Does anyone pay attention to the Olympic Games anymore?

[7/4]

Olympics=Sports=Distraction for Sheep. Sorry, just my opinon.

[papsrus]

Hey, if that's your gig, then I can understand where you're coming form. I thought you might have been one of these anti-sports whiners (of whom, btw, I was a most vociferous one from the age of about 14 to about the age of 26, when I quite accidentally had my childhood passion for baseball reignited, which led to everything else eventually coming back, just with eyes wider open).

Yes, I love sports. But, as anyone who cares to notice is well aware by now, there is an ugly underbelly to most sports -- News Flash -- even baseball, which you and I love. The Olympics has had, and will continue to have, its share of ... cheaters, just to be clear. But more than that, the presentation of this mammoth soap opera is what gets to me.

Didn't there used to be truces among nations in conflict during the Olympic Games? Now, they start wars timed to the start of the Olympics (see Russian-Georgia).

Cynical? Yeah, maybe. But ... there's a grain of truth in there somewhere.

I'm the coach of the U.S. men's soccer team ...

My son would like a few words with you, none of them particularly pleasant, I'm afraid...

I haven't seen the result, but I'm guessing the coach pulled the goaltender during extra-time penalty kicks, or something like that?

[Van Basten II]

Here's something that almost everyone will pay attention the 50 most beautiful women of these Olympics

http://www.webtvhub.com/the-50-most-beauti...res-and-videos/

[JSngry]

Hey, if that's your gig, then I can understand where you're coming form. I thought you might have been one of these anti-sports whiners (of whom, btw, I was a most vociferous one from the age of about 14 to about the age of 26, when I quite accidentally had my childhood passion for baseball reignited, which led to everything else eventually coming back, just with eyes wider open).

Yes, I love sports. But, as anyone who cares to notice is well aware by now, there is an ugly underbelly to most sports -- News Flash -- even baseball, which you and I love. The Olympics has had, and will continue to have, its share of ... cheaters, just to be clear. But more than that, the presentation of this mammoth soap opera is what gets to me.

Didn't there used to be truces among nations in conflict during the Olympic Games? Now, they start wars timed to the start of the Olympics (see Russian-Georgia).

Cynical? Yeah, maybe. But ... there's a grain of truth in there somewhere.

More than a grain, actually...

But they're grains that I can usually overlook in favor of the basic "drama" of the competitions themselves. I've also gone through the "jaded" phase and have now pretty much realized that shit's always going to be fucked up somehow by somebody, always, and that that's actually part of the drama too, cheating, hype, and all that underbelly crap. Always has been, really (and by always, I mean always). But what has also always been is the basic human elements of competition, especially what for me is the most compelling one - how you handle the competition against your ultimate opponent - yourself. It's in this area where sport and music have the most in common, I believe, to say nothing about where sport & music provide the most basic encounter with everybody's reality.

And that, not the hype or the sordidness or the exploitation, is what keep me watching.

[papsrus]

... But what has also always been is the basic human elements of competition, especially what for me is the most compelling one - how you handle the competition against your ultimate opponent - yourself. It's in this area where sport and music have the most in common, I believe, to say nothing about where sport & music provide the most basic encounter with everybody's reality.

And that, not the hype or the sordidness or the exploitation, is what keep me watching.

Can we get an "amen" from the congregation?

[vajerzy]

I like watching them and will watch them whenever I can- I find it fascinating seeing athletes from all over the world- from nations I hardly know.

[JSngry]

Anybody see the 33 year old German womens gymnast?

That's right - 33 years old. And very much in contention. Her story is more than a little touching (and amazing): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksana_Chusovitina

These are the kind of inspirational tales you find out about every Olympics, it seems, the type of things that trump all the petty politics and crass hype machines.

As with damn near everything else in this life, when you get down to the most basic level (and yeah, sometimes it takes forever and a day to get there...), it's all about people. Just people.

[JSngry]

Unbelievable finish in the relays keeps Phelps hopes alive, but Phelps is not the story here, Jason Lezack is, swimming the last leg, and closing a seemingly insurmountable lead by the French, who had been talking some smack, and now appear...stunned.

I mean, this Lezac cat just dug deep and did it, just willed it into being. Got to love that.

[Jazzmoose]

I made big bucks last year betting on the Special Olympics - I mixed steroids in with my kid's medications, he ran the 100 yard dash in about 4 seconds and broad jumped about 80 feet -

Be careful Allen; Pete Rose has friends...

[connoisseur series500]

Thrilling victory for the US relay swimmers over the favored French team.

I love the winners from small countries. Zimbabwe has a dynamite female swimmer by the name of Corigan (I think.) She's awesome to watch.

I hate that our coverage is limited to the events where the US is strong. I miss the chance to see outstanding foreign athletes in other sports.

[Jazzmoose]

I hate that our coverage is limited to the events where the US is strong. I miss the chance to see outstanding foreign athletes in other sports.

I think that was probably the thing that drove me away from Olympic coverage. All the coverage slanted to the USA, the obsession with medal counts over individual effort. And, at the risk of having Berigan bring up terms like "hate America crowd", that obnoxious "USA USA" chant drives me up the frickin' wall...

[Rooster_Ties]

Presented without political comment...

U.S. President George W. Bush, and daughter Barbara Bush attend the

National Aquatics Center on Day 3 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on

August 11, 2008 in Beijing, China. By Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Rooster_Ties

[7/4]

lookin' bit bit goofy....

.

[Van Basten II]

I hate that our coverage is limited to the events where the US is strong. I miss the chance to see outstanding foreign athletes in other sports.

I think that was probably the thing that drove me away from Olympic coverage. All the coverage slanted to the USA, the obsession with medal counts over individual effort. And, at the risk of having Berigan bring up terms like "hate America crowd", that obnoxious "USA USA" chant drives me up the frickin' wall...

Gotta say that's what gets my goose, broadcasts from other country tend towards ethnocentrism, fortunately my country is so crappy in sports they don't have other choice to show something else since we're always the first eliminated.

[connoisseur series500]

I'm getting tired of all the Michael Phelps coverage. They chatter on about him endlessly. The Olympics consists of many events involving many athletes. It's more than just one athlete.

Looking forward to women's gymnastics this evening.

[Free For All]

I'm getting tired of all the Michael Phelps coverage. They chatter on about him endlessly. The Olympics consists of many events involving many athletes. It's more than just one athlete.

Looking forward to women's gymnastics this evening.

Me too! I hope USA's Michelle Phelps does well!

[papsrus]

I didn't watch the opening ceremonies but ... apparently there was a little bit of illusion going on: Cute kid singing some cute song was lip-syncing because the real singer was deemed too ... unattractive ... at the last minute. A political decision from on high, apparently. Something about crooked teeth (those darn 8-year-olds). And, the super-nifty fireworks display? ... what people saw on TV was an animated re-creation.

Word has it the Chinese censors are setting world records scrubbing the internet of complaints from their countrymen. Vat a country!

[Teasing the Korean]

Watched the opening ceremony. Could care less about the athletics.

[Big Al]

I've actually been enjoying these Olympics a lot more than I thought I would. It just doesn't get much cooler than synchronized diving. I'd give every one of those divers a 10.0 just because I couldn't do that!!!

And I don't care about the hype: Michael Phelps is unreal! I'm enjoying his quest for gold!

[Big Al]

Oh yeah, and the beach volleyball has been exciting as well!

[connoisseur series500]

The 100 m freestyle final is still to come, but I'll say it now. Aussie Eamon Sullivan is a bad mofo!

Edited August 13, 2008 by connoisseur series500

[RDK]

Unbelievable finish in the relays keeps Phelps hopes alive, but Phelps is not the story here, Jason Lezack is, swimming the last leg, and closing a seemingly insurmountable lead by the French, who had been talking some smack, and now appear...stunned.

I mean, this Lezac cat just dug deep and did it, just willed it into being. Got to love that.

Old news now - I been away - but that may have been the single most exciting swimming competition I've ever seen. And the melodramatic backstory - the French "mouthing off" - made it all the better.

[Soulstation1]

Phelps is a fucking freak

[Soulstation1]

ain't no brothers in the 50 m free style

[Unbeknownst Recordings]

Found myself watching the zillion meter women's bicycle race and went "oh yeah that's right the Olympics is on."

Same race as I saw last time. The girl who goes out in front early doesn't win, instead it's some other girl who has done nothing so far, and the commentators make themselves feel clever by saying 'Pellaton' instead of 'big bunch of bikes.'

Edited August 15, 2008 by Unbeknownst Recordings