2012 Olympics (Non-Basketball)

[sead43]

wanted to get a thread going for discussion of all-things Olympics: London's Opening Ceremony production, NBC's coverage, and all the sports and storylines (manufactured or not). have at it.

are there any Hoyas to keep an eye out for? i remember making an effort to find the sailing coverage in 2008 b/c of an alum in the competition...

[Admin]

alumni.georgetown.edu/newsevents/newsevents_367.html

[DanMcQ]

Viva Honduras!

[TBird41]

So, it's really stupid that they only let 2 people from each country advance in gymnastics

[PhillyHoya]

Jul 29, 2012 23:55:44 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

So, it's really stupid that they only let 2 people from each country advance in gymnastics

Especially when Wieber had the 4th highest overall score. Raisman had a career night though.

[jgalt]

Jul 29, 2012 23:55:44 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

So, it's really stupid that they only let 2 people from each country advance in gymnastics

I think its mores stupid that they dont come into the games already having qualified for the individual comp. Why do they do that at the olympics? Why not at each countries qualifying event?

Also I am not as annoyed about the tape-delayed broadcast as others (what do you want them to do?), but it does annoy me that they show so many swimming heats, when there are medal rounds going on in other sports. You have 4 channels (not including the dedicated basketball and soccer channels), but yesterday NBC and NBCSN were both showing the same Equestrian event at the same time.

[Boz]

I refuse to watch "judged" sports at any Olympics. Utterly and completely bogus.

Not that I don't stand in awe of the amazing athleticism of gymnasts, figure skaters, boxers and more, but the sports in which they participate are subject to whimsy, corruption and incompetence at a much greater level than is remotely acceptable.

Give me times and goals and points scored.

You can keep the East German judge (to resurrect an old joke).

[hoyarooter]

Jul 29, 2012 23:55:44 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

So, it's really stupid that they only let 2 people from each country advance in gymnastics

This.

So we now have our first poster child for unjustifiable Olympic heartbreak. I don't know how many of you saw Bobby C's interview with Bela Karolyi last night, but he let the rulemakers have it (at least as best as I could tell - he's still somewhat difficult to understand).

[Nevada Hoya]

Jul 30, 2012 11:28:35 GMT -5 Boz said:

I refuse to watch "judged" sports at any Olympics. Utterly and completely bogus.

Not that I don't stand in awe of the amazing athleticism of gymnasts, figure skaters, boxers and more, but the sports in which they participate are subject to whimsy, corruption and incompetence at a much greater level than is remotely acceptable.

Give me times and goals and points scored.

You can keep the East German judge (to resurrect an old joke).

Well, Boz, you will hate racewalking. Besides being the longest race in track and field (and on two legs) and being akin to whispering the loudest, it is a judged sport with the judges looking for "bent knees" and "lifting" (as visible to the human eye; almost all the top people are airborn some [or most] of the time on video replay on slow motion). I have run into the wrath of the judges by being DQ'ed in a 30K race (of course, I think the judges made a mistake )

Should you want to see the "fun" I think at least one of the three races (men's 20K and 50K, women's 20K) is this weekend.

[Nevada Hoya]

I think Samyr Laine is the only Olympian with a GU connection this year. However, he never competed for Georgetown, so he is a bit bogus.

[Boz]

Jul 30, 2012 12:56:14 GMT -5 Nevada Hoya said:

Jul 30, 2012 11:28:35 GMT -5 Boz said:

I refuse to watch "judged" sports at any Olympics. Utterly and completely bogus.

Not that I don't stand in awe of the amazing athleticism of gymnasts, figure skaters, boxers and more, but the sports in which they participate are subject to whimsy, corruption and incompetence at a much greater level than is remotely acceptable.

Give me times and goals and points scored.

You can keep the East German judge (to resurrect an old joke).

Well, Boz, you will hate racewalking. Besides being the longest race in track and field (and on two legs) and being akin to whispering the loudest, it is a judged sport with the judges looking for "bent knees" and "lifting" (as visible to the human eye; almost all the top people are airborn some [or most] of the time on video replay on slow motion). I have run into the wrath of the judges by being DQ'ed in a 30K race (of course, I think the judges made a mistake )

Should you want to see the "fun" I think at least one of the three races (men's 20K and 50K, women's 20K) is this weekend.

Is racewalking scored by those things?

If it is, and not by who finishes first then no, I will never watch it.

Of course, every sport has officials, who look for violations, and there aren't enough electrons in existence to house all of the complaints hurled at those officials, some deservedly and some not.

They are a necessary evil, hopefully soon to be completely replaced by robots and lasers.

If the judges in racewalking rise to the level of the French figure skating judge who suddenly has a brand new mink coat, then I want nothing to do with them.

If they are more like an MLB umpire who only occasionally ruins someone's perfect game by not paying attention to the play that is happening right in front of him and calling "Safe!" just so he can be part of the show, I guess I have to live with them.

But I'll be honest with you, Nevada, at the risk of offending. I have huge respect for track & field athletes and I enjoy most of those competitions, but it's really difficult for me to think about the sport of racewalking without conjuring up Monty Python images in my head.



(and this one, to a certain extent for some reason:


;D

[kchoya]

Jul 30, 2012 11:28:35 GMT -5 Boz said:

I refuse to watch "judged" sports at any Olympics. Utterly and completely bogus.

Not that I don't stand in awe of the amazing athleticism of gymnasts, figure skaters, boxers and more, but the sports in which they participate are subject to whimsy, corruption and incompetence at a much greater level than is remotely acceptable.

Give me times and goals and points scored.

You can keep the East German judge (to resurrect an old joke).

I can't imagine what you would have against judged sports.

deadspin.com/5929970/here-is-the-screwy-ending-to-the-judo-quarterfinal-match?tag=judo

[Nevada Hoya]

Boz, the winner is the one who finishes first over the line, except if he ran the last few steps. The chief judge will give the DQ paddle (red) on the course to anybody, who has accumulated three judges determinations for DQ. Once a judge has given a card, he cannot give the same person another card, so it has to be three judges. The worst DQ could have been Jane Saville of Australia was DQ'ed in the Sydney Olympics just as she was coming into the stadium. Worst in the sense that it came so late in the race of a competitor from the home country as she was leading the race.

To me racewalking was a good exercise to do after you can no longer run or want to preserve your knees. Not so much pounding as running. And I wanted the competitive nature of the sport, and having it in the Olympics gives it some credibility. No qualms about the breathstroke??? And yes, I do love John Cleese's ministry of silly walks routine.

[DanMcQ]

Jul 30, 2012 9:21:16 GMT -5 PhillyHoya said:

Raisman had a career night though.

Her parents were a riot:

[Boz]

Jul 30, 2012 16:08:18 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

Jul 30, 2012 9:21:16 GMT -5 PhillyHoya said:

Raisman had a career night though.

Her parents were a riot:

"This video contains content from International Olympic Committee, who has blocked it on copyright grounds."

A-holes. Serious bleeping a-holes.


there's at least 30 of these out there so far:



IOC copyright lawyers have their work cut out for them

[jgalt]

I agree with Boz on everything in this thread

[Nevada Hoya]

Jul 30, 2012 17:51:12 GMT -5 jgalt said:

I agree with Boz on everything in this thread

Ok, jgalt, you are on my list. Why don't you kick a guy when he is down. I suppose you think racewalking is funny. You might as well post on letsrun.com and make fun of us.

[jgalt]

Jul 30, 2012 18:56:15 GMT -5 Nevada Hoya said:

Jul 30, 2012 17:51:12 GMT -5 jgalt said:

I agree with Boz on everything in this thread

Ok, jgalt, you are on my list. Why don't you kick a guy when he is down. I suppose you think racewalking is funny. You might as well post on letsrun.com and make fun of us.

Haha, now I feel bad. I just skimmed the part about race walking, which I actually like! I went for a 2 hour speed walk this past saturday no less. I should be more careful with my blanket statements I guess ;D

[Nevada Hoya]

Jefferson Perez, former Olympic champ in the 20k racewalk, demonstrates form. (and who says the Japanese do not have a sense of humor).

www.liveleak.com/view?i=c9b_1193772986

[Nevada Hoya]

Jul 30, 2012 19:06:51 GMT -5 jgalt said:

Jul 30, 2012 18:56:15 GMT -5 Nevada Hoya said:

Ok, jgalt, you are on my list. Why don't you kick a guy when he is down. I suppose you think racewalking is funny. You might as well post on letsrun.com and make fun of us.

Haha, now I feel bad. I just skimmed the part about race walking, which I actually like! I went for a 2 hour speed walk this past saturday no less. I should be more careful with my blanket statements I guess ;D

jgalt, you are forgiven, especially since you were out for two hours walking. ;D