Saturday at the Olympic games

Will '10 Games Bode well?

VANCOUVER — Bode Miller an afterthought?

The enigmatic American skier won't hear of such a thing.

"That's a completely ridiculous idea at the Olympics. Everyone is on the radar," Miller said. "I'm prepared and fired up. Hopefully, it pops up on the radar here and there."

Amid all concern regarding Lindsey Vonn's leg — Miller is almost a forgotten man at the 2010 Olympics. But that all could change today when he competes in the downhill, an event he ruled as world champion back in 2005.

Now, he's considered a dark horse, but NBC is planning to include alpine skiing's fastest event in its prime-time coverage, and that will mean a shot at redemption for one of the Olympics' most famous underachievers.

As for the challenging downhill course, Park City native Ted Ligety was grateful to be able to size up the track. "I am just getting more comfortable at it," Ligety said. "I had no idea how turny it really was. It runs a little faster than I would have guessed, and I'm liking the technical aspect of it."

Putting pedal to the medal

Today is the first day of medal events at the Vancouver Games. The competition actually began Friday with some ski jump qualifying, and the opening ceremony in the 60,600-seat BC Place.

But rain or shine, the hosts are ready for their Olympics. "Go Canada Go" is on display in windows all over Vancouver, and the home team hopes to finish near the top of the medals table — a dramatic improvement after Canada failed to win a single gold medal while hosting the 1988 Winter Games and the 1976 Summer Games.

Also on tap today

In addition to the men's downhill, freestyle moguls, ski jumping, biathlon, single luge, speed skating and women's hockey are scheduled to get under way today.

Olympics on the air

TELEVISION

NBC 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Ski Jumping; Speedskating: Men's 5000m; Women's biathlon

CNBC 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Women's hockey: Sweden vs. Switzerland, 1 p.m. (live)

CNBC 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Women's hockey: Canada vs. Slovakia, 6 p.m. (live)

NBC 7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Speedskating: Men's 1500m, 8:15 p.m. (live)

Skiing: Men's downhill; Women's moguls

NBC 11 p.m. - midnight

Men's luge; Speedskating: Women's 500m