am i the only one who finds the olympics BORING and pointless?

we run fast. we jump high. we leap over a pole. we swim exactly alike. we throw a stick farthest. who gives a shit? why no olympics for intellectualism or world peace? why concentrate on only the physical? too much money wasted on this silliness, not enough spent on the poor and afflicted who will never leap over a pole or run a mile a minute. screw the olympics.

I'm not watching two seconds of it. I think it's commercial. And quite frankly, I see it as destructive. All of the fuel used to power the building and support. PHOOEY!

there are many of us who agree.

it is no longer amat. athlete vs. amat. athlete. Professional training, usually from the age of 6, prof. coaches, enhanced diets, drugs, etc. this ain't fun anymore. Add the glitz of TV coverage, and the braindead way in which sports is sold in the US,

yuck. If I could do that avatar of puking, I would.

Does anyone really realize that a pro football game today only has about 45 offensive plays per team? Total? that is down 1/3 from just 8 yrs ago. Why?: ads, replays, ads, replays, commentary, ads, and did i mention ads?

TV football is only marginally better than being there. So much time spent waiting on - you guessed it - ads.

Beisbol is worse. and forget BBall. Boring.

She gave me the best answer that I've ever heard, that it's a great deal of excitement over something that will have no real consequence in everyday life, pure thoughtless diversion with no aftereffects.

It certainly doesn't float my boat, but I admit I did enjoy the opening ceremony, partially ruined as usual by the relentless yammer of the announcers.

Yes, the money spent on this whole thing could have been put to practical use, and there is great need. However, I'd hate to live in a world without occasional diversion from the mundane and practical, so I'll keep my mouth shut and tolerate the two week loss of a TV network I rarely watch.

That, and the inevitable corporate rape of another great tradition has left me flat. Yeah, who gives a fuck?

The Olympics, the superbowl, the world series....actually, all sporting events in the modern world.

Keep the masses entertained with things that do not overly stress them intellectually and they will have no time to notice the important things in the world.

Just my opinion, but a general obsession with sports and competition seems to be a huge problem in our country these days. I mean, how stupid is it to close a school library to allow greater funding for football?

Contrary to what most people on DU seem to think, many people are capable of enjoying sport and paying attention to what's going on in the world. I can walk and chew gum at the same time.

I will agree with you on the school funding issue, though. I think it's a travesty that arts and music programs are always the first to get cut, but sports programs are a sacred cow. I think it's because of alumni money. They tend to give less when schools don't do well in sports (which is a complete and utter crock, if you ask me).

to take up a sport and possibly make something of themselves? What does that have to do with closing a school library?

Can't we all strive to a personal best? :)

There is nothing wrong with engaging in sport for fun and health, but our national obsession with the spectacle of sporting events is seriously over priortized.

I'm not a sports fan, so the whole thing seems completely ludicrous to me as anything other than entertainment for those so inclined.

They seemed a lot more interesting before they were so massively over-commercialized and marketed. I personally haven't been too interested in them since '80 or so.

The Olympics is 16 days once every 4 years. Not exactly over-exposure, in my opinion. Many of these sports are culturally important to a lot of countries, and for some really small countries a gold medal really lifts the nation's spirits. I can understand why it's not too big a deal for Americans, but us mortals quite enjoy seeing people succeed on the world stage every now and then.

commenting about the quality of the volleyball players' physiques.
:evilgrin:

if there was less of the shrills talking over the events. I wish we could have C-Span type coverage like they did for the Olympics - all sports and NO mindless chit-chat

That's exactly what I said to my friends when we watched the Opening Ceremonies. The Opening Ceremonies are always my favorite part of any Olympics, I love the pagentry and the artistry that goes into it, and the way they showcase the culture of the host nation. This year's was probably my favorite of all the ones I've seen, and not just because I'm an ancient Greek culture buff.

But GAWD did I wish stupid, Republican Katie Couric and her equally obnoxious co-host Bob Costas would stfu. The worst was during Bjork's performance--my friends and I are big fans, we literally squealed when we saw her come out. Dumbass Bob and Katie literally talked over the whole freaking song. I threw socks at the TV. I mean, I admit I enjoyed some of the trivia Bob put out during the Parade of Nations (also one of my favorite parts of the Olympics). But they totally ruined the moment.

I find most sports commentary inane and irritating anyways. Especially figure skating with those racists Peggy Fleming and Dick Button--I almost always watch it with the mute button on. I watch sports because of the artistry and athleticism, and to marvel at the skill & dedication of the athletes, not to hear some asshat go on and on about some nonsense stats (which is why I watch baseball on mute, too).

did you hear what she said when the Iraqi team was coming in? "Here is the Iraqi team. Many of these athletes have a tortured past.. literally a tortured past." Well, it was something stupid like that.

God, I hate her. That woman was seriously trying my patience the whole night.

The worst was when the team from Djubooti (sp?) came in. Every damn Olympics she and Bob Costas act like Beavis and Butthead whenever they march in. This year was no exception.

I wanted to slap the mess out of both of them.

:eyes:

The Americans could learn something from the way the Greek public greeted all the athletes during the parade of nations in the opening ceremony. Regardless of the feelings the people might have had about the governments of nations, the athletes were all welcomed (who thinks that if these Olympics had been in the US, that the French team wouldn't have been booed?)

...what hasn't been sold off to the highest corporate bidder, anyway.

he's so clever. /sarcasm

there is such a poor spectator turnout they are considering giving away tickets, according to the local news program (nbc)
this morning.

dp

but only because I knew four people who were competing (I went to a large, very athletically-oriented state university) and was dating someone on the US soccer team.

NBC's coverage sucks and unless an American is expected to win, they don't bother showing the event.

Interesting program on the History Channel a couple of weeks ago. Apparently most of the pomp and ceremony we associate with the Olympics today was introduced by the Nazis in the '36 Olympics. Until then, it was primarily made up of gentlemen-athletes from the elite universities.

Personally I find art pointless. All the Van Gogh shit just bores me stupid. Monet is also boring. All music is also boring and pointless too. Why were they not helping the poor rather than painting eh?

Stupid me. I have not seen any hurdlers winning the Nobel prize for chemistry. Perhaps they should have a Nobel prize for long jump? :eyes:

If it’s not your thing, feel free not to watch it.

Personally I enjoy sport. I enjoy watching people trying to achieve a dream. It’s not about the pole or the stick or the pool. If you can’t understand or do not wish to understand that you’ll never see the point.

That’s your perogative.

1. Pass that urine test and not get caught loading up on steroids.

2. Get that major Wheaties endorsement deal.


The Olympics are a sham. Didn't any of you learn anything from the Salt Lake City scams? Or the countless ones before that?

Fuck the Olympics, fuck nationalism, and fuck the obsessive, drug-addled twits who compete in them, and the mindless consumers who watch them.

I don't know why, however.

I was watching gymnastics last night and they had a story about the 25 year old gymnast who missed the team 8 years ago and has worked every day since then to get to these Olympics. At 25, they said, a woman is considered over the hill for gymnastics so she was training all by herself and delivering pizzas to pay for living expenses. She is a college graduate and mentioned that she would get a better job when this is all over, but that she has to train.

I found myself very depressed after this story. At some point you have to say to yourself, "What are you trying to prove?" I don't know...it is sort of sad.

Anyway, I hope she does well.

Human society doesn't respect brains. It never has through its history, so your rant is nothing new.

But the fact is, an Intellectual Olympics would get zero airtime, and make zero money..because you wouldn't watch it, and no one else would either.

Not enough money spent on the poor, don't blame Olympic athletes for that, especially U.S. Olympic athletes. The United States of America is the ONLY nation in the world that does not give direct federal support to amateur athletics. Every other nation does, in addition to thing like national health care, education, culture, etc.

Hmm, you figure the money we don't spend on sport, we'd have some of the that stuff in this country, right? nope.

Its too fashionable and easy to bash sport for so many problems and more often its wrong.

Most of the people who bash the Olympics and cite the "waste of money" most like have no problem with paying for those NFL, NBA and MLB Personal Seats Licenses and Season Tickets, and more from crappy hot dogs. They'll sure as sin vote for the new stadium some team owner wants them to build at gunpoint.

If you don't want to watch? Fine. For myself, I'm watching the Games and I'm lovin' it. The key to Olympic happiness? FIND IT YOURSELF, Don't lean on the Peacock selling it to you. ;)

What's the fucking point of them, anymore?

I agree.

And it's the only time that track and field is really covered well in the US.

I'm also still trying to decide if I was wrong in cheering for Puerto Rico yesterday.

But - truth be told - I'm more excited about the Main Event in the World Series of Poker on ESPN tomorrow.

Dump 'em.

and I'm not watching. In fact, what little I watch of NBC is reduced to 0 now because that's all they have on at this time.

But the fact is, an Intellectual Olympics would get zero airtime, and make zero money..because you wouldn't watch it, and no one else would either.

The Intellectual Olympics is "broadcast" on another medium--scholarly journals. It would, however, be interesting to see if some of the finer points or more interesting theories could be presented so that people of all intellectual levels could get something out of it.


Cher

And those aren't even exciting anymore. Remember back in I think it was 1996, when Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Keri Struggs, et. al, were competing in the gymnastics. There will never be another team like that. They were amazing. And I love to watch the diving. That's it. Nothing else is good. And did you know they had Synconized DIVING!? It was cool, and EVERYONE sucked at it, at least the women.
Duckie

You have to laugh at the commentators sometimes - to hear them, you'd think the fate of the world rests on whether a gymnast doesn't hop when she lands on the ground. And the whole medal count thing is weird - who the fuck cares to compare which countries are outwinning others?

I thought that the opening ceremony (at least the "floats" part that I caught) was colorful and artistic (and could have used a helluva lot less of Couric & Costa).

I find myself rooting for countries other than USA! USA! USA!, simply because the jingoism coming from the announcers is offensive to me.

Last night, the announcers were falling all over themselves to excuse the poor showing of the U.S. gymnast team and the 3rd place finish of the men's swimming relay. (And the overhyping of Michael Phelps is disgusting).

:evilgrin:

I'm happy other people get enjoyment out of it. We all need our deversions. But I have to say that I think I've watched a total of 5 minutes of the games in my entire life.

...nations competing against each other on the track, on the exercise floor, in the pool, on the weightlifting mat, on the basketball courts and soccer pitches, and at the pole vault station than the alternative - in the trenches, in bombed-out buildings, in charred wrecks of forests. Sports are a much more palatable alternative to war.

I hadn't noticed.

They are the ones who train year after year to get their few seconds or minutes of glory once every four years.

Yes, some people will try performance enhancing drugs, yes there's too much advertising (esp in US coverage), yes the city selection process is based too much on patronage. So, what?

Those are not reasons why I watch.

I watch to see someone do better than they did last time. I watch to see someone breakout of the pack. I watch to admire the sheer artistry of individual performance. I'm not a big fan of team sports, which is mostly what US sports is about. I prefer watching individual sports like gymnastics, summing, diving, horseback-riding. I also like all the little side stories about the host city/country. I enjoy watching travelogues, so sue me.

Amateurs? Ha. This whole "amateur" precept is a farce on its face that I wish the IOC would quit selling people. The first Olympians weren't amateurs either. They were the ancient world's equivalent of professionals. Oh sure, anybody could participate. But just like today, a lot of the really good ones were men who logged serious gymnasium time.

But since ALL of them get paid more than I do...well..there's the Golf channel for one!:smoke:

Our teacher in school got us to do an assignment on the games and I caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm. I can well remember the Ben Johnson scandal that year and I also remember we sang the Olympic anthem at the school concert

I have followed each of the Olympic Games since that time -Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney -with interest and enthusiasm. I have closely monitored the progress of the various events, enjoyed countless hours on watching the various sports on TV, cheered for various nations and marveled at the opening and closing ceremony.

Yet this year I just can't seem to become interested or engaged. I think it's because there are so many issues preoccupying me at the moment -* and Iraq, the US presidential elections, our own country's election and so on -that I can't relax and enjoy the Games like I used to.

I don't begrudge the competitors in the game. They have worked years to be where they are today and I applaud their courage, vision, tenacity and dedication. It's just that the circumstances of the previous four years have taken all the excitement and enthusiasm of the games away from me

Here we have people working so hard to achieve some goals...My hat goes off to these athletes, all the long hours training, really so little acclaim for most of them....

In my regular life I see shiftless people who take the easy way out, so I watch the Olympics to see something noble and inspiring. :)

I wish they would do more background coverage on the athletes themselves. Especially those from other countries.

It's still a personal challenge against the best in the world.
Lots of human stories never get reported till much later.

The thing is...it's not SUPPOSED to be just another TEE-VEE
event for lazy, bored, jaded American TEE-VEE consumers that never leave the house.

It's about individual excellence.

Fake people pretending they are "amateurs" when they are actually competing for millions of dollars in endorsements. Who cares.