Random Olympic Thread

by Jim McLennan on Aug 10, 2008 3:33 PM EDT

Figured it might well be a place to talk about anything interesting that you've seen in the Beijing coverage, be it good, bad or indifferent. This morning, we watched the Brazilian soccer team take apart New Zealand, 5-0: I'm pretty sure than Ronaldinho earns more than the entire New Zealand roster, and the gulf between the two outfits was pretty obvious. Argentina had a lot more trouble beating Australia, behind held at bay until deep in the second-half, and only winning 1-0.

And Britain got their first gold, courtesy of Nicole Cooke in the women's cycling road race. W00t! We're #1! We're #1! Admittedly, only in the women's cycling road race, it would appear... :-) Though I was probably more impressed by France's Jeannie Longo, who finished a respectable 24th...at the age of 49, in her seventh Olympics.

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the Korean women’s archery team were pretty special,they just kept hitting that gold even in horrible windy weather.
And the 18 year old Chinese 3 day eventer did an amzing dressage for so young a rider

We will meet in Red 3 at the hour of scampering.

by hotclaws on Aug 10, 2008 4:43 PM EDT 0 recs

USA Men's soccer blew it

though Seton Hall alum Sascha Kleijstan did put away a goal. :-)

formerly Seton Hall Snake Pit. The newer simpler version.

by AJforAZ on Aug 10, 2008 9:45 PM EDT 0 recs

Ironically...

It took a Welsh girl to win our first gold :D still make that 2 now that Becky Addlington has defeated the mighty (Katie) HOFF to gold in the pool :)

Day off for me today as I worked the weekend so Im sat in bed watching Andy Murray make damn hard work of his first round tennis match

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Aug 11, 2008 6:53 AM EDT 0 recs

That relay last night was pretty exciting.

Don’t really follow swimming, but I’m aware of the fact that Michael Phelps is apparently good.

by Azreous on Aug 11, 2008 3:16 PM EDT 0 recs

It was an unbelievable spectacle. I watched it on the internet three times this morning.

"There are only two seasons: winter and baseball"
-- Bill Veeck

by njjohn on Aug 11, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah

Nice job catching up. New world record, too, apparently by like 3 seconds or something obscene like that.

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 11, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

The sickest part is...

Five teams actually posted a time good enough to break the record. So two world-record performances didn’t even medal.

by Azreous on Aug 11, 2008 8:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ugh

I’m trying to watch it online, and they want me to install the same damn Silverlight plug-in MLB does…

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 11, 2008 5:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

So do it?

I hate installing plugins, but I did…

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 11, 2008 5:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

For some reason, my desktop won’t work with Silverlight. It’ll install and say everything works, but it just never starts the video.

Got it working on the laptop, though. That was a pretty incredible comeback.

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 11, 2008 5:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

anyone have a link to view the opening ceremony?

I can’t seem to find it anywhere

formerly Seton Hall Snake Pit. The newer simpler version.

by AJforAZ on Aug 12, 2008 5:06 PM EDT 0 recs

16 Golds for Team GB

Are you kidding me?! :D this country is going Olympic nuts right now

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Aug 19, 2008 10:57 AM EDT 0 recs

Congrats!

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 19, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up 0 recs

I was just going to post that

Best tally in 100 years? Wow. Take Phelps off the US team, and we’ve got almost as many golds as the other 300 million people. :-) It’s the cycling where we’ve particularly been kicking ass: eight golds there alone, one less than the entire tally from 2004. But they’ve come from all over the place: did I see we even won a bronze in gymnastics? What’s going on? Have we suddenly rediscovered our sporting ability? Where have all the winners come from? We only had one gold in 1996…

by Jim McLennan on Aug 19, 2008 6:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Excitement perhaps

over the London Olympics?

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 19, 2008 6:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

Certainly could be.

I’d imagine they’ve been preparing athletes for a good showing in 2012, and are reaping some of the early benefits.

by Azreous on Aug 19, 2008 6:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

I hope

Jim is happy.

by dahlian on Aug 21, 2008 9:34 AM EDT 0 recs

yeah… there’s your parity!!! by the way, how’d it work out that we bested Japan in the semi-finals and then they only had to beat us once for the gold???

"There are only two seasons: winter and baseball"
-- Bill Veeck

by njjohn on Aug 21, 2008 1:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Obviously,

we’re just not “clutch”. /dumb

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 21, 2008 1:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, I thought it was pretty weird that you could beat a team twice, lose to them once, and they get the gold medal.

But, hey, good for them!

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 21, 2008 1:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Didn't we

Beat the Rockies during the regular season last year? Guess the playoffs are “weird” too…

by Jim McLennan on Aug 21, 2008 6:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well

They won the season series, as I recall.

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 21, 2008 7:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think

this year’s Super Bowl is a better comparison, since the Pats beat the Giants in the last game of the regular season.

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 21, 2008 8:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

True, that would be a better example

Or if you want to stick with baseball, Colorado won the series in Boston in the regular season. =)

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 21, 2008 8:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, but Boston

was undoubtedly the better team last year, over the course of the entire season. I don’t think I can say the same for the Japanese softball team over the course of the entire Olympics.

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 21, 2008 8:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

And

You’d say the Giants were undoubtedly the better team over the course of all last season in the NFL?

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 21, 2008 8:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

Never mind

Confusing points in my head.

Am I avoiding the subject, or am I doing philosophy?

by kishi on Aug 21, 2008 8:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

IIRC

They did the same in the WBC, losing to Korea in pool play, then beating them in the semi-final.

by Jim McLennan on Aug 21, 2008 8:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Make that

TWICE in pool play, once in the first round, then again in the second stage.

by Jim McLennan on Aug 21, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wait a second --

and the US didn’t win the WBC either!! WTF mate??

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 21, 2008 8:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

The issue there

Is a bit different. It’s basically MLB’s refusal to let the best players – of any nation – take part in the Olympics. In softball, it’s the fact that all the best players are on one team [somewhat suspicious freak results aside]

by Jim McLennan on Aug 21, 2008 9:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nah.

Again, my dry sense of humor comes back to haunt me.

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 21, 2008 9:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yes

If by “dry”, you mean “not actually funny.” Ask any Brit, they should be able to provide lessons on the proper use of irony. Do keep trying though. :-)

by Jim McLennan on Aug 22, 2008 11:25 AM EDT up 0 recs