Does Anyone Still Care About the Olympics?

[Rockport]

I have to respectfully disagree with as it being the greatest sporting event of all time. That I would say would be the World Cup since it is only comes around every 4 years and you have to qualify for it 2 years in advance in some places. I know friends who don’t like soccer but watch the WC due how crazy it is and those are the fans.

No problemo. It’s ok to disagree. By the way, I’m one of those that only watch soccer when it’s World Cup time. Isn’t it coming up soon?

 

[Bigdog]

No problemo. It’s ok to disagree. By the way, I’m one of those that only watch soccer when it’s World Cup time. Isn’t it coming up soon?

Qualifying is going on right now. The World Cup is not until the fall of 2022 because it is in Qatar and the summer months are just too hot there so they moved the dates.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Sadly, no. Sports are no longer about qualities of humanity. They are about the science and that, to me, holds no interest.

 

[Aviano90]

Only thing I care about the Olympics is how low the TV ratings can go.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Depends on the sport. I'm more into the World Cup for international sporting events, but hockey in the Winter Olympics is fun to watch. Gymnastics is impressive. I also am impressed by some of the track events. So, yeah, I do, to an extent, care about the Olympics.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Well the US men’s soccer team doesn’t since they did not even qualify. They haven’t qualified in over 12 years and that is saying a lot. The US goalie is lucky he lives on the US or he might have been shot of it was another country. That was a blunder of all blunders that I have ever seen in a while.

Yeah, and losing to Honduras like the US U-23 did is embarrassing. Luckily, that was the U23 team. The full on team actually has some talent, and I like how there are more players this time on Euro teams on the senior team. However, I doubt the US will be even close to competitive until at least the 2024 WC which the US hosts. Even then, they'll probably be rubbish, but less rubbish than 2018. Gregg Berhalter is an improvement over Arenas, but that's like saying a qualified coach is an improvement over Jason Garrett.

 

[Bigdog]

Yeah, and losing to Honduras like the US U-23 did is embarrassing. Luckily, that was the U23 team. The full on team actually has some talent, and I like how there are more players this time on Euro teams on the senior team. However, I doubt the US will be even close to competitive until at least the 2024 WC which the US hosts. Even then, they'll probably be rubbish, but less rubbish than 2018. Gregg Berhalter is an improvement over Arenas, but that's like saying a qualified coach is an improvement over Jason Garrett.

True they are going to be young for the 2022 WC in Qatar but hopefully experienced in 2026 when it will be hosted by Canada, US/Mexico.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

True they are going to be young for the 2022 WC in Qatar but hopefully experienced in 2026 when it will be hosted by Canada, US/Mexico.

The US, Canada, and Mexico will be in the 2026 WC by virtue of hosting. That will also be the first WC to feature 48 teams from the previous 32 teams. Should help the US notch a few more wins, but it'll depend on the group and how much the US can develop. I suspect the US will narrowly miss 2022 with the improvement Honduras and Canada have made. The U23 for Honduras took the U23 for the US to the cleaners. It'll be close, but that's my guess.

 

[Bigdog]

The US, Canada, and Mexico will be in the 2026 WC by virtue of hosting. That will also be the first WC to feature 48 teams from the previous 32 teams. Should help the US notch a few more wins, but it'll depend on the group and how much the US can develop. I suspect the US will narrowly miss 2022 with the improvement Honduras and Canada have made. The U23 for Honduras took the U23 for the US to the cleaners. It'll be close, but that's my guess.

If the US doesn’t qualify for the 2022 WC heads will roll. With the talent that they have, they should qualify. I also believe Italy and the Dutch will qualify. Just imagine if they don’t qualify again. Those countries will go in meltdown.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

If the US doesn’t qualify for the 2022 WC heads will roll. With the talent that they have, they should qualify. I also believe Italy and the Dutch will qualify. Just imagine if they don’t qualify again. Those countries will go in meltdown.

Oh, they will. Sadly, I think the Dutch will NOT qualify. I don't think their team will have enough to make it compared to Sweden. Greece may also make a return. Europe is always a buzzsaw. I fully expect England, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Croatia, Russia, and Switzerland to qualify with no sweat. Given that there are 13 WC slots available for the 2022 WC for European teams, those teams would take up 9 spots already. This leaves 4 spots remaining. I expect Italy to return. However, I think Greece and Sweden have better squads atm than the Dutch. That's 12 teams. I think that 12th spot will come down to the following teams: The Netherlands (Dutch), Denmark, Norway, and Ireland. I like Ireland's chances the best of those 4. They've come awfully close the last few qualifiers, and they're overdue for an appearance in the WC. They deserve one, especially with what happened in the 2010 qualifiers. They were eliminated the last qualifier by Denmark.

I agree that the US SHOULD qualify, but I don't think the US will. Only 3 teams can qualify from CONCACAF for WC 2022 (excluding the inter-continent playoff). In the 2018 qualifier, the 4th place CONCACAF team who was Honduras played the 4th place Asian Football Confederation team which was Australia. Honduras drew Australia 0-0 in the first leg, but got absolutely destroyed 3-1 in the second leg. Mexico will obviously qualify from CONCACAF. That leaves 2 more spots plus potentially the inter-continent playoff. Costa Rica, the US, Panama, and Honduras will be very much in the mix for this. I also wouldn't count out Canada either. So, that's the tricky situation. Costa Rica is usually another lock for the WC. With what U23 Honduras did to U23 US in Olympic qualifying, I think Honduras is going to be a problem for the senior side of the US. That's why I don't think the US will qualify. They should, but I don't think they're quite at the level yet to advance.

 

[Bigdog]

Oh, they will. Sadly, I think the Dutch will NOT qualify. I don't think their team will have enough to make it compared to Sweden. Greece may also make a return. Europe is always a buzzsaw. I fully expect England, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Croatia, Russia, and Switzerland to qualify with no sweat. Given that there are 13 WC slots available for the 2022 WC for European teams, those teams would take up 9 spots already. This leaves 4 spots remaining. I expect Italy to return. However, I think Greece and Sweden have better squads atm than the Dutch. That's 12 teams. I think that 12th spot will come down to the following teams: The Netherlands (Dutch), Denmark, Norway, and Ireland. I like Ireland's chances the best of those 4. They've come awfully close the last few qualifiers, and they're overdue for an appearance in the WC. They deserve one, especially with what happened in the 2010 qualifiers. They were eliminated the last qualifier by Denmark.

I agree that the US SHOULD qualify, but I don't think the US will. Only 3 teams can qualify from CONCACAF for WC 2022 (excluding the inter-continent playoff). In the 2018 qualifier, the 4th place CONCACAF team who was Honduras played the 4th place Asian Football Confederation team which was Australia. Honduras drew Australia 0-0 in the first leg, but got absolutely destroyed 3-1 in the second leg. Mexico will obviously qualify from CONCACAF. That leaves 2 more spots plus potentially the inter-continent playoff. Costa Rica, the US, Panama, and Honduras will be very much in the mix for this. I also wouldn't count out Canada either. So, that's the tricky situation. Costa Rica is usually another lock for the WC. With what U23 Honduras did to U23 US in Olympic qualifying, I think Honduras is going to be a problem for the senior side of the US. That's why I don't think the US will qualify. They should, but I don't think they're quite at the level yet to advance.

I hope you’re wrong about the US. I believe they have the talent and determination to qualify.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I hope you’re wrong about the US. I believe they have the talent and determination to qualify.

I hope I'm wrong as well. I really do. I think the US has the determination to qualify. If it came down to the US vs Honduras, I don't like the US's chances. I don't know though. It won't be as easy as the US would like it to be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONCACAF)#First_round

The US received a bye to the 3rd round of the CONCACAF qualifiers along with Mexico, Jamaica, Costa RIca, and Honduras due to world rankings.

Currently, the US is in 4th (which will change as the qualifiers are played). The 4th place AFC country, the 4th place CONCACAF country, the 5th place South American team, and the winner of the Oceania Federation qualifiers would be in that playoff with, of course, two of the four advancing in victory to the WC. The winner of Groups B and E will be first according to this table, and the winner of A and F will be 3rd on the table. As of now, Canada is in the lead in Group B, and Nicaragua is in 1st in Group E. I fully expect Canada to win that tussle. As for Group A, first place is currently held by Antigua and Barbuda. Group F is currently led by Saint Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, Canada only has Suriname left to play who are in 2nd in that group. I fully expect Canada to win that. Nicaragua only has Belize left, who I expect them to beat. However, if they lose and Haiti wins, then Haiti would take the lead. You can see the rest of it in the above link.

Depending on how it plays out, the US is going to have quite the tussle. I completely forgot about Jamaica. They'll be dangerous for the US too.

 

[Bigdog]

I hope I'm wrong as well. I really do. I think the US has the determination to qualify. If it came down to the US vs Honduras, I don't like the US's chances. I don't know though. It won't be as easy as the US would like it to be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONCACAF)#First_round

The US received a bye to the 3rd round of the CONCACAF qualifiers along with Mexico, Jamaica, Costa RIca, and Honduras due to world rankings.

Currently, the US is in 4th (which will change as the qualifiers are played). The 4th place AFC country, the 4th place CONCACAF country, the 5th place South American team, and the winner of the Oceania Federation qualifiers would be in that playoff with, of course, two of the four advancing in victory to the WC. The winner of Groups B and E will be first according to this table, and the winner of A and F will be 3rd on the table. As of now, Canada is in the lead in Group B, and Nicaragua is in 1st in Group E. I fully expect Canada to win that tussle. As for Group A, first place is currently held by Antigua and Barbuda. Group F is currently led by Saint Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, Canada only has Suriname left to play who are in 2nd in that group. I fully expect Canada to win that. Nicaragua only has Belize left, who I expect them to beat. However, if they lose and Haiti wins, then Haiti would take the lead. You can see the rest of it in the above link.

Depending on how it plays out, the US is going to have quite the tussle. I completely forgot about Jamaica. They'll be dangerous for the US too.

Thanks for the info. It looks like it is the usual teams and playing in CONCACAF is not easy especially since some of the fields are not the greatest. Still it is not like Europe or South America where the talent is so much better.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Thanks for the info. It looks like it is the usual teams and playing in CONCACAF is not easy especially since some of the fields are not the greatest. Still it is not like Europe or South America where the talent is so much better.

Oh fur sure! There are no levels of qualification that are harder than Europe and South America. Still, the road to the WC for the US is going to be challenging. The US, I think, is better determined. However, the coaching is questionable to me still. Better than Bruce Arenas, but I'm not sold on them. Nice win against Northern Ireland. I'd like to see what they do with Switzerland.

 

[Hoofbite]

Guess I never really had an interest beyond the opening ceremonies and main attractions. Just too much to try to actually follow and it seems like the broadcasts suck. You either get hours of commentary while waiting for the big hitters to take the stage, or hours of lesser events with little-to-no commentary. I guess I prefer lesser commentary but it's hard to stay interested in something when there's lesser commentary than golf.

 

[Doomsday]

I am interested in watching golf, but that is about it these days.

Use to watch all the USWNT matches, but Rapino and others have ruined that. The USMNT is a joke, so it is hard to watch them as well.

 

[Mountaineerfan]

I like the actual physical competition. People don't really understand the decathlon athletes are probably the best athletes in the world. Now people want to say the Lebron's of this world are the greatest. It's just kind of turned into an afterthought but my family loves the swimming. We sat one day and watched the US women's distance swimmer basically lap the entire field in amazement.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I am interested in watching golf, but that is about it these days.

Use to watch all the USWNT matches, but Rapino and others have ruined that. The USMNT is a joke, so it is hard to watch them as well.

Euro teams help make up for that.

 

[Big_D]

I always liked watching the Olympics. Some great stories over the years.. but I'll never watch again if US athletes go into a communist country and take a knee!

 

[csirl]

I hope I'm wrong as well. I really do. I think the US has the determination to qualify. If it came down to the US vs Honduras, I don't like the US's chances. I don't know though. It won't be as easy as the US would like it to be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONCACAF)#First_round

The US received a bye to the 3rd round of the CONCACAF qualifiers along with Mexico, Jamaica, Costa RIca, and Honduras due to world rankings.

Currently, the US is in 4th (which will change as the qualifiers are played). The 4th place AFC country, the 4th place CONCACAF country, the 5th place South American team, and the winner of the Oceania Federation qualifiers would be in that playoff with, of course, two of the four advancing in victory to the WC. The winner of Groups B and E will be first according to this table, and the winner of A and F will be 3rd on the table. As of now, Canada is in the lead in Group B, and Nicaragua is in 1st in Group E. I fully expect Canada to win that tussle. As for Group A, first place is currently held by Antigua and Barbuda. Group F is currently led by Saint Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, Canada only has Suriname left to play who are in 2nd in that group. I fully expect Canada to win that. Nicaragua only has Belize left, who I expect them to beat. However, if they lose and Haiti wins, then Haiti would take the lead. You can see the rest of it in the above link.

Depending on how it plays out, the US is going to have quite the tussle. I completely forgot about Jamaica. They'll be dangerous for the US too.

Good analysis.

Ireland wont make the next WC - havent won in 11 games. Lost to Luxembourg in qualifiers, which is embarrassing. The national federation is in turmoil due to a major financial scandal. This is impacting the sport at every level. Current manager is a cheap option - previously coached a semi-pro team. Cant afford anyone else. Some good young players coming through, but I fear they may be wasted as it will take years to recover from the scandal.