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FollowtheCardinalRule
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
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 Posted: 08/06/16 12:03 pm ::: Olympics General Commentary |
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Just thought it'd be nice to have a thread to randomly talk about other sports.
The Dutch just pulled off the first major upset in Women's Volleyball, knocking off the People's Republic of China in 5 sets.
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Michelle89
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| Posted: 08/06/16 12:21 pm ::: Re: Olympics General Commentary |
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| FollowtheCardinalRule wrote: |
Just thought it'd be nice to have a thread to randomly talk about other sports.
The Dutch just pulled off the first major upset in Women's Volleyball, knocking off the People's Republic of China in 5 sets. |
Great game. Thriller
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
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| Posted: 08/06/16 12:27 pm ::: |
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| Anybody finding some of the live streams on the NBC app have no broadcaster audio? Even some of the games on TV with audio have none on the live stream. I hope it's something that gets fixed. Watching on Apple TV.
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FollowtheCardinalRule
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| Posted: 08/06/16 12:30 pm ::: |
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| Two-time Defending Women's Handball Gold-Medalists Norway upset by Brazil 31-28! Upsets! Upsets everywhere!
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FS02
Joined: 19 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 08/06/16 5:25 pm ::: |
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| I really like the Olympics, but the only events I will refuse to watch are men's and women's basketball. It's just not compelling or fun when your team has that much of an advantage. But otherwise, play on!
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/06/16 5:36 pm ::: |
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So the US upset favored Argentina in field hockey. Pretty exciting match actually.
The US has the largest women's contingent in the history of the Olympics and people are expecting big results even in some non traditional events.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/06/16 5:59 pm ::: |
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BTW, I never considered bicycle road racing a contact sport, but evidently it was this morning in the race won by a Belgian racer (first gold in the event by Belgium since 1952).
Wrecks all over the place. Including that there were three riders with a huge lead and a wreck took two of them out of the race.
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toad455
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| Posted: 08/06/16 6:51 pm ::: |
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| In men's gymnastics, French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his leg during the Vault. Very ugly.
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miller40
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| Posted: 08/06/16 6:57 pm ::: |
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| toad455 wrote: |
| In men's gymnastics, French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his leg during the Vault. Very ugly. |
Oh, I saw that. His bottom part of his leg was hanging at a 45° angle. He had some terrible leg injury around London too. I hope he doesn't have life long issues, it was grim.
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toad455
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pilight
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| Posted: 08/07/16 8:45 am ::: |
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| Streaming some Judo right now. No commentators, so it's a little hard to follow. Decent looking crowd.
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Richyyy
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| Posted: 08/07/16 9:03 am ::: |
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Yeah, some of these sports you really need commentators, and commentators who actually know what the hell they're talking about. Even smart people who've done their research but normally work other sports often aren't much help. You need someone who actually understands it properly to make it watchable for people who only see an hour or two every four years.
The BBC seem to be sharing commentators with other global broadcasters for some sports, which has led to some pretty awful soccer and basketball commentary. It's pretty ridiculous that a channel which has countless people under contract to commentate on soccer is using random guys from other countries who barely sound interested. |
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mercfan3
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| Posted: 08/07/16 10:03 pm ::: |
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| Michael Fucking Phelps man. Michael Fucking Phelps.
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UofDel_Alum
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| Posted: 08/08/16 7:52 am ::: |
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| mercfan3 wrote: |
| Michael Fucking Phelps man. Michael Fucking Phelps. |
That 4 X 100 race was the most exciting race I have ever seen. I watched the medal ceremony and could not help but get emotional. Third leg rookie swimmer Ryan Held was on the stand crying. But what everyone is talking about is the 100 that Michael Phelps swam. There saying Phelps barely got his start legally. He left the block in .08 seconds after the touch. A razor edge of a legal start. But the most amazing thing Phelps was his turn. There calling the turn the best ever done in competition. It broke the back of the other swimmers. He swam the 100 in 47.1 seconds, the best of his career.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/08/16 1:03 pm ::: |
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I wonder who decided that synchronized diving should be a "thing" and how did it make the Olympics?
"Gee, let's have two people dive next to each other and call it a sport."
Why not "synchronized archery" or "synchronized shot put" or "synchronized balance beam"?
Hmm, synchronized shot put. I'd watch that. Once, anyhow.
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Richyyy
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| Posted: 08/08/16 2:19 pm ::: |
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A lot of sports have attempted to generate extra medal events without adding too many competitors or extra expense. Hence things like synchro diving, and FIBA trying to make 3-on-3 basketball a thing.
In fairness, swimming basically does it, it's just accepted because they've been doing it as long as anyone can remember. Phelps is obviously a phenomenal athlete, but if I were, say, Usain Bolt, I'd be annoyed that there aren't medals for '100m backwards', '100m without moving your arms', '100m while wearing sunglasses', '105m', or whatever. |
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/08/16 2:32 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
A lot of sports have attempted to generate extra medal events without adding too many competitors or extra expense. Hence things like synchro diving, and FIBA trying to make 3-on-3 basketball a thing.
In fairness, swimming basically does it, it's just accepted because they've been doing it as long as anyone can remember. Phelps is obviously a phenomenal athlete, but if I were, say, Usain Bolt, I'd be annoyed that there aren't medals for '100m backwards', '100m without moving your arms', '100m while wearing sunglasses', '105m', or whatever. |
I figured synchronized swimming was to give something to do to swimmers who had trained for years on swim teams but simply weren't fast.
But at least it's more like a ballet in water ( or a Busby Berkeley musical). And there are some serious skills to do those routines while holding your breath and treading water upside down. The synchronized diving on the other hand makes no obvious sense of "why"? It's just two people doing standard dives at the same time.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/08/16 2:59 pm ::: |
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GREAT women's indoor volleyball match going on.
US was down 2 sets to 1. Won a tight 4th set and now leads the 5th 9-4.
Dutch captain injured her ankle and it has hurt them big time.
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Michelle89
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| Posted: 08/08/16 3:18 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
GREAT women's indoor volleyball match going on.
US was down 2 sets to 1. Won a tight 4th set and now leads the 5th 9-4.
Dutch captain injured her ankle and it has hurt them big time. |
Great game. Too bad the dutchies couldnt pull a 2nd upset
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/08/16 9:06 pm ::: |
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| Wrong thread.
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pilight
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toad455
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| Posted: 08/09/16 2:51 pm ::: |
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| Maybe someone peed in the pool?
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Queenie
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| Posted: 08/09/16 8:07 pm ::: |
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| And people are still diving into it?! Seriously?
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myrtle
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/10/16 12:16 pm ::: |
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Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, 6th and 7th ranked golfers in the world, each making over $15 million/year, both on the US Olympic team, and both staying in the Olympic Village.
No isolated private luxury cruise ship for them.
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Silky Johnson
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| Posted: 08/10/16 12:59 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, 6th and 7th ranked golfers in the world, each making over $15 million/year, both on the US Olympic team, and both staying in the Olympic Village.
No isolated private luxury cruise ship for them. |
Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler aren't heroes for staying in the Olympic Village; they aren't virtuous, or have better character, or anything else. They shouldn't be held up as any kind of positive example. They're actually kinda suckers for doing it.
In terms of a slightly less snarky response, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler can also walk down the street and not get mobbed; less so for Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Even if you're #IHateTheNBA guy, heck, even if you don't watch basketball, most people are going to do a double-take if they see a seven-foot man walking down the street.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/10/16 1:49 pm ::: |
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| Silky Johnson wrote: |
| ArtBest23 wrote: |
Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, 6th and 7th ranked golfers in the world, each making over $15 million/year, both on the US Olympic team, and both staying in the Olympic Village.
No isolated private luxury cruise ship for them. |
Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler aren't heroes for staying in the Olympic Village; they aren't virtuous, or have better character, or anything else. They shouldn't be held up as any kind of positive example. They're actually kinda suckers for doing it.
In terms of a slightly less snarky response, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler can also walk down the street and not get mobbed; less so for Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Even if you're #IHateTheNBA guy, heck, even if you don't watch basketball, most people are going to do a double-take if they see a seven-foot man walking down the street. |
None of these guys are just "walking down the street" and there are lots of oversized and famous people walking around the Olympic Village and various Olympic complexes. And I guarantee that no one on the streets of Rio knows or would take a second glance at Maya Moore or Lindsey Whalen. Your excuses are total red herrings.
Nobody said Watson and Fowler are "heroes" but they wanted to meet other athletes from various countries and take in the full Olympic experience. USA Basketball is shameful for spending a boatload of tax deductable contibution money to isolate their 24 athletes on a luxury ship behind bulletproof glass and 250 police.
Oh, and Michael Phelps is better known and bigger celebrity at the Rio Olympics than any basketball player, and he's rooming with Ryan Lochte in the Olympic Village. Phelps talked about walking through the Village and spotting and stopping to talk to Novak Djokovic, also staying in the Village. BTW, Djokovic, winner of 12 Grand Slam tennis tournaments is likely, anywhere in the world outside of New York, a bigger celebrity than any of the basketball players as well.
These other celebrities aren't "heroes", but their actions manifest how unnecessary and embarrassing the basketball actions are. It's almost as embarrassing and silly as a "they're suckers" response.
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Silky Johnson
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| Posted: 08/10/16 3:55 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| None of these guys are just "walking down the street" and there are lots of oversized and famous people walking around the Olympic Village and various Olympic complexes. And I guarantee that no one on the streets of Rio knows or would take a second glance at Maya Moore or Lindsey Whalen. Your excuses are total red herrings. |
So, the women should stay in the village, even if the men aren't, when they don't have to? What kind of backwards hustling is that?
| Quote: |
| Nobody said Watson and Fowler are "heroes" but they wanted to meet other athletes from various countries and take in the full Olympic experience. USA Basketball is shameful for spending a boatload of tax deductable contibution money to isolate their 24 athletes on a luxury ship behind bulletproof glass and 250 police. |
If the money was contributed, then what's your problem? Are you under the impression that they're obliged to spend it on something else?
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| Oh, and Michael Phelps is better known and bigger celebrity at the Rio Olympics than any basketball player, and he's rooming with Ryan Lochte in the Olympic Village. Phelps talked about walking through the Village and spotting and stopping to talk to Novak Djokovic, also staying in the Village. |
And, if they have the opportunity to stay in better quality accommodations, and chose not to, they're suckers, too. Meeting and fellowshipping with the other athletes is not a good enough reason to stay in the Olympic village; the basketball players are all already doing that.
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| BTW, Djokovic, winner of 12 Grand Slam tennis tournaments is likely, anywhere in the world outside of New York, a bigger celebrity than any of the basketball players as well. |
Mileage varies on that, but whatever. I'm pretty sure that Novak Djokovic can put on a hoodie and walk around pretty much any major city outside of Belgrade with fewer people staring at him than Kevin Durant trying the same thing.
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| These other celebrities aren't "heroes", but their actions manifest how unnecessary and embarrassing the basketball actions are. |
There ain't a god damned thing embarrassing about it. The only thing embarrassing is Rio getting the Olympics in the first place.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/10/16 4:28 pm ::: |
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| Silky Johnson wrote: |
| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| None of these guys are just "walking down the street" and there are lots of oversized and famous people walking around the Olympic Village and various Olympic complexes. And I guarantee that no one on the streets of Rio knows or would take a second glance at Maya Moore or Lindsey Whalen. Your excuses are total red herrings. |
So, the women should stay in the village, even if the men aren't, when they don't have to? What kind of backwards hustling is that?
| Quote: |
| Nobody said Watson and Fowler are "heroes" but they wanted to meet other athletes from various countries and take in the full Olympic experience. USA Basketball is shameful for spending a boatload of tax deductable contibution money to isolate their 24 athletes on a luxury ship behind bulletproof glass and 250 police. |
If the money was contributed, then what's your problem? Are you under the impression that they're obliged to spend it on something else?
| Quote: |
| Oh, and Michael Phelps is better known and bigger celebrity at the Rio Olympics than any basketball player, and he's rooming with Ryan Lochte in the Olympic Village. Phelps talked about walking through the Village and spotting and stopping to talk to Novak Djokovic, also staying in the Village. |
And, if they have the opportunity to stay in better quality accommodations, and chose not to, they're suckers, too. Meeting and fellowshipping with the other athletes is not a good enough reason to stay in the Olympic village; the basketball players are all already doing that.
| Quote: |
| BTW, Djokovic, winner of 12 Grand Slam tennis tournaments is likely, anywhere in the world outside of New York, a bigger celebrity than any of the basketball players as well. |
Mileage varies on that, but whatever. I'm pretty sure that Novak Djokovic can put on a hoodie and walk around pretty much any major city outside of Belgrade with fewer people staring at him than Kevin Durant trying the same thing.
| Quote: |
| These other celebrities aren't "heroes", but their actions manifest how unnecessary and embarrassing the basketball actions are. |
There ain't a god damned thing embarrassing about it. The only thing embarrassing is Rio getting the Olympics in the first place. |
1). Reading is fundamental. Try it sometime. Neither team should be staying on a luxury cruise ship.
2) USA Basketball has far more important things to do with the money, like promoting youth basketball, not pampering millionaires. And actually there are tax rules about unreasonable expenditures by charities. For political reasons they won't, but they could ( and should) disallow the tax treatment of these expenditures as unreasonable and excessive.
3). Watson has paid for a condo. It's sitting unused. He has CHOSEN to stay in the Village instead. He gets it. Obviously you don't.
4) Gheorghe Mureșan would be even more noticed for his height. Doesn't make him a celebrity. Djokovic is the bigger international celebrity.
5). USA Basketball has been justifiably ridiculed in both the US and international press for their elitism and extravagant waste. And for diverting Rio police resources from where they are actually needed. Typical "ugly American" arrogance. It's embarrassing.
BTW, in honor of the US playing Australia, Andrew Bogut is another NBA star who is taller than any US team player, so if being noticed is a problem, he certainly has it, but he is another multi-millionaire also staying in the Olympic Village.
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toad455
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/10/16 9:43 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| Silky Johnson wrote: |
| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| None of these guys are just "walking down the street" and there are lots of oversized and famous people walking around the Olympic Village and various Olympic complexes. And I guarantee that no one on the streets of Rio knows or would take a second glance at Maya Moore or Lindsey Whalen. Your excuses are total red herrings. |
So, the women should stay in the village, even if the men aren't, when they don't have to? What kind of backwards hustling is that?
| Quote: |
| Nobody said Watson and Fowler are "heroes" but they wanted to meet other athletes from various countries and take in the full Olympic experience. USA Basketball is shameful for spending a boatload of tax deductable contibution money to isolate their 24 athletes on a luxury ship behind bulletproof glass and 250 police. |
If the money was contributed, then what's your problem? Are you under the impression that they're obliged to spend it on something else?
| Quote: |
| Oh, and Michael Phelps is better known and bigger celebrity at the Rio Olympics than any basketball player, and he's rooming with Ryan Lochte in the Olympic Village. Phelps talked about walking through the Village and spotting and stopping to talk to Novak Djokovic, also staying in the Village. |
And, if they have the opportunity to stay in better quality accommodations, and chose not to, they're suckers, too. Meeting and fellowshipping with the other athletes is not a good enough reason to stay in the Olympic village; the basketball players are all already doing that.
| Quote: |
| BTW, Djokovic, winner of 12 Grand Slam tennis tournaments is likely, anywhere in the world outside of New York, a bigger celebrity than any of the basketball players as well. |
Mileage varies on that, but whatever. I'm pretty sure that Novak Djokovic can put on a hoodie and walk around pretty much any major city outside of Belgrade with fewer people staring at him than Kevin Durant trying the same thing.
| Quote: |
| These other celebrities aren't "heroes", but their actions manifest how unnecessary and embarrassing the basketball actions are. |
There ain't a god damned thing embarrassing about it. The only thing embarrassing is Rio getting the Olympics in the first place. |
1). Reading is fundamental. Try it sometime. Neither team should be staying on a luxury cruise ship.
2) USA Basketball has far more important things to do with the money, like promoting youth basketball, not pampering millionaires. And actually there are tax rules about unreasonable expenditures by charities. For political reasons they won't, but they could ( and should) disallow the tax treatment of these expenditures as unreasonable and excessive.
3). Watson has paid for a condo. It's sitting unused. He has CHOSEN to stay in the Village instead. He gets it. Obviously you don't.
4) Gheorghe Mureșan would be even more noticed for his height. Doesn't make him a celebrity. Djokovic is the bigger international celebrity.
5). USA Basketball has been justifiably ridiculed in both the US and international press for their elitism and extravagant waste. And for diverting Rio police resources from where they are actually needed. Typical "ugly American" arrogance. It's embarrassing.
BTW, in honor of the US playing Australia, Andrew Bogut is another NBA star who is taller than any US team player, so if being noticed is a problem, he certainly has it, but he is another multi-millionaire also staying in the Olympic Village. |
When Art and I are in full agreement on something, it says a lot.
If they wanted to spend their own money on something like this, and provided their own security, more power to them. Though it would still be eye roll worthy since they are acting like Olympic Tourists simply going through the motions and collecting their medals, rather than actual Olympians for whom this has been their dream from childhood on...
But they are being pampered on money that could be spent elsewhere, not to mention the money having to be spent by a very poor country with limited resources to accommodate them.
It's disgusting behavior.
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myrtle
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| Posted: 08/10/16 11:00 pm ::: |
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| Did the people donating the money know it would be used for this purpose? Doubtful. To me that makes a difference.
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norwester
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| Posted: 08/11/16 8:28 am ::: |
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Huh. I'm interested that anyone cares. I was probably just unaware of the argument at all of the other Olympics over the years. Though I remember plenty of press about USAB staying on the Queen Mary II.
I get it, about being upset about the Brazil Olympics given the depravation in the country. I'm just unsure why the basketball team is being singled out in this instance. I have no doubt that these exact same resources (if not more) were used in all past Olympics since 1992. But no one is complaining that the UK had to send extra police. Barcelona.
Just saying, it's something of a double-standard. I'm not talking about NBA players versus other international stars. I'm talking Brazil as a host versus Barcelona, Sydney, Atlanta, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio. Is it the current economic situation in the world? In Brazil? Is it the contrast of the "poor brown people" versus the rich white people?
If the conversation is about the crazy cost of putting on a modern Olympic games, and the burden it puts on the host countries: I'm here for that!
If the conversation is some whingeing about USAB renting separate, nicer accommodations for its athletes, I guess I'm going to say my piece (ha! done.) and bow out with a yawn. Seems like false outrage about something that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things to me.
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ArtBest23
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| Posted: 08/11/16 8:59 am ::: |
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There are some fundamental differences. In Athens, the Queen Mary 2 was just one of seven cruise ships chartered by the Athens Organizing Committee itself to supplement available housing. The QM2 was mostly filled with athletes families, but also housed dignitaries including Prime Minister Blair, President Chirac and President Bush.
And at every Olympics, there are athletes who choose to stay, at their own expense, in hotels or rental houses, or elsewhere outside the Olympic Village.
This is neither of those situations, and the sheer extravagance sets this far apart.
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: 08/11/16 9:16 am ::: |
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How to talk about female Olympians without being a regressive creep – a handy guide
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/09/female-olympians-guide-gaffes-athletes-sports-makeup-shorts-marital-status-lindy-west
| Quote: |
I’ve put together a quick and easy template for your basic reporting needs (cribbed and adapted from a piece I wrote about coverage of female politicians in 2014, because you could basically have this conversation about any industry, and I do):
NEWS REPORT: [Female Athlete] did [sports] today. [Describe sports.] THE END. Sportswriting accomplished! |
_________________
Accept certain inalienable truths:
prices will rise
politicians will philander
you too will get old
and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young
prices were reasonable
politicians were noble
and children respected their elders
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kojthiabkuv
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Silky Johnson
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| Posted: 08/11/16 12:55 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
1). Reading is fundamental. Try it sometime. Neither team should be staying on a luxury cruise ship.
2) USA Basketball has far more important things to do with the money, like promoting youth basketball, not pampering millionaires. And actually there are tax rules about unreasonable expenditures by charities. For political reasons they won't, but they could ( and should) disallow the tax treatment of these expenditures as unreasonable and excessive.
3). Watson has paid for a condo. It's sitting unused. He has CHOSEN to stay in the Village instead. He gets it. Obviously you don't.
4) Gheorghe Mureșan would be even more noticed for his height. Doesn't make him a celebrity. Djokovic is the bigger international celebrity.
5). USA Basketball has been justifiably ridiculed in both the US and international press for their elitism and extravagant waste. And for diverting Rio police resources from where they are actually needed. Typical "ugly American" arrogance. It's embarrassing.
BTW, in honor of the US playing Australia, Andrew Bogut is another NBA star who is taller than any US team player, so if being noticed is a problem, he certainly has it, but he is another multi-millionaire also staying in the Olympic Village. |
- Why not? They shouldn't be on a luxury ship because of reasons? I find your argument uncompelling.
- Cite that USA Basketball isn't doing both? You make it sound like they have a duty to provide a proverbial "chicken for every pot." Show me a program that USA Basketball has de-funded so that they could spend their money on this instead, otherwise you can miss me with that "more important things to do" jazz.
- He's paying for a condo that he's not using? That's even worse! That makes him not just a sucker, but a sucker who wastes his money.
- People are more likely to stare at, and be drawn to, and mob a guy who's seven-feet tall, simply because most people don't normally see seven-foot tall people walking down the street. That is not, necessarily, a function of "fame" or "celebrity." I never said anything about fame or celebrity, you did. Novak Djokovic is more famous than Georghe Muresahn, by a lot, but only one of them can blend into a crowd, if they don't want to be bothered. And it isn't the one who's nearly eight feet tall.
- Safety is not an extravagant waste. Comfort is not an extravagant waste. Diverting police resources? Let's not pretend that the police in Rio were actually getting paid. As to your comments about "elitism" and "Ugly American arrogance", let's just say that we don't share the same attitude about elitism and arrogance, and keep it moving; I'm not going to be convinced that either of those things are bad, so there's really nowhere else for that line of conversation to go.
Regarding your BTW, you can keep naming NBA players staying in the Village, but 1) it's not news to me; despite loving women's basketball, I still like men's basketball more, and follow it way more intensely. And 2) it doesn't change my mind.
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GlennMacGrady
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| Posted: 08/13/16 9:32 am ::: |
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NBC nightly has been focusing heavily on swimming and gymnastics with a concentration on American winners. The daily livestreams of every sport in HD have given me an unprecedented ability to watch any and all of the ignored sports.
I watched every minute of all the whitewater canoe events. It's been interesting to see how the equipment and techniques have changed over the 40 years I've been participating and watching the sport -- ever since Jamie McEwan's C-1 bronze in 1976. It's a tragedy that they are considering dropping C-2 in Tokyo.
I've also watched all of the A groups in both women's and men's weightlifting. I was never aware of the clever and often gambling strategies employed in choosing weights and forcing opponents to lift two or three times in succession.
The most dominant athlete I've seen so far has been Ma Long in table tennis. I don't think he lost more than two or three games in the entire tournament, and he swept the gold medal game 4-0. He may be the best player ever.
NBC even ignores significant American victors. Kayla Harrison won her second judo gold medal in the half-heavyweight division in dominantly aggressive fashion. Kim Rhode has won trap/skeet shooting medals in six consecutive Olympics and is only 37 years old.
Internet technology has improved so much and is amazing. Especially for those who struggled with flickering 13" black and white DuMonts with rabbit ears antennae to watch gods like Bob Matthias and Bob "Wheaties" Richards in 1952. |
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/13/16 10:20 am ::: |
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I agree, the streaming has been a Godsend. While I love watching swimming and gymnastics those other sports are just as compelling to watch. I find myself fascinated by badminton, judo, fencing, and water polo.
I am loving my Roku so much this Olympic season. In years past I have tuned in and watched things here and there, but ultimately have always felt that the Olympics were sports packaged for non-sports fans. That can get real old, real fast. With streaming it becomes just pure sport, and it is outstanding.
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mercfan3
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| Posted: 08/13/16 10:55 am ::: |
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Don't the basketball teams do this every Olympics?
I think people are complaining just to complain. Pretty sure the NBA players didn't demand this treatment, it's provided for them. Why should they say no?
If you asked every athlete at that village, would you rather stay in the village or stay on the Boatel, they're lying if they don't say the boat.
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/13/16 12:00 pm ::: |
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| mercfan3 wrote: |
| Don't the basketball teams do this every Olympics? |
That doesn't make it okay.
| Quote: |
| I think people are complaining just to complain. Pretty sure the NBA players didn't demand this treatment, it's provided for them. Why should they say no? |
I don't know what they demand or don't. I'm sure part of this is because they struggle to actually get millionaire basketball player to commit to the team. So they package it ad a vacation that also involves basketball rather than just finding players that want to play because it is their dream to actually get to be in the Olympics much less win a Gold Medal. Just go back and watch the faces of DiRado or Manuel after they won. They would have slept in a gutter of it meant being able to experience that.
But beyond that, this is money that was donated to US Basketball as a whole, just think about how much good that wasted money could do at the youth level. How many people do you think would donate if they advertised that those donations were going to go to putting up multi millionaires in luxury accommodations.
| Quote: |
| If you asked every athlete at that village, would you rather stay in the village or stay on the Boatel, they're lying if they don't say the boat. |
This is empirically false, as there are many people who have chosen to live in the village even though they have much more luxurious accommodations available.
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Richyyy
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| Posted: 08/13/16 12:19 pm ::: |
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| justintyme wrote: |
| But beyond that, this is money that was donated to US Basketball as a whole, just think about how much good that wasted money could do at the youth level. How many people do you think would donate if they advertised that those donations were going to go to putting up multi millionaires in luxury accommodations. |
Although as has been mentioned many times, this has been done at virtually every games since 1992. So if you're donating money to the organisation not realising that they'd been spending it on this, you're not paying enough attention. |
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mercfan3
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| Posted: 08/13/16 12:38 pm ::: |
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I would imagine the money is likely tiny compared to the total amount of donations USAB usually gets.
What athletes have been offered to stay in upgraded accommodations as a team and declined it?
I think it's more of a reason to keep NBA Players from declining. Look, the Olympics are not the end all be all of the NBA Players sport. My guess is, if you asked them if they'd rather get a gold medal or get an NBA title, they'd say NBA title. It's not swimming or gymnastics or anything else where the Olympics are the peak of their sport.
And as much as I think the Olympics are special, and I admire that athletes go and find them all inspiring. I understand the reluctance of some NBA players to go. Look what happened to Paul George (and good for him, and I'm proud of him, for still going.) They could have a career ending injury..meaning their source of income is gone. As they get older, they need breaks for their bodies to recover. If their team, which is put together almost on the fly and has very little time to practice, does not win gold..they come back as an embarrassment.
So USAB offers the boat to the teams as opposed to staying in the poorly constructed college dorms that were having plumbing issues (and seem to always have issues.) as a bonus. So what?
As for the women, quite frankly..I'm happy for them. It's nice to see them getting some special treatment somewhere and being appreciated and spoiled in a way that they typically aren't from their own country.
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/13/16 12:51 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
| justintyme wrote: |
| But beyond that, this is money that was donated to US Basketball as a whole, just think about how much good that wasted money could do at the youth level. How many people do you think would donate if they advertised that those donations were going to go to putting up multi millionaires in luxury accommodations. |
Although as has been mentioned many times, this has been done at virtually every games since 1992. So if you're donating money to the organisation not realising that they'd been spending it on this, you're not paying enough attention. |
Then I guess I haven't been paying enough attention. Until this year I was under the impression that the players were paying for theit accommodations.
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/13/16 1:00 pm ::: |
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| mercfan3 wrote: |
I think it's more of a reason to keep NBA Players from declining. Look, the Olympics are not the end all be all of the NBA Players sport. My guess is, if you asked them if they'd rather get a gold medal or get an NBA title, they'd say NBA title. It's not swimming or gymnastics or anything else where the Olympics are the peak of their sport.
And as much as I think the Olympics are special, and I admire that athletes go and find them all inspiring. I understand the reluctance of some NBA players to go. Look what happened to Paul George (and good for him, and I'm proud of him, for still going.) They could have a career ending injury..meaning their source of income is gone. As they get older, they need breaks for their bodies to recover. If their team, which is put together almost on the fly and has very little time to practice, does not win gold..they come back as an embarrassment. |
If they have to be bribed to go they shouldn’t be there in the first place. Bring collegiate or other amateur teams.
There is no need for this Olympic Tourism. I want to cheer for people who consider this to be The Moment of their lives. Where winning a Gold Medal means everything to them.
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mercfan3
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| Posted: 08/13/16 1:24 pm ::: |
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| justintyme wrote: |
If they have to be bribed to go they shouldn’t be there in the first place. Bring collegiate or other amateur teams. |
Who said anything about bribing athletes? I'm just saying there is more for NBA athletes to consider. (And it would be the same for any basketball player..because professional sports exist for them.)
| justintyme wrote: |
There is no need for this Olympic Tourism. I want to cheer for people who consider this to be The Moment of their lives. Where winning a Gold Medal means everything to them. |
Then I don't suggest watching Olympic basketball.
When you talk about Michael Phelps' athletic legacy..you are going to start and end with his accomplishments at the Olympics.
Okay, now what about Michael Jordan's? Many people don't even include the gold medal. (In fact, I had to google search how many he won.)
For basketball players, this may be something special, but it isn't the moment of their lives because there are other career accomplishments that matter more for basketball players. So that's really an unfair standard when, for many athletes..this is IT. For the best basketball players in the world, it isn't.
That doesn't mean it isn't special. Like I said, it obviously meant something to players like Paul George, or Carmelo Anthony who goes every time he can. I'm sure that there are players that love representing their country, consider the Olympics thrilling and special..but you can't call it the moment of their lives because it just isn't.
And regardless, that other stuff doesn't matter. Seriously, how many other sports teams were offered accommodations and turned them down? I'm gonna go ahead and guess not many.
The Olympics are supposed to be fun, a coming together, and witnessing the best athletes representing their accomplishments and showing what they can do. I think complaining about where they stay is just complaining to complain. (And I also think there's a general NBA player bias)
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justintyme
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| Posted: 08/13/16 2:46 pm ::: |
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| mercfan3 wrote: |
Who said anything about bribing athletes? I'm just saying there is more for NBA athletes to consider. (And it would be the same for any basketball player..because professional sports exist for them.) |
I called it "bribing". But call it whatever you want, "incentivizing" perhaps?
The point is that this isn't necessary to do. The draw should be the chance to play for your country and perhaps win a Gold Medal. That is it. There is no need to try and make it more appealing to the players, to "incentivize" them to agree to come. If they didn't offer the cruise ship, would more players turn down the chance to play? Absolutely. But many more players would step up in their place. And for those players, being a part of something special like the Olympics would be enough.
We know that there are many NBA Stars who are okay with living in the Village. We know this because they play for other countries. Ricky Rubio, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bogut, etc. all happily live like all the other athletes. And I would be willing to bet that every single one of the women players would still be wanting to play. Even though they are professionals.
The type of player that this would be a deal breaker for is the type of player that shouldn't be here at the Olympics. It is not important enough to them.
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Could it actually just be the lens of the camera used?
