GDT: Paris Olympics 2024

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I think what compounded the issue was having the Aussie wear a fast food server uniform. "Would like like fries with your downrock?"

 

[Soundwave]

US losing to France in basketball would be like gold to me.
I thought I've become indifferent on the US athletes winning or losing but their cockiness is such a turn off.

Would've been funny to see it but Steph Curry is just too good.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Interesting discussion about population size, economics and Olympic success. I'm now curious to explore this more. Came across this Washington Post article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/08/09/small-countries-olympic-medals/

• It’s true that you often hear the national anthems of the United States, China, and Russia at the Olympic Games. We found that 10 countries — with those three at the top — have won almost half of all medals in the past 50 years. When we look only at gold medals, we see similar results.
• 
  
• New sports have the potential to significantly impact the medal picture. India has only won 23 medals since 1972, in part because cricket dominates Indian sports and society, attracting the country’s male athletes with its high financial rewards while diverting talent away from other sports. Cricket will return in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. (A Point I speculated about Canadian elite male athletes focusing on a few North American based sports with professional leagues as maybe diluting our Olympic talent pool).
• 
  
• Countries with lesser economies tend to specialize in sports that don’t require complex equipment or venues — such as wrestling, weightlifting and taekwondo, or ball sports ranging from table tennis to volleyball. “The barriers to entering the sport are relatively low, more will try it out, and more will then be identified as potential Olympians," said David Forrest, a professor at the University of Liverpool who has researched sports economics. Some countries dominate through this approach. For example, China over the past 50 years has won a third of all diving medals and more than half the podium spots in table tennis. Brazil has led the world in both volleyball and beach volleyball, winning 14 percent and 31 percent of all medals, respectively.
• 
  
• In contrast, 72 countries haven’t won a single medal in the past 50 years. Most have relatively small populations — 46 of them fall into the bottom half of countries by population. Their economies, measured by gross domestic product per capita, also are often on the lower end. None of the countries without medals have both their GDP per capita and population in the top half.
• 
  
• Another way countries can ascend to the podium is to concentrate on a single sport. We found that 37 countries in the past 50 years won all their medals in just one sport. Even more countries regularly medal in only a couple of sports.

 

[BIeucheeseWithWings]

Ray Gun as the new, new, new Joker.

 

[KCC]

Yeah I agree. I'm not sure it should be in the olympics, but HOLY SHIT that was impressive, lol.

It all looked the same to me. lol

 

[VainGretzky]

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcjY3OTQ3dWtjZnl3eW9pZ3Bsd3EzaXNvbGI2bjlhdXJjd3YzbTcxYyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/yFwfmlRsrfHlHCnG31/giphy.gif

 

[bellagiobob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1822427300580966788

 

[TB12]

Just when I thought I'd already watched the stupidest Olympic sport ever. Its a Friday night and down to watch some Olympics. Breakdancing comes on, I change the channel after one performance. Just stared at it like a car crash for 5 mins. Everything from the music to the commentators trying to be all rap or something was getting me to change the channel.

Then later CBC had the "FOMO" thing on where I'm supposed to care about the hosts or think they are funny or something. As in most cases with CBC its just added baggage and like advertising or prelude instead of just showing the damn events. Heres a clue to broadcasters. I don't want to see Andie Petrillio ever, or any of the other hosts, I JUST want the events. None of the talking heads describing a race or telling us what we will see next, just show the damn competition. No panels, no talking, no voice overs. Thats what I want.

This x 1000

Adding to that, I wish Ron McLean would just retire already.

 

[TB12]

I agree we’re doing well. While we might be “killing it” by our low standards, the country that is really killing it is Australia. Canada should emulate the commitment to amateur sport like they do. They are the gold standard for small countries in my opinion.

Their Australian Institute of Sport is absolutely something to behold. As most things it comes down to funding, but it has done a great job developing top athletes.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Didn’t this clown get 0 points? Apparently she has a PhD in “Cultural Movement” whatever the f*** that is. Looks like she wasted 8 years of her life getting a bullshit meaningless doctorate and then proceeded to get embarrassed on the global stage.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Athletes have talent, fans watched it, and it plays to the younger demographic... IOC will likely take a long look at reintroducing the sport for Brisbane 2032.

I think in an effort to encourage more cities to bankrupt themselves into bidding so the IOC Selection Committee can enrich themselves they now give host countries the opportunity to swap out several sports and apparently that’s what France did with “Breaking”. So unless the IOC removes a staple sport to make this a staple sport its up to the host country - if I have this correct?

 

[BlackDogg]

Didn’t this clown get 0 points? Apparently she has a PhD in “Cultural Movement” whatever the f*** that is. Looks like she wasted 8 years of her life getting a bullshit meaningless doctorate and then proceeded to get embarrassed on the global stage.

I thought it was breaktime entertaimment.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The wife last night: Lets watch the Womens Marathon.

Me : "lets don't, this is 2.5hrs of nothing happens."


Of course she wins out. So we agree to watch over an hour in. So from half way point of race, probably earlier, theres a pack of 5 racers in front. Rest of the pack out of it. Around a dozen commercial breaks happen, Fomo segment happens, CBC self aggrandizing spots happen, "race" still interminably going on. Nothing happening. The wife is kind of forgetful when it comes to sports. Forgetting that the only part of a marathon you really need to watch is the last minute where everything is decided, where all the medals are decided, and every frigging time. So that there was 1minute of drama and 1.5hrs of plodding.

It doesn't help that none of the women in the front of a marathon, ever, could be considered eye candy. This sounds like awful comment but it really is like "holy f***" theres no Brandie Wilkerson anywhere in this race. Or there are the the runners that finish 10mins later but you only ever see them at the end.

WTF is with all the french bread carrying cyclists in Paris following along thinking they're great or something because they are passing women running a marathon. Jebus christ anybody with a pulse on a bike should be able to pass marathon runners. They all seemed so proud. "look cameras, me too, I am Olympic athlete."

ffs its over. I'll make a point of avoiding the closing ceremonies and assuming organizers have learned nothing from the shitstorm created over the opening ceremonies.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Athletes have talent, fans watched it, and it plays to the younger demographic... IOC will likely take a long look at reintroducing the sport for Brisbane 2032.

Its not working. France Olympics had the lowest viewing numbers of any recent Summer Olympics.

Summer Olympics Poised to Have Record-Low U.S. Viewership

Thirty-five percent of Americans plan to watch at least a fair amount of the 2024 Olympics, far lower than what Gallup has measured for prior Summer Games.

news.gallup.com

Also Olympic viewers of any kind are increasingly getting older, not younger. Its not taking off with younger cohorts.

Worse, is this was supposed to be the break back Olympics, supposed to be huge as the last one was the Covid hangover Olympics of events happening with no crowd and little excitement or spirit. Tokyp ws olympics in a vacuum. Really a debacle.

Olympics is no longer must watch and water cooler banter. Its gone from 60% of people saying they will watch a lot to now 30%. An alarming figure for broadcasters hoping for cashcows. Meanwhile the amount or polled respondents saying they won't watch any has gone up from 10% to 30% and with another 34% saying they will watch a little.

I was in the watch a little category.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

The wife last night: Lets watch the Womens Marathon.

Me : "lets don't, this is 2.5hrs of nothing happens."


Of course she wins out. So we agree to watch over an hour in. So from half way point of race, probably earlier, theres a pack of 5 racers in front. Rest of the pack out of it. Around a dozen commercial breaks happen, Fomo segment happens, CBC self aggrandizing spots happen, "race" still interminably going on. Nothing happening. The wife is kind of forgetful when it comes to sports. Forgetting that the only part of a marathon you really need to watch is the last minute where everything is decided, where all the medals are decided, and every frigging time. So that there was 1minute of drama and 1.5hrs of plodding.

It doesn't help that none of the women in the front of a marathon, ever, could be considered eye candy. This sounds like awful comment but it really is like "holy f***" theres no Brandie Wilkerson anywhere in this race. Or there are the the Nordic runners that finish 10mins later but you only ever see them at the end.

WTF is with all the french bread carrying cyclists in Paris following along thinking they're great or something because they are passing people running a marathon. Jebus christ anybody with a pulse on a bike should be able to pass marathon runners. They all seemed so proud. "look cameras, me too, I am Olympic athlete.

ffs its over. I'll make a point of avoiding the closing ceremonies and assuming organizers have learned nothing from the shitstorm created over the opening ceremonies.

Wonder if that husky blue man (?) who was laying on a plate from the Opening Ceremonies Last Supper scene will do an encore for the closing.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Wonder if that husky blue man (?) who was laying on a plate from the Opening Ceremonies Last Supper scene will do an encore for the closing.

Don't get me started. haha.

I'll be outside again enjoying the day. For sure not watching this closing ceremonies shit. Never really been too much of a fan of the opening or closing ceremonies. 4hrs of the worst programming on imo. I like the fireworks and pyrotechnics at the end. Hard to screw that up.

I'm about done of hearing how Paris is the uber must visit destination. Of course they poisoned all the rats in the city that would normally be nipping at ankles and washed all the shit off streets. They tried to clean up the Seine but that didn't work either.

The Olympics were two weeks of commentating: Oh look theres the Eiffel tower, or look theres the Eiffel tower. Many events they're panning to that like its an event or participant. Yeah we've seen it, we all know what it looks like..

whoops, I got started..

 

[Frank the Tank]

I see we're at the Terry Jones being photographed sleeping at the Sydney airport part of the Olympics.

It been fun following Canada's athletes together over the past few weeks. I'll see everyone back in the hockey threads at training camp.

 

[Soundwave]

Athletes have talent, fans watched it, and it plays to the younger demographic... IOC will likely take a long look at reintroducing the sport for Brisbane 2032.

2032? lol, why do the Olympics move like the Titanic trying to avoid an ice berg. Just bring it back for the next Olympics, what's the big deal, there's like 50 different sports no one watches, you're going to cut the one new event that was actually bringing in young viewers and had a lineup stretching down the block twice of people waiting to get in?

That just seems very stupid to me.

Yeah one idiot made an ass of herself, just have higher qualification standards, but honestly even that was good press for the Olympics because it's all over social media as a fun meme.

Not having this event for the LA Olympics in 2028 is a big missed opportunity, it's like the dummies at USA Basketball that thought they were smart for not putting Caitlyn Clark on the women's basketball team. Zero marketing sense at all. You gotta stop having 60+ year olds in charge of the decision making, these people are badly out of touch.

 

[Fourier]

Its not working. France Olympics had the lowest viewing numbers of any recent Summer Olympics.

Summer Olympics Poised to Have Record-Low U.S. Viewership

Thirty-five percent of Americans plan to watch at least a fair amount of the 2024 Olympics, far lower than what Gallup has measured for prior Summer Games.

news.gallup.com

Also Olympic viewers of any kind are increasingly getting older, not younger. Its not taking off with younger cohorts.

Worse, is this was supposed to be the break back Olympics, supposed to be huge as the last one was the Covid hangover Olympics of events happening with no crowd and little excitement or spirit. Tokyp ws olympics in a vacuum. Really a debacle.

Olympics is no longer must watch and water cooler banter. Its gone from 60% of people saying they will watch a lot to now 30%. An alarming figure for broadcasters hoping for cashcows. Meanwhile the amount or polled respondents saying they won't watch any has gone up from 10% to 30% and with another 34% saying they will watch a little.

I was in the watch a little category.

Actual viewership was way up though. Early numbers suggest a 76% increase over the Tokyo games and NBC's ad revenue was a record.

How the Paris Olympics spun ratings gold for NBC and Peacock

NBCUniversal's coverage of the Paris Olympics has averaged 32 million viewers, far more than the Tokyo Games, with the help of Simone Biles and Snoop Dogg.

www.latimes.com

 

[Soundwave]

Feel kinda bad for Tokyo, they totally got screwed over with the 2020/21 games.

 

[bellagiobob]

Didn’t this clown get 0 points? Apparently she has a PhD in “Cultural Movement” whatever the f*** that is. Looks like she wasted 8 years of her life getting a bullshit meaningless doctorate and then proceeded to get embarrassed on the global stage.

Isn’t there some kind of pre Olympic qualifications that ‘athletes’ have to go thru in their sport to make a certain time, level, etc in their event to show that they are worthy to compete in their sport at this level? Some of the other break dancers had some good moves, but the average person who doesn’t really follow the Olympics that closely will only have one picture in their mind of that event, and it will be of that gals ‘performance’. Not exactly the way to go about showing that your activity belongs in the games.

 

[McHelpus]

Its not working. France Olympics had the lowest viewing numbers of any recent Summer Olympics.

Summer Olympics Poised to Have Record-Low U.S. Viewership

Thirty-five percent of Americans plan to watch at least a fair amount of the 2024 Olympics, far lower than what Gallup has measured for prior Summer Games.

news.gallup.com

Also Olympic viewers of any kind are increasingly getting older, not younger. Its not taking off with younger cohorts.

Worse, is this was supposed to be the break back Olympics, supposed to be huge as the last one was the Covid hangover Olympics of events happening with no crowd and little excitement or spirit. Tokyp ws olympics in a vacuum. Really a debacle.

Olympics is no longer must watch and water cooler banter. Its gone from 60% of people saying they will watch a lot to now 30%. An alarming figure for broadcasters hoping for cashcows. Meanwhile the amount or polled respondents saying they won't watch any has gone up from 10% to 30% and with another 34% saying they will watch a little.

I was in the watch a little category.

MMA, Cricket, Tug of War (ppl would watch it), Javelin freestyle, cross country, 60M dash, standing high jump. So many things could be used but they don't. Chess should be in the Olympics.

 

[Drivesaitl]

MMA, Cricket, Tug of War (ppl would watch it), Javelin freestyle, cross country, 60M dash, standing high jump. So many things could be used but they don't. Chess should be in the Olympics.

"Javelin freestyle" heh

Probably get better ratings then fencing.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

MMA, Cricket, Tug of War (ppl would watch it), Javelin freestyle, cross country, 60M dash, standing high jump. So many things could be used but they don't. Chess should be in the Olympics.

MMA would be so good.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Isn’t there some kind of pre Olympic qualifications that ‘athletes’ have to go thru in their sport to make a certain time, level, etc in their event to show that they are worthy to compete in their sport at this level? Some of the other break dancers had some good moves, but the average person who doesn’t really follow the Olympics that closely will only have one picture in their mind of that event, and it will be of that gals ‘performance’. Not exactly the way to go about showing that your activity belongs in the games.

If someone like that nutty Aussie gal was participating it cheapens the entire "sport". I guess when Eddie the Eagle did his ski jumping it was a feel good story. However when you're competing in what is essentially a dance competition there should be some sort of base level you have to achieve. I mean my daughter danced for 15 years and was offered jobs at Disney, cruise ships, has her Masters in Ballet and could break dance like nobodies business but it aint an Olympic sport. Ive literally seen 6 year olds break dance better than that idiot.

MMA would be so good.

LARP would be awesome. Who doesnt want to watch 2 guys in full armour pound the shit out of each other with real swords for 15 minutes and see whose left standing.