You can bet good, hard earned money that the Rocket Scientist and I are going to be glued to the HDTV to watch the opening ceremonies, because anyone with a soul can't...not...watch. Despite all the geopolitical, economic, steroid injected crap that comes up each and every time Bob Costas gets measured for a NBC Sports jumpsuit, I always, whole-heartedly buy into the notion that during these next two weeks we're a planet, not a bunch of borders.
That said, as much as I will enjoy NBC's multi-channel 24/7 LIVE, OMG coverage, the Summer Olympics can suck smog because anyone with a brain knows that the Winter Olympics are where it's at.
See you in Vancouver, two years from now.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
I didn't realize I was soulless. :)
I find the Olympics to be a big snore. It's not like the old days when it was true amateurs comprising the teams.
Yet, of the two Olympics (when I used to watch them), I would agree that Winter is the better of the two, due to hockey.
Amen. There's not a single event in the Summer Games that can hold a candle to Snowboardcross.
The Olympic hockey tournament is the only sporting event that rivals the World Cup. The Winter Games rule.
Call it Vancouver if you wish, but it's all about Whistler.
> I find the Olympics to be a big snore. It's not like the old days when it was true amateurs comprising the teams.
When was that?! 1808? Or maybe you're referring to the Cold War when the Soviet Union would breed full-time "amateur" athletes.
> Call it Vancouver if you wish, but it's all about Whistler.
Yes but last time I checked the host city is called Vancouver. Whistler is that cool European themed village Vancouver wears for a hat when it's cold.
I plan to absorb all of the Olympic basketball that I can. The Spanish national team is especially exciting to watch. Otherwise, zzzzzz
I am WAY more interested in the Summer Olympics than I am the Winter games. So I'm pretty pumped to tune into some action...
I don't know the BMX series should be interesting.
Winter Olympics better than the Summer Olympics!? Clearly, you're forgetting Synchronized Swimming.
> Winter Olympics better than the Summer Olympics!? Clearly, you're forgetting Synchronized Swimming.
Damn you! Damn you and your aquatic doppelgangers!
Summer Olympics... where for the first time in 4 years you are supposed to care about Diving and Shotput.
Winter Olympics... Woohooo, welcome to my backyard! I was in Whistler last week and got stuck there due to the rockslide. There are worse places in the world to get stuck. Like Minot. *Shiver*
Again, the REAL sport of the Olympic games is trying to find live coverage of popular events... that 12-hour or so time difference can be a fierce competitor.
We'll all soon be hearing Bob Costas voice in our sleep.
I just cannot watch the Olympics anymore. Bob Costas rambling on using monosyllabic words and watching the people walk into the stadium, hearing probably the most useless information about Eritrean geography while all three members of their countries delegation walk by and wave.
It's about as bad ass watching a Thanksgiving Day parade or the Rose Parade. I prefer neither and prefer neither Olympiads.
> I find the Olympics to be a big snore. It's not like the old days when it was true amateurs comprising the teams.
>>When was that?! 1808? Or maybe you're referring to the Cold War when the Soviet Union would breed full-time "amateur" athletes.
Yeah, that. Whatev, :)
The point is, if you are pulling in $multi-million salaries and endorsement deals BEFORE competing in the Olympics (a la Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and David Robinson's 1992 "Dream Team") you don't qualify in my mind as an amateur.
Yeah, yeah - I know that was 16 years ago. I'm still not over it. I don't forgive easily. ha!
a lot sports now involve drugs and money. money and drugs.
> a lot sports now involve drugs and money. money and drugs.
True but I think we can all agree that badminton is completely free of corruption. I mean, there's not much to take drugs or money for, they just lurch around and hit a half a rubber ball with some feathers glued to it.
The opening ceremonies were quite impressive! A massive amount of cool effects and LED curtains! And check out all those Pyro!!!
I must second, wholeheartedly, the comment about Bob Costas. I think that 90% of the time his commentary was offensive, boring, lame humor and random thoughts of 'what-in-the-world?-where-did-that-comment-come-from?" type stuff. He should be switched out, as nice a guy that he seems to be.
*Yawn*
On the other hand, I do enjoy summer olympics but miss the curling and igloo building strong man events.
I've watched a bit of the Olympics this weekend and from what I've seen NBC's coverage so far has been horrible. Horribly produced, horrible commentators, horribly intrusive promotional graphics, horrible, horrible, horrible.
Loving the Olympic soccer channel. Hating the Olympic soccer Channel commentators.
> they just lurch around and hit a half a rubber ball with some feathers glued to it.
Shuttlecock
Definitely looking forward to the winter Olympics, and not (just) because my city is hosting it! ;) ... Figure skating is where it's at for me, although I would seriously question anyone who isn't awed by some of those other winter snow sports.
I'm a sucker for the Olympics too, Summer and Winter. I like to just focus on the events, the individual stories and maybe a few cultural items.
All of the unity and kumbayah talk is just horseshit. The IOC is as corrupt an international organization as any out there. China did get the games to help make it a more humanitarian place, they got it because they are an economic power that the world wants to do business with.
So as long as China doesn't censor protests (uh..), arrest journalists (um...), support corrupt regimes (*cough* Darfur! *cough*), enable athletes to cheat (16? riiiiiiiiight), or kill any of the tourists (oh wait...), then the games will be successful.
Citius, Altius, Dollar Dollar Billius y'all.