The Olympic Games - Paris 2024

[MinistroRaven]

I'm watching the Olympic Games' opening ceremony right now. I think it's the first time they haven't had it in the stadium.

There have been some pretty cool performances so far.

Are you planning to watch the games?

Personally, I usually tune in when someone from my country is competing, and I also love watching the swimming events and the 100m and 200m races.

[El Barto]

If I can find a good way to stream it I'll certainly have it on over the weekend.

The Olympics have been the single most frustrating part about cord cutting. It's free. It's ubiquitous. Unless you have a cable provider you're kind of SOL, though. Even though everybody can watch NBC OTA, only CATV customers can watch it online. Streaming parts of it is simple enough. Watching the prime-time highlights is even easier. Watching it live and/or on demand is a real challenge, though.

I think last time around I used a VPN to watch the BBC's feed, and the CBC, as well.

[dparrott]

YES! I love handball, women's soccer, track & field, swimming, diving, I'll even check out the new break dancing.

[lordxizor]

If I can find a good way to stream it I'll certainly have it on over the weekend.

The Olympics have been the single most frustrating part about cord cutting. It's free. It's ubiquitous. Unless you have a cable provider you're kind of SOL, though. Even though everybody can watch NBC OTA, only CATV customers can watch it online. Streaming parts of it is simple enough. Watching the prime-time highlights is even easier. Watching it live and/or on demand is a real challenge, though.

I think last time around I used a VPN to watch the BBC's feed, and the CBC, as well.

Isn't it available to stream on Peacock?

[El Barto]

Isn't it available to stream on Peacock?

Is Batman a transvestite? Who knows?

I stopped paying for TV years ago, and have no desire to go back to it.

[hunnus2000]

Is Batman a transvestite? Who knows?

I stopped paying for TV years ago, and have no desire to go back to it.

You're a better man than I sir.

[El Barto]

I'm watching the Olympic Games' opening ceremony right now. I think it's the first time they haven't had it in the stadium.

I never go in for opening ceremonies. They just always seem cheesy to me. What they did here looks kick ass, though. Running it through the city is a marvelous idea. I've only seen pictures of it, but I might have to check that out later. It really beats the hell out of the typical stadium thing.

[Lonk]

I never go in for opening ceremonies. They just always seem cheesy to me. What they did here looks kick ass, though. Running it through the city is a marvelous idea. I've only seen pictures of it, but I might have to check that out later. It really beats the hell out of the typical stadium thing.

Even if you don't like the music, can't deny a vadass performance

https://www.reddit.com/r/gojira/comments/1ecvmv0/gojira_at_olympic_games_opening_ceremony/?rdt=38262

[lonestar]

So stoked to see Gojira playing, give metal a bit of mainstream credibility, and it seems the crowd was lapping it up for sure.



I already watched some of the 7 on 7 rugby, fuck those dudes are hardcore. Definitely will follow the soccer as well, and will probably watch Biles make everyone else look second rate.

[MirrorMask]

Not a fan of Gojira, that kind of metal is not for me, but they kicked all kind of asses and brought the METAL to the olympic games, kudos to them 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Man that was a drag to watch. Highlights was of course Gojira playing altough I actually missed them during the livestream. Celine Dion and the whole eiffel tower lightning display was also cool but other than that it baffels me that they spent around 150 million on that.

[Anguyen92]

I liked the parkour guy that looks like a character from Assassin's Creed carrying the torch and going roof to roof witnessing the Les Misérables segment, the Gojira segment, and other segments.

Watched the medal games of the Men's Rugby 7s event this morning and those games were really good games to watch.  I always enjoy watching Rugby when I get a chance to.  I'd wished it would be more popular in North America.  I would think it would something that would please American football fans, soccer fans, and hockey fans.

[El Barto]

For people watching on Peakcock how's the picture quality? So far CBC's streaming plan has been excellent, but there's definitely a fair amount of compression going on. From what I can tell NBC is only putting out 4k over USA Network, which leaves me out, but the standard HD coverage might be better.

[lordxizor]

For people watching on Peakcock how's the picture quality? So far CBC's streaming plan has been excellent, but there's definitely a fair amount of compression going on. From what I can tell NBC is only putting out 4k over USA Network, which leaves me out, but the standard HD coverage might be better.

I watched the primetime show for an hour or so last night streaming on peacock and the picture quality looked good. But admittedly I'm not super picky about that kind of stuff.

[El Barto]

Olympic surfing is seriously badass. This has been my favourite event by far. Like most events, once you find what the judges are looking for it's a lot of fun to watch. On top of that, anybody can compete against another person. These people compete against the sea. Add to that, these people are surfing all the way up to a live coral reef. This is one of the few events that has the potential to kill or maim people. Great fun.

[hunnus2000]

Olympic surfing is seriously badass. This has been my favourite event by far. Like most events, once you find what the judges are looking for it's a lot of fun to watch. On top of that, anybody can compete against another person. These people compete against the sea. Add to that, these people are surfing all the way up to a live coral reef. This is one of the few events that has the potential to kill or maim people. Great fun.

So you're watching for the crashes? 

[Stadler]

Eh.   I started watching the gymnastics - the Brazilian gymnasts to me are like BabyMetal are to RJ - but despite some amazing performances, ultimately I had to turn it off. The routines themselves are outstanding; some of these women can do amazing things, no doubt, but the in-between is just agony-inducing for me.  EVERYONE has to have a back story.  I feel so inadequate watching these pieces; hernia surgery?  I could hear Suni Lee calling me a pussy through the TV screen last night (I kid, her's IS a great story).    

(And pet peeve; I get the grammatical aspects of it - I don't AGREE with them but I understand them -  but the gymnastics announcers patent refusal to use the definite article ("the") is stress-inducing.  Yes, I know, this is a me problem.)

[El Barto]

Gymnastics will always be bad about that because there are always people performing. If there's not an American on some apparatus at any given time there'll be one preparing. The Canadians are slightly better about it, but you'll still have to watch them prepping while other things are going on elsewhere. It's a shame there's no way to just watch the official Olympics feeds (where the broadcasters get theirs from).

I've mostly been watching the lower tier events, so there's not a lot of commentary, and in some cases none at all. The guy calling the surfing competitions is a 60 year old Aussie anarchist with a scouse accent and a wild-ass beard. He seriously couldn't care less where you're from. He only cares about the waves. The trick is to watch events that Americans don't have a massive advantage.

[Cool Chris]

How are announcers not using "the?"

[El Barto]

How are announcers not using "the?"

[Stadler]

How are announcers not using "the?"

Margie is now on beam... Joanie did an outstanding routine on vault.  They will both make podium as a result. 

[El Barto]

So you're watching for the crashes? 

That's actually not the case this time (that's more for cycling ). I'm really looking for the good runs. That having been said, they're getting some killer waves today; literally. Probably half of the runs in this heat have ended with broken boards and rescues by the water patrol. It's made it quite exciting because the runs that succeed are really impressive. These guys are daredevils and loving every second of it.

[pg1067]

So...let's see.  I had less than zero interest in the opening ceremonies.  I used to like the parade of nations, but most of the ceremonies are mostly a bunch of weird, avant-garde shit.

I caught a little bit of rowing, beach volleyball and fencing.  I think I'd probably like fencing if I understood it better.  I watched a 28-year old Chinese American kick the crap out of a 46-year old Lebanese woman in ping pong.  That was kind of amusing.

The most baffling thing was that I watched bronze and gold medal games in rugby ON THE FIRST DAY?  How was a team sport - that presumably had a tournament - ready for medal games on the first day.  Again, I think I'd like this if I understood the rules better.

I miss when ABC used to broadcast the Olympics.  They would actually take the time to explain things.  NBC is all about puff features about the fencer who overcame being born with no arms or some shit like that.

[El Barto]

I miss when ABC used to broadcast the Olympics.  They would actually take the time to explain things.  NBC is all about puff features about the fencer who overcame being born with no arms or some shit like that.

I haven't heard anything good at all about NBC's coverage, but their website has been my go-to for finding information. Rules, scoring, venues, etc.

[Lonk]

The most baffling thing was that I watched bronze and gold medal games in rugby ON THE FIRST DAY?  How was a team sport - that presumably had a tournament - ready for medal games on the first day.  Again, I think I'd like this if I understood the rules better.

Similar to the Grammys, there is a lot that happens before the opening ceremony (You know, the things people don't really care about, according to those organizing the thing). A lot of Rugby games took place a few days before Saturday.

https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/24-july?utm_campaign=dp_google

[pg1067]

It also surprised me that rugby games are only 28 minutes.

[Stadler]

So...let's see.  I had less than zero interest in the opening ceremonies.  I used to like the parade of nations, but most of the ceremonies are mostly a bunch of weird, avant-garde shit.

I caught a little bit of rowing, beach volleyball and fencing.  I think I'd probably like fencing if I understood it better.  I watched a 28-year old Chinese American kick the crap out of a 46-year old Lebanese woman in ping pong.  That was kind of amusing.

The most baffling thing was that I watched bronze and gold medal games in rugby ON THE FIRST DAY?  How was a team sport - that presumably had a tournament - ready for medal games on the first day.  Again, I think I'd like this if I understood the rules better.

I miss when ABC used to broadcast the Olympics.  They would actually take the time to explain things.  NBC is all about puff features about the fencer who overcame being born with no arms or some shit like that.

For similar (heathen) reasons as gymnastics, I'm a big fan of watching volleyball, but for some reason BEACH volleyball holds little interest to me. Not sure why.

[Stadler]

I haven't heard anything good at all about NBC's coverage, but their website has been my go-to for finding information. Rules, scoring, venues, etc.

I feel like Jim McKay would be turning in his grave.  (Incidentially, I read on Wikipedia that McKay was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy.)

[pg1067]

For similar (heathen) rasons as gymnastics, I'm a big fan of watching volleyball, but for some reason BEACH volleyball holds little interest to me. Not sure why.

I have zero interest in gymnastics, but indoor volleyball is great.  I really got into it last time around - in part because the American libero (or liberace or whatever it's called) went to my daughter's high school.  It's a height thing as much as anything else between the two sports.

[El Barto]

For similar (heathen) rasons as gymnastics, I'm a big fan of watching volleyball, but for some reason BEACH volleyball holds little interest to me. Not sure why.

Oddly enough, as the most heathenish person here, it doesn't do a lot for me, either. This despite it being more exciting, really. It so much more condensed it seems like the spectacular plays happen more often. Not sure why it doesn't work for me.

[Grappler]

So...let's see.  I had less than zero interest in the opening ceremonies.  I used to like the parade of nations, but most of the ceremonies are mostly a bunch of weird, avant-garde shit.

I miss when ABC used to broadcast the Olympics.  They would actually take the time to explain things.  NBC is all about puff features about the fencer who overcame being born with no arms or some shit like that.

The Gojira part was the only interesting part of the opening ceremony this year.  Having the athletes on boats was boring as shit.  At least when they walk in, the camera can find X athlete, but on the boat, it was just a cluster of athletes trying to get on the rail.  I actually liked watching the nations with 3 athletes bounce around in a tiny little boat. 

As for the NBC coverage, it's ALWAYS been like that.  I wrestled in high school and desperately wanted to see more of that sport.  They would spend countless hours on features for premier athletes in the popular sports and you'd never see wrestling air in prime-time unless it was someone like Rulon Gardner or Kurt Angle's gold medal match.  This was all pre-internet, pre-streaming.

Yesterday, gymnastics were live, but they saved the US women's to air during primetime, which sucked too.

[lordxizor]

I'm enjoying using Peacock to stream whatever event we want to watch. We're watching after the fact, not live. There is typically a highlights option or stream the full event. The primetime NBC stream is painful at times. Just show the effing event, we don't need everyone's back story. And what's the deal with Snoop Dog being everywhere?

[Grappler]

And what's the deal with Snoop Dog being everywhere?

He's a judge on The Voice, so NBC sent him over there. 

[Anguyen92]

He seems to be a guy that just genuinely likes sports and wants to support the US team.  I think a few months prior to the start of the games, he ran a 200M dash as an exhibition during the trial games.  There's a clip going around of him attempting to learn Judo.  Yeah.

[pg1067]

The Gojira part was the only interesting part of the opening ceremony this year.

What's a "Gojira part"?

He seems to be a guy that just genuinely likes sports and wants to support the US team.  I think a few months prior to the start of the games, he ran a 200M dash as an exhibition during the trial games.  There's a clip going around of him attempting to learn Judo.  Yeah.

He also provides most (or a significant chunk) of the funding for U.S. women's water polo.