The 2012 Summer Olympics

[dansaint]

The Olympics is the one time every 4 years that you can say you are watching Gymnastics and you won't get a strange look from friends, family, and strangers.

[wpr]

Originally Posted by dansaint

The Olympics is the one time every 4 years that you can say you are watching Gymnastics and you won't get a strange look from friends, family, and strangers.

true. Although I had a chance to watch Kurt Thomas compete for Indiana State when they went to NIU for the college regionals.
That was pretty neat.

[bmb777]

womens gymnastics team took home the all around team gold medal! They rose to the occasion and under pressure performed almost flawlessly, while Russia and Romania crumpled under pressure. plus Jordyn Wieber redeemed herself and was almost perfect in the floor exercise. and when Alexandra Raisman ended her floor exercise she was already crying knowing they had taken home the gold medal. champions rise under pressure, and yesterday they were champions.

Plus Phelps set the record for the most olympic medals ever in history. he should retire for good after the olympics. go out on top as the best ever.

[wpr]

I liked the idea of the Queen's granddaughter, Zara Phillips, getting a Silver Medal in the equestrian team eventing competition. A little poetic to me. Her mom, Princess Anne, awarding the medals to all the winners just seemed a little surreal. Especially since Great Britain is not getting the host county bounce and taking in extra medals in this Olympics.

And yet, almost overshadowing the competitors on the field was the buzz, "What is Kate wearing today"? Barf.

[wpr]

Operating within the rules and regulations of gymnastics, a Japanese coach handed over a wad of $100 bills to the governing body of the sport on Monday night in order to file an appeal on behalf of his athlete.

Kohei Uchimura awkwardly stumbled off the pommel horse in the final event of the men's team competition. His resulting score left Japan in fourth place. But team officials protested that his fall had actually been a dismount and should have earned points based on gymnastic's (confusing) scoring system.

International rules dictate that an appeal fee must be paid in order to file a protest. Japanese officials quickly rounded up a number of large bills and sent a coach, armed with cash and the proper forms, to appeal.

rest of story

[danielb927]

Originally Posted by wpr

rest of story

Something definitely looked very odd about a coach running around and shoving a wad of bills at a judge at the Olympics!

[AzIlliniFan]

Yes, it definitely made me nearly choke on my rum and coke! After they explained things it still didn't seem right. Why would you expect the coaches to be carrying around a wad of cash on the events floor? I understand wanting to set up a system where a team needs to feel very strongly about protesting a score but it seems like the payment portion could have been set up so that they'd be charged/billed if necessary. Props to the USA Womens team for staying focused and earning that Gold Medal!!

[kbo007]

NBC's lovefest with Jordyn Wieber is making me sick. The other girls deserve most of the credit and yet all NBC wants to do is plaster Wiebers' face all over my TV. Gabby Douglas and Aly Raismann have shown that they are much more competent gymnasts at least throughout the trials and the games. Get her off the screen and focus on someone else for a change.

[bmb777]

Originally Posted by kbo007

NBC's lovefest with Jordyn Wieber is making me sick. The other girls deserve most of the credit and yet all NBC wants to do is plaster Wiebers' face all over my TV. Gabby Douglas and Aly Raismann have shown that they are much more competent gymnasts at least throughout the trials and the games. Get her off the screen and focus on someone else for a change.

because if you look at her overall career she has been better than Douglas and Raismann. While her face might be all over tv, virtually every article about the team focuses on the team. and even the girls themselves note they are a team, and probably the best ever US team.

and then add in the factor of Jordan not making it to the individual all around because of a stupid rule and her being crushed because of that, then she comes back and is nearly flawless in helping the team win the gold medal. thats a stupid rule that 2 people from each country makes it to the all around finals. stupid she is 4th best overall in the trials, but doesnt make it to the finals.

[carmelillini]

Originally Posted by bmb777

because if you look at her overall career she has been better than Douglas and Raismann. While her face might be all over tv, virtually every article about the team focuses on the team. and even the girls themselves note they are a team, and probably the best ever US team.

and then add in the factor of Jordan not making it to the individual all around because of a stupid rule and her being crushed because of that, then she comes back and is nearly flawless in helping the team win the gold medal. thats a stupid rule that 2 people from each country makes it to the all around finals. stupid she is 4th best overall in the trials, but doesnt make it to the finals.

Cry me a river. She had her time to shine and she didn't do it. Past accomplishments don't matter. The other two stepped up, she didn't. If the coaches didn't make clear the only two go rule was in effect then shame on them. Time for NBC to Focus on Douglas and Raismann and quite the whining.

[bmb777]

Originally Posted by carmelillini

Cry me a river. She had her time to shine and she didn't do it. Past accomplishments don't matter. The other two stepped up, she didn't. If the coaches didn't make clear the only two go rule was in effect then shame on them. Time for NBC to Focus on Douglas and Raismann and quite the whining.

good grief have some sympathy for these athletes. she is a teenage girl. these arent pro athletes making millions of dollars.

and they arent whining. just pointing out again she is a teenage girl, and one day after the biggest dissapointment of her life, she comes back and helps her team to a gold medal.

if this was NBA or NFL I'd say boo hoo get over it, you lost but you still make millions of dollars. but most of these athletes are teenagers.

[bmb777]

I dont know all the rules but water polo is kinda freaking awesome.

[wpr]

Originally Posted by bmb777

I dont know all the rules but water polo is kinda freaking awesome.

I'll bet I know why.

During the U.S./Spain women's water polo match Wednesday (Aug. 1), a U.S. competitor grabbed the swimsuit of a Spanish opponent and pulled it down far enough to reveal the woman's nipple. And NBC just happened to be broadcasting the underwater camera that caught the whole thing. Oops

.

[Foggy Notion]

Originally Posted by carmelillini

Cry me a river. She had her time to shine and she didn't do it. Past accomplishments don't matter. The other two stepped up, she didn't. If the coaches didn't make clear the only two go rule was in effect then shame on them. Time for NBC to Focus on Douglas and Raismann and quite the whining.

Tough crowd.

[wpr]

Originally Posted by carmelillini

Cry me a river. She had her time to shine and she didn't do it. Past accomplishments don't matter. The other two stepped up, she didn't. If the coaches didn't make clear the only two go rule was in effect then shame on them. Time for NBC to Focus on Douglas and Raismann and quite the whining.

It is too bad she did make it to the finals. If she had the US would probably have 2 medals instead of 1.

[illynifan34]

Originally Posted by carmelillini

Cry me a river. She had her time to shine and she didn't do it. Past accomplishments don't matter. The other two stepped up, she didn't. If the coaches didn't make clear the only two go rule was in effect then shame on them. Time for NBC to Focus on Douglas and Raismann and quite the whining.

I'm with you on this one. The other two girls were better than her when it counted. End of story.

[illynifan34]

Originally Posted by wpr

It is too bad she did make it to the finals. If she had the US would probably have 2 medals instead of 1.

She didn't do what she needed to get to the finals. That's a fact.

[wpr]

Originally Posted by illynifan34

She didn't do what she needed to get to the finals. That's a fact.

no doubt. I was just saying that it is too bad that she didn't. (Or meant to. looks like I had a typo.)

[IntenselyOrange]

Originally Posted by illynifan34

I'm with you on this one. The other two girls were better than her when it counted. End of story.

Although I agree with you, the real problem is that only two members of a particular nation's team can move to the finals. She was 4th overall and didn't advance, right? That's silly. The top so many from the prelims should be taken regardless of affiliation. If you don't want one nation taking Gold-Silver-Bronze, then only let each nation put two competitors in.

[AHSIllini32]

You guys saying, "tough she didn't do what she needed to" are being a bit ridiculous. Did she not come back the next night and help her TEAM win the gold medal because she was on point for her events? It's great to see such a young athlete overcome that kind of adversity and come back out to help her team win gold.

It's not like they are ignoring the other gymnasts. Lighten up for Christ's sakes. These girls are 15-16-17 years old and have poured their entire lives into getting to this point. They all deserve credit and sympathy which they are all getting.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by IntenselyOrange

Although I agree with you, the real problem is that only two members of a particular nation's team can move to the finals. She was 4th overall and didn't advance, right? That's silly. The top so many from the prelims should be taken regardless of affiliation. If you don't want one nation taking Gold-Silver-Bronze, then only let each nation put two competitors in.

Agreed probably the stupidest rule in all of sports, bar none.

[FeelYourPaign]

Originally Posted by IntenselyOrange

Although I agree with you, the real problem is that only two members of a particular nation's team can move to the finals. She was 4th overall and didn't advance, right? That's silly. The top so many from the prelims should be taken regardless of affiliation. If you don't want one nation taking Gold-Silver-Bronze, then only let each nation put two competitors in.

That's what they do in swimming (only let two per country participate) and I am bugged by it. The only reason for that rule is the IOC got frustrated seeing USA on all three levels of the podium. Like it is the athlete's fault that the US is very, very deep in swimming.

Rant over.

[wpr]

Originally Posted by FeelYourPaign

That's what they do in swimming (only let two per country participate) and I am bugged by it. The only reason for that rule is the IOC got frustrated seeing USA on all three levels of the podium. Like it is the athlete's fault that the US is very, very deep in swimming.

Rant over.

we wouldn't like it if the Soviet Bloc countries dominated in the past nor would we care for it once the Chinese get up to speed in more events.

[KBLEE]

Terrible segue:





NBC FAIL

[IlliniAmy]

Jacksonville sports anchor goes OFF on Bob Costas. Classic tirade. Enjoy the impending suspension, Mr. Hicken.

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2012-...-his-time.html