# Will you pay any attention to the paralympics? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [August 5, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274 "2024-08-05T17:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/1 "2024-08-05T17:29:50Z")
In the Olympics thread, a poster commented: > [@](#): > > I must be one of the few that wishes the Paralympics wasn’t so closely following the Olympics. I love it and I do get that the facilities are all there and ready, but I get so sports-fatigued watching the Olympics, I could use a year break before the Paralympics. How do the rest of you feel? I’m not a big fan of watching much sport at all, but I have never had any interest in watching the paralympics. Just curious how broad the interest is. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/2 "2024-08-05T17:37:27Z")
In all honesty, none. I’m behind it 100%, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/3 "2024-08-05T17:54:35Z")
Right. I wasn’t intending to diss the endeavor at all. Amazing achievements. I just have never had any inclination to attend or view it. But - as I said, I don’t watch football or baseball, or much of the Olympics either. I wondered what the interest is among people who are not “para” themselves or close to someone who is. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/4 "2024-08-05T17:55:14Z")
I think the paralympics is a great idea for those involved and I know there are many interested spectators. But over the years I’ve become less and less interested in the Olympics themselves, to the point that I have pretty much zero interest in the Games, for various reasons. So sure, I support the paralympics as a good cause, but that sort of thing doesn’t interest me as a spectator. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/5 "2024-08-05T18:05:21Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I support the paralympics as a good cause, but that sort of thing doesn’t interest me as a spectator. Likewise. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/6 "2024-08-05T18:06:33Z")
I don’t pay any attention to them at all. Unless there is some highlight that makes the evening news, I don’t have much exposure to them. Are they even broadcast nationally, prime time or not? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/7 "2024-08-05T18:08:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > But over the years I’ve become less and less interested in the Olympics themselves, to the point that I have pretty much zero interest in the Games, for various reasons. Same here. The last Olympics I recall watching was the 1972 games. I’ll ignore the paralympics as well. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/8 "2024-08-05T18:09:20Z")
I have never followed it at all. But from seeing one photo of athletes in whelechairs colliding with each other during basketball, I can’t help but think those collisions are going to make their injury or whatever even worse. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/9 "2024-08-05T18:14:01Z")
Any opportunity to watch sports you don’t usually get to see is one I take. I have said it before and will again; I do not understand why the Paralympics is a different event. It’s just more Olympics. The swimming events at the Olympics are over, so why is the pool empty? Get the Paralympic events started, I say. They’re all Olympic events, and they’re all happening in Paris, so why take a break? Does this mean the Olympics would be four or five weeks long? Well, sure, but they basically are anyway because the Paralympics will now consume another two weeks of bad traffic in August/September. So just smoosh them all together. It’s all sport. Make it happen. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/10 "2024-08-05T18:14:13Z")
The only part of the current Olympics I’ve seen was about 5 minutes of basketball (Spain vs Canada) and that’s because it was on at the brewery. Then someone asked if they’d switch to the Pirates game. I watch little to no television anymore. I stream movies on my tablet instead. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/11 "2024-08-05T18:32:30Z")
Agree with this. All the broadcasting infrastructure and marketing is already in place as well - just keep the schedule for these venues full and show the para-games mixed-in with everything else. I would be exposed to more of the para events and those athletes would be more visible. After the closing ceremony, the Olympics can thus really be closed. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/12 "2024-08-05T18:33:58Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > But over the years I’ve become less and less interested in the Olympics themselves, to the point that I have pretty much zero interest in the Games, for various reasons. > > Same here. The last Olympics I recall watching was the 1972 games. I’ll ignore the paralympics as well. I don’t watch any sports Olympics or otherwise so I will not be watching. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/13 "2024-08-05T19:18:15Z")
The What? ---
**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:** [August 5, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/14 "2024-08-05T19:22:07Z")
I’ll be following it very actively and weekly watching The Last Leg with Alan Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker. They usually visit it or send someone like Johnny Vegas to go and see it. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > The What? In case you aren’t kidding, the Paralympics are the sporting event following the Olympics for physically disabled people. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/15 "2024-08-05T19:25:45Z")
The last time I watched was when Oscar Pistorius ran. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/16 "2024-08-05T19:26:42Z")
Yeah I was just gonna say…I watch _The Last Leg_ every week, which started in 2012 with the Paralympics in England. They’re the go-to for disabled sports talk. So I’ll at least follow along there. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/17 "2024-08-05T19:34:09Z")
No need to answer, but if you see fit to, are you disabled or close to a disabled person? Or is your interest spurred by a love of competition and human achievement? ---
**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:** [August 5, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/18 "2024-08-05T19:38:54Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > No need to answer, but if you see fit to, are you disabled or close to a disabled person? Or is your interest spurred by a love of competition and human achievement?. I just like it. More Olympics, basically. Not close to any disabled person. I credit The Last Leg for boosting my interest. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/19 "2024-08-05T19:44:19Z")
Cool. Was wondering if you were hopping outta your wheelchair to do your pushups! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274/20 "2024-08-05T19:44:21Z")
Me too. It’s sort of inspiring. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-pay-any-attention-to-the-paralympics/1005274.md?page=2)