The Fucking 2024 Olympics

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

Just now, En Passant said:

Sorry, but there's a sensible point here. They are. they have to be. Much as I hate the phrase 'it is what it is'. It is.

 

Nope, disagree. We're all self centred if we're focused on the things we're doing. But they're not obsessed with themselves in a "look at me and how great I am" sort of way. In fact, I'd say multi-eventers (heptathletes and decathletes) are a lot less self-centred than most other athletes. Watch tomorrow night after the 800m, we'll have our medallists, but they all parade around the track together as the ones who have shared in the collectively punishing event, whether 1st or last. There's great camaraderie among them. Someone like Keely Hodgkinson (who I also love) would be a lot more open to the charge of being self-centred, talking openly about the fact she's only here for gold and she knows she's the best 800m in the world currently. But again, that's being confident in her abilities because all of that is true. And I'd agree that's self-centred to a point, but I'm not sure to the point Willz was making. Anyway, we've agreed to disagree apparently...

[Toast 16,063]

Did I hear right, that Noah Lyles has Covid?  But he was allowed to compete in a race today? 

What's all that about? Is it an excuse for not winning, because he's the sort of big-headed tosser that I dislike.

[En Passant 3,731]

1 minute ago, RoverAndOut said:

Nope, disagree

 

 An opinion to which you are absolutely entitled. But I will never agree that the focus needed to acquire a gold medal in any damn thing doesn't include a certain amount of 'self before others'  I still believe it is impossible without this.

 

4 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

Anyway, we've agreed to disagree apparently...

 

Nor am I entirely convinced this is true either. I agree with you, there is a certain community spirit also. Never simple eh?

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

8 minutes ago, En Passant said:

 An opinion to which you are absolutely entitled. But I will never agree that the focus needed to acquire a gold medal in any damn thing doesn't include a certain amount of 'self before others'  I still believe it is impossible without this.

 

I addressed that very point in the bit after "Nope, disagree".

 

13 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

Nope, disagree. We're all self centred if we're focused on the things we're doing. But they're not obsessed with themselves in a "look at me and how great I am" sort of way.

 

There's a difference, in my opinion, between someone who dedicates themselves to a task or a career, focuses hard on it, makes sacrifices for it, to someone who is about "what about me? Look how great I am". You can do the first without the second. And I fully accept that to become an Olympic champion requires a huge amount of dedication, we hear it all the time, the sacrifices they make, the life changes they make, whether that's diet, training, where they live, activities they do, etc. But I still wouldn't described that as "self-centred" in the conventional sense that Young Willz was describing. Jess and Denise don't even compete any more.

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

16 minutes ago, Toast said:

Did I hear right, that Noah Lyles has Covid?  But he was allowed to compete in a race today? 

What's all that about? Is it an excuse for not winning, because he's the sort of big-headed tosser that I dislike.

 

Seems so. There are no quarantine rules any more. Peaty discovered he had it the morning after he won silver in the 100m breaststroke. He did isolate for the rest of the week, to try and prevent it spreading in the GB squad, though. Lyles was wearing a face mask in the holding area but after the race he hugged Kenny Bednarek, the American who finished 2nd, despite the fact Bednarek might be running in the 4x100m tomorrow. Michael Johnson was very confused about it, because either he obviously shouldn't be hugging him or he's obviously not got Covid. Nobody's sure, because it's Lyles.

[En Passant 3,731]

2 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

I addressed that very point in the bit after "Nope, disagree".

 

Indeed you did, but, y'know I'm a stroppy bastard, ram the point home and all that.

 

4 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

There's a difference, in my opinion, between someone who dedicates themselves to a task or a career, focuses hard on it, makes sacrifices for it, to someone who is about "what about me? Look how great I am". You can do the first without the second. And I fully accept that to become an Olympic champion requires a huge amount of dedication, we hear it all the time, the sacrifices they make, the life changes they make, whether that's diet, training, where they live, activities they do, etc. But I still wouldn't described that as "self-centred" in the conventional sense that Young Willz was describing. Jess and Denise don't even compete any more.

 

 For simplicity, Biles v others? Maybe.

I'm simply unconvinced that you don't have to be that way. I see a difference in how you spin it but not in what drives you. Yes, I'm a cynic.

[En Passant 3,731]

8 minutes ago, En Passant said:

But I still wouldn't described that as "self-centred" in the conventional sense that Young Willz was describing

 

Thought about that for a while. If so, We do indeed have to agree to disagree I think he's right, it is. It's absolutely necessary. There may, just may, be an element of 'with others' in a team sport, but for the most part, no, it's all about me is how it is, and by definition has to be. Within the confines of sport, it doesn't make that person a  Boris Johnson outside of that specific arena.

 

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

1 minute ago, En Passant said:

For simplicity, Biles v others? Maybe.

I'm simply unconvinced that you don't have to be that way. I see a difference in how you spin it but not in what drives you. Yes, I'm a cynic.

 

Basically, yes. You can show it without revelling in it, although even then, there are ways of doing it. Usain was a showman, and supremely confident, but almost treated it as a joke and a game. Some of the others seem to really believe their hype, and often then fail to deliver.

 

I think athletes, by and large, fall into 3 categories. The ones with innate talent that could go far but fail to put the effort in and never reach those levels or fade quickly. The middle category of talented and hard working individuals who are good but don't quite reach the very top level, no matter how hard they try (this is probably the vast majority of athletes and sportspeople - all the ones who reach the Olympics but never get past the heats or semis, for example). And then the third category is those who show natural ability but work incredibly hard to unlock all the potential they have and constantly improve. Best British example of that right now is Keely Hodgkinson who has gone away, worked hard on both her physical abilities and her racecraft to turn successive major silvers into an Olympic gold, knowing whatever way that race panned out, she would win it. Same goes, really, for Josh Kerr and Matt Hudson-Smith, although both only came away with silvers. They both set personal bests and Matt's was a British record. If someone else gets it slightly more right than you, that's ok, because you've put the work in and gave yourself the best chance. And doubtless, they'll now go away and work even harder for the next one. And I agree, that's not for everybody, and the best almost always do it in some way or other, like Andy Murray moving to Spain alone at 15 to go to a tennis academy, for example. Suppose we're agreed, we just disagree on semantics.

[En Passant 3,731]

1 minute ago, RoverAndOut said:

Suppose we're agreed, we just disagree on semantics.

 

Just so.

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

2 minutes ago, En Passant said:

Thought about that for a while. If so, We do indeed have to agree to disagree I think he's right, it is. It's absolutely necessary. There may, just may, be an element of 'with others' in a team sport, but for the most part, no, it's all about me is how it is, and by definition has to be. Within the confines of sport, it doesn't make that person a  Boris Johnson outside of that specific arena.

 

Or maybe not... 

[En Passant 3,731]

 

 

There is no way on gods little green earth I'm linking Sweet fucking Caroline.

[YoungWillz 20,918]

I seem to have, somewhat inadvertently, triggered something here. 

 

There has been an interesting discussion. Nobody, not even me, envies the work put in to be an Olympian, let alone be a medallist. I absolutely respect the dedication it takes and to achieve being a top 3 finisher in the world continues to astound me. I have a passing interest in sport, that's all. I find most of it rather dull otherwise.

 

So there are certain things I see which I don't like. That is personal to me, and I think I'm allowed to say so, while welcoming others opinions if they choose to express them. That doesn't make me weird or summat, it just means I may differ from others. And on a dusty corner of the internet, many things are expressed with which I don't necessarily agree, but accept that others have a different view. 

 

I find the coverage somewhat tiresome. There are commentators I don't like, like Steve Cram or Rebecca Adlington. There are athletes I don't like, from way back to Daley Thompson, right through to Sir Chris Hoy, Rory McIlroy and even, yes, Adam Peaty. That doesn't mean I disrespect their ability or achievements of which we can all be rightly proud.

 

Some folk just come across badly to me outside of their participation. Some folk don't. That's perhaps the glare of the event, yes, the Fucking Olympics. For me, heptathletes are at the apex of my dislike, that is all. Maybe in particular athletics seems to be a clique to which I will never be invited, but expected to marvel at.  Maybe it's the rolling around on BBC sofas or the absolute publicity seeking of their opinions that riles me up the wrong way.  They aren't being singled out, they are just top of the tree. 

 

The joy of listening to commentators like those who do the BMX or skateboarding, or the humility of Alex Yee and Beth Potter - there is a way to be both an Olympian (or indeed cover events) and achieve a warm and fuzzy feeling in my tummy. I'm genuinely pleased when other nations win medals too. It happens. 

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

Ignoring Willz's nonsense(?!), another event down for the self-centred Kat and she's still leading. Nervy long jump but delivered a decent jump in the final round to virtually tie with Thiam. Lost 3 points, leads by 45. Thiam will have to maximise the javelin, Kat needs to pull something out to keep her in touch, then she'll need to blitz the 800m, which Thiam is weaker at. Looking good for a silver at any rate, which would be brilliant.

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,683]

On 26/07/2024 at 18:54, harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy said:

 

 

The over-under on this thread I’d put at 1.5 pages, assuming the wise yet tyrannical Paul ‘flag’ Bearer doesn’t smother it at birth.

 

I hope nobody bet the under with their local Deathlist bookie. It’s outdoing the Rod Stewart thread anyway. 

[YoungWillz 20,918]

2 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

Ignoring Willz's nonsense(?!),

And yet not ignoring it. 

[TQR 14,352]

I think we're giving the take a bit more attention than it was worth. It just came across as spiteful. Negative for the sake of it. Anyway, please let's move on.

 

KJT managed to pull off a long jump within a cm of Thiam. She exceeded expectations there, she can do so in the javelin. 800m should be tasty. Everything to play for.

[YoungWillz 20,918]

17 minutes ago, TQR said:

It just came across as spiteful. Negative for the sake of it

What did?

[TQR 14,352]

45.49m isn't far off KJT's PB and is very much good enough to keep her in contention. Great job!

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

2 minutes ago, TQR said:

45.49m isn't far off KJT's PB and is very much good enough to keep her in contention. Great job!

 

Gonna be tough I think, we need Nafi to have an average javelin to give her a shot. Thiam knows if she can throw anywhere up towards 55m she'll be nearly there. Silver still looking solid, though.

[Grim Up North 3,717]

Silver to Thiam should not be underrated.

 

These athletes are amazing across 7 disciplines - full respect from me if you finish second in the world. 

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

1 minute ago, Grim Up North said:

Silver to Thiam should not be underrated.

These athletes are amazing across 7 disciplines - full respect from me if you finish second in the world. 

 

Oh, I know. And given her injuries and disappointments, I know she'll be made up to have a silver medal. But she knows she's got a chance of the gold - she's left a few points out there on the 200m and the long jump and she knows it, that's why she's not more bouncy (aside from being, you know, knackered). Good job in the javelin, though, throws have always been her weakness and that's a great effort, 2m further than she threw when she set her heptathlon best in 2019. Her throws have come on hugely since her injuries. Above anything, I'd just like an exciting end to the competition! If Thiam can afford to be 10 seconds behind Kat, there's no jeopardy. 

[YoungWillz 20,918]

Try to remember the fall of C Sember....

[RoverAndOut 4,726]

Thiam threw 54.04m, about 8.5m further than Kat. She's 121 points ahead, which is probably too much. Rough calculation, I think, if Kat ran her current PB of 2:05:63 for the 800m (set last year), Nafi would need to run faster than about 2.13.50 for the gold medal - and she set her PB in June of 2.11.79. Tough ask. Kat's got to absolutely go for it and see if she can put her under pressure.

[Grim Up North 3,717]

8 secs gap does leave sone jeopardy though which should make for an exciting race.  

[TQR 14,352]

KJT's in bloody good form and clearly in a good, focused headspace. It's not over yet but frankly to even be challenging the mighty Nafi Thiam is astonishing given the adversity she has faced. She deserves the world but a Fucking Silver would still be an achievement she can be mighty proud of.