Olympics 2008

[Mark F. Barnes]

The other guy reached for the wall at the end of his stroke and came up an inch short and had to stretch to reach it, and Phelps drove into the wall with a half stroke, it was the timing of their strokes that decided it, almost kind of flukish, but none the lest, even under the High speed super slow motion you can see it frame buy frame. At least I could when I rolled it back on my TIVO, and stepped it frame by frame. Under full speed it appeared Phelps was beaten, but the underwater camera gave the best view.

All that aside, like Trae said, they have touch pads at each end of the pool, that's the ultimate judge. They went to the replays to verify it, and then again when the protest was filed. Rowdy Gaines was calling it like he and everyone else thought they saw it, he looked beaten, but the electronics don't lie. In one heat race they had a dead nuts tie, down to the thousandth of a second (.001). Electronic timing has been around since the '68 games in Mexico City.

[lockmat]

Anyone else just watch the Tyson Gay interview/story during the halftime of the USA vs Spain bball game? That's one thing I really like about amateur sports. You get honest and real interviews. You hardly ever get an interview with an American pro athlete that says what he really feels, like that he was scared and really nervous for days before a race. Tyson seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders. Tonights race is gonna be great.

edit: or not... link

I guess it's about winning the race, not the fastest time overall within the prelims.

[RedScare]

Sorry to ruin your warm and fuzzy moment, lockmat, but those interviews and the "human interest" stories are what I most despise about the Olympics (and the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Championship, for that matter). Yeah, I know, you swam more laps before I woke up than most people swim in a year. So what. That's why you're at the OLYMPICS, and coincidentally, I am NOT.

Maybe I am just bitter that no one ever did a story about how I worked in a bar to get through school, often times drinking and chasing the waitresses after hours until early in the morning, then going to class on little to no sleep. No one cared about my sacrifice, why do I care about theirs?

[20thStDad]

Sorry to ruin your warm and fuzzy moment, lockmat, but those interviews and the "human interest" stories are what I most despise about the Olympics (and the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Championship, for that matter). Yeah, I know, you swam more laps before I woke up than most people swim in a year. So what. That's why you're at the OLYMPICS, and coincidentally, I am NOT.

Maybe I am just bitter that no one ever did a story about how I worked in a bar to get through school, often times drinking and chasing the waitresses after hours until early in the morning, then going to class on little to no sleep. No one cared about my sacrifice, why do I care about theirs?

Yes, that's when I am glad there are multiple channels with coverage, so I can switch over as soon as they start that human interest crap. Show me archery, synchronized diving, ANYTHING but that crap. I just don't care.

I am stoked about track. Watching the 100M prelims, those 2 Jamaican dudes were not even trying, and smoked everyone. I just don't see how Tyson Gay can win, but that's why they run the race. Anything can happen, and I'll hopefully be watching it. Pole vault is awesome too. I love that one. Best chicks in the whole games.

EDIT: Traveling makes keeping up difficult. We already lost, didn't even make the finals! But Jamaican dude did blow everyone away.

[lockmat]

I was more impressed with his honest answers, not so much his accomplishments. How many corporate type people if honored for their accolades would guaruntee an honest interview anyway?

But they have these human stories because they're on tv for the Olympics. I'm sure once you're on tv, they might consider doing a story about you. I see nothing wrong with it.

[RedScare]

But they have these human stories because they're on tv for the Olympics. I'm sure once you're on tv, they might consider doing a story about you. I see nothing wrong with it.

Mmm...no, they have human interest stories because the producers believe they attract female viewers.

[lockmat]

Mmm...no, they have human interest stories because the producers believe they attract female viewers.

You're missing my point. Do something significant in pop cutlure, and you'll get your own human story.

More than just women can appreciate someone who is one of the fastest human beings alive show that they're not a big headed egtistical athlete/person. And we have plenty of those, famous and non-famous.

I agree that emphasis shouldn't be over blown on it. There a millions of unsung heroes. But it is what it is and I'm okay with it. People always complain about not giving enough of the good stories...well, which way is it. (Maybe you're not one of those people and you'd rather there just be box scores and nothing else up on tv screens.)

[Trae]

8.

[bachanon]

Mmm...no, they have human interest stories because the producers believe they attract female viewers.

you callin' me a girl?

[RedScare]

You're missing my point. Do something significant in pop cutlure, and you'll get your own human story.

More than just women can appreciate someone who is one of the fastest human beings alive show that they're not a big headed egtistical athlete/person. And we have plenty of those, famous and non-famous.

I agree that emphasis shouldn't be over blown on it. There a millions of unsung heroes. But it is what it is and I'm okay with it. People always complain about not giving enough of the good stories...well, which way is it. (Maybe you're not one of those people and you'd rather there just be box scores and nothing else up on tv screens.)

No, you are missing mine. I watch athletic competition for the skill displayed and the competitive interest. I care not what the sacrifice was to achieve that level. The fact that should I achieve athletic success through hard work and sacrifice, human interest stories will be done on me makes me no more enamored of this cheezy exploitation of sport.

you callin' me a girl?

If you like that sort of thing, apparently yes.

[wernicke]

No, you are missing mine. I watch athletic competition for the skill displayed and the competitive interest. I care not what the sacrifice was to achieve that level. The fact that should I achieve athletic success through hard work and sacrifice, human interest stories will be done on me makes me no more enamored of this cheezy exploitation of sport.

You are coming off quite ego-centric.

[RedScare]

You are coming off quite ego-centric.

I may be coming off as a lot of things, overly cynical being chief among them, but ego-centric is not it. Perhaps you should look up what the word means before you use it in your attempt to denigrate my opinion.

[bachanon]

You are coming off quite ego-centric.

ahem! cough, cough!

i don't think red's comment is egocentric. maybe jaded......

[wernicke]

In psychology, egocentrism is defined as a) the incomplete differentiation of the self and the world, including other people and the tendency to perceive, understand and interpret the world in terms of the self.

Yeah, I know, you swam more laps before I woke up than most people swim in a year. So what. That's why you're at the OLYMPICS, and coincidentally, I am NOT.

Maybe I am just bitter that no one ever did a story about how I worked in a bar to get through school, often times drinking and chasing the waitresses after hours until early in the morning, then going to class on little to no sleep. No one cared about my sacrifice, why do I care about theirs?

Anyways, I was just letting you know that you were "coming off" a certain way... relax boss.

[RedScare]

In psychology, egocentrism is defined as a) the incomplete differentiation of the self and the world, including other people and the tendency to perceive, understand and interpret the world in terms of the self.

Anyways, I was just letting you know that you were "coming off" a certain way... relax boss.

Even after you go to the trouble of printing the definition of the term, you still misunderstand what it means.

No matter, my low opinion of sports human interest stories can be discussed in another thread.

[sifuwong]

I did think the story about them taking these little Chinese girls from their homes @ age three and only allowing the parents to visit them once a year at the gymnastics training center was a bit bazaar, and it remains that way until they retire from competition.

Actually, the parents make the decision for their child. The ones from the rural areas know by doing this, their child will have a better life and future ahead. Once they decide to do this, they're aware it is a long life committment till they leave the sport.

Oh lawd.

You do know they have underwater sensors right? You can't see how he won watching it with the naked eye. It was too close. He won by 0.01 of a second basically. The underwater sensors and technology don't lie.

With the frame to frame photographs and slow motion, it was pretty obvious that Phelps won. Omega is the best!!!

[RedScare]

You know, after laying awake all night, wondering why I don't like human interest stories, and cringing at the thought that others accuse me of being ego-centric, it hit me...maybe I really DO like human interest stories. Maybe I am hiding my love of all things warm and fuzzy behind a curtain of cynicism and egocentricity. Maybe all is not lost!

Armed with this knowledge that maybe I am not all bad, I went in search of the perfect warm and fuzzy human interest story. I scoured the television. I searched the internet. Finally...I found it!

Behold...

the warmest and fuzziest of all human interest stories!

[TJones]

Sorry to ruin your warm and fuzzy moment, lockmat, but those interviews and the "human interest" stories are what I most despise about the Olympics (and the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Championship, for that matter). Yeah, I know, you swam more laps before I woke up than most people swim in a year. So what. That's why you're at the OLYMPICS, and coincidentally, I am NOT.

Maybe I am just bitter that no one ever did a story about how I worked in a bar to get through school, often times drinking and chasing the waitresses after hours until early in the morning, then going to class on little to no sleep. No one cared about my sacrifice, why do I care about theirs?

It's called "FILLER" Red. NBC with their BILLION dollar effort for these games are trying to appeal to all sides of the sport in order to make BOTH genders feel an attachment to these athletes so they will come back and watch the next time the athlete is competing at 3am. I don't mind NBC doing fluff pieces in between heats or when changing over Olympic sporting events. I have to get up and go to the bathroom or grab a beer sometime you know ?

[rsb320]

Oh lawd.

You do know they have underwater sensors right? You can't see how he won watching it with the naked eye. It was too close. He won by 0.01 of a second basically. The underwater sensors and technology don't lie.

I agree. I thought he came in second too until I saw the still frames from under water.

[Pumapayam]

Watching Phelps & team last night was phenomenal. Experts say that all the attributes of the pool as well as the suit helped contribute to their times. I wonder if London in 2016 will build a pool to these specs, or to previous specs. It seems without the pool, no one will be able to touch those times.

As for watching the Chinese women's gymnastic team take the gold, I was disgusted. They have 1.3 billion people, and yet still had to sink to getting some 14 year olds to get the job done. Here's a NY Times article revealing the story. Absolutely disgusting.

Have this been posted about He Kexin?

[Jeebus]

Have this been posted about He Kexin?

No, we're not allowed to talk about it. As long as China gets gold this year - as proven last night.

Simply disgusting.

[Pumapayam]

No, we're not allowed to talk about it. As long as China gets gold this year - as proven last night.

Simply disgusting.

If the age thing is true, it will eventually come out. She can't go on the rest of her life 2 years older simply because of the olympics. What grade is she in? Unless less she is home schooled, she will be expected to graduated in a year or two. Right now, if 14, He should be in 9th grade.

With all this proof that He was 14 and jumped 2 years, she will get caught and stripped of her metal, maybe not now, but sometime soon.

Had she got silver or bronze, it would not be an issue, but since she got gold, in a VERY close scoring tie with an American gymnist, you can bet big brother will be watching her closely from here on out.

[20thStDad]

I bet they have school at the gymnastics academy, so that's rigged to help hide it all too. If they can prove she is 14, she'll lose the medal. It's out there and enough people are talking about it that some Dateline or other news whore with find the real truth. Whether the IOC gets some balls and does something will soon be revealed.

[sifuwong]

I actually think the Chinese gymnasts' ages in the individual events actually hurt them. They really didn't have teammates cheering them on. The lack of maturity and mental part of it hurt them as they made mistake after mistake. By being under 16, you can see how their routines were not strong, elegant or artistic. They were not only small, but skinny. It didn't look good from a viewer's point of view. Nastia's long legs and artistry worked well in her favor. Shawn's strong, raw skills shined.

[sifuwong]

If the age thing is true, it will eventually come out. She can't go on the rest of her life 2 years older simply because of the olympics. What grade is she in? Unless less she is home schooled, she will be expected to graduated in a year or two. Right now, if 14, He should be in 9th grade.

With all this proof that He was 14 and jumped 2 years, she will get caught and stripped of her metal, maybe not now, but sometime soon.

Had she got silver or bronze, it would not be an issue, but since she got gold, in a VERY close scoring tie with an American gymnist, you can bet big brother will be watching her closely from here on out.

They won't get stripped of the medal. Once the gymnastics competition are over, it is final. Look at Paul Hamm. He got the gold medalin 2004 Olympics eventhough the judges made an error in not calculating the correct difficulty start value. Had the scores factored in the Korean's start value difficulty, he would've edged out Hamm. However, the Koreans didn't find out and inquired after the scores were given, thus too late. The gymnastics federation said once the competition is over, the decision is final.

[Mark F. Barnes]

I beg to differ Wong, a scoring error is completely different than a rules violation. Many medals have been stripped for Doping Violations, ask Marion Jones. And they are considerings Stripping her teammates that were on the relay team with her. A blatant rule violation, such as this age issue, is in no way the same as a scoring error, and is handled differently. The age violation is a level 1 rule violation, the same as doping. A scoring error is not a rule violation at all, it's just an error. Now if Korea would have filed the proper protest, before closing ceremonies had been complete, with the IOC, they would have a leg to stand on and Paul Hamm would have been stripped. But the did not file the proper paperwork in the proper time frame. Thus it was considered a moot point. However if definitive proof comes out about the age of these girls, they will be stripped, you can bank on that. The IOC can't afford to take a hit like that, they are on shaky ground as it is with most other athletic associations.

[Pumapayam]

They won't get stripped of the medal. Once the gymnastics competition are over, it is final. Look at Paul Hamm. He got the gold medalin 2004 Olympics eventhough the judges made an error in not calculating the correct difficulty start value. Had the scores factored in the Korean's start value difficulty, he would've edged out Hamm. However, the Koreans didn't find out and inquired after the scores were given, thus too late. The gymnastics federation said once the competition is over, the decision is final.

Some woman was stripped of her medal recently for using steroids at a game years back. Scoring error is one thing, but cheating with the age requirements is another.

[Pumapayam]

I bet they have school at the gymnastics academy, so that's rigged to help hide it all too. If they can prove she is 14, she'll lose the medal. It's out there and enough people are talking about it that some Dateline or other news whore with find the real truth. Whether the IOC gets some balls and does something will soon be revealed.

You think some news magazine will investigate this? That would be great for ratings if something was revealed.

[sifuwong]

Some woman was stripped of her medal recently for using steroids at a game years back. Scoring error is one thing, but cheating with the age requirements is another.

Steroids is a whole different matter.

I beg to differ Wong, a scoring error is completely different than a rules violation. Many medals have been stripped for Doping Violations, ask Marion Jones. And they are considerings Stripping her teammates that were on the relay team with her. A blatant rule violation, such as this age issue, is in no way the same as a scoring error, and is handled differently. The age violation is a level 1 rule violation, the same as doping. A scoring error is not a rule violation at all, it's just an error. Now if Korea would have filed the proper protest, before closing ceremonies had been complete, with the IOC, they would have a leg to stand on and Paul Hamm would have been stripped. But the did not file the proper paperwork in the proper time frame. Thus it was considered a moot point. However if definitive proof comes out about the age of these girls, they will be stripped, you can bank on that. The IOC can't afford to take a hit like that, they are on shaky ground as it is with most other athletic associations.

Doping is a whole different matter.

[DJ V Lawrence]

You think some news magazine will investigate this? That would be great for ratings if something was revealed.

I dare a journalist to go into China, find out, and run before the government catches 'em. That alone would probably require a number of Olympic events just to escape alive. Hurdles, long-jump, 10,000m dash, decathlon, swimming, diving, archery, judo, fencing...