CDZ How Would You Enhance/Fix the Olympics?

[candycorn]

What practical purpose do the Olympics serve?

The same as any other sport. As I heard one commentator say it the other day, 'We're a story telling people and the Olympics is one of the best campfires we have.'

 

[Polishprince]

Women don't play it is the official line.

Then again, I don't see a lot of male synchronized swimmers....

Women DO play football.

 

[candycorn]

Women DO play football.
View attachment 520398

Legitimate organized football on multiple continents... no. Feel free to take it up with the IOC however. I am for expanding the number of sports in an Olympiad.... Women's football? Sure..why not.

 

[candycorn]

About 1/2 way though the Games, a sense of normalcy returned. It was fun to watch otherwise anonymous athletes capture our attention.

 

[rightwinger]

About 1/2 way though the Games, a sense of normalcy returned. It was fun to watch otherwise anonymous athletes capture our attention.

I found it frustrating to watch as they filled too much time with events I had no interest in.
I would change the channel and find I had missed my event when I turned back

 

[candycorn]

I found it frustrating to watch as they filled too much time with events I had no interest in.
I would change the channel and find I had missed my event when I turned back

Some of the coverage was iffy by NBC. Their broadcasts on Peacock TV was pretty good. I had it going in my office overnight.

 

[Desperado]

Too many cities are realizing the Olympics are a losing proposition. They build mega million facilities that are only used for two weeks and then abandoned. Most lack the hotel and mass transit infrastructure to handle the influx of people.

They should choose four permanent host cities in different continents and rotate the olympics

good idea but that would mean the venues would get used once every 16 years, no matter what the venues would have to stil be updated

 

[Otis Mayfield]

Only sports that have a following of over 20 million fans should be Olympic sports.

 

[Pellinore]

Only sports that have a following of over 20 million fans should be Olympic sports.

Nonsense, that would get rid of some of the most fun ones to watch: the white-water rapids racing, the short-track speed skating, the speed sledding head-first at 100 mph. There are too many amazing and obscure once-per-four-years sports out there.

 

[YoursTruly]

I'd take a lot of the non-sports sports out of it. Like bicycle free style. That's not a friggin sport. Who the hell even watches that? The family of the people who made the olympics?

And something a little off topic, and I sincerely apologize for this. But I'd take the politics and "causes" out of it.

This is about your countries best athletes and their mission to show the world how good your country is. It's not about gay, cancer, or anything else. Only the sports and the country your representing.

 

[YoursTruly]

Too many cities are realizing the Olympics are a losing proposition. They build mega million facilities that are only used for two weeks and then abandoned. Most lack the hotel and mass transit infrastructure to handle the influx of people.

They should choose four permanent host cities in different continents and rotate the olympics

I was gonna say they could somehow transform them into some sort of mall or city gathering place for local stuff. But the city would probably charge to much for space.

 

[CowboyTed]

If you love Soccer, you have the World Cup which is a bigger honor than the Olympics. Same goes for Basketball, Golf, Tennis all of which consider the Olympics a sideshow

Wouldn't have soccer unless it was 5 a side...

Basketball is there for the ratings...

Golf, would only allow amateurs to compete, would be a great competition. Champion would get exemption into PGA tour..

Tennis, don't know enough about but amateur only much like Golf...

Really think some sports should be in both Winter and Summer Olympics... Possibly having an indoor athletics in winter..

 

[Donald H]

The question is about fixing the games themselves; please do not go off on athlete behavior. You did stupid things when you were young too. Also, keep in mind this is the CDZ.... Please try to stay on topic and stay civil.

Two things come to mind on how to "fix" the games.

First off, it's no secret that the stadiums quickly become useless once the games leave town. They often fall into disrepair and become a sore spot with the local populous.

Here is a slideshow by ABC News

Abandoned Olympic Venues Around the Globe

Revisit the derelict venues of Olympics past.

abcnews.go.com

So my solution would be to do what the NFL did so successfully for several years with the Super Bowl. They rotated it from Miami to the Rose Bowl to New Orleans. Everyone loved it; the hotels were close by, the venues were mint.... Just rotate the Summer Olympics through 3 or 4 cities that have the infrastructure already in place and, of course, are willing to hold the Olympics. Los Angeles and Paris come to mind for example.. University Stadiums, roads, multi-cultural populations, airports, etc... are already in place. There doesn't need to be a lot of new construction for venues. And maybe every fifth Summer Games have a NATION put together a responsible bid that takes into account what will happen after the games leave. By utilizing a whole nation, you prevent a city from building a bunch of soccer stadiums it doesn't need for example. You may not have a great swimming venue in Toronto...but they may have a great one in Montreal; use it!

Secondly, the Winter Olympics should be expanded to include an awful lot more sports (more about this later) taking many from the Summer Olympics. Is there any reason that the martial arts, Basketball, Boxing, or handball can't be in the Winter Olympics? The largest benefit will be that these sports may (and should in my opinion) get more exposure.

Here are the 24 Winter Olympic events...
View attachment 517883

Vs the 50 Summer Olympic events...
View attachment 517881
Even it out. Weightlifting can be done at a Winter Olympics, right?

----

What else would I do? Glad you asked....

• I would stop the repeat Olympians who compete/medal for more than two Olympic Games. You get two in the same event and your are done. I say two Olympics because I would give someone a mulligan in case you don't do well. But I don't want to penalize someone who does well either. So you get two games in the same events....that's it. Now, if you're a swimmer who competes only in the 100M Backstroke for example in 2000 and 2004...feel free to come back in 2008 competing in the 2008 Olympics in the 200M Backstroke or any sport other than the 100M Backstroke. If you can make the team...no problem there.
• I would have a lot more sports than is currently in the Olympics. I'd stop calling them sports for one thing. I'd say events or activities. If there is an activity that someone does on five continents (I think that is the acid test) that both genders can participate in...sure. Go for it. I wouldn't have poker or gambling...and no...not ballroom dancing. Cornhole...sure. Darts...sure. Axe throwing? Sure. Even Log Rolling. I'm not sure when the Olympics became some sort of "us" and "them" proposition as to where you need to start at the age of 5 and work daily until you're 16 to go to the games. I reject that premise. So I believe that other activities should be included and encouraged.
• Limit athletes to either their nation of birth or make it to where they will have to had to have been a citizen of the nation they are competing for...for a certain amount of time....5 plus years I'd say. If America only sends two decathletes to the Olympics and you're the third best...you are an alternate. Sorry. You don't get to go as a Canadian because your Mom was Canadian or whatever.
• Needless to say this as well...if you have outdoor plumbing, you compete as a man; indoor plumbing, you compete as a woman.

Some thoughts there.

What are yours. Please leave the politics out of it for a change.

My perception is that there are too many 'look at me' sports making their way into the games.

In a nutshell, some kid can take up a sport now and win a medal in a month or two.

compare that to cross country skiing in which true athletic abiilty is a must!

Is there an American interest at play for the purpose of upping their medal count?

We've already seen American influence in figure skating for what appears to be the purpose of gaining medals from superior Russian female athletes!

I'm sorry but politics are the major concern of the games and that can't be ignored.

 

[YoursTruly]

My perception is that there are too many 'look at me' sports making their way into the games.

In a nutshell, some kid can take up a sport now and win a medal in a month or two.

compare that to cross country skiing in which true athletic abiilty is a must!

Is there an American interest at play for the purpose of upping their medal count?

We've already seen American influence in figure skating for what appears to be the purpose of gaining medals from superior Russian female athletes!

I'm sorry but politics are the major concern of the games and that can't be ignored.

How much money is being made and who's the money going to?

 

[Donald H]

Wouldn't have soccer unless it was 5 a side...

That sort of nonsense is again the American attempt to gain more medals, to which I've just alluded..

 

[rightwinger]

We've already seen American influence in figure skating for what appears to be the purpose of gaining medals from superior Russian female athletes!

America has surpassed Russia in both Figure Skating and Gymnastics. The US now sets the Gold Standard

 

[Leo123]

How about dueling? No judges needed either....LOL

 

[2aguy]

The question is about fixing the games themselves; please do not go off on athlete behavior. You did stupid things when you were young too. Also, keep in mind this is the CDZ.... Please try to stay on topic and stay civil.

Two things come to mind on how to "fix" the games.

First off, it's no secret that the stadiums quickly become useless once the games leave town. They often fall into disrepair and become a sore spot with the local populous.

Here is a slideshow by ABC News

Abandoned Olympic Venues Around the Globe

Revisit the derelict venues of Olympics past.

abcnews.go.com

So my solution would be to do what the NFL did so successfully for several years with the Super Bowl. They rotated it from Miami to the Rose Bowl to New Orleans. Everyone loved it; the hotels were close by, the venues were mint.... Just rotate the Summer Olympics through 3 or 4 cities that have the infrastructure already in place and, of course, are willing to hold the Olympics. Los Angeles and Paris come to mind for example.. University Stadiums, roads, multi-cultural populations, airports, etc... are already in place. There doesn't need to be a lot of new construction for venues. And maybe every fifth Summer Games have a NATION put together a responsible bid that takes into account what will happen after the games leave. By utilizing a whole nation, you prevent a city from building a bunch of soccer stadiums it doesn't need for example. You may not have a great swimming venue in Toronto...but they may have a great one in Montreal; use it!

Secondly, the Winter Olympics should be expanded to include an awful lot more sports (more about this later) taking many from the Summer Olympics. Is there any reason that the martial arts, Basketball, Boxing, or handball can't be in the Winter Olympics? The largest benefit will be that these sports may (and should in my opinion) get more exposure.

Here are the 24 Winter Olympic events...
View attachment 517883

Vs the 50 Summer Olympic events...
View attachment 517881
Even it out. Weightlifting can be done at a Winter Olympics, right?

----

What else would I do? Glad you asked....

• I would stop the repeat Olympians who compete/medal for more than two Olympic Games. You get two in the same event and your are done. I say two Olympics because I would give someone a mulligan in case you don't do well. But I don't want to penalize someone who does well either. So you get two games in the same events....that's it. Now, if you're a swimmer who competes only in the 100M Backstroke for example in 2000 and 2004...feel free to come back in 2008 competing in the 2008 Olympics in the 200M Backstroke or any sport other than the 100M Backstroke. If you can make the team...no problem there.
• I would have a lot more sports than is currently in the Olympics. I'd stop calling them sports for one thing. I'd say events or activities. If there is an activity that someone does on five continents (I think that is the acid test) that both genders can participate in...sure. Go for it. I wouldn't have poker or gambling...and no...not ballroom dancing. Cornhole...sure. Darts...sure. Axe throwing? Sure. Even Log Rolling. I'm not sure when the Olympics became some sort of "us" and "them" proposition as to where you need to start at the age of 5 and work daily until you're 16 to go to the games. I reject that premise. So I believe that other activities should be included and encouraged.
• Limit athletes to either their nation of birth or make it to where they will have to had to have been a citizen of the nation they are competing for...for a certain amount of time....5 plus years I'd say. If America only sends two decathletes to the Olympics and you're the third best...you are an alternate. Sorry. You don't get to go as a Canadian because your Mom was Canadian or whatever.
• Needless to say this as well...if you have outdoor plumbing, you compete as a man; indoor plumbing, you compete as a woman.

Some thoughts there.

What are yours. Please leave the politics out of it for a change.

I know...having just watched "The Squid Game,".......make all the events life or death.......losers are executed.....the ratings for that would be beyond insane....