# I don't care about the Olympics **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856 "2012-08-08T14:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/21 "2012-08-08T15:52:21Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > Don’t forget the Winter Olympics. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/22 "2012-08-08T15:54:19Z")
I’ll be browsing the guide and it says “xxx summer olympics” and a part of my brain says “PORN OLYMPICS?!??!” I soooo almost watched some yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/23 "2012-08-08T15:55:45Z")
I fully understand where you are all coming from - I don’t watch any sports (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc.), but the one aspect of the Olympics that I do like is that many of these athletes are doing individual sports/events. There really is something more special to see an individual do something they have been practicing, alone, for years and years - and now you get to see that one person try to repeat the best performance they have ever done. So while I fully understand the lack of interest in televised sports, I do find watching a single gymnast, or swimmer or runner more interesting, simply because it is one individual competing against themself and a world records/medal. I also appreciate the fact that regardless of which country, you can just as easily be impressed/root for someone from a country you have barely heard of when they excel and do something amazing on this world stage. Kinda cool to see all of their effort pay off, no matter how fleeting this honor/moment is. So, I hear ya - but think you might like to look at least at one or two events - hot bodies and great talent - consider it soft-core porn with clothes on. Bet you would all watch it if it were like the original Olympics back in the day - when everyone was nude! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/24 "2012-08-08T15:56:46Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I haven’t watched a single second of it so far. I did stay up for the Mars Curiosity landing however. That was way cool and a much better display of teamwork and human talent than than any Olympic event will ever be. I too watched that live on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/25 "2012-08-08T15:57:35Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > So, I hear ya - but think you might like to look at least at one or two events - hot bodies and great talent - consider it soft-core porn with clothes on. Bet you would all watch it if it were like the original Olympics back in the day - when everyone was nude! And it was only men? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/26 "2012-08-08T16:43:18Z")
The main thing about the Olympics that has stuck with me this year is the story about how 150,000 condoms were distributed to the athletes. It makes me see the games in a different light when I think of them as one enormous humpfest. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/27 "2012-08-08T16:52:35Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Am I unique in having zero interest in the Olympics? I’m glad those athletes are having fun and doing what they enjoy, but I just am not interested in any aspect of the games. Luckily, it’s more or less restricted to one channel and only comes around once every 4 years. > And I don’t want to see Michael Phelps selling sandwiches every time I turn on the tube. > Just mho. No you’re not and it’s once every 2 yrs thanks to this “alternating winter/summer schedule” BS and that’s when and why I lost interest. Part of what made the Olympics such a big deal was it was every 4 yrs and then bam, a big smorgasbord of it all year. Now being every other year it’s knid of a yawn to me. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/28 "2012-08-08T16:53:00Z")
Count me as uninterested, too. Even though my hubby and myself are both really interested in looking at athletic guys, it’s not enough to make us watch a sports broadcast. We just ignore the whole mess. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/29 "2012-08-08T16:59:44Z")
Yeah, I just don’t seem to have any interest. More exciting things going on elsewhere in my life. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/30 "2012-08-08T17:01:31Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > The main thing about the Olympics that has stuck with me this year is the story about how 150,000 condoms were distributed to the athletes. It makes me see the games in a different light when I think of them as one enormous humpfest. [Cracked recently addressed this and other rather unseemly aspects of the Olympics.](http://www.cracked.com/article_19733_5-things-they-dont-want-you-to-know-about-olympics.html) ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/31 "2012-08-08T17:03:52Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > Count me as uninterested, too. Even though my hubby and myself are both really interested in looking at athletic guys :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/32 "2012-08-08T17:17:26Z")
I like how every event is available online, so I could watch women’s team handball preliminaries if I wanted. I don’t want to watch women’s team handball preliminaries, but I like that I could. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/33 "2012-08-08T17:28:16Z")
The diving and gymnastic events are usually pretty fun to watch. And luge and bobsledding in the winter. But I don’t think about them often, and I don’t go out of my way to watch them. Like, if I’m sick and my roommate’s not home and there’s nothing good on comedy central, I would prefer to watch men’s gymnastics or diving rather than infomercials. But since I don’t have a tv in my bedroom, I haven’t seen any Olympic coverage this year. I might catch highlights on youtube at some point. Or not. Meh, I’m good either way. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/34 "2012-08-08T18:16:35Z")
It’s perfectly fine to not care about the Olympics. We all have our interests. I happen to love the Olympics, but have no interest at all in the Superbowl. I think that makes me even more rare among Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Dr.Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Love)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/35 "2012-08-08T18:29:34Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > No you’re not and it’s once every 2 yrs thanks to this “alternating winter/summer schedule” BS and that’s when and why I lost interest. Part of what made the Olympics such a big deal was it was every 4 yrs and then bam, a big smorgasbord of it all year. Now being every other year it’s knid of a yawn to me. I see people say this online once in a while and I always wonder, how old are you? The first winter Olympics was in [1924](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games). So to actually have lost interest when the alternating 2 year cycle started you’d have to be at least 100 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/36 "2012-08-08T18:32:22Z")
> [@Dr.Love](#): > > I see people say this online once in a while and I always wonder, how old are you? The first winter Olympics was in [1924](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games). So to actually have lost interest when the alternating 2 year cycle started you’d have to be at least 100 years old. You’re right, but it really seemed like we hardly heard about the winter olympics until the last several. Before that it was almost a non-event. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/37 "2012-08-08T18:36:22Z")
I don’t watch any of it. I stopped caring when the pro basketball players came on board. “Oh my, our college basketball players came in second place, the world is coming to an end.” So we got to see the pro’s pound on all the other teams. Big whoop! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/38 "2012-08-08T18:41:19Z")
Wait, _football_ is an olympic event? How? Why? I thought basketball was bad enough! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/39 "2012-08-08T18:42:30Z")
> [@Dr.Love](#): > > I see people say this online once in a while and I always wonder, how old are you? The first winter Olympics was in [1924](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games). So to actually have lost interest when the alternating 2 year cycle started you’d have to be at least 100 years old. The Winter and Summer Olympics didn’t start alternating in cycles out of phase by 2 years until 1992: > [@](#): > > The Winter and Summer Olympic Games were held in the same years until 1992, after a 1986 decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to place the Summer and Winter Games on separate four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years. Because of the change, the next Winter Olympics after 1992 were in 1994. > **[Winter Olympic Games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games)** > > The Winter Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver),\[a\] also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BCE to 394 CE. The Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France founded the International Olympic... ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856/40 "2012-08-08T18:47:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The Winter and Summer Olympics didn’t start alternating in cycles out of phase by 2 years until 1992: > > [Winter Olympic Games - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games) That’s interesting and makes more sense as to why it bothers people. Personally, I’m just glad New York isn’t hosting one. I really don’t want us to pay all that money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-care-about-the-olympics/630856.md?page=3)