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The Beijing Olympics Thread

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WonderK

I saw the Dressage tuna! Those horses prancing around, amazing. I don't care for the scoring though....that German horse screwed up big time but was still in the lead? If that had happened in gymnastics we may have had an international incident.

Aug 16, 08 3:02 pm  · 
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Synergy

Sorry for spoiling the results of the 100m, I should have thought about it before posting, I'll try my best to be more time conscious when discussing results in the future.

Aug 16, 08 3:17 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

my 3 posts vs. the tens of posts supporting US self-love portrays my whole point very well.

and by the way, for fluff stories, they could also do the same for the other non-US athletes. Im pretty tired of listening to who trained in Michigan then in Iowa, then in Indiana, then won the silver in athens then got to Beiing.

'nuff said, I still maintain that the US media is the only one that focuses on their athletes about 85% of the time, and having seen the telecast in other countries I can vouch for this.

Aug 16, 08 4:00 pm  · 
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WonderK

sameold, I'm not disagreeing with you. But I don't have a problem with it. At all. And I honestly don't know why you are so offended by it either. Perhaps you should vacation in one of these other countries that you have seen so many telecasts in for the duration of the Olympics. Or longer.

Aug 16, 08 4:15 pm  · 
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Synergy

The fact that many people disagree with you doesn't portray your point well at all, you might as well give it up. The biggest fluff story any of us have heard, and discussed in this very thread, concerned a love triangle between two Italian swimmers and a French swimmer. Kristy Coventry, the splendid Zimbabwe swimmer has had extensive coverage, including long pieces on the impact of her success on her country.

You've clearly settled in on your opinion and are ignoring all the evidence to the contrary. Quit lashing out at us for your issues, whatever they may be.

Aug 16, 08 4:18 pm  · 
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liberty bell

Does anyone else think the female diving commentator is a little (and I don't ever use this word lightly) bitchy?

Aug 16, 08 5:06 pm  · 
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Synergy

I found her accent a little annoying. Is she a former diver herself?

Aug 16, 08 5:08 pm  · 
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Smokety Mc Smoke Smoke

Omigod .... the Russian pole vaulter .... Yelena Isinbayeva ....

Aug 16, 08 5:39 pm  · 
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She can vault my ... oh never mind, that's way too easy.

Aug 16, 08 5:44 pm  · 
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smokey/567 she is cute

okay that was some of the most amazing running I've seen EVER!! Wonder K, important when you watch the race is to think of your archinect=friend good ole architechnophilia watching mouth agape for the entire race

Aug 16, 08 6:41 pm  · 
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larslarson

same ol
you also realize that the olympics are on far more channels than just the one NBC right? and that all of the events are online...so if you want to watch something other than what's being televised you can see it there...
also..the other channels show a lot of everything...i watched women's field hockey this morning..and other events that had no US athletes.

complaining about something you can avoid seems odd.

Aug 16, 08 7:31 pm  · 
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larslarson

also...having watched the olympics in norway...the US aren't alone in their coverage of their own athletes...they were all about their own...whether it be field hockey or women's soccer or handball...same goes for great britain...
watch the olympics on eurosport and you'll see lots of rowing, sprinting, etc.

the US definitely aren't alone in wanting to watch their own athletes

Aug 16, 08 7:34 pm  · 
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vado retro

the americans didnt do so good in shot putting.
and why are there sports with sailboats and horses?
why not gokarts and trained chimps? a synchronized sport with a chimp could be fun...

Aug 16, 08 7:43 pm  · 
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boxy

i would love to see some of the x-games sports like in the winter olympics. skateboarding and bmx should definitely be in there.

Aug 16, 08 10:32 pm  · 
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Liebchen

BMX is in the olympics this year.

Aug 16, 08 11:30 pm  · 
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when you do an event with a horse, who gets the medal?

Aug 17, 08 2:39 am  · 
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WonderK

I have a question: do you think that Michael Phelps is the greatest athlete ever to walk the face of the earth? Or just the greatest one so far? LOL.

Aug 17, 08 3:44 am  · 
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holz.box

was hercules an athlete?

i'm pretty sure the swedish wrestler who threw the tantrum would demolish phelps in a barfight.

now that'd get some viewer ratings.

Aug 17, 08 4:10 am  · 
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Olympics mixed events - I could see a market for that holz. I think Phelps is fantastic but he does it with seemingly no effort...I think he is beyond just an athelete...he just amazing

Aug 17, 08 1:12 pm  · 
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WonderK

I just think its funny because the NBC swimming announcers, who are really rather cheesy, had me convinced that Michael Phelps was Jesus Christ by the end of the night last night. They couldn't help it, they just kept whipping themselves up into frenzy. He's great of course, amazing, the flying fish, but at the end of the day, he's still just a dude. Everyone needs to calm down.

Speaking of calm, I'm exhausted. All of this watching athletics on television has me tuckered out.

Aug 17, 08 1:47 pm  · 
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just a dude or is he really a fish? I'll let you decide.

Ditto about the tiring, all this waking up at dawn to watch other people exercise is really draining. I am glad its only 2 weeks every 4 years otherwise I'd really be a mess

Aug 17, 08 1:51 pm  · 
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Synergy

I was in a bar last night, watching Phelps final swim live and the enthusiasm and roar was incredible. Everybody was cheering and high-fiving one another after the team one and set their last world record. I found the unabashed enthusiasm very refreshing, there was no sense of cynicism to taint the mood, just people honestly enjoying the moment.

Aug 17, 08 2:51 pm  · 
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Emilio

Synergy, sounds like that visceral reaction....

Dana Torres looks like Edie Sedgwick...rrrrrrrrr...

Aug 17, 08 3:25 pm  · 
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vindingo

I can only get badminton, horse jumping and boxing on TV right now.

Did you know that there are a lot of inter badminton relationships on the Chinese and Malaysian teams? The Malay dude is getting destroyed!

Aug 17, 08 3:32 pm  · 
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Emilio

sorry, should be DARA Torres...

Aug 17, 08 3:35 pm  · 
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Emilio

"when you do an event with a horse, who gets the medal?"

LOL!!! the best comment on this thread so far...

if the horse doesn't get it, it's an injustice...I mean, who's doing all the damn work!

Aug 17, 08 4:06 pm  · 
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exactly
Aug 17, 08 4:57 pm  · 
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Liebchen

From the NBC commentary, you would think that Dara Torres's first name was Forty-One-Year-Old, not Dara. They say that phrase "Forty-One-Year-Old" before they say "Dara Torres" EVERY time.

Aug 17, 08 4:59 pm  · 
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****melt

DubK - You mean he isn't Jesus Christ? Damn!!! The NBC announcers had me fooled. ;o)

Liebchen - I seriously feel a little sorry for Dara, I mean yah, it's awesome that she's 41 and is still amazing, but to be reminded of her age every day?

Atechno - I finally saw the final of the Men's 100m dash last night and was in utter awe. It looked like a a park in the park for him. I wonder how fast he would have gone had he not slowed down 20m before the finish line. DAMN!!!!

Congrats Tomescu for winning the women's marathon. I was hoping that one of the Kenyans would get it but I guess second ain't nothing to shake your fist at.

Oh and Emilio - contrary to popular belief, the riders are working their ass off too. Ever noticed the size of their thighs? Please excuse... I had a friend who competed in Equestrian events in high school so I am sorta aware what all is involved.

Aug 17, 08 5:13 pm  · 
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Emilio

yea, tunamelt, I know...still, maybe give them both a medal?

Aug 17, 08 5:20 pm  · 
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Emilio

I think they would look rather spiffy hanging up in the horse's stall......

Aug 17, 08 5:21 pm  · 
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I watched fencing today. K Smart on the US team was pretty awesome to watch. More generally it seems like fencing has become a much more testosterone heavy sport since i last watched it.. Or maybe it was just the US and French teams?

Aug 17, 08 5:48 pm  · 
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holz.box

tuna, i dated an equestrian for years...

it's hardly a sport.

Aug 17, 08 5:56 pm  · 
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mantaray

Oh, I LOVE badminton! Shame I missed it.

Techno, is all of Jamaica going crazy right now?

Aug 17, 08 7:59 pm  · 
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vado retro

i don't think he's the greatest athlete. the greatest swimmer maybe. but the amount of medals won is dependent upon the event. see my above post about basketball...when i was a kid there was a sports show on where different athletes say one football one track one swimmer what ever would compete in a series of sporting events...everything from bowling to a track inspired obstacle course. thats the only way to tell...or to go on american gladiator.

Aug 17, 08 8:48 pm  · 
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mantaray

lb, I'm watching the diving re-run and actually, I agree with you. The commentator-lady IS oddly kind of bitchy. At first I didn't really notice it and then after awhile I was like, gee, this lady is making a negative comment about every single dive! man. she doesn't teach you much about the sport either, kind of a bummer.

Aug 17, 08 8:51 pm  · 
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Emilio

Divers Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia.........beautiful.

Aug 17, 08 8:54 pm  · 
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****melt

holz - I think it also depends on what you and the horse actually participate in. I'll admit it's not as strenuous as swimming, gymnastics, running, etc. but it is does take skill and strength. What about shooting and archery? Do you consider those sports? I don't know, maybe it's just me but being able to control an animal to do what you want that weighs upwards of 1200 lbs. is pretty amazing.

The guy from Brazil just fell on his last tumbling pass on the floor exercise. It was Brazil's first chance of winning a medal in gymnastics. :o(

Aug 17, 08 9:12 pm  · 
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must be contagious...

Aug 17, 08 9:19 pm  · 
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liberty bell

Oh, god, tuna, I just burst into tears when I saw him! I can't imagine, the poor guy, it's so awful.

The Olympics are so awe-inspiring to watch. I mean, I've worked my butt off my whole life, but I've never in my life worked for/wanted something as much as any one of these athletes has worked for their opportunity to be here. Then to be here and be under so much pressure to do it *perfect*....it's beautiful, and inspiring, and humbling.

Poor Diego. I hope he's OK.

Aug 17, 08 9:22 pm  · 
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****melt

I know LB. I didn't cry but all I wanted to do was go up and give him a huge hug and tell him no matter what, he is just as awe inspiring as the rest of them.

OMG - look at that beautiful Great Dane. I wanna great dane!!!!!

Aug 17, 08 9:28 pm  · 
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vado retro

my nominee for athlete of the CeNtUrY

Ran a 10.13 100 meter dash
was sugar bowl mvp
was mlb allstar mvp

and was an all around badass...

Aug 17, 08 9:34 pm  · 
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Synergy

Based on accomplishments, I would go with Jim Thorpe, he was an Olympic champion in the Pentathlon and Decathlon and a professional Football, Baseball and Basketball player.

Bo Jackson is a great pick, but of course he is always more of a legend than a player because his career was cut short, certainly doesn't win any points in the durability category.

Aug 17, 08 9:44 pm  · 
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mantaray

Okay, I'm an idiot and I CANNOT figure out the f'ing NBC Olympics website. How do you stream the full events??? ALL I can find is DOWNLOADS of the HIGHLIGHTS and select other small portions. Where are y'all watching the full events? I'm desperate to see some things I can't see otherwise (apparently I just missed an emotional moment for Brazil) but I CAN'T FIGURE OUT THEIR WEBSITE. Am I missing something?

Aug 17, 08 9:47 pm  · 
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mantaray

what the heck? all these women are smashing up their landings on the vault and yet getting good scores! i don't get it. In retrospect Alicia Sacromone's landings are some of the best but she ended up getting way lower scores than the other ladies. I do not get it.

Aug 17, 08 10:13 pm  · 
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mantaray

They're making such a big deal of Sacramone's landings but she only took a couple little steps -- the gold medalist stepped hugely and OUT OF BOUNDS! The bronze made mistakes on the vault AND on the landings! Ridiculous.

Aug 17, 08 10:15 pm  · 
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Synergy

Agreed, the governing body of International Gymnastics is absurd. The Russian Gymnast was totally screwed, they gave her a 0 for starting before a light went off? How about a warning or something? ridiculous. They followed that gem up with giving the bronze medal to a girl who landed on her knees. Terrible judging throughout the entire competition.

Aug 17, 08 10:17 pm  · 
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WonderK

manta, I think what I've figured out with the web site is, if they haven't played it in prime time yet, then you probably can't access it on the web site. But, you should be able to find it otherwise, by going to the event on the left hand side and then searching for video. I hope?

Re: the gymnastics, I don't get it at all. I guess it's all about start value. Fffttt.

Also, is anyone else amazed by the amount of star athletes "from" other countries that are top NCAA athletes at American universities? Many of them are even born here and then just represent their parent's country or something. There are a quite a few of them.

Aug 17, 08 10:20 pm  · 
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mantaray
They followed that gem up with giving the bronze medal to a girl who landed on her knees.

Seriously!!!

I actually don't mind the theory of the new scoring system at all -- in fact it makes sense to me -- what I think is absurd is the ACTUAL SCORING they're giving. If you're going to give a high start value for difficulty, fine, but then that means that you're ALREADY adjusting for difficulty -- therefore the execution value should be scored basically against the same exact scale for every gymnast, but that is not happening at all. I mean, if you look at the actual way they are SUPPOSED to score it makes perfect sense -- deduct so many points for missed landing, etc -- but it seems like they're not actually applying those scores. Ridiculous. In the rest of the events I've actually agreed with the medal winners but here -- it is a TOTAL farce.

Yeah -- the competing nationality has always seemed a little loose to me. But in a way I actually kind of like that, because to me in many ways nationality should be more a matter of the heart than the random happenstance of one's birth... like being able to choose your own family members -- wouldn't life just be more beautiful that way in many cases? ;) But yeah -- I agree -- surprising!

ahh, my favorite : aleksander artemov, or however you spell it. i love his pommel horse!!

Aug 17, 08 10:40 pm  · 
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mantaray

SHOOT! :( I love this man. I hope he manages to MEDAL ANYWAY.

Aug 17, 08 10:42 pm  · 
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