The Olympics watch guide you need, plus an overnight MLB trade

Despite a quite dramatic beginning to these Olympic Games already, the action does not really start until tonight, as hundreds of athletes float along a possibly gross river to officially open the festivities. 

The Athletic has a whole brigade in France already. To help us prepare for what’s to come, I snagged Matthew Futterman, a veteran of Olympic coverage, for his thoughts in between croissants: 

What event are you most excited about?
Matthew: My favorite event in sports is track’s 100 meters, men’s and women’s, because of the sound of a massive stadium going completely silent the moment before the gun fires, and the explosion of noise and energy that comes right after it. And then it’s all over in 10 seconds. There’s just nothing like it in sports. It takes my breath away every time.

Prediction for breakout athlete and/or media darling: _____.
Matthew: She’s already broken out in running circles but Sha’Carri Richardson, the American sprinter, is an electric personality. She’s a favorite to win the 100 meters. If she does, she will be everywhere. She would have been a big star in 2021 but tested positive for marijuana, which should not be considered a performance enhancing drug in running, but that’s a whole separate kettle of fish.

What major storyline is flying under the radar in mainstream coverage?
Matthew: I hate to say it, but COVID. It’s going around again, and if the Olympics are anything, they are a massive petri dish. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world coming together, and in the case of the athletes and their support staffs, living and eating together. Athletes are going to get sick and likely compete sick.

You wrote an interesting piece on tennis’ odd fit at these Olympics. Do you expect a meh showing from the sport in these Games?
Matthew: I think it all comes down to a couple of players, namely Carlos Alcaraz, who has become an even bigger star than he was after winning the last two Grand Slams, and Rafael Nadal, who will play on the clay where he has won the French Open 14 times.

Matthew Stockman / Getty Images