Tow #18 "Sochi Olympics TV moment: Shaun White's loss is NBC gain"

During the Winter Olympics every four years, snowboarding is without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated events. All eyes were on Shaun White yesterday as he tried to land his third consecutive gold medal in the Sochi Games. However, not only did White drop one of his snowboarding events, he failed to medal in the halfpipe and received fourth place to the disappointment of many. In this Latimes article, Steven Zeitchik writes about the events leading up to this important moment, and the effect it has on the TV channel broadcasting it, NBC. Through the use of repetition and short syntax, Zeitchik effectively recaps the events and argues that Shaun White's loss benefitted NBC's ratings.

To introduce the last nights events to the audience, Zeitchik unravels the story with anaphoras. He begins each paragraph with the phrase "even if" to suggest that yesterdays halfpipe, just like every year is always one of the most anticipated competitions of the year regardless of the unforeseeable events that occurred during it. He then contrasts this past certainty of the event, with this years twist of events- whether White would be able to win the gold medal again? This uncertainty or "doubtful ending", Zeitchik explains is what will give NBC a finale filled with anticipation and excitement, and rake in millions of watchers and ratings.

Zeitchik's writing mirrors the tension of the half pipe event that kept the audience on the edge of their seats through the use of short syntax that created a dramatic, tone. Sentences are split into short phrases through the use of commas and dashes, creating a sense of urgency. He writes, "through the disappointment, through the strained facial muscles, through the gritted teeth, he smiled". The terse pauses in between the phrases dramatizes the situation as the scene unfolds to the audience.

Zeitchik not only effectively uses repetition and short syntax to create a dramatic tone and build up the anticipation through his article, he also is able to provide a convincing argument on how NBC benefitted from White's loss. He concludes the article with a note of uncertainty mentioned in the beginning of his writing "even if", suggesting that the Olympics hype is not yet over and there is more to come.