Damn Olympics!
Right now coverage is insane here in the US, literally it's on 5 different channels. BTW I'm not really upset I love the Olympics.
I mean seriously I'm getting nothing done damn it!
It's the same over here. I wouldn't mind so much if the whole thing wasn't just a giant communist propaganda exercise.
I have the same problem with boxing. For some reason they're hardly televising any of it in NZ (most likely because we don't have a prayer of winning a medal in it
).
Never been much of a fan of the Olympics... Good thing they have footie in it at least!
Do you guys think its weird that Sports like swimming, cycling, running, rowing, etc. all have multiple medals, merely for different distances?
Like, I know different distances need different types of stamina, but really isn't that the only difference? Especially when you compare it to some other sports like Basketball, Soccer, etc. where they only get one. Don't you think swimmers and the like cheapen the Gold that these athletes get?
Shouldn't the other aspects of these sports be also presented, and eligible for medals also. Like a 3 point comp, a Free Throw comp, 1v1 comp, 3v3 comp, etc. (Just to name a few in basketball...)
My girlfriend and her sister used to swim competitively, so I do expect a few of you to jump up and say its completely different, but putting your own bias aside, is it really?
I'm thinking there is a vast difference in swimming 50m then there is in 800m...
If that is the case there should be just one medal awarded for "Running" since after all the only difference between the 100m and the Marathon is 26.2 miles give or take...
To use your comparison the difference is that 3 point shots, free throws, etc are part of the sport mentioned, not individual competitions themselves.
To some up: no. While within the same sport each race requires different abilities rather then simply stamina, and in some cases a different stroke: read butterfly which as you well know is the most physically demanding. A great deal of racing whether, track and field, rowing and swimming is alos mental. Or in the case of relays coordination.
So respectfully, I disagree.
I have mostly US tv, but I get a Canadian channel whhich is showing the Olympics (CBC). It is so Canada-central that they pretty much ignore any competitors that aren't Canadian. During the opening ceremony they spent so long trying to talk to the Canadian athletes on a mobile phone that 20 other countries went completely unmentioned, as their cameras followed the Canadian team around. The same happens in the events. They concentrate so much on the Canadians, even when they aren't competing, that they don't show the other competitors. the only hope of seeing the other countries is if the Canadians get knocked out early! The US coverage may not be perfect ("live" gymnastics being shown 3 hours late) but it is better than that.
I agree that it is odd how there are so many similar swimming events. A good swimmer is always likely to take home 3+ gold
Does anybody know when it's ending? I'd like to have my regular television scedule back! There are sports channels for people, who want sports 24/7.
Thanks
- Kyte
I think it is important to note that television stations treat the Olympics (rightly so) as a sporting event, not a newscast. You don't show all sides unbiasedly in a sports broadcast, you cheer for the home team.
I must say the BBC's coverage has been top notch. Most events covered regardless of whether Team GB is in them, athough there are updates/compilations of Britains wins/failures.
Though they seem to have flown out every commentator they had available for a free jollie in the Orient on the Licence Fee payer's tab. Nice work if you can get it
Actually Cornixt, I think that there are a couple reasons for this, and to be honest, all countries usually only televise their own team, as the games are about country pride. CBC is the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, and the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Committee, I think it's committee) enforces X% of Canadian Content on the station per broadcast hour (not sure of the requirement specifically). CBC is absolutely 100% no different than NBC which is broadcasting American team (Team Phelps 2008! lol) 24/7. ....
....Is it not right to show you're proud of your country and the athletes? We don't televise other city's baseball games... I would never see a Yankees/Mets game televised, or another comparable scenario when both teams are out of our broadcast range. Canadiens v. Tampa? nope. Throw Leafs into the mix, and yes, it'll be on.
Quoted for truth! I wouldn't describe myself as a CBC fanboy by any means, but I'm reasonably certain that the focus on the Canadian team is deliberate (ie they're not making any claim to be covering everyone all the time). And CBC still has quite a substantial amount of coverage on Mr. Phelps, for example - anyone else watch/read about how much he eats in a day?? Goodness gracious!
Additionally, I'm quite pleased that we finally got some medals. Well done Canadian rowers and wrestlers!
But the winter Olympics are better anyway imo 
...A good swimmer is always likely to take home 3+ gold
I take it that you have never competitively swam then...
Next: Lastly on the patriot front. Sure its easy to dog pile on the USA. We have a big target on our backs and our patriotism while a bit over the top isn't anything to be ashamed of.
Steering back to OT. Here is another reason why I like the Olympics: The idea of it (and the revival of it). The belief that sport at the Olympics brings out the best in man, a higher idea and even if it is not the reality the dream to try and achieve it. In fact in reference to Sojourns comments some of my favorite Summer Olympic moments have nothing to do with the USA:
John Stephen Ahkwari
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a6DX_m87y0
Eric Moussambani
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqi2bT_TqDs
Derek Redmond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zi0_LjHH...re=related
Remember the motto of the Olympics: Citius, Altius, Fortis
Now granted its pretty much a sham that it is being hosted in China, but we can't change that now. The idea of the Olympics: being better then we are, to rise above the cynicism and the naysayers, to be the best that is humanity, that is what the Olympics is.
Cheers Sojourn, Khan! and Xander
CBC is our national channel and pretty much our only one, so of course its going to be biased toward Canada. Sojourn is right on about the CRTC as well - most Canadians are bombarded with US TV programming and things like the CBC and CRTC make sure that Canada still has a voice. The CRTC in particular is responsible for making sure that there is at least 40% Canadian content on any Canadian broadcast medium, so that we can retain our cultural identity in the face of the massive US culture machine. It is very important to note that most of our TV stations, and particularly the popular ones like CityTV in my area, are saturated with US programming. Most Canadian series and TV shows often only play on channels with low watcher ratings or speciality channels.
re: Back on topic, kind of.
The role of the Olympics, outside of sports, has always been propaganda. If not for a country, then for the cities it takes place in and in a lot of case - the idealogy of those countries as well. The Nazi's used it back in 1933 (date might be wrong) to showcase the potential of Germany at that time, and more importantly, the so called "flourishing Reich". Why should China be any different? China is constantly trying to show the rest of the world that they are a prospering nation, in spite of its heinous human rights issues. China is, IMHO, trying to show the rest of the world that they believe in the "human spirit" as much as anyone else - just look at the controversies this has created.
...A good swimmer is always likely to take home 3+ gold
I take it that you have never competitively swam then...
My message got sent before I finished it!
I was going to write about how easy it is for one person to dominate because there are so many similar swimming events for all the different styles. There are 12 events under 200m.
CBC: I don't expect Canadian athletes to be ignored, but equally I don't expect them to be the sole focus of every event, which I noticed significantly more than the US coverage.
I think the intent of having China hosting the Olympics was to pressure them into improving their human rights by having the whole world focus on them. It has certainly had the effect of informing people about the atrocities that wouldn't even be on page 20 of a newspaper otherwise.
I can't be botherewd with the Olympics. Don't get me wrong, I want England to win loads of Golds (in fact, Rebecca Adlington, 2x Gold medalist for swimming for England, used to swim competitively against an old friend of mine [whom came second in the qualifying to her...]), but I can't be bothered with it. I dislike watching sports, so watching LOTS of sports, isn;t my thing...
As for the mentioning of different amounts of medals for swimming and football, I see some of both sides. With diving, you can have 1 or 2 divers? This makes a significant change to scoring. 1 on 1 and 7v7 in basketball (just as extremes, I know there are 5 in basketball, but you get the idea) are very different, but scoring would be no different.
Ultimately, I think that if people are to be given medals for what their body can do, why don't people get medals for what their brains can do (yes, there are Nobel prizes et, but I mean in an event like the Olympics). After all, it's what you're born with, obtaining as much of your potential as you can and training.
CBC: I don't expect Canadian athletes to be ignored, but equally I don't expect them to be the sole focus of every event, which I noticed significantly more than the US coverage.
But the CBC is not an international sports broadcaster. It's a tax-payer fueled channel for (in this case) reporting on the successes and failures of our Olympic team. They also talk about many other countries, but the primary focus (and rightly so) is the home team.
To do it any other way would be silly. If you want news instead of sports coverage, I would recommend something like the BBC.
to much hipe! at least there only 2 channels that have it on here. Pluss they never have anything on that i want to watch!!!!!!!!!!
Cryonicleech: Thank God somebody agrees
Everyone's like "You don't normally watch sports, so you might as well watch this." If I don't want to watch them, then I'm pretty sure I don't want to watch the biggest events of them
Still, I keep track of medals etc etc... Currently: UK has 16 gold, 14 silver and 9 bronze and are 3rd overall. USA has 26, 26 and 27 and are 2nd. China have 43 and some others I can't remember and are first
I went to the London 2012 Olympic Party earlier today
In case people wished to know
Despite finding the Olympics boring
Yep roll on 2012!
I am personally sad as this time I was able to watch so much of it and now its gone.
I also find that another reason I like the Olympics is that for many athletes it is the love of sport... that is why the compete. Unlike the pro leagues which is so much about money...
HB- Was it a fun time? wish I was there!