The Fucking 2024 Olympics

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

An interesting opening ceremony.

 

Positives? Loved how it showcased Paris as a city, winding down the Seine was a genius idea, showing off Notre Dame, the Louvre, the bridges, the Eiffel Tower, etc. Breaking up the athlete's parade was really clever too, as that's 1.5-2 hours that drags usually (and was probably much more interesting to them too). The horse on the Seine was very impressive and the explosions of blood at Les Invalides were brilliantly effective. The cauldron looked incredible, and when it rose in the air, it was jaw dropping - gave Thomas Heatherwick's 2012 design a run for its money. Celine Dion was an incredible showstopper, was wondering if she was going to appear.

 

Negatives? It was a bit faffy and scattergun. The problem with plonking things on the side of the Seine is that they lose the tightness of a stage or screen performance (Lady Gaga and the Can Can fell foul of this in particular - maybe because it was still light? Not sure). The torch relay somewhat descended into farce. We had Zizou holding it at the start but then get stuck on a train and pass it to some kids, they get in a boat with a weird masked figure (was it the same one who continued all the way to the Trocodero?) and the figure then hands it...back to Zizou, who still got there in time anyway (he may as well have hung onto it on the train!). He then hands it over to Rafael Nadal, who isn't French (albeit, I guess he's an honorary Frenchman, given he has 16 French Open titles - I probably wouldn't begrudge Roger Federer a small role in a London ceremony either!) and he then gets on a speedboat BACK DOWN the Seine (where the torch has just come from!) with Carl Lewis, Serena Williams and Nadia Comaneci (who the BBC struggled to identify and seemingly weren't being provided with real-time updates as to who people were). So that's 4 non-Frenchies, 2 Yanks and 2 tennis players. Weird. Then we finally get to the French torch bearers but they seemed to be struggling slightly with what I was thinking all along: that there isn't a standout French sporting icon who could light the cauldron (I suppose the closest would be Mbappe, but he has no Olympic connection to speak of). I can name lots of successful and famous French sporting figures, but mostly famous in their own fields and sports, rather than on a global scale. So instead, they included hundreds of slightly famous figures, in the hope everyone recognised at least some of them. I'm guessing Yanks probably know Tony Parker, who I've never heard of, I knew Amelie Mauresmo and was expecting Renaud Lavillenie to make an appearance (which he did). But it was all a bit ridiculous as we ended up with an army of torch bearers trekking through the Paris night. The cauldron saved the day, though. And the weather was atrocious, which is hardly their fault, but did lend a damp and flat air to proceedings despite all the energy. Imagine a warm, bright July night, it would have been spectacular.

 

That looks like a lot more negatives than positives, but to be fair most of it is my analysis of the torch relay. And I did enjoy it, and applaud them for attempting something ambitious and different and it will be interesting to see if Los Angeles try to incorporate any of their city into the 2028 Opening Ceremony. Now onto the sport - I absolutely love the Olympics!

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,683]

TLDW. Now bring on the weightlifting, pickleball and tiddlywinks.

[ladyfiona 2,558]

9 hours ago, RoverAndOut said:

That looks like a lot more negatives than positives, but to be fair most of it is my analysis of the torch relay. And I did enjoy it, and applaud them for attempting something ambitious and different and it will be interesting to see if Los Angeles try to incorporate any of their city into the 2028 Opening Ceremony. Now onto the sport - I absolutely love the Olympics!

 

Ah yes, lets include the homelessness, the traffic and skid row, lol.

 

No but seriously. Only things I can think of for LA would be:

 

- Hollywood walk of fame

- Hollywood hills with the interesting houses

- Re-creating the Terminator 2 scene at the dry LA river with the torch

- Jimmy Kimmel

- Tar pits

[time 8,575]

I didn't watch the opening ceremony (why change the habit of a lifetime?), and have no plans to watch any particular event - if I turn on the TV and its on, I might watch, if its something that I have a modicum of interest in (canoe slalom, yes, rhythmic gymnastics, no), but I tend to find its like watching the snooker - I sit there thinking I'll go and do something productive after this frame, and next thing you know its the 6 frames later and too late to do anything (productive or otherwise).

[TQR 14,352]

Tuned in just in time to catch the Australian 3m divers shitting on their last dive (not literally, though it'd have been no worse), allowing Team GB to claim their first Fucking Olympic medal in women's diving in 64 years.

 

I like dipping in and out of the Fucking Olympics when it's on, I find a lot of it quite interesting. Apart from the horse sports. Never liked them, even before Charlotte Dujardin.

[time 8,575]

9 hours ago, RoverAndOut said:

That looks like a lot more negatives than positives, but to be fair most of it is my analysis of the torch relay. And I did enjoy it, and applaud them for attempting something ambitious and different and it will be interesting to see if Los Angeles try to incorporate any of their city into the 2028 Opening Ceremony. Now onto the sport - I absolutely love the Olympics!

The last time Los Angeles hosted (1984) was during my first trip to the US. I bought some beer called "LA", which I assumed to be some Los Angeles Olympic commemorative beer, only to discover after about 4 cans that the "LA" stood for low-alcohol.

[ladyfiona 2,558]

Anyone go to the 2012 Olympics in the stadium? My uncle who has a history of working with the cycling team in things like Tour De France, he managed to get a volunteer role in the velodrome.

 

My dad got us tickets to see the athletics and we saw some stuff for Paralympics too. Watching blind/sighted running relay is very surreal because the crowd has to be silent as the blind athletes run with a guide who give them instructions. Right at the end there is an enormous roar.

[En Passant 3,731]

39 minutes ago, ladyfiona said:

Watching blind/sighted running relay is very surreal because the crowd has to be silent as the blind athletes run with a guide who give them instructions

 

A very dark part of me sn iggered at the idea of trying to shout out 'turn left, turn left!" to create havoc. I quickly quashed it as being as distasteful as it is - but you can't help what your mind throws up sometimes.

[TQR 14,352]

Just now, En Passant said:

sN-worded

 

That filter is slightly flawed.

[BuffaloPhil 913]

No golds yet? It's like Team GB aren't even trying!

[Bentrovato 1,084]

8 minutes ago, BuffaloPhil said:

No golds yet? It's like Team GB aren't even trying!

The drugs don't kick in  for a few days. 

 

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

34 minutes ago, BuffaloPhil said:

No golds yet? It's like Team GB aren't even trying!

 

I know it's a joke, but just to point out this is the first time since Moscow 1980 that Team GB have won 2 medals on the opening day of the games. And, by rights, it should already be 3 - 20-year-old Josh Tarling missed out on the men's cycling time trial podium by 2 seconds, having lost 15+ changing his bike due to a puncture. Cruel luck.

[Grim Up North 3,717]

30 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

I know it's a joke, but just to point out this is the first time since Moscow 1980 that Team GB have won 2 medals on the opening day of the games. And, by rights, it should already be 3 - 20-year-old Josh Tarling missed out on the men's cycling time trial podium by 2 seconds, having lost 15+ changing his bike due to a puncture. Cruel luck.

Bit of a one eyed view - they only got the diving bronze coz the Aussies fucked up so it should be 2 - just a different 2.

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

24 minutes ago, Grim Up North said:

Bit of a one eyed view - they only got the diving bronze coz the Aussies fucked up so it should be 2 - just a different 2.

 

Not quite the same though, is it? If the Aussies had fucked up their first dive, they wouldn't have been in the equation to start with. You get 6 dives, best combined score wins. Whether first or last, you need to deliver - our girls were 6th after 4 and 4th after 5. They nailed their final dive, the Aussies didn't. No different to a football team losing on the final day of the season and another team nicking the title by a point.

 

If Tarling had fallen off his bike, then you could say he wasn't unlucky, it was his own fault, the others stayed upright and won the medals. But a puncture is pure chance, beyond his control. 

[Sly Ronnie 870]

9 hours ago, ladyfiona said:

 

Ah yes, lets include the homelessness, the traffic and skid row, lol.

 

No but seriously. Only things I can think of for LA would be:

 

- Hollywood walk of fame

- Hollywood hills with the interesting houses

- Re-creating the Terminator 2 scene at the dry LA river with the torch

- Jimmy Kimmel

- Tar pits

 

They should get David Lynch to direct it!

[Father Brown 207]

Been watching the gymnastics. I need those "trousers with socks at the end" that some of the lads have, they look really comfortable.

[Master Obit 822]

9 hours ago, Father Brown said:

Been watching the gymnastics. I need those "trousers with socks at the end" that some of the lads have, they look really comfortable.

I'd love to own a few pairs as well. Preferably after I'd removed them from some of those gymnasts.

[Master Obit 822]

That escape from Murray is such a fitting piece of the end of his career.

[TQR 14,352]

Could not believe the comeback GB managed there in the Fucking Tennis. Quality stuff after a shite first hour of play!

 

Now watching the Fucking Swimming. Peaty's up in half an hour.

[En Passant 3,731]

 

Is taking precedence for me. But admittedly it's my sport, so I'm biased and I think there's all of about 3 people watching it live....

Swimming bores me rigid too I'm afraid. Shrug.

 

[Master Obit 822]

19 minutes ago, TQR said:

Could not believe the comeback GB managed there in the Fucking Tennis. Quality stuff after a shite first hour of play!

 

Now watching the Fucking Swimming. Peaty's up in half an hour.

Marchand could swim a few lengths of my pool any day of the week.

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

Came here to mention the tennis but see it's already been discussed.  Incredible. I just couldn't see it happening at all, and it was clearly all done and dusted at 8-3 and 9-4 in the tie-break. Love that he's had one more Great Escape in his career, hope they can build on this and have one final adventure. It's an open draw.

[BuffaloPhil 913]

Peaty fucks it.

[TQR 14,352]

A Fucking Silver for Adam Peaty, off by just 2 hundredths of a second! Shit it.

 

Amazing achievement to do that after a couple of years off.

[YoungWillz 20,919]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloPhil said:

Peaty fucks it.

This is what happens when you find God and lose gold.

 

Swim on a Sunday? Punished.