Today, London Olympic organizers find themselves beating back insults like serves in a gold medal table tennis match.

On Day 1, there were empty seats at wildly popular events like beach volleyball and gymnastics. And even at the Aquatics Center, where Ryan Lochte smoked everybody in the men's 400 individual medley.

Fans who would've gladly paid the exorbitant ticket prices were fuming. British politicians worried that the empty seats made the country look uninterested.

Two big disappointments this morning: American gymnast and defending world champion Jordyn Wieber failed to qualify for the all-around finals.

The AP reports that it was nonetheless a great day for other Americans, who are favorites for gold:

The Olympics have officially had a "Salahi moment." Remember, the White House gatecrashers? Well, on Friday during the opening ceremony, a young woman wearing a red jacket and turquoise pants was seen walking with the Indian delegation into Olympic stadium. Not only that, but she was walking alongside the flag bearer.

The only problem? No one knew who she was.

The last band to open for Levon Helm before his death earlier this year, Brooklyn's Spirit Family Reunion crafts a sweetly ramshackle Americana sound that's part secular gospel revival, part folk ramble.

Update at 11:28 a.m. An Easy Win:

With the help of a generous LeBron James, assisting more than he scored, the United States breezed through France 98 to 71.

It wasn't a flashy win, but it showed U.S. dominance.

During an interview after the game, Kevin Durant was asked how the team chooses which of the All Stars gets to a take a shot.

"We don't care who scores," he said.

Our Original Post Continues:

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

While Major League baseball is big and epic, there's something magical about sitting in a small stadium. Guest host David Greene reports on the progress of Minor League Baseball player Tyler Saladino at one of his team's away games. Saladino is an infielder for Alabama's Birmingham Barons.

Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey is an American classic with a distinctive black-labeled bottle that kind of looks like the typeface on an old wanted poster. Patrick Wensink wrote a novel called Broken Piano for President with a cover that was clearly inspired, maybe a little too much, by Jack Daniel's.

The late Apple chief Steve Jobs vowed before he died to destroy Android and that fight continues after his death. Apple is trying to keep Samsung's Android phones and tablets out of the U.S., charging that Samsung is violating Apple's patents. Apple has taken this fight global. Guest host David Greene talks to NPR's Laura Sydell about Monday's case.