We are knee-deep in the down time between the end of the NFL season and the beginning of baseball spring training, notwithstanding the fact that the 2006 Winter Olympics are in full swing, or should I say full stagger? This NBC extravaganza must have some people glued to their televisions, but if it does, I don't know any of them. Maybe it's at least partially due to the fact that my only winter exercise consists of snowblowing my driveway, but it's hard to in any way relate to most of the sports featured.

Halfpipe? Don't know about it, but it sure does look like most of the kids competing could be my son or daughter - since when did I become my dad?

Speedskating? At least this event has a little danger in it, what with people jostling each other for position. It kind of looks like a cross between Roller Derby and a New York City subway tunnel, only the commuters are all wearing razorblades on their shoes. Even so, I'd rather catch up on my sleep. Besides, who names their son Apolo, and why only one l?

Skeleton? This is the sport for people who feel skydiving is just too tame. Do the skeleton racers (Is it too obvious to call them skeleton crews?) make fun of lugers because they go down the hill feet-first, or are they all one happy family, kind of like one big lunatic asylum? And how much do these people pay for health insurance?

Figure skating is the gold standard of any Winter Olympic games, the ace up the sleeve of the network televising the event. It consistently draws the biggest ratings, so it gets top billing. That's all well and good, but how much sleep can one guy catch up on? A caller to Sports Radio WEEI in Boston yesterday put it best when he was talking about men's figure skating. "You want to make it interesting? Add cross-checking."

Ah, for the good old days of the Winter Olympics. Where are Nancy and Tonya when you need them? The video of Nancy Kerrigan making the most of her television moment after getting conked on the knee during the Olympic Trials, tears rolling down her face and crying, "Why me? Whyyyy?," emoting her little heart out, should be required watching for all U.S. Olympic athletes, because you never know when your big moment might come. Instead, this year we get treated to Michelle Kwan, easily the most recognizable name and face on the U.S. team, handling her injury withdrawal with the class and dignity with which she handles everything.

On the other hand, it's not hard to picture an executive somewhere deep in the bowels of NBC, doing his best Nancy Kerrigan imitation while watching Kwan's withdrawal press conference. "Why me? Whyyyy?" That would be the guy who convinced NBC how much to charge for Olympic advertising during women's figure skating, and is now trying to calculate how much money the network will have to return to the advertisers with the star attraction now missing.

No doubt someone will step up and steal the show; it will be a heartwarming story, and everyone will go home happy. Everyone, maybe, except that one NBC guy. I guess it just seems like we've seen it all before and it was better the first time.

Or maybe I'm just turning into my dad.