2012 Olympics (spoilers for tape-delayed events)

Post by **vison** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:29 pm

I also think his tongue is often planted in his cheek.

Let him enjoy his moment of glory. He's a Jamaican. What would his life be without running? He's done a lot of things for his home town and country, none of which he is obliged to do.

The 1500 has been called the metric mile ever since I can remember.

As for the decathlon, not many people remember who wins the decathlon.

Post by **yovargas** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:56 pm

Didn't see him make the statement but reading an article on his performance and post-race antics, he just sounds like he's having fun and putting on a show. It doesn't seem to me like he's particularly serious about it nor that there's any disrespect intended to other athletes. I'd give him a pass.

Post by **axordil** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:25 pm

So I was in a bar last night, and the BMX event came on at the Olympics. I think this may be as close as we get to chariot races, including the pileups.

Actually, chariots drawn by BMX riders has possibilities...

Post by **WampusCat** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:55 pm

These photos make a good case against synchronized swimming. Yikes!

Post by **axordil** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:14 pm

It's not an activity that lends itself to closeups.

Post by **River** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:27 pm

axordil wrote:So I was in a bar last night, and the BMX event came on at the Olympics. I think this may be as close as we get to chariot races, including the pileups.

Actually, chariots drawn by BMX riders has possibilities...

Yes. Yes it does.

Post by **Holbytla** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:09 am

WampusCat wrote:These photos make a good case against synchronized swimming. Yikes!

Could someone explain why this event remains in the Olympics but baseball does not? Really?

Post by **Impenitent** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:10 am

Synchronised swimming...Esther Williams has a lot to answer for.

Post by **Impenitent** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:23 am

Please...no baseball! No baseball!

Open the door a tiny crack to let in baseball, and we'll end up with Olympic cricket, and Olympic football (of the Aussie kind), and Olympic bowling...

No baseball!

Post by **halplm** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:15 am

baseball is coming back, as well as rugby sevens... good times.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:17 am

Is it really? Because, cool!

Post by **halplm** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:24 am

Hmm, well, Rugby sevens and Golf are in for Rio, but Baseball is still out, although I had heard it was going to be back in...

Post by **halplm** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:34 am

Congrats to the USA women's 4x100m relay team. They have had so many problems over the years, but they set a world record and blew the field away today for gold!

Post by **Frelga** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:45 am

I don't know, close ups of runners faces look pretty scary, too.

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:01 am

Well Rugby Sevens is at least played in more than one country

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:06 am

About Golf, an avid golfing friend of mine believes it shouldn't be in the Olympics. His rationale is this. If there is a bigger prize to be won in the sport outside the Olympics, then it shouldn't be there.

Example: There's no soccer player in world who would rather have an Olympic medal than a World Cup winners medal. That should disqualify soccer. Likewise, any Golfer would rather win an Open than the Olympics. Any Tennis player would rather win Wimbledon than the Olympics.

Its an interesting thought. For Rugby Sevens there is really no equivalent event, so Olympics would offer them a pinnacle. But what about baseball? Would the average baseball player prefer an Olympic medal or to win the World (snerk) Series?

Post by **yovargas** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 12:24 pm

That is an interesting point and might express why many of those big popular team sports being in the Olympics has always felt "off" to me. I know damn well that American basketball players would rather win the NBA Championship then get an Olympic gold medal which does feel like it cheapens those medals in a way.

Post by **axordil** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:40 pm

yovargas wrote:That is an interesting point and might express why many of those big popular team sports being in the Olympics has always felt "off" to me. I know damn well that American basketball players would rather win the NBA Championship then get an Olympic gold medal which does feel like it cheapens those medals in a way.

Though to hear some of them talk about it, especially those who have one both, Olympic gold does have a kind of allure to it.

Thinking along the lines of Alatar's friend...I would differentiate between sports where there is already a "team" international championship and ones where there isn't. Golf not only has the big four opens, but the Ryder Cup (and the Walker and Curtis for amateurs). Tennis has the Davis and Fed cups. Football of course has the World Cup. Some of those are more international than others, obviously. They really should broaden the golf cups to be world events, but that's neither here nor there.

Post by **Frelga** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:22 pm

I think any sport that defines "World" as "USA and one team from Canada" should be disqualified. And I say this as someone who currently has a lot more fun following the A's than watching the Olympics, as measured by the amount of time I can watch from the couch before falling asleep. I think my Olympic record is 18 minutes.

Post by **vison** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:30 pm

I was told that The World Series was named for the "New York World" newspaper, not for "the world".