More than a week in, we are starting to feel some Olympic fatigue over here. We're taping hours and hours everyday but end up erasing most of it (because we're out of space and/or uninterested)--the titling isn't reliable in the DVR and we just don't want to see that much water polo, beach volleyball, or boxing! We have, however, enjoyed watching sports we almost never get to see during non-Olympic years, like archery, fencing, handball, badminton, table tennis, synchronized anything (diving, swimming), trampoline, skeet, trap, rowing, kayaking, whitewater, weightlifting, judo, cycling time trials, discus, shot, pole vaulting . . . and we still have a week to go! We save the best tidbits for the kids, who are sometimes amazed (at synchronized swimming and diving, also fencing), and sometimes singularly unimpressed. On dressage, Bud asked, "Is that a real sport?" Yes, and the only one where men and women compete against each other. Via horse.
There hasn't been too many little English culture vignettes of the type they did in Nagano, as I recall. Just lots of lovely unidentified images of England (okay, Lambeth, what is the round, Norman-like castle, with round towers like Chepstow but with a less open keep and more symmetry? ARGH!) and one piece on pubs (two of which I'd actually been to!). Otherwise, the coverage is frustrating--all-American, unless someone else wins and then only that one athlete's performance, or unless someone is injured or fails, then we see that repeatedly (like the German gymnast Phillipp Boy). And way too many moms and dads, in the stands or in the commercials. But at least there aren't all those bios anymore. We tried watching it streaming but only got tidbits not whole competitions, not sure why.
Still, it's been a real summer highlight for us and led to many interesting discussions, beyond geography and flag identification (which tests us every night. Montenegro, anyone?). "Mom," Sis asked, "why do the girl gymnasts have to do all that dancing [on the floor, vs. the male gymnasts]?" Which led to a discussion of gender expectations--pretty and graceful vs. strong and powerful--and recognition that these "girls" were women and still very strong and powerful even with all the make up, frou frou outfits, and frilly moves. We've also discussed that even though the commentators pick performances apart move by move that these are still some of the best athletes in the world and the critiques are more to clue us in to what the judges are thinking. I didn't like that the kids mimicked the ubiquitous analyses with "Oh, he didn't do that well because his hand slipped." We also had to remind them of all of the years of practice that are behind the seemingly effortless performances. And it doesn't always go as expected. When McKayla Maroney fell or Jordan Wieber didn't go to All-Around, we said that even the best in the world make mistakes and have bad days. And of course, in the end, the majority of people there are just proud and happy to be there, with no expectations of winning.
So we keep recording and watching and enjoying their skill, our own education, and, frankly, distraction, and will be sad when the closing comes . . . .
Like you, I spent most of the first week watching everything...recording all the sessions, skipping the commercials. But, when I got back from the bay, I found that I wasn't much interested in the games any more. I deleted almost 100 hours without watching it. I've watched a little bit this week, but am catching up on other programs that I record. Kudos to all the participants, however, and my deep admiration for all the years they have dedicated to be among the best in their sports.
ReplyDeleteOver here we get a heavily biased British view, no doubt the people in Germany say much the same thing. No doubt that the Team GB (It should really be called Team UK because there are people from Northern Ireland)have done well considering the size of the population and the amount of money put into long term training. Interesting that Australia which has put in a poor performance overall is as a country doing well financially whilst the reverse is true of this country. I do hope you watched the windsurfing, (my sport until I was 70) very exciting but all over now. Time we had a 'Geriatrics Olympic'.
ReplyDeleteYour description of the castle was too vague for me to recognise, could it have been the one we were in at Arundel? Or that big one in London known as The Tower of London which does come into view from time to time, or Windsor or Dover, that man William 1 and his family built so many castles the castle repair industry was never out of work from 1066 to 2066.
The matter of payment for work is a really big subject, you pay about the going rate but how does one find an absolute value for work? The surgeon who carries out a heart transplant is surely worth more than a stockbroker, the primary schoool teacher who inspires bright children to be brighter is worth paying in gold coins, the man who keeps the electricity flowing down the wires is worth more than ????? (over here not many women work on overhead cables but it may happen in Russia).
You are right, boxing is not a feminine sport, some would say it is not a sport for any gender. Is there a preferred gender for dressage horses?
Hey,
ReplyDeleteI sent a long and constructive reply which has failed to get through security, perhaps I was a bit harsh when I referred to USA competitors not being as good, overall, as the Chinese but of course their population is a bit larger than yours. On that basis Grenada is the most successful nation, how long before the Chinese realise that and try to take them over, what price the Monroe Doctrine then?
I wanted to watch the women's beach basketball but it was on a special channel and I could not find it. Not often one comes across a load of shapely women running around central London in bikinis, not often enough.
I missed the very exciting windsurfing too.
There are so many old Norman castles it is difficult to decided which one you mean but have you thought of Tower of London which is within camera view of the main stadium, then there is Dover on the 'White cliffs'.