Olympics 2024
- Thread starter Brute
- Start date
I did some Paris Olympics prep by Watching Ben Franklin miniseries on TV. Which was damn good BTW. I did not realize how much money France piled the Continental Army's defeat of the British in the Revolutionary War. Nor how instrumental Franklin was in securing it. Nor how some of that debt probably led to worse tensions that resulted in their own revolution in the late 1780s. Heads would roll...
(Plus throughout that whole series Franklin is about the only one wearing clothes that seem relatively plain and utilitarian and untouched by heavy metal based makeup/hair powder and so on. It's one series that makes an subtle point about how ridiculous French custom/costume was. Normally you get those period TV shows made by Brits and they try and make those outfits seem glamorous, in this one, there is a very deliberate "can you believe how stupid that getup is?" undertone which was frankly super refreshing.)
Anyway, It's cool to see France host. I mean as much as we make fun of accordions, mimes, freedom fries, citroens, peugeots, Land wars in Asia in wintertime, little men with big complexes, stripy shirts, culottes, clove cigarettes, surrender monkeys, indifferent wait staff, absolutely ridiculously overblown soccer fouls/dives (we could probably run this list way longer), gallocentrism, cake-eating insults, the impregnable safety of the Maginot line, Alsace/Lorraine ethnocentric disputes, how the Guillotine remains the highest achievement in French Engineering, near universal doping of elite cyclists and so on, we really do owe the French a debt of gratitude for North America being what it is.
PLus, man, would it ever be fun to be there seeing some of this?
I, for one, am looking forward to displays of amazing patriotism and feats of athletic prowess these next few weeks should bring. Plus the US women's track/sprint team is just on a whole nother level. Gonna be fun seeing how the Aussies do in the pool. And damn it if I don't get choked up on this, Surfing...in Tahiti... how cool is that! No Biarritz BS, straight to the Colonial Big Break!
(Plus throughout that whole series Franklin is about the only one wearing clothes that seem relatively plain and utilitarian and untouched by heavy metal based makeup/hair powder and so on. It's one series that makes an subtle point about how ridiculous French custom/costume was. Normally you get those period TV shows made by Brits and they try and make those outfits seem glamorous, in this one, there is a very deliberate "can you believe how stupid that getup is?" undertone which was frankly super refreshing.)
Anyway, It's cool to see France host. I mean as much as we make fun of accordions, mimes, freedom fries, citroens, peugeots, Land wars in Asia in wintertime, little men with big complexes, stripy shirts, culottes, clove cigarettes, surrender monkeys, indifferent wait staff, absolutely ridiculously overblown soccer fouls/dives (we could probably run this list way longer), gallocentrism, cake-eating insults, the impregnable safety of the Maginot line, Alsace/Lorraine ethnocentric disputes, how the Guillotine remains the highest achievement in French Engineering, near universal doping of elite cyclists and so on, we really do owe the French a debt of gratitude for North America being what it is.
PLus, man, would it ever be fun to be there seeing some of this?
I, for one, am looking forward to displays of amazing patriotism and feats of athletic prowess these next few weeks should bring. Plus the US women's track/sprint team is just on a whole nother level. Gonna be fun seeing how the Aussies do in the pool. And damn it if I don't get choked up on this, Surfing...in Tahiti... how cool is that! No Biarritz BS, straight to the Colonial Big Break!
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As well as feats of strength, and the airing of grievances!
all the best pro's from around the world representing their respective countries, the venue at Teahupo'o, one of the gnarliest surf breaks in the world...if they get decent south swell for the event, folks who have never seen it ridden before are in for an eye-opener
Yard Sale
Life of the Party
I'm looking forward to watching some of the sailing on TV. Oh wait, they don't show that on TV. 
I do like watching some of the "weird" less popular sports. The bigger events the athletes are usually full time pros. A lot of the less famous sports they more like regular people who are just really good at and dedicated to their sport.
I do like watching some of the "weird" less popular sports. The bigger events the athletes are usually full time pros. A lot of the less famous sports they more like regular people who are just really good at and dedicated to their sport.
It’s definitely one of the iconic surf breaks on the planet…
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
USWNT looked far sharper than I have seen in a while. Happy to see that.
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
In JR high school we had Badminton in gym class twice a year. This 1 Korean kid must have been a former national champion and had a 3 didgit serve.
He took great enjoyment in hitting his opponents, in places one doesn't to get hit, everyone tried to not play him.
Track and field, swimming, even soccer all more or less look like what all of us unwashed rec league masses do, just faster/further/better. But badminton and table tennis are two sports where the pro level game looks NOTHING like what most of us are used to playing. The difference in skill is just so so high.
Harry3
Steelhead
I love the swimming, but can't wait for Track and Field, my favorite sport. I ran competitive track up to the age of 62 before I hung up the spikes. 100,200,400 and 800 were my events. Ran in NYS Empire State Games for 25 years, this was an Olympic type competition held at various cities in NYS every year.
Porter2
Legend
Caught myself up in men’s cycling, women’s beach volleyball, men’s volleyball, and women’s rugby. It was entertaining …. Also watch some swimming (backstroke) USA did not do well.
Some high development helmets and body wear for cycling. Very interesting about material and pattern on suits and helmet for aerodynamic advancement. 20% less energy to go 35 MPH. Kinda like a new fly rod sales pitch.
Some high development helmets and body wear for cycling. Very interesting about material and pattern on suits and helmet for aerodynamic advancement. 20% less energy to go 35 MPH. Kinda like a new fly rod sales pitch.
