Paris Olympics 2024 (non-cycling) thread

[ChewbaccaDefense]

USA women's basketball team struggling heavily against France. For context and perspective: this is as if Pogacar, Remco and Vingegaard would be struggling to beat Luca Mozzato for Tour de France GC.

It's nothing like that, unless you never really watch basketball. Every March, you see giants get beaten by David's. It's part of the reason basketball is such a beautiful sport. Good fundamental basketball can always keep you in games, and give you a chance to win.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

It's nothing like that, unless you never really watch basketball. Every March, you see giants get beaten by David's. It's part of the reason basketball is such a beautiful sport. Good fundamental basketball can always keep you in games, and give you a chance to win.

It is exactly like the way I described, and it perfectly describes the proportions between the two. If this game were to be played 100 times, USA would win 99 of them.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

It is exactly like the way I described, and it perfectly shows the proportions between the two. If this game were to be played 100 times, USA would win 99 of them.

No, they wouldn't. It's a terrible comparison. Basketball upsets by inferior teams happen all the time. The scenario you propose is wildly different.

 

[tobydawq]

It is exactly like the way I described, and it perfectly describes the proportions between the two. If this game were to be played 100 times, USA would win 99 of them.

And Mozzato would win the Tour 1% of the time? Lol.

 

[Nick2413]

Basketball always seems to come down to the wire. It’s great but the last 2 min taking forever can be a bit much

 

[Tricycle Rider]

You guys act like you actually watch and follow the WNBA?

 

[Brullnux]

And Mozzato would win the Tour 1% of the time? Lol.

Yeah for sure. You don't think so?

 

[Coffeeplanter]

And Mozzato would win the Tour 1% of the time? Lol.

That part wasn't as accurate, I must admit. Showing the difference in quality and level between the two, however: spot on.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

You guys act like you actually watch and follow the WNBA?

Basketball is a religon to me (I was born in North Carolina...GO HEELS!). I watch it all.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

That part wasn't as accurate, I must admit. Showing the difference in quality and level between two two, however: spot on.

That is fair. Like I said, inferior talented teams still win basketball games all of the time. I loved watching Virginia lose in the first round in 2018. I doubly love every time Duke sh*ts the bed in the 1st round.

 

[tobydawq]

Yeah for sure. You don't think so?

I doubt he would even win De Ronde 1% of the time and he was second this year...

 

[Brullnux]

I doubt he would even win De Ronde 1% of the time and he was second this year...

Oh ye of little faith... I've heard he is transitioning to GTs and moving to Ineos, using G as inspiration.

 

[Netserk]

Some sports don't make clear distinction between amateur and pro. In some other sports, they are like two different worlds, including boxing.

And now they allow returning pros to play at the Olympic? I never knew that. I don't think even golf - where the professional and amateur forms are more alike - allow such switch back.

Uzbekistan won 5 of 7 men's boxing gold. Their big guy Jalolov was/is clearly a pro.

The discrimination against professionals is one of the gravest mistakes of the Olympic Games. Rooted in an anti-excellence ideology.

 

[jmdirt]

I see, Cuban boxers were practically paid athletes. What I meant is this Uzbek boxer actually fought several prized fights before going back to 3-round tournament environment. I admit I don't know if the likes of Stevenson also fought such openly professional fights.

Not just Cubans...

EDIT: not just boxing...

 

[jmdirt]

Is 40 gold medals for both the USA and China the FINAL tally? Can't get much closer than that.

If the USA wants to win the gold medal battle in LA, they need to win some gold in table pong, diving, and shooting (that's obviously a double whammy: 1 more gold for USA, one less for PRC). Weight lifting and boxing would also help. If they haven't already begun developing these things though, its too late. You'd think that with all of the guns and ammo in the USA, we would have better shooters. Maybe if they had an event that measured who could shoot 1000 rounds the fastest, we could win.

I enjoyed breaking even though I don't like it as an Olympic event, nor do I like adding another judged event.

The gymnastic judges/feds really F ed up (several times and ways) IMO. Both of those young ladies should be awarded bronze medals.

Overall great Olympics IMO, good job France!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Is 40 gold medals for both the USA and China the FINAL tally? Can't get much closer than that.

If the USA wants to win the gold medal battle in LA, they need to win some gold in table pong, diving, and shooting (that's obviously a double whammy: 1 more gold for USA, one less for PRC). Weight lifting and boxing would also help. If they haven't already begun developing these things though, its too late. You'd think that with all of the guns and ammo in the USA, we would have better shooters. Maybe if they had an event that measured who could shoot 1000 rounds the fastest, we could win.

I enjoyed breaking even though I don't like it as an Olympic event, nor do I like adding another judged event.

The gymnastic judges/feds really F ed up (several times and ways) IMO. Both of those young ladies should be awarded bronze medals.

Overall great Olympics IMO, good job France!

I expect the US team to win more gold medals in swimming in LA than they did here. I don't think the medal table will be close at all either.

 

[gunara]

The discrimination against professionals is one of the gravest mistakes of the Olympic Games. Rooted in an anti-excellence ideology.

and boxing keep isolating themselves in that matter, I don't know any other sport that still maintain the old divide. And it's getting awkward now for them, too, so they invented a new rule that allow professionals of certain level to compete.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It's disappointing that this golden creature isn't riding on a mechanical horse, but maybe it will show up later.

 

[search]

If the USA wants to win the gold medal battle in LA, they need to win some gold in table pong, diving, and shooting (that's obviously a double whammy: 1 more gold for USA, one less for PRC).

I guess they will step up a bit for LA. And as usual, there'll also be a couple of new sports added which are popoular in the host nation. In this case baseball, softball, lacrosse and some kind of American football ("Flag")

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I enjoyed breaking even though I don't like it as an Olympic event, nor do I like adding another judged event.

I missed breaking, but will have to check out the highlights at some point (all I've seen so far is a clip of an Australian woman hopping around a bit)

 

[Sciatic]

Suzuki going downhill with all the grace of a drunk Ilnur Zakarin there.

It looked like she was trying to put on the brakes with her upper body while her legs were still going full speed.

 

[Sciatic]

True, boxing was one of the later federations to include 'pro' boxers in the Olympics, but many state sponsored pro boxers won gold(s) long before that. The obvious 1970s example is Stevenson (3X gold), 100% a pro boxer.

The amateur/pro divide worked well during boxing’s more popular era (50s, 60s, 70s) when the Olympics were a good stepping stone to a pro career. Ali, Frazier, Patterson, Ray Leonard, Spinks all won gold prior to moving to pro ranks.

 

[KZD]

Since its the closing cerimony, time for some overall thoughts.

Apart from a few controversies these Olympics were pretty good because the athetles delivered. Unlike some previous editions I don't think that we can't point one athlete of the games but a few definitely standed out like Marchand and McIntosh in swimming, Remco, Lavreysen and Andrews in cycling, Biles in gymnastics and Duplantis, Hassan and McLaughlin in athletics.

For history the 5th gold medal of Mijaín Lopez in five different games and Novak getting the only thing that he was missing in his legendary career.

Country wise New Zealand and Uzbkeistan did better than I expected, Ethiopia and Jamaica worse. Hope the next Olympics can be at least as good.

 

[search]

Country wise New Zealand and Uzbkeistan did better than I expected, Ethiopia and Jamaica worse. Hope the next Olympics can be at least as good.

during these Olympics I often thought that it was quite surprising to see how some nations are good in very particular sports. Like Sweden and Norway up there in the beach volleyball, for example, Indonesia in speed climbing, or India and Pakistan going head to head in the javelin throw.

For Uzbekistan it's kind of the opposite. They are successful only in sports where you expect two-meter giants to be good in .

 

[Nick2413]

I guess they will step up a bit for LA. And as usual, there'll also be a couple of new sports added which are popoular in the host nation. In this case baseball, softball, lacrosse and some kind of American football ("Flag")

Are they taking any events out in place of those? That’s a lot of team events that will have a lot of athletes and games.