2024 Olympics

[Who]

Not basketball, but we have Spygate 2.0

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40642277/olympics-2024-canada-women-soccer-coach-removed-drone-scandal

Yeah, they had that in English soccer. I think it was Frank Lampard at Derby using drones to spy on Biesla at Leeds. This was a few years ago. Shamed by the media & fans afterwards and there hasn't been much of that since.

Crazy to do so in the Oympics. It feels like the Olympics should have a higher bar of morality / good sporting nature. Less crass money crazed do anything step on your opponent competitiveness.

[Who]

As to be expected, there are several current and former NBA players spread across the 12 teams.

A record 81 current and former players appear on the rosters. 51 players of the 144 total rostered players are currently in the NBA. An additional 30 players have NBA experience.

Team USA leads the way with all 12 players currently in the NBA. South Sudan is the only team without a current NBA player, but has two players who have NBA experience.

[Amonkey]

Not basketball, but we have Spygate 2.0

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40642277/olympics-2024-canada-women-soccer-coach-removed-drone-scandal

I say we keep this thread more general Olympics stuff and the basketball stuff in the Team USA Basketball one.

First game of the Olympics was a bit of a doozy. Argentina vs. Morocco with French booing Argentina the entire game. They were losing until they tied at the very end, but fans starts throwing bottles and some invade the field, so they sent everybody to the locker room and the fans home. Two hours later they decide to finish the last 3 minutes of the game because VAR determined that the last minute Argentina goal was offside. Crazy!

Today apparently somebody has been sabotaging France's speed trains, causing massive delays. Not necessarily in Paris but effects people all over the country.

Tomorrow I am actually leaving to France, although not for the Olympics. Wife is French and kids have been there for a few weeks so just meeting up with them in the South. Should be fun.

[Donoghus]

Anybody else intrigued by the additional of breaking (aka break dancing)?

[SparzWizard]

Is Russia still banned from the Olympics?

[tazzmaniac]

Is Russia still banned from the Olympics?

Russia is banned but their athletes can still compete but no Russian anthem or flag.

[Amonkey]

Russia is banned, but Israel isn't. The epitome of hypocrisy.

I hope the banning is still more related to doping than politics. I don't think politics should be involved at all in the games.

[Amonkey]

What did we think of the Opening Ceremony? The weather didn't help and the boat ride being far away turned into some awkward angles.

I really didn't like the videos during the show too. The music was good and although, due to the venue, the performance wasn't as artistic, it was modern and at least it was innovative. The Eiffel Tower scene was really cool and so was the smoke with French flags.

My French family said they thought the diversity pieces wasn't realistic since they are not as accepting in society as they made it seem.

Overall I will give credit for trying something new but they should stick to an actual venue. It didn't really work and there wasn't as much emphasis on the athletes or French culture.

[Donoghus]

What did we think of the Opening Ceremony? The weather didn't help and the boat ride being far away turned into some awkward angles.

I really didn't like the videos during the show too. The music was good and although, due to the venue, the performance wasn't as artistic, it was modern and at least it was innovative. The Eiffel Tower scene was really cool and so was the smoke with French flags.

My French family said they thought the diversity pieces wasn't realistic since they are not as accepting in society as they made it seem.

Overall I will give credit for trying something new but they should stick to an actual venue. It didn't really work and there wasn't as much emphasis on the athletes or French culture.

The visuals were incredible.  Just seeing the aerials of the city and the Eiffel Tower being the centerpiece was awesome.  Having the parade of nations on the Seine was cool because it was a change of pace from the usual in stadium stuff.  My gf & I were in Paris last year so it was neat to recognize so many things and know where to everyone was.

Felt really bad about the weather, though. Poor Team USA. Not many things worse than soaked jeans.

[Moranis]

Russia is banned, but Israel isn't. The epitome of hypocrisy.

eh, one country invaded another unprovoked while one defended itself against a terrorist organization that killed children and took hundreds hostage. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The opening ceremony was a huge insult to Christians. Staging a reenactment of the Last Supper with drag queens was openly spitting on Jesus and on those of us who follow Him. Whoever's responsible deserves every bit of criticism they're now getting, and probably more. There are a lot of things about "the world" that disappoint me, but I understand that "the world" just doesn't get it, so I'm usually resigned to people doing things "their way," but this has me straight-up angry because it's so openly and blatantly disrespectful. I usually watch only a little of the Olympics, but now I'll be watching exactly none of it.

[Roy H.]

The opening ceremony was a huge insult to Christians. Staging a reenactment of the Last Supper with drag queens was openly spitting on Jesus and on those of us who follow Him. Whoever's responsible deserves every bit of criticism they're now getting, and probably more. There are a lot of things about "the world" that disappoint me, but I understand that "the world" just doesn't get it, so I'm usually resigned to people doing things "their way," but this has me straight-up angry because it's so openly and blatantly disrespectful. I usually watch only a little of the Olympics, but now I'll be watching exactly none of it.

Why do something like that?  How is it in line with the spirit of togetherness fostered by the Olympics?  It seems like offense / blasphemy for the sake of controversy, but also offense that carries very little risk of backlash (as Christians are very unlikely to behead others for the blasphemous depiction of their Prophet). 

[Moranis]

I'm pretty sure Jesus would have loved the drag queens.  After all, he loved everyone. 

[Who]

Jesus loved everyone but he also told them they were wrong and needed to stop sinning. I feel like they are purposefully leaving out the 2nd part in order to try and make people more accepting of certain things in society.

Was it that ad, was it the superbowl? The Jesus loves you ad.

Jesus loves homosexuals but leaving out the part where Jesus would tell them are wrong, need to repent, need to stop doing this activities and live a righteous life.

It wasn't acceptance of the sins. Love the sinner, hate the sin. They want to keep the first part but get rid of the second part. And re-market Jesus & Christianity in this light in order to make people more accepting of social liberalism.

[tazzmaniac]

The opening ceremony was a huge insult to Christians. Staging a reenactment of the Last Supper with drag queens was openly spitting on Jesus and on those of us who follow Him. Whoever's responsible deserves every bit of criticism they're now getting, and probably more. There are a lot of things about "the world" that disappoint me, but I understand that "the world" just doesn't get it, so I'm usually resigned to people doing things "their way," but this has me straight-up angry because it's so openly and blatantly disrespectful. I usually watch only a little of the Olympics, but now I'll be watching exactly none of it.

Why do something like that?  How is it in line with the spirit of togetherness fostered by the Olympics?  It seems like offense / blasphemy for the sake of controversy, but also offense that carries very little risk of backlash (as Christians are very unlikely to behead others for the blasphemous depiction of their Prophet).

Was it also not offensive to Jews?  They wouldn't have even consider doing something like that with Islam.