What to Look for on Day 13 of the Olympics

We are starting to wind down.

Today we get the finals of the men's 200m.

The gold medal game of the women's soccer with the U.S. women taking on Japan.

The decathalon wraps up.

Also we have water polo, boxing, more diving and women's basketball.

Feel free to check out my Examiner.com article from yesterday on the athletes wearing all that Kinesio tape here:  http://www.examiner.com/article/jury-still-out-on-the-breakout-star-of-the-2012-olympics-kinesio-tape

I Got Next! Rucker Park Gets Wi-Fi

Now you can check your email and surf the net while you are waiting to get on the court at Rucker Park or any number of pick up basketball locales in New York.

To mark the first anniversary of the "Wi-Fi in the Parks" initiative that offers free network connections in parks across the five boroughs, AT&T* is lighting up Harlem's Rucker Park as the 22nd New York City park with free AT&T Wi-Fi service. Parks visitors have made more than 2.7 million total connections, averaging more than 10,000 connections per day, since AT&T and the Bloomberg Administration launched the program last June.

Over the next several months, AT&T expects to complete installation at a total of 26 park locations, where any smartphone and tablet user regardless of carrier can connect to the AT&T Wi-Fi Network. AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched the initiative last year in Manhattan's Thomas Jefferson Park, which since then has seen more than 143,000 connections to date. The popularity of the service spans the five boroughs, with several parks averaging more and more connections per day. Parks now leading the trend include Battery Park, with approximately 3,500 connections per day, and Central Park Tavern on the Green, with approximately 3,800 connections per day.

"It's great that Wi-Fi in the Parks continues to grow and see just how much New Yorkers and other park visitors are using this free service," said AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson. "AT&T is committed to providing the most accessible and reliable network, whether at home, at work or, in cooperation with Mayor Bloomberg, throughout New York City's beautiful parks."

"This popular initiative is one more reason New York City is well on its way to becoming the nation's leading digital city," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "I want to thank AT&T for their generous donation and their commitment over the past year to further improving the experience of visitors to parks across the five boroughs."

Wi-Fi at Rucker goes live just weeks before the park hosts its annual, legendary basketball tournament that draws tens of thousands of fans. All visitors will be able to connect to the service with a smartphone or tablet, whether or not they are AT&T customers.

The additional parks Wi-Fi launch is part of a five-year digital initiative with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the City of New York to provide free Wi-Fi at 26 locations in 20 New York City parks across the five boroughs. Any Wi-Fi enabled smartphone and tablet user can connect to free AT&T Wi-Fi at many other park locations across all five boroughs including:

Herbert Von King Park

McCarren Park Field House

Pier 1 and Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Prospect Park Picnic House

Astoria Park

Tompkins Square Park

Marcus Garvey Park

Clove Lakes Park

Battery Bosque and Ferry Landing at Battery Park

Thomas Jefferson Park

Joyce Kilmer Park

Mineral Springs, Tavern on the Green, Rumsey Playfield and Central Park Zoo in Central Park

Devoe Park

Fort Greene Park

MacDonald Park

Staten Island's FDR Boardwalk

Tonight on "The Tech of Sports" - Paul Shirley

He's a writer, he's a former Academic All-American Division I college basketball player, he's a former NBA player.

He loves music and loves to travel.  He's 6'10" and a renassiance man with a unique perspective of what is happening around him and happening in the world.

His book, "Can I Keep My Jersey?" is a must read for sports and basketball fans along with anyone who has dreamed of playing in the NBA or on a professional basketball team.

I'm of course talking about Paul Shirley and he will be my guest tonight on "The Tech of Sports."  We may talk some basketball, we may talk some tech, but we'll talk other things as well. 

His book would make a great Father's Day gift.

Come by tonight at http://netcaststudio.com/live/  at 7pm EDT to hear the wit and wisdon of Paul Shirley.  He's @paulthenshirley on Twitter.

Pat Summit Receives Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Freedom to more than a dozen political and cultural greats Tuesday, including basketball coach Pat Summit, rocker Bob Dylan, astronaut John Glenn and novelist Toni Morrison.

Obama added that Summitt, who led the University of Tennessee women's basketball team to more NCAA Final Four appearances than any other team, had helped pave the way for his two daughters, "who are tall and gifted."

"They're standing up straight and diving after loose balls and feeling confident and strong," he said. "I understand that the impact that these people have had extends beyond me. It will continue for generations to come."

The Medal of Freedom is presented to people who have made meritorious contributions to the national interests of the United States, to world peace or to other significant endeavors.

Dial Global Says 20.6 Million Listened to Final Four on Radio

Dial Global: 20.6 million heard Final Four.

Proving the power of sports on radio, nearly as many people heard a broadcast of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four on broadcast radio as heard the Super Bowl. Dial Global says radio’s Final Four audience was an estimated 20.6 million, nearly as large as the 23.1 million who tuned-in to hear the New York Giants defeat of the New England Patriots.

512 affiliates carried Final Four programming between March 31 and April 2.  “We are pleased that our previous research findings still hold true, people desire play-by-play sports on radio in a big way,” Dial Global co-CEO David Landau says.  The network came up with the audience estimates by commissioning Edison Research to conduct a national telephone survey on Tuesday, the day after the University of Kentucky Wildcats’ victory over the University of Kansas Jayhawks.