2012 Olympics (spoilers for tape-delayed events)

Post by **nerdanel** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:44 am

So what other sports/events are people getting excited to watch? Here's my list of moments that I'm waiting for in WAG (women's artistic gymnastics). I'll post about swimming later.

- The US women's team is set up to achieve a massive lead in the team competition over the other three teams in the running (Russia, China, Romania) during the vault round. The US is the only team to put up three vaulters who can do the Amanar, a 2.5 twisting Yurchenko which receives a massive difficulty score (6.5, IIRC. Many other vaulters will have a difficulty score start value of 5.3-5.8, thus lagging far behind even before execution deductions). The US is thus set up to capture as much as a 2-3 point lead over its nearest competitors just from the vault, a lead that proved golden at last year's World Championships. Our team this year is the gold medal favorite and is the strongest team the US has put up since the Magnificent Seven in 1996. I'm actually hoping that the team competition will be closer than last year's Worlds, when the US lead was so locked down by the fourth round (floor exercise) that our final competitor could literally have fallen three times, taken a point deduction for each fall, and still clinched the gold.

- McKayla Maroney, our flagship vaulter, is apparently vaulting on a toe that has been broken since May, and is getting progressively worse. But she's told everyone she's planning to work through the pain, and she's looking strong in practices. She took gold in the vault at last year's Worlds, and she'll be the strong favorite in the event this year.

- I have my fingers crossed for Aly Raisman, especially in the individual floor exercise. Aly is such a strong all-arounder, but she's always in the shadow of McKayla on vault and her teammates Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas (who are stronger all-arounders). She also keeps struggling with the curse of fourth place: her virtue is consistency, but she has thus far been consistently very good rather than great. She'll put in her share for the women to bring home their (hopefully gold) team medal. But Aly has the potential to shine on floor exercise and bring home an individual gold medal for our team (she was third in this event in the World Championships last year). I'm hoping that she breaks out of the "consistently very good" mold this time and has an extraordinary meet. She's definitely put in the work to warrant it.

- In the individual all-around, I'm rooting for Gabby Douglas over Jordyn Wieber and Viktoria Komova of Russia. Gabby has such an effervescent sparkle and brings so much artistry to her gymnastics while being technically second to none. She strikes me as the complete package when it comes to women's artistic gymnastics: technically astounding, artistic, graceful, and with so much joy for her sport. (Completely irrelevant to scoring but cool things also include that she's a rare African-American international elite gymnast (who hopefully will inspire other young girls who may not always get to see someone who resembles them on the US national team), and she is from southeastern Virginia (represent!)) Jordyn, however, is the "safe pick" for all-around gold. She is the reigning world champion and performs with what's often described as a "steely focus." The Karolyis think she will beat Gabby because she (Jordyn) is more experienced and more consistent, but Gabby won out - if only by one-tenth - for first place at last month's Olympic Trials.

- I don't know why she hasn't gotten as much attention as Dara Torres, but I'm also very excited for Oksana Chusovitina of Germany (previously of the USSR and Uzbekistan), a 37 year old gymnast competing in her *sixth* Olympic games. She will be a medal contender in the individual vault event; she took second beyond McKayla Maroney at last year's Worlds. While McKayla is awesome, and I'm rooting for her broken-toe vaulting success, I would definitely stand up and cheer if Oksana gets the nod. She's definitely a female athlete who, along with Dara Torres and Janet Evans, illustrates that "elite" and "Olympian" do not have to mean "teen or 20something." Uber-cool.

- The UK will put up Beth Tweddle, an uneven bars and floor specialist. While her style on floor doesn't personally appeal to me, I'm going to put it out there: this is the woman to watch on the uneven bars during event finals. Absolutely spectacular lightning movement between the bars. Especially because I've been used to watching the comparatively-weak-on-bars Americans (it's our worst event as a country, though Gabby's not bad), my mouth literally dropped open the first time I saw Beth on fire on this event. It was a total, "What did I just see and how did she do that?" moment. Beth, at 27, is also pushing the commonly perceived age limits on gymnastics, and she has the potential to delight her fellow Brits by taking home an individual uneven bars medal.

- Don't miss Sui Lu and Yao Jinnan from China on the balance beam. It's truly a pleasure to watch the Chinese and American teams on this event, because they bring such contrasting styles to their beam work. I personally enjoy the Chinese gymnasts' style more, and I think they'll be a force to contend with: they went 1-2 on this individual event last year.

- Finally, Catalina Ponor of Romania, another veteran at 24, is returning to the Olympics eight years after her golden streak in Athens, where she won three golds in team, balance beam, and floor exercise. I'm not sure how seriously she will contend for medals this time around, but she brings a maturity and poise to her gymnastics - especially on the beam - that make her a real treat to watch.

Post by **River** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:51 am

I enjoy gymnastics though I'm not connosieur enough to know who anyone is. However...

nerdanel wrote: - The UK will put up Beth Tweddle, an uneven bars and floor specialist. While her style on floor doesn't personally appeal to me, I'm going to put it out there: this is the woman to watch on the uneven bars during event finals. Absolutely spectacular lightning movement between the bars. Especially because I've been used to watching the comparatively-weak-on-bars Americans (it's our worst event as a country, though Gabby's not bad), my mouth literally dropped open the first time I saw Beth on fire on this event. It was a total, "What did I just see and how did she do that?" moment. Beth, at 27, is also pushing the commonly perceived age limits on gymnastics, and she has the potential to delight her fellow Brits by taking home an individual uneven bars medal.

...it would be awesome to see someone other than an American, Russian, Chinese, or Romanian shine in the gymnastics events. Just for the sheer sake of variety, y'know?

ETA: Just youtubed her on the bars. Black magic. That's how she does it.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:52 am

<fangirls nel>

This is definitely one of my favorite events, and I love reading your background info. It would take NBC three minutes to say half as much about one of the athletes. With sobby music.

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:52 am

Though there were some

moments, I thought the opening ceremony was brilliant. I wish more people in the US could have shared the moment at the end... stupid NBC...

I'll respond to your question, nel, in a bit

Post by **JewelSong** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:06 am

halplm wrote:Though there were some moments

It was a VERY "British" opening ceremony. I would have been

a LOT more had I not lived in London for 4 years. The Brits have their own very special form of humor and delivery...and this ceremony did not disappoint.

First time since I've been back that I've missed living in London....so glad I found a way to watch it in real time, as I was "live" on Facebook with my UK friends.

Post by **nerdanel** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:15 am

For others, here's Beth Tweddle in 2011, with a 7.1 (!!!!) D-score* start value on the uneven bars during the team competition in the world championships:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DFqSF8racM

* For those who haven't followed gymnastics closely in the past seven years, since 2005, the sport has abandoned the famous 10-point scoring system of Nadia/Mary Lou fame. There are now two scores: a D-score (which measures difficulty objectively, based on specific elements a gymnast incorporates into her routine, and connections between those elements), and an E-score (which IS still out of 10 points, and which assesses the gymnast's execution). While even the E-score is more objective than in years past, it does factor in artistry and thus retains an element of subjectivity. The two scores are added together to give the composite score, which typically ranges in international competition from 14s (not helpful, Olympically speaking), to 15s (which are very helpful; 15.5+ is awesome and fairly rare), to 16s (still more rare and often golden). A 7.1 D-score puts 16s *much* more within reach.

In terms of the D-score, many routines on the international stage receive objective scores in the 5.0-6.0 range. D-scores between 6.0-6.5 are on the harder side and indicate exceptionally difficult elements or connections between them - elements where the gymnast is usually taking a risk of falling off the apparatus. To begin with a start value above 7.0 is extraordinary and illustrates that Beth is truly in a different league than most "uneven bar workers" (as the BBC calls them).

(Parenthetically: I usually prefer to listen to the BBC commentary rather than the NBC commentary, because it's less partisan. The BBC usually doesn't have a stake in the race, and their commenters do a very fair and even-handed job of assessing the strengths of the US, China, Romania, and Russia, with occasional nods to others, like Japan's Koko Tsurumi (another fun - 'very good' but not 'great'- gymnast to watch, btw.) But when Beth Tweddle steps onto the mat, the BBC commenters come alive, with way more passion and fervor in their voices than the NBC commenters can *ever* muster. I have to smile at their enthusiasm for their countrywoman.)

hal and Jewel: any highlights of the opening ceremony that you can recommend? I'm not going to watch three hours worth, but will check out anything especially funny or spectacular that you recommend.

Post by **JewelSong** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:27 am

Well, unless you are into more than an hour of parading athletes, the first bit is about 75 minutes long...

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:41 am

I thought it started out a bit slow, but the part with Daniel Craig and the Queen was excellent, and then after the National Health Service commercial (

) There was a whole sequence referencing British Literature, which was my favorite part... although I didn't see any Tolkien...

After that, the ending with Paul McCartney was great, but might lose something after the tape delay.

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 2:26 am

In response to nel's question, there are so many things to look forward to I don't really know where to start. Here are some of the highlights:

-Archery. I absolutely love archery. The US Men's team had a bad break losing out on 3rd place in the ranking round earlier today by 1 bullseye in a tiebreaker. That means they have to potentially face South Korea in the Semi-finals. The South Koreans set world records in the ranking round and finished 1-2-3 in the individual ranking. But in any case a medal for the US would be the first for the team since 2000. Brady Ellison is ranked 1st in the world and should contend for the Gold. The US Women haven't had any medal since a bronze in '88, but they finished the ranking round 2nd, so are in a good position going forward.

-Beach Volleyball. Misty May and Kerri Walsh are two time defending gold medalists. This will be their toughest competition yet, and it hasn't been easy before.

-Fencing. Who doesn't love fencing???

Mariel Zagunis is also a two time defending Gold medalist in Sabre. She got to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony and frankly dominates the event even now. She should be fun to watch.

-Soccer. The Olympics is the only time I can get excited about soccer. It's going to be really hard for the US women to win the Gold, but I'll be watching every match.

-Gymnastics. I echo what nel said for the women, but I'm equally excited for the Men's competition. Japan and China are the top two teams, but the US hasn't had a team this good in a long time. Danell Leyva (Current World Champion) and John Orozco (Current National Champion) should both compete for Gold in the individual All Around, which should mean the US can challenge for a medal as a team as well.

-Swimming. I'll let nel talk about this one, but it's all exciting

-Tennis. With the Williams sisters' performance at Wimbledon, I have high hopes for their medal chances here. However, I will be pulling most for Andy Murray of GB. He's been so close to major championships far too many times, and winning in London at the olympics would be a tough moment to beat.

-Volleyball. Oh how I love volleyball. I still remember a run when I was on my Jr. High Volleyball team and served to win 9 points in a row to win a game (I think it was 9, it was a long time ago

). In any case, the US women are favored to win, but it's going to be a tough tournament. The US men are stronger than they have been in a while, but they will have to play the tournament of their life to medal, it should be fun

. I'm going to try to watch every match of both teams.

And that's just the beginning! There's so much fun stuff. I haven't even started thinking about Track and Field, because it doesn't start for a week. There's also Diving and Water Polo and all the other sports

.

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 3:59 am

Well, if NBC was not hated enough by me, they just spent the beginning of their broadcast talking OVER Danny Boy...

I'm so glad they delayed their broadcast 7 hours so they could explain that it was CHILDREN'S choirs singing to us...

ETA: Oh yes, and commercial interruptions... sigh...

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 5:16 am

I got to watch the ceremony at a friends and...was pretty bored and underwhelmed by it. We bailed after an hour (around the Mr Bean stuff...) and went and got a burger. Watched the last hour, though, and the torch and Hey Jude almost made up for my initial boredom. Great ending.

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 5:47 am

Watching it through a second time, I actually like it more than I thought I did. Except for the NBC announcers, who might be the dumbest people ever to speak.

Also I heard the TARDIS this time. I had wondered why Dr Who was missing.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:09 am

WOW!!!! is all I can say

Well done to the awesome Danny Boyle who put the show together!

I loved the opening montage of Britain's "green and pleasant land" undergoing the Industrial Revolution, (One couldn't help but think of Saruman and Isengard during that sequence,) James Bond & HM, Mr Bean and the LSO, and the tribute to Tim Berners-Lee with the Digital Revolution. The Olympic (flower of) Flame was just breath-taking - and what a lovely touch to have the past Olympic heroes pass the torch to the upcoming athletes...

I only wish Her Majesty could have smiled on camera just once! Still she and Prince Philip can't have exactly been ecstatic at have to stay up till 1 am sitting through the ceremony at their age... (yes, it kicked off at 9pm here!!)

There's a good summary of the action and brief highlight clips on this BBC page for anyone who missed it!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:17 am

Elen, you should be very proud. I thought that was the most human, the most varied, and the most entertaining Olympic opening ceremony ever. Ever. Even the parade of nations was so brisk that it never dragged for me.

I've just had such fun.

Mary Poppins! And Mr. Bean! And hints of Doctor Who, for that matter.

It was wonderful. I am so psyched for the games!

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:48 am

Thanks, Prim - I am!!

Just been going through the media reaction, and found this great article summing up British reaction, and which may also help clear up some of the more confusing cultural references in the show!

It was when the Queen sky-dived out of a helicopter with James Bond in her slipstream that you thought: hang on, this opening ceremony isn't quite like the other ones I remember.

Whispers had hinted that the start of the London Olympics might be a little eccentric, a touch more tongue-in-cheek than others we have witnessed.

What no-one expected was that it would be quite so gloriously daft, so cynicism-squashingly charming and - well, so much pinch-yourself fun...

...Opening ceremonies, traditionally big on pretension and po-faced, usually require a little mickey-taking to be endured. This one did it for you.

Four years ago Beijing had produced a night aiming to shock and awe the watching world with an unforgettable display of pyrotechnics and ostentatious expense.

London could never hope to match it, and so was set free to do something entirely original.

Watching it as a native was a strange and, for many, an increasingly emotional experience.

Unfurling in front of us was a whirlwind series of collective historical, cultural and social memories - the NHS, ska and rave, the Industrial Revolution, the Windrush, Great Ormond Street, the invention of the internet - which had Britons looking at each other and saying, hold on - that was us too, wasn't it?

It should have been jingoistic, or cliched, or obvious. Maybe to foreign eyes it was. But to those lucky 80,000 in the stadium and millions watching on television, there was something else, something not always felt: genuine pride in the little pieces of all of us that were being shown to the world.

Post by **WampusCat** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:17 am

I missed the TARDIS!!!

When did you hear it?

And yes, I thought of Saruman too.

Post by **halplm** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 10:44 am

It was right at the end of one of the rock and roll sequences.

So far the multiple event watching is problematic. I don't know if it's on my end, and streaming multiple videos is just impossible... or if it's on NBC's end. Perhaps a mix of both. Got Swimming, archery and Ping Pong on at the moment and it seems to be working

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:26 pm

Ok, so I'm in the minority for it was pretty dull...well, ok, glad people enjoyed it then, I suppose.

Post by **JewelSong** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:07 pm

...I loved the Opening Cermomies and was so glad I was able to find it streaming on BBC....American announcers drive me crazy with their over-talking everything little thing.

As Isaid before, the show was very, very BRITISH...quirky and a bit daft and tongue-in-cheek.

Hal, you seemed puzzled at the NHS segment. The NHS is a huge point of pride for the Brits....something all parities support and are (justly) proud of. In spite of glitches here and there and complaints about wait time, it has been a tremendous success...so they wanted to celebrate and make note of it in their opening ceremony.

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:16 pm

I also thought the NHS thing was weird...spelling out GOSH and NHS with sick beds was very, um, well, it was probably as exciting as watching people spell things usually is...