2016 Summer Olympics

[Butter]

hxxp://gawker.com/all-the-reasons-the-rio-olympics-are-fucked-1782463214

So, why didn't they move this to America again? How long do we really need to throw some cones/buoys up for rowing or come up with a route for a marathon?

Seems like it's been clear for a while that many construction projects won't be completed, many venues are unsafe (mostly the water ones), and even just walking around is taking your life in your hands with the security situation.

How big a disaster is this going to be? Or is everyone freaking out for no reason at all and everything will be fine?

Other threads about the Olympics so far:

Rio Olympics - Russia's Track and Field Banned - Front Office Football Central
U.S. Olympic Trials - Swimming - Front Office Football Central

[Logan]

While I'm sure I can get by on bottled water or whatever, there's no way I'd go there due to security issues. Not even sure if it's Brazil specific but just what is going on in the world. All the facility stuff seems to work out everywhere at the last minute.

I think the Zika concerns are overblown as long as we're not talking about pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant in the near term (including men and their intentions with their significant others). I remember saying back when Zika was first getting publicity that I bet a lot of women in TV and news media were informing their bosses about their upcoming pregnancy many months before they initially planned on having those conversations.

[nol]

Petition: Move the Olympics to the United States Midwest

There's still time!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

So, why didn't they move this to America again?

I generally think these type of comments are disruptive. They just make other countries believe that people are complaining because they want the Olympics moved to their home country rather than articulating real concerns.

Besides, no American city really wants the Olympics anymore IIRC. I think this was the one where Chicago lost to Rio in voting, but something like 45% of Chicago residents didn't want the Olympics.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by nol

Petition: Move the Olympics to the United States Midwest

There's still time!

If Joe Flacco believes in it, then so do I!

[Butter]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I generally think these type of comments are disruptive. They just make other countries believe that people are complaining because they want the Olympics moved to their home country rather than articulating real concerns.

Besides, no American city really wants the Olympics anymore IIRC. I think this was the one where Chicago lost to Rio in voting, but something like 45% of Chicago residents didn't want the Olympics.

No American city wants the Olympics with all of the demands the IOC makes. That doesn't seem to stop all manner of crazy bidding elsewhere though, whether or not promises can be met. I do remember in the World Cup in Rio, that one stadium started the tournament unfinished.

Between this, the Russia World Cup, the Qatar World Cup, you have to wonder if both of these sporting events are going to reach their day of reckoning soon.

No matter where they have the Olympics, there should not be venues that are literally life threatening for participants to compete in, as the sailing and rowing venues are. I really don't care where they are.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Besides, no American city really wants the Olympics anymore IIRC. I think this was the one where Chicago lost to Rio in voting, but something like 45% of Chicago residents didn't want the Olympics.

This. I thought we had moved past bidding for the Olympics games.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Logan

While I'm sure I can get by on bottled water or whatever, there's no way I'd go there due to security issues. Not even sure if it's Brazil specific but just what is going on in the world. All the facility stuff seems to work out everywhere at the last minute.

I think the Zika concerns are overblown as long as we're not talking about pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant in the near term (including men and their intentions with their significant others). I remember saying back when Zika was first getting publicity that I bet a lot of women in TV and news media were informing their bosses about their upcoming pregnancy many months before they initially planned on having those conversations.

The thing about Zika is the unknowns. If the issue really is limited to pregnancy then it shouldn't be a big deal, but the CDC now has enough circumstantial evidence to start investigating a link between Zika and Guillain-Barré Syndrome...

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/gbs-qa.html

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

This. I thought we had moved past bidding for the Olympics games.

We did. 40 years ago. Now things are coming full circle again.

I still think there is something special about the Olympics, but greed will ruin things.

[MrBug708]

I think Los Angeles would take it again if they could. Had they gotten the bid instead of Chicago, people thought we'd get to host for the third time

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I think Los Angeles would take it again if they could. Had they gotten the bid instead of Chicago, people thought we'd get to host for the third time

LA bidding now for 2024 Games

[digamma]

I think everything will ultimately be worked out. We heard this in 04 with Athens infrastructure and in 08 with Bird Flu in Beijing and in 14 with labor camps in Sochi. Maybe you never feel great about the Olympics, but they always seem to look pretty.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by digamma

I think everything will ultimately be worked out. We heard this in 04 with Athens infrastructure and in 08 with Bird Flu in Beijing and in 14 with labor camps in Sochi. Maybe you never feel great about the Olympics, but they always seem to look pretty.

I fall into this line of thinking.

Though, of course, the only way to change the IOC's really stupid Olympic policies is for one to spectacularly fail so that they forced to make substantial changes.

[Breeze]

A few other articles that show Rio isn't off to a great start:

Australian Sailor Mugged a Gunpoint

3 Spanish Sailors also robbed at gunpoint

Rio police tell tourist they won't be able to protect them

Body parts wash up on Olympic beach

[NobodyHere]

You've been warned.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I generally think these type of comments are disruptive. They just make other countries believe that people are complaining because they want the Olympics moved to their home country rather than articulating real concerns.

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

No American city wants the Olympics with all of the demands the IOC makes.

This. If you were bidding to host the games and didn't have to include all the crazy and expensive IOC demands, it would be much more reasonable.

Also, I think the reason why the U.S. comes up as an alternate "emergency" venue for this (and the WC) is that it's one of the few countries (maybe the only) with the infrastructure to handle this kind of event on short notice. There's probably conservatively 10 major metros alone with the requisite venues & hotel space to make it happen.

[Breeze]

At least OFF has been named the official bug spray (to fight off Zika) of the Olympic Games

OFF - the official bug spray of the Olympic Games!

[RainMaker]

I don't know if it will be a disaster or not but the media does tend to do this before every single Olympics games.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Breeze

The thing about Zika is the unknowns. If the issue really is limited to pregnancy then it shouldn't be a big deal, but the CDC now has enough circumstantial evidence to start investigating a link between Zika and Guillain-Barré Syndrome...

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/gbs-qa.html

It's Winter for Brazil and Rio is East where the Zika problem is not as big. Cambridge did a study that estimated the odds of being infected are something like 1.7 out of a million.

The facilities are air conditioned from what I've read and will be heavily laced in pesticides.

[SirFozzie]

Russia state-sponsored doping across majority of Olympic sports, claims report - BBC Sport

Hoo boy.

edit: WADA is calling for Russia to be banned from the 2016 olympics. Not just track and field, which already had been banned... a complete country ban.

[Julio Riddols]

I think these Olympics are a dangerous, dangerous undertaking.

[Breeze]

This can't be good:

http://www.si.com/olympics/2016/07/2...group-suspects

[Atocep]

Blocked toilets and exposed wiring: Olympic Village dismays Australia team | Sport | The Guardian

Looking more and more like a potential disaster.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Breeze

This can't be good:

http://www.si.com/olympics/2016/07/2...group-suspects

Someone tell ISIS Brazil is doing just fine fucking up the Olympics on their own.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Russia state-sponsored doping across majority of Olympic sports, claims report - BBC Sport

Hoo boy.

edit: WADA is calling for Russia to be banned from the 2016 olympics. Not just track and field, which already had been banned... a complete country ban.

Russia not banned-though some athletes who have tested positive before are-they are leaving it up to the individual sports federations to decide who to ban, which seems a recipe for disaster. And the Russian whistleblower is also banned, because she tested positive before, and possibly because she was a whistleblower.

International Olympic Committee decides against full Olympic Games ban for Russia

[whomario]

Why is due process a recipe for disaster ? The IOC sent out a set of rules to apply for the different organisations, those organisations likely have better insight into the respective sport/athletes than the IOC on top of this.

Seriously, how would you justify punishing athletes that have undergone strict testing for years while continously being on the "circuit" outside russia (say f.e. Tennis players) ? Slippery slope and i´m happy the IOC chose otherwise.

Also: Might have been the savy move to encourage whistleblowers, but theres no way to claim "sho got banned because she´s a whistleblower". She merely doesn´t get special treatment ...

[larrymcg421]

Kendra Harrison set a world record in the 110m hurdles last week (breaking a record that has stood since the 80s) and she's not going to Rio because of a 5th place finish at the Olympic trials.

I'm starting to wonder if the US should change its qualification system for Track & Feld. Right now it's top three at the trials no matter what. If Jamaica had that same criteria, Usain Bolt would not be competing this year. I'm thinking maybe they should give 2 spots to the top 2 at the Olympic trials and save the 3rd spot for the athlete who has performed the best over the last year.

[whomario]

Very radical system of course, though i doubt that any alternative would be able to take a record so close to the Olympics into account. And it´s definitely the most transparent system you can think of, so i think it has that going for it. (plus it´s oh so very american ). Not fair per se, but transparent.

I think most other countries basically nominate on current results (Germany for Track&Field used January 2015 till July 11 2016) and then use the national trials/championships as a sort of tie-breaker (champion gets a spot as long as he has the nescessary results to be eligible) or to fill out open spots, f.e. for Relay competitions. In Germany you generally need to achieve a certain amount of certain results (placement or time/distance) to be eligible since January 2015 and then a committee decides if there´s more athletes eligible than there are available spots. Not exactly a foolproof system either of course ... One consequence of this is btw that germany doesn´t always use all available spots in all competitions at the Olympics if there´s not enough athletes eligible (there´s exceptions here though, f.e. if someone was injured but clearly has rising form while having great past results)

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by whomario

Very radical system of course, though i doubt that any alternative would be able to take a record so close to the Olympics into account. And it´s definitely the most transparent system you can think of, so i think it has that going for it. (plus it´s oh so very american ). Not fair per se, but transparent.

Oh I agree that they couldn't make a decision this late. But she would've been the choice even if they had to pick that 3rd spot right at the trials. She had the best time in the world this year prior to that world record.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Oh I agree that they couldn't make a decision this late. But she would've been the choice even if they had to pick that 3rd spot right at the trials. She had the best time in the world this year prior to that world record.

suspected that much, but was admittedly to lazy to look

As said, it´s just a typically american way of doing it this way when it comes to sports. Not really the most effective of course (i mean, it´s not rocket science that it´s not exactly a great idea to basically train for 2 peaks so shortly after one another. In other countries the top athletes can basically take care of business and then plan their training to reach their peak at the Olympics, not 6 weeks earlier)

[tarcone]

Why cant they just take the top 3 based on times from the year leading up to the olympics? Running is about as objective as you can find a sport when picking athletes.

I like the take top 2 qualifiers an leave the 3rd as a WC. That allows the USOC to make its money with the trials, but also allows wiggle room for a competitor who may have had one bad day.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Why cant they just take the top 3 based on times from the year leading up to the olympics? Running is about as objective as you can find a sport when picking athletes.

I like the take top 2 qualifiers an leave the 3rd as a WC. That allows the USOC to make its money with the trials, but also allows wiggle room for a competitor who may have had one bad day.

Wind speed, track speed, certainly for middle/long distance level of competition, etc, could lead to people peaking to hit a time to be selected rather than peaking for the Games...

I think first two past the post in the trials + one wild card is the best system. We have something similar to Germany's by the looks of it, and also don't always use our full complement on occasion because the UK minimum time is stricter than the IOC requirements.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Why cant they just take the top 3 based on times from the year leading up to the olympics? Running is about as objective as you can find a sport when picking athletes.

I like the take top 2 qualifiers an leave the 3rd as a WC. That allows the USOC to make its money with the trials, but also allows wiggle room for a competitor who may have had one bad day.

Actually there´s a lot of outside factors as well Weather especially (wind, warm/cold, rain or not), but the tracks are also slightly different with some allowing for faster times than others. All those should even out over a season to some degree of course but it definitely means you shouldn´t go by "the best time" but some sort of average system (not all results, but maybe best 3 ?). Just playing devils advocate here, really

I personally like the german procedure of setting a minimum-time/distance that has to be met and then the coaches, the Federation and the NIOC figuring out the rest based on overall results (and yes, reputation) while the NC winner is guaranteed a spot as long as he met the criteria at any point over the last 1 1/2 years. That way you reward athletes for being consistent, make sure stars (well, "stars") and don´t eliminate people for having a bad day (or being sick/injured) on that one all-deciding day.

[larrymcg421]

I think one benefit of the trials (other than getting $$$) is that they simulate Olympic conditions, with multiple heats. Track meets throughout the year often don't have that and someone who excels at those conditions might not be as prepared for the Olympics. That's why I think the 2/1 balance is a good idea.

[Breeze]

Kidnapped by fake police...

http://www.si.com/olympics/2016/07/2...icers-olympics

[AlexB]

These fears are all a little OTT. To try and calm people down, Rio have released pics from the Test swimming event.

[Groundhog]

The Australian basketball team was supposed to play Lithuania a few hours ago in a friendly in Rio. Game was called off due to a leaking roof..........

[Butter]

Bunch of women's soccer on today on NBCSN, starting at noon Eastern.

USA v. New Zealand at 6 PM Eastern.

[Thomkal]

now that they are starting, lets try to keep this thread limited to the results rather than the controversies. in other words, Go USA!

[Young Drachma]

Should be interesting to see how these go. I remember when these were must watch tv.

[cartman]

My old high school has their first alumni Olympic athlete. Katie Meili qualified to compete in the 100m breaststroke.

[JonInMiddleGA]

So, that Japanese gymnast that ran up the $5k bill due to roaming charges playing Pokemon Go ... I thought the game wasn't even launched there yet, since we got mulitiple stories about that in the past week or so.

Did they do a quick rollout in time to let them play? Or is there something fishy about the alleged phone bill?

[whomario]

From what i remember you could play in in Germany before the official release as well and while you can´t search for the little creepers, you can do stuff with the game in Brazil if you have it pre-installed (basically managing the pokemon you have collected elsewhere).

also, the phone company reportedly massively reduced the bill to sth like 30 bucks a day.

Olympic gymnast runs up $5,000 phone bill playing Pokemon Go in Brazil


also, Simbabwe has a womens soccer team ? That could get ugly against the germans, even though that team is less than impressive by usual standards. Lots of loyalty-picks in the roster, imo ... Other than Maroszan, not much first-grade talent.

[nilodor]

And Canada just had a huge win over Australia, playing a good chunk of the match with only 10 players.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by whomario

From what i remember you could play in in Germany before the official release as well and while you can´t search for the little creepers, you can do stuff with the game in Brazil if you have it pre-installed (basically managing the pokemon you have collected elsewhere).

But...

Uchimura said he downloaded the app when he touched down in Sao Paulo for pre-Olympic training camp and just like so many around the world, became instantly hooked — not knowing he didn’t have a flat rate for overseas data usage.

Japanese Gymnast Reportedly Racks Up $5,000 Bill Playing Pokémon Go At The Olympics

The folks in the DS comments seem to think he was streaming porn and concocted the Pokemon Go story to cover it up.

[MrBug708]

So the fans are yelling Zika at Hope Solo

Edit - It's apparently because of a picture she posted on IG

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

The folks in the DS comments seem to think he was streaming porn and concocted the Pokemon Go story to cover it up.

So at least I now know that I'm not the only person basically thinking that.

[whomario]

Anybody watching the water polo match between Germany and Mexico ?

[bbgunn]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

But...



Japanese Gymnast Reportedly Racks Up $5,000 Bill Playing Pokémon Go At The Olympics

The folks in the DS comments seem to think he was streaming porn and concocted the Pokemon Go story to cover it up.

Wouldn't be surprising, seeing as Uchimura got some girl knocked up a few years ago...

Oh, and Pokemon Go has officially been out here for at least a week.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by bbgunn

Wouldn't be surprising, seeing as Uchimura got some girl knocked up a few years ago...

That´s ... not necessarily a correlation