XXXth Olympiad - London

[gblews]

I expect they will win the gold, but there are teams loaded with NBA players on them. And after the badminton scandal, why isn't anyone talking about Spain tanking it against Brazil so they would not have to play the US until the gold medal game.

I didn't know that that is supposedly is the reason Spain lost to Brazil. Interesting. Anyway, Spain should be super motivated against the US (assumig they both get far enough) if for no other reason that the way the Spanirds were man handled four years ago.

Also, for those of you outside the States, there is a lot of talk here on the sports talk radio stations that we should send an under-23 team from here on in, as it will be more competitive and we won't beat teams by 80 anymore.

I think this is ridiculous. Send your best against out best. If I were a foreign team, I'd feel more insulted if we sent the B-team than if our best blew you out of the gym.

There are plenty of sports we have no chance at. I don't see the Russian hockey team or the Chinese divers sending in the JV squad.

From what I have been reading, this has less to do with making Olympic basketball more competitive and more to do with lining the owners (and players') wallets. Again, from what I have been reading, the NBA's thoughts here are about possibly having some kind of "World" championship game involving the NBA champ against some of the best talent outside the US.

The sight of those large crowds and it's players' international star power and the value in all this, has not been lost on the owners who are thinking that they can stage this type of thing themselvs and keep all the money.

I think there is far greater than a 50% chance this will happen some time in the distant futue.

But I do agree with you, I think the NBA should continue to send it's best ballers to the Olympics. Just think if the current squad had not lost Dwayne Wade and Dwight Howard to injury. There really might not be any real point in continuing.

 

[gblews]

And speaking of superficial crap carrying no real substance, I prefer the old men's gymnastics uniforms to the new looks. There was something about the long white pants (particularly the ones with suspenders and stirrups, that hooked onto the shoes), that enhanced the look of the routines. Those pants helped to create those great lines. The new (well, modern) unis look sloppy and thrown together to me.

 

[MacLeod]

And in the biggest non-surprise of the night, Bolt wins the 200m.

 

[SmoothieX]

US Women win the gold in soccer, revenge for the World Cup final.

 

[Holdfast]

And in the biggest non-surprise of the night, Bolt wins the 200m.

Given the upsurge in popularity of the McKayla Not Impressed meme, I just couldn't resist...

 

[Holdfast]

Well done to Jade Jones for a Taekwondo Gold. What with Nicola Adams winning a Boxing Gold earlier, the fighting girls did well today.

Imagine a mugger accidently picking on them together on a night out. Ouch!

Of course, then Charlotte Dujardin - Dressage Gold today - could chase the fleeing mugger down on her horse...

(... I sense a TV commercial pitch somewhere in here...)

 

[tomalak301]

And in the biggest non-surprise of the night, Bolt wins the 200m.

Blake challenged him though. It was a great race.

 

[SmoothieX]

Maroney looks like she shit her singlet. Bitch.

 

[Angel4576]

Of course, then Charlotte Dujardin - Dressage Gold today - could chase the fleeing mugger down on her horse...

Never ever imagined being so tense watching a dancing horse......!

 

[Gryffindorian]

Maroney looks like she shit her singlet. Bitch.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Well done to Jade Jones for a Taekwondo Gold. What with Nicola Adams winning a Boxing Gold earlier, the fighting girls did well today.

Imagine a mugger accidently picking on them together on a night out. Ouch!

That could provide some hilarious outcomes!

(There was an attempted robbery in Hong Kong last year, where a couple of knife-wielding thugs attempted to rob what they thought was just a cafeteria or something, but which was actually a karate club for black belts practising for Dan gradings. Guess what happened next...)

I saw both taekwondo finals last night- a good win from Jones, (and for Tazegul, come to that), but I have to say the Tazegul/Stamper bout in the semis was the best of the day, that I saw.

 

[Deckerd]

Of course, then Charlotte Dujardin - Dressage Gold today - could chase the fleeing mugger down on her horse...

Never ever imagined being so tense watching a dancing horse......!

The Dutch woman before her looked flawless. I think that's what made it so tense. The woman who got bronze kept snivelling every time she spoke about her horse (well the horse she was riding - none of these riders can actually afford those horses).

 

[B.J.]

Well done to Jade Jones for a Taekwondo Gold. What with Nicola Adams winning a Boxing Gold earlier, the fighting girls did well today.

Imagine a mugger accidently picking on them together on a night out. Ouch!

Reminds me of the story of two guys attempting to mug Chuck Norris back in 1994. (Scroll down to #1.) Not sure if it's true or not, supposedly it's in his autobiography, but it's still funny!

 

[MacLeod]

^Well the first one on that list should be awarded a Darwin Award.

 

[Holdfast]

(There was an attempted robbery in Hong Kong last year, where a couple of knife-wielding thugs attempted to rob what they thought was just a cafeteria or something, but which was actually a karate club for black belts practising for Dan gradings. Guess what happened next...)

Reminds me of the story of two guys attempting to mug Chuck Norris back in 1994. (Scroll down to #1.) Not sure if it's true or not, supposedly it's in his autobiography, but it's still funny!

Both stories had me:

The Dutch woman before her looked flawless. I think that's what made it so tense.

I didn't see it live, so missed the tension aspect, but the Dutch lady really did put in a great performance too.

Well, getting close to the Olympic finishing line now, but still some good stuff today. I enjoyed 5000m women's final; great last 2-3 laps and Defar's joy was great to see. I was pleased the GB girls picked up bronze in the hockey, after their tears in the semis loss. The women's 4x100 was brilliant too.



Lonemagpie (or anyone else into Taekwondo): why was Lutalo Muhammed picked to represent GB ahead of Aaron Cook? I heard about the controversy, but it was all about the impact/aftermath. No-one mentioned exactly WHY Lutalo got the nod ahead of Cook. What's the deal?

I guess it was good he got a bronze, but Cook must be seething at the lost opportunity, as I understand he's the world #1?

 

[Angel4576]

Lonemagpie (or anyone else into Taekwondo): why was Lutalo Muhammed picked to represent GB ahead of Aaron Cook? I heard about the controversy, but it was all about the impact/aftermath. No-one mentioned exactly WHY Lutalo got the nod ahead of Cook. What's the deal?

I guess it was good he got a bronze, but Cook must be seething at the lost opportunity, as I understand he's the world #1?

You might find this an interesting read.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Lonemagpie (or anyone else into Taekwondo): why was Lutalo Muhammed picked to represent GB ahead of Aaron Cook? I heard about the controversy, but it was all about the impact/aftermath. No-one mentioned exactly WHY Lutalo got the nod ahead of Cook. What's the deal?

Long story short, Cook wanted to do his own training with his own people up in Manchester, GB Taekwondo wanted team players who'd all train together, so they had the selection rules changed to dump what they think of as a loose cannon.

It's a shame that many of Cook's fans have taken this out on Lutalo Muhammad personally, when the choice was nothing to do with him - it would have been great to have both there.

Ironically, the big name defending the politicking and rule change, and dismissing the world rankings, was Sarah Stevenson - who happens to be married to one of GB Taekwondo's selectors. And in a moment of karma, she went out in the first round today...

 

[Lonemagpie]

You might find this an interesting read.

The timeline at the bottom of it is the most important bit, since otherwise it comes across as just one side of the story...

 

[Holdfast]

A very sad case of thick-headedness on the part of the selectors, it seems to me.

 

[Lonemagpie]

A very sad case of thick-headedness on the part of the selectors, it seems to me.

I think, TBH, it's a personality clash - they see Cook as an arrogant loose cannon, and so act like a clique in a huff, instead of gritting their teeth and having the world's number 1 take part.