Paris Olympics Week 1: NBC, Peacock, Watching lots of sports and Olympic Basketball

It’s the opening weekend of the Paris 2024 Olympics on this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast. Anne and I checked out over 15 sports each, discuss NBC and the Peacock app, and zero in on the USA’s win over Serbia in men’s basketball. Click on the player above to listen to the episode.

Discussion Notes for the Podcast:

Peacock:

• Why do you have Peacock? Do you know what you are paying? Love Island, watched by one of my daughters, is on Peacock.
• The Gold Zone is where there is the most guidance. This seems better than what NBC is doing. The GOLD MEDAL ALERT.
• The commercials just break in.

What sports have I watched?

Equestrian Eventing: I can’t see through the bush, said the announcer, but I know he was clever back there. Woods. A pond. “I’ll say it was an obstacle course for horses and times were important. Reminded me a bit of a crowd watching a cross country meet or a car race but short.

Rugby: I looked up how to score points. Not sure I learned a lot. Physical specimens. The ball has to actually touch the grass.

Tennis: 4 matches on at once. Weather, 20 degrees Celsius. Are the courts always clay? So is where you could start watching two random people and get into it?

Skateboarding, maybe it was called Street Boarding. It seemed like a game of basketball horse but with skating. Can anyone do this one? An American named Paige.

Fencing: the points are so short. The wire somehow helps know if a point was scored.

Mountain biking: looked liked laps. Much better trail than I’ve seen and I think we have a really good, or at least serious and demanding trail here in Boone, NC. They had been riding over 55 minutes. Drone coverage.

Badminton: I was surprised how much it looked like pickle ball. We bought a net once and just don’t quite have the concrete space. Maybe we should play in the yard. Maybe we should be playing badminton instead of pickle ball at my house.

Water polo: Could be a really fun sport to play in a smaller pool. How long could we play?

Beach volleyball: net right in line with the Eiffel Tower.

Kayaking / slalom: we have an Olympic center in Charlotte.

Men’s skiff. Windsurfing / Sailing: mountains and like a sand castle in the background. Cluster of 12 boats on the water. Dudes in tights parralel to the water, just a couple of feet. Graphics showed Mark 1, the currents. Gate 2.

Boxing. Archery. Handball.

Greece v Canada in men’s basketball:

• Shay Gilgeous Alexander big hoops late and a Dort 3.
• Chemistry is tough for players such as Giannis and his teammates he doesn’t play with a lot and all the pros on the Canada team.
• How do you build chemistry with a team? Triggers. Playing SSGs.

USA Men vs. Serbia:

• starting line ups. Holiday, Embiid, James, Curry, Booker. (subs: White, Edwards, Bam, KD,
• Enough shooting around Jokic. Basketball can be simple. A lot going on offensive scheme wise.
• 1st QTR: Derrick White standing out on D. KD comes in and hits two. Serbia has shooting and looks like they have a lot going on on offense, making use of Jokic with the ball watching screening actions.
• We still have reviews.
• Horn is different. Getting lots of different stuff.
• D Wade: be the difference, this ain’t soccer bro, ball moves better in the 2nd unit, “I know him personally,”
• Sweet Caroline playing in the arena!

Other questions and observations:

1. What would be your Olympic sport? Best at? Fun to try?
2. How many of the sports have you played? Click here for list of sports.
3. I don’t really know what Paris looks like.
4. Why is the olympic symbol what it is? Click here for history, especially what the five rings stood for.
5. Watching the Olympics are an incredible question generating activity.
6. Where are the new few Olympics? Click here.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!