Just curious if anyone’s going to be following the Olympics as they get underway in Tokyo. I’m a big fan of the Olympics in general; I love to see all the competitors doing what they are so good at (although I admit I am biased toward the US team in general). But I try to view the Olympics in the spirit they were intended; a venue to allow different countries to get together and just have a friendly competition. Doesn’t always work that way, I know, but I try. 
How about you guys?
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I need to watch the second broadcast of the opening ceremony tonight. When it was live I missed the name of the paralympian who passed the torch to Naomi Osaka who lit the cauldron.
I love that I’m seeing more than one wheelchair in the coverage. Paralympians are not hidden, there are strong disabled people in a time of recovery and a reminder that disabled people should also exercise.
I also am so glad it’s Japan hosting this year following COVID. I have nostalgia since I studied abroad in Japan in college. I’ve been following the yokai demon mascots related to COVID-19, including Coronon (ok Coronon isn’t a yokai just mascot who gives out masks but maybe he helps…), Hakutaku, and Amabie.
I loved the kabuki moment and the whole semiotic dance showing the sign graphics for all the sports in competition. I hope to watch archery and wrestling and maybe fencing and judo.
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I hate to be That Guy™, but I really lost a lot of enthusiasm for the Olympics when they switched to the two-year cycle. Sure, the Summer and Winter versions still only roll around every four years, but now it feels like it’s constantly the Olympics, rather than a special rarity. It’s like when Xmas stuff starts up right after Hallowe’en - too much of a good thing.
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See, I’m the opposite; I like the every two years format, and the switch between Winter and Summer. The every four years thing always seemed too long to me.
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I bet your parents had to let you open a present on Christmas Eve, too. 
Seriously, I understand it does work for some folks. I just not be one of 'em.
As a big geography geek, I do so enjoy the Parade of Nations!
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Not to take anything away from the athletes, who are certainly amazing, but it’s so far from the original intention it just feels like a two-week commercial for corporate product any more. I liked it during the Jamaican Bobsled/Eddie Eagle days, though even then, it was far afield of its amateur days. (Which, if I’m not mistaken, was a kind of gambit to prevent the sort of wars that had ravaged Europe for centuries. Obviously that didn’t work out, but I can’t help but admire the creative motivation.)
One of our local theaters just showed the 40th anniversary of Chariots of Fire and I thought to myself, “Well, that was a nice idea. People running around a tiny stadium with folks waving flags and what-not.” But I’m not sure that anything can simultaneously be of massive global interest and also not perverted, given the amount of money that attends such interest.
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While I enjoy watching things like gymnastics, and the swimming/diving stuff, I’m far more interested in the shooting sports, sculling, equestrian, archery … you know the things that don’t make the four-hour highlight reel that is the prime time coverage these days (all interspersed with one sob story after another, of course) No way to watch online either since it’s all behind a Peacock paywall.
And yeah, it’s kind of drifted from the idea of “amateur sport” I miss the Eddie the Eagles and the bobsled team that got to the Games on because they dared to attempt the impossible.
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I found it odd that the majority of the archers wore Gilligan hats during competition. Maybe that’s a thing??
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In related news, there’s this game I played called the Doodle Champion Island Games. It was something!
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I feel like it’s a little premature to start a 2024 Olympics thread so I popped in here to say:
How did I JUST FIND OUT that breakdancing will be an Olympic sport in 2024???!?!?!?!?!?
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I know, right? I’m still reeling that they added surfing (and it was so much fun!) and I love that they’re adding breakdancing and skateboarding.
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