The Olympics
 

Haven't seen much yet about the Olympics other than the new coke cans, but thought I would slot us a thread for it so we can talk Olympics.

I'm drinking a Russian one right now, spelled out Koka-Kola. Are Tobias and Boon from Russia?

I fucking hate China. How's that?

Vaguely Olympic related, but it counts. So good on ya!

I don't think anyone I've ever met gives a shit about the Olympics, and who can blame them.

New Zealand thinks it's a big deal, but then we've only got the population of a large town. It takes half the nation just to front a single team.

It seems that way. But there will at least be something that happens that will be topic worthy, there always is.

I've always enjoyed the summer olympics. It's fun to watch different countries duke it out but I mainly watch for the track and field events. By the way, Justin Wariner is a god (oh please please don't be on roids!).

I hope you are referring to Jeremy Wariner - Justin Gatlin is already alleged to have used PED's.

No matter, China will win all the gold medals. And most of the silver and bronze, too. :\

Oops, I meant Jeremy.

Do you mean China will win the track and field medals or just the whole shebang in general?

Well they are used to breathing the pure black soot in the air there that L.A. thinks is jacked up :lol

I like the haka. I would pay more attention to the Olympics if the haka were incorporated into every sport.

A lot of people here think the haka is overplayed and that it's lost it's effect because of it.
Well, that fucks NZ's hopes justs a bit more. :(

I'm not going to watch this one, either.

Why should they stop at track and field? Shooting, Power Walking, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Team Handball and Synchronized Swimming - they award medals for these too. And the gold is just as bright and shiny.

I'm just envisioning a propaganda-fest much like the world has not seen since the '36 Olympics in Berlin. :\

I like the Kama-Te haka but not the others. I wish they'd pick one and stick with it. I remember one I watched that was really effective (against South Africa, I think? Are they the Springboks?) but a lot of times everyone just sort of stands and lets them get it over with.

Not to worry; they'll be shutting down all industry within a 50 kilometer radius of Beijing about a month prior to the start of the games, so the air is pure and clean for the TV cameras, then go back to poisoning their people.

Yes, a :xGREEN:x Olympics, indeed.

I read an article a few months ago about how Bush didn't want the U.S. to compete in the Olympics because he doesn't like how China treats other human beings(i.e. Tibetans). Ridiculous.

Ouch. Average margin of victory in all games better be >20 pts. No losses allowed.

Why do we not have a back up center?

I think USA BB has woken up to the idea that speed and ball-handling trumps shot-blocking and filling the lane. THey got trounced in Athens, losing 3 games in "winning" the bronze medal. This team is smaller, quicker, and with loads of outside shooting capability. Plus Bosh and Boozer can fill in at center if necessary.

Just a thought.

The Colonel nailed it on the head. The international game doesn't have many lumbering big men to duke it out in the paint. It's a quick game that relies pretty much on it's shooters.

I just read a sports column in the local rag stating the opinion, in part, "Who cares what USA basketball does in the Olympics?" His point was that the pro players are cheapening the Olympic Ideal - they don't stay in the village, they wear their own sponsor's clothes, they sign autographs for money, etc. etc.

To that I say "Screw You, and the Horse you rode in on!"

I want to see team USA crush the international competition at their own game. Not for any nationalistic fervor, but rather to showcase the NBA as the collection of the best basketball players in the world.

What do y'all think? Am I full of shit?

Hell no, you're right on the money. I want to watch the NBA players destroy everyone else but more for the claim that the US has the best basketball players on the planet. It's an embarrassment to finish third with 2nd/3rd tier talent. I wonder if countries like Argentina think that they can actually beat America's best (when I say best I'm talking KG, Kobe, LeBron, Amare, etc.).

I'm sure the Argentinians are saying the same about their Olympic Llama-curling team.

:lol

US sprinter Tyson Gay ran a heavily wind aided 9.68s 100m to qualify for the Smog Olympics. NCAA champion Walter Dix placed second with a time of 10.80s

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

How do they calculate wind assistance? Because the world record 100m is 9.72s

Maybe if I clicked your link. :(

I'm a huge Track and Field fan so needless to say I'm very excited for the sprints this year as Gay will have to contend with the strong Jamaican duo of Bolt and Powell. Earlier in the prelims, Gay ran a new American record in 9.77, breaking the great Maurice Green's record of 9.79.

I'm one of those idiots that watches as much of the Olympics as possible, not just to watch the US win medals, but to look at the sporting events we don't get a chance to watch too much on network TV - kayaking, diving, field hockey, wrestling, volleyball ... etc.

I like variety, godammit. There, I said it, and I feel better now.

I agree, WR, the US team is stacked this year in track and field - it should be very interesting to watch some of the longer distance races as well as the 1500m and less, where we traditionally do well.

Now I am hearing that China is having an algae alert caused by their excessive pollution that might effect on some of the water based events. They supposedly had to hire 10000 workers to start clening up the water.

You know you have too much pollution when Los Angeles says, "Damn, that place is freaking polluted" :P

It's green like a leprechaun green, too. I think we should turn it into some alternative fuel or something. There's stacks of the stuff like 30 feet in the air.

They could always do what Chicago did with Lake Michigan and stock it with zebra mollusks.

Of course, now they have too many zebra mollusks and the water is an unnatural blue as a result

Tyson Gay blows out a hamstring during his 200 heat. Shit.



It may only be a cramp, but it looked mighty painful and scary. :eek

Is anyone going to be attending the Olympics?

i'm going to the olympics

Hahaha, it took a minute.

The highlighted text made me lol three times. :x

Basketball is pretty boring. :/

Some people think that very thing about other sports such as Hockey or Curling :P

I'm holding out for Olympic Lacrosse! :lol

Are you sure that doesn't already exist? After all, Olympic Badmitton exists :lol

Yes, and Olympic Field Hockey, Olympic Ping Pong and Olympic Team Handball (I think it was dropped a few quadrennia ago). Not to mention Rhythmic Gymnastics and Synchronized Swimming. I've neer seen Lacrosse EVER, and I'm an Olympics Junkie(TM). If I'm wrong, please edumacate me. :(

Heck my Olympic knowledge isn't nearly that extensive :lol

It was just one of those things that seems like it ought to exist

Well, it turns out it did, if you believe Wikipedia - it was dropped in 1908, when only two countries fielded teams. Apparently, it was brought back as a demo sport three times, but the latest was even before my time - 1948.

As for me, I really enjoy sculling and water polo. Bring on the games!:rock

They need to drop Rhythmic Trampoline if they haven't already.

I think Pistorius has one more chance to qualify for the RSA Olympic Team. I'm with Pub, I think it would be awesome to see him run against the likes of Merritt and Wariner. Even if he gets thrashed, he still wins.

China claims it's managed to clear the algae from the water around Qingdao, well the parts to be raced on.
They just made people do it. It's a pretty good resource, thousands of people willing to do a shitty job.

Or else ... :\

NO POLITICS IN THE SPORTS FORUM! :eek

You should have added "Or else" Pub :D

:lol

This Olympics is shaping up to be quite interesting, apart from the whole political angle (sorry Pub). Apparently South Africa will be sending an amputee to the games (single) - a swimmer in the women's 10K marathon.

Plus, as I recently found out, Team Handball is still an Olympic event, much to my surprise. (The US still failed to qualify in either the men's or women's events.) For me, I'm awaiting full, real-time coverage of synchronized diving, rhythmic gymnastics and the hammer throw.

I know .... I need help.

The hammer throw is neat to look at though

Yes, it is.

I have this vision of a Bulgarian or Romanian teeing it up in the circle, whirling around at breakneck speed only to have the cord break just before release, and the weight breaking through the netting and flying off into the crowd. YouTube would have a field day (no pun intended). :eek

I'm sure this happened once or twice in competition, before the invention of Kevlar.

Marina Erakovic has been knocked out in the first round of both of the tournaments she's played since Wimbledon, so it doesn't look like she'll manage much going into Beijing. :(

Best to keep expectations low - unlike the general expectations for the US basketball team. :\

NZ had a man come third in the 1500 metres at the Monaco Super Grand Prix, he was behind two Kenyans. :lol

Wow, the Russian female pole vault champion managed to raise her (and the world's) record by a centimetre! :eek
Maybe that really is amazing if you have no idea how long a CM is? :blah

About |------| that much.

Actually I think it is about -- shorter than that :P

it's like a hundred meters, right? so, about as long as my couch?

The Olympics are nothing more than an elaborate scheme to trap our athletes:
http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...ics_are_they_a

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/bei...yhoo&type=lgns

So France's Alain Bernard had the following to say about the US Olympic swimming team.

“The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.”

If by, "smash", you mean, "surrender to", then sure, I believe you :lol

The French Swim Team is exceptionally strong - it comes from all that practice of raising their arms over their heads.

In other news, the US Women's Sabre team just swept the medal podium. Hoo Rah!:rock

(I know, I need help ...) :hypno

Am I a pervert for watching women's beach volleyball in HD?

Nope, I'm dvr'ing it right now.

Also, I was really impressed with the opening ceremony. I only saw about an hour of it but I was wowed.

Hell no - Women's (enter practically any sport here) rocks!

Except for weightlifting. :x

Women's Weightlifing is the only one I've managed to see so far, and it was great. >:

Sing it with me and Pub:

"Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he's a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what,
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world. "

Why am I meant to know that song? What is it from?

Also, the first five minutes of the US vs China basketball was great. :lol

I was watching men's beach volleyball. China vs Austria. It seemed to me not only were American commentators overdubbing the announcing but also the songs they were playing over the overhead speakers. I'm pretty damn sure in a China vs. Austria game they're not going to be playing "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" and then "Beer" by Reel Big Fish. Anyone else notice this or thinks its awkward?

Why don't the men wear slinky speedos like the women for beach volleyball? Not that it matters much to me, but some of us (and you know who you are!) might like to see a little beefcake.

For your education of American pop culture of the ealry 80's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uz-sf5UEzc

How dominant is Michael Phelps? I just saw the 200 Freestyle final. At the start he was a half-body-length ahead of the field. (The Swiss swimmer kept up for about a lap, but faded quickly.) After each turn, he gained another half-length, and kept it going for 200 meters. He swam the race in world record time, beating the silver medalist (Park, from S. Korea) by nearly 2 seconds.

One word. Wow.

I fully expect him to reach his goal of the most golds at a single Olympics.

In your face, Mark Spitz. :spitsinspitzface

I think it is jacked up that the Olympic's didn't invite Spitz to witness it. He says he wants to be there and fully believes it is going to happen, he even wanted to be the one to give Phelps the medals he is going to win.

I don't have a problem with that. Former olympic champions don't typically hand out the next olympic victors' medals, do they? It would, have been nice, I guess, to have Spitz present at the "Cube" for Phelps' last race, just in case. But that didn't happen. :\

Seriously, if the USOC wants to, they can have Mark and Mike pose next to each other, each with all their golds around their neck (à la the Post Olympics SI cover from '72). But frankly, that would be a little cheesy.

Or maybe a lot cheesy. :wisconsin

Erakovic got knocked out in round one. The game was delayed for three days due to rain, but it didn't help her any. Next up, her losing in round one of the US Open.

Stuff like this is what makes weightlifting interesting. I mean it sucks to be him and all but...

Oh dear God :faint

Who wants to start praying to Michael Phelps?

Them china men are up to no good:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sts/index.html

Not to take anything away from Phelps but doesn't the U.S. have some radical new swimsuit technology? I still think he would beat the competition but I'm not sure if he would still be clubbing the records like he is.

Edit:
I think time goes faster in China. So by next year the same gymnast is going to at least be 19.

You are not mistaken. I believe (Adidas maybe?) made suits that force the body into a more aerodynamic shape. Critics are calling it 'preformance enhancement clothing'

I thought other countries had access to the suit as well? I always thought that Adiddas wasn't an American exclusive when it came to making money.

It's the LZR suit from Speedo, and yes, they are more than happy to supply it to anyone who wants it. The only people complaining about performance enhancement clothing are the other swimsuit manufacturers, and of course, those teams that are contractually obligated to wear suits of different manufacture.

It's a pretty fine line. I seem to remember there was a type of pole that was deemed illegal for pole vaulting - I think it had better shape memory or something, which gave it better snap at the same weight. However, in this case there was independent testing conducted by labs reporting to the Swimming Committee (I don't know the official name) that showed that the advantage was statistically non-meaningful.

And there is, of course, the Placebo Effect - if you believe the suit gives you an advantage, then you perform as if it does.

Well then...GO U.S.A.

How bout that freaking finish Phelps dropped last night!

USA! USA! USA!

Yeah, that was pretty impressive. From the naked eye it's extremely difficult to tell who won.

I'm more interested in the sprinting/mid distance events of track than the other sports. Tyson Gay finished 4th in the 100 semi's failing to qualify for the finals. Guess his hamstring injury might have set him back just a bit. Usain Bolt of Jamaica won the Gold and shattered his previous world record of 9.72s with a 9.69s. American Walter Dix of FSU finished with the Bronze. I really like Dix because during the Olympic Qualifiers he turned down several sponsorship offers and chose to remain an amateur, running in his FSU singlet instead of being plastered with sponsors.

This little bitch got his metal taken away. What a god damn cry baby.

Phelps is a god

How much water polo can these women play?

Enough for tops to come conveniently flying off.

http://www.foundrymusic.com/media/di...ber_18652.html

Watch the Hungarian dude's elbow fly out of its socket.

so today was my first time watching the olympics, and i saw china beat the fucking shit out of malaysia in badminton. seriously, china walked all over him

and at the end, the winner (china) threw his shoes into the crowd :-/ stinky

What I learned today; We can't row boats to save our lives.

Ha ha. Im glad they took his metal away. They should make this pic into a poster about good sportsmanship to put up all over the place at the next olympics as an added punishment. What a dip