One of the benefits of getting CTV's coverage of the Vancouver Olympics here is the

ability to get a second opinion about judged events such as Thursday's ladies skating

competition.

The fact that the Canadian network's picture and audio was a second or so ahead of NBC's

coverage on Channel 2 also increased the ability to hear both views.

Tellingly, the CTV and NBC commentators agreed on just about every performance. The analysts

each instantly crowned South Korea's Kim Yu-na the champion after calling her performance one

of the greatest of all time.

Analysts on both sides of the border also praised American skater Rachael Flatt highly before

her disappointing scores. And they thought that American Mirai Nagasu had done so well that

they wondered if she would take the bronze medal away from Canada's Joannie Rochette, whose

mother died earlier this week. Nagasu's score wasn't close, assuring that Rochette's

heartwarming story would end happily.

Of course, the biggest CTV benefit is getting to see so many more live performances. On

Thursday night, the Canadian network carried the silver medal aerial ski jumping performance

by American Jaret Peterson several minutes before NBC. NBC delayed it, opting to carry some

lower level figure skaters live instead.

While prime time ratings for the first 12 days of the Vancouver Games were about 15

percent lower than Channel 2's estimates, the station's estimates for daytime, late night and

the earning morning replays exceeded expectations.

The weekday broadcasts averaged a 5.1, almost a point above the estimate. The weekend coverage

averaged an 8.3 rating, equaling Channel 2's estimate. The late-night rating of 4.3 was higher

than the 4.2 estimate.

The morning replay — which starts at about 1:30 a.m. — had an amazing 2.8 rating,

almost double the estimate.

The rating for the Buffalo market for Team USA's victory over Team Canada carried here

on MSNBC on Feb. 21 was the second-highest in the country behind Pittsburgh. (Buffalo probably

would have been No. 1 if CTV viewership was added.)

Buffalo fans had a rooting interest in Team USA goaltender Ryan Miller and Buffalo natives Pat

Kane and Brooks Orpik. Pittsburgh fans had an interest in two Penguins — Orpik and

Canada's Sidney Crosby.

MSNBC averaged a 12.7 rating from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. here and a 14.6 rating without the 45-

minute pregame. MSNBC had a 13.0 rating in Pittsburgh for the three-hour window (the game

rating wasn't available).

Buffalo and Pittsburgh were the only markets among the 65 measured overnight to average in

double figures. Nationally, the game had a 4.2 metered market rating.

Team USA's 2-0 quarterfinal win over Switzerland on Channel 2 Wednesday afternoon had an

impressive 10.9 rating.

ESPN analyst Barry Melrose played the party pooper this week, saying it is doubtful

that the National Hockey League will allow its players to participate in the 2014 Olympics

because it doesn't get enough out of it to offset the regular season disruption.

Virtue Rewarded: One of the emotional highlights of the games was watching Tessa Virtue

and Scott Moir enthusiastically sing the Canadian national anthem on the podium along with the

Vancouver crowd after they won the gold medal in ice dancing.

Channel 2 got a parent's video of an incredible 90-foot shot by Kyle Kobis of Bishop

Timon-St. Jude at the end of the first quarter of a Manhattan Cup playoff basketball game with

Nichols School on Monday. Just as incredible was a Channel 2 anchor's description of the shot

as a momentum-changer. The shot — which also was recorded by a Buffalo News videographer

and should land on ESPN — gave Timon a 19-16 lead. But a momentum-changer? Nichols had

an eight-point halftime lead and won, 76-50.

I generally love the humor of Tony Kornheiser as much as I love ESPN's Hannah Storm as

a sports anchor. Kornheiser was out-of-bounds picking on Storm's wardrobe on his radio show

and deserved a suspension. But two weeks? I guess in today's politically-correct world,

Kornheiser is fortunate he wasn't put in rehab.