The Olympics are coming. And can I go on record by saying that (gasp!) I do not like the Olympics? Go ahead, start hating on me now.Nope. I do not like the Opening Ceremonies. I do not like the Closing Ceremonies. I do not like that they cram sports like figure skating, downhill skiing, and basketball down my throat until I want to vomit. I don't like how the Americans come in at the Opening Ceremonies acting like fools, videotaping themselves. I don't like the endless Olympic analysis (like I care about the results) and I definitely don't like that my fav TV shows are put on hold until the silliness is over. And I definitely don't like the drama that is induced over sports. It all just passes me by.
I know I'm going to bring on the hate comments, but I despise ice skating. I think it is insipid and boring. I hate the costumes, the music, and the endless hours of lady's singles, men's singles, couples skating, speed skating, and then the most ridiculous of them all---ice dancing. Oh god, just the thought of that crap being forced onto my family room TV makes me want to poke myself in the eyes to prevent it all. Thank god for cable, that's all I've got to say.
Well, I still have more to say here, actually.
I like the sports that don't get crammed down our throats---and get no coverage. I like odd sports that you don't always hear of and they actually have to explain how they score it. I like to learn something new about sports I am not familiar with.
Give me the biathlon, where the athletes cross country ski and then have to shoot at targets. Give me some luge and bobsleds that suddenly lose their brakes on the course and they crash and burn at the end. Give me boxing--I actually like boxing. And my favorite........
Give me curling.
Damn, I love curling! And IF they decide to bless us with Olympic Curling coverage, it is usually at some god-forsaken hour like 2 or 3 a.m. IF I am lucky.
If I would be an Olympian, curling is my sport. I mean, what other sport features middle-aged women in black polyester pants sweeping? I love a sport that allows its athletes time to down a cold one while the opponents are competing. I know they don't do that---but they could. Have you noticed how much time there is between shots??
And sweeping! Don't even go there! I LOVE sweeping and I'm good at it. I would so kick curling ass sweeping that ice.
So, humor me--tune in to curling if you are watching that hell otherwise known as the Olympics. You'll have to get up really early or stay home from work a few days because the networks don't cover the really cool sports like curling during the prime viewing hours. And they definitely don't make stars out of the curling guys like the did that silly drug-smoking, Frankenstein-esque, freak-a-zoid Michael Phelps.
But they should--curling rocks.
28 comments:
How about the inane theme song that leads every cotton pickin commercial in ....and out. Like a king and his entourage are about to enter....every 13 minutes. I am pleased we (chicagoans) were spared hosting this crap. Fran's Dad
Hey Lin...I am so with you...but, I must confess, I have never heard of curling; I need to go check this out! :)
A Marie never heard of curling?????? She beat me here but not on a Hobbes day!!!!!!!!!
Happy weekend.
I gave up tv about 5 years ago.
Bart Conner went to Niles West. Then he married Nadia C. Now he is somehow a relative of one of our clients. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I haven't watched any Olympics since about the time of Mark Spitz I think.
Oh no. No. No. No. No. No. You are all wrong. You are NOT the only person that hates the Olympics. Please, come sit next to me and we'll make fun of the male ice skaters in spandex and the swimmers tiny speedos (I hate both seasons). I am not a fan - curling or otherwise.
I'm with you on the curling. I could curl, I can sweep like nobodies business. I suggested to my sisters that we start our own curling team and go to the olympics. They walked away without answering.
Are you in? We could kick some olympic sweeping ass!
Fran's Dad--Whew! I'm not alone! Oh, the DRAMA--ugh. It's gonna be two weeks of hell.
A.Marie--Oh, you're gonna LOVE curling, A.Marie! It's like shuffleboard on ice WITH sweeping! I'm not sure why it is considered a sport, but hey, I'm going with it. At least it is a sport where I could qualify.
Helene--It seems to be a business now, doesn't it? Why do they insist on pushing certain athletes down our throats like we care?? Ugh. Phelps was the worst--they kept trying to say how "handsome" he is (like Mark Spitz) but the dude is freaky looking! Now Spitz was a different story....
DG--Oh, c'mon--you gotta love curling at least. I'm telling you, it is a sport where you can compete AND drink. And all that sweeping?? Gosh, what's not to love??!
Buggys--IN!! Okay, we got two on our team. How many do we need? 4?? Who else is in? I love when I say this to folks and they all look at me like your sisters did. They just don't get it, do they?
Ah curling . . . It's like shuffleboard with boulders. And without the sticks and hockey pucks -- or are those skeet targets. Speaking of skeet, It a pity that you cant further control your curling stone's path by shooting at it with a 12-gauge shotgun. I'd stay up to watch that. I've already recorded a bunch of Bogart movies and Bob and Bing in the "Road to" series.
I don't "do" sports but I've thought curling was a hoot - holds my attention for about a minute and a half - which is more than most sports. Ice skating was more enjoyable when they were skating instead of flinging themselves about - it's all about how many jumps and twirls instead of the gracefulness - I love dancing in any form -
Check out Torvill and Dean - 1984 Olympics - "dancing" to Bolero. Looks easy? It's not, even if this was not the most complex routine. Ice dancing has very strict rules. Looks beautiful? You betcha - total amazingness
Hey Lin...why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel about the Olympics? Lol!
Dun te
dun dun dun
dun...
I don't care for them either. I have to be 'in the mood' (umm, that would be a weird mood, very unlike me) to watch a particular Olympic event...and there has to be nothing else on tv. Sometimes I'll watch the ice skating...but it's only because I want to see them mess up. Is that bad of me? Same with downhill skiing. Hell! Why watch otherwise? Who needs to see perfection every single time? It's the 'style' of the fall and how they handle it afterward.
I have a friend that curls for fun. She lives in Canada and belongs to a curling league.
I actually like the Olympics. Not the opening and closing ceremonies but I do like to watch the sports...
I hate to admit it but I have no idea what curling is. I'm with you on the olympics though, I never have and never will watch them
I LOOOOOOVE CURLING!!!!!!! I love the Olympics too. Ofcourse having DVR or Tivo helps b/c you're right some of the best stuff comes on at 2am. But now you can DVR the good stuff and watch it when you want :)
I think you should try out for the next US Curling team!!
Ha! Well, I don't quite share your antipathy to the rest of the Olympics, but I do like curling. And LUGE is so cool! There is a public luge run in Muskegon. One of these days I'm gonna get down there and do it!
Chuck--So, does that mean you like curling????
Grace--Okay, I get that it is tough--I just cannot watch it. I hate gymnastics too. I know, I know--I'm going to hell, but I'm going with my curling uniform on. :)
Lola--I just couldn't hold back on my Olympic rant today, sorry. And I'm with you on the 'crash and burn'. Who doesn't secretly watch for that??
Pricilla--Ooooh, I would love to try curling but the only place around here is about an hour north. I may have to put that on my bucket list.
Ann--Oh, it's like shuffleboard, but on ICE. It's sort of low key--hence the middle-aged women with black polyester pants sweeping description. It's really the only sport I would qualify for these days. It's just sort of a random sport that doesn't get much attention and that's why I like it.
Bee--Hey, Buggys and I are forming a team--are you in??
Stephanie--Now, wouldn't THAT be a hoot??! I imagine there is this whole world of curling that I didn't know existed. It would be right up there with the Hedgehog Olympics on something fun to do.
Sharky--Ooooh, that would be scary, wouldn't it?? I do like the luge AND The skeleton. Them are some brave folks to do that! We may need you to round out our curling team, Sharky. Are you in?
I've only seen curling once or twice and just can't figure it out. Why do they need to sweep? I guess I need to watch it again and figure things out!
Beaded Tail--Because everyone likes clean ice. Nooooo--it makes the ice faster or slower depending on how much you sweep. And you can make the stone drift off in a certain direction based on that as well. Oh, all that sweeping talk makes me want to go grab my broom.
My grandma used to like curling too. It actually looked kind of fun to play, but I didn't understand it at all. I remember her explaining it all to me one day. It's been a long time ago, so I don't remember it all, but I still understand the basics of this odd sport.
I'm all about the hockey, that's all I bother with.
Yes, I believe you are at your very best when curling Lin.. in front of the fireplace with that orange hairy thing :) Have a great weekend Lin :D
Be assured that I have been hating on you long before this. I am rather surprised that you don't like the winter Olympics more than you do. For driving around Chicago in the winter time is an awfully lot like bobsledding. By the way, you made the top dropper list again. So, go ahead and do your little happy dance.
I love the Olympics. From the carrying of the torch, opening ceremony and closing ceremony....
I don't like all the sporting events...just a few.
I mostly enjoy the personal stories done on many of the competing athletes.
Hope you can find something else to entertain you while it's on :)
Mmmmm....curling is pretty popular up here in the Great White North, perhaps you should move!
Yes Lin, I do like curling. Not the kind of curling that les femmes do with their hair, but the kind that done with stones on ice. I'm just saying that it could be a lot more interesting -- and dynamic -- if you added some of the aspects of triathalon with it. Like shooting and doing while wearing skis. That should really help the ratings. :-)
I have to both agree and disagree:
1. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE OLYMPICS!!! (no, not yelling, just really, really excited) I am obsessed. It's the history. It's the concept. It's the sexy bodies.
2. I too love the absurd sports. I DVR everything and obsess over things I've never heard of. They are so serious about pushing those little brooms, eh? (Being Canadian to get in the mood).
3. I'm give or take on most of the winter sports-boring. Background TV, really. BUT SUMMER? Everything about the summer ones is awesome to me.
Anywho, hopefully you make it through:)
Ratty--See, I like the odd sports that they have to explain. I'm gonna start the new craze of Curling fans! T-shirts and all!
Storm--Really? Do they fight as much during the Olympics as they do as professionals?
Vanilla7--LOL! We are Olympic champions in that sport, Vanilla. :)
Fish--Maybe that is why I don't like them--we do all that skating on a daily basis and I'm bored with it. I mean, I do a double axle just going to get the paper each day!
Roschelle--I think there is too much media-created drama when they talk about the athletes. Drama and sports just don't click for me. And I think the media tries to create stars out of the athletes--Phelps was the prime example. They kept saying how good looking he was when I think he is freaky. Mark Spitz he is not. Maybe the medals, but not the looks.
Hot Rocks--That's what I hear! I'm gonna have to move!
Chuck--I do have to admit that the sport does sort of get slow at times. That's why I'm suggesting a cold beer while you wait for your turn. Could get interesting, eh? Although I do like your shooting idea, but I think indoors, that might be a bit dangerous.
Nancy--I admire your love of all things Olympic. I wish we had more options regarding the coverage, that's all. I like the odd sports and I despise skating, gymnastics, and skiing which they think everyone likes. Ugh. Kill me with that crap. I like dressage, boxing, skeleton, curling--anything that you don't typically see around these parts.
You have got me cracking up with this one! I like ice skating, but I don't want to watch it for hours. I'm with you on the couples, singles, dance, etc. And, go ahead and sit down now, I.don't.like.curling.
The first time I was introduced was as a new reporter at the daily newspaper I worked at in Upstate NY. They sent me to cover that and I was bored outta my skull. I couldn't believe there was even such a thing. I thought they just didn't have nothing else better to do. LOL.
Petula--WHAT???! A curling hater?? Nooooooo! What if we drank cocktails in between turns? See--I think that's the beauty of that sport.
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