# Summer Olympics 2021 ongoing discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [July 23, 2021, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137 "2021-07-23T12:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 23, 2021, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/1 "2021-07-23T12:00:01Z")
Thought I’d just go ahead and start this thread now the opening ceremonies are happening. I’ve already been watching the soccer(football) and some other preliminary and practice events, but the opening ceremonies are happening right now, so it’s started officially. It’s cliche to say it, but I do not like the American commentators on the opening ceremony. In came the Indonesia team with their flag and the announcer said, “Badminton is their biggest sport in the Olympics. That’s what a I love about this event. Badminton might be that game you play in the backyard with your family, but it’s an Olympic event!” Very condescending. Anyway, that aside, I love the Olympics so much and shelled out the money to watch it via streaming this year. I’m home the entire two weeks and want to catch as much as I can. I hope they can have a good one even though it has been so hard to get it going. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/2 "2021-07-23T12:08:50Z")
One thing I didn’t know until yesterday is that the whole country of Japan was given a two day holiday for the Olympics. Tried to contact people there last night and sure enough everyone was out. That is so cool., except that I really needed to talk with some people. > **[Page Gone - Error 410 - qppstudio.net](https://www.qppstudio.net/page-gone-error-410.htm)** > > Page Gone - Error 410 - qppstudio.net ---
**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 23, 2021, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/3 "2021-07-23T12:09:27Z")
Kazakhstan is entering to the closing theme from Final Fantasy. I’m not kidding. ---
**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 23, 2021, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/4 "2021-07-23T12:09:56Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > One thing I didn’t know until yesterday is that the whole country of Japan was given a two day holiday for the Olympics. Friday and Monday? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/5 "2021-07-23T12:12:01Z")
I believe so, my Thursday night was Friday morning for them. Catching some women’s softball right now. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/6 "2021-07-23T12:36:10Z")
The uselessness of NBC is why I’m watching on the BBC. Anyway, it took me far too long to decide they were using the Japanese chart and not the Latin order after romanization. In my defense, the Latin order is basically what they did in 1964. And half the time I couldn’t see the kana for any given country. Anyway, all the music is from video games. Ireland came in to the “success” fanfare (well, one of the versions anyway) from Final Fantasy. ---
**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 23, 2021, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/7 "2021-07-23T12:37:28Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > The uselessness of NBC is why I’m watching on the BBC. Anyway, it took me far too long to decide they were using the Japanese chart and not the Latin order after romanization. In my defense, the Latin order is basically what they did in 1964. And half the time I couldn’t see the kana for any given country Is the United States near the end? I don’t think I missed it. Is Korea marching in together? I am guessing “no” due to Covid just as much as political at this point. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/8 "2021-07-23T12:46:58Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is the United States near the end? I don’t think I missed it. The US is late, which is kinda weird since America is generally converted straight to katakana and then if you’re adding “United States” it comes after in kana. The UK was very early, because the name in Japanese is Igirisu and thanks to the order the “I” put them early. Except I’m slightly wrong on the UK. I’m right that the name is usually Igirisu, but the Olympics used 英国 (Eikoku), which was done in kana. So they were really sorted by the E. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/9 "2021-07-23T12:59:14Z")
Anyway, the US will probably come in as 米国 (Beikoku) and the result is that they’ll come in on the h/b/p part of the chart which means it should be soon after I’m posting this at 9 AM Eastern if I’m right. Here is a fun list of names. [Japanese Country Names](https://www.learn-japanese-adventure.com/japanese-country-names.html) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/10 "2021-07-23T13:14:56Z")
Looks like I’m still wrong. I have no idea what name the US is coming in under. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/11 "2021-07-23T13:19:06Z")
So, i may not be able to watch this year. I mostly watch Netflix and broadcast TV, but NBC moved its signal and my table ears don’t pick it up. And it looks like you can’t get anything streamed without paying a chunk of cash. There’s a bunch of interviews and crap on peacock, but nothing i want to watch. I’m probably not paying, but if i do, is there any way for me, an American, to get Canadian coverage instead of US coverage? (Or any other English-language coverage, i guess, but Canada shares my time zones.) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/12 "2021-07-23T13:22:01Z")
Anyway, they must be using 亜米利加合衆国 for the US, but I don’t know what the sound is for that first kana. I wonder if it’s the Yu sound, which would put the US very late indeed. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/13 "2021-07-23T13:25:01Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’m probably not paying, but if i do, is there any way for me, an American, to get Canadian coverage instead of US coverage? (Or any other English-language coverage, i guess, but Canada shares my time zones.) The best answer is a VPN, which is how I get the BBC, but considering the board’s ban on discussing how to break the law, that’s about as far as I’ll explain. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/14 "2021-07-23T13:35:08Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Anyway, they must be using 亜米利加合衆国 for the US, but I don’t know what the sound is for that first kana. I wonder if it’s the Yu sound, which would put the US very late indeed. Nope, they used アメリカ合衆国, which is why I thought America might be very early. Oh well, they wound up basically right at the end before Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/15 "2021-07-23T14:03:23Z")
Countries holding the games in the immediate future come in near the end. That’s why the US and France were right before the host country. ---
**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 23, 2021, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/16 "2021-07-23T14:18:21Z")
Really? Is that a new thing? I don’t remember that from previous events. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/17 "2021-07-23T14:27:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > It’s cliche to say it, but I do not like the American commentators on the opening ceremony. In came the Indonesia team with their flag and the announcer said, “Badminton is their biggest sport in the Olympics. That’s what a I love about this event. Badminton might be that game you play in the backyard with your family, but it’s an Olympic event!” > > Very condescending. It’s always been an American-commentator thing to try to say something that sounds cutesy but just comes across as smarmy. I don’t know if it’s because they feel they _must_ say something at all times, but it gets irritating how they come across as know-it-alls or put-downers. ---
**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 23, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/18 "2021-07-23T14:32:14Z")
They try to have a cute fact about every country or the team or an athlete on that country’s team. I’m sure they had a team of researchers working on this for weeks. (Although in their defense, they have to say _something_. It’d be rather rude to say, “I’ve never even heard of that country” or, “They have no chance of a medal here.”) BTW, one country was represented by an official with their Olympic committee because their three athletes are marathoners and don’t get to Japan until almost the end of the Games. I thought everyone goes for the opening ceremonies and stays through to the end but apparently not. I think, in fact, if your event is over the first few days, you’re supposed to fly home. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/19 "2021-07-23T14:35:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Really? Is that a new thing? I don’t remember that from previous events. I don’t remember it from previous opening ceremonies either, but that’s what the announcers said on the online coverage. ---
**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 23, 2021, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137/20 "2021-07-23T15:40:22Z")
I didn’t even realize the US had an Olympics coming anytime soon. 2028? Wow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-olympics-2021-ongoing-discussion/947137.md?page=2)