Summer Olympics thread

[chum1]

The drama of women's gymnastics is awesome.

[cfbandyman]

For me:

1. Track
2. Swimming
3. Handball (cause it's fun)
4. Beach volleyball
5. The end of anything cool or weird (pentathlon/marathon/triathlon)

I just enjoy the weird sports I guess. Even things like archery and table tennis and badminton are fun just to see it.

I am though super anti gymnastics/diving/equestrian/synchronized swimming et al. I do not like sports with subjectivity being the deciding factor in who wins. Does it make for great drama? Yes. Is it basically the sole reason why gymnastics for example is so popular? Probably. Is Simone Biles really rough ridin' good/any male/female gymnast doing incredible physical feats? Yes, absolutely.

But, I like something where it's clear cut, no argument who is best. Who jumped the highest, ran the fastest, swam the fastest, scored the most, etc. Diagraming slight faults as some arbitrary deduction for crap just doesn't sit well with me. Sorry not sorry.

[Pete]

Also because our women dominate gymnastics (usually). I like to watch just about anything we're good at.

Yep, same.

[Dugout DickStone]

my olympics thread is old enough to be in middle school

[Sandstone Outcropping]

For me:

1. Track
2. Swimming
3. Handball (cause it's fun)
4. Beach volleyball
5. The end of anything cool or weird (pentathlon/marathon/triathlon)

I just enjoy the weird sports I guess. Even things like archery and table tennis and badminton are fun just to see it.

I am though super anti gymnastics/diving/equestrian/synchronized swimming et al. I do not like sports with subjectivity being the deciding factor in who wins. Does it make for great drama? Yes. Is it basically the sole reason why gymnastics for example is so popular? Probably. Is Simone Biles really rough ridin' good/any male/female gymnast doing incredible physical feats? Yes, absolutely.

But, I like something where it's clear cut, no argument who is best. Who jumped the highest, ran the fastest, swam the fastest, scored the most, etc. Diagraming slight faults as some arbitrary deduction for crap just doesn't sit well with me. Sorry not sorry.

I know this is the summer olympics thread but man do the winter olympics have some oddball sports. There are probably 4 billion humans who have played soccer or competed in footraces of some sort but how many people on earth ever do biathlon or bobsledding even once?

[steve dave]

I don't really like watching the long running ones. too long. only like the short ones. also the throwing ones are kind of boring to me. heavy ball, heavy disc, spear, ball on chain, all the same. that said I'll sit and watch all of it.

[chum1]

how many people on earth ever do biathlon or bobsledding even once?

I was in Lake Placid last winter. You can ride a bobsled on their track, which is home to the US team. I did the skeleton. It was an absolute blast. Had a constant smile on my face for like an hour after.

[Spracne]

For me:

1. Track
2. Swimming
3. Handball (cause it's fun)
4. Beach volleyball
5. The end of anything cool or weird (pentathlon/marathon/triathlon)

I just enjoy the weird sports I guess. Even things like archery and table tennis and badminton are fun just to see it.

I am though super anti gymnastics/diving/equestrian/synchronized swimming et al. I do not like sports with subjectivity being the deciding factor in who wins. Does it make for great drama? Yes. Is it basically the sole reason why gymnastics for example is so popular? Probably. Is Simone Biles really rough ridin' good/any male/female gymnast doing incredible physical feats? Yes, absolutely.

But, I like something where it's clear cut, no argument who is best. Who jumped the highest, ran the fastest, swam the fastest, scored the most, etc. Diagraming slight faults as some arbitrary deduction for crap just doesn't sit well with me. Sorry not sorry.

I know this is the summer olympics thread but man do the winter olympics have some oddball sports. There are probably 4 billion humans who have played soccer or competed in footraces of some sort but how many people on earth ever do biathlon or bobsledding even once?

I like the Winter Olympics less being the smaller Nordic countries kind of dominate. How does one even get into biathlon or bobsledding? Is there like a grassroots program?

[Sandstone Outcropping]

For me:

1. Track
2. Swimming
3. Handball (cause it's fun)
4. Beach volleyball
5. The end of anything cool or weird (pentathlon/marathon/triathlon)

I just enjoy the weird sports I guess. Even things like archery and table tennis and badminton are fun just to see it.

I am though super anti gymnastics/diving/equestrian/synchronized swimming et al. I do not like sports with subjectivity being the deciding factor in who wins. Does it make for great drama? Yes. Is it basically the sole reason why gymnastics for example is so popular? Probably. Is Simone Biles really rough ridin' good/any male/female gymnast doing incredible physical feats? Yes, absolutely.

But, I like something where it's clear cut, no argument who is best. Who jumped the highest, ran the fastest, swam the fastest, scored the most, etc. Diagraming slight faults as some arbitrary deduction for crap just doesn't sit well with me. Sorry not sorry.

I know this is the summer olympics thread but man do the winter olympics have some oddball sports. There are probably 4 billion humans who have played soccer or competed in footraces of some sort but how many people on earth ever do biathlon or bobsledding even once?

I like the Winter Olympics less being the smaller Nordic countries kind of dominate. How does one even get into biathlon or bobsledding? Is there like a grassroots program?

No idea for bobsledding. Perhaps the biathalon people washed out of pure XC ski-ing and adapt to the shooting component.

[cfbandyman]

For me:

1. Track
2. Swimming
3. Handball (cause it's fun)
4. Beach volleyball
5. The end of anything cool or weird (pentathlon/marathon/triathlon)

I just enjoy the weird sports I guess. Even things like archery and table tennis and badminton are fun just to see it.

I am though super anti gymnastics/diving/equestrian/synchronized swimming et al. I do not like sports with subjectivity being the deciding factor in who wins. Does it make for great drama? Yes. Is it basically the sole reason why gymnastics for example is so popular? Probably. Is Simone Biles really rough ridin' good/any male/female gymnast doing incredible physical feats? Yes, absolutely.

But, I like something where it's clear cut, no argument who is best. Who jumped the highest, ran the fastest, swam the fastest, scored the most, etc. Diagraming slight faults as some arbitrary deduction for crap just doesn't sit well with me. Sorry not sorry.

I know this is the summer olympics thread but man do the winter olympics have some oddball sports. There are probably 4 billion humans who have played soccer or competed in footraces of some sort but how many people on earth ever do biathlon or bobsledding even once?

Absolutely, I'd say for me winter ones is:

1. Curling
2. Luge/Skeleton
3. Bobsled
4. Biathlon esp once the rifles come out
5. Speedskating esp short track.

[Spracne]

There is a curling club in my city that I've often considered joining. I can watch curling all day, every day. It's probably the only Olympic sport that I'd stand a chance of competing in.

[chum1]

There is a curling club in my city that I've often considered joining. I can watch curling all day, every day. It's probably the only Olympic sport that I'd stand a chance of competing in.

I highly recommend it. Clubs typically have like two hour "Learn to Curl" classes that go over the basics. Sometimes, they also have instructional leagues that give you additional foundation before you sign up for a regular league.

[Spracne]

There is a curling club in my city that I've often considered joining. I can watch curling all day, every day. It's probably the only Olympic sport that I'd stand a chance of competing in.

I highly recommend it. Clubs typically have like two hour "Learn to Curl" classes that go over the basics. Sometimes, they also have instructional leagues that give you additional foundation before you sign up for a regular league.

You curl, bro?

[star seed 7]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

[cfbandyman]

There is a curling club in my city that I've often considered joining. I can watch curling all day, every day. It's probably the only Olympic sport that I'd stand a chance of competing in.

I highly recommend it. Clubs typically have like two hour "Learn to Curl" classes that go over the basics. Sometimes, they also have instructional leagues that give you additional foundation before you sign up for a regular league.

Yes, agreed, and it's a lot of fun too. Little bit more of a workout with all the squatting then you'd think but obviously not that physically demanding. Probably the biggest mind eff I had when I first played is having one foot be more or less solid on the ice (and it is different ice than like ice skating, it's "pebbled" so it's actually fairly easy to walk on w/o slipping) and the other foot super slippery due to shoe you wear. Easiest way to mentally think of it is like razer scooter where you slippery foot is the one that doesn't move and the other is how you propel yourself down the ice.

[Spracne]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

I disagree. Respectfully, of course. The 100m, 200m, 400m are some of the most exciting horse races in the games. I think people like them because we're usually very competitive. Plus, there is a variety of events.

[chum1]

There is a curling club in my city that I've often considered joining. I can watch curling all day, every day. It's probably the only Olympic sport that I'd stand a chance of competing in.

I highly recommend it. Clubs typically have like two hour "Learn to Curl" classes that go over the basics. Sometimes, they also have instructional leagues that give you additional foundation before you sign up for a regular league.

You curl, bro?

Yep. It's a growing sport!

[star seed 7]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

I disagree. Respectfully, of course. The 100m, 200m, 400m are some of the most exciting horse races in the games. I think people like them because we're usually very competitive. Plus, there is a variety of events.

[Spracne]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

I disagree. Respectfully, of course. The 100m, 200m, 400m are some of the most exciting horse races in the games. I think people like them because we're usually very competitive. Plus, there is a variety of events.

It's probably one of the oldest sports, dating back to ancient times. So what do you prefer instead? Rhythmic Gymnastics?

[cfbandyman]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

I disagree. Respectfully, of course. The 100m, 200m, 400m are some of the most exciting horse races in the games. I think people like them because we're usually very competitive. Plus, there is a variety of events.

Yup, seeing who the fastest human is in the 100m is worth the less than 10 seconds it lasts to watch.

[star seed 7]

Why do all of you like track so much? It's like literally one of the most boring events in any Olympics.

I disagree. Respectfully, of course. The 100m, 200m, 400m are some of the most exciting horse races in the games. I think people like them because we're usually very competitive. Plus, there is a variety of events.

It's probably one of the oldest sports, dating back to ancient times. So what do you prefer instead? Rhythmic Gymnastics?

Hell yes

[chum1]

Track is just a classic event. I think the races are exciting from beginning to end. In the longer ones, you can see the strategizing about how to run the race. Where to position themselves, when to push the pace. Then they literally collapse at the finish line because they've pushed themselves so hard.

It also always amuses me how the top 100 and 200 m runners are like total flamboyant divas.

[wetwillie]

I'll watch the soccer at the end of July. 

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Track is just a classic event. I think the races are exciting from beginning to end. In the longer ones, you can see the strategizing about how to run the race. Where to position themselves, when to push the pace. Then they literally collapse at the finish line because they've pushed themselves so hard.

It also always amuses me how the top 100 and 200 m runners are like total flamboyant divas.

Usain Bolt in the 100M at Beijing remains one of the 2 or 3 most electrifying (non-KSU) sports things I've ever watched. He obliterates the best competition in the world and smashes a WR while kicking off his victory celebration 15 meters before the race ends. Still unbelievable:

https://youtu.be/F14EaVEDyUs?si=okeM3YrWWbaGU_Cl

[catastrophe]

Track is just a classic event. I think the races are exciting from beginning to end. In the longer ones, you can see the strategizing about how to run the race. Where to position themselves, when to push the pace. Then they literally collapse at the finish line because they've pushed themselves so hard.

It also always amuses me how the top 100 and 200 m runners are like total flamboyant divas.

Usain Bolt in the 100M at Beijing remains one of the 2 or 3 most electrifying (non-KSU) sports things I've ever watched. He obliterates the best competition in the world and smashes a WR while kicking off his victory celebration 15 meters before the race ends. Still unbelievable:

https://youtu.be/F14EaVEDyUs?si=okeM3YrWWbaGU_Cl

I agree with this, while at the same time agreeing that track and field is on average the most boring of the summer events. Except maybe for weightlifting which seems like it should be cool but ultimately is not.

I will seek out watching swimming, beach volleyball, gymnastics, and water polo. I can also get sucked into pretty much anything, though.