Tokyo COVympics: July 23 to August 8

[Russell Jaslow]

The "judgment sports" are what if a Central American legal system judged athletics. It's a melange of networking, bias, and good old fashioned corruption.

Well, yeah, there is that, too. Which is why I don't think judged sports should be in the Olympics. But that's a whole other topic for another day...

[state of hockey]

Being from Minnesota I'm a big Suni Lee (bandwagon) fan, but even I was surprised at Jade's score on the beam.

[Kepler]

Being from Minnesota I'm a big Suni Lee (bandwagon) fan, but even I was surprised at Jade's score on the beam.

That was a complete farce. I know it's all a scam but for god's sake at least pretend.

[Kepler]

Well, yeah, there is that, too. Which is why I don't think judged sports should be in the Olympics. But that's a whole other topic for another day...

I have no problem with subjective sports being in the Olympics, but the first thing we ought to do is take the nations out of the Olympics. I don't care where you were born or which Evil Corp: Public Sector Edition paid for your animal training.

Also: full nudity.

[Jimjamesak]

The scene in the gym was epic.

That was actually the railroad depot.

[MichVandal]

So far, many of the fluff pieces that NBC has spend money and airtime on have been bust- all up the pump up has not lead to anything. And now, arguably, the top star on the entire team drops out. Just asking questions- how long can NBC hold out before they start throwing athletes under the bus? One can even argue that Naomi Osaka's loss will be a hit to the TV ratings.

If not for a bunch of people having the Olympics on in the background (thanks to us working from home)- NBC is sucking pretty bad.

[French Rage]

LOL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...types-apology/

[MichVandal]

So seeing the daily results of my university- made me think how many olympians played in the NCAA....

According to the NCAA, over 1,000 athletes were NCAA competitors- that's about 10% of the entire field. If I could download the file into Excel, it would be easy to see who they are all playing for. I do know that a UM Senior won a gold for Canada.

[LynahFan]

So seeing the daily results of my university- made me think how many olympians played in the NCAA....

According to the NCAA, over 1,000 athletes were NCAA competitors- that's about 10% of the entire field. If I could download the file into Excel, it would be easy to see who they are all playing for. I do know that a UM Senior won a gold for Canada.

And that probably doesn't count the ones under 18 who will compete in the NCAA someday.

If only other countries would follow our example and make their money-sport athletes go through 4 "shamateur" years (heh - thought I just made that term up, but it's already in my spell check) where the collegiate sports' ruling body could exploit them for $$$ under the guise of funding other sports....

[MichVandal]

And that probably doesn't count the ones under 18 who will compete in the NCAA someday.

If only other countries would follow our example and make their money-sport athletes go through 4 "shamateur" years (heh - thought I just made that term up, but it's already in my spell check) where the collegiate sports' ruling body could exploit them for $$$ under the guise of funding other sports....

That would require a massive change in how sport is done in other countries. I think we are the only ones who give scholarships for sport to universities. Heck, even US territories don't do that (at least I know Puerto Rico's universities don't).

But if it means Nigeria gets it's very first men's gymnast in the Olympics, it's not the worst thing in the world.

[MichVandal]

An aside to Kep's rant in the soccer thread- while you hate American athletes who have things given to them (and I've already asked about countries like China, who make it look like an athlete factory)... what about the countries and sports that *require* massive privilege just to compete- like equestrian and Germany? At least for the US teams you rail about- some of those BB players did come from nothing. Can't do that when a horse is required.

[Russell Jaslow]

That would require a massive change in how sport is done in other countries. I think we are the only ones who give scholarships for sport to universities. Heck, even US territories don't do that (at least I know Puerto Rico's universities don't).

But if it means Nigeria gets it's very first men's gymnast in the Olympics, it's not the worst thing in the world.

It's not just the universities that help train foreign athletes. It's also the sports academies. Heck, at one time (maybe still the case) most of the Russian figure skaters were training in the U.S. So, to Kep, we do spread our weath...

[Russell Jaslow]

An aside to Kep's rant in the soccer thread- while you hate American athletes who have things given to them (and I've already asked about countries like China, who make it look like an athlete factory)... what about the countries and sports that *require* massive privilege just to compete- like equestrian and Germany? At least for the US teams you rail about- some of those BB players did come from nothing. Can't do that when a horse is required.

And let's not forget, the whole reason for the original amateur only in the Olympics was a British concept (Pierre de Courbertin didn't give a darn), because the British believed only the aristocrats should take the luxury of competing in sports and how dare they have to compete against the "unwashed." (The Ancient Greek Olympic athletes were definitely pros.)

[Kepler]

An aside to Kep's rant in the soccer thread- while you hate American athletes who have things given to them (and I've already asked about countries like China, who make it look like an athlete factory)... what about the countries and sports that *require* massive privilege just to compete- like equestrian and Germany? At least for the US teams you rail about- some of those BB players did come from nothing. Can't do that when a horse is required.

Hating one thing does not mean you love everything else. c.f. the National League East.

[Kepler]

And let's not forget, the whole reason for the original amateur only in the Olympics was a British concept (Pierre de Courbertin didn't give a darn), because the British believed only the aristocrats should take the luxury of competing in sports and how dare they have to compete against the "unwashed." (The Ancient Greek Olympic athletes were definitely pros.)

I'm all for elitism. Just make it brains.

And I wouldn't cite the Classical Greeks as a model for egalitarianism.

I didn't know that about Courbertin, though. That's interesting.