Olympics 2008

Moonliner · 08-04-2008, 07:03 AM

The Olympics start this week. Football starts on the 6th with the opening ceremony on the 8th.

Video of the opening ceremony was leaked last week, they look fairly impressive.

Are there any Olympics junkies out there?

Cadaverous Pallor · 08-04-2008, 07:45 AM

Yeah! I love watching the Olympics, as long as they show events, not hyped backstories.

cirquelover · 08-04-2008, 07:52 AM

My husband has always been a huge Olympic junkie. Which is funny for a guy who used to hate sports but he admires what they go through to even get a spot on the team. Usually every tv in the house is on a different event, he records the rest!

JWBear · 08-04-2008, 08:47 AM

I love watching the opening and closing ceremonies. That's about it...

Capt Jack · 08-04-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Yeah! I love watching the Olympics, as long as they show events, not hyped backstories.

Im with ya here. show me the competitions, not a zillion hours of back story followed by 5 min of event highlites that YOU deem watchable

Strangler Lewis · 08-04-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Yeah! I love watching the Olympics, as long as they show events, not hyped backstories.

Then you should write the network, because they produce that sh*t for you broads.

I'm a bit of an Olympics curmudgeon. If the opening ceremonies were limited to the parade of athletes and the release of doves, I'd be a happy man. I suppose this year it will be interesting to see if the doves fall back to earth gasping.

I would also favor the elimination of all Olympic summer Olympic sports that are not tests of pure athleticism (running, walking, jumping, throwing, gymnastics, swimming, women's beach volleyball) or somehow related to killing people (boxing, wrestling, shooting, fencing, archery, women's beach volleyball).

While I basically enjoy it, I have a hard time caring when, as with the Sydney Olympics, we in America knew who won everything about a week before the events were aired.

Not Afraid · 08-04-2008, 09:15 AM

I'll watch the opening ceremony, but the Summer Games have never been my favorite.

Moonliner · 08-04-2008, 09:15 AM

Some interesting tidbits:

The order for the parade of nations is set by the number of strokes in the first character of the countries name in Chinese. The United States comes in 140th out of 205. Australia and Zambia (plus of course China) bring up the rear.

Time wise Beijing is 12:00 hours ahead of eastern time. (Which makes it easy for me to keep track of things....)

NBC has managed to get some finials moved early/late so they can be shown live.

The next summer games will be the 2012 XXX Games in London.

Alex · 08-04-2008, 09:26 AM

I have no interest in the various ceremonies (I don't even keep paying attention for medal ceremonies) and could hardly care less for watching the opening ceremonies. "Look! Croatia apparently has at least 8 people in it!"

I also don't really care for the sports that tend to be the focus of the Olympics. I don't like "subjective evaluation" sports much so diving and gymnastics are out (plus I'm a little yucked out by the creation of an environment where a 14-year-old doing vaults on a broken leg is considered a great thing).

I don't really care for spring sports because they tend to be really boring to watch, and in swimming most of the formats are just silly. If the goal is to go as fast as possible why limit yourself to a slower stroke. Why not add a sprint where everybody swims with their left foot strapped to their right thigh? If there is an advantage to a certain stroke (such as endurance) then only use it for races that cater to that advantage.

I do like the secondary sports such as team handball, badminton, table tennis, fencing, archery, etc. But these are rarely on TV, though I am hoping that the modern internet age will finally bring me the ability to watch them without having to stay up until the dead-air coverage at 3am.

Also, I hope that will avoid most of the annoying hyping and human interest stories we're forced to watch. So the end result is that I haven't really followed an Olympics since I was a kid but I'm hoping that will change this year.

Alex · 08-04-2008, 09:38 AM

However, if they bring back croquet as an official Olympic sport I'll promise to watch every hour.

08-04-2008, 07:03 AM	#1
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	Olympics 2008 The Olympics start this week. Football starts on the 6th with the opening ceremony on the 8th. Video of the opening ceremony was leaked last week, they look fairly impressive. Are there any Olympics junkies out there? __________________ - Taking it one step at a time.
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08-04-2008, 07:45 AM	#2
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Yeah! I love watching the Olympics, as long as they show events, not hyped backstories. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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08-04-2008, 07:52 AM	#3
cirquelover Cruising around in my automobile... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,617	My husband has always been a huge Olympic junkie. Which is funny for a guy who used to hate sports but he admires what they go through to even get a spot on the team. Usually every tv in the house is on a different event, he records the rest!
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08-04-2008, 08:47 AM	#4
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	I love watching the opening and closing ceremonies. That's about it... __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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08-04-2008, 09:15 AM	#7
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I'll watch the opening ceremony, but the Summer Games have never been my favorite.
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08-04-2008, 09:26 AM	#9
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I have no interest in the various ceremonies (I don't even keep paying attention for medal ceremonies) and could hardly care less for watching the opening ceremonies. "Look! Croatia apparently has at least 8 people in it!" I also don't really care for the sports that tend to be the focus of the Olympics. I don't like "subjective evaluation" sports much so diving and gymnastics are out (plus I'm a little yucked out by the creation of an environment where a 14-year-old doing vaults on a broken leg is considered a great thing). I don't really care for spring sports because they tend to be really boring to watch, and in swimming most of the formats are just silly. If the goal is to go as fast as possible why limit yourself to a slower stroke. Why not add a sprint where everybody swims with their left foot strapped to their right thigh? If there is an advantage to a certain stroke (such as endurance) then only use it for races that cater to that advantage. I do like the secondary sports such as team handball, badminton, table tennis, fencing, archery, etc. But these are rarely on TV, though I am hoping that the modern internet age will finally bring me the ability to watch them without having to stay up until the dead-air coverage at 3am. Also, I hope that will avoid most of the annoying hyping and human interest stories we're forced to watch. So the end result is that I haven't really followed an Olympics since I was a kid but I'm hoping that will change this year.
	Submit to Quotes

08-04-2008, 09:38 AM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	However, if they bring back croquet as an official Olympic sport I'll promise to watch every hour.
	Submit to Quotes