ESPN- Weir on threats: "I didn't want to get hurt" 

But I'm a terrible cheerleader overall. On the sidelines at my university games (basketball, anyway) I frequently find myself cheering for the opposing team. I like good games, exciting games, competitive games. So I like to see good plays on both sides of the ball.

Though for some reason that isn't true when I watch Packers games. I would not mind if we crushed opposing teams to powder every single game.

Maybe I should become a Packers cheerleader. 😉

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I'm not an expert or anything, but I believe the protocol for a cheerleader is to cheer for your own team...I would have thought they might have taken the time and trouble to cover that with you.



:tongue3:

As for the Olympics-

I view most of it as "manufactured reasons to give a shit."

Most of the events we pass on viewing just about any given Saturday on the boob tube.

In my instance, the wife digs on 'em, and when I watch, can usually produce enough of a reason to watch also.

I'm not going to breathe hard about it one way or another.

I'm still trying to figure out where the hell the Finn went in the nordic combined yesterday, and I enjoyed watching the short program of the Chinese couple in pairs figure skating.

Color me semi-ambivalent, subject to change largely dependent upon how the network decides to spin/hype things, coupled with my mood at that moment, along with how many times the wife says "you gotta see this", or whatever.

Maybe I should have said "root for," not "cheer for" -- I keep my sentiments to myself. Most of the time anyway.

I am going to give you an applause point for your excellent analysis of the Olympics. You said it much better than I could have.

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I understand wanting to watch a close game.
A 1-0 baseball game is more exciting than a 15-10 home run derby. At least for me. Every pitch every play means something in a close game. I don't mind if my team wins by 15 runs but I will probably fall asleep during the game.
Back in 2005 when the IL men's basketball team went into overtime against Arizona that was exciting. More so than when they beat Memphis in their opening game of the following weekend at Final Four.

Back to the Olympics, I love to watch the athletes who know they have no chance of gaining hte medal stand compete. I wish there was more focus on them. Remember England's Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards? (Maybe because I never won anything and I can relate to them.)

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I know exactly what you mean, wpr! I love to watch the guys who go to the Olympics, knowing full well they're probably going to come in 23rd place, yet they compete anyway. I think it takes a lot more courage to put in all those years of sacrifice and training and to go out and face public scrutiny, knowing full well you don't have a prayer of standing on that podium, much less hearing your national anthem. In some ways, the favorites have it easier: yes, they have a tremendous amount of pressure, but they also have the best coaches, the best training facilities, and the most lucrative sponsors. I respect the guys, too, who may live in more prominent countries, but choose to compete for their smaller ancestral lands anyway.

But I can remember being the guy who had just finished rounding the turn on the 200-meter dash as everyone else was crossing the finish line, so maybe that's why I identify with the little guys.

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i love the olympics and i'm watching evereyday everything. glad to have the games in canada, as the competitions start in the evening here.

the german athletes are able to win medals in almost every competition (besides hockey, free style and some few others).

luge might be the out there. loch and mller won gold and silver and our girls haven't lost a single world cup race for 13 years. seems like the other girls compete for being the best non-german, there :icon_smile:

i like biathlon, bobsled, ski jumping, nordic combination, ice skating and curling, too.

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I just watched the women's 10k cross country race while I was at lunch.
They were falling down after they crossed the finish line. They sure were giving it their all.

It reminded me of working the chute at the local cross county meet. (running not skiing.) Many of the girls would say, "I'm going to puke." I told them go ahead, just keep moving when you are done. That is truly not leaving anything out there on the course.

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Woo Hoo Our first gold medal :thumbright:

I love the Olympics - Winter and Summer. I don't know what it is about the Olympics, but I'm rivited no matter what the event. And while I cheer mostly for America, I cheer for other good stories also - like I was really happy for the Dutch athelete that won his speed skating event - it's such a huge thing in his country - it was great seeing how emotional he was! Same with the Chinese married couple that won in pair's figure skating. I was happy for the Canadian freestyle mogul guy who won the gold as well. How exciting for him that he won his countries first "home team" gold.

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