An Oklahoman's guide for what to watch during the Paris Olympics
Here are the must-see events for any sports fan in Oklahoma.
Anyone who knows me knows I love watching live sports during the daytime.
Truly, if there's a big game or match happening during daylight hours, I'm likely to have it playing on my television or streaming on my laptop. I can't quite pinpoint what makes me love daytime sports so much, but it feels like a little luxury for sports fans used to most sports happening in the evening.
More sports!
And when it comes to more sports, there's nothing quite like the Olympics.
With the Paris Games set to open Friday — but with some of the competitions starting Wednesday — I decided to comb through NBC's broadcast schedule. I wanted to be sure I didn't miss certain events such as Team Canada/Thunder men's basketball games and Oklahoma's only homegrown athlete in the Games, Vernon Turner, doing the high jump. But I also wanted to make note of sports that I don't always get to see.
Did someone say breakdancing?
I started with Wednesday on a piece of notebook paper — I'm a visual learner, so writing things down is my jam — and 19 days and nine pieces of paper later, I had my master schedule.
Why not share it?
A couple of caveats:
^ I was trying to pay attention to local connections and certain sports that I like. That means my list isn't all-inclusive because sports someone else might want to watch or athletes someone else might like to see might not have made my list.
^ The schedule could be faulty. Or it could change. Or both. I trust NBC to have gotten everything right, but if you check out the network’s online portal, you'll quickly see how many sports are happening each day. It'd be easy to get something wrong.
^ I ignored a lot of the middle-of-the-night events. I listed some in case I have a bout of insomnia and find myself awake at 3 a.m. some morning. But most of the events on my schedule that come before 6 a.m. are likely to be big, ones anyone would have to consider waking up to watch.
^ Since we're talking about middle-of-the-night events, that gives you a sense of the time difference between Paris and Oklahoma. The Olympics is happening seven hours ahead of us. That means anything airing in its entirety starting after about 4 p.m. is likely tape-delayed (unless there's a weather delay). The latest live event I have on my schedule starts at 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma time.
Without further ado, an Oklahoman's guide to the Paris Olympics:
Wednesday, July 24
8 a.m., Men's soccer, Argentina vs Morocco, USA Network
2 p.m., Men's soccer, USA vs France, USA Network
Thursday, July 25
10 a.m., Women's soccer, Spain vs Japan, USA Network
Noon, Women's soccer, Germany vs Australia or Nigeria vs Brazil, Peacock
2 p.m., Women's soccer, USA vs Zambia, USA Network
Friday, July 26
11 a.m., Opening Ceremony, NBC
Saturday, July 27
4 a.m., Men's gymnastics prelims (USA), Peacock to NBC
6:15 a.m., Rowing heats, USA Network
*After watching "Boys in the Boat," got to catch some rowing.
7 a.m., Men's beach volleyball, USA vs Cuba, NBC
8:35 a.m., Women's water polo, USA vs Greece, USA Network
Noon, Women's soccer, USA vs New Zealand, USA Network
Noon, Men's surfing, Peacock
*The surfing is in Tahiti. Tahiti! Makes LA putting softball and canoe kayak in OKC seem like a short jaunt.
1:30 p.m., Swimming finals, NBC
2 p.m., Men's basketball, Canada vs Greece, Peacock
2 p.m., Men's volleyball, USA vs Argentina, USA Network
Sunday, July 28
4:40 a.m., Women's gymnastics prelims (USA), E! to NBC
*If you want a first look at Simone Biles, set those alarms.
6:30 a.m., Swimming heats, NBC
8 a.m., Men's water polo, USA vs Italy, USA Network
10:15 a.m., Men's basketball, USA vs Serbia, NBC
*They aren't exactly letting Team USA ease into it, are they?
1:30 p.m., Swimming finals, NBC
2 p.m., Women's soccer, USA vs Germany, USA Network
Monday, July 29
6:15 a.m., Women's field hockey, USA vs Spain, USA Network
8:35 a.m., Women's water polo, USA vs Spain, USA Network
10 a.m., Men's canoe slalom final, E!
*Can't wait to get a taste of what we'll see in 2028 in OKC.
10 a.m., Women's volleyball, USA vs China, USA Network
10:30 a.m., Men's gymnastics team final, NBC
1:30 p.m., Swimming finals, NBC
2 p.m., Women's basketball, USA vs Japan, USA Network
Tuesday, July 30
6 a.m., Men's volleyball, USA vs Germany, USA Network
6:30 a.m., Men's basketball, Canada vs Australia, Peacock
*SGA/Dort vs. their old OKC teammate Josh Giddey.
9:35 a.m., Men's water polo, USA vs Romania, USA Network
9:45 a.m., Swimming finals, NBC
10:30 a.m., Women's 3x3 basketball, USA vs Germany, NBC
11 a.m., Women's gymnastics team final, NBC
Noon, Women's soccer, USA vs Guinea, USA Network
1:30 a.m., Swimming finals, NBC
3:15 p.m., Men's 3x3 basketball, USA vs Serbia, NBC
Wednesday, July 31
8 a.m., Women's beach volleyball, USA vs France, NBC
9 a.m., Swimming finals, NBC
10 a.m., Women's volleyball, USA vs Serbia, USA Network
10:30 a.m., Men's gymnastics all-around finals, NBC
11:30 a.m., Women's water polo, USA vs Italy, Peacock
Noon, Women's soccer, USA vs Australia, E!
1:15 p.m., Swimming finals, NBC
2 p.m., Men's basketball, USA vs South Sudan, USA Network
3:30 p.m., Men's 3x3 basketball, USA vs Poland, NBC
Thursday, August 1
2 a.m., Men's golf, first round, Golf Channel
*Lots of OSU and OU alums in this tournament.
9:15 a.m., Swimming heats, NBC
10:30 a.m., Women's 3x3 basketball, USA vs Australia, NBC
11:15 a.m., Women's gymnastics all-around finals, NBC
1:30 p.m., Swimming finals, NBC
2 p.m., Women's basketball, USA vs Belgium, USA Network
Friday, August 2
6 a.m., Women's 3x3 basketball, USA vs France, USA Network
8 a.m., Men's beach volleyball, USA vs Spain, NBC
8 a.m., First of four men's soccer quarterfinals of the day
10:15 a.m., Men's basketball, Canada vs Spain, Peacock
11 a.m., Track and field heats and finals, E!
1:30 p.m., Swimming finals, Peacock
2 p.m., Men's volleyball, USA vs Japan, USA Network
3 p.m., Women's beach volleyball, USA vs Germany, NBC
Saturday, August 3
6:50 a.m., First of four women's soccer quarterfinals of the day
7:30 a.m., Women's tennis singles final, USA Network
*If tennis is your thing, there's about a bazillion matches during the Games.
8:15 a.m., Men's and women's gymnastics apparatus finals, E!
10 a.m., Men's basketball, USA vs Puerto Rico, NBC
Noon, Track and field finals, NBC
Sunday, August 4
3 a.m., Men's tennis singles final, E!
6 a.m., Women's volleyball, USA vs France, NBC
8 a.m., Men's and women's gymnastics apparatus finals, NBC
10:15 a.m., Women's basketball, USA vs Germany, USA Network
11:30 a.m., Track and swimming finals, NBC
Monday, August 5
2 a.m., First of four men's volleyball quarterfinals of the day
4:45 a.m., Men's and women's gymnastics apparatus finals, E!
*Another early start for gymnastics fans.
8 a.m., Track and field, NBC
11 a.m., Men's soccer semifinal, E!
2 p.m., Men's and women's 3x3 basketball bronze-medal games, E!
2 p.m., Men's soccer semifinal, USA Network
Tuesday, August 6
2 a.m., First of four women's volleyball quarterfinals of the day
4 a.m., First of four men's basketball quarterfinals of the day
8 a.m., Women's diving, 10-meter final, NBC
*I think they should all get gold for just standing on a platform that high.
10:45 a.m., Women's soccer semifinal, USA Network
2 p.m., Women's soccer semifinal, E!
Wednesday, August 7
2 a.m., Women's golf, first round, Golf Channel
3 a.m., Men's track and field, high jump qualification, Peacock
*Yukon High and OU product Vernon Turner will be jumping.
4 a.m., Women's basketball quarterfinal, Peacock
7:30 a.m., Women's basektball quarterfinal, Peacock
8:20 a.m., Track and field, NBC
9 a.m., Men's volleyball semifinal, NBC
11 a.m., Women's basektball quarterfinal, Peacock
Noon, Track and field finals, NBC
1 p.m., Men's volleyball semifinal, Peacock
2:15 p.m., Women's basektball quarterfinal, USA Network
Thursday, August 8
8 a.m., Track and field, NBC
9 a.m., Women's volleyball semifinal, NBC
10 a.m., Men's soccer bronze-medal match, Peacock
10:30 a.m., Men's basketball semifinal, USA Network
12:35 p.m., Track and field finals, NBC
1 p.m., Women's volleyball semifinal, Peacock
1:45 p.m., Men's basketball semifinal, USA Network
Friday, August 9
8 a.m., Women's soccer bronze-medal match, USA Network
8 a.m., Men's table tennis gold-medal match, Peacock
*Have you ever watched Olympic-level table tennis? It's amazing.
9 a.m., Men's volleyball bronze-medal match, Peacock
10 a.m., Women's field hockey bronze-medal match, USA Network
10:30 a.m., Women's basketball semifinal, NBC
11 a.m., Men's soccer gold-medal match, USA Network
12:30 p.m., Track and field finals, NBC
1 p.m., Women's breakdancing finals, E!
*I have no idea what this'll be like, but I need to find out.
1 p.m., Women's field hockey gold-medal match, Peacock
1 p.m., Men's volleyball bronze-medal match, USA Network
2 p.m., Women's basketball semifinal, Peacock
*This day is going to require a second screen or a good remote.
2 p.m., Women's beach volleyball bronze-medal match, USA Network
3:30 p.m., Women's beach volleyball gold-medal match, NBC
Saturday, August 10
4 a.m., Men's basketball bronze-medal game, USA Network
*With this start time, I really hope the USA and Canada are playing for gold so I don't have to get up to watch.
5 a.m., Women's water polo bronze-medal match, E!
6 a.m., Men's volleyball gold-medal match, NBC
8:30 a.m., Women's water polo gold-medal match, NBC
10 a.m., Women's soccer gold-medal match, USA Network
*Another day with overlapping big events. Fun!
10:15 a.m., Women's volleyball bronze-medal match, CNBC
12:05 p.m., Track and field, high jump final, Peacock
*Would be so cool to see Vernon Turner make the final.
2 p.m., Men's beach volleyball bronze-medal match, USA Network
2:30 p.m., Men's basketball gold-medal game, NBC
3:30 p.m., Men's beach volleyball gold-medal match, USA Network
Sunday, August 11
3:30 a.m., Men's water polo bronze-medal match, USA Network
4:30 a.m., Women's basketball bronze-medal game, USA Network
6 a.m., Women's volleyball gold-medal match, NBC
8 a.m., Men's water polo gold-medal match, NBC
2 p.m., Closing Ceremony, NBC
2:30 p.m., Women's basketball gold-medal game, USA Network
*If you're torn about watching this game or the Closing Ceremony, go live for the game, tape-delayed for the ceremony.
Thanks for doing the work for us! 😆