@PappyJoe I watched men's downhill the other day...it's a toss up between that and Skeleton...takes steel balls for sure (what that translates into for female Skeleton and downhill, I don't know)
I just wanted to let everyone know that the Paralympics start March 4th--please try to watch them if you can and here's why.
My wife works for CNBC...yes, the business new channel that is owned by NBC. And yes, I know NBC is left of center and I know the Paralympics are being held in China, but CNBC, NBC and their sponsors are the ones that basically keep the entire Paralympic operation going...if viewership falls like it has for the regular Olympics, it will be devastating to Paralympic program(s).
Many many many veterans participate in the Paralympics as well as people born with various physical birth defects...support them all you can by watching and/or recording as much of the Paralympics as you can.
I get particularly gushy about this because I have many old friends that became paralyzed and/or had amputations performed because of stupid crap we did when we were younger (e.g., drunk driving, gang fighting, shootings, drugs, etc.), all of which could have been avoided. But when you look at someone that has served our country or was born with these handicaps under no control of their own, it's an entirely different story and we shouldn't forget that they are just as much a member of our society as we are, and more. They need our support! Watch/record the Paralympics!
@vtgrad2003 I'll try and watch some of the Paralympics. Hopefully the coverage will be better than what NBC is providing of the regular Olympics. Three days of coverage of Chen is two days of coverage too many.
I know I'm in the minority ... but once professional athletes were allowed to compete (like The Original Dream Team US Basketball Team) the Olympics lost their appeal to me. Even though I knew other countries like Russia were essentially cheating by building their teams with what America would considered paid pro- athletes ... it really made me proud when a truly amateur team of American Hockey players beat the odds and took home the gold. That was a moment to remember. But watching the US Superstars of professional basketball take on clearly inferior teams from countries where fielding a basketball team was probably as difficult as dunking over Jordan, proved to be anti-climatic, with the outcome never in question.
@ghostsofpompeii I agree, and summer sports in particular are like that; I do believe, however, that the Winter games are different. Many of the sports in winter games don't even have an international governing body. And you have to remember that even Jim Thorpe (1912) was a professional athlete, albeit not in the sport he won his medals in, and had his medals stripped because of it.
From my understanding, the reason why pros were allowed in the Olympics is simply because there would be no Olympics without professional athletes--i.e., not enough amateurs to go around. I try to see the Olympics less as 'struggling athletes trying to have their moment in fame' and more as 'these are the best in the world and it's exciting to see the best in the world go at it'.
By the way, if you want to see all amateurs again, you should watch the Paralympics. It's amazing how these athletes overcome/handle their disabilities to compete.
@ghostsofpompeii I understand what you are saying but I would argue that the blurring of the lines between professional and amateur athletes happened long ago. Maybe as far back as the Olympic games in Ancient Greece where rulers would provide everything for their prize athletes.
Comments
I only saw fat men. All the women curlers I saw were pretty good looking.
Oh my!
I was wrong.
Take a look at the Skeleton events. It's like luge except the competitors are going down the track head first.
I watched men's downhill the other day...it's a toss up between that and Skeleton...takes steel balls for sure (what that translates into for female Skeleton and downhill, I don't know)
If they are Russian, it probably translates to the same😬
My wife works for CNBC...yes, the business new channel that is owned by NBC. And yes, I know NBC is left of center and I know the Paralympics are being held in China, but CNBC, NBC and their sponsors are the ones that basically keep the entire Paralympic operation going...if viewership falls like it has for the regular Olympics, it will be devastating to Paralympic program(s).
Many many many veterans participate in the Paralympics as well as people born with various physical birth defects...support them all you can by watching and/or recording as much of the Paralympics as you can.
I get particularly gushy about this because I have many old friends that became paralyzed and/or had amputations performed because of stupid crap we did when we were younger (e.g., drunk driving, gang fighting, shootings, drugs, etc.), all of which could have been avoided. But when you look at someone that has served our country or was born with these handicaps under no control of their own, it's an entirely different story and we shouldn't forget that they are just as much a member of our society as we are, and more. They need our support! Watch/record the Paralympics!
I'll try and watch some of the Paralympics. Hopefully the coverage will be better than what NBC is providing of the regular Olympics. Three days of coverage of Chen is two days of coverage too many.
CNBC tends to be left of left center.
No, but I did hear there will be camel toe relays!
I agree, and summer sports in particular are like that; I do believe, however, that the Winter games are different. Many of the sports in winter games don't even have an international governing body. And you have to remember that even Jim Thorpe (1912) was a professional athlete, albeit not in the sport he won his medals in, and had his medals stripped because of it.
From my understanding, the reason why pros were allowed in the Olympics is simply because there would be no Olympics without professional athletes--i.e., not enough amateurs to go around. I try to see the Olympics less as 'struggling athletes trying to have their moment in fame' and more as 'these are the best in the world and it's exciting to see the best in the world go at it'.
I understand what you are saying but I would argue that the blurring of the lines between professional and amateur athletes happened long ago. Maybe as far back as the Olympic games in Ancient Greece where rulers would provide everything for their prize athletes.
U.S. Men’s Curling Team Disqualified After Drug Test Reveals Obscene Levels Of Raw Masculinity
https://babylonbee.com/news/us-mens-curling-team-disqualified-after-drug-test-reveals-obscene-levels-of-raw-masculinity