Five-ring circus: The Thread of the XXXIII Olympiad

As possibly the only person here who has covered surfing, I should know that. But the Tokyo Olympics were easy to ignore after covid, etc. I remember seeing softball in the morning before going to work and that was it.

 

All I know is that I keep reading this thread title as “The Threat of the XXXIII Olympiad”

 

Didn't we see this movie in Rio?
A filthy river Seine could force Paris to cancel an iconic Olympics event

 

Mike Tirico sucking up to his bosses: A tradition unlike any other.

 

It's a lot of the same top athletes, for one.

For two, track and field isn't universally esteemed like it once was. It's been replaced by swimming, which peaked 8 or 12 years ago. Track has a ton of stars, especially on the women's side, and we'll see if they become a big story.

For three, the biggest American star is Biles, and the revolving story around her, before the Olympics, will be the Twisties and mental health. People were tired of that about 14 seconds after it happened 3 years ago, and they're tired of that storyline now and they will be especially tired of how the story is framed, as it being more significant than anything Biles has done.

For four, the best-known American team is USWNT, and the story around that team, since last summer, is no longer "dominance and discontent" but just "discontent." I'm sure NBC and other outlets are ready to mine the team for more political commentary while hoping they're out for revenge, or something, against "the world," which the American media will take pains to project as Trump voters.

If Caitlin Clark makes the WBB Olympic team, she'll be a story.

 

Especially if the other women's basketball players freeze her out.

 

Have you considered stronger laxatives?

 

Paris is very photogenic and I'm sure NBC will stress that throughout its coverage.

 

I have found myself daydreaming a bit as to what fancy helicopter shots NBC is going to insert over that first round of “Bugler’s Dream.” I’m guessing there’ll be Versailles, probably the Normandy beaches, the Riviera, a TGV. Maybe they’ll cheap out and just steal 10 minutes of Tour de France establishing shots.

Though I disagree with some of Alma’s assertions, I think some of the lack of star power is trying to avoid getting Dan-and-Daved, but I’m guessing Sha’Carri Richardson will figure heavily, as will Noah Lyles.

 

I wonder if part of the rise of swimming versus track for American fans (aside from Michael Phelps) is that the novelty wears thin faster for the Olympics and track usually cranks up in the second half of the games, while pool events are wrapped up usually by then.

 

I'm sorry I engaged in wrongthink.

Seriously, American track and field is pretty exciting at the moment. But I think people would be hard-pressed to name Noah Lyles as the guy, much less the other 100 sprinters who could beat him. Track lacks that profile. Swimming overtook it in 08 for a variety of reasons, including drug scandals.