Hold on, I'm watching modern pentathlon

The Summer Olympics is great background TV. It's on just to be on, just in case something happens, but mostly it just provides ambient noise and a comforting flickering glow.

I had been excited about the Olympics, and all 3,000-odd hours NBC would broadcast, much of it in HD. Then I tuned in and quickly remembered that most of it is really, really boring. Endless qualifying heats, opening rounds and obscure sports that no matter how hard I try, I just can't get into (sorry, team handball).

There are moments of excitement -- the swimming finals have been gripping, and the final leg of the men's 4x100 freestyle relay might have been the best moment of the Summer Games. And Michael Phelps is almost single-handedly creating must-see TV every time he plunges into the pool.

But can the average viewer get that psyched for whitewater kayaking (way to go, Togo!)? Or fencing? Or equestrian? I'm sure there are inspiring storylines, but it can be hard to care about sports that you completely forget even exist if there are no Olympics around to remind you. Then there are the sports that really aren't sports -- the synchronized diving, the trampoline, the rhythmic gymnastics. If they went away, would anyone notice? How about adding a few more viewer-friendly sports, such as golf, rugby . . . even bring back tug of war! I'd watch that. Seriously. Wait, the fact that I just watched the U.S. beat Italy in water polo proves I'd watch anything. Let's put it this way -- I'd pay more attention if there were better sports.

That's why I like the Winter Olympics better. Hockey, skiing, speedskating, bobsled -- more speed, more action, more risks of crashing and getting mangled. I can even get into the smaller sports, like cross-country skiing. The Winter Games are smaller scale, more intimate, and the corporate sponsorships are slightly less annoying. They're just more my speed as a viewer.

But we're stuck with another week and a half of the Summer Olympics, so we'd better make the best of it. Michael Phelps still has 5 more golds to win, and other swimmers should make a name for themselves in the coming days (Katie Hoff, time to step up!). Track & field starts next week, and that tends to be more exciting that swimming, if for no other reason than you can see them better when they race. And then there'll be the finals in basketball, soccer, softball and baseball, which should be exciting even if the Americans aren't involved.

Here's hoping for some memorable moments. They can't come soon enough.