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Advnt05
08-08-2008, 09:09 AM
Now that the Olympics have started, are there any particular events that you plan to watch? I'll probably watch soccer, cycling, triathlon, and basketball. The track and field will catch my attention along with Michael Phelps in swimming.

I try to catch an obscure sport that I know nothing about. Havent' decided on what this year's sport will be. Maybe fencing.

Strmchsr
08-08-2008, 10:20 AM
Since DS8 just got his black belt in taekwondo last weekend he's anxious to watch that event. It'll be interested to see Phelps do his thing, and I always enjoy the soccer matches. I'm not sure there's much about the Olympics I don't enjoy, even if I don't care about the sport for the next 4 years.

indytraveler
08-08-2008, 11:28 AM
other than swimming, gymnastics, and track and field, most other events will be difficult to find on tv. I suggest you go deep into all your cable channels to find where some of these events will be played out. I didn't realize that I had all of those channels. :blush:

MMouse6937
08-08-2008, 01:33 PM
I'm looking forward to the swimming and gymnastics. I won't really be that interested in track and field unfortunately, Marion Jones turned me off to that, I so pulled for her last time.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the venues. We watched shows on National Geographic about how they built the aquatics center and the "bird's nest" and I'm excited to see the events in those buildings!

Davyjones
08-08-2008, 04:16 PM
I will watch the football/soccer. I only need to see the results for basketball and swimming. The medal count is something I do keep an eye on.

Ian
08-08-2008, 04:49 PM
I just love the Olympics ... I'll watch whatever I can find. I'm very excited for tonight.

Can't wait to hear that Olympic theme blaring over my T.V. again!! :thumbsup:

Mufasa
08-08-2008, 05:43 PM
Since DS8 just got his black belt in taekwondo last weekend he's anxious to watch that event.

First, congratulations on your DS8 accomplishment. I used to be very active in taekwondo competition when I was younger. I was very excited when it was introduced first as a demonstration sport and several times had won in sparring and forms at the US junior olympics and named to the junior national team in the early 90s and even earned an invite to the 1992 olympic team trials though I didn't go and was hoping for 1996 for my shot at making a possible olympic team with the bonus of it being held in Atlanta, when of course it wasn't added as a sport that year.

Don't expect to see any televised coverage of sports like taekwondo or judo on any of the multitude of NBC television networks (at this point with their published schedule the only coverage will be live, online broadband streaming from their website)- of course, all could change should someone from the US be part of the gold medal match.

Of course, I say that sarcastically with NBC's US versus THEM slanted coverage and long human interest stories rather than god forbid, actually showing competition in the spirit of the Olympic games. And please, please let there be no Jim Gray or someone like Melissa Stark who has no clue what sport they are covering with this year's telecast.

There's enough drama exhibited through spirited competition with representatives from all nations with their unique stories of living out their olympic dream that I want to actually watch the events (at least in some states you can always pull in the not so biased coverage from Canada).

I am somewhat surprised with taekwondo for example, since 3 of the 4 US team members are from the same family- the first trio of siblings in the same Olympic sport I believe (the Lopez family with a 4th member- the older brother serving as a team coach) and Steven Lopez is a 2-time defending Olympic gold medalist.

ftwildernesskid
08-08-2008, 06:42 PM
Gymnastics, swimming, diving, basketball. I love all the human interest stories that go along with the events and really personalize the athletes. I always end up watching sports that I wouldn't normally enjoy just because of the story behind it.

Sylvia
08-08-2008, 08:43 PM
I'm so frustrated!! Instead of checking out Intercot, I should be watching the Opening Ceremonies. I've never missed one, until now. Thanks to a glitch in my Comcast cable box, I have no reception. The soonest a technician can make a service call is Monday!!!

What makes this even worse is, I couldn't find anyone who would be able to tape the ceremonies for me. If anyone out there is watching, I'd love to hear all about it. And, if by some chance, anyone is taping it, would you be willing to share it with me? If so, let me know how I can repay you.

Thanks!!!

Now, back to all things Disney. Reading everyone's posts about my favorite place(s) in the world is putting me in a better mood.

BronxTigger
08-08-2008, 09:02 PM
I always watch the Opening Ceremonies. I'm also going to try to watch the diving and the women's gymnastics.

I'm watching the Opening Ceremonies now. I've had this on my calendar for months and now I have this vicious migraine but I'm watching them anyways. I'm amazed at the precision and the technology. I especially liked the drumming at the beginning.

I will say, the children walking in (like Small World) was really cool in all their various costumes, but it was a little freaky when they made way for the soldiers (with the flag)! I found it a little jarring!

RedSoxFan
08-08-2008, 09:04 PM
I enjoy the swimming and gymnastics -- those are my favorites.

ElenitaB
08-09-2008, 12:21 AM
Sylvia, I have them on my DVR but don't know how to share. If anyone knows, let me know and I'd be glad to send it along.

The Opening Ceremonies were AMAZING!

I'm bummed that we won't be seeing Judo televised. Found out today that someone from my firm will be competing in that sport. Wanted to cheer her on!

Melanie
08-09-2008, 03:52 AM
I thought the Opening Ceremonies were incredible, especially the drumming portion. Gave me goosebumps! I love the Olympics. :rings:

PirateLover
08-09-2008, 09:00 AM
Sylvia, I Taped it and when I get the chance I can transfer it to DVD and mail it to you. You can PM me your address.

I just finished watching. It was indeed incredible, and as Matt Lauer said, intimidating at the same time. The sheer number of participants, the precision, what they were able to achieve... I can't imagine how much practice that took!

Rhetoric2000
08-09-2008, 01:44 PM
Really enjoyed the first day's competition. Sorry to hear that over there you guys only get the higher-profile sports (for some reason Brits aren't very good at swimming and being flexible, though we can row and sail) - we're really lucky to have the good old Beeb interactive coverage that features 6 sports at a time.

As such I've spent most of my viewing time watching judo and badminton, two terrific sports and wishing that some of the minor sports had more coverage over longer periods. I'll be looking forward to the handball and fencing coming up too which we never see outside of the Olympics. I actually think we should have a couple more mat-combat sports beyond Judo and Taekwando - they make for good viewing and a couple slots are available after this event (due to softball/baseball being canned)

With the football starting though I can't help noticing the irony really looking forward four years - the most soccer obsessed nation in the world is hosting the Olympic games and the public doesn't give two hoots about the competition. It gets no coverage over here whatsoever.

murphy1
08-09-2008, 06:16 PM
Wow, what an incredible Opening Ceremonies. I moved to Atlanta during the '96 Olympics and we got to go see Michael Johnson run, awesome for me having been a track and field athlete! And much better than monster trucks they showed at our ceremonies.

Special prayers to our wonderful local swimming hero Eric Shanteau, he is fighting cancer and went on to the Olympics, GO ERIC!!!

I love gymnastics!! I still remember when Mary Lou won Gold!! Go USA!

Sylvia
08-10-2008, 07:25 AM
ElenitaB and PirateLover -

Thanks for your posts. I'm PM'ing both of you. :D

Sylvia

Faver
08-10-2008, 08:30 AM
That opening ceremony was sensational!

It really got me excited for the games...... I'll be watching swimming, gymnastics, and diving!:thumbsup:

Melanie
08-10-2008, 11:38 PM
Who's talking now? WE ARE! :swim:

That was incredible!!! GO USA! :flag:

Mufasa
08-10-2008, 11:49 PM
Who's talking now? WE ARE! :swim:

That was incredible!!! GO USA! :flag:

When will some athletes learn... don't start trash talking before an event because it just turns into bulletin board material. After the event, sure- you can boast all you want because then you've earned it.

What an incredible performance in that 4x100 relay though, especially that anchor leg and shattering the world record.

PirateLover
08-11-2008, 12:21 AM
Who's talking now? WE ARE! :swim:

That was incredible!!! GO USA! :flag:

Yah know, I had just been talking to my dad about how I want another "amazing" moment for US olympics. I remember watching Kerri Strug stick the landing on her vault with a sprained ankle to win gold for the US women's gymnastics team in 1996 as a young girl, and found her so inspirational. This was pretty close. My dad and I were cheering like we were at the event (I was standing and screaming "GO GO GO!" when we were catching up) and we were chanting "USA." It is always satisfying to beat a gloater, especially when they are French. ;) :flag:

PS... for all those who appreciate the male form... my gosh, how nice did Michael Phelp's body look when he was celebrating... talk about definition! :blush: :faint:

JPL
08-11-2008, 12:59 AM
Gotta love the Olympics :thumbsup:

It really is great to watch the Athletes compete for their countries. I also like to watch some of the sports I would never watch except during the Olympics.

Mufasa
08-11-2008, 03:29 AM
As such I've spent most of my viewing time watching judo and badminton, two terrific sports and wishing that some of the minor sports had more coverage over longer periods. I'll be looking forward to the handball and fencing coming up too which we never see outside of the Olympics. I actually think we should have a couple more mat-combat sports beyond Judo and Taekwando - they make for good viewing and a couple slots are available after this event (due to softball/baseball being canned)

With the football starting though I can't help noticing the irony really looking forward four years - the most soccer obsessed nation in the world is hosting the Olympic games and the public doesn't give two hoots about the competition. It gets no coverage over here whatsoever.

The Judo competitions have been great- really enjoying watching the matches as there have been some impressive performances, and some wonderful examples of technique.

Just saw an incredible match between the men's world champion Wang of South Korea against Guilerho of Brazil that went to Golden Score and was very exciting.

I would love to see Kendo added to the mix as an actively practicing Kendoka, but there's also very strong opposition to adding it with traditionalists who primarily argue it would lose the art in favor of being a competitive sport.

Also, though it's not an official olympic sport, there's a big wushu competition running concurrent to the games that the IOC has allowed in Beijing (after an unsuccessful push from the organizers to include it in the games as a demonstration sport) that I wish would get some coverage.

As for football- to me, i think it is exciting especially seeing the rising U-23 players showcased but as a result it takes a lower interest to tournaments like the World Cup because of the lack of recognized star power.

Advnt05
08-11-2008, 08:18 AM
I agree that the soccer is sort of tame since the stars are not in it.
The men's relay was very exciting. I thought we were gonners.
The women's (can you call them women at age 16?) gymnastics will be interesting to watch. The US team really had their work cut out for them yesterday. It sure does look painful to fall off those bars onto your back.

indytraveler
08-11-2008, 10:36 AM
Who's talking now? WE ARE! :swim:

That was incredible!!! GO USA! :flag:

Wow... Shattering a World Record by 4 sec. That is unheard of. Of all nations to try to trash talk the USA... France?!!?!

Go USA :number1:

Rhetoric2000
08-11-2008, 11:05 AM
- Some silly girl has won us a gold medal in swimming. Clearly she is unaware that we are not meant to win any medals in swimming. Ever.

- The French beat us at archery. Clearly they have been practicing over the last 600 years.

- The canoeing looks like it may well be one of the most fun things in the World. I want a go.

- On the other hand who ON EARTH would want to go on those cycling marathons? - congrats to Nicole Cook, and indeed all of them.

- Surely talking smack has caused the downfall of more teams than dodgy hamstrings. The guitar-smashing comments, the US track 4*400 posers of 2004 and now this. Marvellous entertainment.

- I've just watched the tennis, and frankly am ashamed of a man representing my country. It's a shame when that happens. I actually couldn't be happier that he lost- to an opponent ranked much lower and who clearly wanted to make a name for himself at the Olympic games rather than turn up because he was told to even thoguh he wasn't being paid.

Jeff G
08-11-2008, 11:37 AM
The Olympics have been great so far. The opening ceremonies were unbelievable. We were in awe of how well choreographed they were and how well the performers did. We thought that for sure the boxes that were making the waves and symbols were mechanical so when the performers popped out we were shocked. By far the best opening cermonies I've ever saw and they will be hard to top.

I really like how NBC is covering the Olympics by showing as much as they can live. In the past most of the events were tape delayed which allowed for the media to leak the results which takes all the fun out.

Last night watching the mens swimming rely had us cheering for the USA which I haven't done for years. It was amazing to watch the come from behind and a great winafter the French talked trash.

I wasn't overly excited for the Olympics just two weeks ago but after the opening ceremonies and after just a few days of competition I'm hooked.

Davyjones
08-11-2008, 07:44 PM
Great win for the USA last night. :thumbsup: It still amazes me that athletes will talk trash about their opponents when all it does is give them something to motivate them. Being respectful yet confident does not add fuel to the fire.

I'm still a little peeved that the U.S. Men's soccer team ended up with a tie against the Netherlands. :mad: That should have been a win. Just hoping that the men's and women's teams can get golds! Keeping all my fingers crossed!

2Epcot
08-13-2008, 03:22 AM
It was interesting to see one of the Chinese gymnast doing her floor exercise to the music from Ratatouille. The Chinese have been doing great in gymnastics and swimming. They look to double the total number of gold medals they've ever earned just from this Olympics.

I've also really enjoyed watching the USA swimmers and they world records they're breaking.

Advnt05
08-13-2008, 08:20 AM
I was disappointed in how the US men's soccer turned out today. Maybe it's what you get when you restrict it to men under the age of 23 in such a big tournament. With two players having to sit out the game due to suspensions and having your team playing 1 man down pretty much the entire game is an ugly way to go out.

Oh well, there's always the ladies.

murphy1
08-13-2008, 08:57 AM
I really admire the Chinese, they are so focused and precise. Their dive girls were awesome, as were the gymnasts. The Romanians used to dominate gymnastics, they seem to have lost something. I was proud of our gym girls, they did a great job, that one girl had a broken ankle. Phelps is almost to his goal. I am disappointed no one invited Mark Spitz to the Olympics, he is one of the best of all time. The French trash-talking swimmer did so many things he shouldn't have, like looking over at the US guy in the relay, taking too many strokes and breaths in the replay that I saw, Our swimmers are so amazing!

Melanie
08-13-2008, 08:05 PM
So what are everyone's thoughts on the Chinese women's gymnastics team?

Davyjones
08-13-2008, 11:36 PM
So what are everyone's thoughts on the Chinese women's gymnastics team?

I'm surprised they can stand and walk, they look so young!;)

Davyjones
08-13-2008, 11:38 PM
Great win for the USA last night. :thumbsup: It still amazes me that athletes will talk trash about their opponents when all it does is give them something to motivate them. Being respectful yet confident does not add fuel to the fire.

I'm still a little peeved that the U.S. Men's soccer team ended up with a tie against the Netherlands. :mad: That should have been a win. Just hoping that the men's and women's teams can get golds! Keeping all my fingers crossed!

And I'm also more peeved that the Men's soccer team is out! We should have medalled! Now let's see what the women can do!:thumbsup:

Melanie
08-15-2008, 01:02 AM
Great women's individual final. Gosh, I love the Olympics! :flag:

murphy1
08-15-2008, 10:56 AM
I am so proud, as I know we all are, of our athletes, they show so much honor and pride. I was disgusted by that jerk throwing his medal down for whatever reason, poor sport. Phelps is absolutely amazing, his body shape must help him a lot they said, he has a long torso and short legs. Yay Nastia and Shawn, what great ladies and fellow Floridian Ryan Lochte!! Bela Karolyi is hysterical!

Jeff G
08-15-2008, 11:05 AM
So what are everyone's thoughts on the Chinese women's gymnastics team?

I was watching the other night with my DW and I couldn't believe how young the Chinese girls look. With all the controversy around their age I'm surprised the IOC hasn't stepped in and investigates the accusations that the girls are under age. I've read a few articles about this and they all seem to say up until last year these girls had birthdays listed that are different than their passports say. To me unless this is investigated the whole gymnastic competition in the 2008 Olympics is blemished.

murphy1
08-15-2008, 11:30 AM
Dh was telling me that when the Chinese are born, they are automatically a one year old! Guess they can tack that one on, too:confused: very unfair.

PirateLover
08-15-2008, 04:41 PM
Huffington Post has dug up documents that back up what Jeff was talking about... up until recently, this girl was on all sorts of documents with her birthday listed as 1994, making her 14. They have traced websites that recently had her listed as "14 year old new comer" that have now been changed to "16 year old new comer."
As far as I know there hasn't been an announcement that the IOC is looking into this... if they don't that is wrong. This isn't about the US, it's about the integrity of the games and following their own rules.

murphy1
08-17-2008, 06:33 PM
What a great weekend!! I enjoyed all of it! Dara Torres was fantastic and she looks awesome! And I loved the marathon lady (from Ukraine??), she was 38!! I couldn't watch Phelps' races b/c I was so nervous for him, but then how exciting when he won! I can't believe all the trash talking of those other guys, but Phelps put them in their place, haha! It really makes you proud to be an American after all of these great kids have shown the world what great people we have here. I really think these are and will go down as the best Olympics!

Jen C.
08-24-2008, 02:11 AM
I'm TRYING very hard now to stay up for the championship game against the:redeem Team" and Spain. Let's hope we get it done this year!:number1:

Melanie
08-24-2008, 07:29 AM
I'm TRYING very hard now to stay up for the championship game against the:redeem Team" and Spain. Let's hope we get it done this year!:number1:

Great game, and I'm so glad I got to watch it in the afternoon. ;) Someone who went to my high school now has an Olympic medal! :thumbsup:

Carol
08-24-2008, 11:04 AM
I'm so glad I got to watch it in the afternoon.I tried - but it didn't start until 2:30 AM here. I didn't even make it to midnight. :sleepin:

Melanie
08-25-2008, 12:23 AM
I tried - but it didn't start until 2:30 AM here. I didn't even make it to midnight. :sleepin:

I doubt I would have either, Carol. :sleepin: