The Games plan

Today

Opening ceremony. Superstitious Chinese believe No. 8 is lucky. Thus, the Games begin on 8-8-2008 at 8:08 p.m. Beijing time. That is 5:08 a.m. today in Los Angeles. The U.S. athletes’ choice of flag bearer Lopez Lomong was controversial because he is a refugee of Sudan and member of Team Darfur, where genocide by the Sudanese government is not condemned by the Chinese because of the country’s arms-for-oil deals. The U.S. parade won’t move fast enough for Chinese authorities in attendance.

Beach volleyball. First round. U.S. favored for both gold medals with men Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers and women Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the defending champions.

Cycling. The men’s road race will be the first test for endurance athletes in the hazy days of Beijing summers. Chinese officials say pollution levels are acceptable no matter what your eyes and lungs tell you.

Saturday

Swimming. This is one of the two sports NBC insisted on having in prime time for U.S. audiences. The other was gymnastics. Michael Phelps goes for gold medal No. 1 tonight in the 400-meter individual medley.

Women’s basketball. U.S. women, with three Sparks -- Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones -- open against Czech Republic in search of fourth consecutive gold.

Tennis. The fifth Grand Slam opens today with the first round of men’s singles. Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal in the final, anyone?

Sunday

Men’s basketball. China watches intently as its hero, Yao Ming, takes on Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and the rest of the Redeem Team.

Swimming. Phelps is back for Day 2 of swimming in two events, the 400-meter freestyle relay and semifinals of the 200 freestyle. Natalie Coughlin and Katie Hoff could be looking for their second medals as well.

Gymnastics. China is expected to have one of its finest hours in the men’s team competition, taking back the title it won in 2000 but lost in 2004 to Japan. The United States was second in Athens but doesn’t have Paul Hamm this time because of injuries.

Monday

Swimming. Phelps, Coughlin and Hoff are all back in the pool, as is Aaron Peirsol of Irvine. He’s in the 100 backstroke.

Women’s basketball. One day after the U.S. men meet China, it’s the U.S. women’s turn. U.S. women also meet China in water polo, but very early this morning PDT.

Tennis. Women’s singles begins. Venus Williams, who won in 2000, is playing. Justine Henin, who won in 2004, is not, having retired. Lindsay Davenport, who won in 1996, withdrew today.

Tuesday

Women’s gymnastics. The United States, led by Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, beat China in the world championships team competition last year by one point. But the Chinese have the home mat advantage.

Swimming. Phelps again, the 200 butterfly final. Coughlin and Hoff are back too. Eric Shanteau, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer before the U.S. trials but chose to delay surgery until after the Games, could be in the 200 breaststroke semifinal.

Men’s basketball. The United States meets Angola. Too bad Charles Barkley isn’t still around to insult the Angolans. Or maybe that’s a good thing.

Wednesday

Men’s gymnastics. China’s Yang Wei should do well in the men’s all-around finals after a disappointing fall cost him in 2004.

Men’s basketball. Want to see a couple of L.A. NBA players not named Kobe? Check out Pau Gasol and Spain versus Chris Kaman and Germany.

Baseball. It’s a rare doubleheader for the U.S. team. Sort of. The team, using primarily minor leaguers, meets South Korea at 3 a.m. PDT, which is 6 p.m. in Beijing, and then returns for a game against the Netherlands at 7:30 p.m. PDT, which is 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Beijing. Confused? Check out the time explainer in this section.

Thursday

Gymnastics. The United States has not just one potential Mary Lou but two in Johnson and Liukin as they challenge each other in the women’s all-around finals.

Swimming. All the usual suspects return to the Water Cube.

Baseball. Get a look at some major league prospects, not only on the U.S. team but also on Cuba’s as they meet in round play. Cuban baseball players like to defect, but it’s unlikely they will do so in Beijing.

Aug. 15

Women’s soccer. Mamma Mia, come back. Without Hamm, who retired to watch more baseball, and Abby Wambach, who broke her leg, the United States will be hard pressed to repeat as gold medalist. The team is expected, however, to advance to today’s quarterfinals despite a 2-0 opening loss to Norway.

Track and field. The first final is the men’s shotput, with a U.S. sweep possible.

Swimming. Find out if Dara Torres, 41, can continue to defy her age by winning a medal in the 50 freestyle.

Aug. 16

Men’s basketball. If you thought it was fun watching Kobe play with Gasol, tune in today to see them play against each other as the U.S. meets Spain. They are two of the favorites.

Women’s marathon. Deena Kastor, an Agoura Hills native, gives the U.S. a medal hopeful.

Track and field. One of the Olympics’ premier events, the men’s 100, will take place in prime time -- for Chinese audiences -- but very early in the morning PDT. The United States’ Tyson Gay takes on the Jamaicans.

Aug. 17

Track and field. Again, one of the marquee events, the women’s 100, is for early risers in the United States. Two Southern Californians, Torri Edwards and Muna Lee, are expected to chase Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart to the finish line.

Gymnastics. The individual apparatus finals begin for men and women.

Diving. China favored for 1-2 in the women’s three-meter springboard finals.

Aug. 18

Track and field. The women’s pole vault competition should be one of the best of the Games with Russian world-record holder Yelena Isinbayeva favored over the United States’ Jenn Stuczynski.

Men’s basketball. Kobe versus Kaman, U.S. versus Germany. It’s probably more accurate to say Kobe versus Dirk Nowitzki.

Men’s triathlon. Spain is winning everything else this year -- European soccer championship, Wimbledon, Tour de France. Why not this? Javier Gomez is favored.

Aug. 19

Diving. Deja vu. China favored for 1-2 in the men’s three-meter springboard finals. Troy Dumais from Ventura is a contender for the bronze.

Track and field. Look out for Lo Lo Jones of the United States in the women’s 100 hurdles. After the Olympics, she is planning to run against a horse. Shouldn’t it be a steeplechase?

Swimming. Natalie du Toit of South Africa, whose left leg was amputated in 2001, is among the favorites in the 10K.

Aug. 20

Beach volleyball. The gold-medal match, expected to feature May-Treanor and Walsh, goes prime time for U.S. audiences.

Track and field. Even though Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is the world-record holder in the 100, he’s not necessarily the best in the world at that distance. So he may decide to skip that race. But you can catch him in the 200. He’s not the world-record holder, but he’s definitely the class of the field.

Cycling. See the BMX debut as an Olympic sport.

Aug. 21

Beach volleyball. The men play for the gold medal. Will Dalhausser and Rogers be one of the finalists?

Soccer. The men play for the gold medal. It will be a surprise if the U.S. team is in the stadium without having to buy tickets. Bet on Brazil. Always bet on Brazil. Or maybe Argentina.

Softball. In the finale, perhaps ever for the Olympics, the United States should win another gold medal.

Aug. 22

Men’s basketball. Expect the United States and Spain in the semifinals. But who else? Manu Ginobili is injured and might not be of much help to defending champion Argentina.

Track and field. The United States’ Bryan Clay is among the medal favorites in the decathlon, but he hasn’t been healthy this year.

Baseball. The United States and Cuba should advance at least into the semifinals.

Aug. 23

Basketball. The men’s final begins at 11:30 p.m. PDT. Will this group of U.S. superstars really be the Redeem Team? It could find out in the finals. If Kobe and friends are in the earlier bronze-medal game, then you know the answer. The women’s final earlier in the day provides exposure for the WNBA. Look for the United States and either Becky Hammon’s Russian team or Lauren Jackson’s Australian team in the final.

Track and field. One last chance for distance runners to breathe the fresh air of Beijing in the men’s marathon. A Kenyan will win. Or maybe an Ethiopian.

Boxing. Where have you gone, Teofilo Stevenson? A heavyweight champion will be crowned.

Aug. 24

Closing ceremony. Juan Antonio Samaranch would have used this occasion to pronounce it “the best Games ever,” but his Belgian successor as IOC president, Jacques Rogge, is more reticent.