Olympics Blogging

~ Laura

I finally finished one of my two articles that I'm cramming to finish up this week. I have about 40 minutes before I have to make turkey meatballs, sauce, and ginger carrot soup. So, LET'S BLOG! 

Like everyone else, we did some serious Olympics bingeing this weekend. I can't wait until Track and Field starts. I will become completely insufferable when that happens. Just warning 'ya.

Because Steve and I spent long hours debating about what Olympic sports are totaly stupid, we really loved Kieran Healy's chart on this topic. 

OlympicSports

UPDATE: Every single person in America is pissed at NBC's coverage of the Olympics. Totally. 

Published by Laura

12 thoughts on “Olympics Blogging”

  1. I can’t wait until the Olympics are over. Literally the only upside of this event, as far as I can see, is that one of the bookstore chains here in Canada gives a special discount the day after a Canadian athlete wins a medal. Which promotes the stupid jingoistic nationalism which makes me hate the event even moreso but, hey, saved me a couple of bucks today.

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  2. I haven’t watched a single bit of Olympics yet, except on Friday night I took the Raggirls to a Minor League Baseball game in Trenton (double header!), and they were airing it on mute on various televisions that I walked under.
    As a person in America, I am therefore completely indifferent to NBC’s coverage.

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  3. We have been totally rocking the olympics this year, mostly because this year, both the kiddos are playing sports pretty hard. We watched the entire opening ceremonies (which I always like, unless they’re being organized by an oppressive regime) and then watched several basketball games (live, via the comcast simulcast), gymnastics, swimming, and the US men’s waterpolo. We actually tried to watch some pistol shooting, but I decided it was too boring. And, I was surprised to see how rough a game team handball is.
    I loved the story about the 37 year old gymnast (vaulting for Germany — she moved there from Uzbekistan when the gymnastics club offered to pay for her 3 yo son’s leukemia treatment). She’s actually favored to medal, so not just a competitor for the sake of being there.
    I find the politics of the non-headline sports fascinating. Kiddos were wondering what sport they might be able to squeeze into the olympics in (especially since they might potentially being able to sign on to an under-represented country to participate). We read the NY Times magazine article, which suggests possible martial arts or weight lifting.

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  6. I watched the Olympics in 1980 (USA hockey win!) then never really watched them again over the next 30 years. Weird. But I’ve been watching this year for some reason. Maybe because they’re in London, and I love London?
    I will say this: swimming is freakin’ boring. So’s cycling.

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  7. I watched gymnastics last night. I was a Keri strug fan–who wasn’t? And, of course, there was Nadia. I watched the opening ceremonies, and like every other American, was annoyed by NBC. I mean, they didn’t know who Tim Berners-Lee was, gah!

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  8. I wish NBC would show sports in which Americans AREN’T favored to medal.
    On the brighter side, NBC Olympics live will allow you to watch coverage of the day’s contests online. Last night, my older son and I enjoyed watching replays of a women’s fencing final (Italian vs. Italian, moving so quickly! fun!) and coverage of rowing events.

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  9. The bagging on equestrian sports is, at best, lame and more likely a bit stupid. They have been part of the olympics from the earliest days
    (Patton represented the US in one event!) and in some form were even in the ancient games. And Dressage is more exciting than,say, fencing.

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  10. Sailing is an Olympic sport, too. They even had a motor boat race in 1908.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_motorsports_at_the_1908_Summer_Olympics
    I have a soft spot for the ridiculous 1904 St. Louis Olympics.
    http://www.pitara.com/discover/5wh/online.asp?story=76
    “To start with, a separate category called ‘Anthropology Days’ was introduced. Minority communities and tribals had to compete in this separate category and were pitted against one another…These participants were to compete in such events such as mud fighting, rock throwing, greased-pole climbing and spear throwing.”
    Rock throwing and spear throwing are essentially the same as shotput and javelin, so that’s not very impressive. The greased pole must have been very entertaining, though.
    Another edifying story from the 1904 Olympics: “St. Louis was to host a major world’s fair in 1903, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. But the St. Louis organizers were behind schedule in their planning so they moved the exposition back to 1904. And the St. Louis organizers wanted the Olympic Games to be part of the fair. They threatened to hold competing Olympics if Chicago did not allow them to have the Games. Chicago eventually acquiesced.”
    http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1904/

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  11. Dressage falls in the category of compromise sports, doesn’t it? Dressage stays as long as people acquiesce to adding sports like synchronized diving or table tennis that a different set of nations can compete in.
    I have a problem with sports where the equipment is specific to the individual. I believe (though am not sure) that the olympic sailing (unlike America’s Cup) is done in similar class boats (so, sailing is like skiing and running, where people might use better skis or shoes, but they are within a class). Dressage fails this test for me, adding the even bigger problem of including a non-human animal in the competition (one of my kiddos thinks dog sled racing should be added to the winter olympics).

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  12. “one of my kiddos thinks dog sled racing should be added to the winter olympics…”
    Your kid needs to send a letter to the Olympic committee. That is brilliant.

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