The Toyko Summer Olympics Thread

[GCJenks]

I hate CBC, have for many years and will always. The transitions in triathlon are some of the most exciting parts as a bad one can be disaster. Did they show the bike to run transitions? Nope, largest pack in Oly history all headed in together, let’s cut to commercial and do another athlete profile of someone competing another day and totally ignore 2 men competing RFN Live…

 

(Yes, it has been a couple hours, took the fam for ice cream and I am still pissed about it. )

[Jpan85]

4 minutes ago, GCJenks said:

I hate CBC, have for many years and will always. The transitions in triathlon are some of the most exciting parts as a bad one can be disaster. Did they show the bike to run transitions? Nope, largest pack in Oly history all headed in together, let’s cut to commercial and do another athlete profile of someone competing another day and totally ignore 2 men competing RFN Live…

 

(Yes, it has been a couple hours, took the fam for ice cream and I am still pissed about it. )

CBC app allows you watch any individual event without cutting away

[iHeart]

I wish they would highlight an event that Canada is in at the time of the stream

[SpeedFlex27]

7 hours ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

You and TBurg should get a summer home  together, lol. 

Should nations go billions of dollars into debt to fund the Summer Olympics? Divert money into facilities that could be used for infrastructure, healthcare & education instead of elite international athletes? Is it okay to geo politicize the Olympics? Like I said, up to me the Olympics would cease to be forever. 

[TrueBlue4ever]

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Should nations go billions of dollars into debt to fund the Summer Olympics? Divert money into facilities that could be used for infrastructure, healthcare & education instead of elite international athletes? Is it okay to geo politicize the Olympics? Like I said, up to me the Olympics would cease to be forever. 

Ok, a bit to unpack here. Let’s start at the end with “like I said” - don’t recall you saying that before, I thought your displeasure was tied only to holding THESE games, I assumed due to the COVID risk. And if you stopped at “I am not interested”, fine, to each their own. But when you label the hosting of the Games as “selfish and completely irresponsible” I chuckle at how angry you seem to get over it. 
 
So if you have a moral objection to watching the Games at all, which from your questions seems to be the case, that’s fine if that is your stance, I just didn’t know your antipathy was for the whole movement and not just these Games specifically. And I won’t argue that the IOC isn’t a corrupt organization who hide behind the myth of the purity of amateur competition, when of course they are massively crooked. But I can separate the movement from the competition and enjoy the events independent of my feelings for the corporate shenanigans. If your moral compass makes you take that stand, good on you, but are you consistent with your moral outrage when it conflicts with a sport you love more? More on that in a second. 
 

To answer your questions, no nations probably shouldn’t run these Games at a massive loss, but they do so what am I going to do about it? I come to watch the events, not balance the budget. And to me, the cost to me of cheering on Canada (be it the cost of my cable bill to watch on TV, or my tax dollars to fund these athletes) isn’t so grievous that I am writing my MP to demand that we stop. And my National pride at seeing us do well is something I have not quantified in dollars and left me feeling short-changed. That’s just me. 

Could money spent on these Games be better spent on more worthy social causes, sure. But one can argue that one’s time is better spent fighting racial and gender injustice than typing out words on a football fan blog, that spending money on Bomber season tickets should take a back seat to spending that money donating to Cancer research, or that spending tax payer money to build a football stadium should not be allowed when indigenous reserves don’t have road access or clean drinking water in the 21st century. But are you willing to boycott the CFL on those same principles you espouse for the Olympics, or is you moral and ethical outrage selective and only when it suits your interest to be so (a.k.a. You don’t care about those sports so you can kick up a fuss). It may be just as irresponsible to play CFL football while the pandemic continues and we ship in Americans whose vaccine status may be more questionable, but fair to say from the past year that there was tons of objection to the CFL NOT playing last season. Didn’t see the “selfish and totally irresponsible” argument then. So where is the consistency with your high moral ground I would wonder?

And i am not agreeing or disagreeing with “geopolitization” as I am not sure what you mean, so please explain to me if you want to, I would seek for information before arguing that point. I may say you are completely right. But it also may not stop me from watching myself. 
 

Bottom line, if you aren’t interested in it, sure no problem. But if you need to list reasons of morality to justify your angry boycott and want to claim some high ground because the movement and the money offends you, are you consistent with your dislike and disdain universally and maintain your principles across the board with spending on sports, or just when it is selectively convenient for you because it doesn’t impact your happiness in that specific instance?

Edited July 26, 2021 by TrueBlue4ever

[GCJenks]

9 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

CBC app allows you watch any individual event without cutting away

Thanks for the info, I don’t think that helps me as I refuse to infect my phone with that app…

[Tracker]

The Olympics have lost their attraction for me. The whole enterprise is a private corporation run by Europe's former and current nobility, which is a minor complaint. The real gripe for me is the massive bribes paid to the Olympic organizers by the cities, states and countries in order for them to host the games and almost always lose massive amounts of money, which have to be borne by the taxpayers. The corporate sponsors ante up massive amounts of money and have large numbers of prime seats reserved for them and these seats are often empty, which is why the stands are rarely shown on TV.

And lastly, the PEDS abuse is rampant and the masking of these is so sophisticated that they are rarely detected. Moreover, the Olympic organizers are often complicit in covering up the abuse, as the revelation of the extent of the abuse by the stars would tarnish the Olympic image and their income. 

[17to85]

On the other hand.... sports! Yay!

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, 17to85 said:

On the other hand.... sports! Yay!

Chacun a son gout.

[iHeart]

 

[iHeart]

wake up everyone! we've got our second gold of the games

 

wow so far we're doing better than we did in Rio 2016 we had 5 medals in the first 4 days

Edited July 27, 2021 by iHeart

[bustamente]

Canadian women leading the way once again at a summer Olympics

[the watcher]

I watched some of the women's soccer game vs England today.  It's nice to see a soccer game where players aren't flopping all over the ground like they were shot every time there is the least contact. I wish the pro leagues would take a page from their book. 

[Tracker]

 

 

                                      

[Tracker]

 

                               

twitter.com/amalieskram
The Norwegian women’s handball team have been fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms at the European Beach Handball Championships.

The European Handball Federation (EHF), the sport’s governing body, confirmed a €1,500 ($1,770) fine (€150 ($177) per player) for improper clothing.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

[Tracker]

Scarlett Johansson Sues Disney Over ‘Black Widow’ Release
The actress said the decision to simultaneously release the film in theaters and on Disney+ breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.

Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday morning in Los Angeles Superior Court, the “Black Widow” star and executive producer said her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the lawsuit.

Johansson’s potential earnings were tied to the box office performance of the film, which the company released simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental.

“In the months leading up to this lawsuit, Ms. Johansson gave Disney and Marvel every opportunity to right their wrong and make good on Marvel’s promise,” the lawsuit said. “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the Agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

After its release was delayed more than a year because of COVID-19, “Black Widow” debuted to a pandemic-best of $80 million in North America and $78 million from international theaters three weeks ago, but theatrical grosses declined sharply after that. In its second weekend in release, the National Association of Theater Owners issued a rare statement criticizing the strategy asserting that simultaneous release lends itself only to lost profits and higher quality piracy.

[17to85]

12 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Scarlett Johansson Sues Disney Over ‘Black Widow’ Release
The actress said the decision to simultaneously release the film in theaters and on Disney+ breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.

Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday morning in Los Angeles Superior Court, the “Black Widow” star and executive producer said her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the lawsuit.

Johansson’s potential earnings were tied to the box office performance of the film, which the company released simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental.

“In the months leading up to this lawsuit, Ms. Johansson gave Disney and Marvel every opportunity to right their wrong and make good on Marvel’s promise,” the lawsuit said. “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the Agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

After its release was delayed more than a year because of COVID-19, “Black Widow” debuted to a pandemic-best of $80 million in North America and $78 million from international theaters three weeks ago, but theatrical grosses declined sharply after that. In its second weekend in release, the National Association of Theater Owners issued a rare statement criticizing the strategy asserting that simultaneous release lends itself only to lost profits and higher quality piracy.

Interesting,  but I kind of think this is on the wrong thread 

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Interesting,  but I kind of think this is on the wrong thread 

You are correct. I thought I was posting it in random news. Perhaps one of the mods can delete or move it.

[Tracker]

 

                        

[iHeart]

[FrostyWinnipeg]

5 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Interesting,  but I kind of think this is on the wrong thread 

As was the Norwegian vollyball team

Edited July 30, 2021 by FrostyWinnipeg

[iHeart]

So I guess she's done for the games, oh well it's Andre time

 

[Tracker]

 

 

                                   

[Stretch]

Canada had two women's beach volleyball teams in the quarterfinals and both lost. ☹️ If both had won they would have played each other in the semis.