XXIX Olympiad (Otherwise known as the 2008 Olympic Games)

[kinboshi]

Is it just me, or does anyone else love the Olympics?  Two weeks of wall-to-wall sport.

I'm looking forward to all the athletics (which I enjoy outside the Olympics anyway), but it's the events I only watch when it's the Olympics, such as the weightlifting, gymnastics and cycling (we should win some medals in that as well) that make it special.  Won't be watching the sailing or the equestrian events, although I'll probably be watching most of the rest.

[dino1980]

The Olympics are awesome, only time I get genuinely interested in swimming, the tiathlon and cycling amongst other things. Although that dressage semms pointless! I can remember as a seven year old during the Seoul Olympics in 88' getting up at 3a.m or there abouts to watch whatever they were showing. From memory my favourite has to be the 1992 Olympics purely for the success of GB.

[Suited_Jock]

If im being honest i much prefer the winter olympics.. none of the sports really excite me barring perhaps womens gymnastics and volleyball.

[AndrewT]

I watched some of the athletics from Crystal Palace on the telly on Friday night and thought the organisational skills shown were a vindication of the decision to award London the Olympics when they managed to put the hurdles in the wrong place for the first leg of the heptathlon. Eight athletes all coming to the third set of hurdles finding their stride patterns were completely out of sync - brilliant.

Athletics within the Olympics is good to watch, as it's what the sport is all about, but I just don't see the point of it outside the major championships. Essentially, the whole 'season' is just a warmup. It's like if football teams played nine months of pre-season friendlies to warmup for two league games in May which decide the champions.

I do think the British athletics squad for this year is the least obnoxious I can remember, seeing as we're rubbish at sprinting again.

And Kelly Sotherton, obv.

[AndrewT]

Also, don't the Olympics totally not work for people with jobs this year from a time difference perspective - all in the middle of the night and morning?

[dino1980]

Also, don't the Olympics totally not work for people with jobs this year from a time difference perspective - all in the middle of the night and morning?

Yeah think the day finishes about 5pm GMT. So...

bbc steaming/iplayer/nightly highlights show at somwehere around 7pm-8pm ftw

[Woodsey]

Can't wait for the Olympics, I love it aswell. I'm a big athletics fan but I also love watching other random stuff that I would never normally watch, like Cycling, Gymnastics and the lovely Gail Emms in the Badminton

[Graham C]

I was chatting with a couple of mates the other day about it.  One said that he wasn't fussed so me and my other mate disowned him briefly!  Totally love it, I'll watch anything in it, it's a great opportunity to watch sports that you never otherwise see and I can't wait. 

The timings are ok for us here, we have a telebox so will have it on in the mornings

[gatso]

most of it's pretty good but they should definitely ditch the swimming, utterly boring and the coverage goes on for hours. or at least make the girls wear bikinis.

I'm hoping the baseball gets some decent coverage. also looking forward to footy, hockey, tennis, cycling (road, track, bmx and mountain), boxing and of course the beach volleyball.

[Woodsey]

Agree with you about the swimming totally

[TheChipPrince]

I love the swimming commentary  ''and its Van den Hoogenband approaching the line''...

[AndrewT]

most of it's pretty good but they should definitely ditch the swimming, utterly boring and the coverage goes on for hours. or at least make the girls wear bikinis.

I'm hoping the baseball gets some decent coverage. also looking forward to footy, hockey, tennis, cycling (road, track, bmx and mountain), boxing and of course the beach volleyball.

I have never, ever, seen any Olympics baseball shown on British telly.

Even with all the extra interactive and streaming coverage this year I think you'll be lucky to see baseball.

[DaveShoelace]

My old housemate used to be a competitive swmmer and just missed out on the Olympics and I was force fed swimming during the Olympics, still not a big fan. You should have seen some of the women he invited to his wedding, stunning women with shoulders like Arnie.

I love the Olympics, Kelly Holmes and the sprint relay team last time round had me screaming as much as any footy match

[DaveShoelace]

Oh and watching America get spanked in the basketball was good too

[steeveg]

after this years Olympics someone will be a houehold name,Victoria Pendleton should do very well,shes a very attractive intelligent girl with a lovely personality,
but Rebecca Romerro could be the 1 who has the glory for me, i have read she looks nailed on to win gold in the woman's individual persuit ,cycling,she had to retire from rowing because of a back injury after she won a silver in the rowing at the last olympics, to win a medal in 2 different sports at the olympics is a fantastic achievement,so i couldn't believe the odds of 40/1 for Rebecca to be sportsman of the year,littlie saver on Pendleton as well