Beijing Summer Olympics 2008

[Marswolf]

Almost Olympics time.

I've decided to not whine this year about them being professional athletes rather than amateurs, the way Zeus intended.

Beijing is 12 hours ahead of EDT, so consider that if you are trying to catch live action.

The best TV schedule I've found is at http://www.hdsportsguide.com/olympics/.

You'll also find useful info at http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv_and_online_listings/zone=ET/day=0/index.html.

The official Olympic site schedule is at http://en.beijing2008.cn/schedule/.

USA Today also has a very good schedule at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-06-17-beijing-week1-schedule_N.htm#nine. Note that the listed times on that site are local Beijing times.

Basically, I'm only interested in the outdoor sports. If it's played indoors, I couldn't care less. One exception is if it's in a swimming pool and objectively scored. Subjectively scored events, indoors or outdoors suck. So, if you score points or best times out of doors, That's what I'll be watching.

http://www.pocanticohills.org/olympics/summerolympics2.htm has a good overview of the event rules.

[saintsfanbrian]

Um - Don't care about the olympics anymore AT ALL. No more Us vs. Them Good and Evil type of thing. Plus with them running every 2 years (alternating winter and summer) it is almost ridiculous.

[Marswolf]

I like sports in general and I'm likely to be watching if it has objective scoring and isn't basketball.

I love having the games, either hot or cold, every two years. Most intelligent thing they have done in the modern games, if you ask me. Adding some of the "sports" is the dumbest.

As well as these sports (some of which are questionable and some subsets, like Synchronized Swimming are rediculous)...

Aquatics

Archery

Athletics

Badminton

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Canoe / kayak

Cycling

Equestrian

Fencing

Football

Gymnastics

Handball

Hockey

Judo

Modern pentathlon

Rowing

Sailing

Shooting

Softball

Table tennis

Taekwondo

Tennis

Triathlon

Volleyball

Weightlifting

Wrestling

...there also these "Recognized Sports":

* Air sports

* Bandy

* Billiard Sports

* Boules

* Bowling

* Bridge

* Chess

* Cricket

* DanceSport

* Golf

* Karate

* Korfball

* Life Saving

* Motorcycle Racing

* Mountaineering and Climbing

* Netball

* Orienteering

* Pelote basque

* Polo

* Powerboating

* Racquetball

* Roller Sports

* Rugby

* Squash

* Sport climbing

* Surfing

* Sumo

* Tug of War

* Underwater Sports

* Water Skiing

* Wushu

Some of these are sports and some, like chess, aren't.

See http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/index_uk.asp and http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/recognized/index_uk.asp for more info.

I can hardly wait for Full Contact Bridge....

Edited August 5, 2008 by Marswolf

[Guest jwp]

TUG-OF-WAR!

TGO TEAM NOW!

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Beer Pong!

TGO TEAM NOW!

Fixed.

[Guest db99wj]

I like them, both the summer and the winter.

Here is a link for shooting sports, rifle, pistol and shotgun. http://www.nbcolympics.com/shooting/insidethissport/basics/newsid=100642.html

I like a lot of the alternative sports, BMX which is making it's debut as a medal sport, the swimming, water skiing, beach vollyball, Motorcycle Racing

Mountaineering and Climbing (that would be cool to watch I guess) etc.

Yep I like them. Will watch what I can and hope we kick everyones' ass.

[Marswolf]

I think my beagle coughed up a Korfball this morning.

While I like cycle racing, to me, if it isn't muscle powered, it doesn't belong in the Olympics. Wonder if they'd take NASCAR?

[Smith]

I think my beagle coughed up a Korfball this morning.

While I like cycle racing, to me, if it isn't muscle powered, it doesn't belong in the Olympics. Wonder if they'd take NASCAR?

Are you serious? I do like the Olympics but only the traditional sports.

[Guest db99wj]

I think my beagle coughed up a Korfball this morning.

While I like cycle racing, to me, if it isn't muscle powered, it doesn't belong in the Olympics. Wonder if they'd take NASCAR?

I had to look it up, Google didn't know what the hell I was talking about!

Ok, just kidding, it is similiar to basketball, men and women on the team,

[TripleDigitRide]

I tend to enjoy the Women's Gymnastics. There's something about those strong legs and buns of steel that really make it enjoyable for me.

Go Team USA!

[Guest db99wj]

I tend to enjoy the Women's Gymnastics. There's something about those strong legs and buns of steel that really make it enjoyable for me.

Go Team USA!

Watch volleyball.

[saintsfanbrian]

Watch volleyball.

That will probably be the only ones I watch.

My wife will watch the mens on one high def tv and I will watch the womens.

[Marswolf]

I don't know about traditional events in the games. I guess that was pretty much running, wrestling, rock throwing and spear chucking. Oops, just found a list: "The original Games included footraces, the discus and javelin throws, the long jump, boxing, wrestling, the pentathlon, and chariot races." No rock throwing.

Of course they were originally contested in the nude. That would be great for woman's volleyball. .

I can definitely see myself in a nude mixed sex game of korfball.

[TripleDigitRide]

I don't know about traditional events in the games. I guess that was pretty much running, wrestling, rock throwing and spear chucking. Oops, just found a list: "The original Games included footraces, the discus and javelin throws, the long jump, boxing, wrestling, the pentathlon, and chariot races." No rock throwing.

Of course they were originally contested in the nude. That would be great for woman's volleyball. .

I can definitely see myself in a nude mixed sex game of korfball.

Did you just say "Spear Chucking"?

[mac12]

I won't be watching. It is not as interesting as it used to be thanks to the politics that is involved in it now.

[Smith]

I tend to enjoy the Women's Gymnastics. There's something about those strong legs and buns of steel that really make it enjoyable for me.

Go Team USA!

I sure hope it isn't the fact that they are pretty much 16 and under!:D:P

[TripleDigitRide]

I sure hope it isn't the fact that they are pretty much 16 and under!:D:P

That's a good thing. Size 16 is my limit.

[Guest nraforlife]

Nude coed volleyball

[Marswolf]

I can tell you one thing. You don't want to lose to the Trojans.

[Tim Nunan]

I like them, both the summer and the winter.

Here is a link for shooting sports, rifle, pistol and shotgun. http://www.nbcolympics.com/shooting/insidethissport/basics/newsid=100642.html

Here's another link for the shooting competition: http://www.usashooting.com/

[deerslayer]

I won't be watching because it's not football.

[Guest Honest AK]

I always look forward to the Olympics!

Thanks for posting those links to the schedule.

[Mike.357]

the politics that is involved

nail on the head.

Did you know that people are being forced to leave their homes or wherever they sleep at night so as the city will not look so unsightly? Yanno homeless people on the street and all. How well would that go over here?

The Olympics say is in Nashville and 30 to 40 percent of the cities population is forced to go somehwere else so as to not contribute to what the gov't sees as an embarressment.

Its pretty sad and I doubt I will watch much if any of it.

[Volzfan]

Nude coed volleyball

I can definitely see myself in a nude mixed sex game of korfball.

[Marswolf]

People are being mistreated in China. What a shock. That just start with the games? Quit buying Chinese stuff if their human rights policies upset your sensibilities. I wonder if Richard Gere ever buys Chinese stuff?

Yes, I'm in a grumpy mood. More coffee please....

I'm watching the games rather than the other wonderful TV selections on other channels.

The NBC Home Page has some neat links. You can watch live video of the events by clicking on VIDEO and then following the directions. You will have to install Microsoft Silverlight (free download) but that gets you a nice view of one event. If you click on enhanced while viewing, you can get up to 4 video streams at a time. I don't think there are instructions but any computer nerd will figure it out.