Review of the London Olympics!

[Jess]

Hi 411! I have been lucky enough to be at the Olympics for the last week, and have photos to share!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Games. London has been alive, with so many different people from all over the world visiting.

Here are some photos from my days around London, including the rings in strategic places for everyone to see, and the infamous Olympic lanes. There are Olympic references all around the city, with facts written on the sidewalk and all London tube stations decorated by Coke.

[Jess]

I attended two events, the rowing and beach volleyball. Both had American fans cheering on the teams. The USA mens team lost, but the famous USA girls won, and I was there to see their games in the knock out rounds.

[Jess]

Lastly, the events are all in the most amazing areas of London. They are spaced out all around the city, with beach volleyball right by Buckingham Palace. If you look from my seat I could see the London Eye, Horse Guard and Big Ben.

[Blackford Oakes]

Finally tuned in to some Olympic action today.

Dressage was awesome, as weel as my USC VB girls vs ESP.

[GandJ]

Great photos, Jess!




Glenn

[Catt]

how COOL jess!!

i'm not there but this is such an awesome shot, i hadda share it......

[Blackford Oakes]

My favorite event for far.

[GandJ]

Blackford -

I can't go along with you on that one. "Dressage" just doesn't seem to be of olympic caliber. Maybe the horse can get a medal, .... but the rider? Nah. Even John Kruk looks like an olympian compared to dressage. John Kruk was the overweight baseball player who once said, "Lady, I ain't no athlete. I'm a baseball player."

Maybe dressage should be one of the demonstration sports?

Croquet and Lawn Darts, anyone?




Glenn

[dylan]

The Olympics are great not only do they allow all countries to compete but with events like Dressage heck they let anybody do anything. lol

[Blackford Oakes]

Blackford -

I can't go along with you on that one. "Dressage" just doesn't seem to be of olympic caliber. Maybe the horse can get a medal, .... but the rider? Nah. Even John Kruk looks like an olympian compared to dressage. John Kruk was the overweight baseball player who once said, "Lady, I ain't no athlete. I'm a baseball player."

Maybe dressage should be one of the demonstration sports?

Croquet and Lawn Darts, anyone?




Glenn

Be that opinion as it is - and I kinda get your point, for aesthetic and athletic reasons, this event has impressed my senses more than anything so far.

I myself question some of the sports allowed in modern times. The shooting event was one of them. This event has been contested since 1896. It doesn't really do anything for me, but when a blind man wins Gold, it highlights the triumph of the human spiriit. That is the essense of these games.

The equine portion of the games have always appealed to me. This originates from my love of thoroughbred racing and my respect and love of horses. I made sure I made this event in LA84. Anytime a man or woman has to control a 16 hand beast, you exercise and jolt every fiber and organ in your body. It has already been proven that jockeys are the most fit athletes on the planet. That athleticism plays out more in other equestrian events, I just like the elegant discipline of the dressage event a bit more than the others. Don't forget that the equestrain events put Superman in a wheelchair and are not as docile as they seem. The excellence of the riders and training make it look effortless, but don't be fooled.

The equestrain events became olympian in 1912. Prior to that, if you're weren't athletic enough on horseback during Spartacus, you were a dead man.

The most important thing of all in this topic is I'm glad Jess is there to take it all in and share it with us. I was touched by the Oylmpic flame when it visited my city. May Jess feel that same warmth.

[Michelle]

Wow; thank you for sharing Jess--Awesome!! What parts of the pic are London Eye and Horse Guard?

London looks like a neat place.

Blackford, you have made some good points about the Dressage event. I turned it of yesterday when that even came on; maybe I should have watched a little longer.

[GandJ]

Good explanation, Blackford. I still won't put equestrian up there with a Carl Lewis, Michaei Phelps, Jackie Joyner Kersey, or Jesse owens, but you did do a good job of explaining that that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.


Glenn

[GandJ]

Good explanation, Blackford. I still won't put equestrian up there with a Carl Lewis, Michaei Phelps, Jackie Joyner Kersey, or Jesse Owens, but you did do a good job of explaining that that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.


Glenn

[Blackford Oakes]

To add a tidbit on the equestrain events: this is the only event that men and women compete against each other.

I agree with G; when you hear the horse grunt, pant and breath fire through their nostrils, they deserve medals as well. I wouldn't doubt for a second, at least their owners treat them royally.

Though I try to swim everyday, I can't get into this event. NBC has failed in it's grahics and is only displaying the flag at of the leader at each turn.

It's usually after five or six days, that the Olympic events ramp up and I get more exited about it.

Track and field hasn't even started yet. The more classical aspect of the games are yet to come.

( i couldn't find Will Frerell''s USA ! USA ! rant on Conan O'Brien last night. It was ripped )

[Matt Meltzer]

Great photos all around. And I'm glad you enjoyed the event in your hometown, Jess. Seems like a cool experience and definitely worth the trip.

But can someone please explain to me the appeal of the Olympics? Like the last time I had even a fleeting interest in them was the 1992 Dream Team, and I was a little kid then so there wasn't much else to concern myself with. I just can't get into it, nor do I see the appeal. Watch 20 minutes of swimming because it was on late at night before I went to bed and that's it.

To me, mind you this is my opinion, it's a bunch of people I've never heard of and will likely never meet playing a bunch of sports I don't care about. And the touching, blind-man-wins-a-shooting-medal human interest stories aside, I would hesitate to classify most of these people as "heroes."

So what's the interest? What's the appeal? Blackford, you seem to be the biggest fan here, mayhaps you can explain it to me.

[dylan]

Yeah Blackford you have opened my eyes to the world of Dressage i might try to learn more about it now.

[Jess]

The interest for me is to see the top athletes of the world compete and show off their physical and sporting talents. And to do it for your country makes it that little more special.

[Blackford Oakes]

The appeal stems from the days when you had to make an oath to Zeus and make a sacrifice to Pelops.... or maybe it's just as simple as inheriting a strain of Greek. The polus got hacked by the time my earlier folks reached Messina.

I like the antiquity aspect, and of course the drama and challenges of competition, especially among nations.

[Catt]

it's the joy, and natural drama, of pure sport for nothing other than sport's sake - no contrived melodrama, no corporate team machines... just pure sport for sport's sake.... y'know - the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, et al. It's real reality - not a scripted reality 'show'..... it's moving, and it's exciting.... because it's AUTHENTIC. not like the typical contrived phony crap you get with corporate machines like the NHL, NFL and NBA, etc. - which have descended into a bunch of obscenely overpaid spoiled athlete-employees with entitled attitudes and drama.

the Olympics brings the whole world together under the same umbrella for a short while, focused on pure friendly competition among the nations of the world, for country - not overpaid spoiled-brats competing for TV ratings and cash.

big or small, poor or rich, whatever country they come from - everyone is level on the Olympic playing field. You just don't get that anywhere else. I find it moving and exciting every time, even when it's not sports i'm typically interested in. Nonetheless i watch it all, for the excitement of witnessing pure competition, and I really enjoy seeing the competitors doin' their thing.....

[Blackford Oakes]

As much as I want to believe Catt's conception, The Olympics are ruled by a conglomerate in Switzerland. IT'S A BUSINESS !
Though we weren't around, I prefer these games held under the dominion of ancient demi-gods.


That said, Gabby is going to make her 5-7 Mil a year for her medal, and promising chink kids will still be whisked away from their parents at the age of five.

The only glee I have these days is how FIFA dictates it's terms to modern Olympia.

That's another Swiss mafia and a longer story.At least Samaranch is dead.

We can only hope the demi-gods, once again rule the spirit of original intent of the games.

If an Arab refuses to compete against a Jew - sacrifice the MF to Pelops !


Still enjoying the remnants, even before the Romans f'd things up