Topic: 2016 Olympic Games Thread

So the Olympics are upon us again and like many I will be watching as much as I can. Some events that I am looking forward to are Soccer, basketball, wrestling, track and field, water polo and some of the martial arts.

Any events or athletes you guys looking forward to watching?

I'm most interested in watching Rugby Sevens, Track and Field, Gymnastics, and BMX.

Even though I'm not very interested in watching Golf, I think it's cool that this is the first year it's in the Olympics since 1904!

Depending on what I can catch, I'd like to see some Boxing, Fencing, Martial Arts, Beach Volleyball, Table Tennis, & some Soccer (Psst. don't tell my dad about that last one, lol). I'm sure I'll also catch some Swimming & Golf though, because that's what my father's into. Of course, I'm also really looking forward to the Opening Ceremony, which is always a treat.

I wish the best for the athletes & guests though, as it seems the condition down there is quite terrible with the Zika outbreak, Polluted venues, and Crime (one of the 5 hospitals recommended for tourists was stormed by armed gunmen a few weeks ago, I remember seeing on CNN).

Gymnastics and aquatics for me...though it's going to be tough for the latter in Rio...

I can't believe it's been 4 years since the London games,scary how fast time can go.

My main hope is that it's even on Thai TV,the London games were on but instead of our usual English speaking Malaysian coverage we get for most sport events,we got awful Thai coverage and commentary instead.Not speaking much Thai myself it's really hard to get into a lot of the events when you don't know what's going on.With the way things have been going here lately though it might not be shown at all.I suppose I can stream it on my laptop but with my wifi ,streams are a bit stop start.I was supposed to be going back to Scotland for a visit next week so I assumed I'd catch the most of it back home but my plans changed today so I'll be here for another month.

As for what I'll be watching if it is on TV,the football ,tennis and athletics definitely. Hoping for another Murray gold to follow up his success at Wimledon and keep his confidence high going into the US Open.And if I'm lucky enough to get English commentary I can practically watch any event and enjoy it somewhat.Except speedwalking haha

@OorWullie I was sitting in Centre Court when Murray beat Raonic about four Sunday's ago!

I do hope he can repeat the success of 2012/2013 when he won the Olympic gold medal, then Wimbledon for the first time followed by the US Open.

A shame that the Australian Open continues to elude him after being in the final (against Federer or Djokovic) four or five times. I just don't know what more he can do there, and I was actually there to see him play too!

If you can't tell, I am a huge tennis fan and have flown all over to see various Masters (Indian Wells and Monte Carlo respectively) and all four Grand Slams over the years.

On top of that, I am eager to see how Bolt gets on in his trio of 100M, 200M and the 4X100M relay. The new Mondo track on top of good warm conditions could see more world records been broken.

@Peek-a-boo That's quality,I would love to experience a Wimbledon final.I've been meaning to go to the Thai Open in Bangkok the last few years but I always seem to have no time when it comes around.Maybe next year.

I've always been a fan of tennis myself,I watched the Slams growing up and would be outside playing on makeshift courts with my pals during Wimbledon but these last few years having a fellow Scot at the top of the game and being successful makes it even better.Us Scots don't get much sporting success so to have someone as good as Murray to support is amazing.

As for the Australian Open,I think if he can win the US this year he'll have the momentum to go on and finally do it.There's been such fine lines between losing and winning with the top 4,I believe Murray is as good as Djokovic in everything but his mindset and if certain games or single shots even in past semis and finals went the other way,it could be Murray sitting on at least 6 or 7 slams.Murray can be his own worst enemy at times,he loses it at crucial moments of the match when things aren't going his way.The French final was strange,he had just gone one set up and well on top and then he lost it and started shouting at his box and went on to lose the set 1v6.Djok had him then and it was obvious Murray wasn't going to come back from it.Djok and then Fed and Nadal when they were at their best,don't do that,Djok can sometimes lose his cool for a game or 2,a set even but he nearly always recovers from it.That's what consistent success gives you though I suppose.That's why I think this Olympics and US could be huge for Murray,he'll have the momentum and edge over Djok going into the new season if he goes and wins both.Then who knows he might then go on a run and pick up a few more.A career Grand Slam would be a fantastic achievement.

@OorWullie I have already got both the Madrid and Rome Masters (before Roland Garros) in mind next May. I like to watch the tennis, and enjoy the sights and sounds of what both cities have to offer, although Rome is somewhere familiar to me anyway.

It is great planning a holiday around the tennis; Indian Wells in California is 'up the road' from where the Coachella festival plays, and Monte Carlo is just a really beautiful (but very expensive!) place to be.

I love Andy Murray. The perception that he is always grumpy, never smiles and dreary to be around just doesn't apply to him off the court, or when he wins a Grand Slam - he was crying his eyes out at Wimbledon!

His brother Jamie is great too. I like how they don't watch each other's matches very often, because they both feel like a burden or 'bad luck'.

I like Amelie Mauresmo, but it was becoming more obvious that he was directing his frustrations towards her and his team in the box, especially in the final at the Australian Open. Lendl in comparison doesn't suffer this wave of audible anger; just look how much calmer he was at Wimbledon.

As for Djokovic, I feel that Andy will always walk out onto the court with a 'I have already loss' mentality against him, which was somewhat evidential at the Australian Open in January.

For him to win the first set so convincingly at the French Open then collapsed in the manner that he did so soon afterwards shows the psychological edge Djokovic has over Murray. Who knows if this spell will ever be broken...

Anyway, it is nice to chat to a fellow tennis fan!

Woman's Soccer started today which Team USA has a game so I am looking forward to that.

Pardon for the double post. What a great proformance by the Canadian woman's Soccer team winning their match with a player down. Though I have to question Australia's goalie coming out as far as she did giving Canada an easy goal.

Yeah, I was pretty excited so see the Soccer has started (we briefy passed by the channel that was showing it), unfortunately my father hates Soccer so we won't get to see it. I did see the US was up 2-0 over New Zealand, though

@RR529 Not sure why you can't watch soccer just cause your dad hates it. Just cause you're watching it doesnt mean he has too, but whatever.

Some great soccer action today the ref in the Germany game had me scratching my head so many calls she should have made but didnt like a handball for one. Still US won their first match which was great. Now I am looking forward to men's soccer tomorrow.

We only have two TVs hooked up to the cable. The main one which he was watching, and one in my bro's room (and he, understandably) doesn't like people going in his room.

I guess I could have streamed it(?), but my tablet was charging at the time.

@RR529 Yeah you can stream them at NBCOlympics.com

Have to be honest, I forgot all about the Olympics till someone mentioned it this week.

But Athletics and Tennis seem the most interesting for me. Maybe that's just because I actually recognise some of the athletes taking part unlike in a lot of the other sports.

Downloaded the NBC Sports app to my tablet, so I can watch what I want, when I want.

I tested it out by watching a replay of yesterday's women's Soccer match between the US & New Zealand. I made it though the first half, but that was about all I could handle, lol (I'm sure I'd probably enjoy it a bit more if I was aware of the more technical aspects of the game). Still, it was nice to get a little taste of the Olympics.

So, anyone else watch the opening ceremony?

I thought it was a well made show, but (outside of maybe Vancouver 2010, which I don't remember well) I thought it was the weakest one I've seen (I started with Beijing 2008).

@RR529 I liked it. They did some really clever stuff with the projectors. NBC's camera director sucked, though. They kept going for close shots that ignored the entire spectacle.

Anyway, I'm really glad there wasn't a terrorist attack during the ceremony. These past months it has felt like those were happening everywhere and, if they hit an important global event such as this, it could take the world to a really dark place politically.

Me!

I thought it was pretty good, overall. I liked the fireworks, and the projectors were used very well.

So far today I've watched:

• Table Tennis match between America's youngest competitor in the sport (he was 16), and a veteran Iranian player. Fun to watch, but unfortunately our guy lost (I think the event is still in the pretty early stages, though).
• Archery match between the US & China teams. this one was pretty fun to watch as well, and I believed we won. I think they said it was the quarterfinal.
• The final in the Women's 10M Air Rifle. One of our American girls won the gold (the two Chinese competitors won Silver & Bronze). While I'm glad we won, I didn't find it all that exciting to watch.

May try to get in some Boxing before I have to charge my tablet.