Olympics 2021 (nee 2020)

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Trader Pat
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I'm finding it very hard to be bothered about this Olympics and can't really see myself watching any of it unless I come across something on tv by accident and it looks interesting.

I always find it hard to watch swimming, I always thought there were way too many events. Michael Phelps has something like 26 gold medals, that's obviously an incredible achievement but at the same time its just ridiculous. Its a bit like in athletics having not just a 100m but also an 80m, 125m, 150m and a 175m. Imagine how many golds Usain Bolt would have won!
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Euler
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I quite enjoy watching some sports. I always had this dream when I was young that I may compete at that level, but of course, reality is a different thing.

I think the number of sports and their variety is a bit odd. But the strangest one is football, it seems a bit pointless. I spotted a good article along those lines this morning: -

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... main-games
Trader Pat
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Euler wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:59 am
I quite enjoy watching some sports. I always had this dream when I was young that I may compete at that level, but of course, reality is a different thing.

I think the number of sports and their variety is a bit odd. But the strangest one is football, it seems a bit pointless. I spotted a good article along those lines this morning: -

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... main-games

Same here, I've won quite a few gold medals in my head! A boxing gold, a 100m gold ( I ran a sub 9 second time in the final) and for some reason a marathon gold! Also in the Winter Olympics I'm the worlds best downhill skier and have won multiple gold medals. I have to stop day-dreaming! :)

Football was never a good fit for the Olympics but maybe its there to keep the common people happy, we need something to counteract dressage
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The Silk Run
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Did you win a Gold for Keirin ;)
Jukebox
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You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
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Euler
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Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:17 am
You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
I think you need 'new' sports to keep the interest up for youngster, something to aim for.

I mourn the loss of the tug of war.
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Euler
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Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:17 am
You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
I should add, Beach volleyball is one of these best additions to the Olympics since it was invented.
Jukebox
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Euler wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:34 am
Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:17 am
You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
I should add, Beach volleyball is one of these best additions to the Olympics since it was invented.
I love the pole vault for possibly similar reasons.
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The Silk Run
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Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:38 am
Euler wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:34 am
Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:17 am
You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
I should add, Beach volleyball is one of these best additions to the Olympics since it was invented.
I love the pole vault for possibly similar reasons.
Skateboarding ;)
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Dallas
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Euler wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:34 am
Jukebox wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:17 am
You have to love that they now recreate town centre shopping precincts for teenagers and college dropouts to compete as Olympians.
I should add, Beach volleyball is one of these best additions to the Olympics since it was invented.
Outside the major events like cycling, and athletics ever since London 2012 Beach volley ball been my fav - yet regular volley ball I've never been able to get into
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Dallas
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gazuty wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:00 pm
I wonder about the general level of enthusiasm for the Olympics.

Like some other things, when I was younger I really looked forward to the Olympics. My first memory is 1980 Moscow, the dancing at the opening ceremony and the tear on the bear at the end. Perhaps my biggest Olympic "thirll" was watching Debbie Flintoff King win the hurdles in 88 at Seoul - watching on a TV with a crowd of others at Uni and the girl next to me (complete stranger) just pashing me when the result became clear.

Perhaps the time zone is too unfriendly for those in Europe/UK. Clearly organisers have scheduled events for the US tv audience (swimming finals in the morning) so probably not many of you got up to watch Adam Peatty.
For us here in the UK when it was in London every event was covered on our main terrestrial TV channel, surprisingly they done the same for Rio but this year I've never seen them list more than 2 events to watch at any one time

I've been using Now TV, they've got around a dozen channels so are covering just about event as far as I've seen, but think the lack of major TV coverage, timing and the pandemic have pushed it down the priority list for many.
Maybe once the cycling and track and field begin it'll get a little better

Funny you should mention Seoul, those where the first ones I really remember with all the controversy over Johnsons steroid use after that 100m final against Lewis
Trader Pat
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Dallas wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:57 pm
Funny you should mention Seoul, those where the first ones I really remember with all the controversy over Johnsons steroid use after that 100m final against Lewis

Most interesting thing about that race for me was that Carl Lewis himself should have been serving a ban for failing a drugs test during the US trials. So the rightful winner should have been Linford Christie... who also tested for anabolic steroids later in his career. The 4th place finisher was also a doper so at least half that field were drugs cheats which is probably why that race was christened the dirtiest race in history.
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Dallas
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Trader Pat wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:08 pm
Dallas wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:57 pm
Funny you should mention Seoul, those where the first ones I really remember with all the controversy over Johnsons steroid use after that 100m final against Lewis

Most interesting thing about that race for me was that Carl Lewis himself should have been serving a ban for failing a drugs test during the US trials. So the rightful winner should have been Linford Christie... who also tested for anabolic steroids later in his career. The 4th place finisher was also a doper so at least half that field were drugs cheats which is probably why that race was christened the dirtiest race in history.
I never even knew about those additional outliers, it was only ever Johnson that stuck in my head.
But I have heard it called the 'Dirtiest Race in History' now I know why!
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gazuty
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Dallas wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:26 pm
But I have heard it called the 'Dirtiest Race in History' now I know why!
That's the title of the book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Dirtiest-Race ... 1408158760

Thing that sticks out to me, the Australian commentator, Bruce McAvaney, after Johnson had crossed the line immeadiately uttered the prescient phrase "that's a great time if its legal" (ok, it was about wind assistance - but still ....)
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Dallas
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Aussie swimming coach going totally nuts when one of his pupils won gold today has been one of the highlights of the tournament so far for me

If anyone hasn't seen it i'm sure it'll be on YT somewhere
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