I'm a little upset that Lana Ulrich thought it fit to blame corporate America with the ratings drop the Olympics have suffered ("Commercialization replaces Olympic spirit," Feb. 23).

After all, when we watch the Olympics, we actually observe fewer advertisements than in regular events. For example, while NHL ice rinks feature boards littered with corporate logos, the Olympics rinks are nice and clean. Who cares if Atomic decides to show off its skis during an interview? Is anyone really bothered by this? Do the Coca-Cola and Budweiser commercials make watching the games any different than any other TV show?

The real problem is the professional hockey players who arrived in Torino and have not played together as a team before. These players just expect to win the gold medal.

If nothing else, at least the amateurs would have time to practice together before the games begin. Even so, there are still plenty of events featuring dedicated individuals who have worked most of their lives dreaming to earn an Olympic medal. It's a shame that most people would rather watch something else, because most of the events are still as exciting as ever.