Measuring the sappiness of NBC’s Olympics coverage.

How Sappy Was NBC’s Olympics Coverage? A Scientific Approach.

How Sappy Was NBC’s Olympics Coverage? A Scientific Approach.

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Aug. 22 2016 3:52 PM

How Sappy Were the Olympics?

The schmaltz of NBC’s coverage, measured scientifically.

160809_S_nbcsapometer

Illustration by Natalie Matthews-Ramo.

"It's been a long journey, especially in the last few months, for [South African swimmer] Chad [Le Clos] to get to this point, at the end of his training: Both of his parents have been battling cancer."

"It's been a long journey, especially in the last few months, for [South African swimmer] Chad [Le Clos] to get to this point, at the end of his training: Both of his parents have been battling cancer."
Interactive by Andrew Kahn and Natalie Matthews-Ramo. Last updated 8/22/16.

Everyone knows that the Olympics, as broadcast on NBC and its sister channels, are less an athletic spectacle than a biennial soap opera in lycra and spandex. But just how schmaltzy are these Olympics broadcasts? Welcome to Slate’s Sap-o-Meter!

Here’s how it works. As we’ve done for Olympics past, we drew up a list of 36 syrupy words that NBC has chronically overused: adversity, battle, cancer, challenge, courage, cry, dad, daughter, death, dedication, determination, dream, emotion, father, glory, golden, heart, hero, inspire, journey, magic, memory, mom, mother, overcome, parent, passion, patriotic, proud, pride, sacrifice, son, spirit, tears, tragedy, triumph. What’s new this time around is that the Sap-o-Meter is counting every use of these words at all hours of the day during Olympics broadcasts on NBC, NBCSN, and MSNBC. We’ll also be tallying related forms of these words: tragic, glorious, etc.

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Our method is not infallible. We’re working off of closed-captioning data. There will be false positives here and there, and surely some treacle will ooze through the cracks. But the overall picture is accurate—maybe even a triumph.

In the graphic at the top of the page, you’ll find the sappiest utterance of the Olympics to date, along with cumulative sap totals for the games thus far. We'll be providing daily updates below.

Sunday, Aug. 21

Total sap words uttered: 524
Top sap words: dream (48), challenge (42), proud (42)
Sappiest moment: “You have isnpired us with your talent and human spirit. You are a symbol of hope for millions of refugees in the world. We will continue to be at your side after these Olympic Games. We arrived in Brazil as guests. Today we depart as your friends. You will have a place in our hearts forever."

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Saturday, Aug. 20

Total sap words uttered: 679
Top sap words: challenge (98), proud (62), son (52)
Sappiest moment: “To play that long and to represent your country and to stay in shape and to be healthy and to develop the relationships and the pride that you have for country as every player that plays for their countries have such great pride and happiness—to win gold and to continue to keep it going for the United States, it's a special feeling. It's a lot of pressure, in the sense that they want that pressure, and it's—just proud and happy for them.”

Friday, Aug. 19

Total sap words uttered: 689
Top sap words: challenge (122), proud (66), dream (48)
Sappiest moment: “Unfortunately, she lost her father to cancer about six years ago, and she said all of this is a dream come true and another thing my father wanted and I did for him, I hope he's proud of me. And with that routine I'm sure he is smiling down very proud of her.’ ”

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Thursday, Aug. 18

Total sap words uttered: 727
Top sap words: challenge (116), dream (58), proud (58)
Sappiest moment: “When she was just a kid, [American] BMXer Alise Post knew her parents supported her riding goals. The nearest track was over an hour away, so the Posts built their own, hauling in dirt, transforming an abandoned lot into a course for their daughter’s dreams.”

Wednesday, Aug. 17

Total sap words uttered: 605
Top sap words: challenge (86), proud (56), son (50)
Sappiest moment: “[Argentinian volleyball player] Facundo Conte started playing volleyball when he was three years old, saying ‘It's in my blood,’ his dad of course one of the greatest in Argentina’s history. Here he is at three, in Italy, where his dad was playing. And I asked Hugo [Conte, his dad], at what point did he think Facundo had what it takes to be an Olympian? And as only a dad can, he said, ‘I knew the first time I put a volleyball in his hands.’ He also said it is almost painful broadcasting his son’s matches, because it’s so difficult to remain neutral and not let his emotions overtake him.”

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Tuesday, Aug. 16

Total sap words uttered: 635
Top sap words: challenge (112), dream (51), proud (51)
Sappiest moment: “They [the Brazilian women’s beach volleyball team] need passion right now. When things are going tough, when you're battling a little bit too much in your mind, you've got to go back to the heart, you've got to see a little more energy, a little more excitement.”

Monday, Aug. 15

Total sap words uttered: 693
Top sap words: challenge (122), proud (73), dream (49)
Sappiest moment: “I watched some father's baby girl win Kosovo's first-ever gold medal. And then it struck me: that I'm going to be a tiny part of something really golden this week.”

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Sunday, Aug. 14

Total sap words uttered: 625
Top sap words: challenge (139 uses), proud (52 uses), son (54 uses)
Sappiest moment: “I’m sure [American gymnast Alex Naddour’s] daughter Lilah, one day, will understand and be so proud of his dad today.”

Saturday, Aug. 13

Total sap words uttered: 649
Top sap words: challenge (110 uses), dream (58 uses), proud (56 uses)
Sappiest moment: “[Portuguese soccer player Gonçalo] Paciência is 22. He is the son of onetime Porto striker Domingos Paciência, and to this day continues to watch his father’s work on YouTube as inspiration.”

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Friday, Aug. 12

Total sap words uttered: 689
Top sap words: challenge (82 uses), proud (63 uses), battle (46 uses)
Sappiest moment: “I texted with [American swimmer Lia] Neal today, and she wrote: ‘I'm so proud that all of the time, energy, sacrifice, and emotion spent resulted in a feat that many can only dream about.’”

Thursday, Aug. 11

Total sap words uttered: 860
Top sap words: challenge (174 uses), proud (85 uses), mom (58 uses)
Sappiest moment: The performance of the song "Live Forever," by something called the Band Perry. Full lyrics below:

I was dreaming of war
and saw that I wouldn't die.
I was dreaming of shores
that my ship would find, yeah.
I was dreaming because you make me feel so alive,
but I was dreaming this all from my bed last night.
You will be my only one,
won't you hold my hand so we can run?
'Cuz you and I, we're staying young, yeah,
we're gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
This time I want it all,
I want it right now, want to feel the fall.
Go, go crazy, go, go, go crazy.
We're gonna live, we’re gonna live forever.
This time I want it all,
I want it right now, want to feel the fall.
Go, go, crazy, go, go, go crazy.
We’re gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
 
I was feeling a storm,
but it wasn't outside.
I was feeling a force, uh, I'm electrified, yeah.
I was feeling my heart,
there was thunder inside.
But I was feeling this all from my bed last night.
 
You will be my only one,
won’t you hold my hand so we can run?
'Cuz you and I we're staying young,
we're gonna live, we’re gonna live forever.
This time I want it all
I want it right now, want to feel the fall.
Go, go, crazy, go, go, go crazy.
We're gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
This time I want it all,
I want it right now, want to feel the fall.
Go, go, crazy, go, go, go crazy.
We're gonna live, [get your hands high], we're gonna live forever.
Go oh oh oh oh, go oh oh oh oh, go oh oh oh oh.
We're gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
 
All the things that I don't know, oh, oh, oh,
all the dreams that I've been shown, oh, oh, oh,
all the ways that it could end
Yeah, tonight let's just close our eyes.
 
We're gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
This time I want I want it all,
I want it right now, feel the fall.
Go, go, crazy, go, go, go crazy
we're gonna live, we're gonna live forever.
This time I want it all,
I want it right now, want to feel the fall.
Go, go, crazy, go, go, go crazy.
We're going to live, we're going to live forever.

Wednesday, Aug. 10

Total sap words uttered: 721
Top sap words: challenge (117 uses), proud (86 uses), dream (56 uses)
Sappiest moment: “Every time, [American swimmer Michael] Phelps came back stronger. As memorable as his victories at Rio, the heartfelt celebrations that follow: Phelps now a father greeting his son.”

Tuesday, Aug. 9

Total sap words uttered: 919
Top sap words: challenge (145 uses), proud (101 uses), mom (68 uses)
Sappiest moment: “And watching on proudly was [Brazilian supermodel] Adriana [Lima]’s mom, who also joined us on our spiritual journey.”

Monday, Aug. 8

Total sap words uttered: 902
Top sap words: proud (128 uses), challenge (83 uses), mom (73 uses)
Sappiest moment: “Here is the dream at the age of 8 for [American swimmer] Ryan Murphy. This was a grade school project, the book dedicated to his mom.”

Sunday, Aug. 7

Total sap words uttered: 1042
Top sap words: proud (99 uses), mom (96 uses), dream (90 uses)
Sappiest moment: “It’s been a long journey, especially in the last few months, for [South African swimmer] Chad [le Clos] to get to this point at the end of his training: Both of his parents have been battling cancer.”

Saturday, Aug. 6

Total sap words uttered: 960
Top sap words: challenge (116 uses), proud (108 uses), dream (73 uses)
Sappiest moment: “The highlight so far for [Team USA volleyball player] Kelsey Robinson is walking in last night’s opening ceremony, oh, and by the way, meeting flag bearer Michael Phelps. Kelsey told me: ‘When I was little, a little kid watching opening ceremonies and seeing the athletes walk, I wanted to be them. They inspired me to have this dream, and now all of a sudden, I am that Olympian walking through the stadium. You can’t put that into words. It’s like everything you ever worked for, sacrificed, cried, doubted, feared, embraced, and loved was meant for this one moment, and it was worth all of it.’ Guys, just telling you that story gives me chills.”

Friday, Aug. 5

Total sap words uttered: 161
Top sap words: proud (29 uses), spirit (16 uses), heart (16 uses)
Sappiest moment: “I think that the Olympic ideal of every country sending its best to compete in a spirit of goodwill, you know, it is not going to end war, it is not going to eliminate poverty, or some of the tragedies that we see every day. But it builds a sense of common humanity, a sense of empathy.”