2016 Olympics

[RoeDent]

Surprised a thread hasn't yet been started for the biggest sporting event on the planet this year. Anyhoo, the Olympics begin in a couple of hours over in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Finally, after all the negativity, it's time to let the sport do the talking.

What are you looking forward to watching?

[SchecterShredder]

Swimming, triathlon, cycling road race. Those will be my favorites. Although, my wife and I are having a baby this weekend, so I'll actually be off work for the entire Olympics. I may end up watching most events lol. No dressage though. Not sure how that's a sport.

[cramx3]

I love watching the olympics.  I guess all of the extra non sport stories are dominating the news and making it feel less interesting honestly.  I can't say there is anything in particular I want to watch, just like to put it on and check out whatever's happening.  I guess if I had to choose one sport, it would be basketball. 

[RoeDent]

I love watching the olympics.  I guess all of the extra non sport stories are dominating the news and making it feel less interesting honestly.

We should be used to this cycle by now. The media need something to talk about in the buildup to these big events, and the generally pessimistic attitude of the world we live in prevails. But once the competition begins, and there is actual sport to talk about, that is what dominates.

[cramx3]

I love watching the olympics.  I guess all of the extra non sport stories are dominating the news and making it feel less interesting honestly.

We should be used to this cycle by now. The media need something to talk about in the buildup to these big events, and the generally pessimistic attitude of the world we live in prevails. But once the competition begins, and there is actual sport to talk about, that is what dominates.

True, but at least the Russians had some comedy with the Putin pictures in the hotel rooms.  This year is just ultra doom and gloom from the media.  Like no one is even talking about the olympics in my friend circle which is odd.  More talk about Zika than anything sports related.

[bosk1]

Surprised a thread hasn't yet been started for the biggest sporting event on the planet this year.

  Too early to start thinking about the Super Bowl yet.

[cramx3]

Surprised a thread hasn't yet been started for the biggest sporting event on the planet this year.

  Too early to start thinking about the Super Bowl yet.

Touche 

[splent]

Still mad Chicago didn't win the bid, but oh well.

Watching gymnastics and swimming and track and field. Also may catch a little table tennis.

My daughter is fascinated by the flags

[Anguyen92]

I don't know if its me, but as I'm getting older, I feel like my enthusiasm for the Summer Olympics is waning for some reason.  That stated, Winter Olympics will always remain good with stuff like hockey, speed skating, all of the outdoor sports (skiing, snowboarding, luge/bobsled, etc.), etc.

Edit: Oh wait, I forgot. There's been talks of NHL players not making it to the Winter Olympics.  Well, there goes some of that enthusiasm.

[Skeever]

Having lived abroad for several years, I now find the US broadcast of the Olympics unwatchable. NBC = Nothing But Commercials.

[lonestar]

Oddly enough, I have zero desire to watch the Olympics this year. Usually I at least have a passing interest.






Except for beach volleyball of course, all those ladies deserve gold in my eyes.

[mike099]

Swimming, triathlon, cycling road race. Those will be my favorites. Although, my wife and I are having a baby this weekend, so I'll actually be off work for the entire Olympics. I may end up watching most events lol. No dressage though. Not sure how that's a sport.

Congrats on the upcoming baby. 

I love to watch the diving.

[Nekov]

I'm currently watching gymnastics, it's one of my favorite sports. I'll be following every competition where an Argentinian participates, but I'm mostly interested Basketball.

The US already got their first gold, and to no one's surprise it was in a shooting competition...

[SchecterShredder]

We get some great Olympic coverage here in Canada,  with CBC, SportsNet and TSN all sharing coverage. I almost never have to watch the NBC feed at all.

Watched some 4 man light rowing this morning.  You could actually see garbage floating in the rowing lanes.

[Anguyen92]

All right, I'd take back everything I said about my interest waning on these games.  Watching Swimming and Table Tennis streams online through the NBC Olympics site.  Screw the NBC Television coverage, though.  Live coverage and streams is always good.

[Another_Won]

I've always enjoyed the coverage.  Even if you haven't followed anything up until now, they always provide a good back story. 

Just watch it, very fun.  You can't go wrong rooting for America!

[splent]

All right, I'd take back everything I said about my interest waning on these games.  Watching Swimming and Table Tennis streams online through the NBC Olympics site.  Screw the NBC Television coverage, though.  Live coverage and streams is always good.

I forgot about live streaming!!!!  I hope to catch some table tennis tomorrow. That was always fun to watch. Watching NBC now because they have swimming live, but you're right about the stupid commercials, and they have freaking RYAN SEACREST at beach volleyball...

[Cool Chris]

The US already got their first gold, and to no one's surprise it was in a shooting competition...

  How did this gem go unnoticed?

Still mad Chicago didn't win the bid, but oh well.

They probably didn't want to give the olympics to a city that was swamped in crime, filth, and corruption. Oh wait....

The Olympics are the biggest yawn in the sports universe, and would take the gild, silver, and bronze in corruption if it wasn't for FIFA. Some dudes threw a heavy ball farther than other dudes... WOOHOO!

Bring on the start of the NFL season and MLB postseason!!

[jasc15]

I almost never have to watch the NBC feed at all.

Screw the NBC Television coverage, though.

The NBC coverage of the opening ceremony was atrocious.  Could they not have any prepared research material on the countries as they entered?  All they could say about Djibouti was "tee hee, shake Djibouti".  And "even though the USA is next, we're going to give the Federated States of Micronesia their due", and all they had to say was that they preceded USA.

[Snow Dog]

I almost never have to watch the NBC feed at all.

Screw the NBC Television coverage, though.

The NBC coverage of the opening ceremony was atrocious.  Could they not have any prepared research material on the countries as they entered?  All they could say about Djibouti was "tee hee, shake Djibouti".  And "even though the USA is next, we're going to give the Federated States of Micronesia their due", and all they had to say was that they preceded USA.

I grew tired of it too. Once the USA entered, I turned the TV off as I couldn't take the vapid, base, lowest common denominator commentary any more. Having the Today folks as announcers couldn't have been worse. Bob Costas' smug mug isn't much better either.

Anyone else notice they kept cutting back to Gisele a billion times every five seconds? Oh, she's dancing with her arms in the air. Back to the dancers on stage. Back to Gisele still waving her hands above her head. Back to the stage. Back to Gisele who, you guessed it, is still waving her arms to and fro. Some other crowd shots would suffice, or maybe, you know, keep the focus on the performers?

[Evermind]

Watching table tennis right now because that's mostly the only thing I'm interested. I prefer Winter Olympics by a huge margin. I'm interested in table tennis only because I actually play this thing regularly and it's interesting and somewhat enlightening to see how the pros are doing it.

[KevShmev]

I won't go out of my way to watch them, but I do prefer the summer olympics.  The swimming stuff is always awesome to watch; the rowing is great, too.

Anyone else notice they kept cutting back to Gisele a billion times every five seconds? Oh, she's dancing with her arms in the air. Back to the dancers on stage. Back to Gisele still waving her hands above her head. Back to the stage. Back to Gisele who, you guessed it, is still waving her arms to and fro. Some other crowd shots would suffice, or maybe, you know, keep the focus on the performers?

Sidebar: I will never understand how she is the most successful supermodel ever.  She cannot compare to others we've seen (her face is pretty average, although she obviously has a rocking bod), although I suspect much of her success comes from there being more money to be made now.  Christie Brinkley and Cindy Crawford would have put her to shame had they been in the same era.

[Big Hath]

Sidebar: I will never understand how she is the most successful supermodel ever.  She cannot compare to others we've seen (her face is pretty average, although she obviously has a rocking bod), although I suspect much of her success comes from there being more money to be made now.  Christie Brinkley and Cindy Crawford would have put her to shame had they been in the same era.

Elle Macpherson was always my favorite

[RoeDent]

What a night in the pool last night! Adam Peaty absolutely smashing his own world record in the 100 breaststroke for GB's first gold! He's taken 0.8 seconds off the world record in this meet alone! And Michael Phelps being Michael Phelps again in the 4x100 relay. He's still got it! France, the leaders when he dived in for his leg, were nowhere to be seen by the time he finished.

[MirrorMask]

I moderately like watching the Olympic games, although I do not make a point of staying up to watch the competitions... it's weird here in Italy because football eclipses EVERYTHING, so all year long all people talk about is football, and then suddenly they remember we have what's-their-name athletes who are very good at sports nobody really cares about.

Some athletes are famous, like Federica Pellegrini and Tania Cagnotto, but most of the guys and girls who will be winning medals in these Games, will be celebrated by the random average dude, as in "Wheee Italy won a medal in whatever" and they will forget about it as soon as the Serie A starts.

Just to make an example... there's a girl who won the Silver medal in fencing, and there was an article about her Instagram activities, 'cause she's pretty and well endowed and goes often to the sea so go figure.

I'm not saying that EVERYONE in italy only follows football, the other sports have their sincere and dedicated fanbase, but most of the time the olympic games are an occasion to celebrate once every 4 years valid athlethes who have the misfortune of not playing football.

[Nekov]

I spent the past couple of days watching the Olympics non stop. Archery, Table Tennis, Tennis, Soccer, Basketball, Gymnastics, you name it.

I'm super happy we got a gold medal in Judo, probably the only one we'll get. The girl that got it has been training super hard for years, also studying and becoming a doctor in the process.

[hefdaddy42]

Still mad Chicago didn't win the bid, but oh well.

To be fair, when I think "great summer location" I don't think Chicago.  That would be a weird place to host the summer Olympics.

[El Barto]

I had it on over the weekend, but it was mostly background noise. I did catch the end of the women's road race, which included that spectacular crash and a pretty dramatic ending. I've found NBC's coverage to be pretty shitty. It's naturally USA-centric and the commercials and commentary suck. I streamed bits of it from Canada and found it far more palatable. Sadly, the BBC IStream is a little too laggy over my VPN.

[chknptpie]

I love the Olympics, its the only time in 4 years that I watch all kinds of different sports.

That cycling crash was terrifying. I absolutely thought she died. Thankfully she is alive.

[pogoowner]

I love the Olympics, its the only time in 4 years that I watch all kinds of different sports.

That cycling crash was terrifying. I absolutely thought she died. Thankfully she is alive.

Yeah, that's always terrifying. I'm not sure most people realize just how often cyclists DO die during races.

[KevShmev]

Two words:

Katie Ledecky

 

[splent]

Lilly King. Yes.

[CrimsonSunrise]

I happened to catch the Mens Archery team take silver.  I'd never really watched archery before, but man...those guys are bad ass. Hitting a circle the size of a compact disc at 70m, wow!

[RoeDent]

The Games have come to life for us Brits this evening! Three bronze and two golds, including our first ever gold in diving! I have to say though, the Americans' final dive was epic!

And speaking of Americans, I see Michael Phelps was Phelpsing again last night. That man is incredible! Twenty-flippin-one gold medals to his name now!

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, he's amazing.