Anyone watching the 2024 Olympics?

[SimonDoom]

I used to watch a lot more Olympic events when I was younger than I do now, but I still follow the games and watch some of the events. I watched the men's tennis singles final between Djokovic and Alcaraz and was blown away by the quality of the tennis. It was jaw-dropping to see the shots they were making and returning. Djokovic is a polarizing figure, but I enjoy watching him play and it was gratifying to see him get the gold as a capstone to his amazing career.

Even if you are not a big fan or regular watcher of certain sporting events, it can be enjoyable to watch those who are the very best in the world at what they do.


Anybody else watching, and if so what are your favorite events?

 

[TheLobster]

Between the swimmers getting sick from the foul water in the Seine, the questionable policies as to who can compete in female boxing, and of course the opening ceremony that’s memorable in all the wrong ways, these Olympic Games have definitely been a wild ride to watch.

…Oh, you mean watching the actual sporting events? Nah, I prefer competitive e-sports and speedruns.

 

[Bazzle]

Been watching when I can!

 

[MrPixel]

Watching some general coverage, but mostly women's indoor volleyball. Many decades ago I was tapped from other activities (mostly tennis) to referee women's games, and found the experience enjoyable. Volleyball on TV is rare, with a mere handful of NCAA meets in the fall on sports channels, so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to OD on matches.

Why not the men's matches, considering I know the sport? Not fun to watch - little visible strategy, too much trying to hammer the ball down each others' throats. Sadly, the ladies are recruiting more tall and strong players where they can, and some of the play quality is approaching that of the men.

I feel sorry for the ladies from Kenya. If it wasn't for the Olympics rule dictating representation from every continent*, the Kenyans wouldn't come anywhere close to qualifying, losing every set in every match by a dozen or more points.
* - I want to know who's representing Antarctica.

(I wrote a story about women's VB: Barstow - Net Violations. Shame on me.)

 

[MrPixel]

Oh - not beach volleyball. I'd rather watch paint dry.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I've been enjoying watching some of the swimming events. Summer McIntosh is amazing. She got three golds and a silver, she broke an Olympic record and she's only 17!

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

I enjoyed watching the diving so much that I have an Olympic-themed story in the works...

 

[Small_Island]

If it doesn't give away too much about my age, I shared a story earlier this week with an office mate about how I actually rented a TV once just so I could watch the summer Olympics one year when I'd just moved to a new city and had no furniture, etc. yet. Her response? You could rent a TV?
This year I do have it running in the background whenever I'm home. The things the gymnasts can do still amazes me.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I used to watch a lot more Olympic events when I was younger than I do now, but I still follow the games and watch some of the events. I watched the men's tennis singles final between Djokovic and Alcaraz and was blown away by the quality of the tennis. It was jaw-dropping to see the shots they were making and returning. Djokovic is a polarizing figure, but I enjoy watching him play and it was gratifying to see him get the gold as a capstone to his amazing career.

Even if you are not a big fan or regular watcher of certain sporting events, it can be enjoyable to watch those who are the very best in the world at what they do.


Anybody else watching, and if so what are your favorite events?

I watched tennis and some of the basketball. The match for the gold medal was really amazing and it showed the reality of tennis. Alcaraz is young, full of strength and talent, and is very quick. He catches a lot of balls and thus his game kinda resembles that of Nadal and Djokovic from their early years.

On the other hand, it's clear that Djokovic can't catch even half the balls he could catch ten years ago. Age is a serious thing. He won the match on pure class and experience and it is well deserved. I guess he now knows the frustration Federer felt fighting against a younger opponent who could catch so many balls, even though the age gap is much higher in the case of Alcaraz. Alcaraz will be a great champion if he has even half of the dedication Djokovic showed through the years.

 

[KachinaDoll]

Not interested in the professional sports - tennis, basketball, football, but I do enjoy the minor sports. In fact, I much prefer the Paralympics.

 

[Britva415]

Anyone watching the 2024 Olympics?

Not really, no.

I do intend to catch up on the sailing events sometime later when I have free time.

Beyond that, I get a lot of surfing clips in my Youtube feed and click on those sometimes. I don't even care who wins, it's just a fun sport to watch. Youtube shows me a bunch of other things too but I skip them.

 

[MrPixel]

I just watched the live event where Mondo Duplantis (Sweden) again broke the pole vaulting world record, this time at 6.25M (20.5 ft.). His success after two failed tries was met with an emotional outpouring where he immediately ran to his girlfriend and then his parents in the stands. You couldn't help but experience for yourself the exuberance and pure joy of the achievement, even after being bandaged for a hand wound from a previous attempt. I'm glad I was there, even though "there" was 5000 miles away on a TV.

This is what the Olympics is about.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Bec like the equestrian events, having grown up next door to a family of dressage and cross country medallists. I've been watching the judo, as karate isn't in this year. The kayak cross (dodgem cars on water) was fun. For perv value, the women's water polo where each competitor's swimsuit was giving them a wedgie.

I know, I'm shallower than the pool and muckier than the Seine.

 

[Inducker]

Kayak Cross - bonkers!

 

[MrPixel]

Bec like the equestrian events, having grown up next door to a family of dressage and cross country medallists.

C, a horse person, tired of dressage with the second entrant, "They're all doing the same thing!" I quickly changed to a replay of jumping, and she was all into that.

For perv value,

You'd think I'd be all over that with women's beach volleyball (and the bikinis, etc.), but no. Those amazingly fit women have not a lick of fat on them, and therefore no figures to speak of. I'm into subtle shapes and all that, but these ladies just don't do it for me.

 

[SimonDoom]

Bec like the equestrian events, having grown up next door to a family of dressage and cross country medallists. I've been watching the judo, as karate isn't in this year. The kayak cross (dodgem cars on water) was fun. For perv value, the women's water polo where each competitor's swimsuit was giving them a wedgie.

I know, I'm shallower than the pool and muckier than the Seine.

The designers of all those women's uniforms are counting on your shallowness and muckiness, R. You're just doing your part.

 

[MyBareTorso]

Female pole vault, women's rugby sevens, women's beach volleyball, women's swimming...oh, wait a minute...there are men at these Olympics???!!!

 

[Voboy]

I love the Olympics. I always have. I watch as much of it as I can.

 

[FifthEstate]

The sappy human interest stuff gets on my nerves. So does the English announcer who is pining for the Americans to win (obviously due to who pays his/her paycheck). But at the end of the day I’m a sports nut so I find some level of interest in many events/sports. I always say I don’t care about swimming or gymnastics (or figure skating at the winter O’s) but inevitably I end up on the edge of my seat rooting for them. And I know many people don’t like golf as an Olympic sport, but Scheffler’s comeback on Sunday was phenomenal.

 

[ishtat]

I can watch most sports provided they do not require judges to decide who will win. I know that football is responsible for 40% of all the revenue from the Olympics world wide but it is no where near the top of that sports various competitions. Similarly I do not like basketball because it is nowhere near as popular as it is in the US and I suspect that the US could put out 6 teams that could win easily. But it pulls viewers in the most lucrative market. Generally the women are less predictable than the men which makes their events more interesting.

There should be a competition for which nation has the most awful, non-stop, biased, loud, yapping jerk of a commentator; I suspect numerous qualifiers.

 

[OffNSFW]

Glasses pommel horse guy is a hottie.

There may have been some sports happening in there somewhere. I don't know. I'm not an expert.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I watch only on broadcast NBC, because I've never sprung for television content for which I'd have to pay. This coverage, of course, emphasizes the U.S. team, which can be justified somewhat based on this country being competitive in so many sports. But the jingoism wears me down after a while.

There are a number of sports in which U.S. women seem to accomplish more than U.S. men. Can it be that, decades later, the jump start to women's sports from Title IX still gives the U.S. an edge over the rest of the world? If money (for training, etc.) were the only criterion, the men should be doing as well, but individual swimming sure says otherwise.

 

[MrPixel]

I watch only on broadcast NBC, because I've never sprung for television content for which I'd have to pay.

I feel that way, but gave-in to a month's worth of Peacock in the understanding that our interests - women's volleyball and equestrian - were going to see little to no air time on the "prime time" broadcasts and would not be seen live. I'll cancel once the games are over. Besides, paying for a month of streaming was a damn sight better than having to sign-up for cable for a year and then crossing my fingers that the specific event coverage would be carried on sub-channels.

Also affecting my decision, the NBC broadcast affiliate in our region does not technically serve our county. When they fully cut-over to digital, the UHF carrier didn't cover the same distance as the former VHF signal. Only when conditions are "just right" do we receive the channel.

 

[SimonDoom]

I watch only on broadcast NBC, because I've never sprung for television content for which I'd have to pay. This coverage, of course, emphasizes the U.S. team, which can be justified somewhat based on this country being competitive in so many sports. But the jingoism wears me down after a while.

There are a number of sports in which U.S. women seem to accomplish more than U.S. men. Can it be that, decades later, the jump start to women's sports from Title IX still gives the U.S. an edge over the rest of the world? If money (for training, etc.) were the only criterion, the men should be doing as well, but individual swimming sure says otherwise.

This seems plausible. I imagine that, around the world, far more resources are invested into male sports than female sports, but the relatively more advantageous position of women in the US puts them in a better competitive position. I can't think of a sport, off the top of my head, where US men enjoy a competitive advantage in the Olympics and in International competition generally relative to US women, but I can think of plenty of examples where the reverse is true. The greater investment of worldwide resources in male athletics means that it's going to be harder for the men to achieve a competitive advantage. Think about soccer/football, for example.

 

[Voboy]

Can it be that, decades later, the jump start to women's sports from Title IX still gives the U.S. an edge over the rest of the world?

Yes.

It takes many years to build high-quality programs with a culture of winning. Title IX gave the US a head start.

I've been avoiding the coverage on the flagship channel. NBC is airing most of its sports content, outside the track/swimming/gymnastics barrage (and a MESS of human-interest stuff), on USA, E!, and a couple other channels from time to time. I channel-hop a lot because the sports are most of what I want to see.