NEW YORK -- If you want to glimpse the future of sports broadcasting, you can check out the Rio Olympics in virtual reality. But if you really want to immerse yourself in the competition, just turn on the TV.NBC, BBC and other Olympic networks around the world are offering the opening and closing ceremonies and selected events in VR, giving viewers a 360-degree perspective -- that is, the ability to look up, down and all around -- when they wear special headsets. Its a first in Olympics broadcasting, and NBC itself admits that its more than 100 hours of VR coverage is experimental.Its good that television networks are getting a head start on figuring out what works with the new technology. Watching the Olympics in VR can occasionally transport you, giving you the sense of actually being there in Rio. But those moments are still too few and far between.---THE BASICSTelevision networks are relying on the shared resources of the Olympic Broadcasting Services. In the U.S., viewers need a cable or satellite TV subscription, a Samsung Gear VR headset and a recent flagship Samsung Galaxy phone.The VR schedule has a haphazard feel. It offers preliminary rounds for some sports and finals for others, but focuses on just one sport on any given day. Events are shown a day after the fact, too, apart from one fencing event and two days of mens basketball expected to be live.---THE OPENING CEREMONYFriends who hadnt tried VR before were impressed by the opening ceremony, though the spectacle was less momentous if youd seen enough of VR for its newness to wear off. A few scenes still stood out:- At one point, performers clad in feather-like costumes sashayed and shimmied around me as they introduced the world to Brazils music and dance. Producers had set up a 360-degree camera right next to them on stage, giving the VR audience the sense of being in the show instead of just watching it. Alas, producers then switched to more-distant cameras.- VR cameras captured the parade of athletes from at least two vantage points on the floor, giving me the sense of standing near them as they passed by. TV shots, by contrast, were mostly birds eye views. I even caught one of the stadium marshals next to me -- I mean the camera -- snapping a photo with a smartphone.- While television mostly had aerial shots looking down at fireworks, VR offered a perspective from inside as fireworks shot up from around the entire stadium.But VR doesnt do everything well, as I learned myself while recording 360-degree videos .With no zoom, shots from the stadiums seats felt distant. Television showed close-ups of supermodel Gisele Bundchens runway walk to The Girl From Ipanema, but in VR all you could see was a dark, empty stadium floor. She was just too far away.VR tried to compensate by showing a TV feed within the VR environment, but the virtual monitor got distracting. And when I looked down, all I could see was a computer-generated disk intended to hide the camera rig. It felt like standing on a giant dinner plate -- there as an observer, but not really there.---COMPETITIONThere are currently no commercials or commentators intruding on the VR Olympics; all you get is natural sound from the venue. On the other hand, theres no way to jump directly to a specific match or athlete.Among other drawbacks, athletes sometimes looked like video-game characters. VR video wasnt as sharp as what Im used to on TV, and 3-D rendering might have compounded that feeling of fakeness.In beach volleyball, one challenged play got shown repeatedly on television, but VR offered no instant replays or slow motion.With boxing, coverage switched back and forth between a floor-level camera and one about the height of a street lamp. That forced me to continually tilt my head to look up and down again as though nodding. Let the viewer choose the camera.For mens gymnastics, four cameras covered the six-event all-around finals, meaning you had to turn around to watch two of the events in the distance. Once again, you dont get to control the shot. You might be fixated on the pommel horse when you suddenly get a floor-exercise routine going on at the same time. Track-and-field coverage this weekend will probably have similar issues.For now, VR is most exciting behind the scenes. I could feel the joy as Japanese gymnast Kohei Uchimura won gold and hugged his support staff, surrounded by cameras. You dont get that sense of closeness when its a straight-on television shot. I would love to see warmup areas and locker rooms in VR (for team strategizing, of course). VR works best when the room is small and people are close to the camera.---LOOKING AHEADIts easy to take television sports coverage for granted. Before satellites, TV rarely covered sports live, and cameras were rudimentary. Now, underwater cameras can capture swimmers intensity in the pool, while a computer-generated yellow line shows the world-record pace. Elsewhere, skiers and ice-hockey players have strapped on GoPros. No doubt VR cameras and production will get better.Jim Bell, executive producer of NBC Olympics, said it well just before the Olympics started: It seems like a cool thing, but where it stands right now with the goggles and youve got to put this thing on your head, its not there yet. I kind of like the experience of watching big events like the Olympics on a high-quality television screen, which as we like to say, is as God intended it. Cheap Air Jordan 4 Clearance .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Cheap Jordan 4 Retro . 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LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St.SAN DIEGO -- Torontos bullpen was lights-out in a three-game series against San Diego, from a series-opening, 17-inning game that stretched from Friday night into Saturday morning through Sunday nights finale, when the Blue Jays lost 40-year-old starter Ramon Ortiz to an apparent right elbow injury. Mark DeRosa hit a go-ahead homer into the second deck in left field leading off the 11th inning and the Blue Jays beat the Padres 7-4 Sunday night to avoid a three-game sweep. Six relievers allowed just two singles in nine innings of scoreless relief after Ortiz was hurt throwing his third pitch to Chase Headley leading off the Padres third. For the series, the pen allowed just one run and 10 hits in 22 2-3 innings while striking out 16 and walking eight. "They truly have been great all year for us and weve certainly needed them to be that way to keep our heads above water," DeRosa said. "You never like to use them that much, but tonight was an exception to the rule." It was the second extra-inning game of the series. The Padres won Friday nights game 4-3 in 17 innings. Ortiz came up holding his right elbow after making his third pitch to Headley. He slammed his glove to the ground at the back of the mound. A trainer came out and was looking at his right elbow. Ortiz appeared to be crying as he walked to the dugout. "What a kind of sombre game for us, and kind of watching him reflect on his career and hopefully he didnt throw his last pitch," DeRosa said. "Tough series. We had to win this game. Definitely made for a happier flight. Everyone contributed. Bullpen was asked to do a heck of a lot, not only in this game, but in the 17-inning game." Manager John Gibbons said Ortizs injury "doesnt look good." The pitcher is scheduled to travel to Florida to have an MRI. The Blue Jays have thrown the most innings of any bullpen in the majors. "Were proud of it, but then again, were only as good as our next one," reliever Steve Delabar said. "When the phone rings and we get up, we have to do it again." Casey Janssen (1-0) pitched the 10th for the win. Aaron Loup pitched the 11th for his second save. "We werent able to solve them," Padres manager Bud Black said of Torontos pen. "We had some good swings versus Ortiz, but when they went to their pen, we couldnt solve any of their guys. We couldnt muster any offence. I cant explain it except their bullpen did a great job this series." Ortiz was recalled before Saturdays game when Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list with a foreearm strain.dddddddddddd DeRosa drove a 3-1 pitch from Brad Boxberger (0-1) an estimated 428 feet, his fourth, in the 11th inning. It was the first of five straight hits opening the three-run inning. The Blue Jays second run that inning came in on third baseman Headleys throwing error and Jose Bautista hit an RBI double. An inning before he was hurt, Ortiz allowed a three-run homer to San Diego starter Edinson Volquez, his first in the big leagues. Volquezs homer capped a four-run inning that gave the Padres a 4-1 lead. Rookie Jedd Gyorko was aboard on an RBI double and Will Venable on an intentional walk. Torontos Edwin Encarnacion homered for the second time in three games, reaching the second deck in left field with two outs in the third. It was his 16th. The Blue Jays tied it in the fifth on Adam Linds two-run double off centre fielder Alexi Amaristas glove against the fence. Melky Cabrera was aboard on a single and Encarnacion on a two-out walk. Volquez allowed four runs and six hits in five innings, struck out seven and walked three. NOTES: It was the first time in 303 career games in 12 seasons that Ortiz surrendered a home run to a pitcher. ... Gyorko had his first career stolen base in the sixth. ... Padres LF Carlos Quentin crashed into the wall while catching Cabreras fly ball to end the eighth with runners on first and third. ... The Padres recalled RHP Brad Boxberger from Triple-A Tucson and optioned LHP Robbie Erlin to Tucson. Erlin earned his first big league win in his first start on Saturday night while filling in for LHP Clayton Richard, who pitched the final two innings of San Diegos 17-inning victory against Toronto that started Friday night and ended just into Saturday morning. ... Boxberger has made 17 relief appearances with Tucson this season, going 0-3 with a 5.73 ERA. This is his second stint with the Padres this season, posting a 0.00 ERA in two relief appearances. ... The Padres start a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, when LHP Eric Stults (4-4, 3.86) is scheduled to face LHP Chris Capuano (1-4, 5.45). Itll be the first time Quentin plays at Dodger Stadium since breaking Zach Greinkes collarbone in a brawl at Petco Park on April 11. The Padres opened a three-game series at Dodger Stadium four days after that brawl, but Quentin was serving an eight-game suspension. ... The Blue Jays are off Monday before continuing their trip with a two-game series at San Francisco starting Tuesday night, when RHP Josh Johnson (0-1, 6.86) faces RHP Tim Lincecum (3-5, 5.12). 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