WHO LOVES THE OLYMPICS?!

I've always been a big fan since watching the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles when I was a senior in high school and heavily involved in Track & Field all my life (up to that point). Carl Lewis (4-gold medals for the USA) was my HERO back then and Edwin Moses (USA: 400m hurdles) was just amazing. Seemed to me that it was in 1984 (when I REALLY started paying attention) that the women athletes were finally getting LOTS of attention.

So here we are - 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Greece. Already we have controversy and disqualifications for blood-doping for performance enhancing drug use.

I'll definitely be watching the Track & Field events and probably even some of the tennis and swimming and basketball. Sounds like this year we'll have more hours of Olympic TV coverage than all previous Olympics combined but..... I won't be watching all that. Yikes!

Who here loves the Olympics? Or has it become way too commercial? (that last question was more of a rhetorical one because we all know the answer to that)

Enjoy! Saludos, MadridMan

I love the Olympics!

I enjoy watching the swimming and diving events. I am not too keen about some of the other sports, although I admire the gymnasts and the figure skaters.

I always watch to see who is going to overcome the odds and beat the previous records. It seems that these youngsters are doing the impossible!

I imagine that because it takes place in Athens, this olympic is even more poignant than others, particularly for the runners. Runners can close their eyes and imagine they are running to Sparta share to the news of the Battle of Marathon.

Have you noticed the "Olympic" avatars in Google?

I love the olympics as well. My favorite sport is Wrestling. I was a wrestler through college. I believe Rulon Gardner will win the gold for the US this year in the HWT division. GO USA!!!

Booklady - a woman after my own heart ... men's diving is definitely the highlight for me. I quite like synchronised swimming too.

I also enjoy watching the gymnasts.

Oh and figure skaters and ski-ing sometimes.

Infact all the things I like, my family would claim aren't 'sport'

Jo

Major olympics fan here! I love seeing the opening ceremonies, with all the different countries on one floor. I was involved in competitive gymnastics up until about 3 years ago...when college put an end to that I still love to watch it though!! Ill definitely be glued to all the gymnastics coverage in the coming weeks.
anybody who wants more gymnastics info: www.intlgymnast.com

Kelly

I too am an Olympic fanantic! You cannot tear me away from the TV once the games are on! I love the opening and closing ceremonies; Im a sucker for pageantry! My favorite events are track & field, wrestling, gymnastics, swimming & diving, volleyball. I think the worst event they have at the games is that so called gymnastics event with the baton and ribbon twirler! Gawd that's so lame, and all the girls wear their hair likes it's 1965! Why is that an Olympic event....why?

While I was watching the parade of nations marching in to the stadium I was waiting for Spain to appear, well when they did announce Spain they quickly went to a commercial! I went berserk!!!! Needless to say a few choice words were utterd! I knew from previous viewings of the ceremonies that they quickly review the nations that passed by showing a quick snippet. But...to my relief...the broadcast stayed with the Spanish team and even lingered with them for quite a while. I was happy once again .

BTW...was anyone from the board at the Barcelona Games in '92?

OsoMajor, yes, thats Rhythmic gymnastics ...unfortunately in recent years especially, it has almost become more of a beauty pageant with the fancy hair and leotards, for contortionists A world apart from artistic gymnastics (your typical gymnastics), thats for sure!!!

Spain doesn't seem to be doing too well at the Olympics. So far, they've only won one medal, a silver for women's shooting. I know, I know...the medals are not what's important...yeah, yeah, yeah!

There's still lots more to go, hopefully they'll do better. Back in Barcelona, Spain won a total of 22 medals; 13 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze. .

The Barcelona Games is one of my favorite Summer Olympics and one of the best done by a host city.

Oso,

Did you hear that Japan beat the Cubans in baseball? Fidel must be eating his cigar!!!!
He boasted that Cuba was going to wipe out the competition! What a guy!