are the olympics on tv just gonna be a bush fest?

[theoceansnerves]

i've been watching on cnbc (i'm bored, really) and already there's been two bush ads and an interview with the old man. i'm sure they think this is perfect ad placement, equating american athletes--->patriotism---->voting for bush.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. The summer Olympics are bogus

Ribbon twirling and synchronized swimming are not sports. Give me bobsled or downhill skiing or luge or even ice skating, anyday. Those are sports.:shrug:

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Real sports involve letting gravity do the work, eh?

All this running and swimming is for people who aren't smart enough to let a machine carry them to the top of a mountain first ... ;-)

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Sorry if I offended. Running and swimming are admirable

It's the ribbon twirling and hoop tossing that I feel are bogus. I just prefer the action of the Winter Games. Also, I am prejudiced. I worked with CBS, who carry the Winter Olympics, while NBC carries the Summer Games. I may be showing my preference, though I still prefer skating and skiing to swimming. But, I do admit, the divers are awesome.:-)

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Don't worry - no offence taken

(hence the smiley). I'm not keen on sports that need judges, rather than measurements or scores. I quite happily accept skiing etc as genuine sports - I just noticed that your 'first choice' sports all involved going downhill.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Point well taken. I guess they all do depend on gravity, LOL!

Even diving! I guess I just find bobsled and downhill skiing much more exciting to watch than little girls twirling ribbons and tossing hoops. I do enjoy the equestrian events, I used to do that sort of thing, myself, though hardly in that league. I used to follow the competitors in this, saw them in NYC and Dublin, but that was a long time ago.:shrug:

[Retrograde]

11. hey! I like ribbon twirling

now, i'll be the first to admit it's NOT a sport (a competitive sport by my definition has objective, quantifiable measurements: e.g., the person who can cover X meters under his/her own power in the shortest time, or jump the highest, or throw the farthest) but I do enjoy watching it every few years.

When *I* run the Olympics anyone wearing sequins or makeup will be automatically disqualified. I'm also getting rid of any team sports other than relays. I realize this leaves out (bleh) synchronized swimming (I know it's hard - so is having a baby) and ice dancing. And basketball, baseball, soccer, table tennis, volleyball, etc. People want to play them, that's fine with me: just don't call them Olypmpic sports.

Apropos of nothing in particular: my local county fair has competitive table setting. No, I don't know the rules and I don't want to...

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I think I would prefer your Olympics

Sequins and make-up should definitely be out! Competitive table setting?!! LOL! That's loonier than bed racing!:D

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Just like the 1936 Olympics were a Hitler fest

Well, up until the time one athlete or another comes out and urges everybody to vote against the Idiot Bastard Son.

--bkl

[jmowreader]

6. It's going to be an updated version of "Olympia"

That's Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia," her documentary of the 1936 Olympic Games.

This is gonna sound unpatriotic and anti-American and shit, but I hope Iraq takes the soccer gold. After getting their country stolen from them by the Village Idiot and thousands of their citizens killed for no justifiable reason whatsoever, they need some good news.

[Retrograde]

12. no, Olympia is actually a good movie

drags a bit in parts, but the bulk of it was just point the cameras at the athletes and let them shine. All of them, regardless of nationality, religion, race, etc. Watch it sometime: it should be mandatory viewing for anyone doing sports films.

[PVnRT]

7. So, how exactly does this reflect on the Olympics?

The Olympics get shitloads of ratings - yeah, Bush is going to be running more ads now because MORE PEOPLE WILL SEE THEM. It's a little thing called strategy.

And the comparisons to Hitler by others in this thread - gimme a fuckin' break. These are in GREECE NOT AMERICA. Think for a minute and then try to give me a coherent explanation as to why these will equate to 1936 Berlin.

[Bridget Burke]

8. Why don't you watch & find out?

I only caught part of the opening ceremony last night. It seemed Greek & arty to me. The commentary by Katy Couric (?) & whomever else was annoying.

The games are being shown on NBC itself, CNBC, MSNBC & Bravo. Also on our local Telemundo outlet (heavy on the futbol). I'm not a big jock but have watched a bit of the coverage. It just seems like sports coverage--with commentators who are actual sports commentators.

I haven't paid much attention to the ads. Mostly, TV today is background while I do some housework. When I sit down to watch, there's the remote--no commercials!

[supernova]

10. Nothing much political in the regular NBC coverage

:shrug: just sports. Today I saw men's gymnastics and mens' and women's time trials for the 4x100 m swimming relays. Tonight is the finals in that swimming event. Oh and US v China women's volleyball.

The only thing that irritated me was watching the Romanian men's gymnastics time, the NBC announcer kept poo pooing them. They really weren't up to snuff with the Americans and the Chinese teams. So what? Just let me enjoy them.

[ikojo]

14. I watched the Olympics for a little under an hour and

saw TWO Bush ads. Why isn't Kerry advertising during the Olympics? The Dems are wrong to cede sports to the pugs.