Olympics Thread (Doping Scandal!?)

[Dakini]

Because it provides both national pride and positive role models for kids to look up to.

So jingoism.

Also Olympic athletes are in no-way role models. Kids should look up to Drs, scientists, engineers and such. You know actually useful people. Not ego driven “stars”.

I’m not against it existing, I just think it’s a ridiculous and unjustifiable use of taxpayer money.

So what you're saying is that we should try doing something more like how the ancient Greeks did these events?

They had the Olympics every four years, but they also had contests involving poetry and dramatic plays and so on every four years. We could have like the Science and Engineering Olympics the year after the Summer Olympics and the Arts Olympics the year after the Winter Olympics or something.

[CoraSpia]

So jingoism.

Also Olympic athletes are in no-way role models. Kids should look up to Drs, scientists, engineers and such. You know actually useful people. Not ego driven “stars”.

I’m not against it existing, I just think it’s a ridiculous and unjustifiable use of taxpayer money.

So what you're saying is that we should try doing something more like how the ancient Greeks did these events?

They had the Olympics every four years, but they also had contests involving poetry and dramatic plays and so on every four years. We could have like the Science and Engineering Olympics the year after the Summer Olympics and the Arts Olympics the year after the Winter Olympics or something.

The arts Olympics used to be a part of the 'modern' Olympics in the early days. I wish they'd never taken it out honestly.

[The Two Jerseys]

The men's road race concluded in a non-exciting fashion as the winner ran away with it a bit. In context, an underdog story though based on previous results alone, the winner was probably among the favourites.

Bronze and silver was, however, too close to call... a bunch of cyclists sprinted in. I could've sworn the guy they gave the silver was third.

The NZ interest dissipated back at the start of the final climb... which was the part that really drew you in. Apparently, it was a bad idea to not do the Tour de France beforehand.

New Olympic Record goes to Javad Foroughi of Iran in the men's 10-meter air pistol, with h 244.8 points

meanwhile, China took the first gold medal of the Olympics, with Qian Yang in the women's 10 meter air rifle

In opposite news, this is the first time since 1980 (if you include the boycott) or 1972 (if you don't), that the US won no medals whatsoever on day 1.

At one time, it looked like at least a silver was certain for the USA in the cycling road race.

Carapaz won the 2019 Giro d'Italia and finished third in this year's Tour de France, he was definitely one of the contenders. It looks like Pogacar and van Aert just underestimated how much he had left in the tank and made a tactical error by not going with his attack.

[Kerwa]

So what you're saying is that we should try doing something more like how the ancient Greeks did these events?

They had the Olympics every four years, but they also had contests involving poetry and dramatic plays and so on every four years. We could have like the Science and Engineering Olympics the year after the Summer Olympics and the Arts Olympics the year after the Winter Olympics or something.

That would be cool. Just not publicly funded. It would be amazing to see people compete in poetry and then run off and beat the crap out of each other in the pankration.

[Kannap]

Do enough people even care about the Olympics anymore?

Over three billion people watch it, so yeah seems like a lot of people still care about it.

I wouldn't mind if it was just shelved until climate change gets resolved if that ever does happen. For the typical country/locale hosting the games, its a huge waste of money and what does get built has to be torn down after its over or never gets reused for one reason or another. For the local residents, its more of a burden to be avoided than some genuinely grand event.

[worst person you know just made a great point meme image here]

[Saiwania]

Also Olympic athletes are in no-way role models. Kids should look up to Drs, scientists, engineers and such. You know actually useful people. Not ego driven “stars”.

This appears to be the tired old "hating on jocks" attitude some people have. Athletics doesn't need to mean that someone can't excel academically or isn't as smart and so on. If professional athletes earn a lot of money, it is what the market will bear and they probably deserve the high pay given how that type of career can't be done indefinitely and those people are sacrificing their physical wellbeing and practice like mad to keep being able to perform well or to handle the extreme competition they're up against.

[Kannap]

Because it provides both national pride and positive role models for kids to look up to.

So jingoism.

Also Olympic athletes are in no-way role models. Kids should look up to Drs, scientists, engineers and such. You know actually useful people. Not ego driven “stars”.

I’m not against it existing, I just think it’s a ridiculous and unjustifiable use of taxpayer money.

I know it's not a popular idea in America, but I think it would good for children to see Olympic athletes and aspire to be them. Nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier and more athletic.

[Torisakia]

I just hope every country involved has a fun time.

[Kerwa]

This appears to be the tired old "hating on jocks" attitude some people have. Athletics doesn't need to mean that someone can't excel academically or isn't as smart and so on. If professional athletes earn a lot of money, it is what the market will bear and they probably deserve the high pay given how that type of career can't be done indefinitely and those people are sacrificing their physical wellbeing and practice like mad to keep being able to perform well or to handle the extreme competition they're up against.

It’s not hating on “jocks”. I’ve no problem with athletes making a lot of money. I object to using public funds to facilitate it. Soccer is self funding. Why can’t the olympics be likewise.

That money would be better spent on local sports programs, sports centers and so forth instead of having people vicariously “enjoy” sport on tv.

[Kerwa]

I know it's not a popular idea in America, but I think it would good for children to see Olympic athletes and aspire to be them. Nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier and more athletic.

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

[Torisakia]

I know it's not a popular idea in America, but I think it would good for children to see Olympic athletes and aspire to be them. Nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier and more athletic.

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

I mean if people can view humans with IQs no much higher than a green bean who sit in a nation's capital and wind their asses and scratch their watches all day as role models, then athletes can be viewed as role models too.

In fact, I'd say athletes are more influential than the former.

[CoraSpia]

I know it's not a popular idea in America, but I think it would good for children to see Olympic athletes and aspire to be them. Nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier and more athletic.

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

My ex did dressage, she wasn't hugely wealthy. It's a bit more accessible than people think.

[Kannap]

I know it's not a popular idea in America, but I think it would good for children to see Olympic athletes and aspire to be them. Nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier and more athletic.

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

because that's the biggest, most popular sport in the Olympics, right.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

This is quickly starting to sound like "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" but replace 100 meters with any Olympic event lol

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

because that's the biggest, most popular sport in the Olympics, right.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

This is quickly starting to sound like "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" but replace 100 meters with any Olympic event lol

"You're just jealous" is the mark of those who've been full of shit about everything else. From market-worshippers who say leftists are "just jealous" of businesspeople, and then subsequently say things about welfare that have been discredited by Scandinavia, to "try teens as kids" types who say opponents thereof are "just jealous" they're less employable than people with juvenile criminal records, before they realize the people they're saying that about are gainfully employed.

You want to think you're going to be the first exception?

[Forsher]

Anyway I really don't care about the Olympics and I think it's a waste of money. That money can be used for something better.

Think of sporting contests as being like live theatre, operas, concerts, ballet etc... sites of cultural production for the wellbeing of the global populace.

Of course, sport also has more hooligans and so on that live theatre etc (with some exceptions... haha), but that's not inherent. Ah, to wander through the Domain and pause upon a game of, honestly no idea who I was watching but it was cricket and that was enough.. and then off I was, back to the dreary grind and the long commute home.

We don't know how to price any of these things remotely accurately.

Carapaz won the 2019 Giro d'Italia and finished third in this year's Tour de France, he was definitely one of the contenders. It looks like Pogacar and van Aert just underestimated how much he had left in the tank and made a tactical error by not going with his attack.

The problem Carapaz faced is that there was only one other Ecuadorian, whereas there were five cyclists from some countries... that's why he was an underdog (and why I said "on results alone"). Van Aert was, according to my commentators anyway, had this problem that once the other Belgians fell away, the rest of the chasing pack made him lead, if he wanted it.

Road cycling is this weird sport where you compete as a team but there's only one winner. Honestly, it's like inverted Quidditch.

Yeah, I’m sure many kids watch the dressage and think “I’m going to go out and do that… I’m sure there’s a very expensive horse and dressage ring going spare”.

Seriously though.. kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. It’s a good idea. I question whether obsessing over being the fastest man over 100m is role model behavior on the other hand. It’s sort of a really useless skill and a bit of a waste of time. I mean we don’t go nuts over the worlds fastest pogo stick guy.

Live somewhere closer to the country (or, possibly, richer). Eventing is common. Dressage? Not so sure but there's no practical difference unless you actually care about either of them, imo (which I don't).

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Of course, sport also has more hooligans and so on that live theatre etc (with some exceptions... haha), but that's not inherent.

Yes it is. You tap into people's primal instincts, you're going to get some side-effects of these primal instincts.

At the very least, correlations should not be dismissed as coincidences.

That said, I think using tax dollars on live theatre is pushing it as it is.

[Kerwa]

This is quickly starting to sound like "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" but replace 100 meters with any Olympic event lol

No, only to your ears. I don’t object to the thing in itself. I just don’t think it’s a legitimate use of public funds. And I don’t think they are particularly role models either (especially the lack of grace a lot of them display when they lose). But if someone else winning a gold medal makes you vicariously happy by all means enjoy it.

[Kowani]

Shoutout to US Fencer Alen Hadzic, who is under investigation for sexual assault and yet is still allowed to compete in the Olympics

[Forsher]

because that's the biggest, most popular sport in the Olympics, right.



This is quickly starting to sound like "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" but replace 100 meters with any Olympic event lol

"You're just jealous" is the mark of those who've been full of shit about everything else. From market-worshippers who say leftists are "just jealous" of businesspeople, and then subsequently say things about welfare that have been discredited by Scandinavia, to "try teens as kids" types who say opponents thereof are "just jealous" they're less employable than people with juvenile criminal records, before they realize the people they're saying that about are gainfully employed.

You want to think you're going to be the first exception?

All sports reduce down to this level... even swimming. In any practical situation, you don't need to swim fast... you need to swim long, and, ideally, keeping someone else afloat whilst in clothes. Everything about any sport is impractical unless you actually do the sport in question.

Kerwa's point is vapid... and either disingenuous or not at all thought through.

[Forsher]

Of course, sport also has more hooligans and so on that live theatre etc (with some exceptions... haha), but that's not inherent.

Yes it is. You tap into people's primal instincts, you're going to get some side-effects of these primal instincts.

At the very least, correlations should not be dismissed as coincidences.

That said, I think using tax dollars on live theatre is pushing it as it is.

Saying something isn't inherent isn't the same as saying "any association is a coincidence". I very specifically didn't say that, so don't assert that I did.

[Kannap]

because that's the biggest, most popular sport in the Olympics, right.



This is quickly starting to sound like "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" but replace 100 meters with any Olympic event lol

"You're just jealous" is the mark of those who've been full of shit about everything else. From market-worshippers who say leftists are "just jealous" of businesspeople, and then subsequently say things about welfare that have been discredited by Scandinavia, to "try teens as kids" types who say opponents thereof are "just jealous" they're less employable than people with juvenile criminal records, before they realize the people they're saying that about are gainfully employed.

You want to think you're going to be the first exception?

There are plenty of good reasons for abolition of the Olympics, and I support abolition of the Olympics because I believe the money can be put to better use elsewhere. But "it's not interesting who can run 100 meters the fastest" isn't a reason at all, as aforementioned in this thread over three billion people watch the Olympics, people are clearly interested.

[Kerwa]

The dressage thing was tongue in cheek; I guess that wasn’t obvious. It is sort of locational very often though I would imagine, a bit like fox hunting.

[GuessTheAltAccount]

"You're just jealous" is the mark of those who've been full of shit about everything else. From market-worshippers who say leftists are "just jealous" of businesspeople, and then subsequently say things about welfare that have been discredited by Scandinavia, to "try teens as kids" types who say opponents thereof are "just jealous" they're less employable than people with juvenile criminal records, before they realize the people they're saying that about are gainfully employed.

You want to think you're going to be the first exception?

There are plenty of good reasons for abolition of the Olympics, and I support abolition of the Olympics because I believe the money can be put to better use elsewhere. But "it's not interesting who can run 100 meters the fastest" isn't a reason at all, as aforementioned in this thread over three billion people watch the Olympics, people are clearly interested.

No backpedaling. You didn't attribute it just to lack of personal interest. You attributed it to jealousy.

[Kannap]

There are plenty of good reasons for abolition of the Olympics, and I support abolition of the Olympics because I believe the money can be put to better use elsewhere. But "it's not interesting who can run 100 meters the fastest" isn't a reason at all, as aforementioned in this thread over three billion people watch the Olympics, people are clearly interested.

No backpedaling. You didn't attribute it just to lack of personal interest. You attributed it to jealousy.

No backpedaling here, I said what I said and I'll say it again.

That's what Kerwa's personal argument sounded like - yes, they called the 100 meter dash a useless skill and a waste of time. Maybe that's true for them but that's not true for everybody, as showcased by the Olympics and other athletics events globally.

[GuessTheAltAccount]

No backpedaling. You didn't attribute it just to lack of personal interest. You attributed it to jealousy.

No backpedaling here, I said what I said and I'll say it again.

That's what Kerwa's personal argument sounded like - yes, they called the 100 meter dash a useless skill and a waste of time. Maybe that's true for them but that's not true for everybody, as showcased by the Olympics and other athletics events globally.

Then why the "I can't run 100 meters fast so I hate the 100 meter dash" word choice in particular?