Scott D. Pierce: Friday's Olympics TV h..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It's Team USA vs. New Zealand (7:30 a.m., NBCSN/NBC soccer channel) in the women's soccer quarterfinals. We can only hope that goalkeeper Hope Solo has her mind on the game and not on her ridiculous feud with Brandy Chastain, the former U.S. soccer star who's doing commentary for NBC.

Contrary to Solo's tweets, Chastain's comments haven't been severely critical. And Solo's contention that there's a need for "commentators who better represents [sic] the team" demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of a broadcaster's job.

Solo's biggest mistake, however, is that she is making herself the center of attention and detracting from the accomplishments of the two-time defending gold medalists.

The other women's soccer quarterfinals are Sweden vs. France (5 a.m.); Brazil vs. Japan (10 a.m.); and Canada vs. Great Britain (12:30 p.m., NBCSN/NBC soccer channel). Two other American teams are in action — vs. China in women's water polo (1:30 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5); and vs. the Czech Republic in women's basketball (3 p.m., NBCSN). There are all sorts of qualifying in all sorts of events in the first day of track and field competition (9-9:30 a.m.; 10:30-11 a.m., 3:25-4 p.m. NBC/Ch. 5).

NBC PRIMETIME (7-11 p.m., Ch. 5): Swimming gold-medal finals in men's 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle; women's 200m backstroke and 800m freestyle; track and field highlights; men's trampoline final; USA vs. Serbia in women's volleyball.

Men's gymnastics (7 a.m., MSNBC): America's hopes for its first medal in men's trampoline lie with Steven Gluckstein.

Shooting (7-7:30 a.m., NBCSN): Gold-medal final in men's 50m prone rifle.

Archery (9:15 a.m., NBCSN): Men's individual gold-medal final.

Rowing (9:30-9:45 a.m.; 1:45-3:25 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Gold-medal finals in men's pair, single and quadruple sculls and women's double sculls.

Swimming (9:45-10:30 a.m.; 1-1:30 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Qualifying men's and women's 4x100m medley relays and 50m freestyle and men's 1,500m freestyle.

Beach volleyball (11 a.m.-1 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): A pair of elimination matches.

Badminton (1:45-2:15 p.m., MSNBC): Gold-medal final in mixed doubles.

Weightlifting (noon-12:30 p.m., 1-1:45 p.m., MSNBC): Gold-medal finals.

Scott D. Pierce: Friday's Olympics TV highlights