The Summer Games of the XXXII Olympiad

[BrianL]

They didn’t know 100%, but Karolyi miscalculated. Even with a perfect score from the Russians it would have been almost impossible for them to win. So yes, they basically knew. And even if they hadn’t, winning the gold wasn’t worth injuring an athlete.

I'm definitely not arguing the second part. I am all for it if it is the athlete's choice to compete like that, but obviously the amount of pressure is detrimental, especially to these often very young gymnasts.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Also look at Missy Franklin.

She dominated at one Olympics and then was a shadow of herself at Rio. But like Simone had all the endorsements and was the "It" girl, so maybe felt like she had to do it.

Then someone like Ledecky who was lower profile is becoming more and more dominant over 3 Olympics.

Everyone is built different and then also maybe money changes things too. Like in Rocky, once he became champ and had all the money he lost the eye of the tiger.

The same thing is happening with Ledecky in these Olympics, I feel. It isn’t that she’s won silver. It’s that she’s lost to the Australian. The Australian who has dominated these races all year.

We (society as a whole) put so much importance on gold, no wonder these athletes suffer. There was a time where silver & bronze were to be celebrated, but now it’s not good enough.

 

[Pooh's World]

The same thing is happening with Ledecky in these Olympics, I feel. It isn’t that she’s won silver. It’s that she’s lost to the Australian. The Australian who has dominated these races all year.

We (society as a whole) put so much importance on gold, no wonder these athletes suffer. There was a time where silver & bronze were to be celebrated, but now it’s not good enough.

I believe Ledecky won Gold last night in the 1500

 

[Marrila]

The same thing is happening with Ledecky in these Olympics, I feel. It isn’t that she’s won silver. It’s that she’s lost to the Australian. The Australian who has dominated these races all year.

We (society as a whole) put so much importance on gold, no wonder these athletes suffer. There was a time where silver & bronze were to be celebrated, but now it’s not good enough.

Ledecky has the gold in the very first women’s 1500-meter freestyle race. The 2nd place will be pretty much forgotten over time.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I believe Ledecky won Gold last night in the 1500

Ledecky has the gold in the very first women’s 1500-meter freestyle race. The 2nd place will be pretty much forgotten over time.

I know. I’m talking about the commentary about her earlier races - the ones she won silver in.

ETA: the commentary last night very much came across as though she had redeemed herself. That’s the problem. Her silvers should still be celebrated.

 

[Marrila]

I know. I’m talking about the commentary about her earlier races - the ones she won silver in.

ETA: the commentary last night very much came across as though she had redeemed herself. That’s the problem. Her silvers should still be celebrated.

I'm impressed with all of Ledecky's accomplishments.
Commentators don't speak for me. That coverage last night wasn't top rate anyway. Screening "cute" back stories during the race wasn't very respectful to all the racers or viewers.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I'm impressed with all of Ledecky's accomplishments.
Commentators don't speak for me. That coverage last night wasn't top rate anyway. Screening "cute" back stories during the race wasn't very respectful to all the racers or viewers.

Which is why I was specifically talking about society as a whole.

 

[Pooh's World]

I know. I’m talking about the commentary about her earlier races - the ones she won silver in.

ETA: the commentary last night very much came across as though she had redeemed herself. That’s the problem. Her silvers should still be celebrated.

It's a hard thing.

Each Olympics, the networks and sponsors pick a couple people to be the face of the Olympics.
These people are considered marketable.
Either dominant (Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps)
or good looking (Shawn Johnson, Lindsay Vonn, Apollo Ohno, Simone Biles)

and then build the entire programming and Olympics around them. (I'm sure most countries do this)

On the one hand they are compensated with tens of millions of dollars.
But on the other hand that adds alot of extra media appearances/tasks and pressure.


And then you have other people who may be dominant but considered not marketable and never make any money even though they win a bunch of gold medals. And are never able to parlay the gold medals into becoming rich.

Not sure which is better. I guess if I had to pick I would take the more pressure with the more money then the other option.

 

[Pooh's World]

I'm impressed with all of Ledecky's accomplishments.
Commentators don't speak for me. That coverage last night wasn't top rate anyway. Screening "cute" back stories during the race wasn't very respectful to all the racers or viewers.

Granted it was a super long race but it annoyed me that they did a split screen with a commercial on the other screen.

 

[Karin1984]

and then build the entire programming and Olympics around them. (I'm sure most countries do this)

Not sure, it's definitely not a Dutch thing. Most of our athletes can go through life unnoticeable. I think Epke Zonderland is one of the few got more recognition. But the most he did was some interviews, and a few commercials for his sponsor. But that sponspor doesn't have anything to do with the Olympics. Anky van Grunsven from a few years ago just did a lot of interviews. And that is all after their wins. Not before. I think these two stood out because they were very likeable people. Not necessarily handsome or dominant.

Could be a Dutch mentality: Show us what you've got first.
Credit cards are also not a thing here ;-)

The Olympics here are aired on what we call 'public television' and not 'commercial television'. Public television are the three main channels everyone can get, these do not have commercials during the show. Only between 2 tv shows there are commercials.

 

[georgina]

Finally, the Dutch got 2 Gold medals, that took a long time! Cycling and rowing.

I felt bad for the cyclist in the road race Sunday, who thought she had won the gold but no one in the pack knew there was an Austrian rider 4 minutes ahead of them who actually came in first.

 

[Pooh's World]

I felt bad for the cyclist in the road race Sunday, who thought she had won the gold but no one in the pack knew there was an Austrian rider 4 minutes ahead of them who actually came in first.

That was the best part of the Olympics. The unknown, last ranked Math professor winning

 

[Karin1984]

I felt bad for the cyclist in the road race Sunday, who thought she had won the gold but no one in the pack knew there was an Austrian rider 4 minutes ahead of them who actually came in first.

She got gold on her next race and there was an interview with her in the newspapers this week. She was happy with her gold medal and with her silver medal as well ;-)

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

It's a hard thing.

Each Olympics, the networks and sponsors pick a couple people to be the face of the Olympics.
These people are considered marketable.
Either dominant (Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps)
or good looking (Shawn Johnson, Lindsay Vonn, Apollo Ohno, Simone Biles)

and then build the entire programming and Olympics around them. (I'm sure most countries do this)

On the one hand they are compensated with tens of millions of dollars.
But on the other hand that adds alot of extra media appearances/tasks and pressure.


And then you have other people who may be dominant but considered not marketable and never make any money even though they win a bunch of gold medals. And are never able to parlay the gold medals into becoming rich.

Not sure which is better. I guess if I had to pick I would take the more pressure with the more money then the other option.

Some make more than others, but compared to other athletes, they don’t make the much. Simone is worth an estimated $6-10 million. Definitely not chump change, but not as much as some people think.

I don’t know what I’d choose. That seems like a lot of pressure to constantly live under. I think the gymnastics is skewed too, knowing the abuse they had to live under to get to this place. That’s hard to reconcile for any dollar amount.

 

[Pooh's World]

She got gold on her next race and there was an interview with her in the newspapers this week. She was happy with her gold medal and with her silver medal as well ;-)

which event did she get gold in?

 

[Karin1984]

which event did she get gold in?

Road Time Trial: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics_–_Women's_road_time_trial

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

Granted it was a super long race but it annoyed me that they did a split screen with a commercial on the other screen.

They have to pay the bills and give the sponsors what they paid for! They could have cut away completely. I am grateful for a split screen!

 

[Pooh's World]

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-calling-athletes-simone-biles-goat-pressure-202124361.html

 

[BrianL]

I do agree that calling someone the "Greatest of All Time" should be reserved until after they are retired so that their entire body of work can be assessed properly and it doesn't add expectations and pressure to a currently performing athlete.

 

[Pooh's World]

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/nbcuniversal-tokyo-olympics-make-goods-advertising-1235028563/