NBC Olympics 2012: Essential Online Guide for Top Men's Events

Every four years many of the world's best athletes converge on one location with hopes of heading home with a gold medal. This year that location is London and it's shaping up to become one of the most memorable Olympics ever due to the endless storylines.

Luckily, NBC Sports has finally entered the 21st century and decided to make more events made available for live streaming instead of relying on tape-delayed coverage. That should make the viewing experience even more enjoyable for sports fans.

Here's a look at all the important information for watching this summer's Olympic Games and a look at the top men's events to watch during the marquee event.

When: Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, August 12

Where: London, England

Watch: NBC Family of Networks

Live Stream: NBC Live Extra

Top Men's Events to Watch

Tennis

Just a couple weeks after Wimbledon, the All England Club will once again be in the spotlight as tennis takes center stage. It's the most storied venue in the sport, so players probably won't mind getting a second chance to step on the famed grass courts.

All eyes will once again be on two players. First, Roger Federer. The Swiss superstar added a seventh Wimbledon trophy to his mantle, but has never won an Olympic medal. It's pretty much the only thing he hasn't accomplished during his career.

The other featured player will be Andy Murray. He's a fan favorite in the UK and nearly ended his major at Wimbledon before Federer took his game to another level. Winning the Olympics would be a nice consolation prize, though.

Novak Djokovic is also strong contender, of course.

Basketball

Kobe Bryant has said the current Team USA squad would be capable of knocking off the original Dream Team. Now the Americans will have to back up that tough talk as they begin their pursuit toward a second-straight gold medal.

Bryant will be flanked by LeBron James, who's riding high after winning his first NBA championship, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, among others. The talent to win it all is definitely there, but they can't take it for granted.

Spain, Argentina, France and Brazil will likely be Team USA's toughest competition. While those teams don't have as much star power as the United States, they are more accustomed to international play and will be aiming to pull off the massive upset.

Football

No, Peyton Manning and Calvin Johnson won't be suiting up in London. In this case, football refers to what fans in the United States call soccer. Unfortunately, Team USA didn't qualify for the games on the men's side of things.

That said, some of the best young players on the planet will get to showcase their talent. Whether it's the dynamic striker duo of Neymar and Hulk for Brazil or an incredibly deep Spanish squad that will look to continue its country's football dominance, there should be plenty of exciting action.

The only sure thing about the tournament is that there won't be a repeat winner. In 2008, Argentina took home the gold. It didn't qualify this time around as Brazil and Uruguay claimed the two available bids from the CONMEBOL region.