tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post5463654643990538397..comments2024-03-25T13:19:19.072-05:00Comments on Diogenes' Middle Finger: Some Thoughts on the Olympics…Diogenes Sarcastica™ http://www.blogger.com/profile/06701909436152548138noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-65425911155398073832012-07-31T09:07:22.354-05:002012-07-31T09:07:22.354-05:00Yeah, I kinda think it's gay (in both the figu...Yeah, I kinda think it's gay (in both the figurative and literal sense) that divers get judged, in part, by how little splash they leave behind when entering the water. <br /><br />Also, I think the Ukrainian men's gymnastic team got jobbed out of a medal last night by the Japanese insistence that their premier gymnast didn't fall off the pommel horse when he so clearly did. The fact that a Japanese coach ran to the judges with a handful of CASH in order to lodge a protest is a telling commentary on the whole Olympic thing, if you ask me.<br /><br />Regards,<br />MattMatthew Notohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881509233809999186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-82296095229617421762012-07-30T14:23:48.987-05:002012-07-30T14:23:48.987-05:00Matthew, hilarious and right on the money. I had ...Matthew, hilarious and right on the money. I had to sit through synchronized diving with the wife yesterday and was yelling at the TV as much as do when Obama ads come on. How can an event that lasts one second be effectively judged? (By the way, I agree that any event that requires a subjective critique rather than an empirical achievement is a failure already.) The worst part though is listening to the know-it-all commentators who say the stupidest things, then watch the slow-mo prove their statements wrong, and finally barrel on pretending nothing happened. Same for the gymnastics (neither gay nor pedo) when the comment was made about one of the girls on the balance beam being, "better than she had any right to be." What does that even mean?Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-86557872006365911442012-07-29T13:01:25.326-05:002012-07-29T13:01:25.326-05:00See, now if they had something in Figure Skating o...See, now if they had something in Figure Skating of Ski Jumping anything like a rational scoring system, there would be no subjective calls, and hardly any controversy. <br /><br />I understand that in this year's Olympics, the taekwondo competitors will be wired hands, chest and feet in order to accurately score landed blows. Don't see how you do that for skating, but it's a step towards rationalizing the game, somewhat.<br /><br />And really, figure skating is hardly a 'sport'.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />MattMatthew Notohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881509233809999186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-30191377308978861302012-07-29T11:16:52.442-05:002012-07-29T11:16:52.442-05:00My epiphany about the stupidity of the olympics to...My epiphany about the stupidity of the olympics took 2 full olympiads; 1984 in Sarajevo and 1988 in Calgary.<br /><br />In the former, the US had a few athletes in the Nordic Combined (ski jump and cross-country). The US entrants were very good in cross-country but just average in ski jump. After the first round of ski jumping, the US held the 1st and 3rd places. Realizing that the strength of the US athletes was yet to come, the "judges" determined that it was unsafe to start the ski jump from that height. Never mind that ALL entrants had already jumped safely. They moved the jump height down a bit, forced everyone to go again, and they were happy with the results because the US was safely out of the top 10, and therefore, out of possible medal contention in a Nordic or Alpine event.<br /><br />In Calgary in 1988, the women's figure skating was a sham. East German Katarina Witt was up for her second gold in a row and US skater Debi Thomas was supposed to compete against her. In the prelims, an unknown Japanese skater, Midori Ito, rocked the house with her routines. She hit every part of every routine and was almost in shock when she finished -- the crowd went crazy with her performance. She got 5.1s because this was her first olympics and "hadn't paid her dues." Witt and Thomas looked like two automatons going through the motions of trying NOT to LOSE a medal. Then Canada's own Elizabeth Manley skated her heart out and put both Witt and Thomas to shame. Granted, it was a hometown crowd but she, like Japan's Ito, couldn't believe how well she had done and the crowd responded. But...<br />Witt -- Gold<br />Manley -- Silver<br />Thomas -- Bronze.<br /><br />Should have been...<br /><br />Manley -- Gold<br />Ito -- Silver<br />Witt or Thomas -- Bronze (you pick, both were boring).<br /><br />The winter olympics were always better in my mind because they were much faster. But now, with Russian and French judges screwing everyone else and the IOC refusing to take away every Russian and French medal, send both countries athletes back home, and ban them from the next two olympics (summer and winter), it's just become a ho-hum of zero competition when you realize you're going to lose no matter how well you perform. Kind of like Obama's fundemental transformation of a once great country.Stranded in Sonomahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06243112542919917976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-7821615457024818752012-07-29T10:32:36.397-05:002012-07-29T10:32:36.397-05:00OMGosh, that was hilarious-laff O daday. Thank you...OMGosh, that was hilarious-laff O daday. Thank you.<br />MMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-77209302749478689222012-07-29T09:11:26.948-05:002012-07-29T09:11:26.948-05:00It has come to my attention that NBC did edit that...It has come to my attention that NBC did edit that Opening Ceremony presentation so that we missed a minutes' silence for the victims of London's 7/7 terrorist attacks. One wonders what else was edited out? I'm sure NBC would tell you it was done because of "time constraints" (because let's face it; you really needed to see your local weatherman for the fifth time that day at 11:00, right?), but we know it's Political Correctness and Cowardice that are to blame.<br /><br />I will continue to do my best to continue to churn out what appears to be unconventional wisdom with curse words in it, Gene. Thanks much for the kind words.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />MattMatthew Notohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881509233809999186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-45971615879454660112012-07-29T09:10:46.603-05:002012-07-29T09:10:46.603-05:00It has come to my attention that NBC did edit that...It has come to my attention that NBC did edit that Opening Ceremony presentation so that we missed a minutes' silence for the victims of London's 7/7 terrorist attacks. One wonders what else was edited out? I'm sure NBC would tell you it was done because of "time constraints" (because let's face it; you really needed to see your local weatherman for the fifth time that day at 11:00, right?), but we know it's Political Correctness and Cowardice that are to blame.<br /><br />I will continue to do my best to continue to churn out what appears to be unconventional wisdom with curse words in it, Gene. Thanks much for the kind words.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />MattMatthew Notohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881509233809999186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5108463567672522750.post-4262139961159294222012-07-29T08:26:30.418-05:002012-07-29T08:26:30.418-05:00Matthew, once again you express the view that so m...Matthew, once again you express the view that so many of us feel but are unable to articulate. Fabulous analysis! I am so sick of the "diversity", "social Justice", and the other themes so much a part of this event and almost every other event short of the attacks on Israel. It is a joy to read good, plain, old common sense commentary. Please keep it coming.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15584837167786722106noreply@blogger.com