2008 Olympics thread - use SPOILER tags!
- Thread starter VF21
- Start date
Eh, not sure I need to tag this under the spoiler but I will anyway...unfortunately I missed Bolt's 200. I will say hearing that he busted Johnson's record made me giggle since Johnson had said there was no way he would break it, he had figured what the top pace Bolt could run...giggle. Otto Bolden disagreed.... point-Bolden. 
Bolt is a freak. I hope the post Olympic recap show lets me see that race again. And the 100, which was just as stupid crazy, that I did see and just sat there "um, wow"
Damnit! That's for the USA Softball team.
WTG!! That's for the USA Women's soccer team, special shoutout to Hope Solo who I figured might really come out to show she could back up her beliefs. That was awesome this morning.
And finally GOOOO Women's Volleyball team
Bolt is a freak. I hope the post Olympic recap show lets me see that race again. And the 100, which was just as stupid crazy, that I did see and just sat there "um, wow"
Damnit! That's for the USA Softball team.
WTG!! That's for the USA Women's soccer team, special shoutout to Hope Solo who I figured might really come out to show she could back up her beliefs. That was awesome this morning.
And finally GOOOO Women's Volleyball team
How does Roqaya Al-Gassra not pass out while wearing that?
I respect her, though. It isn't easy to be a woman athlete in some countries, if they even let you try. To have had to do it while still honoring her religious beliefs! She must've really, really wanted to run.
International Olympic Committee launches probe into He Kexin's age
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4583174.ece
The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into mounting allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the true age of their gold-medal winning gymnastics star because she was too young to compete.
An IOC official told The Times that because of "discrepancies" that have come to light about the age of He Kexin, the host nation’s darling who won gold in both team and individual events, an official inquiry has been launched that could result in the gymnast being stripped of her medals.
The investigation was triggered as a US computer expert claimed yesterday to have uncovered Chinese government documents that he says prove she is only 14 - making her ineligible to compete in the Olympics - rather than 16, as officials in Beijing insist is her age.
Mike Walker, a computer security expert, told The Times how he tracked down two documents that he says had been removed from a Chinese government website. The documents, he said, stated that He’s birth date was January 1 1994 - making her 14 - and not January 1 1992, which is printed in her passport.
more....
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4583174.ece
The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into mounting allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the true age of their gold-medal winning gymnastics star because she was too young to compete.
An IOC official told The Times that because of "discrepancies" that have come to light about the age of He Kexin, the host nation’s darling who won gold in both team and individual events, an official inquiry has been launched that could result in the gymnast being stripped of her medals.
The investigation was triggered as a US computer expert claimed yesterday to have uncovered Chinese government documents that he says prove she is only 14 - making her ineligible to compete in the Olympics - rather than 16, as officials in Beijing insist is her age.
Mike Walker, a computer security expert, told The Times how he tracked down two documents that he says had been removed from a Chinese government website. The documents, he said, stated that He’s birth date was January 1 1994 - making her 14 - and not January 1 1992, which is printed in her passport.
more....
Um, if she's watching it, isn't it pretty apparent they ARE showing different and lesser-known events? Sorry, hoopsie, but you seem to have a lot of anger about the coverage this time around while I think it's been incredible. With all the stations involved, I've watched events I never had the chance to watch before.
Watching the men's gold medal beach volleyball match, I have a question:
The women wear these itty bitty little bikinis which are barely big enough to keep them from being arrested in some countries. Why then do the men not only wear board shorts, but tank tops as well? I want itty bitty little Speedos!! Seems unfair to me - equal eye candy for all!!!
The women wear these itty bitty little bikinis which are barely big enough to keep them from being arrested in some countries. Why then do the men not only wear board shorts, but tank tops as well? I want itty bitty little Speedos!! Seems unfair to me - equal eye candy for all!!!
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I don't think there is one. Bob Costas did mention, however, the US relay team that was stripped of their medal from 2000 when one of their team members recently admitted to doping during the games.
He also said the documents the IOC is examining would indicate she was born on 1/1/94 and NOT the 1/1/92 shown on her passport.
He also said the documents the IOC is examining would indicate she was born on 1/1/94 and NOT the 1/1/92 shown on her passport.
Wow. Nothing like a 12 hr investigation into possibly fraudulent documents. How about doing a little leg work here?
IOC: Is she 16?
China: Yes.
IOC: That's good enough for us.
It's like the NCAA is running things. If anything does come out of it, I'm sure it will be waaay after the Olympics are over.
On another note:
IOC: Is she 16?
China: Yes.
IOC: That's good enough for us.
It's like the NCAA is running things. If anything does come out of it, I'm sure it will be waaay after the Olympics are over.
On another note:
30-12 after the first quarter - will USA let Argentina back in the game, or will they slam the door shut?
It's not like a zone is that tricky if you're aggressive. Just go 1-3-1, high post, then drop down to Howard or Kobe on the blocks. They score, or kick out to someone who takes an easy jumper.
The problem is, I'm not seeing much rotation. Maybe they'll wear down Argentina with defense in the 2nd half. We'll see.
I say open with a full court press.
The problem is, I'm not seeing much rotation. Maybe they'll wear down Argentina with defense in the 2nd half. We'll see.
I say open with a full court press.
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Looks like the age issue might get the whitewash treatment....
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,408541,00.html
Snippets from the story - I like the attitude - the Chinese government would never lie about an athelete's age (even if it was the governments own documents making the case being argued).
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,408541,00.html
Snippets from the story - I like the attitude - the Chinese government would never lie about an athelete's age (even if it was the governments own documents making the case being argued).
Olympic boxing is a disgrace. The scoring system is an absolute joke. It actually makes me feel sick. Just watched DeGale "beat" the Cuban guy undeservedly. He fought OK, but the judges were giving him questionable points and missed multiple points the Cuban should have scored.
It's not the first fight I've seen this happen in, and it makes me so angry.
It's not the first fight I've seen this happen in, and it makes me so angry.
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Speaking of Cubans and judging...
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080823/tsp-as-oly-tae-taekwondo-dispute-6e81073.html
[yt=Here's the spirit of the games in action...]DuYQiYhiwgI[/yt]
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080823/tsp-as-oly-tae-taekwondo-dispute-6e81073.html
I haven't watched much of the boxing coverage, but from what I have watched... they should really just NOT interview the boxers.
Granted, a cockney accent and the repeated assertion that "the geezer bit me" has a certain entertainment factor, but these guys are by and large the least gracious winners AND losers I've heard at the games.
Granted, a cockney accent and the repeated assertion that "the geezer bit me" has a certain entertainment factor, but these guys are by and large the least gracious winners AND losers I've heard at the games.
Olympic boxing is a disgrace. The scoring system is an absolute joke. It actually makes me feel sick. Just watched DeGale "beat" the Cuban guy undeservedly. He fought OK, but the judges were giving him questionable points and missed multiple points the Cuban should have scored.
It's not the first fight I've seen this happen in, and it makes me so angry.
It's not the first fight I've seen this happen in, and it makes me so angry.
That happened in Seoul, SK (1988) to Roy Jones. He basically used a Korean fighter as a punching bag for the entire match and and the crooked judges gave the Korean guy gold.
Holyfield had to take bronze in 84 because an incompetent ref made some weak "break" call right in the middle of a combination. His opponent got knocked out and the ref said he intentionally threw the punch after the signal (which didn't even come with an attempt to break them up and which there's no way Holyfield could've heard during a flurry of punches). After the announcement of DQ, Evander's opponent grabbed his arm and raised it and the guy who eventually won gold brought him up to the 1 spot on the podium.
Holyfield had to take bronze in 84 because an incompetent ref made some weak "break" call right in the middle of a combination. His opponent got knocked out and the ref said he intentionally threw the punch after the signal (which didn't even come with an attempt to break them up and which there's no way Holyfield could've heard during a flurry of punches). After the announcement of DQ, Evander's opponent grabbed his arm and raised it and the guy who eventually won gold brought him up to the 1 spot on the podium.
I don't think stuff that happened over 20 years ago needs to be spoilered! Anyhow I posted before on how frustrating the scoring system is.
The RJJ fight is the reason we have the scoring system we have today.
Holyfield's DQ was outrageous, but that kind of thing happens in pro boxing too.
Basically the Olympics don't want pro boxing style boxing in their games. That's cool, they don't need to use the 10 point must, but surely there could be an alternate scoring system that works better. If you have 5 judges can't they just take the punch counts and throw out the high and low and take the totals for the other 3, regardless of whether they all pushed the button at the exact time or not? How about allowing the punches to be scored between rounds like how the gymnastics allow deductions to be replayed? And there needs to be some extra points awarded for knockdowns. Preferably 3 or 5 points. This would curtail the jab to score and turtle to hang on approach to medalling at Olympic boxing. Lastly, if they want to make boxing fencing with fists, maybe they could put the boxers in electronic suits that register scoring blows?
The RJJ fight is the reason we have the scoring system we have today.
Holyfield's DQ was outrageous, but that kind of thing happens in pro boxing too.
Basically the Olympics don't want pro boxing style boxing in their games. That's cool, they don't need to use the 10 point must, but surely there could be an alternate scoring system that works better. If you have 5 judges can't they just take the punch counts and throw out the high and low and take the totals for the other 3, regardless of whether they all pushed the button at the exact time or not? How about allowing the punches to be scored between rounds like how the gymnastics allow deductions to be replayed? And there needs to be some extra points awarded for knockdowns. Preferably 3 or 5 points. This would curtail the jab to score and turtle to hang on approach to medalling at Olympic boxing. Lastly, if they want to make boxing fencing with fists, maybe they could put the boxers in electronic suits that register scoring blows?
Me too (well channel 8 here).
I missed the semi-final game after checking the times on the USA Basketball page and setting the DVR accordingly - even the 12 hour window of programming on that channel said it had the men's semifinals. I went to watch it this afternoon and found 2 hours of ping pong and an episode of House. WTF??? And I cleared other Olympic events off to watch. Maybe I should stop trying to record exclusively in HD.
No chances tonight, I'll watch from 11:30 on.
I missed the semi-final game after checking the times on the USA Basketball page and setting the DVR accordingly - even the 12 hour window of programming on that channel said it had the men's semifinals. I went to watch it this afternoon and found 2 hours of ping pong and an episode of House. WTF??? And I cleared other Olympic events off to watch. Maybe I should stop trying to record exclusively in HD.
No chances tonight, I'll watch from 11:30 on.