2 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Tried to watch some Breaking today.  Held out for 5 whole minutes.    I"m sure for it's niche, it's awesome, but didn't do much for me.

The US is adding Flag Football for the 2028 LA games.

I'm starting to wonder if the Olympics is adding too many sports. Flag football isn't a world class event, neither is break dancing, field hockey etc etc.  If they continue to add meaningless sports it will drastically water down the allure of the Olympics IMO.

 

But I'm trying to go to 2028 Olympics and would love to catch a USA Flag football if it's not during women's gymnastics,  swimming or track and field races.

1 minute ago, sportsfan41 said:

I'm starting to wonder if the Olympics is adding too many sports. Flag football isn't a world class event, neither is break dancing, field hockey etc etc.  If they continue to add meaningless sports it will drastically water down the allure of the Olympics IMO.

 

But I'm trying to go to 2028 Olympics and would love to catch a USA Flag football if it's not during women's gymnastics,  swimming or track and field races.

Every host country gets to add a sport as an exhibition.   Japan re-added baseball in 2020(21) but it is not back in this year.   I can see flag football making it past year one since the NFL is gaining popularity overseas.   To me, Breaking just seems like an excuse to try and draw younger viewers.   It just wasn't entertaining.   I hope it doesn't resurface in 2028.

4 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Every host country gets to add a sport as an exhibition.   Japan re-added baseball in 2020(21) but it is not back in this year.   I can see flag football making it past year one since the NFL is gaining popularity overseas.   To me, Breaking just seems like an excuse to try and draw younger viewers.   It just wasn't entertaining.   I hope it doesn't resurface in 2028.

You are dropping some knowledge. I've watched the Olympics every day, and semi religiously for probably 20 years and I'd never heard of this. Thanks for the info, flag football in 2028 makes more sense now.

14 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Tried to watch some Breaking today.  Held out for 5 whole minutes.    I"m sure for it's niche, it's awesome, but didn't do much for me.

The US is adding Flag Football for the 2028 LA games.

Watching some breaking now and it is entertaining and impressive. Lee from the Netherlands is amazing to watch. Very creative and athletic.

Womens 4x400 relay was ridiculous. After the first 400 US was in second maybe two or three steps behind Jamaica. Within 4 strides on the second leg, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had the lead and stretched it out to close to 30 yards when she passed the baton to US 200M gold medalist Gabby Thomas. Thomas stretched the lead even further on her leg. The fourth leg was basically a victory lap. The US coasted home with a new US record and just a few tenths from the word record. I believe second place crossed the line around 4 seconds after the US did...which seemed like an eternity. 

 

2 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Womens 4x400 relay was ridiculous. After the first 400 US was in second maybe two or three steps behind Jamaica. Within 4 strides on the second leg, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had the lead and stretched it out to close to 30 yards when she passed the baton to US 200M gold medalist Gabby Thomas. Thomas stretched the lead even further on her leg. The fourth leg was basically a victory lap. The US coasted home with a new US record and just a few tenths from the word record. I believe second place crossed the line around 4 seconds after the US did...which seemed like an eternity. 

 

Big fans of both of them. Extremely talented and by all accounts seem like very high character athletes. 

Steph Curry.  That is all. 

The fact that Steph is the story in Lebron’s last Olympics is *Chef’s Kiss*

At 16, Quincey Wilson wins a gold medal as a part of the Men's 4x400 relay team (he ran the leadoff of the qualifying leg in the prelims.). He's only 16!!  He should be one to watch in LA in 4 years and will only be 24 and at the top of his game in Brisbane in 2032.   The future of US track and field is looking bright.

Loved watching these Olympics. Really had a different feeling post Covid getting to see all of the people back in the stands.

 I'm hoping to make the trip out West to the 2028 Olympics. 

Closing ceremony was nice.   Could have done without Jimmy Fallon.

I still maintain that Tara Lapinski and Johnny Weir NEED their own show.  They are a goldmine of entertainment.  And of course Terrance (ex NC State guard Terry Gannon) would need to be there as well.

Like sportsfan said, these games had a good feel of rejuvenation following the empty stands of Tokyo and Beijing.   Los Angeles has had the gauntlet thrown before them.  Best of luck.

On 8/4/2024 at 10:08 PM, Tranquility Base said:

Watching coverage today, I once again noticed that I really like the way they have the studio portion set up, looking out the opening onto the Eiffel Tower.

That got me thinking about 2028 and Los Angeles. Where do they set up their studio?   LA only has one landmark that could be considered as iconic as the tower and that is the HOLLYWOOD sign.  Do they work that in somehow?  I know from Griffith Observatory, you can look one way and see the sign, although it is a good distance away.  If you look the other, you can look right down into downtown LA.   Will be interesting to see if they can or at least try to top Paris.

Not saying I called it, but I called it.

 

From an article on ESPN:

"Five sports will make their Olympic returns or debuts in Los Angeles, including lacrosse, which was last contested in the 1908 Olympics, and cricket, which awarded its last Olympic medal at the turn of the 20th century.

Flag football, which was added with a push from the NFL, and squash, which has come close to inclusion several times in the past 20 years, will award their first Olympic medals in L.A.

Baseball and softball, neither of which were played in Paris, make their return. Major League Baseball has said it is open to discussing potentially pausing the MLB schedule around the All-Star break to allow players to participate in the Games, a boon for the inclusion of the sport in future Games.

Softball will be held at the country's premier softball-specific facility, an upgrade from the sport's last appearance in Tokyo. The only downside? Softball Park is in Oklahoma City and 1,300 miles from L.A."

Breaking will not be returning for the 2028 games.  Beyond that, who knows.

On 8/10/2024 at 8:52 PM, TheDeuce said:

The fact that Steph is the story in Lebron’s last Olympics is *Chef’s Kiss*

How is LeBron the MVP over Steph?

This is the first time I can remember any Olympian being "Named" MVP of a team event. Is this common or some convoluted award just invented for James?

3 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

How is LeBron the MVP over Steph?

This is the first time I can remember any Olympian being "Named" MVP of a team event. Is this common or some convoluted award just invented for James?

It was invented for him, absolutely. 

And they would have named him the MVP even if he didn't play. It's a joke to stroke his massive ego.