2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Thread

[Jimbo's Drinker]

i for one, am rooting for the other americans to beat phelps in the individual events....dont know why...just never like rooting for the front runner, media frenzy athletes (though i do enjoy watching tiger, but i think thats because he makes golf worth watching IMO)

 

 

 

Why would you cheer against him??? This is not a pennant race, this could be the greatest athlete in the last 50 years. Cheer like mad for him, its a wonderful spectacle.

[StrangeSox]

Nothing at all. It's just cool to know that we have arguably the best athletes in every sport (except soccer, tennis, etc.).

 

But like you said, you could make an argument for Ovechkin and Pujols.

 

 

We have the best athletes in every sport except those really major ones that we don't.

 

Those Chinese athletes looked WAY younger than 16. Then again, Shawn Johnson looks like she's 12, too, so maybe they're just really young looking?

Edited August 13, 2008 by StrangeSox

[ChiSox_Sonix]

 

We have the best athletes in every sport except those really major ones that we don't.

 

Those Chinese athletes looked WAY younger than 16. Then again, Shawn Johnson looks like she's 12, too, so maybe they're just really young looking?

 

I wouldnt say Shawn Johnson looks 12...she has a young looking face but thats a bit of a stretch.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Nothing at all. It's just cool to know that we have arguably the best athletes in every sport (except soccer, tennis, etc.).

 

um, what? haha

[StrangeSox]

I wouldnt say Shawn Johnson looks 12...she has a young looking face but thats a bit of a stretch.

 

Eh, maybe I've just lost my gauge for what 16 year old girls look like.

 

The US had the opportunity to step slightly ahead of the Chinese on the balance beam, but they just couldn't capitalize. They looked completely shaken after that.

 

18 of the US's 27 medals have come from swimming so far. We're ahead overall, but we've got a bunch of Bronze medals and the Chinese have a 17-10 advantage in golds. I have no idea how many more medals each country is going to realistically be competing for, though.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Eh, maybe I've just lost my gauge for what 16 year old girls look like.

 

The US had the opportunity to step slightly ahead of the Chinese on the balance beam, but they just couldn't capitalize. They looked completely shaken after that.

 

18 of the US's 27 medals have come from swimming so far. We're ahead overall, but we've got a bunch of Bronze medals and the Chinese have a 17-10 advantage in golds. I have no idea how many more medals each country is going to realistically be competing for, though.

 

I thought she was 18? I dunno

 

But we'll excel on the track as usual. I dont think China has nearly as many medal candidates there.

[StrangeSox]

I thought she was 18? I dunno

 

But we'll excel on the track as usual. I dont think China has nearly as many medal candidates there.

 

Nope, just turned 16 this year.

[knightni]

Guess we can't cut them in half and count the rings, huh?

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Guess we can't cut them in half and count the rings, huh?

 

Or try carbon dating?

 

[fathom]

Just another note on the hot athlete topic, Alicia Sacramone does not look nearly as good with her hair down. Google confirms.

 

I totally agree with this...what a let down.

[DBAHO]

Oh absolutely, I mentioned earlier in this thread that she is just amazing. They said tonight that she and her boyfriend (who I guess is a swimmer too) broke up, what is wrong with that guy? Between Miss Rice and Alicia Sacramone (although she had a bad night), that is just some outstanding hotness.

 

As for Phelps, I really like him. I am usually one who hates athletes who get media hype, but in the case of Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps, it's not media hype. Woods is the best golfer of all time, Phelps is the best swimmer of all time (if not olympic athlete period), and by the time they retire they'll be the best by a wide margin.

About 6 months back, Rice had a public Facebook page. Needless to say, there were some very interesting and very nice photos on there.

 

Unfortunately the Aussie Swim Team Management made her shut it down.

[DBAHO]

I wouldnt say Shawn Johnson looks 12...she has a young looking face but thats a bit of a stretch.

I couldn't believe how tiny she was as well. Probably also has one of the smallest necks I've ever seen.

[whitesoxfan101]

About 6 months back, Rice had a public Facebook page. Needless to say, there were some very interesting and very nice photos on there.

 

Unfortunately the Aussie Swim Team Management made her shut it down.

 

Blah that's kind of stupid. The vast majority of attractive females with a facebook page are going to have "very interesting and very nice" photos on them, that's just part of the deal.

 

Unfortunate news in the olympics as the United States team lost 8-7 in their baseball opener against Korea. The U.S. erased a 6-4 deficit entering the 9th by scoring 3 runs, but Korea scored 2 of their own in the bottom half to win it 8-7. The United States soccer team was also eliminated, losing 2-1 to Nigeria. The American team gave up a last second goal to the Netherlands in their previous game, turning a win into a tie, and that cost them a spot in the next round.

Edited August 13, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[MurcieOne]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=33a_1218642189&p=1

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

this is hard to watch!

[Brian]

[Steve9347]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=33a_1218642189&p=1

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

this is hard to watch!

I was just coming here to post this.

[whitesoxfan99]

Blah that's kind of stupid. The vast majority of attractive females with a facebook page are going to have "very interesting and very nice" photos on them, that's just part of the deal.

 

Unfortunate news in the olympics as the United States team lost 8-7 in their baseball opener against Korea. The U.S. erased a 6-4 deficit entering the 9th by scoring 3 runs, but Korea scored 2 of their own in the bottom half to win it 8-7. The United States soccer team was also eliminated, losing 2-1 to Nigeria. The American team gave up a last second goal to the Netherlands in their previous game, turning a win into a tie, and that cost them a spot in the next round.

 

Orozco making a ridiculously stupid decision early in the game against Nigeria to throw that elbow plus the refs awarding the Netherlands a pretty iffy penalty kick to give them a win also contributed. The Netherlands is unbelievably lucky to still be in the tournament. Well at least the US finally has some promising young talent in soccer.

[Steve9347]

[Steve9347]

Ha, a few more of those dasturdly facebook images.

 

 

 

Verdict? She's human!

Edited August 13, 2008 by Steve9347

[StrangeSox]

I was just coming here to post this.

 

arms are not supposed to do that.

[LosMediasBlancas]

arms are not supposed to do that.

 

Looks like ptact's avy.

I always wonder why that doesn't happen more often. One of the first things you learn when working out is to never lock out your ams on push excersises. Yet in the clean and jerk, not only do they have to lock out, but have to hold it for a couple of seconds. Muy malo.

 

 

Why does Phelps not swim the anchor in relay events??

[Soxbadger]

Why does Phelps not swim the anchor in relay events??

 

He likes to give the United States a lead so that the rest of the swimmers know what they need to do.

 

Or at least thats what they said prior to the 800 free style relay.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Soxbadger

[HuskyCaucasian]

hmmm.... i... ummm..... i need some alone time

[ChiSox_Sonix]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/b...?urn=oly,100152

 

 

 

Spanish basketball team poses for offensive picture

By Chris Chase

 

Spain's Olympic basketball team posed for an advertisement prior to the Games which appears to show all its players slanting their eyes, a move that could offend its Olympic hosts in Beijing. The ads, for a Spanish courier company, appeared in the Spanish-language newspaper La Marca.

 

As the uproar over the picture has grown today, more information about the advertising shot has come to light. The ad was sponsored by a Spanish courier company, Seur. Spain's team, ironically, also is sponsored by Li-Ning Footwear, a Chinese company founded by Li Ning, the final torchbearer who was hoisted along the top of Beijing National Stadium during the Olympic Opening Ceremony finale.

 

The Spanish-language paper El Mundo has a piece debating whether the ad was racist that basically calls out the British press for trying to smear Spain's good name. But they miss the point. Whether the picture was made in good fun is irrelevant. It was a ridiculous idea that was bound to upset a lot of people.

 

It's baffling that nobody involved in the picture -- from the photographers to the players -- even seemed to consider that this ad would be looked at negatively. Did it not occur to somebody that it might not be a good idea to mock an entire continent before the world's largest athletic competition that, by the way, happens to take place on that continent. Were they not aware of an invention called "the Internet" that allows pictures taken in Spain to be transmitted all over the world for the eyes of everyone?

 

And now that the inevitable controversy has hit, they're still defending themselves when a simple, "the ad was in poor taste, we apologize" would have sufficed. This story would be slowing down if the Spanish Basketball team had apologized immediately. Now it's just picking up steam.

 

The Organization of Chinese-Americans has released multiple statements condemning the picture. George Wu, deputy director of the group, said, "it is unfortunate that this type of imagery would rear its head during something that is supposed to be a time of world unity." Response in Beijing has been muted so far.

 

Madrid is thought to be one of the frontrunners to land the 2016 Summer Games (the site will be announced next year). Could this controversy hurt Spain's chances of landing another Olympics?

 

Interestingly, the Spanish basketball team took on China tonight, winning 85-75 in overtime. No word on whether Pau Gasol was on the receiving end of any elbows from Yao Ming. The Chinese crowd did have a message for the Spaniards though, booing vigorously during the game.

[SoxFan1]

Djokovic advances 7-6, 6-3 against Youzhny. Jankovic also advances 7-6, 6-1.