Summer Olympics!

holyguacamole79

Is anyone watching?  I'm so excited for women's gymnastics.   Simone Biles is from my area in Houston and I know her brother (my mom taught her son in church).

STARMOON44

Yes completely addicted! 

WinstonsGirl

Spent most of today in front of the tv.  I've got about 6-8 different channels depending on the time of day I can flip through (Canadian English, French and American).  Been mostly gymnastics today, obviously, though checked out the volleyball, cycling and rugby too

ei34

Yes watching now! I absolutely love the women's gymnastics!  @holyguacamole79 There must be such excitement in your area!

holyguacamole79

@eileenrob absolutely!  I'm FB stalking her brother in Rio.  I'm so excited for her family!

kimmiinthemitten

Laurie Hernandez killed it on the floor routine, and that is my least favorite of the gymnastic competitions!  Missed most of them today so now we're fantasy football drafting and taking in swimming.

I went to college with one of Michael Phelps trainers and they showed him while zooming on Phelps so that was pretty cool!

WinstonsGirl

I think it is crazy that it's past midnight in Rio and they're still playing/swimming/etc.  I've got live beach volleyball at the moment.  Apparently the IOC sets the times, and they're doing it for TV purposes.  Really??  I get us west coast-isa people, but I'm sure a lot of the east coast is going to bed at the moment for work

KeptInStitches

Are we sure Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky are human? Swimming tonight was awesome!

WinstonsGirl

I love watching swimming.  

https://www.buzzfeed.com/robstott/so-thirsty-i-could-drink-the-pool?utm_term=.knmpYwJO3P#.qybxrlEZOR

kimmiinthemitten

Olympic pet peeve:  every single reporter interviewing every single athlete has a Michael Phelps question.  

The kid that broke down after winning his first gold in the relay this morning was asked how it felt to help him win his 19th gold medal, like that number is magical or something.  I'm pretty confident the fencing team isn't going to have a Phelps encounter to report on, let the athletes enjoy their own success!

bleve0821

Speaking of reporters/commentators (with a little backstory)....

We haven't seen much of the games yet because half our cable stations are out (obviously, all the ones which would show anything Olympic related or otherwise).  What I've seen has been on tvs in bars or at Best Buy, and it's really limited to snatches of the biking, a couple of swimming events, and the end of the men's beach volleyball.  And table tennis.  Needless to say, I'm royally pissed at our cable provider (and H, since he knew about it all last week and didn't so much as call to schedule a home visit).  Very frustrating, since the swimming is my main sport and it's been going on all weekend!

But I'm really peeved at the table tennis commentator of Saturday night, who kept referring to Lily Zhang as "the American."  I'm like, fuck, dude, she has a name, and it's on her freaking jersey!!!  "The American is up two points."  "The American has had a good showing today."  "The American is really putting herself into this match."

I just found it really disrespectful that the commentator couldn't even be bothered to use the poor girl's name, when it was just her and the Portugese girl on camera.

missJeanLouise

I am in it for the Equestrian events, which are on broadcadt t.v. for like 3 hours total. I downloaded the app so I can watch the events live but still wish there was a way to watch later. I can't watch while I am at work and everything starts at 9am here. If anyone knows where you can watch past events  (more than just highlights) please let me know.

MobKaz

Shout out to the male announcers for women's swimming. They quoted someone saying that, "Katie Ledecky swims like a man."

They laughed  incredulously and said, "What are you talking about?  It's Katie Ledecky! She swims like Katie Ledecky", and continued to discuss how her form is the closest to perfect, ever.

Hopefully young girls everywhere are hearing the beginning of the end of sexist comments in sports.

charlotte989875

WinstonsGirl said:

I think it is crazy that it's past midnight in Rio and they're still playing/swimming/etc.  I've got live beach volleyball at the moment.  Apparently the IOC sets the times, and they're doing it for TV purposes.  Really??  I get us west coast-isa people, but I'm sure a lot of the east coast is going to bed at the moment for work

This drove me crazy last night. I was waiting for gymnastics and they showed the first two US events then went to live swimming. It was 11:20pm and I gave up because they still hadn't done the relay. Do people really stay up until 12:30-1am watching Olympics and are awake for work them next morning?

southernbelle0915

I've only really watched women's gymnastics because it's so awesome and the swimming event where Dana Vollmer won Bronze in fly LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER GIVING BIRTH. Just...wow.

drglitter

I'm obsessed with the Olympics, and FH won't watch them with me. He's working tonight. Guess who's binge-watching the last 3 days of Olympics when she gets home?!

WinstonsGirl

southernbelle0915 said:

I've only really watched women's gymnastics because it's so awesome and the swimming event where Dana Vollmer won Bronze in fly LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER GIVING BIRTH. Just...wow.

There is a gymnast (Oksana Chusovitina) who placed 5th overall in vault (or maybe in her heat, but still) who is 41, in her 7th Olympics (Barcelona was the first).  Makes me want to give the finger and show this article to everyone who says I'm too old for cheering at Worlds and when am I going to retire.  Pretty pumped with her.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2016/08/06/rio-olympics-2016-meet-oksana-chusovitina-the-41-year-old-gymnas/

charlotte989875

WinstonsGirl said:

southernbelle0915 said:

I've only really watched women's gymnastics because it's so awesome and the swimming event where Dana Vollmer won Bronze in fly LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER GIVING BIRTH. Just...wow.

There is a gymnast (Oksana Chusovitina) who placed 5th overall in vault (or maybe in her heat, but still) who is 41, in her 7th Olympics (Barcelona was the first).  Makes me want to give the finger and show this article to everyone who says I'm too old for cheering at Worlds and when am I going to retire.  Pretty pumped with her.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2016/08/06/rio-olympics-2016-meet-oksana-chusovitina-the-41-year-old-gymnas/

I love this. Her son is the same age as some of the women shes competitions against. I hope she makes it to Tokyo!

emmaaa

Yes! I love watching. I will usually watch whatever is going on at the moment but I love swimming and diving and beach volleyball. My favorite is women's gymnastics...those ladies are superhuman!

sunflower0592

missJeanLouise said:

I am in it for the Equestrian events, which are on broadcadt t.v. for like 3 hours total. I downloaded the app so I can watch the events live but still wish there was a way to watch later. I can't watch while I am at work and everything starts at 9am here. If anyone knows where you can watch past events  (more than just highlights) please let me know.

Same! I'm so annoyed that they don't air any of the equestrian events on NBC, but they'll show cycling and table tennis all day long. I don't have any of the additional channels so I guess I'm out of luck

bridetobe26-2

The women's cycling wreck yesterday was absolutely horrifying. We were out to eat with the Olympics on screen and the whole restaurant gasped in unison. We weren't sure if she was even going to make it, but she ended up having three fractured vertebrae and a concussion.

charlotte989875

missJeanLouise said:

I am in it for the Equestrian events, which are on broadcadt t.v. for like 3 hours total. I downloaded the app so I can watch the events live but still wish there was a way to watch later. I can't watch while I am at work and everything starts at 9am here. If anyone knows where you can watch past events  (more than just highlights) please let me know.

Do you have cable? If so download the NBC Sports app, not the Rio Olympics one and you can watch replays. I'm watching the gymnastics qualifying events that I missed last night. 

KeptInStitches

@BrideToBe26, I agree. I thought the cyclist had died. Bad injuries, but it could have been so much worse.

kvruns

we've had it on all weekend, I've probably watched more this weekend than all of the last one combined haha. I like gymnastics a lot and usually watch some running events too 

missJeanLouise

charlotte989875 said:

missJeanLouise said:

I am in it for the Equestrian events, which are on broadcadt t.v. for like 3 hours total. I downloaded the app so I can watch the events live but still wish there was a way to watch later. I can't watch while I am at work and everything starts at 9am here. If anyone knows where you can watch past events  (more than just highlights) please let me know.

Do you have cable? If so download the NBC Sports app, not the Rio Olympics one and you can watch replays. I'm watching the gymnastics qualifying events that I missed last night. 

Thanks! Watching this mornings Cross Country test Right Now!

SP29

missJeanLouise said:

charlotte989875 said:

missJeanLouise said:

I am in it for the Equestrian events, which are on broadcadt t.v. for like 3 hours total. I downloaded the app so I can watch the events live but still wish there was a way to watch later. I can't watch while I am at work and everything starts at 9am here. If anyone knows where you can watch past events  (more than just highlights) please let me know.

Do you have cable? If so download the NBC Sports app, not the Rio Olympics one and you can watch replays. I'm watching the gymnastics qualifying events that I missed last night. 

Thanks! Watching this mornings Cross Country test Right Now!

Me too!!

I *LOVE* the Olympics.

I like watching the swimming, running, and equestrian events. I catch a few other snippets here and there. If you're in Canada, CBC.ca allows you to watch live or replays from the events of the day of (though not previous days ).

Some great stars all around. There are A LOT of strong women in these games. I'm particularly pleased with the Canadian women's teams (of course I'm biased ). 60% of Canada's athletes at the games are women.

If only I didn't have to work and could stay home and watch the Olympics all day.... now I must leave and go visit my own horse.

ernursej

I've only watched a bit (can't stand that so much money is spent on this when it could have done so much for the people of the country) but I did see that gymnast that vaulted and broke his tib/fib. That was horrible.

missJeanLouise

@SP29 this is the hardest cross country course I have ever seen! I have never seen so many riders eliminated. Laura Kieffer broke my heart (mostly b/c I Love her mare!)

glasgowtolondon

I love the olympics but because of the time difference I'm having a hard time watching much. Team GB haven't won too much yet so at least I haven't missed all the fun. Plus I'm travelling for work this week which doesn't help. I can't wait for the athletics to start!

One thing I did catch on Saturday that really wound me up though was when the Team Refugee athlete won her heat in swimming. Afterwards the interviewer asked her if she 'ever wondered what she may have been able to achieve had she been able to focus on swimming and had access to a proper coach and training time'. No, I'm sure that had never crossed her mind. I'm sure this incredibly talented woman wasn't bothered at all that instead of training she had had to focus on surviving. Where do they come up with these questions!?

bleve0821

glasgowtolondon said:

I love the olympics but because of the time difference I'm having a hard time watching much. Team GB haven't won too much yet so at least I haven't missed all the fun. Plus I'm travelling for work this week which doesn't help. I can't wait for the athletics to start!

One thing I did catch on Saturday that really wound me up though was when the Team Refugee athlete won her heat in swimming. Afterwards the interviewer asked her if she 'ever wondered what she may have been able to achieve had she been able to focus on swimming and had access to a proper coach and training time'. No, I'm sure that had never crossed her mind. I'm sure this incredibly talented woman wasn't bothered at all that instead of training she had had to focus on surviving. Where do they come up with these questions!?

I am finding many reporters and a lot of the commentators to be truly questionable.  Really, it seems that tact is just flying out of the window all across the board, and everyone has zero fucks to give.

Apparently, some of my gymnastics buff friends are really upset with one of the commentators because he refuses to acknowledge Simone Biles adoptive parents as her actual parents.  "They may be mom and dad, but they aren't her parents."  "Biles' grandparents," etc.

I didn't personally hear/read any of that, but it's disgusting if it's true.

But, to put a positive spin on the negative commentary, I firmly believe that any parent who adopts a child into a loving home is a grand parent.

But there's a big difference between a grand parent and a grandparent.

sparklepants41

I love love love the Olympics - especially gymnastics, swimming, and diving. 

It's been bothering me the past few nights that NONE - not one - of the commentators can pronounce Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom's last name correctly. And they butchered the pronunciation right to her face! 

The on-air talent gets a phonetic list of athlete's last names as well, which makes their laziness/lack of caring that much worse.