Does anyone pay attention to the Olympic Games anymore?

[patricia]

Did anyone see the Russian woman pole-vaulter clear EIGHTEEN FEET.

Apart from already having gold, she broke the standing Olympic record, then went on to beat the World Record.

She set a new world record of 16' 6 3/4", which is spectacular but nowhere near eighteen feet.

Thanks for doing the CORRECT conversion, Cali. I was so excited that I was thinking forth and back. OOPS.

I have no excuse.

But, that was the most amazing vault I, or anyone else has ever seen.

She won gold, then went on to break the world record. WOW!!

Edited August 20, 2008 by patricia

[Dave Garrett]

In high school a guy was pole vaulting and the pole snapped and he landed on the pole in his man region area

He has only one buddy instead of two

[Free For All]

In high school a guy was pole vaulting and the pole snapped and he landed on the pole in his man region area

He has only one buddy instead of two

OK, I really didn't need to see that!

[.:.impossible]

Did anyone see the Russian woman pole-vaulter clear EIGHTEEN FEET.

Apart from already having gold, she broke the standing Olympic record, then went on to beat the World Record.

She set a new world record of 16' 6 3/4", which is spectacular but nowhere near eighteen feet.

Thanks for doing the CORRECT conversion, Cali. I was so excited that I was thinking forth and back. OOPS.

I have no excuse.

But, that was the most amazing vault I, or anyone else has ever seen.

She won gold, then went on to break the world record. WOW!!

Whatever you think of her body, she made it perfectly clear what she thinks of herself during her human interest spot. I suppose it you can keep up with her, she's a blast.

Those of you sick of hearing about Michael Phelps already must be ready to jump bridge every time you see Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Pele and the like. Hate to tell you but he's gonna be around for a while. Sorry its not a mainstream sport fellas.

[papsrus]

Awright, enough with Olympic bods. These people are freaks. Phelps has a huge torso and his legs are disproportionately small for his height (or so they say). He wouldn't have won eight gold medals if he wasn't a freak. And I just got through reading about how female gymnasts (and softball players, apparently) have abnormal physiologies. Basketball players? ... please. Sprinters? .... Uh-huh. Freak, freak, freak, freak. They are (for the most part) wonderfully gifted freaks. But they're freaks nonetheless.

... Now, that fat slob chewing on a batch of twizzlers in your lunch room at work? ... he's the normal guy.

[catesta]

One of the top Chinese woman gymnasts looks like she has just lost her baby teeth in the front, and her permanent teeth are just starting to grow in. They are little nubs of teeth. It would seem to be very unlikely that she is anywhere close to 15.

Well, lemme ask ... what's the advantage to having an underage gymnast? Wouldn't a 16-year-old who has trained longer and is more developed muscularly have an advantage over a young child? ... I'm not quite making the connection here with younger (than 16) = an advantage.

On the one hand, they've trained longer. On the other hand, most of the routines favour ultra-light frames. In fact, even in the US, it is rumored that the gymnasts routinely starve themselves -- and maybe take hormones -- to stave off puberty. Once puberty hits, the center of gravity drops, you have to relearn all your routines. Of course, some gymnasts keep going, but it is ultra rare for any females to be any good at the sport after 23 or so. Another issue, perhaps a little overblown, is that younger competitors are too young to know the difficulty of what they are attempting, so they actually have better nerves than older competitors. (I've seen this a little with helping out on a high school athletic team.) One SI columnist said that the Chinese gymnasts had Kool-aid in their veins. Probably 14 is an acceptable age limit, but it is quite clear that the Chinese did cheat this year, but they will get away with it.

If they're cheating, somebody ought to call them on it.

China has financed our national budget deficit for years. We can't call them on it. We can't complain too much about anything to them.

Oh please.

[Soulstation1]

WOW AGAIN

Bolt destroyed the field in the 200M

He won by .6 seconds

Edited August 21, 2008 by Soulstation1

[Hot Ptah]

One of the top Chinese woman gymnasts looks like she has just lost her baby teeth in the front, and her permanent teeth are just starting to grow in. They are little nubs of teeth. It would seem to be very unlikely that she is anywhere close to 15.

Well, lemme ask ... what's the advantage to having an underage gymnast? Wouldn't a 16-year-old who has trained longer and is more developed muscularly have an advantage over a young child? ... I'm not quite making the connection here with younger (than 16) = an advantage.

On the one hand, they've trained longer. On the other hand, most of the routines favour ultra-light frames. In fact, even in the US, it is rumored that the gymnasts routinely starve themselves -- and maybe take hormones -- to stave off puberty. Once puberty hits, the center of gravity drops, you have to relearn all your routines. Of course, some gymnasts keep going, but it is ultra rare for any females to be any good at the sport after 23 or so. Another issue, perhaps a little overblown, is that younger competitors are too young to know the difficulty of what they are attempting, so they actually have better nerves than older competitors. (I've seen this a little with helping out on a high school athletic team.) One SI columnist said that the Chinese gymnasts had Kool-aid in their veins. Probably 14 is an acceptable age limit, but it is quite clear that the Chinese did cheat this year, but they will get away with it.

If they're cheating, somebody ought to call them on it.

China has financed our national budget deficit for years. We can't call them on it. We can't complain too much about anything to them.

Oh please.

I take it that you think I made a frivolous comment. I disagree. I don't know if anyone on the U.S. Olympic team would actually think of the budget deficit when they see the Chinese gymnasts. However, China has gotten away with other things in these Olympics, such as the last minute denying of a visa for an American athlete, that the U.S. would not have been silent about if, say Greece or Spain had done it. There is something about China, that we are not going to confront them about much at these Olympics.

[ejp626]

I take it that you think I made a frivolous comment. I disagree. I don't know if anyone on the U.S. Olympic team would actually think of the budget deficit when they see the Chinese gymnasts. However, China has gotten away with other things in these Olympics, such as the last minute denying of a visa for an American athlete, that the U.S. would not have been silent about if, say Greece or Spain had done it. There is something about China, that we are not going to confront them about much at these Olympics.

I think it is also telling that China has violated every one of its promises to the IOC, and the only official response from IOC has been to sweep it under the carpet and get angry when reporters/bloggers keep bringing it up.

One of my many reasons to hate the Olympics (not the athletes themselves who usually transcend this) but the whole framework around the Games is so tawdry.

[RDK]

They should hold the Olympics in China every year (and I mean year!) - it would bankrupt them back to a more manageable state.

[papsrus]

OK ... I watched my first Olympic event (excluding the obligatory Phelps races) -- Women's team handball, Norway vs. Korea (which I guess means South Korea? Or are they doing the "combined team" thing again this year?)

... Pretty dang exciting, although I could only get the vaguest notion of what the rules might be, and the announcers sure weren't helping too much in that regard. I found it pretty astonishing, really, that there actually were announcers who both, spoke English, and knew something about this game.

The contest itself looks like something you might do in 7th grade gym class ... once ... when the teacher doesn't show up ... on a Friday ... after someone inadvertently locked the equipment room leaving you with only a volleyball and two odd-sized nets ... and you probably got detention if somebody walked in on you and caught you misbehaving like this.

... It was GREAT!!! ...

... (I missed the ending though, as there's only so much of any single sporting event not-called-baseball that I can endure in one stretch, and the announcers weren't offering any clues as to how long this thing might go on ... so I have no idea who won, but those Norwegian gals looked magnificent! ...

Edited August 21, 2008 by papsrus

[Dave James]

Well this should be interesting. The IOC just announced that they are going to investigate the ages of the Chinese gymnastics team. We already know what a cracker jack bunch of gum shoes they can let loose to look into this, so it should be an interesting few days. It would certainly not be a surprise if they are just going through the motions. They're not exactly famous for calling out host countries and making look like cheaters which, of course, they are. Can you spell W-H-I-T-E-W-A-S-H?

Up over and out.

[papsrus]

You ... make the call

Legit? Or not?

[DukeCity]

"OK, who wants juice and a graham cracker before nap time? Raise your hands..."

[JSngry]

I'm far less concerned by unquestionable performance by athletes of questionable age than I am questionable perfomance by athletes of unquestionable age, which is a nice way of saying this - what the fuck happened to our 400M relay teams?

Edited August 22, 2008 by JSngry

[Dave James]

I'm far less concerned by unquestionable performance by athletes of questionable age than I am questionable perfomance by athletes of unquestionable age, which is a nice way of saying this - what the fuck happened to our 400M relay teams?

It's almost impossible to believe this could happen once, much less twice in the same day. And it wasn't just the U.S. The Brits, gold medalists four years ago, managed to pass the baton outside the legal exchange area in their 4x100 relay heat and got themselves DQ'ed. Maybe this is a lot harder than it looks and maybe the weather was a factor, but I can't believe that athletes at this level can't successfully execute a baton pass.

Up over and out.

[Hot Ptah]

The investigation into the age of the Chinese gymnast has already ended in a whitewash.

[RDK]

The investigation into the age of the Chinese gymnast has already ended in a whitewash.

Yeah, I believe they asked her and she said "sixteen."

[sidewinder]

The Brits, gold medalists four years ago, managed to pass the baton outside the legal exchange area in their 4x100 relay heat and got themselves DQ'ed.

Don't know what's come over our lot in the last few days. Lots of gold medal faves falling off bikes, not correctly passing batons etc.

Edited August 22, 2008 by sidewinder

[Quincy]

The Brits, gold medalists four years ago, managed to pass the baton outside the legal exchange area in their 4x100 relay heat and got themselves DQ'ed.

Don't know what's come over our lot in the last few days. Lots of gold medal faves falling off bikes, not correctly passing batons etc.

I think they need to use a "good grip" technology on the batons, especially given the high humidity. Then again the way the US luck has been going in relays, the baton would stay stuck in a runner's hand and not get passed rather than dropped. But hey, that's relays for ya.

[Soulstation1]

You know the Jamaicans run so damn fast?

It's cuz of running from Sheriff John Brown

Edited August 22, 2008 by Soulstation1

[Soulstation1]

We should have the 1st annual Organissimo Ping Pong Championship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JSngry]

I'm far less concerned by unquestionable performance by athletes of questionable age than I am questionable perfomance by athletes of unquestionable age, which is a nice way of saying this - what the fuck happened to our 400M relay teams?

It's almost impossible to believe this could happen once, much less twice in the same day. And it wasn't just the U.S. The Brits, gold medalists four years ago, managed to pass the baton outside the legal exchange area in their 4x100 relay heat and got themselves DQ'ed. Maybe this is a lot harder than it looks and maybe the weather was a factor, but I can't believe that athletes at this level can't successfully execute a baton pass.

Up over and out.

I grew up in a time & place when you couldn't do school sports & school band at the same time, but I was recruited for track by the high school coaches (believe it or not, I used to be long, lanky, and sure of stride) & actually got a little (very little) track training in the process. Wjhat I learned about baton passing is simple to explain, but harder to do. Still, it's the fundamentals & I didn't see it last night.

Pacing - you leave your spot in such a way that puts you in rhythm with the unner coming up on you. And from behind, you put yourself into a rhythm with the runner in front of you.

Handoff - from behind, you stick it in the hand of the runner in front of you. You don't just "drop it off", you put it there. And when receiving, you don't make the runner behind you guess or otherwise have to work at finding you and your hand, You provide a target, and a target that is ready for the baton (the woman last night had the target, but her hand was flat - basic error right there...). And when you get it, you grip it and pull it (I know, this is getting kinda sexual and shit, but there's no other way to describe it). You let the runner behind you know that you've got it and that they can safely let go.

The women, yeah, there was just not a proper target there, and the baton never got stuck. The men, hey, that was a big mess. The pacing was off, and the baton was dropped before ever being in the front runner's hand, probably a result of frustration at the screwed up pacing. Not a pretty sight...

Maybe my training was ultra-rudimental and now old-fashioned (like pre-Fosbury high jumping), but still...

I give spiritual props to Lauryn Williams, however, for going back to pick up the baton and finish the race. For some, that might be a meaningless gesture, but to me, it spoke to personal pride and self-respect in the face of an occurrence that could easily have wiped out same. The fact that she at least won that one is to her credit, I think, and speaks well as to her inner character.

[ejp626]

but I can't believe that athletes at this level can't successfully execute a baton pass.

Now correct me if I am wrong, but do Olympic runners (and swimmers) actually practice relays that often? For the most part, they don't train in the same facilities. The real focus has always been on individual events. They just kind of take the 4 best runners and swimmers and throw them together. I remember that in at least one Olympics there was a substitution at the last day (or last qualifying event, whichever) and that the entire team had never practiced together. Probably practicing hand-offs would matter a lot more for runners than swimmers. But I still suspect it isn't something these guys and gals have actively "practiced" since college.

[JSngry]

but I can't believe that athletes at this level can't successfully execute a baton pass.

Now correct me if I am wrong, but do Olympic runners (and swimmers) actually practice relays that often? For the most part, they don't train in the same facilities. The real focus has always been on individual events. They just kind of take the 4 best runners and swimmers and throw them together. I remember that in at least one Olympics there was a substitution at the last day (or last qualifying event, whichever) and that the entire team had never practiced together. Probably practicing hand-offs would matter a lot more for runners than swimmers. But I still suspect it isn't something these guys and gals have actively "practiced" since college.

True enough, but I gotta think that their earlier training, going back to high school (or earlier), was in a team environment, and that these basic skills were instilled early on, and indelibly so. It's the type of thing that is so basic that, yeah, you might get a little rusty on it, but ultimately it's like riding a bicycle.

But then again, look at how many NBA players are crap free throw shooters. Sign of the times, maybe...

Either way, the buzz is that there's a shakedown coming with the whole track group, including management & coaching changes.