Summer Olympics

Auggie

Auggie

Well-known member
A lot of US qualifying going on currently and it appears that Tokyo will be staging the Olympics this summer even though the country only has a 5.9% vaccination rate. Could be really interesting if all these athletes from different countries bring in some of the new strains of Covid.

Some other news, Brisbane will probably be awarded the 2032 Olympics, not the best time zone for the western world.

www.espn.com

Brisbane set to be named 2032 Olympics host

Brisbane will be offered as the 2032 Olympics host for International Olympic Committee members to confirm in Tokyo next month.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
 
Auggie said:
A lot of US qualifying going on currently and it appears that Tokyo will be staging the Olympics this summer even though the country only has a 5.9% vaccination rate. Could be really interesting if all these athletes from different countries bring in some of the new strains of Covid.

Some other news, Brisbane will probably be awarded the 2032 Olympics, not the best time zone for the western world.

www.espn.com

Brisbane set to be named 2032 Olympics host

Brisbane will be offered as the 2032 Olympics host for International Olympic Committee members to confirm in Tokyo next month.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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It's still touch and go in my opinion. From many reports the Japanese population aren't keen on hosting with COVID basically having the whole country shut down. Even if they do host it's not really sounding like a fun trip. Olympic Village Bubble sounds like it's probably going to be alcohol free and limiting movements between the dorms, practice sites and competition areas. No family allowed in the bubble. No athletes allowed out.
 
brianwr112 said:
It's still touch and go in my opinion. From many reports the Japanese population aren't keen on hosting with COVID basically having the whole country shut down. Even if they do host it's not really sounding like a fun trip. Olympic Village Bubble sounds like it's probably going to be alcohol free and limiting movements between the dorms, practice sites and competition areas. No family allowed in the bubble. No athletes allowed out.
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Olympic Village is usually just a giant orgy fest. What a disappointment this will be.
 
If attending, I wouldn't miss high jump and pole vault. Somehow they seem more unworldly to me than running events. Marathon just because the real speed doesn't come across on TV, like it does in person. But they'd be a quick look then moving on. I'd take diving over swimming. Any swimming lasts more than 5 minutes, I'd be at the concession stand.

On TV: I like the condensed version of Decath. Other than that, boxing and quick looks at sports I don't see much of.
 
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irish_buffalo said:
Let me know when the men's 100 and 200 are on.
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I agree that there is more to the Olympics than the sprint events in track & field but I do hate when they take low profile sports and add them to the Olympics to try and gain more interest. While I am a fan of softball does it really have a place in the Olympics? Same with some of the X Games events they are adding; sports climbing? Surfing? To me the signature "Summer Olympic" sports are Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, and Gymnastics. Then there are others like weight lifting, shooting, archery, etc... are solid Olympic sports but basically stink as spectator sports let alone on TV. Boxing use to be good but the judge fixing got way out of hand and basically ruined it as an Olympic sports, outside of the '72 USA v Soviet hoops game the Roy Jones decision was probably the biggest travesty on the field in the Olympics.
 
Auggie said:
I agree that there is more to the Olympics than the sprint events in track & field but I do hate when they take low profile sports and add them to the Olympics to try and gain more interest. While I am a fan of softball does it really have a place in the Olympics? Same with some of the X Games events they are adding; sports climbing? Surfing? To me the signature "Summer Olympic" sports are Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, and Gymnastics. Then there are others like weight lifting, shooting, archery, etc... are solid Olympic sports but basically stink as spectator sports let alone on TV. Boxing use to be good but the judge fixing got way out of hand and basically ruined it as an Olympic sports, outside of the '72 USA v Soviet hoops game the Roy Jones decision was probably the biggest travesty on the field in the Olympics.
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No love for Wrestling??
 
hubman said:
No love for Wrestling??
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I don't get the sport at all and then you add in the fact there are two versions in the Olympics. Could not tell you at all the difference between Greco-Roman and Free Style, looks the same to me. While talking one on one combat sports would MMA be a good addition to the Olympics? I know some countries like Brazil would be all in but not sure the stogy old folks that run this thing are ready for an Olympic octagon.

Also 72 hole stroke play golf is a waste of time. Golfing pros, men and women, could care less about the Olympics in this format but the host countries want to show off some courses and get the top level guys to their country. Now a couple have mentioned Ryder Cup type matches could spice this thing up and make it for amateurs with a chance to make a name and then you might have something...
 
MMA wouldn't work because you can't really have a tournament in two weeks. Medical wouldn't approve.

I find Freestyle wrestling more enjoyable to watch as compared to Greco. It's also a lot easier for the 'common" fan to watch and understand. Sure, you get some great throws in Greco but there may only be a few the entire games.
 
Auggie said:
I agree that there is more to the Olympics than the sprint events in track & field but I do hate when they take low profile sports and add them to the Olympics to try and gain more interest. While I am a fan of softball does it really have a place in the Olympics? Same with some of the X Games events they are adding; sports climbing? Surfing? To me the signature "Summer Olympic" sports are Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, and Gymnastics. Then there are others like weight lifting, shooting, archery, etc... are solid Olympic sports but basically stink as spectator sports let alone on TV. Boxing use to be good but the judge fixing got way out of hand and basically ruined it as an Olympic sports, outside of the '72 USA v Soviet hoops game the Roy Jones decision was probably the biggest travesty on the field in the Olympics.
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Games decided on the mat/floor/field are fun. I do not like any sport where judges arbitrarily rule. Feats of strength are always good.
 
brianwr112 said:
MMA wouldn't work because you can't really have a tournament in two weeks. Medical wouldn't approve.

I find Freestyle wrestling more enjoyable to watch as compared to Greco. It's also a lot easier for the 'common" fan to watch and understand. Sure, you get some great throws in Greco but there may only be a few the entire games.
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When UFC started they had a mini tourny one night
 
thavoice said:
When UFC started they had a mini tourny one night
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I understand that. Everything was legal in those days except fish hooks and attacking the groin. Basically fought till one person got knocked out or submitted. As entertaining as that was, no way even the craziest medical expert would sign off.
 
Sig Hansen said:
Olympic Village is usually just a giant orgy fest. What a disappointment this will be.
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I wanna say I read an article back during the London 2012 games that said Olympic officials give out X amount of condoms to each athlete prior to entering the village and have baskets of freebies on site.
 
brianwr112 said:
MMA wouldn't work because you can't really have a tournament in two weeks. Medical wouldn't approve.

I find Freestyle wrestling more enjoyable to watch as compared to Greco. It's also a lot easier for the 'common" fan to watch and understand. Sure, you get some great throws in Greco but there may only be a few the entire games.
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Agreed
 
I was at the '72 Olympics in Munich. One night I was at the Hofbrau house and was seated at a table with members of the Polish track and field team. They were in a jolly mood as they all had been eliminated right at the start. So all they had to do in the next two weeks was drinking and sex, preferably with the Swedish girls. I learned a lot about the Olympics that night.
 
arizonawildcat said:
I was at the '72 Olympics in Munich. One night I was at the Hofbrau house and was seated at a table with members of the Polish track and field team. They were in a jolly mood as they all had been eliminated right at the start. So all they had to do in the next two weeks was drinking and sex, preferably with the Swedish girls. I learned a lot about the Olympics that night.
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LOL!
 
The diving finals were on NBC last night and while US diving would be happy with a lady in the final it was fun to watch. They take only 2 per country and a diver from Bexley was holding down the #2 spot until the final dive, she chokes and the 3rd place diver nails it. Just like that one dream comes true and another is shattered; NBC has the riveting TV they paid all those $s for...
 
Auggie said:
The diving finals were on NBC last night and while US diving would be happy with a lady in the final it was fun to watch. They take only 2 per country and a diver from Bexley was holding down the #2 spot until the final dive, she chokes and the 3rd place diver nails it. Just like that one dream comes true and another is shattered; NBC has the riveting TV they paid all those $s for...
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I always enjoy watching the different sports trials for the stories. A lot of them have trained and competed their entire life for that one chance to represent their county. Qualify and the dream continues, falter and it often lads to retirement as a competitor.
 
brianwr112 said:
I always enjoy watching the different sports trials for the stories. A lot of them have trained and competed their entire life for that one chance to represent their county. Qualify and the dream continues, falter and it often lads to retirement as a competitor.
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Agreed. I know people who have trained themselves silly just to qualify for the Trials, and a few of them made it. They know their odds of making the Olympic team are slim and none, but in their case, the Trials is the pinnacle of their careers.
 
Auggie said:
The US is also getting in on the PED train>

www.espn.com

U.S. runner blames 4-year doping ban on burrito

United States distance runner Shelby Houlihan says she was suspended for a positive steroid test -- a result she says came from eating a tainted pork burrito.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

But only in the US would you blame a burrito for a failed doping test.
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The steak defense was already taken by a Spaniard more than 10 years ago.

www.espn.com

Experts: Contador's tainted food claim plausible

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador's claim that the steak he ate is to blame for his positive doping test is plausible, experts say, since the drug he's accused of taking is sometimes illegally given to beef cattle.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
I guess they were able to track her GPS location to the Taco Stand and confirm from her receipt that she ordered a pork burrito 10 hours before the test.

I'm not saying she's innocent but her team at least gave their defense some evidence to back their claim.
 
Auggie said:
Also 72 hole stroke play golf is a waste of time. Golfing pros, men and women, could care less about the Olympics in this format but the host countries want to show off some courses and get the top level guys to their country.
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Both myself and Justin Rose disagree.

“I was definitely a supporter of it. For me, the opportunity to represent my country is always something that I regard very highly, and that’s for me what the Olympics represented was to go to Rio to be a part of Team GB, to stay in the Olympic Village, to meet all the other great athletes, and just to say that I’m an Olympian.

“I think since winning it, I realise how important it is and how important it was.

“Literally every week I play golf, I hear something about the Gold Medal from crowd or from media or from somebody.

“I don’t hear about the US Open now. I hear only about Gold Medal."

A number of the top golfers in the world at the time bailed because of Zika and I think most regret it.
 
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