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I'm watching the Olympics, as I do pretty much 24/7 every two years, and it's got me thinking. The first Olympics I can remember watching are Calgary and Seoul, '88. I was eight, and I really didn't comprehend that the events weren't happening in real time as I watched them. As far as I knew, I was watching things as they happened, and it was awesome to watch them in that way, even though it wasn't actually true.

Nowadays, if you want to watch or know who wins what in real-time (or early, according to NBC), you've got so many options: social media, video streams of dubious quality and legality, in many cases even officially with the ridiculous amount of channels carrying sports all day here in the States.

So I'm thinking, how do you guys watch the Games? Do you avoid the spoilers until you can watch them on TV? Try to find out everything that happens as it happens, whether that's in text or on video? Which is better?

I've been largely avoiding spoilers most days, and watching what I can live, or what passes for live. But the more I watch, the more it starts to feel hollow to see NBC's careful packaging of events that really happened hours ago for maximum dramatic effect. The more I get to see things live, the less I like the primetime coverage.

Anyway, what do you think, both about my question and the Olympics in general this year? Got any favorite sports, favorite athletes?

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

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I absolutely love the Olympics. I generally cheer for the USA, but more often I find myself cheering for individual athletes based on whims: a certain 1500m runner because he's running with a look on his face that seems to say 'well geez, if this isn't neat-o!', an athlete from Slovenia (because how many of those do you come across?), or a women's volleyball duo because one of the pair is rather attractive. I guess it comes down to this: I just love rooting for people.

I also love less-common sports. I was a thrower in highschool, so I love to see those (did anyone see the beard on that Pole who one the shotput? Oh, I almost forgot - I also cheer for the athletes with the best beards).
Steeple chase is another favorite - jumping over mini-hurdles, one of which is followed by a small pool.
I hadn't really watched the rowing events until this year, but I found them pretty fun; still fast-paced, but something different. Whitewater kayaking was surprisingly intense as well, especially since one rapid can throw someone out of contention - or right into it.
I also enjoyed getting to see some of the lesser-known team sports in action, like water polo, handball and floor hockey. I appreciated being able to see full matches so that I could actually get an idea for how the sport works in general, rather than just seeing highlights.

As far as Josh's other question, I actually like the way NBC current has coverage set up. By putting the major events during primetime, it leaves more open time during the day to show some of the events we otherwise might not be able to see. Plus, I feel like I would miss some of the major events if it were otherwise; as coverage is now, I can casually have the Olympics on in the background much of the day, knowing that I won't be missing anything big due to the primetime coverage. It means I have to avoid hearing spoilers, but so far I haven't really had much of a problem shielding myself.

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Quote (Death Penalty @ 4th August 2012 00:41)

I also love less-common sports. I was a thrower in highschool, so I love to see those (did anyone see the beard on that Pole who one the shotput? Oh, I almost forgot - I also cheer for the athletes with the best beards).

That's a principle I follow not just in sports!

I remember having the '96 Dream Team's poster in my room for a long time, but I didn't really start watching until last year, and I've watched more than I ever have this year. I don't pay close attention to any sport. I personally like the way that NBC has packaged them, giving what are basically the highlights of tracks, swimming, and gymnastics. If they focused on one at a time, it might be, for me as a casual observor, too boring.

Now, so far my favorite moment has been the women's long distance running competition. The Ethiopian defending champion was waiting in second place. Then, after 24 laps, they sounded a bell for the final lap, and she went into a full sprint (this was after 28 minutes of jogging!). I think she won by 6 seconds. It was awesome. It was like she was just toying with them.

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Praise Be To Helix!

BlitzSage's post reminded me of something about this year's Olympics. I have actively avoided watching the USA Men's basketball team, from changing the channel when they come on to even not watching anything at all when they are the only option. This is despite one of the roster coming from my alma mater (Deron Williams) and another from my hometown (Andre Iguodala). I just don't think this roster of guys have the requisite class to represent my country, as a group, and I just am not interested in watching them. I'm not going to say that the original (and only) '92 Dream Team was made up of the best possible role models, but they went out and won big and won with tons of class, and I just don't see these guys doing it the same.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (Rangers51 @ 4th August 2012 12:48)

BlitzSage's post reminded me of something about this year's Olympics. I have actively avoided watching the USA Men's basketball team, from changing the channel when they come on to even not watching anything at all when they are the only option. This is despite one of the roster coming from my alma mater (Deron Williams) and another from my hometown (Andre Iguodala). I just don't think this roster of guys have the requisite class to represent my country, as a group, and I just am not interested in watching them. I'm not going to say that the original (and only) '92 Dream Team was made up of the best possible role models, but they went out and won big and won with tons of class, and I just don't see these guys doing it the same.

I haven't watched them either. I don't like the idea of a country dominating a sport because it makes its players multi-millionaires. I just don't think it's very fair. I know that they're all compensated, but in other sports their focus is the Olympics, and it's pretty clear that these players are more focused on the NBA season. Maybe I'm not even griping about sports, but I'm just getting tired of American professional sports, where it's about wealth and not pride.

That's why I don't watch them either, because it's not competitive, or it shouldn't be. Then again, this team actually came close to getting beat, only winning by five against Lithuania. The difference between the '12 team and the '92 team is that the Dream Team really wanted to win. Obviously, MJ wanted to win everything, but the rest of the team was filled with multiple champions too. They would never have let Lithuania nearly beat them, because they were too competitive.

So, instead of watching them, I've focused more on track, and I can't wait to watch wrestling when it airs tomorrow. I've never watched Olympic wrestling before, but I'm looking forward to getting into it, mainly because I've loved pro wrestling for many years (but the pro wrestling I love is when it's more realistic or skillful). But so far, the events I've loved the most is track and field. The South African double amputee was awesome to watch.

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Praise Be To Helix!

Quote (BlitzSage @ 4th August 2012 20:20)

Quote (Rangers51 @ 4th August 2012 12:48)

BlitzSage's post reminded me of something about this year's Olympics. I have actively avoided watching the USA Men's basketball team, from changing the channel when they come on to even not watching anything at all when they are the only option. This is despite one of the roster coming from my alma mater (Deron Williams) and another from my hometown (Andre Iguodala). I just don't think this roster of guys have the requisite class to represent my country, as a group, and I just am not interested in watching them. I'm not going to say that the original (and only) '92 Dream Team was made up of the best possible role models, but they went out and won big and won with tons of class, and I just don't see these guys doing it the same.

I haven't watched them either. I don't like the idea of a country dominating a sport because it makes its players multi-millionaires. I just don't think it's very fair. I know that they're all compensated, but in other sports their focus is the Olympics, and it's pretty clear that these players are more focused on the NBA season. Maybe I'm not even griping about sports, but I'm just getting tired of American professional sports, where it's about wealth and not pride.

That's why I don't watch them either, because it's not competitive, or it shouldn't be. Then again, this team actually came close to getting beat, only winning by five against Lithuania. The difference between the '12 team and the '92 team is that the Dream Team really wanted to win. Obviously, MJ wanted to win everything, but the rest of the team was filled with multiple champions too. They would never have let Lithuania nearly beat them, because they were too competitive.

So, instead of watching them, I've focused more on track, and I can't wait to watch wrestling when it airs tomorrow. I've never watched Olympic wrestling before, but I'm looking forward to getting into it, mainly because I've loved pro wrestling for many years (but the pro wrestling I love is when it's more realistic or skillful). But so far, the events I've loved the most is track and field. The South African double amputee was awesome to watch.

I'm in the same boat; (1) I don't really have very much interest in basketball to begin with, (2) there's enough basketball on ESPN during the regular year that it just doesn't prick my interest in comparison to some of the other really neat or unusual events, and (3) the athletes don't really inspire me in the same way, which is pretty much what you both have already said.

On one hand, I've been really happy to see the guys on the team going to watch other events, and the fact that so many big names are willing to share the spotlight also shows a certain willingness to step up. On the other hand, though, they just seem to be acting so much like they normally do in the NBA: that is to say, as if they're going to put forth the minimal effort to get the recognition/pay they want.

I was surprised to see that Lithuania score. They say Lithuania is a major power in basketball, and they certainly looked the part, but I feel like that doesn't excuse the USA barely sneaking by. Lithuania may be great, but the USA has some of the top paid athletes in the entire world - there really shouldn't be any 'close calls.'

PS Blitzsage-- I watched some Greco-Roman wrestling today for the first time. I can't believe they aren't alowed to leg tackle - the amount of upper-body strength required must be incredible. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, how the points are scored and all, but once I did I got pretty into it.

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

Lithuania beat the U.S. in 2004, forcing Team USA to settle for bronze. They also gave the 2000 team its biggest scare. There's that, and the fact that Lithuania is a basketball-obsessed nation that has had several talented players over the years. The legendary USSR center that dominated the U.S. team and outplayed a young David Robinson in the Olympic semifinals in 1988, Arvydas Sabonis, is a native Lithuanian.

To say that NBA basketball players all play for "wealth and not pride" is shortsighted and ignorant bordering on insulting, but I won't go there. The original Dream Team is better than the 2012 team not for talent reasons, but for the original novelty and common philosophy of the team; no NBA players had collaborated on a single team like this before, and during practices the intense competition between fierce rivals pushed everyone involved to new heights. Charles Barkley in particular - he was the highest scorer on the Dream Team and had has most successful NBA season in 1992-1993 following the Olympics, because practicing for that tournament and being pushed by MJ and the rest of the Dream Team legends. If you want a good take on the original Dream Team, read Golden Boys by Cameron Stouth. Really interesting and illuminating, with honest and mostly-positive takes on every player, coach, and organizer involved, with the possible exception of Christian Laettner (Stauth isn't too keen on Laettner).

The current Team USA is, well, part of a different culture now. These players all know each other from their AAU days in high school. They attend the same camps, same sponsor events, same everything. With a few exceptions, the large majority of top NBA players are friends off the court and the killer instinct and ferocious competitiveness of Michael Jordan isn't around anymore. Instead of a team of players determined to win and pushing themselves to new heights by playing together, this is a group of friends believing they will win and treating this almost like a vacation. It's not motivated only by money, or else the 2000 team would've lost badly (that team had several charter members of the "too much, too young, too soon" generation of basketball players of the 1990s).

And there's also the case of basketball being 1000x more international now than it was 20 years ago. Non-American players won the NBA MVP award for three years in a row (2005-2007) and every year there are multiple NBA All-Star players from outside the United States. To say that the new team is struggling because of "money over pride" or that they lack class is incorrect. I've seen four televised basketball games in this year's Olympics and watched one exhibition game in person a month ago in Washington, D.C. These guys aren't the original Dream Team, but no one is. They play with more class and professionalism than you guys are willing to admit.

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END SPOILER

Quote (Death Penalty @ 5th August 2012 21:59)

PS Blitzsage-- I watched some Greco-Roman wrestling today for the first time. I can't believe they aren't alowed to leg tackle - the amount of upper-body strength required must be incredible. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, how the points are scored and all, but once I did I got pretty into it.

I've actually not watched it before either. My main interest comes from my love of '80s pro wrestling (the Flair/Steamboat style of more realistic pro wrestling). I think in freestyle they can go below the torso. the freestyle wrestlers can do things like ankle locks and toe-holds. But I agree that the Greco-roman guys have impressive upper body strength. From what I've seen though, from a limited amount of watching, freestyle is a bit more exciting and quickly paced.

By the way, I've learned that my favorite sport at the Olympics is volleyball, because that might be the only sport I was ever good at.

This post has been edited by BlitzSage on 6th August 2012 04:54

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Praise Be To Helix!

Other than catching a couple swimming and gymnastics events (and the controversial fencing decision), the only events I've been following have been men's and women's soccer, and since most of my friends apparently haven't paid them any attention, it's been extremely easy to avoid spoilers (btw, I haven't watched any games today, so please refrain from commenting on their outcomes). NBC Sports has been running them more or less non-stop for several days now, so it's quite easy for me to catch them when I have time (or, rather, to record them and watch them at a convenient time).

I've actually been watching the Olympics on and off, and this very realization that what I was seeing wasn't live came to me yesterday. I sort of found myself disappointed, but at the same time, I realized I haven't been paying any attention to the games on the Internet, so I had nothing to worry about.

That said, I watched the Woman's Soccer finals yesterday and was super impressed with the way it went. I won't ruin it here, although I imagine Kane has seen the outcome by now.

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