2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China - Page 11

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Humility and world class runners don't often go together. I thought the shot of Lolo was inappropriate. If she was out on the track or field, ok, but she had given stepped up given her interview and was seeking a quiet place to let it all out. I don't think that we should've been intruding on that.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

No. It's one reason why I use the TiVo to zip through all of the races until the finish line. And if someone wants to say it's no different than the NFL or NBA here in the States, I'd say you're right...but I hate the showboating there just as much.

Was happy to see Jonathan Horton walk away with the silver. If only he was able to stick that landing. Talk about a guy that seized the moment...

And I was ecstatic to see Shawn Johnson finally win the gold on the beam. Not only is the girl talented, but every time they showed her she seemed bubbly and smiling. Contrast that with Nastia Liukin who always appeared to be, quite frankly, pissed off. I know she's very talented and I'm sure she's intense, but if you just won a medal...lighten up!

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Horton's performance was awesome. Talk about taking a big risk and making it pay off. The crowd absolutely loved it. I also liked the fact that the announcers could say that "they got it right" and congratulations again to the Chinese. They are clearly the dominant team in men's gymnastics.

Johnson was an example of pure joy and innocence to me. It was heart-warming to see her reaction and that of her parents. I think your being a little hard on Liukin. She has a different personality, but I sure don't think she is "pissed off." Tonight, she seemed quite happy to me and her consternation was perfectly understandable last night. She always seems to be gracious in her comments and in her interactions with other competitors. Her comments after the uneven bars are a good example.

It was surprising to see so many falls tonight both on the beam and the high bar.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

I was just talking to a co-worker today about this. I think it's interesting that we have these polar opposite personalities and one gets interpreted as "snobby" or "pissed off" because she doesn't smile as much as her friend. I've never interpreted it as anything but focus and intensity in the midst of competition. Frankly, I think it's a little suspect for Johnson to be so smiley all the time, even when she's facing disappointment.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Two more medals (silver and bronze) in marathon swimming for our friends in the UK. And why am I still up?

Oh yeah...I'm watching the USA vs Japan in softball and it has gone to extra innings.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Yeah, but that's par for the course.

And frankly, perfectly understandable. They train for months on end for a 10 or a 19 second race. It is NOT a team sport, and it is absolutely ego-fueled. In the context of the sport, I like the plumage, so to speak. They have to have supreme self-confidence.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Her dad also won gold for the Soviets in the early 70s so she's probably approaching the Olympics from a different mindset than many of her teammates. She's not just happy to be there and to try her best - she's carrying on a family legacy and competing against her dad, which probably adds a little more edge and intensity to her situation.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Good point.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Plus didn't Valeri Liukin have to deal with ties and losing the gold in a couple of events by mere fractions of a point at the 1988 Olympics? He has a more philosophical outlook on the business of judging in gymnastics, and Nastia probably has similar resignations to the scoring and tie-break system being used in the Olympics, but I thought she handled herself quite well during the tied score situation.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

I thought that the NBC coverage of this event was awful. They concentrated on Lolo because they thought she would win and when she didn't they just kept the camera on her. What about the other American who actually won the race? The did talk to her eventually, but shouldn't she have had more attention?

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

That's a shame because along with Lolo (who I did feel really bad for) and Dawn Harper (who won the race), there was the anticipation waiting for who amongst the next 5 runners got Silver and Bronze. I think the 5 of them came within 2/100ths of each other. The CBC caught the excitement of the Canadian (Priscilla Lopes-Schleip) who got Bronze as they flashed the results on the scoreboard and she then ran to the Aussie who got Silver and they jumped up and down and hugged like excited schoolgirls. It's was pretty cool to see that.

Another amazing story I just heard about is Natalie Du Toit from South Africa. Apparently she is the first disabled athlete to ever compete in the "regular" Olympics. She swam the 10km long distance race and finished 16th - with one leg amputated at the knee. That's remarkable.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

that is surprising for someone to say that.
Lolo was the story in this race.
she should have won and would have except for clipping that fence.
just like, was it Devers, a few olpympics ago, exact same thing.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

For the first part, ta very much. The first four pages of The [London] Times this morning are practically noting but coverage of the Olympics. Normally those pages are reserved for the 'serious' news. Nobody can believe how well we're doing. We're ahead of Russia for goodness' sake [okay, it's not the same as the former USSR and they'll probably overtake us, but even so ...]. In case anyone is remotely interested, the prime reason for the UK's resurgence is the effect of the National Lottery. We didn't have a lottery system of any sort until about a decade ago. A lot of the money raised from it was earmarked for improving sport, and rowing and cycling were amongst the first sports to benefit from the system.

As regards why you're still up, does anyone else find there's something strangely hypnotic about some of these events? I found myself sitting through the marathon the other night (in the UK, this was broadcast from circa 1.00 a.m.), a sporting event I normally have zero interest in. Even the UK commentators' breaking off from the main race to discuss how Paula Radcliffe was doing every 10 seconds didn't deter me.


I've a feeling that pedantically speaking, there have been disabled competitors before, but where the disability could have no effect on their sport (e.g. a deaf archer). However, none of this should detract from praise for a superb trailblazing performance. It's within the IOC's gift to give awards for special achievements, and I think she richly deserves one.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

And the commentary was that she was all alone there (except for the people filming her at the time!)

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Clipping hurdles is an occupational hazard, many athletes have had the same thing happen in other hurdling events. The point is that the winner of this race didn't clip a hurdle.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

I didn't realize the connection between Camelot and sports. Believe it or not, I had a little something to do with that system, so in an incredibly ironic turn of events, you have me to (partially) thank for your medals.

Cash is accepted, but only American dollars please.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

Still, she was the story, before the race and especially after the race because she clipped the hurdle.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

You may be right Andrew...When I first heard the story, one of the CBC folks said "first disabled competitor", but a bunch of online articles said "first amputee".

But yeah, whatever the case it's a heck of an achievement.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

is anyone surprised that Bolt didn't beat the world record by any more?

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

any more then what.

he probably would have had a few more wr's without all the showing off at the end of the races.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

i meant he only beat the wr by .02

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

More like set a record for the ages, but yeah I agree. The guy stops racing at like 2/3rd or 3/4th of the distance and just coasts to the finish line!

--
H

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

i do have to give him his due on that last race for that record.
nbc finally showed it just a little while ago and he went all out for the
entire race.

and he came across very good in the interview just after the race.

he admitted that this wr looked like it would not be beaten for a long time and even he didn't expect to break the record.

too bad about about his friend being dq'd for stepping on the line.
the guy who came in second should have been dq'd too, he also stepped on the line.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

he did run into a -0.9 headwind, whereas Michael Johnson had +0.4 wind at his back.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

The outdoor volleyball match was a tight affair, but Mays-Treanor/Walsh pulled it out at the end of each set for their 2nd gold medal in the event. Congrats!

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

I felt bad for Haley Ishimatsu watching her break down in her interview after the diving competition. She's young though..she could be back in 2012.

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

I thought that's simply because Canadians participate more in winter sports, so you guys clean up at the Winter Games, but in the Summer Games you appear to underperform. Add the two together and you'd probably outdo the Aussies?

Re: 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China

In case this is of any interest to you, Michael Johnson is a commentator for the BBC now and his response to his record being beaten was a model of graciousness and sportsmanship.



The Brits also compare themselves to the Aussies, probably stemming from our traditional rivalry in cricket. It's been widely publicised in the Brit press that the sports ministers of Australia and GB have a bet on which team will end up with the greater number of gold medals. Done on a per head of population basis, of course, Australia is way ahead of the UK. Oddly enough, the UK rarely sees itself in competition with Canada (or vice versa) as far as I know.