| Author | Message | ||
     Swordsman |
Fencing isn't really like fighting with swords.... more like poking one another with car antennas. And even that would be fine, but the rules are ridiculous, and have no resemblance to actual sword combat. It becomes a game of speed more than anything else, and the strategy is lost. I do admire their speed though... quick little buggars! But again, that's what happens when you're playing with antennas and the opponent's hit CAN'T count (stupid rules!). LARPing.... LOL, I've never tried that. The fighting may be fun, but live "role playing" would be a little weird. Now a televised LARP... that could be entertaining! ~SM | ||
| Seanp |
My last deployment they had all the TVs in the dining facility tuned to the winter olympics. I watched so much curling I could have told you the rules in great detail. I was entranced by the olympics, because it was the only thing on. Now, not so much. Hell, it took more effort than it was worth to say that I don't give a crap about it... | ||
| Krassh |
If it was not in China 7/10. Since it is in China -10/10 | ||
| Azxb9r |
I am going to be in the minority here... I am looking forward to the Olympics, I always do. The summer games are still 4 years apart, and so are the winter games, they just don't hold the summer and winter games during the same year any more. I don't like that change, and I am not always happy with the coverage, but I still like the games and what they are supposed to stand for.  | ||
| Tramp |
you mean, like, a showcase for wealthy young aristocrats who never had to compete professionally in order to earn a buck at their sport? who in their right mind would hand an olympic medal to a synchronized swimmer or a curler? | ||
| Brumbear |
I aint watching it if I do not have to And I don't | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I like some of the special interest stories like the 40 year old mom, Amanda Beard, competing in her 4th Olympics. There are some folks who have sacrificed for years for the opportunity to compete. | ||
| Doerman |
Not interested. Winter Olympics is a different story. I lived in SLC in 02 and it was fantastic! | ||
| Bcordb3 |
Fencing isn't really like fighting with swords.... more like poking one another with car antennas. And even that would be fine, but the rules are ridiculous, and have no resemblance to actual sword combat. I have been fencing competitively and non competitively for over 30 years. I fenced with all 3 weapons, foil, epee, and saber. The foil is a point weapon (scoring in the torso area with the point only) epee is also a weapon that is scored with the pointie end of the weapon, the scoring is anywhere, arms, legs, feet. The saber is a slashing, cutting, and point weapon, scored on the torso, arms and head. It could be a dangerous game. It is difficult to watch on TV because it is fast. There are specific rules regarding right of way (who has the right to score) the director of the bout determines who has the right of way, to state simply either by a parry, an engage/disengage, or a lack of defense. What ridiculous rules do you speak? Stepping out of bounds? What? If I knew the ridiculous rules maybe I would win more. You do have a valid point when are fencing a bout, without a director, and your oppenent can't count or distinguish who has the right of way. I got into fencing by an old girl friend who fenced, I was pissed because she would rather go fencing than stay with me to watch Monday night football. She challenged me to go and make it thru the warm up exercises. My legs and arms screamed and the rest is history. I agree it is a very difficult sport to watch. For you single guys its a great way to meet fit women who are smarter than the average mall rat. (Message edited by BCordb3 on August 07, 2008) | ||
| Danger_dave |
And are trained to stab you!!! No fricken way. | ||
| Marshj |
I would say a ten out of ten. 10/10 Considering one of my training partners/former teammate/friend will be representing America at 84kilos on the Wrestling Mats. Andy Hrovat. Also several of my very close friends are there supporting the other wrestlers and working out to prepare the team. Ward- I completely agree with your post about Rulan/Alexander. Andy has sacrificed since graduation from college in 2002 to make the trip, he left yesterday. Pretty amazing experience. We (U of M Athletics) actually have 15 athletes in the games this year. And believe me, the ONLY one making enough money to more than survive from UM is Phelps. Pure love for competition from everyone else, and a huge honor to compete in such a historic event- the World Olympics. | ||
| Brumbear |
I will not give the Damn Chinese Government anymore than I absolutley have to and that aint much. I am sorry for the Atheletes but the Olympic commity should do a better job on who they give the bids to. | ||
| Gearhead |
10/10 here. I coach High School Track & Field and really get stoked for the Olympics. I actually had Oympic Trails dreams when I competed in college but never made it. I was honored to be an Olympic Torch carrier as it passed through my community in 1996. A very good freind of mine made it in the 800 meters but got screwed when the US was not allowed to compete. He tried again but qualified 4th at the Trails four years later so didn't get to go. My assistant track coach tried to make it to the Trials in the 800 this spring but missed the cut by 3 seconds. She had been the 2007 Division III National Champion in that event and actually got faster this year even though she held down a full time job, helped me coach with no endorsements and paid her own way to get to and compete at all the meets. The TV will sufficate us with stories about the very top athletes but there are lots of folks who have sacrificed a lot to make the team and represent the USA. So whether you're a fan or not, cheer on those who place third, forth, fifth and so on, they're the one's who are there for all the right reasons and in many cases got the chance on their own dime. I can't wait!!! | ||
| Marshj |
Amen gearhead. | ||
| 1313 |
If it weren't for the pic from Greenlantern of the Brazil female volleyball team members I woulda said -13... 1313  | ||
| Mr_gto |
Hey Tramp, did you ever know a guy named Mort (i cant remember his last name) up in Tahoe? He grew up there, he is a snowboard coach at Squaw now. I would say he is in his late 30's or early 40's. | ||
| Deadduck |
I will not give the Damn Chinese Government anymore than I absolutley have to and that aint much So Brumbear, you make all the goods you need? kids toys? electronic gadgets? never shop at Walley World? My olympic spirit is about a 0/10 as well. rather watch reruns of the Love Boat | ||
| Brumbear |
No but the quality control is so bad it makes me sick. I said have to and not anymore, I do not and I will look 4 times or more before I purchase. Listen I work on forklifts and because of all the cheap ass parts comming in from china people are starting to get hurt Water pump castings coming apart mastercycl failures altinaters just bursting apart because of inferior QC belts busting not to mention contaminated toys, and even chocolates The people are essentaily sweat shop workers and the government makes all the profit. Look at the manufacturing technics are archaic and pollution is worse than US war production years I didn't say what I said without thinking about it. I do feel sorry for the 500 or so atheletes from our country and all the others genuinely but I feel really bad that American jobs and other countries with good QC have lost there shirts to greedy ass Chinese government. Not to mention cause I am not a tree hugger the pollution cause when they go belly up and they will the world will pay the clean up tab | ||
| 86129squids |
My interest level= 5/10 This morning I did hear a very cool story about one of the US track team members, the Sudanese kid (adopted by US parents) who will be carrying the United States flag at the opening ceremony. China has supported the Sudanese government, and we all know what atrocities they've committed for years. His story is nothing short of miraculous- from being kidnapped by Sudanese military and forced to be a child soldier, fed a great diet of millet and sand, to escaping to Kenya on sheer luck and determination and ending up an American Olympian. You'ns ought to go to the National Public Radio website and get the podcast (or whatever) of that story. Essentially the symbolism of him carrying the stars and stripes for us in China is a big ole F. U. in the face of the Chinese government. Generally I dig what little Olympics I get to see, but THAT's what I call a real human interest story. Which is a foreign concept to the Chinese government. | ||
| Tramp |
" Hey Tramp, did you ever know a guy named Mort (i cant remember his last name) up in Tahoe? He grew up there, he is a snowboard coach at Squaw now. I would say he is in his late 30's or early 40's. " No, doesn't sound too familiar. I trained in Tahoe in 90-91 with the "Cross-M Team" (North America's premiere worldcup foundation, and winningest team of the 20th century), at Donner ski ranch and Boreal, but still rode. Skied at Squaw on off-days (which were VERY rare). Our regional coach,Kurt Torvick, became Squaw's head coach in the later '90s, and Squaw snowboard education icon Rob Wells ran several successful programs out of Squaw during that time. A teammate and myself raced in the Squaw valley series on Friday nights until until Mr. Wells groused about pros competing in a regional series, so we agreed not to have our times count. My teammate and myself enjoyed the Friday night regionals at Squaw for meeting nice bay area girls up for vacation, excited to meet pro riders. Squaw remains, BY FAR, my favourite North American resort, I have wonderful memories of the place. I was disgusted by the contemporary McMountain-ization of the base area, though. Never met a Mort during my short tenure training up in god's country, though. My favourite off-snow pasttime, there, was to hit Safeway in TC for raw chicken wings, and then go to the dock out back on the lake and drop the wings in on strings dangling from ski poles, pulling out enormous, tasty crawdaddies for dinner. We'd get hundreds some days...we were even known to poach trout from the fanny Bridge, which, if you've ever spent any time in TC, you know well. } | ||
| Tramp |
I did meet (& hire) a "Mort" at the Great gorge resort in jersey, in the mid-80s, with whom i was recently reunited a couple years back, as he moved into my town with his enormous classic motorcycle collection....many of the HVC Buellers know him, as well. he was a ski coach, though, never a boarder. ..only mort I knew in snow sports | ||
| Blake |
If I happen to catch it, I'll check out the track and field sprints and decathlon, the wrestling, boxing, but overall, my enthusiasm for the games has greatly diminished. I used to be a HUGE fan of the olympics. Now with all the doping and drugging... Marion Jones flat out broke my heart. What a shame. Then there are the androgynous females, some of whom get tossed due to being more man than woman. I miss Jim McKay. That man was golden. Lake Placid, 1980. Nuff said. Our Pro-Basketballers getting taken to school in 2002 was sad but also priceless. The big egos got taught a hard lesson that year. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"I like some of the special interest stories like the 40 year old mom, Amanda Beard, competing in her 4th Olympics." Sweet Mother of Pearl  | ||
| Aesquire |
I'm a (pretty poor) beginning fencer. Foil. I need to work my way up to Schlager to compete more, but I'm sticking to the whip antenna until my control improves. I mostly do SCA heavy. ( sca.org ) Rattan swords, glaive, spear. Crossing into Canada to compete got easier once I figured out to put Hockey gear on top of the armor. Cut's time in customs a lot. Now searching for Amanda Beard.... Oh.... 3 of 10... they don't show enough Archery or shooting. | ||
| Reindog |
Is anyone watching the opening Olympic ceremonies which are happening right now? PHENOMENAL! Especially on HDTV. The LED floors, the robotic printing characters are just amazing. The computer display around the rim of the BirdsNest is stunning. Amanda Beard is pretty stunning, too. (Message edited by reindog on August 08, 2008) | ||
| Blake |
Amanda Beard turned 40? I don't think so. There is a female swimmer who is in like her seventh olympics or something like that, but it's not Ms. Beard. Seems like just a few years ago she was a young teenager swimming for gold medals. She sure matured nicely. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
when did air shooting marksmen ship become an olympic event? | ||
| Hexangler |
It's been awhile, I delved a bit in it 20 years ago. Single shot .22LR has been around in both the summer and winter games (5-shot? biathlon). After watching the opening ceremonies my interest has been upgraded to 10/10. Hex | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I have to say after watching the opening ceremonies in HD, I think I might actually watch these games. The opening ceremony was truly spectacular. Between the billions China spent, and the rumored billion NBC is spending to bring it to us in HD, I am sort of hooked on the "grandness" of everything. | ||
| Pushrodpete |
I normally can't STAND opening cermonies, but last night's (on a 50" HD) was mesmerizing. My recurring thought was that the DVD of the opening cermonies will be a HUGE hit among stoners.... ("Whoa, the light-up dudes are like dancing upside-down!") |
