Yesterday, NBC almost got lucky. For two weeks, they've made us sit through highlight reels of tape delayed events, inane commentary, meandering interviews, sappy human interest stories, and countless plugs for NBC programming. I had just about given up on watching. Then came the one event they decided to air live and uninterrupted from coast to coast: the Gold Medal Hockey Game.

What a game it was. The U.S. trailed Canada throughout only to tie the score at 2-2 with 24 seconds left in regulation. Both teams played great, both goalies were superb, and the coverage was excellent.

For Canada, it was the crowning moment of a spectacular Olympics. Every Canadian old enough to remember will tell their kids where they were when Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime.

For the United States it was a disappointing end to an amazing tournament. Team USA played their hearts out and did better than anyone thought they would, but sometimes even when you give everything you've got, you still lose.That's a lesson we all learn at some point in life, and a lesson we all pass on to our own kids. When it happens, like it did yesterday to Team USA, you hold up your head, shake your opponents hand, and know in your heart that no matter how much it hurts you can be proud that you gave everything you had.

That's where this piece would have ended, but like I said above, NBC almost got lucky. Then came the closing ceremonies.

I've never been a big fan of the closing ceremonies, and given NBC's poor coverage of almost everything else I decided to take a pass on watching. I'm very glad I did, because in the middle of the closing ceremonies, NBC cut away for a half-hour to show an episode of "The Marriage Ref." Whoever was responsible for that decision should be ashamed of themselves, and NBC should either apologize and fire whoever was responsible or pull out of covering the 2012 Games.

That's another lesson we all learn in life at some point. Take responsibility for your screw ups. I doubt NBC will.