2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing

[XU05and07]

What are your thoughts on the summer games?

[Jumpy]

When I was younger, I used to get geekd for the Olympics. There was just something about sports around the clock, even if it was some of the goofier sports. This time around, I don't care so much, and I don't exactly know why.

[coasterville95]

I'm an Olympics fan through and through. I can't wait for it, but at the same time I can't remember being so WORRIED about an Olympics in recent history.

Mind you this comes off of us hosting at Salt Lake City in 2002 when everybody was still paranoid. While The Olympics have routinely been a site for incidents, such as the bombings in Atlanta, and much more tragically the masacare in Munich, I just think this current edition has too much political baggage. I mean, let's face it, they couldn't even perform the ceremonial torch relay without protests and demonstrations.

I'm afraid of either an ugly incident/tragedy (see bombings in China erlier this month, and I see the AP is reporting 16 Chinese police officrs performing border patrol were gunned down yesterday), or for the human rights issues, Darfur, Tibet, Taiwan, or whatever else to overshadow the games. I understand they are threatening the athletes under pain of expulsion of the games and forfeiture of medalsto keep politics out of it, but if they get a whole stadium/arena chanting political slogans...

I also understand that Team USA is taking over all their own food so that we can be totally self contained. Why do I think this is going to be seen as a business trip: Get in, get the medals, get out!, and not the festival of sports, fun and games we would like to think it is.

[Emp]

First, I can't wait. I have attended the two recent summer Olys in the US, and both were fabulous. I am a big T&F fan, so this IS the "olympics" [not the superduper] of track and field. My idea of the greatest thing that could ever happen to a competitive athlete: stand on the medal stand while they play the anthem. Short of that: make the team and wear the uniform of your country, for yourself and everyone who identifies with you.

I am troubled by all the human rights stuff, the internet censorship flap, all the side bar issues....troubled that they will eclipse the competition. I am a flaming liberal and part time libertarian on many of these issues, but part of the olympic ideal is to depoliticize the world for just a few weeks every four years. It should be all about the games.

China won the vote to host this year; I cant worry about the IOC making China a better government. I am however worried about athletes choking in the smog, esp all endurance related events. The equestrian cross country event may be esp trying for those involuntary athletes, the horses.

These athletes train to compete, and that is the story I want to read, view and enjoy.

I hope the Chinese win a bunch of medals. Eventually those athletes will compete and interact outside of china in lots of sports, and that will be good for the individual sports and for the sidebar of creating a more open society there...but during the games, I just want to watch the thrill of victory. The guy with the most to lose is Lui Xaing, the current record holder and defending gold medalist. He hasn't raced much at all this year. Not the usual approach to the oly tuneup.

I like watching the US men's basketball team work on gelling as a team. This team interests me much more that the Dream Team. The level of world basketball is so much higher now with all the non-US players in the NBA, and the higher level of basketball in Europe and South America. I did get a start with seeing two obviously (African-)American players on the Russian squad last night while watching the replay. Will we see Stan on the Bosnian squad in four years?

I also like the closing ceremonies, when the athletes are finally through and doing their uncensored, goofy, wacky thing. Some are being nationalistic, some are being self-promoting, some are just relieved, some are sad for unrealized expectations, some are gloriously happy. Kathy Freeman was a totally inspiring figure for me at the 2000 games in Oz.

[XUglow]

Taking food? I think that the food in Beijing is great. I imagine that our troops will get out for a little McDonald's and KFC, but they will be missing out on a lot of great cuisine if they don't eat out at least some.

[GoMuskies]

My interest in the Olympics has become less and less as it has become less and less about amateur athletics. To me, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James just do not quite match my vision of the "Olympic ideal". And I do not have anything against Bryant or James. It's just that I think it should be college guys (same with tennis and baseball and all of the other sports).

[PM Thor]

Well, first I think they should go back to having the summer and winter olympics in the same year, none of this every 2 year crap between winter and summer games. I think that has seriously undermined the excitement that would come around every four years.

I'm not too worried about anything really happening in Bejing, but, I can't get excited either. Between the horrific pollution and Tibet/human rights, I won't really care. I think the IOC did a terrible, terrible job picking China as the host this year. It's just too politically charged to be there.

Aaaand I too can't get behind the pros playing in the games. I'm not even speaking directly about the NBA players either. There seem to be a profligration of "hired guns" for countries in specific sports, like the one American woman who will be playing for Russia in basketball. I know there are more examples of this, I'm just too lazy to find them. It's like when you watch some track event, where half (or more) of the runners are in college in the US, training with the US guys, but go out and represent Whogivesacrapastan in the games. The games have lost their way for me....

[xu95]

Taking food? I think that the food in Beijing is great. I imagine that our troops will get out for a little McDonald's and KFC, but they will be missing out on a lot of great cuisine if they don't eat out at least some.

After the first couple days in China (I was on a business trip to Shanghai for a week) I really started to get into the food, but for the first couple of days when they were bringing out the whole fish (head and all) I wasn't too excited.

xu95

[X-band '01]

Well, first I think they should go back to having the summer and winter olympics in the same year, none of this every 2 year crap between winter and summer games. I think that has seriously undermined the excitement that would come around every four years.


Half the Winter Olympics events account for either skiing or skating - does it really make a difference if they hold those games in the same year as the Summer Olympics or not? The Summer Olympics are much more of a bigger deal than the Winter Olympics; half the countries in the world don't have the means or the climate to even prepare for skiing and skating events.

I'm not saying I'm going to have my DVD recorder ready to go for the next 2 weeks, but it's always interesting to watch the pageantry along with the Games themselves.

[nuts4xu]

I'm not saying I'm going to have my DVD recorder ready to go for the next 2 weeks, but it's always interesting to watch the pageantry along with the Games themselves.

You like "pageantry"?

[mlcspinner]

USA

:) :D :cool:

[PM Thor]

I am sitting here, watching team USA struggle with Australia, and it's the same old typical problems for this team.

Run up against any team that plays solid half court sets, and the Americans struggle. They rely on their athleticism to overcome blatant basketball issues. They have basically no set offense in the half court, can't defend in the half court downlow, and look confused trying to figure out the switches on defense.

Typical American team. Athleticism trying to overcome junk basketball basics. Good for highlights, but bad for basketball fundamentals. It's sickening.

Best name though? Chingchong stadium in Shanghai.

[American X]

Bronze - Arrest

Silver - Torture

Gold - Kill

I fundamentally and completely object to awarding the games to a brutal, totalitarian regime.

That said, American X will be cheering for America to kick so much arse. I truly appreciate seeing our athletes who have trained with a dedication and intensity I cannot fathom perform. For instance, seeing Cael Sanderson win the wrestling gold four years ago to crown his amatuer career was phenomenal.

I will not Tivo or watch anything online, but I will turn them on every evening.

[American X]

I will certainly try to catch some women's beach volleyball:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/7406770_82b01973e1.jpg?v=0

[Cheesehead]

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I'll watch some of it but I'm thinking I won't go out of my way to catch a lot of it. Very poor choice by the IOC. I can't wait to see all the athletes kicked out for doping too.

[gladdenguy]

Swimming is the absolute best. I will tune in for every race in the pool. Other events I'll watch sparingly.

[waggy]

X grad Jason Parker is competing in 10m Air Rifle. Quals are going on right now, but I can't find anything on the tube. Here is a link to Parkers bio page at NBC.. http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=635/bio/index.html

[GuyFawkes38]

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS.

There are a lot of reasons to. Most of all, I love seeing non-football and baseball sports on TV (I was watching team handball last night. It was wonderful).

It's a breath of fresh air before the awfulness and monotonous nature of Football coverage that will takeover the sports airwaves in the next 6 months.

[boozehound]

I'm not a big Olympic buff, but that Michael Phelps guy is amazing. Did anybody see the 400M IM that he won? Talk about domination.

[waggy]

Watching live video at the NBC Olympic website of the Equestrian competition... The "Equestrian Center" is someones golf course! Bet the members are simply estatic to have horses running around their course.

[nuts4xu]

I find it amazing how similar Michael Phelps looks like me from the neck down. We have the EXACT same build. It's no wonder people are always mistaking me for him.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-CA391_0811ph_20080811000328.jpg

[golfitup]

It's not too hard to figure out why the Olympics are in China. There's over a freaking billion of em out there.

[Juice]

Anyone else think its funny that the Olympics are being held in China but all their uniforms/jerseys spell China in English?

Developing superpower my ass.

[PM Thor]

Juice, the Chinese ain't stupid, they knows how their bread is buttered.

[ATL Muskie]

I miss the Laff-A-Lympics. I always supported the Yogi Yahooeys.

I watch the Olympics every now and then. Had a disagreement with the wife tonight. She like the diving and gymnastics and shit but I said I can't watch the events that are judged. Too much human involvement, especially when you have the "favorites" and they get the points over the no-names who seemingly do just as well at times. I don't know, that's just me. I can better appreciate the events where the athletes win based on what they do and not on judge's points. To each his own.

When they were in ATL in 96 I attended quite a few events. Went to a couple of water polo matches, those were cool. Saw some diving. Saw Japan and the Netherlands baseball. A weightlifting event and some rowing. It was a great time. A co-worker is married to a woman from Vancouver and she said we could crash at her folk's house if we want to come up for the winter games. Might just do that.

I think it's a cool event, but I'm not thrilled it is in China. Many, many problems with that.

[PM Thor]

I will admit that US/French swimming final had me cheering aloud when the US won it.

Stupid French, always choking. The US DESTROYED the World Record by 4 seconds, and 2 teams beat the World Record, and didn't even medal. That's nuts.

Believe it or not, Phelps is a distant cousin of mine, something like 4th cousin, or so my parents say. Personally, I don't believe them. He is much too out of shape.

[GuyFawkes38]

Thank God there was only the possibility of either the French or the US winning that swimming race....The only two truly patriotic countries on earth. Vive la France and God Bless America...The two greatest nations on earth!!!

[waggy]

Jason Parker failed to qualify for the finals of the 10m Air Rifle. I think he might be in another of the competitions, but don't know which.

[waggy]

A co-worker is married to a woman from Vancouver and she said we could crash at her folk's house if we want to come up for the winter games. Might just do that.

I think Vancouver will put on awesome Games. They've been constructing venues for at least three years.

[wkrq59]

Parker's also competing in small bore...which is really his field of expertise.He just added the air rifle to his events for the games.
----<
Let's face few facts. The Modern Olympic Games of today are what they are, and what they have become. They are competitions for nationalistic supremacy.
Beginning with the "USA, USA" chants during the 1980 winter hockey games in Lake Placid to the present, they have gone so far from the "Olympic ideal" of so-called pure amateurism that it's silly to even reminisce about those days.
From John Carlos and Tommie Smith to the East German super women (see blood doping chapter one) to the "Dream Teams" to today's attempts to reclaim glory. The games are just for the most part nationalistic competitions among major and "mid-major" powers.
Still, it's fun to watch Cameroon come back to tie whomever to keep its hopes alive for the elimination round. There are other examples of small nations putting everything they have into one or two sports for a chance to win a medal--any medal.
There is something neat about watching an Olga Korbit, or a Nadia Comaniche, or a Mary Lou Retton, or any of the young women today, who are far more mature and far better spoken than their predecessors in gymnastics.
The swimmers are a marvel in their own right, because there is no judging, just swimmer against the ever-present clock. And the relays are a pleasure to watch, too.
The same for track and field, as long as the doping is controlled--which I doubt it ever really will.
The equestrian activities are truly a thing of beauty to behold, in what is a perfect communication between man and horse. Remember this: A great horse can always make an inferior rider look capable, but a truly fine rider can make even a mediocre horse look great.
The really fun event to watch is the puissant, the high jump of show jumping. Invariably, the horse will know when there is a jump he or she can not make and send the rider ass over teakettle by just stopping.
It would be fine if the Olympics could be held on closed courses, with no one in the stadiums and no professionals involved. But they no longer can and will never ever again be that way.
Still, there are fun events to watch, the 8-oar mens and women's rowing competition, the fours without cox, the two-person teams and so on. The endurance, strength, training and sheer desire to row through the pain over more than 2000 meters is something that is thrilling no matter which nation is involved. And when at 1500 meters the cox calls for a power 10, (which is the equivalent of kicking the pace into overdrive) and the shell surges forward, that is a thing of beauty in itself.
The Olympic sports that involve individuals, shooting, swimming and diving, archery, gymnastics.track and field (including relays, equestrian, and the rowing which is a sport (except for sculling) that requires absolute teamwork are still semi-amateur.
The team sports, basketball, soccer, baseball, and in the winter hockey, have become professional thanks to the Russians paying players, to the Americans answering with their pros etc.
It was fun to watch Oscar Robertson and his teammates win gold way back when they were recent college graduates, and it is just as fun today to watch the USA team of LeBron James, Kobie et. al play the tenacious defense and work as a team instead of playing as individuals.
It's still fun to watch the softball, and the women's soccer teams and the men's teams for that matter but they, too, are pros. Frankly, the USA women's Olympic basketball team is more fun to watch than the men's team because the ladies are a TEAM. And they play like one.
We are as much a problem as the nations themselves when we insist that anything but gold is unacceptable and that there is shame in silver or bronze or heaven forbid giving everything you have to give and not winning a medal.
Because politics and idilogies can not be separated from the Olympics any more than you can separate professionalism from amateurism in the case of team sports, you will always have situations that will draw protesters.
The USA skipped the 80 summer games because the Russians invaded Afghanistan and the Russians skipped the 84 games in Los Angeles as payback.
Should the whole world have skipped the games in China just because of their human rights record? Should the IOC--a political group if ever there was one --(See Avery Brundage and antisemitism) even have awarded the games to China? The idea of giving the nation with the largest population on earth an opportunity to show it has changed or whatever the IOC's rationalism was, is noble. And it may even work.
But the Olympics will still be what they are and they are damn sure a better watch than the Reds or most major-league baseball teams. Oh, wait there's the Bengals pre-season. HaaaaaH!:D

[PM Thor]

Well, I will be rooting for the Cincy kid in boxing. I know this. Local kid.

Otherwise, I agree with Q. The common fan is watching the "medal count", seeing if the US wins that aspect.

It really is a sad state of affairs. People as a whole don't take pride in the individual performers anymore, they just want the country to be on top vs other countries. I despise that aspect, because these kids deserve a level of respect for their individual achievements.

It really sickens me, really, that the US basketball team gets so much attention, whereas a guy who devotes himself to Hell, archery, gets no respect. Doesn't that guy spend as much time and effort as the others?

There are sports that are barely covered, but the level of commitment is insane. The money involved is minimal. The glory is minimal. The coverage is minimal.

I respect those Olympians more than I ever would over any Team USA basketball player, track, or swimmer.

Hail to the table tennis player!

[xu95]

I will admit that US/French swimming final had me cheering aloud when the US won it.

Stupid French, always choking. The US DESTROYED the World Record by 4 seconds, and 2 teams beat the World Record, and didn't even medal. That's nuts.

Believe it or not, Phelps is a distant cousin of mine, something like 4th cousin, or so my parents say. Personally, I don't believe them. He is much too out of shape.

That race last night is exactly why I watch the Olympics. I should have been in bed getting some rest for work today but I had to see the French surrender just one more time.

xu95

[xeus]

I find it amazing how similar Michael Phelps looks like me from the neck down. We have the EXACT same build. It's no wonder people are always mistaking me for him.

Except you are more modest about it - you aren't always walking around in a speedo showing it off. I like that about you nuts, you are a man of the people.

[xu95]

Except you are more modest about it - you aren't always walking around in a speedo showing it off. I like that about you nuts, you are a man of the people.

And he wears that fake beer gut to hide it.

xu95

[xeus]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080809/capt.3d30f3280877490cb3b9afc55d3be1a4.beijing_olym pics_bush_oly523.jpg?x=363&y=345&sig=tCIwUYDdsP5j6mWI1HyKgw--

[ATL Muskie]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080809/capt.3d30f3280877490cb3b9afc55d3be1a4.beijing_olym pics_bush_oly523.jpg?x=363&y=345&sig=tCIwUYDdsP5j6mWI1HyKgw--

Tried to rep you for that kick ass picture but it won't let me. Someone help a brutha out.

[ATL Muskie]

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2008/08/bushvolley2R100808_450x509.jpg

[AviatorX]

Speaking of beach volleyball...why are the U.S. guys wearing oakleys minus the lenses???

[dc_x]

Speaking of beach volleyball...why are the U.S. guys wearing oakleys minus the lenses???

The annuoncers said that the lenses were fogging up due to the humidity, but because of sponsorship deals they were still required to wear the glasses. So they just pooped the lenses out. I'd say that is a metaphor for the current state of the Olympics.

[xeus]

The annuoncers said that the lenses were fogging up due to the humidity, but because of sponsorship deals they were still required to wear the glasses. So they just pooped the lenses out. I'd say that is a metaphor for the current state of the Olympics.

If I'm Oakley, I'd rather the guys not wear my sunglasses at all than have the announcers tell the world the glasses don't work so well so the players had to take the lenses out.

[Emp]

Loved the finish of the 400 Free Relay...THAT is why I watch sports...just a pool full of great athletes hammering back and forth, evenly matched, top of their conditioning and game. WR holder get pipped at the end. More, gimme more.

I'm with Thor on the minor sports glory, but I'm not concerned that they get proportionately less coverage. The IOC at least gives them a chance to compete and win, to be a part of the Oly movement. And actually NBC is covering the hell out of the games. Between that and the internet, everyone can follow anything/everything.

[coasterville95]

Yes, nbcolympics.com is amazing, not only does it teach you the fundamentals of every event, but each and every event gets its own homepage with dashboard of news photos and video. I may not have much interest in the rowing events, but I can hit up NBC Rewind and watch those events on demand on my schedule, if I wanted to. I think I will have to look up the Equestrian, I like those events and they never seem to get TV time.

Something for everybody and its in high def. USA vs China basketball was not at a convenient time for me, but when I was ready for it, it was ready for me.

Now, if we could get them to at least offer the option of watching the opening live...

They even have a web gizmo where you can go and pick out up to 4 video feeds at once to put on your monitor.

So far I have watched the opening(It.s amazing what you can do with $300M, a stadium built to your specifications, and 15,000 volunteers), as well as segments of rowing, cycling (and was that rain nasty for the women's road race, not to mention the EVIL course they used), gymnastics (those girls are 16!!??!!, yeah, right!), swimming (that relay last night was one for the all time highlight reels, and hey they actually go the anthem right which is more than I can say for Saturday night!), diving, water polo, basketball, beach volleyball (rain is not a friend of the outdoor events this time is it?), indoor volleyball. When do we get track and field?

[ATL Muskie]

I refuse to watch the Olympics until they make Wiffleball an Olympic sport.

[coasterville95]

Let's hear it for Cornhole, we can slide it right in since baseball is coming out!

I mean, they have Curling for winter games, we can have Cornhole for summer games!!

Of course I'm not sure how the IOC would view the athletes insisiting they be able to hold a bottle of beer in their now throwing hand. It's necessary game equipment I tell you, its the counterweight!

(no offense to the Curling fans, of which I am mesmerzied by the game myself. )

[XUglow]

Let's hear it for Cornhole, we can slide it right in since baseball is coming out!

I mean, they have Curling for winter games, we can have Cornhole for summer games!!

Of course I'm not sure how the IOC would view the athletes insisiting they be able to hold a bottle of beer in their now throwing hand. It's necessary game equipment I tell you, its the counterweight!

(no offense to the Curling fans, of which I am mesmerzied by the game myself. )

Curling has a grand total of 10 countries competing. Curling "athletes" make bowlers look good. It is a fairly expensive sport. If Jordan, for instance, called up and said they were putting a Curling team in the next winter Olympics, the IOC would probably say, "OK."

Cornhole just needs a bit of cross-pollination to make the winter Olympics. Cross-country Cornhole would have a bunch of people skiing and stopping at various locations to do a bit of tossing. Skiing times would be adjusted by cornhole scores. Speed skating cornhole would have the skaters trying to hit the hole on the board while going as fast as they can on the circuit. Finally, ski jumping cornhole would be my favorite, where the jumpers would take the place of the bags and try to hurl themselves through an opening in the middle of the jump. Style points would be awarded for the landing, so it would not be good to miss the hole.

[xu2006]

Michael Phelps is pure domination.

That is all.

[Kahns Krazy]

My interest in the Olympics has become less and less as it has become less and less about amateur athletics. To me, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James just do not quite match my vision of the "Olympic ideal". And I do not have anything against Bryant or James. It's just that I think it should be college guys (same with tennis and baseball and all of the other sports).

Agreed, watching an NBA all pro team will never give me the same feeling that watching the 1980 men's hockey team does.


Well, first I think they should go back to having the summer and winter olympics in the same year, none of this every 2 year crap between winter and summer games. I think that has seriously undermined the excitement that would come around every four years.....

I tend to agree. The every 4 year thing somehow made it like a "special" year. Now it seems like it's always time for olympics.


I miss the Laff-A-Lympics. I always supported the Yogi Yahooeys.


Solid.


I was in Vegas this weekend and was surprised that the sportsbooks didn't offer any olympic wagering.

[nuts4xu]

Went to a couple of water polo matches, those were cool.

Was Mark Smydra on our team? He's got aquatic skills yo!!
http://www.enquirer.com/xavier/img/photos/2001/10/100701smydra07_zoom.jpg

[Smails]

I think Vancouver will put on awesome Games. They've been constructing venues for at least three years.


Very liberal pot laws in Vanvouver as well.....everybody wins

[nuts4xu]

Very liberal pot laws in Vanvouver as well.....

They do? Sounds like we need to fire up the road trip bus!! I will make the brownies, Smails is driving!

I am going through Vancouver to Whistler next month. Can you go into a bar and order the stuff like you can in Amsterdam? Or is it more undercover than this?

[Smails]

They do? Sounds like we need to fire up the road trip bus!! I will make the brownies, Smails is driving!

I am going through Vancouver to Whistler next month. Can you go into a bar and order the stuff like you can in Amsterdam? Or is it more undercover than this?

Not as open as Amsterdam...meaning there's no coffee shops with pickle jars full of different strands on the shelf..but it is VERY tolerated and impossible not to find.....so I've been told. Google it and you'll see what I'm talking about. Whistler is unreal!...Best downhill mountain biking in North America.

[nuts4xu]

So it sounds like you would have no problem driving the bus to Vancouver with the hollowed out fenders and fake spare tire that doubles as a hidden storage compartments?

[XUglow]

Wow, a Swedish wrestler wins a bronze medal, walks off of the medal platform and throws his medal away. I nominate him the the "Mark Spitz True-Meaning of Sports Award."

The floor is open for other nominees.

[ATL Muskie]

A wrestler throws a hissy fit. What do you expect?
http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/51225998.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A6B49568467383C98B 26D5502F4A3FD04B

[PM Thor]

Wow, a Swedish wrestler wins a bronze medal, walks off of the medal platform and throws his medal away. I nominate him the the "Mark Spitz True-Meaning of Sports Award."

The floor is open for other nominees.

Yeah and I love how he and his coach argued that it was "all about politics" that they lost to the gold medalist. The winner was from ITALY. It's not like he got a homer job from a Chinese wrestler or like what happened to Roy Jones in South Korea....

What an idiot.

Oh and I nominate the entire Chinese team, because there are documents proving that some of the womens gymnasts are underage, but still competed. That country will do anything, anything to win.

[Kahns Krazy]

This is overall the boo-hoo-lympics. Nobody has lost yet. They have only gotten screwed. I think that's why I hate the olympics now.

[XUglow]

I think that's why I hate the olympics now.

Mark Spitz just called and said that he is holding a reservation for you at his table at the awards banquet.

[Juice]

Here is a fun video if you like "freedom of the press" and if it exists for journalists during the Olympics:

http://www.thermocaster.com/2008/08/13/boy-these-olympics-are-going-great/

[Juice]

Oh and I nominate the entire Chinese team, because there are documents proving that some of the womens gymnasts are underage, but still competed. That country will do anything, anything to win.

One of the girls was missing a tooth. What an absolute joke.

[XUglow]

The girl with the questionable age is named "He". That makes for some unusual sentences.

"He's age was reported as 13 in January." Sounds like someone at the AP was drinking a bit too much Qingdao.

[coasterville95]

Hey now, as much fun as the China bashing is over these Olympics, and I admit I have gotten involved in it myself, lets be fair here.

It seems that for the last few Olympics now losers have tried to perform medal alchemy through the appeals processes with varying degrees of success. Take the South Korean gymnists who outright demanded Paul Hamm and the medal over, or the Canadian figure skaters that caused TWO golds to be awareded in that event. Some justitfied, some not, but the precedent has been set that if you lose in the competition, don't sweat it there is always the appeals process. I mean I feel for some people, like the leading marathoner in Athens who got tackled to the ground by a spectator, I also note he got nowhere on that appeal. Last night somebody threw a yoy drum into the pool at the Water Cube during a race and it landed in China's lane, imagine what would have happened had they lost the race because of it. (hint: the offending spectator might have been caried out of the water cube in a body bag)

[American X]

American X and his avatar support the Olympic athletes of the United States of America.

[Emp]

Geeze, as a big T&F fan, former coach, nothing frosts me more than bungled baton passes.

Get four guys -- and women -- who will practice practice practice, not the prima donnas. Jamaica is relay central, I love those teams.

[PM Thor]

David Neville diving head first at the line...getting the bronze in the 400. That is what the Olympics is about. I love it. A guy laying out, willing to be hurt, showing every ounce of his training, just putting it all out there.

The kid simply showed what the Olympics is all about., Put it all out there. Love it. LOVE IT.