BEIJING-I’m your friendly Times-Dispatch/InRich.com Olympics correspondent.

I’m covering my seventh Summer Olympics - on top of seven Winters. I used to work at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, but took one of those 21st Century newspaper buyouts and went freelance 14 months ago.

The folks at the TD were kind enough to hire me to cover these Games and Virginia athletes for you Richmond readers.

The Olympics begin tonight - Friday night - here in hazy, humid Beijing.

From time to time, like three to five times a day, I’ll weigh in on matters big and small, sportsy and political, smart and stupid.

Here I am. Here we go.

If you have questions, I may have answers.

By the way, the last name is Weiner, as in Gold Medal Weiner.

Let the TD, InRich, 17-Day, Five-Ringed, Sleep-Three-Hours-A-Night Olympic Blog begin.