Ronniedawg Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Only watched Jimmy Page, and the news hilights of my nation's contribution (which I am proud of - my two cents on the entire Olympic matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I have got a horsey Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 They are removing baseball and softball because they're not international enough, which I find very unfair. If that's the case then why is handball still in? IOC conditions, I believe, are that a sport wishing to be played at the Olympics must be played in 75% of countries on the globe I think the Olympics are better for sports that aren't well publicized or have their own major international tournaments You know, Soccer has its World Cups, and they're pretty big events, the Tennis tournaments are huge like Wimbledon, if you really want a great career in baseball, move to the USA or Japan where it's big. Olympics are good for sports like synchronized swimmimg and archery, shooting, gymnastics, ping pong, greco-roman wrestling, all the sports you never ever see except at the Olympics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE FIRST LEDZEP Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhjwnsVUeto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I'm still puzzling over ping pong. It seems like more of an activity than a sport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Why would they do Olympic swimming in open water aside from the open water race? I think London has the ability to build a facility that houses an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickenpieces Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Raise your hand if you have yet to reach puberty and knowingly participated in these games illegally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I only asked that because they did it in Australia in open water. And at that time of year, it may not be so cold. I knew this kid when I grew up that said his father once swam in the English channel. Said something about putting oil on them and that there could be sharks in there? I really don't know. But they did swim in open water in Sydney. No they didn't. All swimming races at the Sydney games took place in a pool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Intern..._Aquatic_Centre I watched these Olympics, I think I'd know the difference between swimming in the ocean and swimming in a natatorium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickenpieces Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 The Australians would whoop any Englishman in open water competition anyway. The Aussies are true waterdogs, probably the toughest on the planet. Ever seen the water games the lifeguards play there? They would be like those Chinese tinkerbells in gymnastics. ALL the gold!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I don't think ALL the Chinese gymnasts were underage. I think a couple actually looked 16. The rest, I think I saw gaps where their baby teeth fell out. But no matter, the IOC won't actually do anything about it, because pissing off the Chinese is not in their best interest. I think it sucks that they had to cheat to win, because our girls could have beaten them on a level playing field. That said, I feel more pity for them than anger, that they felt they needed to resort to such tactics. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzldoc Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 The Australians would whoop any Englishman in open water competition anyway. The Aussies are true waterdogs, probably the toughest on the planet. Ever seen the water games the lifeguards play there? They would be like those Chinese tinkerbells in gymnastics. ALL the gold!!! When you have sharks and crocs snap'in at your ass all day you learn how to compensate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I have got a horsey Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 But no matter, the IOC won't actually do anything about it, because pissing off the Chinese is not in their best interest. It's not so much that, it's more to do with how does the IOC prove it? IF they did cheat and the girls were underage (although Nadia Comaneici was only 15 when she competed) and this was fully sanctioned by the Chinese agencies and authorities, how can the IOC prove it? They Government just gives them a passport and birth certificate with a different birth date on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel With A Broken Wing Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 No they didn't. All swimming races at the Sydney games took place in a pool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Intern..._Aquatic_Centre I watched these Olympics, I think I'd know the difference between swimming in the ocean and swimming in a natatorium. S/he might be thinking of the swimming leg of the Triathlon Competition. In Beijing it was held at the Ming Tomb Resovoir (which I watched on TV) and in Sydney it took place at Sydney Harbour's Farm Cove (which I googled). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 (although Nadia Comaneici was only 15 when she competed) That was the age requirement at the time, though. It has changed over the years. It went from 14 to 15 to now 16. When the US women's gymnastics team won gold in Atlanta, you could be 14 and compete. Dominique Moceanu, who was on the team, took advantage of that. So the age factor has not been static since Day 1. However, you have to be 16 in the calendar year of the Olympics in order to compete. That means you don't have be 16 at the time you compete, just turning 16 sometime during the year. All but 2 of those "women" don't fit that requirement just on looks alone. And there is a way to prove age without relying on documents that could quite easily be forged. Take an x-ray of their skulls. Someone who is 16 ( or turning 16) should have all permanent teeth, no milk teeth. If you see any in the x-rays, they are clearly underage and the team should be sanctioned. It'll take no time, and is completely painless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I have got a horsey Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 That was the age requirement at the time, though. It has changed over the years. It went from 14 to 15 to now 16. When the US women's gymnastics team won gold in Atlanta, you could be 14 and compete. Dominique Moceanu, who was on the team, took advantage of that. So the age factor has not been static since Day 1. However, you have to be 16 in the calendar year of the Olympics in order to compete. That means you don't have be 16 at the time you compete, just turning 16 sometime during the year. All but 2 of those "women" don't fit that requirement just on looks alone. And there is a way to prove age without relying on documents that could quite easily be forged. Take an x-ray of their skulls. Someone who is 16 ( or turning 16) should have all permanent teeth, no milk teeth. If you see any in the x-rays, they are clearly underage and the team should be sanctioned. It'll take no time, and is completely painless. True, but then you get into arguments about how accurately can x-rays be used to show exact age, because for every American expert who swears by it, the Chinese will produce another expert who challenges it. Then the girls would have to be x-rayed by indepedent radiologists and that would be a drama in itself. And if the IOC refuses to accept official Chinese Passports and Birth Certificates, then there will be a diplomatic ruckus because, basically, they will be effectively saying that The Chinese Government is lying and deliberately producing fake documents and all the rest. I mean could you imagine the uproar if the IOC suggested that about the United States?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggie29 Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 When you have sharks and crocs snap'in at your ass all day you learn how to compensate! You learn how to swim as well! It's not surprising really, the continent is surrounded by water and every kid is encouraged to learn how to swim from as young as 6 months old! BTW, You forgot to mention box jellyfish, sea snakes, stonefish and killer stingrays! One thing about crocs is they are just as dangerous on land as in the water. They can run @ 25-30 mph over short distances. Of all the medals won in the pool by Oz, 95% were by Queenslanders. The reason being is that, most if not all state schools, have swimming pools. Yes the triathlon was contested at Farm Cove, Sydney Harbour as was the 10000m open water event. The USA did exceptionally well particularly Phelps and GB were very good too. What can you say about the Oz women's team? Hopefully come 2012 our men will step up a gear and improve on Beijing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirchzep27 Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 In between commercials, nbc had some great shots from the air of the landscapes. islands on the coast, mountains, farmland and the cool architecture. On the cultural segments...they really needed someone with more personality doing those imo. anthony bourdain would have been good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 You are wrong. The triathlon was swam in open water. In Sydney. You said ALL swimming took place in open water. You were wrong. If you were talking only about the triathalon (which you weren't), I wouldn't have taken the time to tell you where the swimming races were actually held. Thanks for playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Didn't watch a minute of it. Caught Jimmy's performance on Youtube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 In between commercials, nbc had some great shots from the air of the landscapes. islands on the coast, mountains, farmland and the cool architecture. On the cultural segments...they really needed someone with more personality doing those imo. anthony bourdain would have been good. Misty May clowning around in her downtime was pretty funny. I like her, but I LOVE her name. I want that name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Misty May clowning around in her downtime was pretty funny. I like her, but I LOVE her name. I want that name. I want to be able to play volleyball as well as her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 double post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Are you finished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickenpieces Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 As a matter of fact, post #292 electrophile says ALL events were in the pool in Australia. Restless Spirit never said All at all. Go look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I'm having Phelps withdrawl. I want a dvd of nothing but him doing the butterfly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I'm having Phelps withdrawl. I want a dvd of nothing but him doing the butterfly. I'm sure there are plenty of videos on YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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