2024 Summer Olympics

[Jimbo]

It's that time of the quadrennial again.  I liked the outside-the-box thinking for the OC.  The Parade of Nations along the Seine, then the streets of Paris instead of a stadium.

The absence of Weir/Lapinski as commentators was noticeable.  I was OK with Clarkson/Manning.  Interesting combination.

I like Mike Turico as host.

 

[madbad2000]

I also like the different take on the OC.  I liked that they used the normal boats that do tours on the seine.  Nice touch to include everyday Paris in it   I thought the biggest downside was the water horse and how long it was out there.  I get they were emptying athletes from the boats and getting them into the stadium, but just keeping the shot on the horse for what felt like 30 mins was overkill.  Then another long stretch on the torch where they are taking it on the river.  I would have cut away to some crowd shots just to break up the single shot on these legs.  And please have your crew wipe off the camera lens in between cuts too.  They probably also had too many people on the last leg of the torch.  Even my 7 year old was mocking them.  How many more handoffs can they get in?  Loved the balloon cauldron.  Celine crushed her set.  A bit long overall on the OC, but enjoyable. 

[GAME05]

So mocking The Last Supper, a golden calf and even a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

[Samurai Bucky]

3 hours ago, GAME05 said:

So mocking The Last Supper, a golden calf and even a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

You know what?  There was some awesome paint drying at the Samurai abode.  It seems like that was more entertaining than the opening ceremonies.

[Fear The Chorizo]

That was about the most disjointed, random, scattershot OC that ive seen....really miss the parade of athletes on foot into a stadium for the unique storyline of smaller countries compared to replicating a boat parade where you don't see anyone and it kind of takes the Olympic moment away from the athletes walking onto the world stage.

Would have been more culturally significant had they just passed out baguettes and wine to everyone and had them walk under the arc de triumph.

 

[homer]

French are gonna French...

As for the events themselves, I like the US gymnast dude with the glasses. That guy rules.

[Vgmastr]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:40 AM, GAME05 said:

So mocking The Last Supper, a golden calf and even a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

It had nothing to do with any of that.  It was all imagery from Greek mythology, since that's where the Olympics originated.

[homer]

Beast mode activated:

 

 

[igor67]

Her name is very close to an anagram of I'm a Mauler, more or less.

[homer]

14 minutes ago, igor67 said:

Her name is very close to an anagram of I'm a Mauler, more or less.

Pittsburgh Maulers should sign her. 

[nate82]

4 hours ago, homer said:

Beast mode activated:

 

 

That is just unfair.  That is like watching a HS senior playing against a pee wee football team.  The other girls are like ants compared to her though fairly impressive of how fast she can move at her size, kind of reminds me of how fast Fielder was for his size. 

[BrewerFan]

8 hours ago, Vgmastr said:

It had nothing to do with any of that.  It was all imagery from Greek mythology, since that's where the Olympics originated.

It just so happened to be an all drag version that looked nearly identical to the last supper?

C'mon...justify it or defend it, don't pretend it wasn't obvious what they were doing. IF they'd came up with this idea to have people lined up at a table, certainly the French, the Catholic Church's "eldest daughter" could/would have picked up on what EVERYONE else picked up on during the months/years of preparation.

It seemed a rather obvious thumb in the eye to...a couple of billion people in order to make a point. And that's fine, I'm not one of those people...but I just find it a bit hard to believe they'd have done that with any other Religious event as consequential to any other Religion. 

[BrewerFan]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:40 AM, GAME05 said:

So mocking The Last Supper, a golden calf and even a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

I was just confused as to the why. 

Oh well...been a great Olympics thus far. Next week should be even better!

[Vgmastr]

6 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

It just so happened to be an all drag version that looked nearly identical to the last supper?

C'mon...justify it or defend it, don't pretend it wasn't obvious what they were doing. IF they'd came up with this idea to have people lined up at a table, certainly the French, the Catholic Church's "eldest daughter" could/would have picked up on what EVERYONE else picked up on during the months/years of preparation.

It seemed a rather obvious thumb in the eye to...a couple of billion people in order to make a point. And that's fine, I'm not one of those people...but I just find it a bit hard to believe they'd have done that with any other Religious event as consequential to any other Religion. 

Yes, it was based on the Greek God Dionysus and a 17th century painting of him:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/29/olympic-last-supper-scene-based-painting-greek-gods-art-experts

[homer]

I think we can move on from the opening ceremony discussion. Thanks.

[homer]

I don't know anything about rugby, but is this like hitting a Hail Mary in football except it's a handoff to the fullback?

[Jimbo]

Good to see the discussion picking up.

I haven't seen anything too compelling as of yet.  I liked how the crowd "serenated" the French butterfly dude each time he came up for air.  Ex-Badger Lauren Carlini deactivated from the volleyball team after one match.  Hope she comes back so I can at least watch her.

 

[MrTPlush]

On 7/30/2024 at 1:41 PM, homer said:

I don't know anything about rugby, but is this like hitting a Hail Mary in football except it's a handoff to the fullback?

Is there an expert Rugby analysis of this somewhere? Feels like such a choke job defensively. It is almost like everyone on the field just kinda shrugged their shoulders and thought the match was over...except the ballcarrier. It is like they just assumed she wasn't going to give much effort to run the field and after the first missed tackle no one was actually prepared to make a play to stop her. 

Props to the ballcarrier actually believing she could pull that off. 

[kestrel79]

2 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Is there an expert Rugby analysis of this somewhere? Feels like such a choke job defensively. It is almost like everyone on the field just kinda shrugged their shoulders and thought the match was over...except the ballcarrier. It is like they just assumed she wasn't going to give much effort to run the field and after the first missed tackle no one was actually prepared to make a play to stop her. 

Props to the ballcarrier actually believing she could pull that off. 

Shouldn't there have been a "Safety" playing way back just in case someone broke one like that? Just seems like a epic collapse in D from the other team.

[young guns]

I've watched quite a bit of the rugby in the past few Olympics and while I'm not an expert I can give some analysis.  Getting a breakaway like that happens a lot.  There isn't a safety position, because the game is designed to be passed horizontally till you can find a break in the line or just outrun them to the edge, so it's close to everyone being manned up 1 on 1 and no way to have one.  The clock is essentially meaningless in that it's not like where football once she's tacked the play is over.  A "play" in this sense is almost like an offensive series.  The game ends if the other team is able to gain position and, usually, kicks it out of bounds.  At the end of the first half it is the same and the team with the ball is able to try and score to end the half, but sometimes the other team is able to win possession and score too.

 

Ultimately it could probably be more looked at as a walkoff home run as opposed to a hail Mary, because they were able to score it in one big burst as oppossed to "small balling" it down the field.

[Jimbo]

Thursday observations:

Watched the women's AA.  It was a two-way battle for gold and a three-way for bronze.  Unless I turned my head away for a moment, NBC didn't show the final standings.  Would have been nice to see how spread out everyone ended up.  Really, NBC?

People complain about the numerous "up-close" features.  I found the one on Katie Douglass informative and value-added.  The pieces on Simone and Suni were unnecessary, people who care already know who they are.  Really, NBC?

Ex-Badger Phoebe Bacon swims today in one of the finals.

Being middle-Friday, track begins today.  After NBC's highly panned production of the trials, I'll be watching most of it on peacock.  My understanding is they will be using Europe's feed.  Beginning 1730 today through the weekend, my plan is to be on the couch taking as much in.

As you can see, I have issues with NBC.  My rants should decrease as my usage of peacock increases.

 

[homer]

 

 

[Jimbo]

Friday observations:

I'm noticing a pattern.  Two American s can be in a final, but if only one medals, only that person gets interviewed.  Really, NBC?

I notice the schedule for this weekend and see a pattern.  The marquee events in gymnastics, swimming and T&F are staggered to minimize the overlap and can be viewed live in North America in the early afternoon.

 

[Jimbo]

On 8/2/2024 at 9:45 AM, homer said:

 

 

I watching the men's gold medal match this morning.  The thing is, they don't shoot straight, they have to arc it.  And the exit velocity is like 120 mph.

 

[Jimbo]

Saturday's observations:

My first chance to post.

I don't get too excited about medal totals in swimming.  It's false to compare against athletes in other sports.  However, Ledecky's fourth straight gold in the same events transcends all sports.

Richardson was slow getting out of the blocks in both the semi and final 100.  It wasn't even close.

My favorite trackster isn't American, it's Dutch Femke Bol.  The Dutch put her in to anchor the mixed-sex 4x4.  In the last 150 meters, she goes from 4th to 1st to win gold.  It's like having Ohtani as a pinch-hitter.