***Paris 2024 Summer Olympics: July 26-August 11*** USA dominates medal count; Finish tied w/ China for most golds - See ya in Milan 2026! (2 Viewers)

[3 hour lunch]

I liked the commercials during the 800 final. Real classy.

 

[culdeus]

Is it just me or was NBC’s production of the woman’s team gymnastics event one of the worst produced segments in modern sports history. No overall standings after each rotation, no comprehensive discussion of the live scoring, and most aggregiously at the end they don’t say before Biles performs what score she needs for the US on the floor until it is completely done. Then they never show her score.

Total clown show.

The network production is unwatchable. Both for commercials and production content. If you watched biles live yesterday was it different? Network was four hours delay? More?

 

[Capella]

We are just watching peacock which largely has the international feed/browdcast. It rules.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

x.com

x.com

It is difficult to understand how the IOC thinks this is OK.

2 Boxers previously barred from women's events will fight in Paris Olympics

Banned for testing for having XY chromosomes and/or elevated testosterone levels. The IOC response:

For Paris Olympics organizers, female designation in passport key for boxers after world champs DQs

Let's not get this thread locked.

Chromosomal tests does not determine gender.

What gender is Tom Cruise?

Noone is trying to get the thread locked. Also not sure why it would get locked , there is a 60 page thread here about men competing in women’s sports

 

[Gally]

Also wondering how much an effect this shallow pool is having on our squad. I mean, it's the same handicap for all but US trains in optimal conditions

Why does this matter? More turbulent because of waves bouncing off the bottom? Something like that? What does that really do in the grand scheme of things as to why that would matter vs your "optimal" training conditions?

 

[Osaurus]

Is it just me or was NBC’s production of the woman’s team gymnastics event one of the worst produced segments in modern sports history. No overall standings after each rotation, no comprehensive discussion of the live scoring, and most aggregiously at the end they don’t say before Biles performs what score she needs for the US on the floor until it is completely done. Then they never show her score.

Total clown show.

The network production is unwatchable. Both for commercials and production content. If you watched biles live yesterday was it different? Network was four hours delay? More?

Yep. Been watching most events on ASTRO and Eurosport. Night and day

 

[Gatorade]

Is it just me or was NBC’s production of the woman’s team gymnastics event one of the worst produced segments in modern sports history. No overall standings after each rotation, no comprehensive discussion of the live scoring, and most aggregiously at the end they don’t say before Biles performs what score she needs for the US on the floor until it is completely done. Then they never show her score.

Total clown show.

I was watching NBCs coverage on FUBO and was shocked at no explanation of standings during or after each rotation. They did say Biles needed a 8.8 something to win, but then never showed her score after.

 

[General Malaise]

I liked the commercials during the 800 final. Real classy.

I'm so puzzled by the Olympic coverage in the evenings. It starts off with Mike Tirico saying "Tonight's commercial free airing of the Olympics is courtesy of Toyota" and then there's like 8 billion commercials for things other than Toyota. Am I mis-hearing Tirico (who I usually ignore outright) or am I being trolled?

 

[General Malaise]

Also wondering how much an effect this shallow pool is having on our squad. I mean, it's the same handicap for all but US trains in optimal conditions

Why does this matter? More turbulent because of waves bouncing off the bottom? Something like that? What does that really do in the grand scheme of things as to why that would matter vs your "optimal" training conditions?

Here's an article I just read discussing it - as you can see, there are different opinions on this, but the one I'm leaning towards is that the shallow pool here is creating 'choppy' water, which is going to have a negative effect on all swimmers, which is what we're seeing this Olympics. As you can read from the opening paragraph, swimmers who are at their peak and trained their entire careers for this opportunity aren't setting PRs - and that's very unusual.

NANTERRE, France - A strange thing happened in the final of the women’s 400-meter freestyle Saturday night at the Paris Olympics, an event billed as a potential “Race of the Century” for the collection of swimming royalty that would be gathered across the eight lanes at Paris La Defense Arena: Only one of the finalists, the eventual fifth-place finisher, managed to lower her own personal-best time - a stunning result at a meet for which all swimmers expend every ounce of energy trying to hit their peak.

The other seven women - a list that included the past three world record holders, Ariarne Titmus, Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky - finished an average of more than 1½ seconds behind their personal bests. A race that began with visions of a world record or even an Olympic record landed with something of a thud: Titmus beating McIntosh by nearly a second, both of them more than two seconds off their bests.

That head-scratching scenario has played out over and over across the first four nights of the Paris 2024 swim meet, as some slower-than-expected winning times has focused attention on one possible culprit: the shallower-than-normal pool constructed atop the floor of an indoor stadium that typically hosts the rugby team Racing 92.

In the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, for example, the winning time of 59.02 seconds by Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi was the slowest in an Olympics since 2004, and would have been good enough for just eighth place three years ago at the Tokyo Games.

“It has to be a slow pool,” said veteran Australian sprinter Kyle Chalmers, a seven-time Olympic medalist, with the most recent of those a relay silver Saturday night. That opinion has been echoed frequently during the Paris meet, and so has Chalmers’s kicker: “But … everyone has the same opportunity. Everyone has a lane, so we’re all swimming in the same pool.”

That the Paris pool is shallower than at past Olympics is indisputable. Built this spring, it is 2.15 meters (about 7 feet, 6 inches) deep, safely above the minimum of two meters, but well shy of the standard three-meter depth of the past four Olympics and other international championships, as well as the U.S. Olympic trials.

There are several reasons for the change, including structural concerns at the stadium; the desire to avoid losing additional ticketed seating (the higher up you build the pool, the more rows of lower-bowl seats must be removed); and the fact artistic swimming, which actually does require a depth of three meters, is at another venue.

“I know that people talk about the fact that if the pool is deeper, the performances are better,” Roberto Colletto, the CEO of Italian company Myrtha Pools, which built the Paris pool, told French broadcaster RMC Sport. “But … on the technical side, there is no problem with the pool.”

The physics of moving water are also clear: waves, such as those created by a diving, kicking, thrashing swimmer, emanate outward, and in a shallower pool those waves are quicker to bounce off the bottom and return to the surface, creating turbulence - or a “choppy” surface that is less conducive to world-class swimming.

Many observers have cited a spate of disappointing winning times to advance the “slow pool” theory.

Of the first 12 medal events contested here, nine have seen the gold medal-winner clock a slower time than in the corresponding race at last summer’s world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, the most recent international championship meet. Looking back to the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, six of the 12 Paris 2024 winning times have been slower, while five have been faster and one was a dead tie.

But the “slow pool” theory does not hold up as well when one looks beyond the winning times. In fact, it appears a bit, ahem, shallow.

When you consider the times it has taken to earn a spot in the finals in Paris - which is to say, the eighth-place times from either preliminary heats (in events 400 meters or longer) or semifinals - those times have been faster than in Fukuoka in 10 of the 12 events and faster than in Tokyo in five of 12. In the women’s 400 free, for example, it took a time of 4 minutes, 03.83 seconds to make it into the final, faster than in either Fukuoka (4:04.98) or Tokyo (4:04.07).

Almost as soon as the slow-pool theory started spreading around the Paris swim deck, the backlash kicked in. Rowdy Gaines, NBC’s swimming analyst and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, said he thinks the pool is “probably a little slow” but believes a bigger problem is the collective psychological effect of such talk, which becomes a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

“Once the complaints start, it’s like wildfire, and an avalanche of negativity starts and you can’t stop this boulder [from] going down the mountain.” Gaines said in a text message exchange. “I think a lot of it is much ado about nothing.”

That viewpoint was echoed by French distance freestyler David Aubry, who told RMC Sport, “It’s psychological. The first ones who swam don’t have exceptional times, so we think that the pool swims less quickly, but all the pools are the same. It’s an approved pool, [and] we’re at the Olympic Games, so I don’t believe it.”

Other athletes have pointed to additional, nonaquatic factors that could be having a negative effect on times here, such as the highly scrutinized issues with accommodations, transportation and nutrition in the Olympic Village.

“Living in the Olympic Village makes it hard to perform,” Australia’s Titmus said Sunday. “It’s definitely not made for high performance.” Her teammate, Elijah Winnington, agreed, telling Australian reporters, “There’s no pressure quite like the Olympics, but also the environment just doesn’t really permit for it. You’re walking way more in the village; the food’s not what you are normally used to; and the bus rides are longer.”

Whatever the reason, the nine-day Paris 2024 swim went into its fourth night Tuesday having yet to produce a world record. By comparison, there were six world records set in Tokyo and a whopping eight in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. (However, it is also worth nothing that, because of the pandemic delay, swimmers had five years to prepare between Rio and Tokyo, but only three between Tokyo and Paris.)

But does that really matter? Leave it to a 17-year-old, newly minted Olympic champion to set the world straight and remind everyone what’s important at the Paris 2024 swim meet.

“The pool’s 50 meters … It’s an Olympic pool,” Canada’s McIntosh, silver medalist behind Titmus in the women’s 400 free and gold medalist in the 400 IM, told reporters. “I don’t think any Olympic pool should really be called slow. No matter what, everybody’s racing in the same pool. Doesn’t matter if it’s the fastest pool in the world, slowest pool in the world - I have the same goals.”

 

[General Malaise]

I sure hope Warby Parker or some glasses manufacturer inks Stephen Nedoroscik to a nice endorsement deal soon.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Also wondering how much an effect this shallow pool is having on our squad. I mean, it's the same handicap for all but US trains in optimal conditions

Why does this matter? More turbulent because of waves bouncing off the bottom? Something like that? What does that really do in the grand scheme of things as to why that would matter vs your "optimal" training conditions?

Here's an article I just read discussing it - as you can see, there are different opinions on this, but the one I'm leaning towards is that the shallow pool here is creating 'choppy' water, which is going to have a negative effect on all swimmers, which is what we're seeing this Olympics. As you can read from the opening paragraph, swimmers who are at their peak and trained their entire careers for this opportunity aren't setting PRs - and that's very unusual.

NANTERRE, France - A strange thing happened in the final of the women’s 400-meter freestyle Saturday night at the Paris Olympics, an event billed as a potential “Race of the Century” for the collection of swimming royalty that would be gathered across the eight lanes at Paris La Defense Arena: Only one of the finalists, the eventual fifth-place finisher, managed to lower her own personal-best time - a stunning result at a meet for which all swimmers expend every ounce of energy trying to hit their peak.

The other seven women - a list that included the past three world record holders, Ariarne Titmus, Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky - finished an average of more than 1½ seconds behind their personal bests. A race that began with visions of a world record or even an Olympic record landed with something of a thud: Titmus beating McIntosh by nearly a second, both of them more than two seconds off their bests.

That head-scratching scenario has played out over and over across the first four nights of the Paris 2024 swim meet, as some slower-than-expected winning times has focused attention on one possible culprit: the shallower-than-normal pool constructed atop the floor of an indoor stadium that typically hosts the rugby team Racing 92.

In the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, for example, the winning time of 59.02 seconds by Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi was the slowest in an Olympics since 2004, and would have been good enough for just eighth place three years ago at the Tokyo Games.

“It has to be a slow pool,” said veteran Australian sprinter Kyle Chalmers, a seven-time Olympic medalist, with the most recent of those a relay silver Saturday night. That opinion has been echoed frequently during the Paris meet, and so has Chalmers’s kicker: “But … everyone has the same opportunity. Everyone has a lane, so we’re all swimming in the same pool.”

That the Paris pool is shallower than at past Olympics is indisputable. Built this spring, it is 2.15 meters (about 7 feet, 6 inches) deep, safely above the minimum of two meters, but well shy of the standard three-meter depth of the past four Olympics and other international championships, as well as the U.S. Olympic trials.

There are several reasons for the change, including structural concerns at the stadium; the desire to avoid losing additional ticketed seating (the higher up you build the pool, the more rows of lower-bowl seats must be removed); and the fact artistic swimming, which actually does require a depth of three meters, is at another venue.

“I know that people talk about the fact that if the pool is deeper, the performances are better,” Roberto Colletto, the CEO of Italian company Myrtha Pools, which built the Paris pool, told French broadcaster RMC Sport. “But … on the technical side, there is no problem with the pool.”

The physics of moving water are also clear: waves, such as those created by a diving, kicking, thrashing swimmer, emanate outward, and in a shallower pool those waves are quicker to bounce off the bottom and return to the surface, creating turbulence - or a “choppy” surface that is less conducive to world-class swimming.

Many observers have cited a spate of disappointing winning times to advance the “slow pool” theory.

Of the first 12 medal events contested here, nine have seen the gold medal-winner clock a slower time than in the corresponding race at last summer’s world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, the most recent international championship meet. Looking back to the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, six of the 12 Paris 2024 winning times have been slower, while five have been faster and one was a dead tie.

But the “slow pool” theory does not hold up as well when one looks beyond the winning times. In fact, it appears a bit, ahem, shallow.

When you consider the times it has taken to earn a spot in the finals in Paris - which is to say, the eighth-place times from either preliminary heats (in events 400 meters or longer) or semifinals - those times have been faster than in Fukuoka in 10 of the 12 events and faster than in Tokyo in five of 12. In the women’s 400 free, for example, it took a time of 4 minutes, 03.83 seconds to make it into the final, faster than in either Fukuoka (4:04.98) or Tokyo (4:04.07).

Almost as soon as the slow-pool theory started spreading around the Paris swim deck, the backlash kicked in. Rowdy Gaines, NBC’s swimming analyst and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, said he thinks the pool is “probably a little slow” but believes a bigger problem is the collective psychological effect of such talk, which becomes a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

“Once the complaints start, it’s like wildfire, and an avalanche of negativity starts and you can’t stop this boulder [from] going down the mountain.” Gaines said in a text message exchange. “I think a lot of it is much ado about nothing.”

That viewpoint was echoed by French distance freestyler David Aubry, who told RMC Sport, “It’s psychological. The first ones who swam don’t have exceptional times, so we think that the pool swims less quickly, but all the pools are the same. It’s an approved pool, [and] we’re at the Olympic Games, so I don’t believe it.”

Other athletes have pointed to additional, nonaquatic factors that could be having a negative effect on times here, such as the highly scrutinized issues with accommodations, transportation and nutrition in the Olympic Village.

“Living in the Olympic Village makes it hard to perform,” Australia’s Titmus said Sunday. “It’s definitely not made for high performance.” Her teammate, Elijah Winnington, agreed, telling Australian reporters, “There’s no pressure quite like the Olympics, but also the environment just doesn’t really permit for it. You’re walking way more in the village; the food’s not what you are normally used to; and the bus rides are longer.”

Whatever the reason, the nine-day Paris 2024 swim went into its fourth night Tuesday having yet to produce a world record. By comparison, there were six world records set in Tokyo and a whopping eight in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. (However, it is also worth nothing that, because of the pandemic delay, swimmers had five years to prepare between Rio and Tokyo, but only three between Tokyo and Paris.)

But does that really matter? Leave it to a 17-year-old, newly minted Olympic champion to set the world straight and remind everyone what’s important at the Paris 2024 swim meet.

“The pool’s 50 meters … It’s an Olympic pool,” Canada’s McIntosh, silver medalist behind Titmus in the women’s 400 free and gold medalist in the 400 IM, told reporters. “I don’t think any Olympic pool should really be called slow. No matter what, everybody’s racing in the same pool. Doesn’t matter if it’s the fastest pool in the world, slowest pool in the world - I have the same goals.”

Complementary piece:

No world records have been set at the Olympic pool. Is it too shallow?

 

[Osaurus]

Women’s indoor volleyball between US and Serbia going into 5th set. US women looking nervous.

 

[Osaurus]

Karch looks pissed. Not going well.

 

[irish eyes]

Looks like a 2nd consecutive choke job by women's volleyball. Up 2-0 in last 2 matches only to blow it.

 

[BlackCrowes]

Women’s indoor volleyball between US and Serbia going into 5th set. US women looking nervous.

this 9-foot left-handed Serbian women is killing us!!

 

[BlackCrowes]

Looks like a 2nd consecutive choke job by women's volleyball. Up 2-0 in last 2 matches only to blow it.

Serbia isn't exactly a slouch

 

[BlackCrowes]

ok now they're choking

 

[BlackCrowes]

heck of a match!

 

[McBokonon]

Looks like a 2nd consecutive choke job by women's volleyball. Up 2-0 in last 2 matches only to blow it.

They actually trailed 2-0 to China and forced a 5th set.

 

[GregR]

Glad I got back in time to catch the ending of the women's indoor volleyball.

 

[Osaurus]

Wow. That finish could have gone either way. Congrats to the US women for squeaking out a win.

 

[General Malaise]

US Women a little sloppy out on the pitch today. Should settle down and score one before the half.

 

[dgreen]

Forgot about the volleyball match. When I turned it on, US was down 5-8 in the fifth set. Great finish.

 

[bryhamm]

US Women a little sloppy out on the pitch today. Should settle down and score one before the half.

Dunn is so lacking in one on one skills compared to the other forwards and midfielders.

 

[bryhamm]

Lol at Aus defenders putting up their arms on the Rodman goal looking for offsides. There were multiple defenders on the line since it was a corner kick.

 

[General Malaise]

US Women a little sloppy out on the pitch today. Should settle down and score one before the half.

Dunn is so lacking in one on one skills compared to the other forwards and midfielders.

Yeah, she has been incredibly frustrating to watch - prefer her far more when she stays back on defense.

 

[General Malaise]

Possession:
USA - 78%
AUS - 22%

I have a feeling the floodgates will open 2H.

 

[Maik Jeaunz]

Forgot about the volleyball match. When I turned it on, US was down 5-8 in the fifth set. Great finish.

that was a great match. USA up 2 sets to 0, then let the Serbs sneak back in, and squeak one out at the wire. that's now 2 matches in a row that they've gone to 5 sets. hope that doesn't come back to bite them.

 

[General Malaise]

BOOM!

No controversy on that one. GO USA USA USA

 

[General Malaise]

Scored by 20 year old Korbin Albert.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Marchaund just set the Olympic record in the 200m fly

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

How is team Silver and Bronze doing overall?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Dear @Nathan R. Jessep

-Uhhh soooo like we haven't watched much yet and I was not impressed with the opening ceremony, watched Nadal, Lewis, Evertt and Sarena on a boat...can these people not walk any more? A celebration of athletes and they are riding a boat and making Serena sea sick apparently...we were out and about so no sound but I bet it was Hoda and Guthrie because I saw them waving for some reason, looked very staged

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

I've heard many in my circles say they are boycotting the Olympics and I think that's ridiculous, but i just haven't been very excited about much I see so far.
I also get tired of the 10-20 minute human interest story, just give me the sports, please!
I always get excited for the track and field events, I just love watching men and women race as fast as they can, I wish they had a Pro League of just track and field I think it would do well vs we just see it about once every 4 years...maybe that's what makes it so special to me, not sure.
I love the relay races and going back to when I was a kid, I was fast just not fast enough and always felt that certain folks I grew up around were just naturally faster than me, I'm in awe of them in some ways

Again, thanks for starting this thread, you're a great ambassador of the games.

 

[Zow]

USA looks so good right now. Playing hard on both ends, ball movement, etc. They keep this up they're going to be unbeatable. Fun watch right now.

Really impressed with the play of White, Bam, and Holiday as they are getting a bunch of good minutes despite being the non-superstars.

 

[Osaurus]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

 

[Zow]

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

Must resist... factual correction... ahhh

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

 

[Osaurus]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

No doubt. Just an unreal performance

 

[Ministry of Pain]

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

Must resist... factual correction... ahhh

OK OK, you're right but could we not agree that at least the optics were bad?
Imagine the NFL doing that on opening night of the NFL season...you and I would be fine and laughing and carrying on but many would get upset and you know it and so does the NFL

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

 

[Zow]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

That's insane.

I don't follow swimming at all. So, I gotta ask, is she approaching Phelps-level? Is she there?

 

[Zow]

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

Must resist... factual correction... ahhh

OK OK, you're right but could we not agree that at least the optics were bad?
Imagine the NFL doing that on opening night of the NFL season...you and I would be fine and laughing and carrying on but many would get upset and you know it and so does the NFL

Out of respect for Joe I'm not going to reply. I understand your point though.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

I think she has the 20 fastest times after today's, which set an Olympic record.

 

[Osaurus]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

That's insane.

I doubt follow swimming at all. So, I gotta ask, is she approaching Phelps-level? Is she there?

She’s there imo

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

That's insane.

I doubt follow swimming at all. So, I gotta ask, is she approaching Phelps-level? Is she there?

In terms of medals she's still way behind Phelps - like maybe half or less than half his medal count. But olympic medal count isn't the only metric to judge a career and I'm sure arguments can be made on this.

 

[TLEF316]

Obviously Ledecky is incredible. Her dominance in 1 discipline is unlike anything we've ever seen.

But IMO you can't put someone who only competes in 1 stroke at the level of someone like Phelps. She's a 1 trick pony.

 

[Jaysus]

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

yeah, they had time to cut to her family celebrating before cutting back to see the podium finishers.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

Must resist... factual correction... ahhh

OK OK, you're right but could we not agree that at least the optics were bad?
Imagine the NFL doing that on opening night of the NFL season...you and I would be fine and laughing and carrying on but many would get upset and you know it and so does the NFL

Out of respect for Joe I'm not going to reply. I understand your point though.

And out of respect for a poster that I'm a fan of even when i might be the butt of the joke, I apologize if I offended you, it wasn't intentional
Thank You

 

[General Malaise]

Ledecky just crushed it in the 1,500 m freestyle. So impressive.

It's crazy how much better she is. It's not like she's racing against bums.

Once again there's no one else on the television screen when she finished.

She's undefeated in the 1,500 in her entire professional career, has set and broken her own WR six times, and has the 19 fastest ever times. The last time Ledecky was beaten in the 1,500, she was a high school student swimming in a regional meet 14 years ago.

That's insane.

I don't follow swimming at all. So, I gotta ask, is she approaching Phelps-level? Is she there?

No. Not even close.

What Phelps did in the sport of swimming is absolute insanity - he dominated two different strokes AND the medley races. I doubt we ever seen another swimmer male or female come anywhere near his accomplishments in our lifetime.

What Ledecky has done is spectacular, but she's a long distance freestyle specialist. She doesn't swim any other strokes competitively.

You're a baseball guy - Ledecky is like Mariano Rivera. One pitch that nobody can hit. One. Phelps is Clayton Kershaw, a guy who can get you out with 4 different pitches.

 

[Zow]

-Then there's the whole Last Supper and I'm not going to say a whole lot other than the religious offense is not offensive to me, I just thought it was inappropriate on this stage when we have women fighting to keep certain individuals from entering and taking over their sport, I'm treading lightly here.

Must resist... factual correction... ahhh

OK OK, you're right but could we not agree that at least the optics were bad?
Imagine the NFL doing that on opening night of the NFL season...you and I would be fine and laughing and carrying on but many would get upset and you know it and so does the NFL

Out of respect for Joe I'm not going to reply. I understand your point though.

And out of respect for a poster that I'm a fan of even when i might be the butt of the joke, I apologize if I offended you, it wasn't intentional
Thank You

Oh, I'm not offended at all - you were just very arguably incorrect in a factual assertion. All good!