we are back now with more of "today" on wednesday morning, the first day of august, 2012. the olympic competition in full swing. and, boy, it's been great for team usa. back at olympic park. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and al roker. call them what you want, golden girls, the fab five, just don't leave out the title olympic champions. >> that's right. the fierce five is another name they like. they stopped by our plaza to show off their newly minted gold medals. we'll share that interview a little later on. there's another swimmer making waves called the missile, but it's not missy franklin.

no. that's right. we're going to introduce you to him a little bit later on. a lot to get to. let's get the latest olympic news. for that, we turn to natalie morales. >> all right, guys. good morning once again. the gold medals just keep on coming after the biggest night so far for team usa. >> oh! unbelievable! >> reporter: the american women thundered their way to victory tuesday, striking gold in the gymnastics team finals. >> with a good landing. >> reporter: one by one, the fab five took the floor and nailed every routine. >> get the gold medals ready! >> reporter: when it was over, the americans, the dominant winner with a score five points ahead of the russians. the first team gold medal for the u.s. since 1996. >> the crowd just clapped and cheers, and it gets me so pumped to have that support behind, you know, your back is definitely an amazing feeling.

>> we've worked our whole life for this. we wanted to make it count. i'm so proud of all these girls. >> reporter: for 17-year-old jordyn wieber, a moment of triumph after missing out on a shot at the individual all-around title. >> i think this is good redemption for me and we all came together and put all our hard work in and came out with the gold medal is amaze, and i'm proud of everybody. >> reporter: another crowning moment for team usa. >> 48-year-old record now belongs to phelps! >> reporter: michael phelps now holds the record for most career olympic medals after helping his team win gold in the 4 x 200 meter relay. >> the last 20 meters of the race i started smiling because i knew we had won. and very, very special night, special feeling. phelps now has 19 olympic medals, including 15 golds. >> i tried to hold myself together as much as i could, but my eyes were getting watery and it was emotional. >> phelps is heading on!

>> reporter: earlier tuesday, phelps took silver in the 200 meter butterfly, nosed out for gold by south african chad le clos. >> allison schmitt is blowing away the field! >> reporter: for the u.s. women, allison schmitt won her first gold medal in the 200 meter freestyle. and some news this morning as well. we told you about the controversy involving badminton teams to who appeared to try and lose on purpose to get an easier draw. well, the badminton world federation held a disciplinary hearing today and they decided to disqualify eight players from these games. now to our other top stories of the day and some very anxious moments in the air. officials are trying to find out how a sewing needle got inside a catered sandwich on an air canada flight from british columbia to toronto. and a bird strike, meanwhile, on tuesday left a gaping hole in the front of this united airlines jet as it was about to land in denver. the plane from dallas-ft. worth landed safely.

meanwhile, on another united flight from newark to geneva, it had to be diverted to boston last night after fighter jets were scrambled because of an unclaimed camera found in an unoccupied seat. more flooding is on tap today for parts of the southwest. on tuesday, sudden heavy rain flooded roads around phoenix, trapping some people in their cars. no one was injured. and rescue teams were able to pull everyone to safety. today, president obama campaigns in the battleground state of ohio. online he donated $5,000 to his own campaign, listing his employer as the united states of america and his occupation as president. he said he made the donation after getting the first lady's okay. >> i have cleared this with michelle, and i want everybody to know this is one more way of expressing how much i appreciate everything that they're doing and i want them to know how committed i am to making sure that we're able to achieve the kind of vision we have for america that we've talked about. republican mitt romney is back in the u.s. after his

overseas trip to britain, israel, and poland. the worst power outage ever is over this morning. a massive power grid failure left an estimated 620 million people in the dark in india. officials there have launched an investigation to find out what caused the power grid system to collapse. author and playwright gore vidal died tuesday at his home in southern california of complications of pneumonia. he wrote "lincoln," as well as essays and plays. gore vidal was 86. a controversial portion of president obama's health care reform legislation goes into effect today. it requires insurance companies to provide free contraception services to women. however, to start, only those women with private insurance plans are affected. and if fishing were an olympic event, well, these guys would not be in the medal round. two men in russia used a grenade to try to catch fish. not a good idea.

>> whoa. >> the men were stunned, not to mention blown from that boat. they do appear to be okay, though. the video is catching lots of viewers online. yeah. not smart, guys. it is six minutes past the hour. back to matt, savannah, and al. >> i was going to say, we have an unusual sense of humor. we should mention. >> i've always wondered what happened to boris after he retired. >> that could have been really -- >> turned out badly. >> mr. roker, how about a check of the weather? >> fortunately, it didn't. anyway, let's see what we've got for you for today. we are looking at a risk of strong storms from nebraska all the way on up into wisconsin, damaging winds, hail, heavy rain, so could be a real mess today there. as you can see on the radar, already firing up, looking anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of rain. and the heat continues unfortunately. oklahoma city today may tie or

break their all-time hot weather record of 113 degrees. heat indexes will make et feel like anywhere from 100 to 115 degrees today. >> good morning. we will see a few scattered showers and thunderstorms. a mixture of sun and clouds. and that's your latest weather. natalie? thank you, al. now to more on the first team gold for u.s. women's gymnastics since 1996. tim daggett and elfi schlegel, our olympic gymnastics analysts.

good morning. >> good morning to you. >> hello. >> great morning for you guys as well. 16 years in the making. i know you guys, you're there to be objective commentators, but i imagine you had to get a little caught up in that moment. elfi, what was it like seeing these girls score golds? >> the last time any of us experienced this, and tim and i were there at the georgia dome in 1996, it was absolutely electric. it was deafening. i have to say i haven't felt that feeling myself until this moment. and last night it was just absolutely awesome to watch all the years of hard work. tim and i have been covering these young ladies for four year, and most people don't follow them for that length of time, but they see the moment and we know just how much it took for them to realize that dream. and it was with a lot of grit and determination and hard work. and they were by far the hardest working team out there. >> but, you know, in the last two olympic games, they came in as they did this year as the world champions, in 2003 and 2007. and a lot of people were wondering could they get this

jinx off their back. and, you know, it doesn't matter if you're american, if you're from great britain, russia. you have to marvel at the performance of team usa. that's all there is to it, because their performance was astounding. they started off on vault and really -- >> yeah. >> -- they almost ended it right there they were so great. >> you know, i think a lot of people were concerned because going in, you know, we were worried about whether or not jordyn wieber would be able to shake off the disappointment after not making it to the individual all-around. so it seems like she came out smilinging and ready to really get going. how important was she, elfi, to contributing to this team? >> huge. absolutely. she is the reigning world champion. if they did not have jordyn on their side, it may not have ended as well as it did. and for me personally, gymnastically, you look at mckayla maroney and what she did was awesome, but for me on an emotional level, to watch an athlete like jordyn wieber do what she did and especially on floor exercise, the smiles just said it all.

i was extremely happy for her. you know, you just don't want to see a kid end her olympic dream the way it did a couple nights ago. i couldn't be happier for her. >> i had absolutely no doubts that jordyn wieber was going to come out like that. she is competitive, and the word that really sums her up best in my mind is she is so fierce. >> right. >> and she didn't have a very bad competition. she just wasn't as perfect as she could be. >> right. >> in the qualifying. and, you know, she is one of the toughest customers you will ever come across. her first vault, she had to not just deal with that adversity and the disappointment of not qualifying for the all-around finals, but she had to lead team usa off, and she did wit a bang. >> all right. let's look ahead because gabby douglas, aly raisman continue on in the individuals. really quickly, expectations for them? >> i think they have a great shot. why wouldn't they? we've watched the russian gymnast, victorktoria komova ma some diva mistakes.

these two young ladies need to do their job. there is nothing more they can do. they have to attack each and every event and be as perfect as they can. they have a great chance. >> i said it before the competition began, there is only one team that is prepared like team usa, and that's the americans. they are so prepared. all these other teams, they had capabilities. it could happen for the russi russians. it could happen for the chinese. but when you are able to go out consistently, day in, day out, and perform like america has, you know, you would have to expect the same thing to happen in the all-around finals. if you're a betting man, you go with the americans. >> and let's talk today of course because the men are entering the all-around finals. and they did not perform as well here at the games. so what can we expect from danell leyva and john orozco? >> quickly, for danell, i think he was missing his dad. there wasn't a lot of energy on the floor. he hasn't looked the same as in the united states. he needs a little yin alvarez

and that ritual. we might see a different performer. >> for john orozco o, i've neve seen him look so shaken as he did the second day, and he doesn't look like that. one of the things he is so good at is looking completely unaffected. to see him in that mode was very unusual for me. it's all going to come down to i think the first event for both of those guys. if p they come out and hit that, they get on a roll, i think they'll be in really good shape. >> hopefully you'll be back with us tomorrow talking some good news. tim daggett, elfi schlegel, thanks so much, guys. appreciate it. >> thank you. >> watch our coverage of the men's individual all-around tonight and the women's tomorrow on nbc. coming up next, the man they call the missile in australia. we're going to meet him right after this.

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park. michael phelps and missy franklin may be household names in the u.s. now, but in australia, the missile is james magnussen. and tonight he could swim into olympic greatness. nbc's sara james has his story. >> reporter: he's hunky and hot, but can he live up to the hype? >> there's a missile heading for london, and it's set to explode in the olympic pool! he is incredible. >> reporter: the aussie missile, james magnussen, a 21-year-old newcomer fresh off a world championship win in swimming blue-ribbon events, the 100 meter freestyle. >> james magnussen! >> reporter: now with his eyes

on the prize in london. >> i've come here to win gold. i think i'm in a good position to win this one. >> reporter: bold and brash with aussie pride on the line. >> the missile leads off for australia. >> reporter: but the aussies have had a rough start. >> all sorts of expectations on him. >> reporter: and the relay team led by magnussen didn't even make the podium in the 4 x 100 freestyle. >> huge gold-medal favorites finish fourth. >> reporter: leaving the ever-confident magnussen at a loss. >> i think it was just nerves, pressure. >> reporter: but now he must shift focus to his big event. and for the missile, there's a lot on the line. if he wins gold in the 100 meter freestyle, magnussen will be the first aussie to do so since michael wendon back in 1968. he's also a chasing the world

record. >> it may not take a world record to win that race. it may. whatever the outcome, my first and foremost goal is gold. >> reporter: a goal that might just be 100 meters away. for "today," sara james, nbc news, sydney, australia. >> and magnussen goes for the gold in the 100 meter freestyle tonight. we'll have much more from london just ahead, including the american who shot his way to gold, right after this. [ girl ] look what's in the mix:

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you almost didn't make it to london. what made you come back? >> yeah. it was a lot of prayer is what got us through. my wife and i, we thought about it a lot last year, because last year was kind of the bottom of my entire shooting career. i had some of the worst finishes i'd ever come across and i wasn't enjoying myself anymore. so she said if you're not enjoying it, then you shouldn't be doing it. we thought about it, prayed about it a lot, and took a couple months to figure it out. but this is what i love to do. this is my passion. so i reset my goals, and coming here was the first set to help trying to build my legacy into keeping going and building even more for my family and pass on the knowledge that i've learned over the past 13 years. >> i guess they're glad you're back because you told the "usa today," i know i'm going to get through 2020 and then i'll reassess. you went from retiring into you're in this for life. >> that's one of the great things about my sport is we have a pretty long tenure. i started this, my first olympics was when i was 19 years old. this is my second at 23. so 2020, definitely is doable.

the average age in my sport is 35 or so. plenty of time left in me. >> you're celebrating with your family, as well, including your 5-month-old? off to the side. >> i am. i was able to bring my wife along and my youngest child. >> show has she been adjusting to the time? >> she did really well, actually. she slept almost the entire flight over here. she's just a great baby. one of the best kids i've ever seen. >> great to share the experience. >> want to say hi to your 2-year-old back home with grandma and grandpa? >> absolutely. bailey, if you're out there wat watching, you probably can't understand what i'm saying but hopefully grandma and grandpa are taping it. >> the gold. >> this one will be tacked on to you, too, girl. >> sweet. vincent, thank you. >> fantastic. congratulations. >> well done. >> thank you very much. ♪

>> how does it feel? >> oh, my goodness! >> one commentator said it best. they should rename it the maroney vault. >> sure. get a new vault named after me. >> unexpected! allison schmitt will pick up her first individual olympic gold! >> a 48-year-old record now belongs to phelps! number 19! no one has won more. >> got us all together and said i want you guys to know i just won the medal record. this morning on "today," the fab five and the 4 x 200 relay

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♪ a golden moment for america's new sweethearts, the women's gymnastics team lived up to their nickname, the fab five, winning team gold for the first time in 16 years for the americans. and just the second time ever. and of course guess where they went with those new gold medals? right here to our olympic park. we're going to hear what the girls had the to say a little bit later on. >> and aly raisman and gabby douglas will be competing tomorrow in the individual all-around. now, you know that gabby has been called the flying squirrel.

she's called that because of her athletic routine. but she's also well-known for her infectious smile, that huge megawatt smile, and her determination that has captured millions of americans' hearts. we're going to have more on her story. >> been to any pubs since you've been here? >> you know that. >> hardly. we've been working. and rnling the pubs. >> we found one pub that's been around for 1,000 years. our technical director russ was there when it first opened. >> all 1,000 years. >> first we want to welcome caitlkate lev ren. she scored an individual bronze med medal. congratulations. >> thank you. >> what does this win mean to you? >> it was huge. i went into the race knowing that i could get a medal and when i turned around and saw the three next to my name, i didn't

even look at my time. i was, like, so overwhelmed and almost started crying. it was an amazing moment. >> you grabbed the lead when you were on the third leg of the race. did you know how well you were doing? did you feel it? >> definitely. i know my race plan and that breaststroke, that third leg is my biggest strength. i knew that i would have to have a really good third 50 and put myself out there and hang on for the last 50. >> your roommate happens to be natalie coughlin. >> yes. >> did she give you a lot of advice, a good pep talk? >> absolutely. it's such an honor to be friends with her and roommates with her this trip. she's -- just the way she handles everything with such grace and poise. she definitely supported me through all of this and i couldn't be happier to have such a good friend. >> it's your first olympics. what's been the most fun for you? >> i think just enjoying kind of the olympic atmosphere and this whole experience and being in the village and seeing other athletes and eating in the dining hall, you know, meeting

people from all around the world. and, you know, telling other teammates at the village is like the best people plais to people watch. the whole world comes to you. >> are you seen usain bolt? >> i've seen usain bolt and the williams sisters. >> we would like to be there. >> don't we all? >> yeah. that's so fun. done with your races so now you can hang around and have fun. >> i'm done. hopefully see some other events. >> you made our country proud. thank you so much. >> thank you very much. >> al, how about a check of the weather? >> all right. let's show you what we've got for today. risk of strong storms in the northern part of the country. but looking at sunny intervals in london, maybe a thunderstorm or two, 75 degrees. windy later today into tomorrow and friday. there are those severe storms in the northern plains, plenty of sunshine in the pacific northwest, mild conditions, sizzling record heat stretching from texas all the way on up into the northern plains. sunny and hot in the mid-atlantic states. risk of strong storms also in the southeast.

>> good morning. we will see the possibility of some showers and thunderstorms. the best chance would be this afternoon. that's your latest weather. >> thank you, al. coming up next, the fab five talking about their big win last night. [ female announcer ] over the last ten years,

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it will be one of the enduring moments of these games, team usa winning team gold in women's gymnastics for the first time since 1996. well, the fab five joined us earlier to talk about their historic night. >> i definitely think we rocked the house. i hope we made our country proud. we wanted to go out there and have fun competing. we knew this was our chance to be strong and we did our best and it's happy to know we came out with the gold. >> it's amazing, gabby, because you didn't just win, you won by five points, which is just astonishing, never done before. what did you think about that? >> yeah. i was so confident and so confident in these girls and i knew we could do it. and we had strong events, and i saw bam, bam, bam. i'm, like, we got this. i was so confident and so proud

of these girls. and, you know, very excited to represent usa. >> last week when we talked i asked you guys if any of you visualized that moment standing on the podium, receiving a gold medal, and some of you said yes, you had. now you've done it. mckayla, what was it really like? >> i think the way that i pictured it, this time it was even better. i mean, it was just a dream come true and so amazing. and just to be up there with those girls with the gold medal around our necks, it was the best experience of my life. >> jordyn, you talked about this last night. over the weekend you said you'd had a little bit of disappointment, but, boy, you could not tell it. you walked out there. you were the first to go, strong and confident. you nailed it. how did you rise above these circumstances and perform so flawlessly? >> definitely after sunday i just had to put it in the past, all the disappointment. but i knew i needed to mentally come together for this team, and we all went out there and did a great job, so i'm really proud of everyone.

>> aly, you closed it out for everybody with a floor routine. at that point, did you kind of know, we got this and could you just have fun? >> i had no idea what we needed to get, but i was hoping that if i did a good floor routine that we would win, but i just wanted to finish up strong for team usa. >> there was that moment after the routines are over but you have to wait and find out what the scores are. jordyn, what was that like? or anybody answer how it felt just waiting to find out whether you had done it. >> i think we knew at that point we were pretty positive that we were going to get the gold, but seeing your country on the top of that scoreboard is an amazing feeling. we were just anticipating that, so it was amazing. >> yeah. it's one thing that really struck me is your camaraderie and your friendship. i have to say even in the stands we could hear you guys yelling for each other. you're loud. how important do you think the friendship was, gabby, in making this team succeed? >> i think it's definitely important to have everyone behind you and cheer for you. that's what this team's about is giving each other pep talks or

cheering for each other. i could definitely hear my awesome teammates cheering for me when i needed a pep talk, and we definitely hyped each other up and do the greater and better thing. so it's definitely important to have that, you know, behind you. just ahead, more on gabby douglas' road to gold with the fab five. it's the little things in life that make me smile. spending the day with my niece. i don't use super poligrip for hold because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. so it's not about keeping my dentures in, it's about keeping the food particles out. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip.

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of course i do. i love your sweet tomatoes, your soft bun. i found someone else. somebody who appreciates i'm under 400 calories. but -- but -- but i love you! ooh! enchanté! listen, i'm admittedly on the rebound, but something tells me you're under 400 calories. [ female announcer ] behold. mcdonald's favorites under 400 menu. all your faves, each under 400 calories. the simple joy of having it all. ♪ ♪ i want to wake up and find i'm king of the hill top of the heat ♪ >> the road to becoming an olympic champion isn't easy. it takes courage, sacrifice, and determination, something that gabby douglas knows all too well. >> she was so happy that i finally put her in gymnastics.

she never stopped smiling. she just was ear to ear all the time, just loving living in that moment. >> now at 16, that same smile that captured the hears of millions. >> big, big routine right there. look at that smile! >> when i see her out there smile on the floor, i know she's having fun. it's not an act. it's not scripted. it's coming from her heart, and that's what gives us a lot of joy. >> reporter: but behind her smile is a tough girl who's made a lot of sacrifices for her sport. the youngest of four children to a single mother in virginia beach, gabby had to make a hard decision in order to pursue her dream. after meeting coach lang chow at a gymnastics camp, she realized he was her ticket to olympic glory. >> he taught me this vault, and i said, if he could teach me this vault, he could definitely teach me higher and bigger skills. >> reporter: it was after chow's gym in des moines, iowa, that olympic gymnast shawn johnson

sprang to fame. so gabby and her mom went knocking on his door. >> it was very hard for me to say no in front of the little girl who has the strong desire, wanting to be, you know, in the olympic games. so i said, okay, i'll give you a shot. >> reporter: with her mother's reluctant blessing, she packed her bags. >> to let her come and move all the way to iowa, hardest decision of my life. >> reporter: in des moines, she was welcomed by a host family, misty and travis harton and their four daughters. >> i just remember, like, i kept crying and crying. finally i decided that this is my decision and if i was going to move out here then i had to start kind of acting a little bit more mature. >> the hartons quickly became a second family to gabby, and with coach chow's instructions, she continued to move up in the gymnastics ranks. in march she turned up the pressure and surprised everyone at the american cup. the world began to take notice.

you were an alternate so your scores weren't eligible for a title. but you actually ended up having the highest scores. how did that make you feel? >> it made me feel so great. i was just training, putting a lot of effort, and i was just so glad that finally it paid off. >> reporter: then at the olympic trials, she came from behind and beat reigning world champion jordyn wieber. the win gave her the only automatic spot on the 2012 olympic team. >> i was crying tears of joy just coming down. to be a 2012 olympian is definitely just this awesome and amazing feeling. >> watch the air here! >> reporter: she's a competitor for gold in the all-around competition, and her greatest strength is the uneven bars. i look at your height next to these giant bars, it seems absolutely crazy. but they call you the flying squirrel. do you like that nickname? >> i love that nickname. i got it from world

championships when i did my release move so high, and the crowd would just gasp, like, oh! and i was, like, calm down, people, i'm going to catch the ball. ♪ all i do is win, win >> reporter: gabby may fly high in the gym, but through the pressure and newfound fame she has remained grounded. >> she loves to laugh, and we had so much fun with her. >> yay! >> a lot of what the world sees of her on is who she is, and she just has that fire inside of her, that bubbly personality. >> i missed her more than words can almost express. but it makes it worth the sacrifice to see her in this moment. >> reporter: and she's going into this olympic moment with no regrets. >> the sacrifices are not in vain, and at the end it will all pay off. i feel so honored just to go out there and represent team usa and all of you guys and myself and my coaches. it just feels awesome.

>> and you can watch gabby and her teammate aly raisman go for individual all-around golds tomorrow night on nbc. coming up next, we're going to throw back a pint at britain's oldest pub. i wish we really were.

ah, the british pub, a part of life here loved by locals and touris alike. and who better to cozy up to the bar than our own kevin i believe thes? good morning, tib. >> exactly what do you mean by that? >> well, you have a reputation. >> somebody had to do it and i forced myself or the "today" show forced me to twist my arm and bend my arm in the long tradition of these storied aisles and lift a pint or two in the name of duty. >> reporter: in britain, there is nothing more divine than a

pint of the liquid gold. the public house, or pub, for shor, has been a central part of life here since, well, forever. and the oldest pub in this green and pleasant land is found 20 miles outside london in the ancient town of st. albans. it's called the old fighting cocks. >> this has been here since the 11th century. they come from old sailing ships. >> reporter: clearly, people were a lot shorter years ago. you have to mind your head. for centuries long before the "today" show, the pub was where villagers gathered to share stories by word of mouth and grumble about the weather. >> it was general gossip and how things got around. >> reporter: people here get very attached to what they call their locals. >> there's a certain feeling about your locals that really makes you feel quite possessive about it. >> give him a couple glasses of

ale you might tell the barman a few more things than you'd tell your brother. there are a lot of confessions going on. >> reporter: many of the names are as quaint and cozy as the interiors -- the princess, the royal oak, the globe, the hole, the crushed friar. oftentimes you'll see a picture on the pub's sign, as well. reason why, back in the olden days, many of the locals couldened read. here's a bit of history. this pub's been here since the 17th century, and a certain group of individuals left for the new world on a certain ship from very near this spot. inside the mayflower, the pilgrims' last will and testament. and on a nice day, a pint outside on the river thames. after all, it is all about the pint. >> i think, yeah, there's still a big first. >> reporter: to keep up with

changing times, however, many pubs have had to get a little more, well, posh. with more people eating out, the gastro pub has taken off. good food, good drink, and good fun. >> the gastro pub, you're having fine dining, but you've got the relaxation and feeling that you're in a pub. >> reporter: no matter what the change, back in the oldest pub in england, they're pretty sure they've seen it all before. >> people used to come down and sort of sit in a corner and read their books, you know, because -- >> they still do. >> exactly. and now they come down and bring their laptops. although it's changed in some ways, nothing's changed. >> reporter: and that's just the way they want to keep it. oh, the history. >> people have been drinking in this pub for a thousand year, and long may that continue for another thousand years, if she can stand up that long. >> reporter: so as they pull another pint down the pub, it's cheers from the locals at the local in st. albans.

okay, guys. so if you like the idea of the oldest pub in england, i've got a couple more story ideas i'd like to pitch to the "today" show. here's one. the news pub in england. the happiest pub in england. the cleanest pub in england. how about the crabbiest pub in england? or maybe a pub with darts or cards or -- >> the drunkest correspondent in england. >> come on now. i would say cheers. >> cheers. >> that does it for us. coming up, nbc's daytime olympic coverage. >> and tonight in prime time, the gymnastics individual all-around for the men. cheer owe. ♪ in the middle of the street our house ♪ >> congratulations. >> what we try to do now is -- >> yes! >> does he look like he can play volleyball? >> the