Extreme anger has invaded my otherwise peaceful soul

[boborunstheshow]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:41pm

Does anybody else think it unnecessary to show the whole national anthem? We know how it sounds. I want to watch sports, not WAY to close shots of these faces.

Whos with me? Lets burn down NBC!

[Plum]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:43pm

Those stupid medal ceremonies drive me up the wall. They should show nothing but medal ceremonies on Bravo or something, and leave the actual sports to the other channels. What a waste of my frickin' time. (Unless I'm using beautiful Tivo. I love the Tivo.)

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:43pm

I like the closeups because it's hot to see men cry of happiness.

(And they usually don't. So I scream "CRY!" at the television.)

So, sorry, I support it.

Except the Phelps worshipping is what makes me want to hurl. They talk like he's a god. Damn straight, Pieter Van Den Hoogenband and Ian Thorpe can kick his ass any day. Updated On: 8/19/04 at 10:43 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:47pm

Nancy Kerrigan hates medal ceremonies.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:50pm

Just a thought - these athletes who are hearing their national anthem are experiencing the rewards of their years of dedication and hard work. We are being allowed to share in that moment of dream realization, which I can take in large doses (compared to what we are frequently having crammed down our throats.) There are sports on 24 hours a day - 2 entire networks dedicated to it, in fact - but these moments of pure and humbling joy are rare. Especially in a world increasingly defined by selfish 'I want, I want, I want' attitudes.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:51pm

Well, Phelps is a) American and b) a more diverse swimmer than the other two. That's why NBC is going nuts for him. Thorpe and van den Hoogenband are very distinguished, but only in the freestyle stroke. Phelps is extremely accomplished in the butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle. Not to mention the individual medley, which combines all these with the breast stroke.

The best swimmers today- guys like van den Hoogenband and Thorpe- are specialists. Phelps is a bit of a stunner because he does so well in so many strokes. Updated On: 8/19/04 at 10:51 PM

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:54pm

I was talking about freestyle also. Those were the biggest 'suspense' swimming events for the men. The Phelps coverage was pretty...sickening. Although they DID recognize the other two (Hoogenband MUCH less), which I will give them props for.

What kills me, I know that we're America, but there are tons of atheletes that are bilingual and can speak English, or are from Australia, Great Britain, or a country where English is chiefly spoken. I'm tired of watching the Americans get interviewed, because they keep interviewing the same people- over and over again. I want to hear what the other non-American atheletes want to say. I'm sure that some will stop by and comply with a quick interview. Updated On: 8/19/04 at 10:54 PM

[boborunstheshow]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:55pm

Wait DGrant, Youre basically saying that the world doesn't necessarily cater to my every need? And i shoulnd't expect it too?

*opens eyes really wide*

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:58pm

Yes, bobo, as shocking as it is. The world caters to the whims of a 57 year old goat-herder in Argentina. Unfortunately, he has few desires, which leaves so many of us at loose ends.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:03pm

Every country covers its own athletes the most. It's the patriotic thing to do.

*waves around random flags*

But anyway, I know what you're saying. But you have to admit Thorpe got tons of publicity in the last Olympics.

Phelps is just the golden boy this time around. Before that it was Apollo Ono, and Thorpe before that. NBC feels the overwhelming need to put a face on every Olympics. And corporations are always looking for new celebrity endorsers. So you get needless hype.

I think Phelps is actually worth a lot of the hype- he's really excellent. But I understand how being unable to fast forward past most of the BS can make one churlish.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 11:15pm

They're interviewing him now- AGAIN.

They even had a friggin' segment on his eating habits and what he eats for lunch. They had a segment on Amanda Beard's teddy bear and how hot she is now.

*calms down* Okay, I guess that's all normal to be patriotic and to focus on America. But some of those little 'fillers' are ridiculous.

Besides all that, these commentators are either gushing to the point of...well, just really gushing, or they are absolutely negative. When Paul Hamm fell yesterday, they were like "No chance, absolutely no chance. He can't do this anymore." Oy vey.

[etoile]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 1:32am

Bobo, sometimes I wonder if you post these caustic comments just to get a reaction. Or are you so obtuse to the concept of national pride that you prefer to advocate violence towards a network? Seriously? Give them their moment to shine and let the traditions continue.

You do realize one course of action is to simply change the channel, or even better still, pop in the DVD of CASABLANCA to see how the summoning of a national anthem stirringly becomes a bonding force affecting change. In fact when Victor Laszlo leads the band in "La Marseillaise" and shouts down the German drinking song, I find that to be the turning point in a movie that many consider the best film ever produced. The pride and devotion in Ilsa's eyes towards Victor are sealed in that one moment. And the rest...is movie history.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 9:38am

I have been LOVING the Olympics, and I don't normally watch sports.

The medal ceremony is wonderful...
Carly Patterson made me tear up last night.

Bobo, if you can't stand 3.5 minutes of national and olympic pride, you should really just shut up and change the channel.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:26am

y'know, i'm pretty sick of this whole focussing on american athletes that seems to be going on by all of the american broadcasting companies. i mean it's like they think that their audiences are composed primarily of americans or something. geez, why don't they wake up and realize that nobody wants to watch the americans? i mean don't they realize from all the rioting and the attacks on athletes and the heated protesting and the signs and the booing that everyone hates all americans so they should just focus on the swiss? i mean they're neutral, right? i mean if you have enough cash, they are.

wait, could it be that they realize that the majority (be it 51% or 97.23671%) of americans are tuning in to watch how americans do. sure they'd like to see the other folks too, but there's only so much time in the broadcast, and the network is demonstrating the concept of "dance with the girl ya brung."

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:30am

I mean, come on. Can't they give all of the illegal Mexican's even one moment of motherland joy?

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:37am

I think Spanking should be a sport.

[Ilive4nyc]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:42am

I'm siding with you DGrant..these people have worked their intire life to be where they are now let them have their 1-2 minutes to enjoy it. I am not a big sports fan either, but I love the Olympics.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:52am

the way you do it, boobs, is an art...or so i heard.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 10:55am

There are several of boobs early spanking canvases hanging in the Louvre.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:17pm

CKeaton and DGrant, well said.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:21pm

I think the medal ceremony is part of what makes the Olympics so special.

I agree with those of you who want to celebrate the achievements of the athletes, and honor the countries which they represent.

I'm all for it!

(However, I don't particularly like the version of the Star Spangled Banner which they are playing during these games...I prefer a version with a bit more power...)

[boborunstheshow]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:35pm

fine, its just me and Plum then.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 4:19pm

Hmm...maybe it's a matter of how much Olymplics you watch. I've watched at least 20 hours of it so far, and there's only so many medal ceremonies I can tolerate. I guess if you're only watching an event or 2 every couple of days, watching its medal ceremony isn't so bad. I know I watched the ceremonies for the first couple of days.