I've heard those “staycations” advertised on the radio. I'll be taking one of those soon, only my staycation means I'll stay at home.

During that time, in the evenings, I'll duel my family for remote control, that is control of the TV remote. I will probably lose and be consigned to the small TV.

That's OK. My outlook will be brightened because I'll still get an eyeful of the Olympic Games.

Track and field, swimming, boxing, basketball (men's and women's), gymnastics - I plan to be engrossed in it all.

I've read all about the Olympic torch controversy - frankly, I wish some place other than Beijing had been chosen for these games, though I may wind up being pleasantly surprised come their conclusion. I know host cities for the games usually take a financial bath. You really can't fault Olympics detractors on that point.

Still, I'll be tuned in. I am a Summer Olympics-aholic. Sue me.

For starters, the Olympics gives me a chance to see sports I usually don't get to watch much on television, such as track and field and swimming. There is the Golf Channel. There is the Speed Channel for auto racing. There is the - don't get me started - World Series of Poker.

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There are no track and field or swimming channels.

As always with the Olympics, there is plenty of suspense before the games begin. Just as a sampling from the U.S. vantagepoint; will Michael Phelps break Mark Spitz's record of seven swimming gold medals? Will Arroyo Grande High School graduate Stephanie Brown Trafton medal in the women's discus? She has the third-leading mark in the world, 217-1. Can the U.S. baseball team strike gold in the sport's - as it stands now, anyway - Olympics swan song?

Can the U.S. softball squad strike gold again before the sport takes at least an eight-year Olympic hiatus? The U.S. has won the gold in softball every time it's been an Olympic sport. Will U.S. sprinting kingpin Tyson Gay's hamstring cooperate in the 100 meters? Can the U.S. women's basketball squad win gold for the fourth straight time? Can the U.S. men's basketball team return to the gold medal spot on the medals platform? Can quick-rising U.S. wrestlers Ben Askren, Jake Dietchler and Henry Cejudo get on a roll at Beijing? They're all under 21.

Besides, there is a variety of stuff at the Olympics that you just don't see on standard sports telecasting. Consider:

Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang, Chinese boyfriend and girlfriend, are the favorites in badminton.

If you find the seventh-inning stretch staid, Olympics baseball may be for you. There figure to be noisemakers and bouncing balls in the crowd throughout.

Cheerleaders and rock music may not be the first things you think of when you think of China, but those figure to be on display in an attempt to fire up China's stronger beach volleyball teams.

The U.S.'s Matt Emmons will try to defend his title in 50-meter prone rifle. He'll also go for gold in 50-meter three-position rifle. He was leading that event at the 2004 Athens games with one shot left when he accidentally fired at someone else's target.

Enjoy.

According to a report, Brett Favre has been traded to the New York Jets.

Before that happened, and after a lot of ill will between the Packers and Favre, Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy had already moved on.

“The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want,” McCarthy told Chris Jenkins of the Associated Press Tuesday. Now Favre has moved on too.

For that matter, so have a lot of Wisconsinites.

Even a future Hall-of-Famer can drain a fan base's good will reservoir. Favre hasn't exactly drained it, but he's lowered it significantly.

Last December, a poll showed his approval rating among Wisconsin respondents at 73 percent and his disapproval rating at seven percent. The last poll showed his approval rating at 47 percent and his disapproval rating at 34 percent among state respondents.

I thought of another Packers quarterback who IS in the Hall of Fame.

Bart Starr would have never let a situation like this happen.

Sports writer Kenny Cress can be reached at 739-2237 or by e-mail to kcress@santamariatimes.com

August 07, 2008