So what do you make sure to tune in for? Women's gymnastics, kayaking, synchronized swimming?

-- Anonymous, September 18, 2000

Answers

I've always loved the olympics because, for me, part of the enjoyment of the sport is knowing what's at stake for the atheletes involved. I mean, I like professional sports and all, but please. Dude from the Knicks is going home with 8 million a year whether he makes that freethrow or not. The olympics are a once in 4 years chance. So, for many of the atheletes, it's their only chance at a dream. I'm a total sucker for it. My favorites to watch are men's swimming (for completely lascivious reasons, I'm ashamed to say, Lats...yum...) and track and field, both men's and women's.

-- Anonymous, September 18, 2000

I'll watch practically any of it. I watched a lot more when I was a kid. But these days, I just can't stand the basketball or softball or baseball. But I'll watch any of the track and field and any of the swimming and any of the gymnastics. The men's gymnastics always amaze me because of the strength, the women's because of the speed and complexity. Although this year it's been hard to take because everyone's had so many injuries. And I was particularly interested in the women's 4x100m relay (USA got the gold and a new world record) because Amy Van Dyken is a local gal that I occasionally see in the stores around here. A regular celebrity.

Another reason why I'm so interested this year is because I was just in Sydney in February and I LOVE that city. It's fun to be able to recognize all the buildings and landmarks, etc.

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

Sailing. It's a fulltime job just trying to catch some coverage of it.

I also tune in for those sappy, inspirational stories they show of assorted olympians before each event. They're like mini Lifetime movies and I am so addicted to them.

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

I am a total Olympics junkie. I throw my daughter in the bath tub and when she starts yelling for me I yell back "next commercial, next commercial." I was laughing 'cause as I critiqued the gymnasts last night I told my roommate, "who am I to talk? I don't even think I could do a foward roll anymore." One year I got "lucky". I had knee surgery right when the Olymics started so I got to just lay there and watch them the whole two weeks. And yes, I LOVE speedos and those cute little shorts the male gymnasts wear.

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

I like gymnastics. But I've only watched a few minutes of them so far this year. Even though Alexi Nemov is super-duper hot, I guess I can take or leave Olympic coverage.

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

I can't wait to see these (I don't even know if they'll broadcast them): women's pole vault, men's sync swimming, men's sync diving, grecco roman wrestling (to see that undefeated Russian scare the crap out of his opponents)....any of the new ones I can catch. I went to the '96 olympics in Atlanta and had a great time (I competed in "snack bar proficiency" - did you see me?) I was there "pre-bomb"...

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

DUH! Men's gymnastics! Musclebound hunks in tight fitting clothing flipping on mats? I mean, it's as if the Gymnastics Gods took it straight out of my fantasy diary. Plus, this year: Hot Twin Gymnasts! Doesn't that sound like a porn site?

When not drooling over yummy gymnasts, I watch some female gymnastics too, because they are so talented despite their blatant anorexia nervosa. I find time to drool over yummy muscular swimmers as well. I love synchronized swimming, watching rowing and equestrian, and SOCCER! Rock it Mia Hamm! Rock it Christine Lilly!

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

I like soccer for the action, gymnastics because it impresses the hell outta me, and the equestrian events just cuz thats my sport of choice...watch for me at the Olympics someday, on the Unite States Equestrian Team! :)

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2000

Yeah, and we get what, 20 minutes of equestrian coverage?! And no dressage at all! Olympic coverage SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

When I was in the third grade (or was it fourth?), Nadia Comenici was in the 76 olympics, and I fell HARD. The bars at school were packed with girls trying to do what they were doing on TV.

I like the basketball, gymnastics, track & field, equestrian, volleyball and soccer events.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

Yeah, dressage is so great... Mallory, so what do you think of those new full body suits the swimmers are wearing? Kinda cuts down on the exposure, huh?

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

For anyone that's been watching the women's gymnastics: is it me or have they changed the uneven parallel bars to be really wide apart? When did they make that change?

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

I don't think the uneven bars are any farther apart than in the past. Do they really look that way to you? One could speculate that they are farther apart in order to accomodate some taller gymnasts we've got these days, but not all gymnasts are taller, some are still very small, and so that doesn't make sense.

Does it seem like there are more mistakes being made and more injuries happening in all the gymnastic events this year? I'm watching every night and, I don't know, maybe it's me, but it seems like a lot of people are getting hurt and/or missing easy stuff that they've done before (or maybe trying stuff that's too difficult in a frantic gold rush).

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

I'd watch Fencing. I used to do that in college. You look dorky, kinda like a pissed-off one-eyed albino bumble-bee with your stinger on the wrong side, but it is fun. En garde. (Oh, the best part of the outfit are the little metal tea saucers that women get to slip into the front of the fencing vest. Can be used as frisbees in a pinch, but they are NOT optional. If you ever get poked in or near the titty by an epee when you do not have the metal boob protectors in you, er, are made aware of it, and believe me...you never forget the little saucers more than once.)

Actually, we had archaic equipment and no electronic scoring, so maybe they don't have the little metal saucers anymore. I was also amazed to find out in SELF magazine (a month or so back) that they make special fencing tennis shoes now. Cool.

Also like Diving and Gymnastics. I never remember to turn on the TV, though, so I'll probably not see any of it. I'm lame like that.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

Damn those Fast Skin suits. I'm watching some men's swimming right now. Where the hell are my lats????

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2000

About that more mess ups than usual...I totally was thinking the same thing! And then today somebody told me that the pommel horse (is that what its called....the thing they run and vault over...?) is two inches shorter than standard, which is why people wouldn't be done rotating before they hit the ground. I dont know, maybe that's just a rumor, but I thought it was interesting.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2000

I don't know about that pammel horse being non-standard. Olympic athletes being the whiners that they are, I think we would have heard loud complaining by now...

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000

... but I'm glad I wasn't the only one to notice all the extra screw-ups this year! :-)

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000

I was watching women's gymnastics late last night and they had screwed up the height of the vaulting apparatus by 5cm too low, which explained a lot of vaulting problems last night. The gymnasts couldn't finish their rotations. They gave anyone who wanted to another chance. I'm glad no one was hurt really badly.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000

Okay, I guess that's what I heard! Can you believe I've been watching Olympic gymnastics since I was thiiiis little and I STILL don't know the actual names of every apparatus? :)

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000

I have a problem with Olympic Sports. My problem is the ages of some of the competitors. I read about the chinese and east european training regimens and it just seems wrong. I read about the sports mommies and daddies that push their kids too hard to excel. I think sports are fantastic for kids so don't get me wrong. But the drive to produce an athlete that can shave .2 secs off some world record. Kids need to have fun with other kids. Girls need to start puberty when it's time. Boys need to grow up without the increadible bone and muscle stress competitive athletics brings about. My view. James

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000