I’ve been watching the Olympics the last few days and enjoy them more and more each time I watch. Weird, because as a kid and even a young adult I found them terribly boring. In fact, so much so that I cursed network television for preempting my favorite shows…even if they were reruns.
I just finished watching the American male swim team win the relay race after the French team claimed they would smash us. I love that shit. I hate arrogance so to see America come back in the last 10% of that race and pull ahead (even if it was only 8/100ths of a second) is awesome.
The one thing that bugs me about the Olympics is that professionals are now allowed to play in them. There was a time when the Olympics were all amateurs. You couldn’t play even if you accepted an endorsement deal. But now? Pros are all over the place…basketball, tennis, volleyball. Ugh. What’s the freaking point of that?
I also take issue with people that say President Bush should have boycotted the Olympics. That’s rather short-sighted bullshit. The Olympics are all about FORGETTING the politics, even for only two weeks. It’s about nations coming together, competing in the name of sportsmanship and national pride. If Bush had stayed home it would have been a slap in the face – not only China’s face but our Olympians, as well.
Yeah, China sucks in the arena of human rights. But you can’t knock them for their athletes, who truly rock. The opening ceremony of the Olympics was absolutely amazing. The precision, the gala, the costumes…over 15,000 individual performers coming together and kicking ass.
The fucking athletes don’t give a shit about the politics. They’ve worked their asses off for YEARS for these moments. Boycotting the Olympics is not only unAmerican, but inhuman.
Now, in two weeks when all this fanfare is over? Yeah, let’s get back on the train to make things better in China. But for now? Shut the fuck up and watch. Or don’t.
Yeah yeah… now they are saying some of the fireworks were computer generated, and Bela Karoly(sp) is saying China is subbing in underage girls on their gymnastics team. Oh and don’t forget the crazy chinaman who killed a relative of one of the US volleyball coaches while they were trying to take in the sights of China. The atheletes are awesome….. but it is vastly starting to drown in crap that has nothing to do with good sportsmanship.
Go USA!
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Sigh, if only the drama outside the events could melt away for just a while… just long enough for the athletes could have their day…
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The announcers are making me a little crazy. We watched a little men’s volleyball, and Latvia was playing, and this announcer was like, “Well, he’s wearing white, which is very symbolic”, and we were all like, “WTF is he talking about?!”, and it made no sense whatsoever.
I might be mixing that up, but I HAVE been watching… just drinking at the same time.
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I think that if the Olympics were being held in Switzerland, Bush wouldn’t be there. It seems important that he be there only because they’re in China.
I sort of found the clips of little 3 year old Chinese children in training camp, being folded backwards like tacos, a little disturbing.
Good Luck with Quitting on the 15th. It’s so hard when you associate certain things like coffee, drinks, driving with having a cigarette.
Maybe the money you save from not smoking will be enough to pay for a plane ticket to somewhere!
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I agree. Dave2 said it best. It’s all about the sportsmanship and the amazing human body. It’s inspring. I’m in awe at the atheletes can do.
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Watching that race was awesome.
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I love the Olympics but I’m kinda getting annoyed with a few of the commentators. Either I never paid attention to them much before or they are just getting worse. It’s like Fred Willard’s character in Best in Show, except not funny.
I was surprised that Bush was the first US president to attend the Olympics outside the US.
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Did you watch the synchronized diving? That was amazing. I’ve always wanted to compete in the Olympics ever since I was a little kid. But I was never good enough in anything, not the way those athletes are. Or maybe I never tried hard enough.
I just watched the beach volleyball on my tivo and we have some pretty hardcore players on the American team. I was pretty impressed.
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yep, love me some olympics. even if the television coverage sometimes makes me wanna punch people in the head.
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remember that boxing match a few years ago with that Korean boxer pitching such a fit that he sat down in the middle of the ring like a baby? i love that. high national drama.
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Re:Pro athletes, I think the olympics should be the ‘best of the best’ no matter what their day job is.
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I think this is clearly a sign of you getting old.
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You’re right about putting it all aside for a couple of weeks. As i watched the opening ceremonies, I said to Daren “I wish the world got along this well all of the time….” just as Iraq came in after Iran. (Who the hell thought that marching order was a good idea?)
Also – I agree about the pros staying home.
I guess we’re both getting old, huh? Pass me my Metamucil!
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I totally agree about the whole amateurs vs. pros bit. I think to a large degree, it has taken the excitement and the magic out of the US Olympics team.
I also don’t like seeing 15 year old gymnasts. I think they get pushed too hard too fast and can get injured way too easily.
As for the politics… I agree that should be put on hold. It is the spirit of the games that should matter… not the soil they are played on.
Oh, and the Iraqi athletes being booed… disgusting.
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I’m not going to watch, but it has nothing to do with politics. We don’t watch much TV as it is and for whatever reason (probably because sports aren’t a big priority in our house) I have no desire to watch the Olympics.
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Blondefabulous – I have a hard time believing that the fireworks were computer-generated. China INVENTED fireworks. As for the under-age girls, it’s possible. Some of those girls looked TEN. Then again, the Chinese generally look much younger than their western counterparts.
Dave2 – agreed.
Sybil – Ha, yeah, the commentators are sometimes annoying, but that’s always been the case.
Little Miss Sunshine – That may be true about Bush going to China. Regardless, I think it’s cool that he’s there. You could see the smiles on the athletes faces as he went down to meet some of them. Thanks for the smoking support. Four more days!
Trysha – Yeah, I’m in awe, too. I love the gymnastics and swimming.
Chrissi – Great race indeed. I was almost out of my chair cheering.
Penny – Is that true about him being the first President to visit the Olympics outside the US? Wow, didn’t know that. Surprising.
Sarah – Yes, I saw the synchronized diving. Simply beautiful. Like watching people in stereo.
Hello – I’ve been overall impressed with the coverage. Love that I can watch Olympics on NBC, MSNBC, and USA.
Crys – I don’t remember that. I don’t usually watch boxing. Kinda creeps me out, two people beating the fuck out of each other for sport.
Whall – True, but it doesn’t seem fair having professional basketball players playing against other countries.
Avitable – Definitely. *sigh* Next month it’ll be another year.
Karen – Ha, get your OWN Metamucil!
NYCWD – Agreed. I didn’t catch the people booing at the Iraqis. That’s horrible.
Pixie – I get that. Used to feel the same way. I’m not much into sports but there’s something about the Olympics that gets me going.
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I think you need to tell the commentators to shut the fuck up. Gah. Babble babble babble. And they totally shoulda left Bob Costas at home to work on something else. I’ve been watching with the sound off. Even the equestrian events commentators pissed me off. They whispered. Dumbshits.
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Bloody well said Karl! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all just (for once) enjoy something for what it is and stop adding some sort of political-bullshit-spin to it.
Bravo you!
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I haven’t watched a minute of the Olympics yet.
Mainly because I’ve been busy.
But I haven’t felt like I was missing anything BECAUSE of all the proliferation of the Pros. It ruins it. It’s basically just an international tournament – like Super Bowl Part 2 or something.
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I love the Olympics. Because it isn’t just the fact that these people are phenomenal athletes, but the stories behind these events. The adversity, the pushing oneself to a personal best. Would that American swim race against the French has been as exciting without the back drama of the “smash” comment? Hell no! We would have cheered, but it was precisely the interplay between the two countries that made it so much more exciting.
I have never understood people who didn’t like the Olympics. For all its flaws, how can you not appreciate the ideal of putting aside differences for a period of time to give people the chance to show their very best? It is exactly what I want to teach my kids. They should find what they are good at, then strive to have your moment in the sun. Whether it is at your job, in your marriage, or in your personal life, I think it is a great philosophy.
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Amen to you, brother. Well said! I’m completely with you on the pros being able to enter, defeating precisely what the Olympics is about, “the common man” (btw, my phone’s ringtone, 24/7, not just during the Olympics but always, is Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland, because it reminds me of the Olympics. I have been passionate about the Olympics since I was a little kid. That’s how I originally fell in love with sports).
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The Olympics are on?
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Winter – The commentators are always a bit wonky. You just have to kind of ignore them. I like Bob Costas, actually.
Penelope – Thanks. It had to be said.
Not Afraid – Well said. I agree. It’s all about seeing what the human body can do and it’s just inspiring.
Catherine – The human spirit is just incredible, isn’t it? I’ll have to look up that Copeland song.
Stephanie – Ha.
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I’ve watched more Olympic events in the last half week than in the last eight years. It’s been fun, though!
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Kapgar – You and me both!
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