Olympics thread

[Roxanne Appleby]

Gold-medal smile:

http://www.insidegymnastics.com/content/articlefiles/107-shawn%20johnson%20pan%20am%202007%20web.jpg

 

[scheherazade_79]

The German women's hockey team just lost to China.

Damn I was really looking forward to see some of those thighs in action again.

Blonde, Amazonian Brunhildes

 

[scheherazade_79]

I've seen people windsurfing before, and usually they look the picture of grace and elegance. But yet I'm watching them in the Olympics and they all look like they're humping their boards!

What's up with that?

 

[Liar]

I've seen people windsurfing before, and usually they look the picture of grace and elegance. But yet I'm watching them in the Olympics and they all look like they're humping their boards!

What's up with that?

Dunno the correct term for it, but they're pumping to go faster, often when the wind is weak. Pretty much using their sails to paddle through the air.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Dunno the correct term for it, but they're pumping to go faster, often when the wind is weak. Pretty much using their sails to paddle through the air.

Shoot, that means there's not much wind. It would be better for viewers and contestants if it were screaming, sailors were getting catapulted, boards were slamming into waves and breaking, etc.

 

[only_more_so]

Shoot, that means there's not much wind. It would be better for viewers and contestants if it were screaming, sailors were getting catapulted, boards were slamming into waves and breaking, etc.

Umm.. I think you mean better for the viewers and the networks. I think the contestants could do without their boards breaking and getting catapulted.

 

[only_more_so]

So, I have a question for those Olympic fans out there...

Given that the IOC has capped the number of athletes competeting in the Olympics and the number of disciplines in the Olympics and the number of medals given out during the Olympics...

Which events should be removed from the Olympics so that better events can be added?

Which events/discplines should be added?

As food for though, after a super secret ballot (basically only one guy knows what the votes were) baseball and softball have been eliminated from the Olympics starting in 2012. I haven't heard what they'll be replaced with, but the contenders are: Golf, Rugby, and Rollersports.

Personally, I wish they'd bring back tug-of-war, and think they should get ride of Equestrian. Afterall, the horse isn't getting the medal.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I don't think they should cap the number of sports. I imagine there are good logistical reasons, but why not have a second venue for the lower-tier sports? Every last thing doesn't have to be a Disney-esque production. TV viewers don't care where the event happens, and the athletes in those low-interest sports have no entitlement to mega-production values - I'm sure they'd be thrilled just to have the Olympics imprimator.

 

[fieryjen]

I'd love it if Rugby was added. I'm obviously biased since I used to play, but I think it would be great entertainment, and it's a good, strong sport. It doesn't get nearly enough coverage as it is.


Oh, and on a completely different note, I loved watching the Gymnastics Gala just now. Seeing the athletes perform relaxed, without the stress and pressure, and do a routine just for the joy, fun an entertainment of it is lovely to watch. I wish I could have seen more of the gymnasts perform.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Which events/discplines should be added?
. . . the contenders are: Golf, Rugby, and Rollersports.

"Rollersports?" As in skateboarding? I would not welcome another sport that involves purely subjective judgements and a large measure of show-offy "style." Snowboarding seems to fit that description. I'm sorry if I'm dissing anyone's sport and am open to correction, but that's how I perceive it. It certainly is subjective, which is problematic enough.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

crush-time:

Italian diver Tania Cagnotto

http://www.stefanomanca.com/port-ciat/img-ciat/CAGNOTTO-CIAT-120408_512.jpg

http://www.stefanomanca.com/port-ciat/img-ciat/CAGNOTTO-CIAT-120408_549.jpg

Bellissima!

 

[Trombonus]

I think we should add Wii Sports to the Olympics.

Better yet, why not add "Mario and Sonic at the Olympics" to the Olympics.

 

[only_more_so]

"Rollersports?" As in skateboarding? I would not welcome another sport that involves purely subjective judgements and a large measure of show-offy "style." Snowboarding seems to fit that description. I'm sorry if I'm dissing anyone's sport and am open to correction, but that's how I perceive it. It certainly is subjective, which is problematic enough.

Yep, as in skateboarding. I can understand speed skating, but skate boarding? Geez! When did the Olympics become the X-games? Probably sometime after they added snowboard half-pipe and artistic ski jumping.

I don't like events where the judges make the decisions. Even boxing and TaeKwanDo are bogus sports to me in that regard since they are point based and so subjective that the average viewer at home wouldn't know the score if it weren't flashing on the screen.

Gymnastics I can almost buy into because it really emphasizes physical fitness and has a super long tradition (although a super long tradition of bad judging too). BUt adding new subjective events is just wrong.

 

[Guest]

They won they won they won! Beach volleyball!

Sweet!

 

[Guest]

Gold-medal smile:

http://www.insidegymnastics.com/content/articlefiles/107-shawn%20johnson%20pan%20am%202007%20web.jpg

Yeah.

Very nice.

 

[Belegon]

Baseball and softball got eliminated because they were seen as being biased towards North America. Not just the US, because believe me, there were other countries upset about the loss of baseball. But softball? If the US had three teams, we would have swept every Olympics.

I don't like that, actually. Because I think there is a place for more women's team sports, not less.

I like the idea that the olympics spotlights sports that are not as popular. I enjoyed watching table tennis and badminton... and if you don't know how I feel about fencing, you aren't paying attention.

That doesn't mean I hate seeing other, more mainstream sports. But I have to say that my interest in the more popular sports, when in the Olympics, is mostly team sports.

For example, Tennis. I could fucking care less about a gold medal in tennis. I'm FAR more interested in Wimbledon or the US Open.

But I do like seeing NBA stars play for their home countries...

 

[DeeZire]

They won they won they won! Beach volleyball!

Sweet!

Did you happen to see the Kerri Walsh impromptu speech five minutes after they won?

"Can I say something? I just want to say that we love you, Mr. President!"

I feel so betrayed! Makes me wish I'd rooted for the Chinese team. (I just said that to piss off ami and rox.)

In spite of Kerri's clueless patriotism, I'm glad they won - not because they're Americans, but because they worked their asses off for it, and because they did it in white bikinis that could have been mistaken for underwear!

The Chinese gal with the fake injury was so classless, it was embarrassing. I think for all of China's efforts, they looking worse and worse in the public eye. Not that it matters to them, since, some day in the not too distant future, they'll not only own the American olympic team, they'll own the whole damn country.

 

[scheherazade_79]

Dunno the correct term for it, but they're pumping to go faster, often when the wind is weak. Pretty much using their sails to paddle through the air.

I learned something today

Thank you, Liar!

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Y'all should have seen my 3 year old creaming at the tv the other day during one of the outdoor cycle races. We didn't even know who we were yelling for but she had grit and she kept getting out front. I think she ended up third and might have been from italy. But little one loved it and kept yelling 'cycle girl cycle girl faster faster go go go' then yelling at me and her father 'its raining she's getting wet quidado quidado'!

And we disturbed her fathers sleep in last weekend cos little miss was yelling at the swimmers and divers *giggles*.

 

[Liar]

crush-time:

We're still crushing.? Then I offer you these two blone things:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/mi_liar/Eva_de_Goede.jpg

Eva de Goede, Netherlands. The definition of cute as a button.


http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/mi_liar/hope_solo1.jpg

Hope Solo, USA. Although I suspect that 50% of my crush is on her totally awesome name.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

We're still crushing? . . .

To live is to crush.

 

[colddiesel]

Whoops

Baseball and softball got eliminated because they were seen as being biased towards North America. Not just the US, because believe me, there were other countries upset about the loss of baseball. But softball? If the US had three teams, we would have swept every Olympics.

..

Japan 3 USA 1 for Gold medal!!!

It's a shame they threw softball out especially as Japan fought so hard to win. Their semi against Australia went to the 12 innings. I thought they would be jaded.

 

[Belegon]

Japan 3 USA 1 for Gold medal!!!

It's a shame they threw softball out especially as Japan fought so hard to win. Their semi against Australia went to the 12 innings. I thought they would be jaded.

That is an upset of 1980 Hockey proportions... sadly, too late to save softball in the Olympics, though.

 

[neonlyte]

USA & GB eliminated in 4 x 100 metres One for dropping the batten, the other for running beyond the changeover. What has happened to USA Athletics - it's almost a 'no show'.

 

[jomar]

Japan 3 USA 1 for Gold medal!!!

It's a shame they threw softball out especially as Japan fought so hard to win. Their semi against Australia went to the 12 innings. I thought they would be jaded.

Dang, missed that! It IS and upset!