London 2012 Olympics Thread

[patrick1]

It'll be awesome. C'mon, it's the Olympics. Even Atlanta was awesome, and it absolutely sucked.

Yeah, I love the Olympics. TBS, I am glad that the games are in London instead of New York. It would basically be a mass transit and security nightmare.

[patrick1]

The one Sri Lankan girl was pretty hot.

Also, HOLY sh**t QUEEN ELIZABETH AND JAMES BOND

My family liked it better than Beijing; it was light-hard and cultural instead of raw manpower.

Well as King pointed out it did celebrate what many would consider low culture.

I thought the very beginning was quite good but it got progressively worse.

[patrick1]

No one cares about Palestine. (in this context, at least)

I bet all the non-American stations covering this (except for the ones in America's butt-buddies like South Korea) at least used the word "Palestine" on the air.

What are you talking about man?  They said Palestine. They talked about how they are approved by IOC and that they have an athlete who qualified for competition.  They showed members hold Free Palestine scarf aloft and they then went to commercial. They spent as much and even more time than another delegation of its size.

[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.

[patrick1]

?, 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.

Anytime anyone beats there personal best by that much (5 or 6 seconds), people will talk.  With good reason there are still suspicions about Lance Armstrong, who came from nowhere to win 7 Tours in a row.  The comparison to Phelps 08 is a bad one because he was a known quantity going into Beijing having won some medals in Athens and crushed at the Worlds. He was expected to make history or at least challenge it.

The swimmers Ye beat are world class athletes, championship winners and medalists. I think linking them with the appellation of sour grape losers is as unfair as jumping to a conclusion about doping.

[patrick1]

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.

Yeah, that was a great race and his emotional reaction during the SA anthem was excellent. I'm glad he won the gold because it just meant more to him that Phelps- who has plenty of hardware at this point.

[patrick1]

Anyone else agree that Olympic boxing is terrible now?  There are still talented fighters and an odd good fight but the scoring system blows. I remember as a kid being horrified by the Roy Jones Jnr decision but at least it was still compelling and could indicate some future success as a pro.  By trying to improve it they just made it worse.

-Just watching replay of GB vs. Cuba. The Cuban got screwed by the point system.

[patrick1]

Anyone else agree that Olympic boxing is terrible now?  There are still talented fighters and an odd good fight but the scoring system blows. I remember as a kid being horrified by the Roy Jones Jnr decision but at least it was still compelling and could indicate some future success as a pro.  By trying to improve it they just made it worse.

-Just watching replay of GB vs. Cuba. The Cuban got screwed by the point system.

The worst thing is the total lack of knockouts. They need smaller gloves.

Just found this gem out since I havent really been watching the boxing

A Japanese fighter knocked down an Azeri 5 f%^&ing times! According to another source the referee forgot to count at one stage, the Azeri had to be helped from ring after the fight and he won on a decision 10-10.  Unreal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19088420

[patrick1]

I note that a fifteen year old American has just won a swimming gold. I note that the United States has a long history of drug cheating in the Olympics and, as such, am very, very concerned by this outcome. I suspect that comments from Chinese officials on the matter will be most interesting.

Haha, I was wondering who would be the first to post this.  Tip of the cap

[patrick1]

My Olympic connection, Abby Bishop, who was the first person in Canberra I came out to, is having a blinder as Australia lead Brazil halfway through the second quarter of the basketball 23-16.

Anyone else know an Olympian? I also know a couple of Paralympians as friebds, but no Olympians beyond very casual acquaintances. With the AIS in Canberra, it's not so unusual to know or even be mates with some of the elite, so I suspect Polnut may know a few

BUMP.

I didn't think that I would anymore but just tuned into steeplechase feed and see that fellow Friar Stephanie Reilly of Ireland was running.  I didnt know her well but used to hang out (and ruin the training) with many of her teammates.  There are also alumni from after I graduated competing in the marathon for NZ and Canada.



 

[patrick1]

BTW, why isn't cricket an Olympic sport?

It's a bit of a scandal magnet, isn't it? IOC probably want as little additional issues in that general direction as can be helped.

Though it's probably more due to time constraints.

Might be the lack of stadiums in most places actually.

I actually think that it might be the same dumb reason that they got rid of baseball and softball- supposedly it lacks universality.  For cricket you have billions that consider it a pastime in the Indian sub., the commonwealth nations and West Indies. Baseball has US, Japan, the Caribbean, parts of Mexico, Canada, Central and South America- even a niche sport in Australia.   How many people jump on a trampoline competitively? Are table tennis, badminton and equestrian really universal?

[patrick1]

I hear they're thinking of making pole dancing an Olympic sport.

Who knew BRTD would be an Olympic judge one day....

[patrick1]

The British TV coverage is getting completely unbearable...

North America is hardly better:

CTV: Full coverage of the token Canadian guy in every race, excitement when a Canadian doesn't place last or next to last. But they do cover other nations, tbh.

NBC: America is the only country competing, so they only cover Americans. Though unlike Canadians, the Americans actually win something.

I've seen other countries play soccer on NBC, but that appears to be it.

I don't think that is exactly accurate.  I think they more play the sports that Americans actually watch. For instance, diving is on right now and Americans did not win any medals.  Even if the Americans were not in the gymnastics final, they would still show it.  Sports that Americans win a gold and don't follow are either heavily edited or merely mentioned on the main broadcast.
The other channels have also shown many water polo, beach volleyball, basketball etc of other nations competing. Tbs, I think it only natural and financially rewarding to focus on your home markets athletes.

[patrick1]

And Ireland have a gold.  Congrats to Katie Taylor, pretty incredible run of victories for her stretching back what 6 years now?

[patrick1]

Fun soccer final so far.  Tough no call for the Japanese on a hand ball. Could/should be level.
The Japanese are tough on the counter. 

[patrick1]

Jamaica 1, Jamaica 2, Jamaica 3, Jamaicamerica cry. US sprint dominance well and truly dead.

American dominance hasnt been there for a while.  The Jamaicans are faster and just incredible, nothing to cry about.  We are just ushering in an era of dominance in the triple jump

[patrick1]

Rudisha, the best athlete in Olympics.

I still think the decathlon or triathlon is a better judge of an overall athlete. Also real tough to discount Bolt. I just wish Bolt didnt coast at the end of some of his races. Curious to see what his time would have been in that 200m.

Nice job by the ladies in Water polo and soccer. Well done

[patrick1]

USA pulls ahead of Red China on gold medals and total medals. Wonderful.

!

The lead's been switching back and forth for days.

For overall medals it has actually almost come to the point where China is mathematically eliminated from catching up to the US.  In the team events medals China is already eliminated, they only have one boxer left and, no qualifier in several of the wrestling and tae kwon do and track events. China would really have to clean up in racewalking (possible) and the marathon (not likely) for it even to be possible.   

[patrick1]

Excellent job by US Mens 4x400 for silver, nearly held on against the Bahamas after so many injuries and a depleted squad.  Nice depth.

[patrick1]

Coincidentally, in her jubilee year, the Queen's realms would be atop the medal tally, at least at the minute:

Commonwealth Realms
42/41/46 (129)

USA
41/26/27 (94)

China
37/25/19 (81)

---------------------

Ha of course in a united commonwealth team you'd end up with substantially less medals because of limitations on how many entrants per nation etc.  The qualifiers would be damned fun and competitive.

[patrick1]

Unreal relay.  US match the previous world record but Jamaica just too good.

[patrick1]

The refs have really been taking the fun and flow out of this with all of the foul calls. Marc Gasol with 4 fouls already hurts Spain's chances for the upset but still definitely possible if US doesnt D up.

[patrick1]

Oughtn't that to be "Hand Polo"?

It's a shame they got rid of the horses. God forbid we upset the animal rights people.

[patrick1]

Oughtn't that to be "Hand Polo"?

It's a shame they got rid of the horses. God forbid we upset the animal rights people.

Is that why they don't have polo? How is it more damaging than jumping over barriers?

No, I was referencing the magnificent sport of water polo with horses. Animal cruelty, be damned ...