London 2012 Olympics Thread

[Platypus]

The poor Korean girl in the Epée (fencing) semi-final drama is surely the image of Day III.
A second can last forever...

Unlike in the gymnastics, I suspect it was the right decision.

So many swimming upsets. BBC commentators wondering how Missy Franklin was going in this race, and she wins it.

Apparently she is 100% ethnically Canadian. That is, both of her parents were born here.

The 'colour' about her in our coverage is that she's from Aurora, CO and had the hopes of her whole community on her, hoping for some good news after the movie shootings.

[Platypus]

http://www.lostateminor.com/2012/07/26/the-hipster-olympic-games-held-in-berlin/?utm_source=outbrn&utm_medium=images&utm_campaign=trial

[Јas]

The poor Korean girl in the Epée (fencing) semi-final drama is surely the image of Day III.
A second can last forever...

Unlike in the gymnastics, I suspect it was the right decision.

Disagree. That last second lasted an awfully long time - and resetting it from 0 to 1 seemed particularly unfair.

Apparently this year we're heavily favoured in some women's boxing event.

Katie Taylor has won pretty much everything that has been there to win for 6 years now. She would have been favourite 4 years ago as well had the sport been allowed in. She's probably the most favoured Irish Olympic entry since Pat O'Callaghan in LA '32.

[Хahar 🤔]

Observation: Gymnastics is incredibly strange, and the more you think about it the stranger it is.

So many swimming upsets. BBC commentators wondering how Missy Franklin was going in this race, and she wins it.

Apparently she is 100% ethnically Canadian. That is, both of her parents were born here.

Apparently, whenever there's no Canadian involved in an event, Canadian TV focuses on whatever American has even a vaguely plausible connection to Canada. That amuses me.

[Hash]

Missy Franklin was pretty amazing last night. Even better if she's remotely Canadian.

On a side note, CTV coverage is terrible. I've taken to watching it all on NBC, at least they show the events rather than nationalist feel-good bullsh**t about the training of Canadian people nobody cares about.

[Platypus]

Currently choosing Aus v Spain in men's basketball, over Poland v Bulgaria in Men's volleyball; Women's Table Tennis quarter finals in the singles; Sth Africa v NZ in women   s hockey; Croatia v Spain in men's water polo; Eventing show jumping; Rowing repecharges; the Sailing regatta, and on the free to air channel, the equestrian. Everything but the Table Tennis is live.

[Platypus]

We're up to 40 medalling countries with a bronze to Qatari royalty, in the Men's skeet, after a silver to British royalty in the team eventing. The silver went to a Danish carpenter, their first medal, gold to the US. That's half of Beijing's number, so London could be on track to break the record.

[argentarius]

Apparently this year we're heavily favoured in some women's boxing event.

Katie Taylor has won pretty much everything that has been there to win for 6 years now. She would have been favourite 4 years ago as well had the sport been allowed in. She's probably the most favoured Irish Olympic entry since Pat O'Callaghan in LA '32.

And not only that but one of our sailors is cleaning up, won all 4 races so far. Looking like a big improvement from 2004/2008.

[Platypus]

Insane final of the men's 200m butterfly, Chad le Clos juuuuust edges out Phelps for gold with a massive final 15. Stunning race, and Phelps now equals the highest total medal count with a couple of events left.

[Хahar 🤔]

Come on, Earl, there's no way that CTV can be worse than NBC.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

[Platypus]

And Phelps becomes the most awarded Olympian in history with the US relay gold in the 4 by 2.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

Not doping. Not really fair to be suspicious in my opinion. The Chinese Olympic teams did admittedly used to be all over that sh**t but in recent Games they've contented themselves with massive amounts of forced, almost certainly horrific but legal training.

[minionofmidas]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

Not doping. Not really fair to be suspicious in my opinion. The Chinese Olympic teams did admittedly used to be all over that sh**t but in recent Games they've contented themselves with massive amounts of forced, almost certainly horrific but legal training.

A few points here:

Swimming is a sport of technique and raw muscle power, and it is also a sport with relatively few highlights through the year, and the second and third point make it a sport with doping issues (anything illegal building muscle will be effective far longer than it is provable.) Obviously you cannot create a world class swimmer just by injecting him dubious medicines, but you can win crucial seconds that way.

A teenager setting records from the day s/he starts participating in competitions is exceedingly likely to just be that good (and have been drilled, of course, but that's legal). An adult suddenly improving majorly at a comparatively advanced age is what should set all the bells ringing.

 

[danny]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

No more than any other very well performing athlete (like Phelps).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Talking of Phelps, he does look alarmingly like Johnny from The Wire, doesn't he?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Italy is still unable to get a 3rd gold medal...

But at least France is faring quite well so far. Let's hope it lasts.

[2952-0-0]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

Maybe they should make sour grapes a sport at the Olympics. It would be guaranteed Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals for Team USA.

[minionofmidas]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

Maybe they should make sour grapes a sport at the Olympics. It would be guaranteed Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals for Team USA.

Only because Western Europe has to compete with many teams.

[patrick1]

So, this Ye Shiwen character. Doping? Not doping? Fair to be suspicious?

Maybe they should make sour grapes a sport at the Olympics. It would be guaranteed Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals for Team USA.

?, this issue was really brought forth by a BBC commentator and an American swim coach unaffiliated with the team. The speed of her last 50 was incredible, surpassing the top males. Some people have just become real skeptical given all of the doping abuses from every country.

Tbs, USA swimming is doing quite well on its own. I havent gotten a sense of sour grapes. Then again I avoid sports commentators and analysts like the plague. Im sure they are trying to brew up some controversy.

[Hatman 🍁]

Come on, Earl, there's no way that CTV can be worse than NBC.

Depends on the sport. Opening ceremony on CTV was bearable, which is more than I can say about the NBC coverage. I've been watching most of the events online, so I don't know who's better. Most of what I've been watching is the live world feed, which has no commentators at all.

BTW, three bronze medals for Canada today. woohoo! Only 2 behind those pesky Aussies. (would be nice if the combined Winter and Summer medals were higher than them)

[2952-0-0]

?, this issue was really brought forth by a BBC commentator and an American swim coach unaffiliated with the team. The speed of her last 50 was incredible, surpassing the top males. Some people have just become real skeptical given all of the doping abuses from every country.

Tbs, USA swimming is doing quite well on its own. I havent gotten a sense of sour grapes. Then again I avoid sports commentators and analysts like the plague. Im sure they are trying to brew up some controversy.

True it was initially a BBC commentator who first quipped about her. But then Leonard and the western media jumped on the bandwagon and irresponsibly implied that there must have been doping without any proof. At the very least they should have stated they hoped drug test results were honest.

Finally after the drug test result came out, Team USA distanced itself from Leonard's comments. You can't deny these are just sour grapes by losers. No one accused Michael Phelps of doping when he won eight golds in a row four years ago. It's a good thing the IOC punishes the most blatant forms of unsportsmanlike behaviour.

[Beet]

The Epee decision from yesterday seems really absurd. I just heard about it now. If you are in the field and you think the time is out, but the clock keeps going it also affects your performance because now there is cognitive dissonance. That makes it more likely your opponent will score a hit.

[Hash]

The IOC should punish itself for accepting dope moneybags from Vladimir Putin.

[Andrea]

Italy is still unable to get a 3rd gold medal...

I am not surprised by Pellegrini failing given her 400m performance, but we surely expected at least 1 medal from fencing today