Faster!
Higher!!
Stronger!!!
I can't wait for the Summer Olympics to start! Do you watch? Are you an Olympics freak? My local newspaper (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) reports that the majority of Olympics viewers in the U.S. are women. Which I guess really concerns sponsors & broadcasters like NBC, because they want men to watch. Paper also says this is why more "manly" sports, like motocross, have been added to the Olympic events list - to get more guys watching. Even though the same paper has said that women control more discretionary spending dollars that men do - advertisers always want men to watch stuff because their salaries are higher on average. Or something.
Anyway - here are a few things I like or dislike about the Olympics coverage.
Likes:
1. I love watching intense competitions in the lesser broadcast sports. An American need not be involved. Like, I will happily watch an intense 3-way rivalry in diving between 2 Chinese and someone from, say, Belarus. I will follow it from the qualifying to the final rounds. I love to watch those bicycle duels in the velodrome.
2. I like the international flavor, and seeing sport through the eyes of someone who isn't like me - whatever that means, lol.
3. I like the stories of individual athletes, although I hate when they go all schmaltzy and messagey. Just tell the story straight up.
4. I like to see the consciously friendly nationalism of it all.
5. I love the Opening & Closing ceremonies, with their artistic & creative homage to Sport. Greece had a wonderful Opening ceremony! So did France a few years back - they were maybe the best ever.
6. I love all the track & field competitions. Every single one of them. And swimming & diving. I watch for the competitions!
Dislikes:
1. I dislike the (sometimes) relentless parochialism of the U.S. Broadcast. We'll see what NBC does this year - everytime the broadcasters seem to get less heavy-handed with the Nationalism! Now! stuff, so this complaint is lesser than it used to be.
2. I dislike seeing the millionaire Marquis Sport athletes like Kobe get disproportionate airtime. Yes, yes - he's a great basketball player but I don't want to see every single minute of every single game he plays. The NBA already has too many games to watch them all. Show me something that I would otherwise not have the opportunity to see!
3. I dislike that the women in Beach Volleyball are required to wear those itty bitty bikinis. They are not necessary to the game - let them wear loose, more comfortable trunks & teeshirts like the men do. And if the purpose of the bikinis is to be a skin-show to attract male viewers, then can we please put the male Beach Volleyball players into Speedos so we females can oogle their bodies? Because I will.
See? Likes win over Dislikes by 2:1. What do you like/dislike?
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6 comments:
I enjoy the Olympics, but not as much as when I was younger. I used to be glued to the TV and know the names of all the major stars. I don't follow sports all year long the way I used to, either.
You left out gymnastics, which I like to watch. I don't like the professionals in the Olympics. I think it should be for amateurs only. I enjoy learning the personal stories and struggles of the Olympians.
It was exciting when the Olympics were in L.A. in 1984.
Unfortunately I find the Summer Olympics a big bore. The only thing I like to watch is the marathon. I know...boring to some as well. I don't know why I think the Summer are. Maybe cause there are way too many sports, way to many athletes, way to many HUGE countries participating. Oh and really? Equestrian?
I do like the Winter ones a lot.
Gymnastics, diving, swimming and track & field are the ones I'll watch most. A few beach volleyball matches and parts of basketball games will also be on my list. Unfortunately, I'll be gone during much of the Olympics, so I guess I'll just catch what I can.
I love the individual stories. That and the hope of watching something done with perfection are the two biggest reasons I watch. It's a glimpse into how our countries differ and how they are the same.
I love the Olympics. I don't really watch the opening/closing ceremonies becaues I like the thrill of the sport.
I love swimming, diving, and gymnastics the most. And volleyball. I watch some track & field, but not all of it.
I HATE basketball. HATE it. Well, for the olympics, and I refuse to watch - even knowing that Coach K is the Coach.
BTW: Queen Harrison is competeing in track & field. She graduated from my high school.
Love the Olympics!
Softball *woot, gymnastics (boys and girls) and diving are my favorites.
So glad I have a dvr this year.
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