Rio Olympics 2016

In reply to alfadriver: It looks like the dorms might be the least of their problems. I'm not a big sports fan but I enjoy the Olympics.

RevRico wrote: I still don't get the olympics, other than being a distraction every election year. Like good for you, you can run fast or swim fast. These are survival skills, not career options, and with this whole workout trend thing, it's a lot more fun watching first timers than people running for a living. A girl I grew up with made the cut in 12 for luge, or was supposed to make the cut I don't really pay attention. Skateboarding on your back. Not even a survival skill, just an interesting way to die. But what do I know, I think hockey is a real sport.

we drive economy cars around cones... i dont know if we are the ones to say anything...

Wall-e wrote: In reply to alfadriver: It looks like the dorms might be the least of their problems. I'm not a big sports fan but I enjoy the Olympics.

Other than the hockey team, the 1980 Winter Olympics were a disaster, too. In a different way, but a disaster. Not just because of the prison cells the athletes stayed in.

Not to say that Rio is doing a bang up job. Just that we need to preface our complaints sometimes.

I don't think it's fair that our professional basketball players get to compete in the Olympics but our professional wrestlers do not. If the Olympics is light on anything it's guys being thrown through folding tables.

JG Pasterjak wrote: I don't think it's fair that our professional basketball players get to compete in the Olympics but our professional wrestlers do not. If the Olympics is light on anything it's guys being thrown through folding tables.

Look up Sajad Gharibi, also known as "The Iranian Hulk." I don't know if he's in the Olympics but he's a power lifter over there who is apparently considering a professional wrestling career.

I think he'd fit right in.

Professional golfers dropping out is the perfect example of why the Olympics should not allow professionals in any sport.

When someone says "how would you like the chance to become an Olympic gold medalist?" and you say "nah - I have too much money/fame/babes/etc on the line with my current career," you know something is fishy.

And don't give me the line about how "if pros are out then how do we know the ams are the best". The pros are already "too good" for the Olympics, see above.

Joe Gearin wrote: I heard a report on NPR from a reporter who had taken a boat ride in the bay where they will be having the sailing and distance swimming competitions. He saw a dead horse floating in the water! He also saw a bunch of 55 gallon drums floating around, and oil slicks. The reporter also mentioned how one of the rowing teams had become ill after practicing. Sounds lovely!

So Rio is turning the water event into an auto-cross? I assume barrels are 2 seconds? How many seconds do you get added on for tipping over a dead horse?

Robbie wrote: Professional golfers dropping out is the perfect example of why the Olympics should not allow professionals in any sport. When someone says "how would you like the chance to become an Olympic gold medalist?" and you say "nah - I have too much money/fame/babes/etc on the line with my current career," you know something is fishy. And don't give me the line about how "if pros are out then how do we know the ams are the best". The pros are already "too good" for the Olympics, see above.

I think that had more to do with the format of the Olympics. They basically made it just another tournament. What incentive did the pros have to go down there? Anyone who knows golf knows that it won't be a major test. And they already have international competitions in golf that have been around for almost 100 years (Ryder, Walker, President). There just isn't much point to it from the golfers eyes--especially because there isn't any tradition with it. Like it or not, golf is all about tradition, and so is the Olympics.

Klayfish wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: There are something like 450,000 condoms being distributed in the Olympic village. Sounds like that place should be a party!!

That should cover the US basketball team...what will the rest of the athletes do?

nepa03focus wrote:

Klayfish wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: There are something like 450,000 condoms being distributed in the Olympic village. Sounds like that place should be a party!!

That should cover the US basketball team...what will the rest of the athletes do?

Have you seen the paternity suits and child support of those guys? I don't think they are familiar with condoms, or self control for that matter.

Only things I will be watching are the cycling events (road race, time trial, track, bmx, mountain biking). Other than that, meh.

Robbie wrote: Professional golfers dropping out is the perfect example of why the Olympics should not allow professionals in any sport. When someone says "how would you like the chance to become an Olympic gold medalist?" and you say "nah - I have too much money/fame/babes/etc on the line with my current career," you know something is fishy. And don't give me the line about how "if pros are out then how do we know the ams are the best". The pros are already "too good" for the Olympics, see above.

Since this is the first time for a LONG time that Golf is an Olympic sport, I don't think it's a good example of why pros are bad.

When you see some of the other professional athletes play- well.... Seems to work pretty well. Which is a lot of other sports, BTW- including Track and Field, swimming, biking, and perhaps gymnastics. (ignoring the big sports)

Quite a few riders dropped out of the biggest race of the year to concentrate on the Olympics over the last few weeks.

The Hoff wrote:

nepa03focus wrote:

Klayfish wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: There are something like 450,000 condoms being distributed in the Olympic village. Sounds like that place should be a party!!

That should cover the US basketball team...what will the rest of the athletes do?

Have you seen the paternity suits and child support of those guys? I don't think they are familiar with condoms, or self control for that matter.

Hey, it can be enough of a struggle just trying to remember all of their names.

https://youtu.be/ZpSwaVclOgU

We know an athlete who will be competing in the swimming competitions: Rex Tullius, grandson of Group 44 Triumph racer Bob Tullius. Wishing him all the best in the pool--and out of it!

Margie

alfadriver wrote: When you see some of the other professional athletes play- well.... Seems to work pretty well. Which is a lot of other sports, BTW- including Track and Field, swimming, biking, and perhaps gymnastics. (ignoring the big sports)

I'll bet the proportion of pro track and field competitors is really, really low. Maybe a couple of sprinters, a sponsored marathon runner or two and possibly even a pole vaulter. But most of them, competing in the goofier disciplines like javelin, hurdles or the multisport combinations? They might get some money to help with bills, but I'll bet every one of them has a real job. The lucky ones will only have to work part time.

Golf as an Olympic sport? That's goofy. I guess there are collegiate competitions, but it's hard to take that one seriously.

The fun thing about track and field is how clearly it comes from old military events.

Keith Tanner wrote:

alfadriver wrote: When you see some of the other professional athletes play- well.... Seems to work pretty well. Which is a lot of other sports, BTW- including Track and Field, swimming, biking, and perhaps gymnastics. (ignoring the big sports)

I'll bet the proportion of pro track and field competitors is really, really low. Maybe a couple of sprinters, a sponsored marathon runner or two and possibly even a pole vaulter. But most of them, competing in the goofier disciplines like javelin, hurdles or the multisport combinations? They might get some money to help with bills, but I'll bet every one of them has a real job. The lucky ones will only have to work part time. Golf as an Olympic sport? That's goofy. I guess there are collegiate competitions, but it's hard to take that one seriously. The fun thing about track and field is how clearly it comes from old military events.

There's a pro tour for all of T&F. They may earn based on the popularity, sure. Doesn't mean they are not pros.

But, like swimming, there are qualifiers who come from collegiate ranks.

I guess I define "pro" as "making an exclusive living doing something. Can you really subsist as a professional javelinist?

I'm thinking primarily of the US, not those countries that place a higher priority on national sports and support their atheletes. Unless I've really misread the situation in the US.

In reply to Keith Tanner Earning enough to live on is very relative.

edit- and it turns out There is a new pro league in the US

I just watch it to find out how I should feel about social issues from Bob Costas.

alfadriver wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner Earning enough to live on is very relative. edit- and it turns out There is a new pro league in the US

I'm thinking "living like a college student and being able to travel to your competitions" level. Not supporting a family of four.

KyAllroad wrote: There are something like 450,000 condoms being distributed in the Olympic village. Sounds like that place should be a party!!

Nah man, those are just for smuggling all that pure columbian back to their representative countries.....

Keith Tanner wrote:

alfadriver wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner Earning enough to live on is very relative. edit- and it turns out There is a new pro league in the US

I'm thinking "living like a college student and being able to travel to your competitions" level. Not supporting a family of four.

And? Not really different than a lot of the public. The low of the low in the Golf tour is the same way. Just like racing, too.

Here is an interesting comparision looking at just track and field which is gets more money than most sports:

From here: Olympic athlete salaries

There are also opportunities in other world sporting competitions that have prize money, though that involves being in the top ten in a given sport. For example, Jack Wickens, USA Track and Field Foundation Board directory, evaluated the income of track and field athletes and found the following:

Income depends on event; sprints and marathons competitions pay the most.

-About 20% of top 10 American T&F athletes make over $50K annually.

-Less than $15K annually is what about 50% of T&F (Track and Field) athletes who rank in the top 10 in the U.S. This is from all sources: sponsorships, grants, prize money, etc.). Anyone below top 10 ranking in the USA likely has little to no income or funding from their sporting activity.

-The top 10 runners in the world in this sport can earn $100K annually, while the top 2 can do far better. Runners in the 11-25th positions range from $10K to $60K annually, either doing moderately well in a given year or poorly.

-All other runners below these rankings tend to have other jobs.

-Top triathletes can make $50-100K annually. Some make over $1M annually (e.g., Chrissie Wellington and Chris McCormack.) The rest might top out at $20K.

-Those who do not get sponsored or get hired under OJOP or compete in other athletic events typically hold down regular jobs that give them some flexibility to train, including but not limited to being “typical” work having a physical component: coaches, fitness instructors, golf club staff. Though some end up doing odd jobs at seasonal events. For example, snowboarder Tyler Jewell sold sausages at a state fair in New Mexico, amongst other gigs. As he pointed out, it’s difficult to have a full-time job when training sessions run 5 hours (or more) per day.

I have a cousin who was racing at the world level in cross-country skiing. She lived like a student and traveled to competitions - and couldn't do it without holding down a part-time job. That's not a pro gig by my understanding.

From BMW's numbers, sounds like it might be possible to survive as a pro at the very, very top level. Like, 2-3 people per event.

So a personal story to match up with the numbers. One of my wrestling coaches in HS and a good friend now was trying to earn a spot on the 92 Olympic team. As part of his efforts, I trained with him and made my own run at the 92 Olympic team. For me it was more of a learning event for me as I was a junior in HS and a long ways away from truly being a world class athlete.

We would routinely spend between 5-6 hours a day working out between the on the mat work, weight training, and endurance building. It was like an almost full time job with the amount of time we were spending getting ready. Between that time and efforts, the travel to the different coaching camps, and the travel to the tournaments it was about $4-6K in expenses with car pooling and sharing hotel rooms, etc.

Without a job or a sponsor, there is no way for a lower tier athlete to survive for long. It's a shame that we don't do a better job of supporting our athletes. I know I support our Olympic athletes where I can because I know what they go through. The sad thing is that they get better support in College then they do once they get out into the international competition.