Haha; I know what you mean. Even though I could always watch the replays the next day I feel like I have to watch everything live; it's so much more exciting that way.
So I too am losing sleep staying up so late; I also have to decline all evening outings with friends ("Oh, I can't; the Olympics coverage starts at 8:00.")
The friggin' Olympics
From 2008, but still a favorite of mine 
Michael Phelps returns to his tank at Sea World
http://www.theonion.com/article/michael ... world-2515
Michael Phelps returns to his tank at Sea World
http://www.theonion.com/article/michael ... world-2515
That's a funny onion.
I'm sorry if this offends anyone (not really
, but ping pong shouldn't be an Olympic sport. You can tell these guys spend a lot of time in the gym. What's amusing are the frequent breaks and towel offs. I'm sure these guys are as spent at the end of their game as Phelps afte swimming two heats and a race in one day.
I'm sorry if this offends anyone (not really
, but ping pong shouldn't be an Olympic sport. You can tell these guys spend a lot of time in the gym. What's amusing are the frequent breaks and towel offs. I'm sure these guys are as spent at the end of their game as Phelps afte swimming two heats and a race in one day."This is how we roll in the Shire." -- Leonard
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
I understand that it takes incredible reflexes and hand-eye coordination, but....yeah. Not my favorite Olympic sport. 
I think some of these sports (which are very popular in populous countries like China) are included to ensure that those countries keep supporting the Olympics with tons of Yen.
I think some of these sports (which are very popular in populous countries like China) are included to ensure that those countries keep supporting the Olympics with tons of Yen.
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
-
War Admiral
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:29 am
- Location: The Midwest
I think it's unfair too. I know they do it to keep a single country from sweeping the podium but it stinks for athletes like Jordyn Wieber (2012) and Gabby Douglas (2016).Admin wrote:The gymnastics rule about only 2 per country is unfair. I have no idea how they possibly justify it.
Government is not the solution to the problem. Government is the problem. Ronald Reagan.
If they're the best, then they should sweep the podium. Do any of the other sports only allow a max of 2 from a country to compete?War Admiral wrote:I think it's unfair too. I know they do it to keep a single country from sweeping the podium but it stinks for athletes like Jordyn Wieber (2012) and Gabby Douglas (2016).Admin wrote:The gymnastics rule about only 2 per country is unfair. I have no idea how they possibly justify it.
"This is how we roll in the Shire." -- Leonard
Wow. Glad they're ok. To lochte, don't piss off a guy with a gun. On another note, he's hot, though not so much so with green hair.BaroqueAgain1 wrote:Hope this "sport" doesn't get popular.
http://www.eonline.com/news/787530/ryan ... e-officers
"This is how we roll in the Shire." -- Leonard
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
Do any of the other sports only allow a max of 2 from a country to compete?
I think I heard one of the swimming commentators last night say that the rules had been changed so that a country could only enter two swimmers in an event.
I think I heard one of the swimming commentators last night say that the rules had been changed so that a country could only enter two swimmers in an event.
-
Somnambulist
- Posts: 7418
- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:59 pm
My guess is that the thought of a sport is very different throughout the world. I'd love to be out of America for the next games to get an entirely new perspective. Ping Pong looks like it's pretty cheap to play and doesn't require a lot of space. What else are you supposed to do in China? I'm sure that in some ways I'm more physically adept than Phelps, ping pong players, and equestrians. And then respectively they're much better than me in others.BaroqueAgain1 wrote:I understand that it takes incredible reflexes and hand-eye coordination, but....yeah. Not my favorite Olympic sport.
I think some of these sports (which are very popular in populous countries like China) are included to ensure that those countries keep supporting the Olympics with tons of Yen.
I think NBC does an extremely bad job with the coverage. The breadth of coverage we used to get was much better and has really deteriorated over the years.
"Life's no piece of cake, mind you, but the recipe's my own to fool with."
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
I'm afraid that NBC, which is in the entertainment business more than straight news, is responding to American viewers' lack of interest in the rest of the world. They're trying to keep the viewers (and the businesses who buy the expensive commercial time) happy and in front of their TVs. And these days, I'm sad to say, that seems to mean more RedWhite&Blue and less anybody else. 
-
Somnambulist
- Posts: 7418
- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:59 pm
I don't think that most of America doesn't care about the rest of the world. I hate to sound conspiracy theory but the media wants people to be stupid and reports accordingly.BaroqueAgain1 wrote:I'm afraid that NBC, which is in the entertainment business more than straight news, is responding to American viewers' lack of interest in the rest of the world. They're trying to keep the viewers (and the businesses who buy the expensive commercial time) happy and in front of their TVs. And these days, I'm sad to say, that seems to mean more RedWhite&Blue and less anybody else.
Regardless, any country is going to report more towards the home court stories. That makes sense. I just think it would be interesting being in another country for it.
"Life's no piece of cake, mind you, but the recipe's my own to fool with."
I love watching the Olympics with my Russian friend precisely because of the different perspective. She loathes American coverage ("why does everyone have cancer?!") and says that Russian broadcasts show pretty much every athlete, although they spend a lot of time complaining about how every non-Russian athlete sucks.
That being said, I haven't watched the NBC coverage at all, just the online streaming, which has been fine.
That being said, I haven't watched the NBC coverage at all, just the online streaming, which has been fine.
I don't mind the coverage. They show what's most popular? I don't think it's lack of caring about other countries. They just highlighted Bolt, and he's not American. Popular works for me in the summer games as I love gymnastics, and swimming and track. I don't much care for ice skating (except for racing) so get to suffer through what everyone else likes during the winter.
"This is how we roll in the Shire." -- Leonard
Anyway, the most moving winner for me today was South African Wayde van Niekerk smashing the world record for the 400 meter final with 43.03 -- a record that belonged to the swift Michael Johnson, and hinting that a sub 43-second 400 meters is quite possible. And if you saw the race, you know that one of the most impressive aspects was that in the stretch van Niekerk easily pulled away from Justin Gatlin, the runner-up. It's also worth noting that he was running in lane 8, where you are essentially running blind and no one had won from since 1924.
A story made even more poignant by the fact that he is trained by a 74-year-old great-grandmother. Also that his mother was a talented athlete in her own right, but was unable to compete outside of South Africa because of apartheid.
A story made even more poignant by the fact that he is trained by a 74-year-old great-grandmother. Also that his mother was a talented athlete in her own right, but was unable to compete outside of South Africa because of apartheid.
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
Bolt is a freak, but Van Niekerk’s 43.03 in the 400 was the most brilliant piece of running I've seen so far at this Olympics.
But FYI, it was LaShawn Merritt who finished behind the South African, taking bronze. Justin Gatlin took silver in the 100 behind Bolt.
There are going to be some serious fireworks between the US and Jamaican teams in the relays.
But FYI, it was LaShawn Merritt who finished behind the South African, taking bronze. Justin Gatlin took silver in the 100 behind Bolt.
There are going to be some serious fireworks between the US and Jamaican teams in the relays.
Thanks for the correction. Getting my races mixed up.BaroqueAgain1 wrote:Bolt is a freak, but Van Niekerk’s 43.03 in the 400 was the most brilliant piece of running I've seen so far at this Olympics.
But FYI, it was LaShawn Merritt who finished behind the South African, taking bronze. Justin Gatlin took silver in the 100 behind Bolt.
There are going to be some serious fireworks between the US and Jamaican teams in the relays.
But yes, Van Niekerk was sensational last night.
-
BaroqueAgain1
- Posts: 9970
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 6:16 pm
It's possible that it didn't happen, but what would be the motive for the guys to have made up a story like that? What would they have gained?
The points made by the authorities that the statements given by the four aren't the same doesn't prove anything. Humans are notorious for being inaccurate and at odds with other witnesses when describing a crime. And if the four were drunk (which looks to be the case), it's pretty likely that their accounts would be different. If all four said exactly the same thing, then it would look rehearsed and, IMHO, more likely to be faked.
So, maybe a robbery did occur. I don't really care whether it did or not...nobody was hurt.
The Brazilians are over-reacting, again IMHO, because they're already embarrassed by shit that actually happened, like pools that smelled like farts and looked like pea soup. Or more stuff than we have room for here. Their skin is thinner than a one pint balloon filled with two gallons of water.
They may think their national pride has been insulted, but I'm pissed that two of our citizens were hauled off their flights, had their passports confiscated and have been prevented from returning home.
The points made by the authorities that the statements given by the four aren't the same doesn't prove anything. Humans are notorious for being inaccurate and at odds with other witnesses when describing a crime. And if the four were drunk (which looks to be the case), it's pretty likely that their accounts would be different. If all four said exactly the same thing, then it would look rehearsed and, IMHO, more likely to be faked.
So, maybe a robbery did occur. I don't really care whether it did or not...nobody was hurt.
The Brazilians are over-reacting, again IMHO, because they're already embarrassed by shit that actually happened, like pools that smelled like farts and looked like pea soup. Or more stuff than we have room for here.
Their skin is thinner than a one pint balloon filled with two gallons of water. They may think their national pride has been insulted, but I'm pissed that two of our citizens were hauled off their flights, had their passports confiscated and have been prevented from returning home.
All good points. It does seem like the Brazilian officials are overreacting because of wounded national pride, and it borders on being both ridiculous and senseless considering all the hoopla (e.g. confiscated passports, rushed judge's order, etc.) centering around this robbery... all I can think about are the 50,000 murders that occur in the country every year which doesn't apparently seem to warrant that kind of scrutiny. (Forbes even called Brazil "the murder capital of the world.")
Priorities, guys.
Priorities, guys.