Fingers Crossed

(To keep this post unsearchable, I'm going to play a little Taboo, in written form.)

I'm nervous about a large sporting event taking place this weekend. Not because I made any bets on the winner. Or because I normally root for either of the two teams playing. Even though I have no real stake in the game, I'm nervous simply because I really want to watch it, and there's no guarantee I'll be able to.

Sure, I could go to an international sports bar in the 5th called Wide Open Spaces. Maybe get there around 10 PM - two hours before kickoff - and hope to get a seat. After the game finishes - around 3:30 or 4 AM here - I'd have to take a cab, or wait for a night bus, or walk about an hour to get home. At 4 AM. I'm not really interested in going to that bar.

I'd much rather watch from the comfort of my own home. For that, I rely on a few websites: atdhe.net and my2p2.eu. They allow you to watch American TV streaming, the legality of which is ambiguous. (I'd argue that since all the commercials are streamed too, no one is losing ad revenue. And excepting the advertising thing, I'm not sure what the distinction is between watching something on the computer and watching it on a television.)

The problem with watching a big game online is that too many things could go wrong. My connection could be faulty; the game could be blocked; too many people might be trying to watch at the same time. That's why my fingers are crossed that everything goes off without a hitch on Sunday night.

When streaming is successful, the picture and sound quality are actually quite good:

So keep  your fingers crossed on my behalf, and keep track of your favorite commercials so we can talk about them afterwards!