Olympics 2016

JohnnyDee

JohnnyDee

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So it all kicks off this Friday in Rio. But are you remotely interested?

In my view the servile grovelling around the Olympics gives no finer example of "Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome"

I envisage watching nothing other than the track and field events and only then under extreme duress. After all I would not wish to burden the already overworked Samaritans in respect of everything..

Privilidged chinless wondfers paddling boats or riding horses leave me compleltly nonplussed.
 
I love the Olympics and think it's the greatest sporting occasion on the planet

It has provided sport with its greatest moments and it's great to see people who have worked hard for 4-8 years just to be able to compete in the games , a lot of them have to scrape by whilst training on grants and sponsership and for a golfer to call them "privileged chinless wonders" is quite poor to be honest when a great deal of them are far from "privileged"
 
I'll tune in and out during the coverage.
Watch a fair amount of track and field. The swimming too. The rest doesn't interest me at all.
 
For me London was awesome - I couldn't get enough of it. ( plus the others before that but London obviously was the pinnacle)

This time however seems a bit "after the lord mayors show" so i do not have the same excitement about it. It doesn't help I will get to see very little of it on TV(am in Asia).

The Zika, and general bad press for Rio hasn't help my enthusiasm, but worse of all the knowledge that at London a bunch of people of been tested guilty for drugs, puts a downer on the whole Olympic movement for me.

Haven't even mentioned the corruption thing that seems to be getting worse.

The golf (mens) haven't helped. Was actually looking forward to the best representing their individual countries. ( I understand the logic of some of their decisions, but this is the Olympics, how can you say... "nah not for me...!")

Having said that (if I get to see any of it) I am sure when it starts there will be the usual great stories, tear jerking moments and plenty of heart ache that the Olympics always delivers
 
Definitely watch the golf, it'll be top of the 'must see' list actually

Track & field, probably a fair bit too (its what I think of first when I think Olympics)

Very little of the 'fight' sports
Nowt from the 'pool'
(both these areas have far far too many 'divisions' (or increments) separating the competitors and just devalues the achievement)
 
JohnnyDee said:
Privilidged chinless wondfers paddling boats or riding horses leave me compleltly nonplussed.
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So, watching Steve Redgrave win his fifth gold in the coxless fours was just "nonplussing"??? It's the only occasion i can recall of being in the front room, standing up & screaming at the telly.

Have to say though, am not yet feeling any sense of excitement about the Olympic golf.
 
Slab said:
Definitely watch the golf, it'll be top of the 'must see' list actually

Track & field, probably a fair bit too (its what I think of first when I think Olympics)

Very little of the 'fight' sports
Nowt from the 'pool'
(both these areas have far far too many 'divisions' (or increments) separating the competitors and just devalues the achievement)
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Sorry I don't understand that last bit ?

Separating the competitors ? Do you mean the different weight classes and in swimming the distance they race

How is that devaluing the achievement - that's no different to regular boxing or fights and the swimming has the same sort of number of distances as you get on a track and I'm sure Farahs achievements aren't devalued because of separating the competitors
 
Yep, i'll watch.

I went to London 2012 and I think it was probably the best spectator sporting experience of my life. Being part of a 16,000 crowd to watch Hockey was truly special. The atmosphere was electric. People running up the stands to get a glimpse of the big screen over the back of the Hockey stadium to see the 100 metres final during half-time. The enthusiasm was innocent and child-like. Truly amazing.

Cant believe its been 4 years.
 
Tongo said:
Yep, i'll watch.

I went to London 2012 and I think it was probably the best spectator sporting experience of my life. Being part of a 16,000 crowd to watch Hockey was truly special. The atmosphere was electric. People running up the stands to get a glimpse of the big screen over the back of the Hockey stadium to see the 100 metres final during half-time. The enthusiasm was innocent and child-like. Truly amazing.

Cant believe its been 4 years.
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Same!

I was the luckiest ever and got tickets for "Super Saturday" on the ballot. It was the best sporting day ever. I shall watch as much as I can
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Sorry I don't understand that last bit ?

Separating the competitors ? Do you mean the different weight classes and in swimming the distance they race

How is that devaluing the achievement - that's no different to regular boxing or fights and the swimming has the same sort of number of distances as you get on a track and I'm sure Farahs achievements aren't devalued because of separating the competitors
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Yeah for me the increments/variations are too close together for the disciplines in question (I think we could comfortably lose every other weight in fight sports and thin the swimming strokes too) and yeah there's too many in regular events, it's not just the Olympics

Bolt will not be doing the 100m backwards or windmilling his way through the 200m in addition to his regular events

Ten weight divisions in boxing (sometime with just 3 or 4 kg separating them!)

Farah will not be doing the 5000m for fat lads or the 10,000m for those who had a heavy lunch
 
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Slab said:
Yeah the increments/variations are too close together for the disciplines in question (I think we could comfortably lose every other weight in fight sports and thin the swimming strokes too) and yeah there's too many in regular events, it's not just the Olympics

Bolt will not be doing the 100m backwards or windmilling the 200m in addition to his regular events

Ten weight divisions in boxing (sometime with just 3 or 4 kg separating them!)

Farah will not be doing the 5000m for fat lads or the 10,000m for those who had a heavy lunch
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Which swimming strokes should they just get rid of ? There is already a few less distances in the Olympics already than compared to the Worlds

For some people the backstroke is their regular event - or the butterfly both been in the Olympics for over 50 years now

Ten weight divisions seems ok - less than regular sport and that's how the sport itself is run

I'm still unsure how their achievement is "devalued" because there are varying events in their sport - that's disrespectful to a lot of people who have worked very hard to just get to the games

Think there is more track and fields events

But if Golf is top of your watch list then I'm guessing the Olympics isn't your type of sporting event
 
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I'll watch the main track and field and after that will drift in and out of the coverage. Got a feeling we'll not going to be so good in the velodrome and will struggle elsewhere and can't see team GB making the same impact again. Been rather underwhelmed by it all in the run up but once it gets going I hope that may change
 
I'll watch as much as I can... I LOVE the Olympics. So many great sports and sports people competing at the highest level.

Love it.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Which swimming strokes should they just get rid of ? There is already a few less distances in the Olympics already than compared to the Worlds

For some people the backstroke is their regular event - or the butterfly both been in the Olympics for over 50 years now

Ten weight divisions seems ok - less than regular sport and that's how the sport itself is run

I'm still unsure how their achievement is "devalued" because there are varying events in their sport - that's disrespectful to a lot of people who have worked very hard to just get to the games

Think there is more track and fields events

But if Golf is top of your watch list then I'm guessing the Olympics isn't your type of sporting event
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It’s pretty simple:
1. I play golf
2. Golf is in the Olympics for the 1st time in a hundred years
3. I’ll prioritise watching these historic Olympic golf contests before other events

If I swam in comps every week I’d watch the swimming events first! It’s not rocket surgery

Since I mentioned swimming, yup the backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly all gone. Don’t need them. Keep freestyle, most of the distances and free style relay events (maybe keep a medley event for tradition)
When a number of swimmers are targeting participation/medals in half a dozen variants then the variants are obviously too close/samey to hold the same value as Farah's (to use him as an example)

And ditch all the ‘light’ divisions in boxing
 
I am a sports nut, and really love the Olympics. I usually pick what sports to watch but would watch most of them. The time difference will probably mean I will watch a lot less than I would - I don't like watching it if its not live and I already know the result.
 
Slab said:
It’s pretty simple:
1. I play golf
2. Golf is in the Olympics for the 1st time in a hundred years
3. I’ll prioritise watching these historic Olympic golf contests before other events

If I swam in comps every week I’d watch the swimming events first! It’s not rocket surgery

Since I mentioned swimming, yup the backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly all gone. Don’t need them. Keep freestyle, most of the distances and free style relay events (maybe keep a medley event for tradition)
When a number of swimmers are targeting participation/medals in half a dozen variants then the variants are obviously too close/samey to hold the same value as Farah's (to use him as an example)

And ditch all the ‘light’ divisions in boxing
Click to expand...

Well all those people who have trained for 4-8 years would be delighted at the idea of getting rid of their events and not sure any stroke is "samey" compared to the other

As for watching the Olympics - I get to see my favourite sport week in week out - the Olympics for me is about showcasing other sports that normally don't get highlighted or shown - I won't watch a minute of the football or golf and will tune in to every other sport going. McIlroy for me has it spot on in regards watching the golf at the Olympics.

That for me is what the Olympics is about - bringing other people who don't normally get the chance into the spotlight - there was nothing better than having someone who does dressage taking up the back pages as opposed to a regular main stream footballer/golfer etc

It's the whole world focusing on sports that some have never seen before , it's making heroes from sports that just don't get any headlines - it's watching someone who doesn't earn tens of millions a year melt the hearts of a nation even if they don't win , it's the reactions of families when their loved ones just compete

The Olympics is everything that sport should be and its a shame that some recently have tainted it
 
To be honest I love the olympics, BG first and then those " memorable moments" no matter what country they are from eg Bolt, 100m, 100 m relay etc.

But I am really struggling to get into the Olympic mood at the moment
 
Just an aside; think of all the sports that are now part of mainstream recreation that 20 years ago were almost unknown by those outside the sport. Without a doubt its done wonders for the nation's health. Loads more people into cycling, running, triathlon etc.

That said, I just don't get the synchronised drowning...
 
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