This year's new "American Idols?"
Easy. The stars of the U.S. Winter Olympics team.
Americans have been glued to their televisions for two weeks, watching skiers, skaters and hockey players writing their names into sports history.
Is this the greatest Winter Olympics ever?
The TV ratings say yes. So do the U.S. medal count and the growing popularity of relatively new Olympic sports like snowboarding — thanks to American Shaun White and local hero Scotty Lago, who is set to be honored today with a parade down Route 1 in Seabrook, N.H.
Even curling has attracted new devotees.
Viewers have been watching to see history made — including the chance for the United State's men's hockey team to win gold today for the first time since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" — and bask in the pageantry that culminates with closing ceremonies tonight.
They watched for a glimpse of the U.S. "ski divas," Lindsey Vonn and Julie Mancuso, and New Hampshire's pride, Bode Miller, or speed skaters Shani Davis and Apolo Ohno.
The U.S. team's surprising lead in medals also helps explain NBC's much higher than expected ratings.
The United States is already guaranteed its best showing ever in the Winter Olympics.; And it could lead all nations in medal count for the first time since the winter games in Lake Placid in 1932.
John Murphy, a culinary arts instructor at Haverhill High School, says these winter games are the best he's seen since 1980, when the U.S. hockey team beat the unbeatable Russians.
"I've been watching hockey and curling, which I'm obsessed with for some strange reason, as well as speed skating and downhill skiing," Murphy said. "It's the quality of talent that each country has been putting forward and how close the finishes have been, especially in (both men and women's) downhill, the competition has been ferocious."
Some local families have been hosting parties to view the Olympics, and many local restaurants and bars have been having patrons show up to watch the games.
"We had a dinner party last Saturday night and people watched the Olympics until about midnight," said Jay Griffin, 56, from Methuen while shopping at The Mall at Rockingham Park. "It is surprising the amount of medals the United States has."
Vincent Ouellette, director of Haverhill's recreation department, says he has a new appreciation for snowboarding after watching the games this year. This is a sport that some experts have said has drawn in a younger viewership to the Winter Olympics.
"As a kid I was drawn to alpine events as I'm a skier," Ouellette said. "For years I didn't really care for snowboarding events, but this year I got hooked on them, with Shaun White and the kid from Seabrook, Scotty Lago."
Dawn Reed, 39, of Nashua, N.H., said she has been watching many of the events and she has especially been paying close attention to the athletes with New England roots.
"It is interesting this year," said Reed. "I've watched more coverage this year than any other Olympic Games."
NBC's telecast of the Olympics even beat out Fox's "American Idol" the night of Wednesday, Feb. 17. During the hour that the two shows went head-to-head, the Olympics were seen by 30.1 million people while 18.4 million watched "American Idol," according to the Associated Press.
The Olympics topped "Idol" again last week.
The Feb. 17 broadcast was the first time any show had beaten "American Idol" during its time slot since May 2004.
The United States' thrilling 5-3 men's hockey victory over Canada set or tied records in two countries. It was the most-watched sporting event in Canadian television history, according to the partnership of Canadian networks airing the games. An estimated 10.6 million people watched the game in Canada and 8.2 million in the United States, according to the Associated Press.
Those numbers may be topped today when the Canadian and U.S. men's hockey teams play for the gold.
Richard Nichol of Haverhill says this year's winter games have brought him great enjoyment.
"I'm particularly interested in curling, which we don't see much of around here," Nichols said. "It goes slow enough to follow it and I understand it pretty well."
"I think this has been a very fascinating Olympics and that it has been very well covered," Nichols added. "It's quite a number of hours of coverage and I've seen most of it."
Hockey has been a big draw for a reason, said Richard "Spike" Sprague the hockey coach at Haverhill High School.
"What you're seeing this winter is the best hockey you'll ever see and the best hockey players you'll ever see," said "The U.S. men's team is a little bit of a surprise as they weren't a favorite going in."
For Ouellette, it's the strength of the U.S. team and its constellation of stars that have made this the best Winter Olympics ever.
"It is making for a more exciting Olympics," Ouellette said. "I love the speed skating, and Apolo Ohno, and I'm even watching curling, although I'm still trying to figure it out."
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