2020, uh, 21, uh, who knows Tokyo Olympics thread

I watch water polo every four years. I have yet to understand what is and isn’t a foul. And what is a common foul and a sin bin foul.

 

The Americans are so exhausted and have played such grueling schedules of the NBA regular season and then an extended playoffs. That they have been so close in the games they have lost is a testament to the heart and courage of these absolute warriors. They are playing against teams that are well rested and have thought of nothing else than playing and beating the Americans. The rules are so unfair to our gallant patriots and the refs are obviously biased. Probably all descended from the refs of the 1972 Gold Medal game. KD, the American Sisyphus, is fated to exert ungoldly strength. A generation of boys and girls are destined to be named Kevin in his honor. God bless Team USA and God Bless the over worked NBA stars who are doing this for love and patriotism. Giving up their short vacations from their hellacious lives to represent their country.

 

RE: water polo. One of our local pools had a little room next to the tank. There was a window in it. You could see what was going on underwater. Nasty, vicious.

 

I covered high school polo for years and even then I don’t know the rules. You can’t dunk your opponent or hang on them without the ball. You can’t put the ball beneath the water. Some things are kick outs others aren’t. But you can murder the attacker in front of the cage. I don’t know.

 

Late to this, but the IOC/USOC is taking extraordinary measures to accommodate and segregate an accused rapist/fencer, but can't accommodate personal aide for Becca Myers, a former Paralympic champion blind swimmer (and friend of the family from college). Fuck them.

And the rotting, maggot-filled corpse of Avery Brundage should be dug up and strung up for his actions at Munich, that bastard.

 

NBC making a big deal out of pronouncing the "n" in badminton. But they don't use the preferred "bobsleigh" in the Winter Games. Just be consistent.

 

The men's basketball is is a weird spot where no one really supports them and everyone just waits to laugh at them if they don't blow out everyone they face. We don't do that with any other sport.

 

When I was on our high school swim team, we would play water polo as a "treat" for the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve practices. We swam 5,000 meters a day, six days a week, but 30 minutes of water polo kicked everyone's ass. Other than short bursts or personal grudge matches that resulted in a couple of near-drownings, it quickly devolved into a bunch of guys cherry picking in the shallow end or hanging out along the walls.

 

We’d probably do it to track and field if we didn’t go three years and 11 months between moments when we care about track.

 

The novelty of superstars wore off a long time ago. The coach is not a very likable person - the media has to constantly explain what a great guy this sanctimonious, contrarian grump actually is - and the best player on the team is a divisive figure even among huge NBA fans.

Further, because soccer, a generation of American sports fan have grown to love the world of sport to a much greater degree, and it's little wonder it's shown up in basketball.

 

Never stop being tiresome.

 

All of which would explain ambivalence toward this men's team... but it's like this every competition and has been for decades. Over time we've sort of forgotten how many people resented the Dream Team and acted like they were an embarrassment.

There's no pride if they do well and there's a collective laugh if they lose a game.. or come close to losing a game.

We don't do this for any other sport, no matter how good or dominant the US may be. The women's soccer team had almost universal support until the right decided to hate them for political reasons. We don't do this with the gymnastics team. If Simone Biles somehow misses a gold Americans aren't going to be laughing at her.