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Monday Night Flashback Open Thread: Olympic Fever

Yes, they are on a time delay that doesn’t work in today’s world. Yes, the announcers are incredibly annoying. But it’s the Olympics, and, truth be told, I bought a new aerial antenna for the occasion. 

They happen every four years, but I’ll tell you the Summer Olympics I remember the most. The 1984 Olympic games, held in L.A. are the ones  I remember. My brother and I spent the better part of two weeks in our basement, watching the games.  It makes sense that these games would stick out to me – since the U.S. boycotted the 1980 games in Moscow, these were THE games of my childhood.

This summer, my kids are four and seven, and they can’t get enough of team USA. Which Olympic games stick out in your mind? Why?

18 replies on “Monday Night Flashback Open Thread: Olympic Fever”

In writing the about the Olympics, I find that certain parts of many stick out to me:  The 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona, the opening ceremony (and the strange walking giants) in the winter Olympics 1992  France, The 1996 US gymnastics team, The US basket ball, Dream team, of 1992,  Michael Phelps in Beijing, and Mary Lou Retton in the 1984 Olympics.  So many great moments that stick with me!

But you are right, I hate the NBC broadcast.  The have done a bit better this year by in-cooperating some live broadcasts (either online or on certain cable channels).  I miss being able to watch them on the BBC, which I did for the Beijing Olympics.

I guess my fondest Olympus memories from my youth are when Zeus used to come down that mountain all ticked off and… what? Oh. Oops.

It’s a rainy Tuesday in Raleigh. This is not helping my motivation to Get Things Done. Eh. I need to come up with some lists and start shakin’…

I enjoy (but don’t get super into) the olympics. They’re neat, I was born during the summer ’84 games, but I’m not super invested. I’ll watch the events when they’re on but I skip the commentary/interviews.

In other news, I’m moved! YAY! But the roomie with the internet isn’t moved in yet, and the student buses for the university (where I work) aren’t running until next Wednesday. And I don’t have the $30 for a bus pass. ARGH.

I remember the summer games in Sydney for only one reason- watching Simon Whitfield win the first ever men’s triathlon. It was awesome and I was 11- total flashbulb memory.

But. My best Olympic memories will always be watching the Vancouver games and feeling so patriotic. It was a magical time.

THE GOLDEN GOAL, you guys. Nothing in the summer games can top it!

(Also, I like the new P-Mag toolbars we’re getting at the top of the screen!)

This is me re: the Olympics:

I can’t be the only one who feels this way, right? Guys? Hello? ….I’ll be in the corner.

OT: I spent a good part of my morning on the phone with my pet insurance company, trying to figure out why the hell it is so hard to cancel a policy/get refunded. I’ve been waiting two weeks for a refund that was consistently taking “1-3 business days” to process. The guy on the phone today was kind enough to let me know that, despite two other reps telling me otherwise, the policy had not been cancelled, let alone paperwork done for a refund. I finally had to put them on blast on their Facebook page and magically, the policy was cancelled a few hours later. How quickly I’ll get the refund remains to be seen. This is the same company that raised my yearly premium nearly $100 per cat (I have 3 insured) and told me it was due to state regulations when really, they changed the underwriting company who apparently told them they were undercharging their clients. I’ve heard some people’s premiums went up nearly $300 a year.

I also found out that the other two policies I have are essentially useless and they would likely refuse any claim for those two cats so I will have to go through the same cancellation headache again. These cats are lucky they are cute, otherwise they would have to get a job to start saving for their medical fund.

Proof of cute:

I’m with you on the Olympics for the most part. I can’t even remember the last winter one’s just a couple of years ago. But I do love watching certain sports, mainly because I like the sport and not because it’s THE OLYMPICS and I must have random love of my country that I otherwise ignore.

Also, boo insurance companies for being dumb and overcharging.

Seoul are the first ones I can remember, with the tiger mascot and that song. There was also some mesmerizing traditional-seeming Korean (I wouldn’t know, the performers at least had folk-ish costumes on for that bit) vocal piece at the closing ceremony.

I haven’t been watching much at all this time. I don’t like the crazed medal hunt, and the constant comparisons of who’s got more, and the overblown patriotic pride aspect, it’s tacky. I like the part where all these people who have trained themselves silly for years to be there, get to hang out and party and hook up with other really fit types from across the whole wide world in the Olympic village. That sounds like something I can get behind. But they don’t show that on TV.

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