What I'm watching
Czech performer to play Schuylerville
By Darren Johnson
Journal & Press
My daughter thinks my wife and I are a bit old-fashioned for watching the Olympics.
I do think that’s a difference between the younger and us older generations — we only had a handful of channels as kids, so we all watched the same shows at the same time, and they became traditions. There was no streaming or on-demand, whereas today’s generations grew up with myriad entertainment options — but no shared experiences.
Also, the older generations may be more patriotic, and the US had clearer enemies back then. Maybe the Olympics also seemed more thrilling from a geopolitical perspective. Was our “free” way of nurturing athletes better than the totalitarian ways other countries created athletes?
I find that I still have that patriotism — I keep googling the medal counts to see if the USA is ahead.
One pet peeve I have is the high-end team sports like basketball and soccer are only good for one medal total, the same as some obscure niche sport. Synchronized diving is on as I write this.
No disrespect to synchronized diving, but how many people do it? A few per country? But everyone plays basketball and soccer. It is infinitely harder to make it to a national team in those sports.
I think basketball and soccer tournament wins should be worth at least five gold medals.
Though maybe that’s just me being jingoistic? Because the USA should win men’s and women’s basketball medals and women’s soccer, too.
Our men’s soccer team has little chance — our best male field sport athletes gravitate to American football. Too bad that’s not an Olympic sport!
What I’m Watching
Which brings me to the Max series “Hard Knocks.” This year, the show is focusing on the New York Giants, and it doesn’t look good for them.
What I’ve noticed over the years watching this show is bad sports organizations have a loyalty problem, and the Giants GM who has been the focus of the series so far, Joe Schoen, comes off as very untrustworthy, letting a star running back go and undermining the team’s starting quarterback by trying to draft another. He tends to view players as livestock, a commodity that can be easily moved based on the numbers. You could see players losing confidence in their own abilities in such an environment. The Giants won’t be good this year — sorry, Big Blue fans.
I also finished the three-season series “Designated Survivor,” starring Kiefer Sutherland as a president, Tom Kirkman, who got the job after a terrorist attack killed practically everyone in charge. The series didn’t do much when it originally aired on Fox, but it may be a hidden gem. You can find it currently on Netflix.
The Sutherland character is for sure an idealized leader — a former professor and political independent with a high sense of ethics — but by Season 3 it’s time to run for re-election, and will he have to compromise those ethics to win?
It’s a great look at the presidency, and all of the skills a good president must have — Kirkman has many more skills than either Biden or Trump — and this show is timely as we’re going through a wild presidential race now.
Czech Musician to Visit Schuylerville
The Lake George Music Festival, in collaboration with Hudson Crossing Park and the Historic Hudson Hoosic Rivers Partnership, will present "A Classical Music Sampler," a captivating afternoon of classical music on Wednesday, August 7th, at 3 p.m. at the Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitor Center, 30 Ferry St, Schuylerville, NY.
This special event features a presentation by Lake George Music Festival President & CEO Alexander Lombard, accompanied by a classical music performance from renowned violinist and artistic director, Barbora Kolářová. Attendees will be treated to a beautiful selection of classical pieces, showcasing the incredible talents of Kolářová, whose performances are celebrated for her passion and precision.
"The acoustics at the Gateway Visitor Center are unmatched," says Kate Morse, Executive Director of Hudson Crossing Park, "and we are excited to bring such a beautiful performance to the Visitor Center.”
Kolářová from the Czech Republic, is a renowned violinist who co-founded and is the artistic director of the Lake George Music Festival.
This event is free and open to the public. Following the performance, light refreshments will be served.
The Lake George Music Festival is an artist retreat for musicians, conductors and composers, set over two weeks in picturesque Lake George. Every summer, the festival offers an immersive experience for performers and patrons through a series of daily concerts, open rehearsals, special presentations, and more. Hudson Crossing Park and The Historic Hudson Hoosic Rivers Partnership are thrilled to be a part of the festival this year.
The Historic Hudson Hoosic Rivers Partnership promotes the preservation, conservation, and recreational use of the natural, cultural, and historic resources within the Hudson and Hoosic River watersheds.
I guess that’s it for today. I have a print paper to lay out. More tomorrow, I promise!