skatingforums
Announcements and Introductions => Media Center => Topic started by: Query on July 04, 2012, 03:26:31 PM
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http://NBCOlympics.com is fully streaming the Summer Olympics live this year. Though the explanation makes it sound like it may only be available to people whose TV cable/phone/satellite connection includes certain sports channels paid for.
Regardless, that is very cool. I wonder if they will do it for the next Winter Olympics.
Anyway, I've been watching some of the Olympic trials on NBC Sports. Athlete's bodies are shaped so differently in different sports. E.g., Swimming and gymnastics (especially the men). Also very different from figure skating bodies.
If what the commentators say is accurate, gymnastics is a lot like skating used to be perceived before the new IJS - lots of things are pure politics. The commentators frequently say the judges are wrong - and the video proves it. There are back room deals on who is selected from the U.S. to go to the Olympics, and one person is considered largely responsible for most of the decisions. Except for the top 1 or 2, the decision is largely independent of your overall scores. Perceived psychological toughness is as important as athletic performance to that decision. Seems strange, for a "sport".