# 2024 Summer Olympics Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [July 10, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019 "2024-07-10T20:21:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/141 "2024-07-27T13:38:26Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I think the logistics of the event may have dictated some of the weirdness. Those boats coming down the river were pretty slow, plus all the time to get the athletes off at the end. If they’d done the standard thing of doing all the performing, then the parade of nations, then the flag and the torch, it would have taken forever. Mixing the performances and the parade was neessary for the pacing. And the scheme led to making _the city itself_ into a protagonist, allowing IMO also a wise use of resources: why build a state-of-the-art boondoggle stadium to have athletes march in circles and stage a succession of floats and scale sets simulating the Louvre, the Opera, Notre Dame, etc. when, look, it’s right down the street, let’s just _go there_. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/142 "2024-07-27T13:46:04Z")
I ended up watching part of the opening ceremonies twice. I had it on in the background when I was at work. I watched it again with a friend that night. There were changes between the two. The live version they had an hour of no commercials, the evening on there were. I don’t know for sure how many but they skipped a few countries in the evening broadcast. My friend is Latvian and she was waiting to see the team. When they were about to come up they went to commercial, when they came back they were on to Lithuania. I know they showed Latvia earlier because they were talking about the Latvian team being good at the 3x3 in basketball. I wish they would show every country and say at least something about what they are there for, especially the smaller countries. Instead we have to keep going back and forth to the US team. Peacock screwed up the start of swimming this morning. I started watching and it said it would start soon and didn’t start for 5-6 minutes so we missed the first two heats. They would also go to commercials and not come back until after part of the swim was over or missing a heat. They could have gone to commercials between heats instead of watching swimmers pick up their IDs. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/143 "2024-07-27T14:40:46Z")
I was half-watching the opening ceremonies. I think my only comment to my wife was “She’s not French” when Lady Gaga came on. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/144 "2024-07-27T14:49:26Z")
Neither was Celine Dion or some torchbearers. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/145 "2024-07-27T15:37:31Z")
I watched both the Lady Gaga and Celine performances. I thought they were both amazing. So much talent. There must have been so many rehearsals to get all that dancing so perfect. Well Done. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/146 "2024-07-27T16:09:32Z")
To be honest, I was not a fan of the American team chanting “USA! USA!” while on that boat during the opening ceremonies. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/147 "2024-07-27T16:11:32Z")
Did anyone else keep thinking about Assassin’s Creed when the torchbearer was running around? I kept expecting him to pop up behind Macron and stab him with his wrist blade. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/148 "2024-07-27T16:15:09Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Did anyone else keep thinking about Assassin’s Creed when the torchbearer was running around? I just wondered who decided to have them carrying a huge smoking joint. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > To be honest, I was not a fan of the American team chanting “USA! USA!” while on that boat during the opening ceremonies. Yeah - not a big fan when the fans cheer it. Even classier when the team itself does. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/149 "2024-07-27T16:25:28Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > Celine sang “Hymne à l’amour” (Hymn to love) - originally recorded by Edith Piaf (1915-1963 well-known French singer) in 1950 Wouldn’t it have been nice if NBC had mentioned that fact? NBC coverage was abysmal. If Kelly Clarkson said “oh my God so cool” one more time I was gonna throw something through the TV. I miss Bob Costas and his maps and factoids about each country… What we got was “here comes Ecuador.” Why does Hong Kong have its own team? When did Eswatini become a country? What was the name of the piece by Ravel that the piano player was playing? None of your business, apparently. For the ceremony itself: audacious. Largely successful (The cancan dancers needed more rehearsal). Opening ceremonies are always weird…nothing new here. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/150 "2024-07-27T17:07:43Z")
Walking on pointe shoes isn’t that hard. Training is the trick. It’s the turning that hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/151 "2024-07-27T17:37:16Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > NBC coverage was abysmal. If Kelly Clarkson said “oh my God so cool” one more time I was gonna throw something through the TV. I watch with the sound off and my own music playing. That way I don’t have to wear out the Mute button on commercials. US Women’s Water Polo this morning. They Crushed! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/152 "2024-07-27T17:38:37Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Which four U.S. states are _not_ represented in the Olympics? Is this trivia? I’ll guess: Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/153 "2024-07-27T17:45:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is this trivia? No, I was asking. 3-0 US vs NZ soccer/football right now. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/154 "2024-07-27T17:49:33Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > No, I was asking. Maine, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming [2024 Paris Olympics: States with most Team USA athletes competing | 9news.com](https://www.9news.com/article/sports/olympics/2024-paris-olympics-states-team-usa-states-most-olympians/507-ad798a6f-1734-4c1e-bf9b-d559e2012db8) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/155 "2024-07-27T18:02:05Z")
Oof — the defending gold medalist Canadian women’s soccer team has been deducted six points and their coach suspended for a year over the revelation that they were using drones to spy on opponents, including their opening match opponent New Zealand. > **[Canada docked 6 points over drone spying scandal](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40655658/olympics-2024-fifa-dock-canada-six-points-spy-scandal)** > > Canada were deducted six points from the Olympic women's football tournament for a year following the drone spying scandal at the Olympics, FIFA said. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/156 "2024-07-27T18:26:26Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Wouldn’t it have been nice if NBC had mentioned that fact? They’d have probablyl said it while Dion was singing. For once they kept quiet. I’m curious about the camera work during her performance. She was singing from a balcony on the Eiffel Tower, but there were good close-ups of her. Was the camera across the river with a great zoom lens? > [@jsc1953](#): > > …The cancan dancers needed more rehearsal… I can’t believe they’d have let something like that slip through. Either traditional can-can is supposed to be somewhat random, or maybe the ledge they were dancing on was slippery in the rain, something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/157 "2024-07-27T18:34:17Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’m curious about the camera work during her performance. She was singing from a balcony on the Eiffel Tower, but there were good close-ups of her. Was the camera across the river with a great zoom lens? Likely a drone. There was a crapton of drone work throughout the ceremonies. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/158 "2024-07-27T18:47:40Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Likely a drone. There was a crapton of drone work throughout the ceremonies 4k camera drones have been a game changer for broadcast TV. For the cost of a helicopter, a pilot, and a camera crew for one day you can have an armada of drones. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/159 "2024-07-27T18:48:25Z")
To wrap up my thoughts (like, you’re all waiting breathlessly 😉 ) on the aesthetics of the Opening Ceremonies, so we can get on to competition: Usually, the ceremonies take place in a gigantic stadium, and feature state-of-the-art video and lighting gee-whiz stuff, and thousands of dancers and performers on the stadium floor, presenting the history and culture of the host country. Then the athletes march in, and we have the ceremony (raise the flag, declare the games open, light the torch) all in that same location. They went another direction, to say the least. Plus: it brings the beauty of the entire city into the ceremonies. Minus: It felt fragmented and disjointed. Are what we’re seeing actually part of the ceremony, or is a video drop-in like Beyonce, or the Minions commercial? The stadium felt like a high school football field, and the ceremonies there seemed anti-climactic. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019/160 "2024-07-27T18:54:57Z")
I just saw that rugby 7s have their gold medal match today. They’ve been playing games a day since the middle of the week. That seems wild to me. 2 soccer matches in that time is congested. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-summer-olympics-thread/1004019.md?page=9)