Reading about someone named "Gardiner" is rather confusing when you have your "Danish Brain" activated!
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Reading about someone named "Gardiner" is rather confusing when you have your "Danish Brain" activated!
When I answered yesterday, "judges", that was because I had about two minutes to answer and couldn't really articulate how I feel. This morning I still can't. I guess I just like the idea of a finish line, a knockout, the clearance of a bar, a mark in sand/grass, the button at the top of a wall, etc. I'm not young so I've seen quite a few Olympic events, and boxing/MMA matches get incorrectly decided by judges, and not by the actual performance. Granted the 'criteria' has tightened up considerably, and the full on rip off doesn't happen often, but you know where they happen...on the biggest stages. Boxing/MMA is interesting in that the competitors can end it and leave not doubt, but if they don't, the judges determine the winner.
Like I said, I really enjoy watching gymnastics at the Olympics. Even though things are way better now, there were times this year when I was ??! (I'm no expert, but the commentators frequently support my 'what the?') Even 1/10 here or there makes a difference. I have thoughts, but I don't care what I think, what do the athletes think?
As far as the extreme sports go, they are cool and amazing, and might attract a younger audience, but I struggle with some of them being Olympic sports (partly because they are judged)(keep in mind that this is coming from someone who has gone to Nitro Circus a few times). The climbing events at least feel more traditional to me. What could be more authentic than scaling the wall of a castle in a raid?
Ramble, ramble...
I'm so far behind on my Olympic viewing, haven't had a chance to see this yet. I'll put it on my viewing list...Yet another bad exchange for the US men's 4X100 relay team.
The argument is usually made in favour of the extreme sports that they attract a younger audience and raise participation due to the cool factor, but the counterpoint to that would be, if these sports are the key to a younger audience and the games need to reinvent themselves to attract the audience, then why does the X Games, built entirely around these sports, not draw bigger viewing? I'd be more in favour of expanding the program and reach of the X Games to promote these sports and build them and their related disciplines, rather than diluting the Olympics by adding ever more medals in disciplines that don't really have the depth of competition to really feel elite in the same way as Netserk points out sports like football and basketball don't really feel truly like Olympic sports - they have their own higher level competitions as there are various entry requirements and limitations on these sports (the same goes for ice hockey in the Winter Olympics, btw) that mean you aren't actually watching the true best at the sport. Olympic football, for example, is clearly at a lower level than the World Cup or the Continental titles.As far as the extreme sports go, they are cool and amazing, and might attract a younger audience, but I struggle with some of them being Olympic sports (partly because they are judged)(keep in mind that this is coming from someone who has gone to Nitro Circus a few times). The climbing events at least feel more traditional to me. What could be more authentic than scaling the wall of a castle in a raid?
Ramble, ramble...
I agree. I believe that the comparison was athletics to gymnastics, what makes Biles so amazing is because she goes higher, faster, stronger. So for me the difference between judged and nonjudged isn't those.Olympics should be about exploring and pushing the limits of the human body through competition. That's the point of faster, higher, stronger.
I don't think handball, basketball, football etc. fit the bill.
Gardiner has a god-tier stride, but might lack the flat 100m speed to break the WR. Very similar to Wariner in that respect. They also had to expend a bit more energy than the hurdlers in the semis and that looked to have cost James in the final as he ran slower than his semi. But it was a great race with 5 runners with a shot at gold in the home stretch. I expect a similar free for all in the women's race tomorrow.
USA and Jamaica were way out in front in the womens 4x400m. The US might change all 4 runners for the final too. The bronze battle will be wide open with Bol giving Netherlands a shot at another medal.
Reading about someone named "Gardiner" is rather confusing when you have your "Danish Brain" activated!
The worst in terms of judging, among the sports I watch, seems to be diving, that's a sport where I often don't fully get the judgements, but that could very well be because I know nothing about diving...
It's a bit like gymnastics in that the more twists and turns the higher the score, it has to look pretty (legs together, toes pointed and all that), and you have to have a perfect "landing". In gymnastics if you have a bad landing you fall on your arse (or worse), in diving you just make a big splash. I heard those big splashes, especially from the 10m board, can be quite painful though, so it's best to avoid them altogether.The worst in terms of judging, among the sports I watch, seems to be diving, that's a sport where I often don't fully get the judgements, but that could very well be because I know nothing about diving...
I agree. I believe that the comparison was athletics to gymnastics, what makes Biles so amazing is because she goes higher, faster, stronger. So for me the difference between judged and nonjudged isn't those.
I heard Nasti Liukin say "that routine will score higher in the final". WTH?! Shouldn't it score the same every time that it is executed correctly/the same? That's not the first time I've heard that either (in gymnastics, skating...)
I was watching X-Games Moto X Freestyle, and the same thing: "That run will be a lot higher in the final, but the judges don't like to give high scores early on" Again, WTH?!
RE: Climbing: I'm only able to see the highlights of the American girl so I'll have to wait a few days until its all over YouTube. But, based on what I have read (here and other) the scoring needs to be more straight forward. Why not just straight up total time (obviously completing the correct elements/features/holds...)?
It's a bit like gymnastics in that the more twists and turns the higher the score, it has to look pretty (legs together, toes pointed and all that), and you have to have a perfect "landing". In gymnastics if you have a bad landing you fall on your arse (or worse), in diving you just make a big splash. I heard those big splashes, especially from the 10m board, can be quite painful though, so it's best to avoid them altogether.
A walker did the Dumoulin? Sheeesh...Cheers to the guy who practically alone comments on the four hours of walking. Yes, I have walking in the background...
One of the favourites fighting his way back after dumoulining early.
Multiple times. He seems to be adopting the Sifan Hassan technique but with toilet stops instead of falls - catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on, catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on...A walker did the Dumoulin? Sheeesh...
Well, some of those speed walkers do walk faster than I run (or even ride), so I can see where such a tremendous effort could cause such an unfortunate mishap.
Multiple times. He seems to be adopting the Sifan Hassan technique but with toilet stops instead of falls - catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on, catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on...
Stretching off topic...When I was 16 (yes invincible macho man!) I jumped into the Priest River from the top of the train bridge...with my arms out! I have no idea what I was thinking, maybe balance? It hurt f bad!, and by the next day my arms were just one big black and blue glob.I'm currently watching women's 10m platform diving, just looking down into the water from the platform would make me vomit. And the commentator did mention that it's very painful if you don't break the water just right, so, regardless of how anyone feels about this foofy sport it does at least take some serious balls to do it.
He's keeping it real, he's keeping it exciting, he's keeping his opponents on their toes!Multiple times. He seems to be adopting the Sifan Hassan technique but with toilet stops instead of falls - catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on, catch the bunch, stop for a comfort break, chase back on...