NBC Snuck a Starbucks into the Olympics

It appears thaw hen NBC is not trying to make Bode Miller cry, the crew is enjoying their Starbucks Coffee.

Which is totally against the rules.

Gawker writes that NBC been stealthily operating a Starbucks in the Olympics media center, they've been taunting all the other journalists who are forced to drink the only branded coffee available — McDonalds' McCafe.According to the Wall Street Journal, NBC found a loophole to the draconian non-Olympics-brand exclusion by treating the Starbucks as a personal item not open to the public. And although John Fritsche, NBC's senior vice president of Olympic operations said they share with "neighboring broadcasters," reporters from NPR and thePittsburgh Tribune-Review have been unable to get their hands on the bland Starbucks nectar.

The NPR reporter spotted the green mermaid on a cup and started following the holder only to be rebuffed. Pittsburgh sports columnist Dejan Kovacevic, coming off a "three-venti-iced-chai latte" a day habit, found himself reduced to substituting with eight cups of McDonalds.

And although the cups are everywhere — even duct-taped (see photo) in front of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir — it seems unlikely Olympics organizers will shut the illicit Starbucks down. NBC paid more than $775 million to broadcast the games, and Coca-Cola — which holds the beverage rights — and McDonalds, holder of coffee rights, are "aware," but not concerned.