Same here. I don't rush home because the telly is on at work and the kids at home make too much noise. I stay at work and get better coverage!

I "heart" Olympics!

probably, I love the Olympics have done since the first Olympics I was old enough to appreciate in 1984, my sports loving teacher had the TV on in the classroom and everything was about the Olympics for 2 weeks. Every four years I get wrapped up in it - it's awesome. I have watched more live T.V in the past week than I have watched in the rest of the year, also downloaded lots of torrents of stuff not available on Japanese TV.
The weightlifting has been fascinating, the swimming brilliant.
Who said Table Tennis? the channel change instantly when I come across that, there is so much more interesting stuff on.

Luckily the Olympics coincided with summer vacation,

after the end of the olympics life will go back to normal.

Guess I'm more of a winter Olympics enthusiast. The summer games hold little interest for me. Plus I'm not exactly what could be called a patriotic Aussie (frankly couldn't give a damn about Aus anymore).

I enjoy it for the sports, I don't really care so much about the patriotism, if NZ get a gold medal then I will take more notice for a instance but, I watch it for the spectacle. I like watching sports NZ suck at anyway!


Though the mens Tri' is on live now - Kiwi bloke leading out of the swim, frenchie second and an aussie third

I have watched very little of the olympics as well. It just doesn't grab me at all.

Most Pointless Olympic sport....gotta be Synchronised swimming for sure

The whole ott patriotism thing really turns me off things like this. OK to a certain extent but often goes way over.

There are more than a few sports that kind of only exist because they're in the olympics. Hammer throw, shot put, discus , geez just about all of the athletic field events and more than a few of the swimming events all seem pretty contrived. They're really only survivors of the strange list of events from the early days like swimming obstacle course and live pigeon shooting and other equally odd events. Backstroke makes about as much sense as a 100m meters three legged race or an egg and spoon race. At least syncronised swimming exists in its own right and, whilst it looks a little lame it also looks like bloody hard work. The fake smiles and heavy make-up are a bit much though.


The jingoism isn't great but the idea of people putting everything on the line for a once in 4 yrs opportunity to do their best is provides a fair amount of drama. Its what's at stake that makes it worth watching, the human drama if you will. Its nice if the person is wearing the right combo of green and gold (and not some dodgy copy from SA, or Brazil or any of those other places).

The pole vault is damn strange.

I feel the same SG. Last night I sat through 2 hours straight of gymnastics, not a green and gold (aussie) uniform in sight. How could you not marvel at what those guys, and a gals, do? It's a chance to appreciate sports that you wouldn't normally get to see. The guys on the rings were amazing

Perhaps the stupidest sport at the Olympics would have to be hand ball. It just looks dumb. Sort of like a back yard knock-about game arranged at someone's Phys Ed class.

Looking forward to the Us v Boomers basketball game. Not that the outcome is much in doubt, but it will be good to see the local boys up against the NBA's best.

I think baseball and football have no place at the olympics.

There used to be an event in the long forgotten past for ONE HANDED weightlifting!

I like the gymnastics - there is always something going on! The other night I giggled myself silly at some hyper-bouncy girl on the floor who kept on bouncing out of the lines - she was just chock full of fizz!

Has anyone checked out the youtube of the weighlifter whose arm snapped? OUCH!
(I tried to find one working, but apparently they are copywrited so they are all being removed!) Looked pretty seriously painful!!!

Australians vow revenge on cocky Britons(08-19 12:07)
Australia's Olympic Committee president, aghast at the sight of Britain above his country in the Olympic medals table, has vowed revenge -- if not now then on British soil in 2012.

"They're certainly serving it up to me,'' John Coates told a roomful of downcast Australian journalists when asked how to cope with gloating British fans and officials.

"Their new-found cockiness has got some substance to it,'' he added.
Britain, Olympic hosts in 2012, were in third place in the medals table this morning, one place and one gold medal ahead of Australia.

Australia and former colonial ruler Britain have a strong sporting rivalry, particularly in rugby union and cricket.

REUTERS

Totals! You gotta look at the totals! Only looking at Gold is against the Olympic Charter.

One sport that I have always thought odd was ping pong, how a simple rec' room activity got so big and popular and people found ways to make it complicated is really quite amazing.
Why isnt pool or darts or air hockey or foosball at the olympics too?

I like Snyc swimming, yes its bizarre but it must be extremely hard to do and they must practice ad nauseum to get it right plus there are some very fit bodies and if you are a leg man there is plenty of that on show.
The Chinese twins, tingting and wenwen today, yup!

>Totals! You gotta look at the totals! Only looking at Gold is against the Olympic Charter.<

Absolutely. What's the point of awarding silver and bronze medals if they are not recognized in the wash up?

Speaking of fit bodies, there are definitely some sports I prefer to watch regardless of medal prospects or which country is involved.

Preferred ogle sports:

Diving
Synchronized swimming - sorry
Indoor Volleyball (but not the Chinese team - yeech!)
Triathlon - nice bums!
Pole Vault
Hepthalon

What's on the other channel sports:
Weightlifting
Any event involving throwing a weighted object
Any event involving throwing, punching or otherwise rendering your opponent senseless
Gymnastics - despite what the how old the Chinese reckon their girls are, it just doesn't seem right.

this is just talking about the sports we like and the sports we don't like.

What about the drinking arm contest? All athlettes drink pints of neat vodka and the first one to die wins the gold.

Table tennis is actually a very demanding sport. You have to have the reflexes to hit back.

The size of the ball was increased a coupla years back 'cos neandethal euros found it too fast paced. Why didn't they stick to darts?

Sports to be included in the Olympics are voted upon by the IOC. Rugby sevens failed by a very narrow margin. Cricket was thought to be damn boring for thinking people. Too right.

But I'd like the Rugby included 'cos that is much much more representative than softball or the freakin horse stuff

bastards

JA, you'll find that most distance swimmers breathe on both sides, it's usually the sprinters that breathe on one side. He was just unfortunate that someone was in his way as I think he would have been able to go with him had he seen him go.


SSAR, I'd never stop eating Rice... what a silly thing to do!

How's Bolt? Just playing with the 200m also? Hate to see it when he goes for a hard out run!