Anyone give a shit about the Olympics?

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-08-18 12:26am

For all of the bad events they have also been adding good ones. Beach Volleyball, Womens bobsledding, Womens fencing.

Anyway I detest sports. When its on TV I turn the TV off. However only two things make me watch Sports (or did).

One: Watching the Chicago Bulls when Jordan was there
Two: The Olympics

My only gripe with the Olympics is how a single network is allowed to take over. I think multiple networks should have a right to air it and then watch as those networks either work together to air more sports, or compete for the BEST sports coverage. Even still I am satisfied with NBC coverage for the most part. You get to watch much of the Olympics. Right now it seems like Gymnastics has the spotlight, but thats just this part of the Olympics. Track & Field will soon take over as will watching some of the other events that are going through the semi-finals.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2004-08-18 12:28am

Darth Wong wrote:
Iceberg wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:The fact that the "judged" sports are now front-and-centre is only exacerbating the situation.
What, you're only catching onto that NOW? Where have you been for oh the last... um... at least FIVE Olympiads where women's gymnastics (summer) and figure skating (winter) were headline events?
It's been getting worse. Not only is the news coverage dominated by soap-opera fluff as I mentioned before, but they keep adding more sports. It was bad enough when figure-skating was a headliner event, but then they went and added ice dancing.

To be fair, gymnastics and figure skating, at least, are actual recognized sports (i.e. with international federations and reasonably well-codified rules), and the inclusion of the latter dates from the very beginnings of the Olympics of the Modern Era (figure skating was proposed as an Olympic event as early as 1896, but due to a lack of suitable venues in Athens at the appropriate time was shelved until the 1924 debut of the Winter Games). I definitely agree, though, that ballroom dancing is a BS event and if it ever becomes a medal event (instead of an exhibition event which it was in 1996 and 2000) some people in the IOC are definitely well past their expiration date if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

And on the gripping hand, the following events which I think everybody can agree are legitimate Olympic events are "judged" in Olympic competition:

- boxing (Olympic rules restrict boxing matches to 4 rounds, generally not long enough for either fighter to win by KO or TKO)
- wrestling
- judo
- taekwondo
- diving

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-08-18 12:28am

When the Olympics were in Atlanta, I went to see this thing called "rhythmic gymnastics." Normally, I would call it a silly fluff sport (girls dancing and twisting around with various ribbons and hoops and stuff) and wouldn't watch it on TV, but I found it so intriguing in real life. Here's why:

*No commercials.

*No stupid commentary. I could watch them and not hear some sportscaster make comments about how so-and-so had such-and-such trouble in her routine at some event three months ago. Who cares?

*Stuff is generally cooler in real life, anyway.

*No breaks in the middle of it where I miss something cool because the network decided to show the angsty life story of an American athlete in some "sport" I've never heard of before.

*It was fun to boo the judges when the girl we all liked got low marks and actually have the judges hear it. It's just not the same on TV.

*Since there was no pretaping, we saw it all. The girls who were obviously not in medal running but were still there to do their danged best weren't cut.

*At the end, a Ukranian girl (I believe it was, anyway) won the gold. Instead of putting up with, "Oops, no 'Star Spangled Banner' so we'll show another angsty life story of some American" or a teary-eyed super-closeup of her face, I got to see and hear a nice tasteful little ceremony with the Ukranian national anthem played, the colors raised, and we could leave.

Basically, cut the crap and just about anything can be good stuff. I just don't handle crap too well, so I can't really watch them for long.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2004-08-18 12:30am

Joe wrote:Ice dancing? What the fuck is that?

I'm not sure. I'm not a skater, but I can't tell the difference between "ice dancing" and pairs figure skating.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2004-08-18 12:36am

According to Wikipedia, ice dancing differs from pairs figure skating in that ice dancing severely limits throws and lifts - otherwise known as "the interesting stuff."

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-08-18 12:47am

Ballroom dancing and ice-skating are Olympic events ... but racquetball is not. Makes perfect sense to me.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-08-18 12:54am

Durandal wrote:Ballroom dancing and ice-skating are Olympic events ... but racquetball is not. Makes perfect sense to me.

Don't be surprised when that becomes an event within the next ten years. Recently the IOC has been adding several sports a year which deserve entry. They are also evening up events and allowing women into more sports that were originaly male only.

Post by **Cairber** » 2004-08-18 12:58am

the game with the birdie thinggy and little raquets is...the name escapes me...but I saw some of it the other day. All i could think was that i use to attempt that game during family BBQs when I was 6

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-08-18 01:02am

Cairber wrote:the game with the birdie thinggy and little raquets is...the name escapes me...but I saw some of it the other day. All i could think was that i use to attempt that game during family BBQs when I was 6

Badminton. That's an olympic sport now?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-08-18 01:03am

Totally don't care.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-08-18 01:25am

Truth be told, I am profoundly apathetic, but there's also a bizarre sense of vague guilt.

Subconciously, I feel like I should care, but I just... Don't.

Jessie Stamos · Post by **Jessie Stamos** » 2004-08-18 01:43am

I remember the Olympics seeming like a huge deal in the Barcelona games.

But now...trampoline? What the fuck is trampoline? Do they get on there and play a game of crack the egg like we used to do when we were six?

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-08-18 04:22am

I've been watching very little of the Olympics, Ian Thorpe annoys the hell out of me.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2004-08-18 04:29am

I like to watch it.
Especially as I can see it without breaks or taped here in Germany

I prefer the Winter Olympics, though. More cheering for Germany there

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2004-08-18 04:32am

Gandalf wrote:I've been watching very little of the Olympics, Ian Thorpe annoys the hell out of me.

But why? He's hot!

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2004-08-18 04:34am

neoolong wrote:
Cairber wrote:the game with the birdie thinggy and little raquets is...the name escapes me...but I saw some of it the other day. All i could think was that i use to attempt that game during family BBQs when I was 6
Badminton. That's an olympic sport now?

Has been since Barcelona 1992...

LMSx · Post by **LMSx** » 2004-08-18 04:35am

Ballroom dancing and ice-skating are Olympic events ... but racquetball is not. Makes perfect sense to me.

Don't have an orgasm, people:

Ballroom dancing IS NOT AN OLYMPIC SPORT.

Let me say that again: Ballroom dancing IS NOT AN OLYMPIC SPORT.

It is an IOC recognized sport. What's the difference, you say? Well, for instance, powerboating is an IOC recognized sport which basically means that a Federation exists which controls powerboat competitions internationally. Powerboating is NOT in the Olympics!

Here's a list of Federations.

(Ballroom dancing is under DanceSport)

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2004-08-18 04:39am

Alyeska wrote:
Durandal wrote:Ballroom dancing and ice-skating are Olympic events ... but racquetball is not. Makes perfect sense to me.
Don't be surprised when that becomes an event within the next ten years. Recently the IOC has been adding several sports a year which deserve entry. They are also evening up events and allowing women into more sports that were originaly male only.

Actually, the number of sports that are olympic as gone down to 28 in Athens.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-08-18 06:06am

Gandalf wrote:I've been watching very little of the Olympics, Ian Thorpe annoys the hell out of me.

annoys me too. mainly because you crazy Aussies have clearly bred him with a dolphin and therefore shoul be disqualified.

seriously though, i try to watch it, but the soap opera horseshit NBC tries to shovel down my throat is just too much.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-08-18 06:10am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Gandalf wrote:I've been watching very little of the Olympics, Ian Thorpe annoys the hell out of me.
annoys me too. mainly because you crazy Aussies have clearly bred him with a dolphin and therefore shoul be disqualified.

seriously though, i try to watch it, but the soap opera horseshit NBC tries to shovel down my throat is just too much.

What is this soap opera stuff people are on about?

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-08-18 06:10am

I love it. In particular the swimming; Thorpe is a legend. And Gandalf, you can't be an Australian and not love Thorpe! Why does he annoy you? He's a very nice guy.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-08-18 06:15am

BoredShirtless wrote:I love it. In particular the swimming; Thorpe is a legend. And Gandalf, you can't be an Australian and not love Thorpe! Why does he annoy you? He's a very nice guy.

Just the hoopla put around about him.

Especially the crap he had with Craig Stevens. Thorpe fell in the pool, and under official rules would have been disqualified. It was revealed that if one of the guys who did qualify dropped out that Thorpe would have got in.The nation's press went apeshit and put insane amounts of pressure on him to step aside.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-08-18 06:47am

Gandalf wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:
Gandalf wrote:I've been watching very little of the Olympics, Ian Thorpe annoys the hell out of me.
annoys me too. mainly because you crazy Aussies have clearly bred him with a dolphin and therefore shoul be disqualified.

seriously though, i try to watch it, but the soap opera horseshit NBC tries to shovel down my throat is just too much.
What is this soap opera stuff people are on about?

NBC insists on filling half of it's airtime with sappy melodramatic stories of the supposed hardships that the athletes overcame to get to the games. Fuck, if i wanted a weepy sap fest i'd watch the lifetime network.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-08-18 07:13am

Gandalf wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:I love it. In particular the swimming; Thorpe is a legend. And Gandalf, you can't be an Australian and not love Thorpe! Why does he annoy you? He's a very nice guy.
Just the hoopla put around about him.

Observe one of the oldest Australian stereotypes; knock people who are successful down. Jeez! Be happy for christs sakes! He's a great ambassador for our country, and he kicks ass too!

Especially the crap he had with Craig Stevens. Thorpe fell in the pool, and under official rules would have been disqualified.

WOULD have? He WAS disqualified!

It was revealed that if one of the guys who did qualify dropped out that Thorpe would have got in.The nation's press went apeshit and put insane amounts of pressure on him to step aside.

How do you know Craig was pressured by the press? Do you know him? He could have been shrugging his shoulders for all we know [unless you have a quote from him which says otherwise].

Maybe he stood down not because of any pressure from the press, but because his morals told him to?

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-08-18 07:47am

BoredShirtless wrote:
Gandalf wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:I love it. In particular the swimming; Thorpe is a legend. And Gandalf, you can't be an Australian and not love Thorpe! Why does he annoy you? He's a very nice guy.
Just the hoopla put around about him.
Observe one of the oldest Australian stereotypes; knock people who are successful down. Jeez! Be happy for christs sakes! He's a great ambassador for our country, and he kicks ass too!

I know he does good things for swimming etc. Doesn't mean I have to like him. He's bloody everywhere in this country. The Australian press are about one step away from saying he walks on water.

Especially the crap he had with Craig Stevens. Thorpe fell in the pool, and under official rules would have been disqualified.
WOULD have? He WAS disqualified!

Right, poor choice of words.

It was revealed that if one of the guys who did qualify dropped out that Thorpe would have got in.The nation's press went apeshit and put insane amounts of pressure on him to step aside.
How do you know Craig was pressured by the press? Do you know him? He could have been shrugging his shoulders for all we know [unless you have a quote from him which says otherwise].

Maybe he stood down not because of any pressure from the press, but because his morals told him to?

Craig Stevens Interview wrote:ANNA COREN: The result is now sporting history. Craig Stevens had made it into his first Olympic team. But even before leaving the pool deck the speculation had started. Just the thought of gold was beginning to tarnish.
CRAIG STEVENS: Straight away there was pressure to give up the spot. You know, 'are you going to swim it, are you not going to swim it?'.
I don't like to take sleeping tablets but I guess it kind of got to the stage where I needed to because I needed to sleep, to rest for the 1500m.
ANNA COREN: Despite the pressure this quietly-spoken Sydneysider stood on the blocks once again and confidently qualified for his pet event, the 1500m.
CRAIG STEVENS: I was just speechless. I mean to go in there just hoping to qualify for one event to go to the Olympic Games, but to then qualify for three events - I can't explain it.
ANNA COREN: With the Olympic trials over, Craig Stevens should have been celebrating and relaxing. Instead, the pressure on him to decide whether or not to swim was growing by the day. Everyone had an opinion.
So with national debate reaching fever pitch and hurtful headlines cluttering the newspapers, Craig Stevens took some much-needed time out.
CRAIG STEVENS: I then went away for a week, had time to do a bit of fishing and play some golf trying not to think about the decision that I had to make. But I think it did get to me a bit, I'd lay in bed at night thinking 'should I do it, should I not do it?'.
I think it played a lot on my fishing and golf as well because I caught no fish and my golf game wasn't very good that week. I couldn't make a single putt. But I think it was just good to get away from swimming.

That was from an interview he did on Today Tonight with Anna Coren.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Anyone give a shit about the Olympics?

Anyone else profoundly apathetic?