Tokyo Olympics ... [no foreign fans] [no fans period]

[Conor Dary]

Americans have NBA play-off, NFL preseason, MLB and NASCAR.

Exactly.....plenty for everyone....The Tour in July...

[Atticus]

There are ALWAYS plenty of sports for us to watch, but T&F depends on its quadrennial fix to sustain momentum with Joe Q Sixpack.

[Conor Dary]

There are ALWAYS plenty of sports for us to watch, but T&F depends on its quadrennial fix to sustain momentum with Joe Q Sixpack.

Momentum with Joe Sixpack left with Bolt.... those days are gone...

[bad hammy]

Momentum with Joe Sixpack left with Bolt.... those days are gone...

I doubt that 99.44% of Joe Sixpacks ever said anything like "Hey, lets change the channel so that we can watch Bolt" . . .

[Conor Dary]

I doubt that 99.44% of Joe Sixpacks ever said anything like "Hey, lets change the channel so that we can watch Bolt" . . .

No but they knew who he was...and still is...

Sportswriters in general would make references occasionally...

Otoh for instance Centrowitz has disappeared from the lexicon...

[Conor Dary]

Meanwhile...

Japan sees high rate of anaphylaxis after taking Pfizer vaccine


People in Japan who received Pfizer Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine seem to have suffered anaphylaxis at a higher rate than in the United States and Europe, the minister in charge of vaccination efforts said Wednesday.

"It's true, this seems to be more than in the United States and Europe," Taro Kono told a parliamentary committee.


https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...r-vaccine.html

[18.99s]

I doubt that 99.44% of Joe Sixpacks ever said anything like "Hey, lets change the channel so that we can watch Bolt" . . .

During the last Olympics, my Joe Sixpack co-workers have asked me if and when Bolt is running tonight (they know I'm Jamaican) and some of them actually tuned in to watch.

And although I am a Joe Sixpack to most other sports, if I switch to a channel during the Olympics and see a sport going on and they say a big name is about to compete later (e.g. Phelps, Biles, Gabby Douglas), I stay on the channel. I expect many Joe Sixpacks have done the same when they heard Bolt is going to run a little later.

[bad hammy]

Ah, your friends are either part of the .56% or the Jamaican connection skews the results!

[Atticus]

And although I am a Joe Sixpack to most other sports, if I switch to a channel during the Olympics and see a sport going on and they say a big name is about to compete later (e.g. Phelps, Biles, Gabby Douglas), I stay on the channel. I expect many Joe Sixpacks have done the same when they heard Bolt is going to run a little later.

There seems to be a lot of pooh-poohing Joe Sixpack's knowledge base of Oly (T&F) athletes, but as the track coach at our school, I had lots of lunch conversations in the Fall after OGs that made it abundantly clear that the TV had done a very thorough job of propagandizing. They knew lots of names and performances.

[NotDutra5]

There seems to be a lot of pooh-poohing Joe Sixpack's knowledge base of Oly (T&F) athletes, but as the track coach at our school, I had lots of lunch conversations in the Fall after OGs that made it abundantly clear that the TV had done a very thorough job of propagandizing. They knew lots of names and performances.

Yeah. During the Olympics, including the Winter Olympics, my office conversation is typically about the previous night or day's events. Very American centric but the interest is there.

[Conor Dary]

Japan to stage Tokyo Olympics without overseas fans

Public concern over the coronavirus and the spread of more contagious variants led to decision, officials say


The government has decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, officials with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.

The government and the Japanese organizing committee of the Summer Games are expected to hold a remote meeting with the International Olympic Committee and two other bodies possibly next week to make a formal decision on the issue of overseas visitors.

The government has concluded that welcoming fans from abroad is not possible given concerns among the Japanese public over the coronavirus and the fact that more contagious variants have been detected in many countries, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...mpics-no-fans/

[TN1965]

I doubt that 99.44% of Joe Sixpacks ever said anything like "Hey, lets change the channel so that we can watch Bolt" . . .

And 99+% of Joe Sixpacks would not flip the channel for Biles, Ledecky or any other Olympic athletes. (This does not include athletes who have built their fame outside of the Olympics.)

For them, getting the Olympic Games cancelled is not any different from high school proms cancelled. Actually, it's less important since they might know some kids who are graduating from their local high school. And for those who are against the Olympics, it is more annoying than the motorcycle rally in South Dakota.

[TN1965]

Of those affected, fans are the least of my concerns. If a fan can't handle a lost Olympiad due to a worldwide epidemic disaster that fan's priorities need an adjustment. The folks I have the most sympathy for are the athletes. Folks losing money on the deal? Definitely sucks for the Japanese but I have low levels of sympathy for NBC or the IOC.

Yeah. reading a story like this makes me really want to see the Olympic Games happen this summer. But I guess I am in the very small minority.

Olivia Smoliga Says Fans Watching from Home Will Be 'Enough' at Likely International Fan-Free Olympics

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...181551072.html

[Conor Dary]

Meanwhile....

[Conor Dary]

China offers vaccines to all Tokyo, Beijing Olympic athletes

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...-athletes.html