOARDING:
Play-by-Play: Pat Parnell
Analyst: Todd Richards
Reporter: Tina Dixon

SPEED SKATING:
Play-by-Play: Dan Hicks
A! nalyst: Dan Jansen
Reporter: Andrea Kremer

SPORTS DESK REPORTERS:
Peter Alexander
Alex Flanagan
Lester Holt
Jimmy Roberts
Dwight Stones

UNIVERSAL SPORTS:
Vancouver Olympic News Center Hosts: Terry Gannon and Lindsay Soto
Vancouver Figure Skating Hour Host: Terry Gannon
Figure Skating Analysts: Kristi Yamaguchi, Paul Wylie, and Peter Carruthers
Meet the Olympic Press Host: Jimmy Roberts
Meet the Olympic Press Panelists: Alan Abrahamson - NBCOlympics.com, Brian Cazeneuve - Sports Illustrated, Helene Elliott - Los Angeles Times, Tracee Hamilton - Washington Post, Phil Hersh - Chicago Tribune, Vicki Michaelis - USA Today, John Powers - Boston Globe, Amy Shipley - Washington Post
Skiing Analysts: Picabo Street and Jeremy Bloom
Snowboarding Analyst: Kenan Harkin
Nordic Sport Analyst: Tom Steitz
Reporters: Stacey Dales and Summer Sanders
Universal Sports Host (Westlake Village, Calif.): Craig Hummer

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The weekly Poker2Nite TV show gives poker fans an exciting look at the world of poker, plus the chance to play in the WSOP for Free. Use the included offer code with your Ultimate Bet Poker account sign-up and you will be eligible for the Poker2Nite Pro Challenge each and every Sunday.

If you think you have what it takes to win your way to the 2010 World Series of Poker, then the Poker2Nite Pro Challenge is just what you have been looking for. Here’s how you can win this coveted poker package from UB.com:

1. Sign up for an account at UB.com and use refferal code: Poker2Nite
2. Look for the Poker2Nite Pro Challenge invitation in your email
3. Finish in the Top 2 of the week’s poker tournament and you will be on your way to Las Vegas for the 2010 WSOP

The WSOP Pro Package includes:

*  Entry to the 2010 WSOP Main Event ($10K value)
* Up to $4K worth of expenses for flight and hotel, booked through UB.com’s concierge services
* Access to all UB.com parties and events at the 2010 WSOP
* A night with Joe Sebok and Scott Huff at Poker2Nite’s exclusive WSOP party
* Exclusive training session with Annie Duke and/or Phil Hellmuth

Terms & Conditions
New accounts only. Existing players do not qualify for this promotions. The Poker2Nite Pro Challenge takes place on Sunday at 2pm ET. After signing up for your account, watch your email for details. Prize is non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash

Discuss this article in our forum

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Officials of the Ultimate Fighting Championship have announced that reining heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has been forced to withdrawn from his upcoming title defense against Shane Carwin due to an unexpected illness.

Lesnar was scheduled to fight Carwin in the main event of UFC 106 on November 21st at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. According to the Associated Press, the former professional wrestler and college wrestling champion said he’s been out of training for nearly a month while battling the unspecified illness. Lesnar is the top pay-per-view selling fighter in the league, generating millions of dollars during his lucrative title defense against Frank Mir in UFC 100.

The UFC also informed that the bout featuring Tito Ortiz against former champion Forrest Griffin will become the main event at UFC 106. Ultimate Fighting Championship officials said they hope to reschedule Lesnar’s fight against the number one contender and unbeaten Carwin for early next year.

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