• The Cycling - especially the road race (come on Cav) and the track events.
• The Sailing - Looking forward to seeing Ben Ainslie win again
• The swimming, especially the women's 400m individual medley (as I taught the British swimmer!)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

eta: In a weird way I'm looking forward to the archery which is to be held at Lords, or #1 cricket ground. Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent is the man with the Mike but I'm blowed if I know how you do commentary on archery: 'Yes, he's hit the Frenchman on the horse'.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
We won't mention the 'Wrong Korean flag' debacle at Hampden Park, because this is the sport thread, isn't it?

---

That could lead us into the territory of baiting the British, which is a favourite sport of many nations including Australia. Did anybody count the number of stars on the right hand side of the flag at NZ's soccer game last night to check it was four and not five?

I shall be watching the first event where Kazakhstan wins a gold medal with great interest to see what anthem the British officials use.

[ 26. July 2012, 02:06: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Originally posted by Tom Day

quote:

---

The swimming, especially the women's 400m individual medley (as I taught the British swimmer!)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
I shall be watching the first event where Kazakhstan wins a gold medal with great interest to see what anthem the British officials use.

---

Apart from those Commonwealth nations that still use GSTQ I expect the only one we will definitely get right will be for Liechtenstein, which uses the same tune. Then again, we could mis-spell the name or use the Luxembourg anthem instead.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
I always look forward to the athletics. The UK team don't have many chances this time; Ennis is probably even-money for the heptathlon gold, Farah will win some colour of medal in the middle distance races, but track and field seems unlikely to be all that great for the UK this time. But bring on the Bolt! He's got much closer competition this time.

I'm looking forward to the triathlons (which don't really count as track and field), thinking that UK's Alistair Brownlee has a great chance in the men's event.

Team GB will win their usual hatful in cycling, sailing and rowing. We're good at sports where you sit down on (or in) something.

But I always spend a lot of time looking at the minority sports (archery, taekwondo, volleyball etc). Not too many opportunities to see those outside the Olympics.
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 

quote:

---

I'm blowed if I know how you do commentary on archery: 'Yes, he's hit the Frenchman on the horse'.

---

Is this likely to happen?!! I thought Horseguards Parade was quite a long way away from Lord's...

I'm looking forward to the equestrian events and the gymnastics, but I might watch the diving as well...
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
[no idea where Greenwich Park is in relation to Lord's though...]
 

---

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Originally posted by Tom Day

quote:

---

The swimming, especially the women's 400m individual medley (as I taught the British swimmer!)

---

This is the event I'll be watching, to cheer on our local hero Hannah Miley! It's given me a real buzz to go to my local 25m pool and see the sign "Lane reserved for Olympic Athlete Training" up.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
'Yes, he's hit the Frenchman on the horse'.

---

Due to budget restrictions, we're running two events of the Modern Pentathlon together.
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Due to the English weather there will probably be a rerun of that great spectator sport, Women's Beach Volleyball In The Rain.

Four years ago the semi-final between the USA and ... erm ... there must have been another team, but the American girls were so hot I didn't notice them. They may have been in red.

Anyway, girls in skimpy white uniforms soaking wet is the nearest thing to soft porn that they can show on TV at that time of day.

I now need a cold shower just for thinking about it.
 

---

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :
 
We were looking at what tickets were left last night, you can still get ones for the Womens Beach Volleyball semi's. But Anne wouldn't let me spend £300 on a ticket!

Tom
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
The problem is you cannot guarantee rain.
 

---

Posted by The Rogue (# 2275) on :
 
Could the local Fire Brigade be called on to help out in the event of dry weather?

Opening Ceremony tonight and youngest Rogueling is excited because she will get to stay up for it. I reckon she'll probably fall asleep at some point, though.

We've got some athletics tickets and so will be popping down at some point and once we're in the grounds we ain't leaving.
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
What did we all think of the opening ceremony? For what it's worth, I thought it was almost entirely brilliant.

The montage of Proper British Rock Music™ was just as it should have been, the cauldron for the flame was a work of art and Sir Steve Redgrave was absolutely the right person to bring in the torch.

The James Bond bit and Chariots of Fire IMHO were strokes of pure genius.

Boris was right - we'll do it in our own, very particularly British way.
 

---

Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on :
 
I loved it. It had a sense of humour, showed off britishness and was very well put together. The torch lighting was lovely - I loved the Olympic stars giving 'their' right to light the flame to others - a great touch. However, Paul McCartney does need to be left of the invitation list to these things... Please...

Looking forward to Cav today - come on the Manx Misslie
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
No problem with McCartney here. What could be more British than to end with a singalong, and the final section of Hey Jude is the ultimte sing along.

I was impressed with the Industrialisation of the rural landscape. Although I'd guessed that the copper petals were going to make up the Cauldron, I was still astounded at the way it was pulled off. Beautiful.

Does anyone know what time the Road Race is due to finish? I've got things to do and don't want to miss Cav. (Seriously thinking of getting the t-shirt.)
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
I've got things to do and don't want to miss Cav.

---

Best way to avoid missing Cav would be to watch the bunch go past and wait for the riders who got dropped on Box Hill. The only question is on which lap he'll get dropped?

With small five man teams and no radios, he won't have the luxury of a full-sized team controlling the race for him like he had at the World Championships last year.

[ 28. July 2012, 09:35: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
60-odd kilometers to go, Team GB looking easy on the front of the peloton, gap to the leaders under a minute, one climb to go. Not looking so good for your boys, is it tgc?
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Just about everybody else who has a top sprinter also has somebody in the break. When we have Stuart O'Grady out in that group (he's a good sprinter) then of course our other guys (including Cav's regular team captain!) wouldn't be wanting to chase it down!

Why didn't anybody from Team (G)B go into the break to give them two options for the win instead of one? Surely that would have been good for somebody like Millar or the UK national champion Stannard?
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Will Cav win the sprint for 33rd place?
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
I hadn't realised how odd long cycling is. It's almost more like a massive multiperson prisoners-dilemna/chicken than a straight sport.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Yeah, Jay-Emm, that's about right. It's what it makes it so fascinating.

And can someone bring me some fries to go with my humble pie?
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Although I have to say, I am pretty happy for Vino.
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Kazakhstan greatest country in the world
All other countries are run by little girls...

Well done to Vinokourov, to six-time Olympian and tactics king Stuart O'Grady in 5th position for orchestrating the winning move on the way out of London in the morning, and to Andre Greipel for denying Team B even the chance to lead the second peleton over the line!

[ 28. July 2012, 14:52: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
I tell you what though, I'm surprised more people don't cycle in London - the traffic looked wonderful today.
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
They didn't even need to use the lane reserved for the Olympics, the other two lanes were empty!


I don't think the Women's Road Race on the same course (but with only two laps of the Surrey circuit, not nine) will be any more successful for Britain or Oz, except that Judith Arndt winning would be success by association for GreenEDGE if she carries on her good one-day form.

I hope Cancellara is okay for the ITT in a couple of days, that title would lose a little lustre if the defending champion couldn't compete well.
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Just about everybody else who has a top sprinter also has somebody in the break. When we have Stuart O'Grady out in that group (he's a good sprinter) then of course our other guys (including Cav's regular team captain!) wouldn't be wanting to chase it down!

Why didn't anybody from Team (G)B go into the break to give them two options for the win instead of one? Surely that would have been good for somebody like Millar or the UK national champion Stannard?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Although I have to say, I am pretty happy for Vino.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
The problem is you cannot guarantee rain.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
Due to the English weather there will probably be a rerun of that great spectator sport, Women's Beach Volleyball In The Rain.

Four years ago the semi-final between the USA and ... erm ... there must have been another team, but the American girls were so hot I didn't notice them. They may have been in red.

Anyway, girls in skimpy white uniforms soaking wet is the nearest thing to soft porn that they can show on TV at that time of day.

I now need a cold shower just for thinking about it.

---

In that case, the male gymnasts should have to compete bare-chested. That'd give a bit of something-for-everyone-ness.

 

---

Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on :
 
Went to see both cycle road cycle races in SW London. Surprising how moving it is to see it in the flesh, something about humanity coming together for a common purpose. Tears in the eyes, and I wasn't the only one.

Apparently, the men's race yesterday drew a crowd of a million.

Then went home, and tried to follow the intricacies of road racing tactics. Hard luck, Cav.
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Yeah, Jay-Emm, that's about right. It's what it makes it so fascinating.

And can someone bring me some fries to go with my humble pie?

---

Understood it this time (it helps that the commentary didn't describe everything with the hindsight of a British win).
They really are amazing, so close, and it must be heart-wrenching for the punctured.
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Watching the slalom canoeing. The New Zealand boat looks really good with the leaf emblem on the bottom. Though I'm not sure we are supposed to be seeing it from that angle.

The Brits are cutting it fine, leaving it to the last run to qualify for the semi-finals in both the C1 and K1. Nail biting, but that's the most exciting way.

And on the bikes, congratulations to Lizzie Armitstead on a Silver for Yorkshire.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
The women's road race was great and in the end the best rider won it. The silver for GB was well earned, but Vos was definitely the boss (as expected).

So far as the men's race is concerned, no point in moaning. I don't think you can win the Olympic road race using large team tactics - nor can you expect peloton co-operation either. All rounders will always have a better chance than the specialist sprinters.

Looks like Cancellara will make the time trial and I hope he's in good shape. Wiggins and Froome too. They were pretty knackered after the road race. By contrast Tony Martin took it easy - which may make him favourite now, after all that happened. Still like to see Wiggins do it, but I think the odds have lengthened now.
 

---

Posted by Think² (# 1984) on :
 
I went to the women's medal fencing session of the foil competition. It was fantastic to watch, one match was literally won on the last second. In the end of was an italian bronze, silver and gold. Visibility was better than I expected, didn't need to use the binoculars I'd brought with me even though I was on the back row. And they had screens showing slow-mo replays of disputed points etc.

Really enjoyable experience and the travel to and across London was absolutely fantastic - plus I only had to queue three minutes at security at the Excel. If you have the option to pick up one of the remaining tickets on the Olympic website I'd strongly recommend it. I think there are still some sensibly priced tickets going for Taekwondo.

At the moment I am back home watching the British women win beach volley ball - not entirely sure about the benny hill music they keep playing when they sort out the pitch ...
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Leave them out there
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
I'm surprised that there hasn't been any comment on here about Team (G)B's first match in the Women's Basketball tournament. Are there no basketball fans on the Ship?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
Leave them out there

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
I say it now so that I am not accused of prophecy after the event.

But I absolutely hate the thought of the BBC commentaries on the athletics.

Sychophantic to the point of nauseous. Such is past experience.

An athlete is expected to "medal". ( Since when have we resorted to changing nouns into verbs?)

Named athelete comes in 5th.

BBC "lovelies" fall over themselves to talk excitedly of a brilliant, brave, unlucky, performance.

I can't bear to either watch or listen. We have already had 3 Golds dashed and its only Day 2.

---

Are we in Hell? No. What a shame, I'd better not comment.
 

---

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
I really enjoyed Matt Baker's commentary. He had just the right mix of knowledge and enthusiasm. Not sure why it should be called sycophantic.

As for the female commentator (Ms Stills, I think?), I have no idea what she looks like, but she was equally knowledgeable.

Shame it wasn't a silver, though!
 

---

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
I'm surprised that there hasn't been any comment on here about Team (G)B's first match in the Women's Basketball tournament. Are there no basketball fans on the Ship?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:


I also got to catch some water polo, which was entertaining. Do the guys up front on the attack ever get the ball? As far as I could tell, one guy swam near the goal and attempted to avoid drowning while the rest of the team passed the ball around the perimeter and waited for a good long distance shot.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Day:
Enjoying the Volleyball at the moment. Fast paced and good fun.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:

I can't bear to either watch or listen. We have already had 3 Golds dashed and its only Day 2.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Day:
Ben Ainslie is looking good at the moment.

Tom

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Day:
Ben Ainslie is looking good at the moment.

Tom

---

Not after the last two races. Ben's not at his best.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:
A word of support for an excellent commentator: the female expert on swimming in the Australian feed. She is good at pointing out fine points of technique that make a difference at this level. She certainly sounds as though she may be a former Olympian herself. Does anyone know she is.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Day:
Ben Ainslie is looking good at the moment.

Tom

---

Not after the last two races. Ben's not at his best.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
To repeat a point I made on another Olympic thread you blessed with your presence - Why are contests between the best athletes in the world only worth watching if WE are winning?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by luvanddaisies:
I don't think she's in any finals though - amazing lady.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
As our antipodean friends said four years ago, it's a sitting down medal, so it doesn't count.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
As our antipodean friends said four years ago, it's a sitting down medal, so it doesn't count.

---

I would be in awe if somebody managed to win a rowing medal standing up, might be a better event to introduce to the Olympics in place of tennis or golf

Good job by the Badminton World Federation, nice to see a sporting federation that has a healthy amount of self-respect.
 

---

Posted by quantpole (# 8401) on :
 
Wiggins 22 seconds up after 30km. Amazing crowds on the route too.
 

---

Posted by quantpole (# 8401) on :
 
And he's done it, with Froome 3rd. Medals rolling in now!
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
Good for Wiggo! The yellow jersey in Le Tour and now this. What a year!

TGC, some news for you when you wake up.
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Gold and Bronze, fantastic.

Cancellara is still on the ground, shame that he was injured in the time trial as he'd have made a better race of it. Brave ride.
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Well done to Tony Martin getting second, it sucks that he missed out on getting the win but kudos to him for bouncing back that well after a horrible run in the Tour de France this year. Mark him as the favourite for the World Championship later this year.

It's also notable that this result moves Britain into the plurals for Gold medals. They may need to adjust their target downwards a bit with it taking five days to get that far even with the home team factor going their way!


The only person competing in this year's Olympics who I've met (outside of a handshake and autograph at a sporting event) competed earlier this evening our time. Hayley Chapman is a thoroughly great young lady from one of our regional towns north of Adelaide who I've met at a few youth ministry events, at the age of just 20 she came 34th out of 40 in her pistol shooting event, she is notable for being the first daughter to compete at the same Olympic Games with her father.

Alas, no free to air TV coverage for her.

[ 01. August 2012, 15:54: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by Mr Clingford (# 7961) on :
 
Can you ever be gracious to a Brit, tgc?
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
What does congratulating a German who came within a second of winning an Olympic medal even after bouncing back from a poor Tour de France have to do with being gracious or not to the Brits?

It was omitted from the previous post, perhaps I should have just quoted and edited...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
Gold, well done Tony Martin for Silver, and Bronze, fantastic.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Holy Moly, some sports administrators don't mess around!

I suppose action had to be swift but this was very decisive and essential for the games' credibility.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
What does congratulating a German who came within a second of winning an Olympic medal ..

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Is it okay to mock this Brit?

---

quote:

---

Are there previous incidents of players clearly throwing matches?
Not half. Speak to players and officials and they will tell you of a spate of incidents each year on the world tour. As far as the Olympics go, the highest-profile case remains Athens 2004 when Li Yongbo, China’s head coach, admitted to ordering a player to throw a tie, improving chances of gold. It occurred during the women’s singles semi-final when Li decided that Zhang Ning would have a better shot at winning the final against a non-Chinese opponent rather than her opponent Zhou Mi.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
What does congratulating a German who came within a second of winning an Olympic medal ..

---

Err, no. It was 42 seconds.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Still a worthy effort by the reigning World Champion who is not having his best season ever.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Is it okay to mock this Brit?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by luvanddaisies:

Talking of brilliant:

Iordan Iovtchev is competing as a gymnast in his *6th* olympics! - he's 39, and is in the rings final.
Oskana Chusovitina is also in her 6th Olympics, she's 36 or 37, and was competing at international level before most of the other Olympic gymnasts were born!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
I think the main problem in the badminton is that the Olympic competition has a much wider spread of rankings than the regular top flight competitions where more than two entries are allowed from a nation. The rankings are so spread out that the advantage of "winning" a more favourable draw in the later stage is so great that it may outweigh the more conventional approach of keeping in good form/momentum by winning every match. Going back to a knockout format might "fix" it by offering no incentive to lose (until you get a match with both players/pairs of the same country*)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
but that would suck for the Olympic campaign to be over so quickly for the teams losing their first match.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:
I will feel bad for them until the annual story about the astonishing rate at which the athletes in the Olympic village go through condoms comes out. If I were still single and all I had to do to hang around that orgy of hot toned bodies was get my butt kicked in a badminton match, I would be on the next flight to London racket in hand.

---

 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Don't knock the Eagle, he's the best ski jumper this country has ever had.

In the same vein, spectators have been won over by Niger's Hamadou Djibo Issaka, aka the skulling sloth and by Morocco's Jihane Samlal in the women's kayak.

It is performances like these that give the Olympics their atmosphere.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
What does congratulating a German who came within a second of winning an Olympic medal ..

---

Err, no. It was 42 seconds.

---

Hmm, the report I read must have been talking about an intermediate time check. Still a worthy effort by the reigning World Champion who is not having his best season ever.

---

quote:

---

There is a big fuss in this country over the fact that one of our gymnasts, the reigning world champion, got knocked out of the all-around finals despite finishing fourth in the qualifiers, simply because the IOC rules only allow two women per country in the finals, and her team mates finished second and third.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jane R:
I wish sedan chair racing was an Olympic sport. Now that would be worth watching, especially if you had to carry your country's Prime Minister (or equivalent) in the chair...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Er Sioni, Monsieur Sarkozy, 'e eez not ze Président any more...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jane R:
I wish sedan chair racing was an Olympic sport. Now that would be worth watching, especially if you had to carry your country's Prime Minister (or equivalent) in the chair...

---

I'm all for that, given that Australia has Julia Gillard who is not exactly a huge person. We would, however, be screwed if it was each country's ambassador to the USA who was being carried


It's quite disappointing to see that the recent success of British cyclists (British-registered at least) still has some way to go in raising motorists' awareness of cyclists. A cyclist was hit and killed by a bus driver working for the Games organisation last night. Time for high-profile British cyclists like Hoy, Wiggins, Frrome, Cav, Pendleton, Pooley and so on to donate their time to front a huge safety awareness campaign, perhaps also a minute's silence before the start of the opening track cycling events tonight?


I agree with the comments further up about Chris Froome moving to a different pro team for next year, and I would not be shocked if Cave went elsewhere (Rabobank) as well. Team Sky has way too many superstars in one place at one team to keep them all happy, and the motivation to work together in the run up to the home turf Olympics is now over. Team Sky also has the huge challenge of securing sponsors for 2014 after all their current contracts run out at the end of next year, they only need to look at Discovery Channel, Highroad-HTC and RadioShack-Nissan to see that even with their success they are in a very vulnerable position being completely reliant on a big ticket sponsor who is not a bike manufacturer.


The track cycling starts tonight with both team sprint competitions and the qualifying round of the men's team pursuit. The highlight of this will be the women's team sprint, namely because it's the first time Anna Meares and Victoria Pendleton will compete against each other.

I was pleased to see Lauren Jackson do well in the Opals' win from last night (I watched on delay today) with a proper captain's game. She took the record for all-time point scoring at the Olympics away from Lisa Leslie during that game, which is not the first thing she's taken from LL
 

---

Posted by The Rogue (# 2275) on :
 
I understand (Wikkipedia) that Taufa'ahau, The King of Tonga between 1965 and 2006 weighed 209.5kg at his peak. Is there a sedan chair which could have coped? I would like to see the Chuckle Brothers doing this one.
 

---

Posted by Tubbs (# 440) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
I think the main problem in the badminton is that the Olympic competition has a much wider spread of rankings than the regular top flight competitions where more than two entries are allowed from a nation. The rankings are so spread out that the advantage of "winning" a more favourable draw in the later stage is so great that it may outweigh the more conventional approach of keeping in good form/momentum by winning every match. Going back to a knockout format might "fix" it by offering no incentive to lose (until you get a match with both players/pairs of the same country*)

---

This is a good point. Unfortunately, I don't know how you even out the competition and keep the international feel. There is a big fuss in this country over the fact that one of our gymnasts, the reigning world champion, got knocked out of the all-around finals despite finishing fourth in the qualifiers, simply because the IOC rules only allow two women per country in the finals, and her team mates finished second and third. But if you want an international celebration of sport, you have to let Eddie the Eagle Edwards in.

...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tubbs:
... It could be worse – IIRC, in cycling its one competitor per country.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tubbs:
... It could be worse – IIRC, in cycling its one competitor per country.

---

It doesn't work that way.

Individual events in cycling allow more than one competitor per nation, while team events have only the single team entry per nation. This is the same as athletics, swimming and most of the other sports where there are both single and team events.

Where things get complicated in individual events is when it comes to working out the number of entries each country is to be allowed in the individual events. Cycling generally does this based on the UCI national and individual ranking points for each discipline, and it's a system that generally works quite well. Athletics and swimming generally do this by setting A and B qualification standards, so an athlete needs only to reach the required standard to get in.

The arrangement of the individual events seems to be where the setup in gymnastics has gone a bit wonky. It seems a little silly to allow a nation more than two entries but only letting two of them through to the final round at two.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by quantpole:
I thought the UCI had got pissed off with the GB domination in 2008 so limited it to one rider/team for the track cycling.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:

quote:

---

Originally posted by quantpole:
I thought the UCI had got pissed off with the GB domination in 2008 so limited it to one rider/team for the track cycling.

---

Nope, that was just part of the wholesale changes to the track cycling program which was decided before the 2008 Olympics. The UCI was ordered to equalise the number of events for men and women (5 each rather than 7/3) without increasing the number of competitors.

The other cycling events remain open to more than one entry per nation, as I said above.

That ride by China in the women's team sprint qualifier was quite something!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tubbs:

The team event is 5-4-3 – five gymnasts on the team, four compete and the best three scores count. (That does allow some margin for error as, hopefully, if you fluff it, one of your team mates will do better).

---

In the final every score counts - there's no margin for error, nobody can afford to make a big mistake. The UK guys did well (and for the UK, team bronze is amazing in olympic medal terms) by being consistent and all doing their thing solidly. The USA girls' team were just incredible - they just all nailed everything.
 

---

Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
Did any of you hear some stupid woman on the Today program saying we should be ashamed of bronze and silver medals as only gold count? I wanted to throw something at her! (She was a Tory MP, which didn't help )
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Armin:
Did any of you hear some stupid woman on the Today program saying we should be ashamed of bronze and silver medals as only gold count? I wanted to throw something at her! (She was a Tory MP, which didn't help )

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jay-Emm:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Armin:
Did any of you hear some stupid woman on the Today program saying we should be ashamed of bronze and silver medals as only gold count? I wanted to throw something at her! (She was a Tory MP, which didn't help )

---

No, but anyone saying that is an idiot. Although thankfully doesn't matter as she's not the Prime Minister and therefore her opinion doesn't count.

There was 4 seconds between first and last over 2 minutes in the swimming just now.
The difference between gold and silver is so often literally a ripple.

(and in the road race that's so ridiculously stupid, it's ridiculously chaotic)

*which now I can understand it a bit more makes it very cool.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
It'll have to be Sir Bradley Wiggins in the next Honours List, doncha think?

Unfortunately, it sounds like a 19th C Lord Chief Justice rather than a skinny guy who rides a bike.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
It'll have to be Sir Bradley Wiggins in the next Honours List, doncha think?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
If Wiggo wins there it will be the greatest achievement in cycling since Stephen Roche in 1987. [/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Going back to a knockout format might "fix" it by offering no incentive to lose .... but that would suck for the Olympic campaign to be over so quickly for the teams losing their first match.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
If Wiggo wins there it will be the greatest achievement in cycling since Stephen Roche in 1987.

---

Greatest achievement in British cycling maybe. Have a look at the record of the Cannibal, Eddie Merckx, to see what a really dominant winning record looks like. [/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Armin:
Did any of you hear some stupid woman on the Today program saying we should be ashamed of bronze and silver medals as only gold count? I wanted to throw something at her! (She was a Tory MP, which didn't help )

---

I hope they asked her how many medals she'd won. Stupid cow.

Tubbs

[Stupid typo]

[ 03. August 2012, 13:40: Message edited by: Tubbs ]
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Current score, gold-siver-bronze for team GB is 6-6-6.

Be afraid, be very afraid.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
'sallright, they've just ticked on to 6-6-7.
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
If Wiggo wins there it will be the greatest achievement in cycling since Stephen Roche in 1987.

---

Greatest achievement in British cycling maybe. Have a look at the record of the Cannibal, Eddie Merckx, to see what a really dominant winning record looks like.

---

Roche is Irish, not British. Merckx was before 1987. Should Wiggins win the world time trial in the Netherlands it will be the greatest achievement in a single season in the last 25 years. [/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
'sallright, they've just ticked on to 6-6-7.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jay-Emm:

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Caissa:
Canada is leading GB 1-0 in the women's football quarter-final.

---

Good game though, I don't know if Canada's been the same. But Britain in the first game looked like a lower division in the men's side, (you could justify it on funding etc..., or occasionally find yourself lapsing into sexism)

Now I'd fancy there chances to put a respectable showing against any premier league side. Although at 2-0 down...maybe not against Canada.
 

---

Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :
 
This appears to be Canada's best game so far. They were pedestrian against South Africa and didn't wakeup in the Sweden game until they spotted them a 2-0 lead after only 16 minutes.
 

---

Posted by Mr Clingford (# 7961) on :
 
Summary: swimmers crap; rowers and cyclists great.

Nod to Jess Ennis ATM.
 

---

Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 
Trampolining's been fun to watch.


It's all very simply organised; 16 people come out, two rounds of ten bounces each, bottom 8 leave, top 8 do the final in reverse order, medals awarded.

interestingly, there was another 'old' gymnast in the trampolining... Anna Dogonadze . She didn't make the final, but still - between her and these two, both in artictic gymnastic apparatus finals , I almost feel young (at my grand old age of 33).
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
Well, that was something else!
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
Six golds in one day. And three athltics golds in one hour. I can remember when that would be the tally for the whole games. Phew.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Distance runners are skinny in any case, but Mo Farah is a stick insect. He looks as if he would snap at a touch.
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Well done, British chaps and chapesses. Brilliant day.
 

---

Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 
Bit of a shame about the bit of "Team GB" cheating in the velodrome though article here - although the UK press is very quiet about it, funnily enough.

quote:

---

Hindes "let the cat out of the bag" when asked about his crash on the opening bend of the first heat in a post-race interview with the BBC. As he came out of the gates Hindes's wheels began to wobble and then his bike crashed to the ground before the first bend, allowing the British team to restart their race.

"We were saying if we have a bad start we need to crash to get a restart," Hindes explained to Jill Douglas. "I just crashed, I did it on purpose to get a restart, just to have the fastest ride. I did it. So it was all planned, really."

---

quote:

---

When Hindes next appeared in front of his reporters he had either brushed up his grasp of English or been thoroughly briefed on what to say by Team GB officials.

Was the crash deliberate? he was asked again. "No," said Hindes. "I just went out the gate and just lost control, just fell down. My back wheel slipped and totally lost control and then I couldn't handle the bike any more and just crashed."

British cycling officials later said Hindes comments were "lost in translation", a laughable comment considering the teenager is representing Great Britain. The Telegraph says that despite the controversy the International Cycling Union has confirmed that the matter is now closed.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:
It got loads of coverage on the BBC.

There's an interesting paradox in play. The 'Chef' relegated Pendleton and Varnish as a result of a strict application of the rules, despite the fact that the GB pair were easy winners. It was a minor infringement.

---

quote:

---

@ the giant cheesburger
...The whole basis of the team sprint is that the first rider leads over the line at the end of the first lap.

---

Indeed. These are the rules of that event.
Dave Brailsford ruled out any moaning immediately and shot down the BBC presenter (Linekar) who seemed to want to make a fuss over it.

Hindes 'controversy' – Philip Hindes' first language is German. Oh yes, so its quite possible what he meant was lost in translation. Because cycling is so popular in continental europe, the British team have developed a lot of connections there over the years – in sport, being comfortably close to other countries that don't speak English is not something the British public will immediately pick up on.

Tactical complexity - Its quite notable that the complexity of both track and road cycling tactics are not something people new to watching the sport pick up easily. That was notable in the road race when the various non-cycling related presenters just didn't seem to understand that the other nations chose to use tactics that would minimise the chances of Cavendish by hurling breakaways forward and not working with the chasing British team. That's not being nasty – its just tactics.

British winning streak - As Britain are currently better than everyone else in most cycling disciples – inevitably that's making Britain the Team to Beat. This is something no British team is used to and will have to develop ways of dealing with it.
Australia et al will be determined to not let this British winning streak continue much longer...

And TGC...Waugh and Ponting never took the foot off the neck once in any Ashes series. Dont expect that to happen for you now...
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
I'm not saying Hindes was in the right or wrong, he did take a gamble on exploiting a grey area in the UCI rules. It turned out to be a successful gamble with him getting the big gold-coloured gong at all costs, very Germanic it its cold-blooded efficiency at that.

Not applying the discretion to disqualify them there is very different to relegating the women's team for not completing the race.


It would have been a very brave commissaire who disqualified the British team from the final in front of that crowd after police had to arrest and eject four British spectators for abusing family members of other competitors. Just saying.

[ 05. August 2012, 13:39: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
I am EXHAUSTED with all this supporting. Isn't it marvellous.

Was lucky enough to be in the Olympic Stadium for the athletics yesterday morning (as were some other Shippies though we didn't see them.) It was a fantastic session to be at - we were on the corner right between the long jump pits and the pole vaulting - both of which were in action.

Saw Ennis (and my new favourite Johnson-Thompson) plus Bolt, Prestorius, and all the amazing GB 100m runners who did brilliantly.

Atmosphere in Stadium and Park was fantastic. Getting there was easy - crowded but it kept moving. Sadly elderly parents decided they didn't want to stay and hang out at the Big Screen otherwise I'd have stayed there into the evening when the atmosphere must have been electric.

(Oh and on the way in I met the man who rode the motorised bike in the keirin.)
 

---

Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
I thought the Olympics were just for amateurs. Now I know that's almost meaningless these days, but how come all the big tennis names from Wimbledon have been reappearing? I thought they were professionals?
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Armin:
I thought the Olympics were just for amateurs. Now I know that's almost meaningless these days, but how come all the big tennis names from Wimbledon have been reappearing? I thought they were professionals?

---

It's been that way for ages, some sports (particularly the team ones?) being later than others.
Really by 1936, it was more or less going* (and while Chariots Of Fire is a bit storyfied gives hints from earlier).

*At least according to a library book from years ago, which dedicated a page comparing the British Boxer, who barely got time off and the Turkish spa's, American somethingorother and probably the German's.
 

---

Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Most sports are open to everybody now and have been for quite some time, only a couple of sports still restrict the Olympics to amateur status only (most notably Boxing). Some are by default professional-only because there is not a meaningful level of amateur international competition and no method of objectively assessing qualification (like Athletics and Swimming have with their qualification times).

Many athletes across many of the sports are still amateurs, especially the 'traditional' Olympic sports where the level of media exposure outside the Olympics (and hence professionalism) is low. Many athletes who are technically professionals (because they accept prizemoney and/or sponsorship) don't earn enough from sport to live off and still need to top it up with employment, donated support or government funding to sustain the required level of training.

In my opinion, Tennis should be dropped from the program completely, and Golf should never have been brought into the program for 2016. They really aren't sports that fit in since they have a quite well-established international structure which generally doesn't involve national teams, and the equipment and facilities required have traditionally restricted them to the privileged classes (and others in those countries rich enough to have talent scouting programs).

[ 05. August 2012, 17:28: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
 

---

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
As tgc said, the real issue is where the amateur scene is not at a level to include, they permit professionals. The difference is a subtle one, as many of the "amateurs" are all but professionals. Boxing is one sport where the amateur and professional rules are different, and so the amateur sport is the one included.

Having watched the tennis today, I am convinced it should be included. Not just because we did so well, but because the players are competing for their country, not for themselves, and that makes a difference.

Football I am less convinced about, because t national teams get to compete in competitions that are higher status in the sport (World Cup). Golf has the same (Ryder cup I believe, is national or regional teams). Olympic sports should be the pinnacle of national team competition.
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Great win for Andy Murray - he really annihilated Federer, which isn't something many people can do.

I suppose the British press won't be referring to him as "the Scot" tomorrow morning ...
 

---

Posted by Mr Clingford (# 7961) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by piglet:
Great win for Andy Murray - he really annihilated Federer, which isn't something many people can do.

I suppose the British press won't be referring to him as "the Scot" tomorrow morning ...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Robert Armin:
I thought the Olympics were just for amateurs. Now I know that's almost meaningless these days, but how come all the big tennis names from Wimbledon have been reappearing? I thought they were professionals?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by piglet:
Great win for Andy Murray - he really annihilated Federer, which isn't something many people can do.

I suppose the British press won't be referring to him as "the Scot" tomorrow morning ...

---

 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Balaam:
Congratulations to Scott Brash.

Not just for the gold medal, but for having a fantastic name.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Think²:
Plus in elite sport it seems many will be carrying what I would consider an injury. Just look at the amount of people with strapping on.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Think²:
Plus in elite sport it seems many will be carrying what I would consider an injury. Just look at the amount of people with strapping on.

---

I ran 5000 meter cross country in High School (not well, mind you), and by the end of the season, everyone had a sore something. I think it must be worse in marathon running, which, as I understand it, is just plain bad for your body. I think it would also be hard to get anyone to admit to being hurt if there was a hard and fast rule that prevented them from competing.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
The cycles of the Brits are coming under close examination.

The good news is that you can go on-line and order a self-same bike.

Problem. It will only set you back £20000.

And here is me thinking that the Olympics is about people not machines.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
The cycles of the Brits are coming under close examination.

The good news is that you can go on-line and order a self-same bike.

Problem. It will only set you back £20000.

And here is me thinking that the Olympics is about people not machines.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
I say it now so that I am not accused of prophecy after the event.

But I absolutely hate the thought of the BBC commentaries on the athletics.

Sychophantic to the point of nauseous. Such is past experience... [snip]...

Named athelete comes in 5th.

BBC "lovelies" fall over themselves to talk excitedly of a brilliant, brave, unlucky, performance.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
If you go back two thousand years you will probably find a clay tablet describing the disqualification of Somethingocles for using a pilum that was the wrong shape.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I think it is one thing for young and recreational athletes to feel a bit sore but another for elite athletes. With the support they have how difficult is it to decide whether they should carry on, rest, apply some strapping or get some physiotherapy/surgery? You can be motivated, dedicated and have all the talent on earth but if your body isn't fit, how can you deliver?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:
In the ancient Olympic foot-races, athletes competed naked, so perhaps someone was disqualified for wearing clothes. With all those beautifully honed bodies on show this month, perhaps some shipmate could start a petition to the IOC to bring back that rule!

---

I'm sure Sepp Blatter is waaay ahead of you.
 

---

Posted by Shire Dweller (# 16631) on :
 
@The Giant Cheeseburger

I've been watching too much Olympics to keep up with this thread...

Nevertheless.

Despite Australia's lack of success compared to previous games I really must insist that your whole country consider Anna Meares a proper Australian Champion*.

She's the only Australian (or for that matter, competitor from any other country) to really defeat the British racer in the Bear-pit that the Velodrome became. I really enjoyed the rivalry between her and Pendleton. Both won a gold, so everyone's happy.

British people like a scrap with Australia – its a fun rivalry and simply not as political (and so bitter) as rivalry with France, Germany or Argentina.

*From my own skew-wiff British perspective I say that a proper Australian champion is like Warne, McGrath or Thorpe and now Meares or also Pearson – the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Shane Perkins are I'm afraid, not proper Australian champions.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
The cycles of the Brits are coming under close examination.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
The cycles of the Brits are coming under close examination.

The good news is that you can go on-line and order a self-same bike.

Problem. It will only set you back £20000.

And here is me thinking that the Olympics is about people not machines.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I think it is one thing for young and recreational athletes to feel a bit sore but another for elite athletes. With the support they have how difficult is it to decide whether they should carry on, rest, apply some strapping or get some physiotherapy/surgery? You can be motivated, dedicated and have all the talent on earth but if your body isn't fit, how can you deliver

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by lilBuddha:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I think it is one thing for young and recreational athletes to feel a bit sore but another for elite athletes. With the support they have how difficult is it to decide whether they should carry on, rest, apply some strapping or get some physiotherapy/surgery? You can be motivated, dedicated and have all the talent on earth but if your body isn't fit, how can you deliver

---

Hmmm, for one, there would be only recreational athletes in the Olympics were your guideline put in play.(what a sorry spectacle that would be.) Given the level of performance expected from top athletes, it is difficult to avoid injury.
For another, the Olympics are every four years. In some events, this makes the window for competitiveness very small. Not to mention the potential for a worse injury ruining the chance next go round.

Judging by the Kinesio tape, every athlete in the Games is injured. It is very humorous how prevalent the stuff has become, given the lack of evidence of its efficacy. A bit like painting the rug to fix a foundation crack.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by lilBuddha:

Judging by the Kinesio tape, every athlete in the Games is injured. It is very humorous how prevalent the stuff has become, given the lack of evidence of its efficacy. A bit like painting the rug to fix a foundation crack.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:

quote:

---

Originally posted by shamwari:
The cycles of the Brits are coming under close examination.

---

By the French. Isabelle Gautheron is on a fishing expedition, playing on "perfidious Albion", using distraction tactics.

---

quote:

---

I'm sure the UCI will be reviewing the 2012 Olympics. The UK dominance of the last two games is bound to be a source of some concern. My guess is that there will be some further changes.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:
Getting into the heads of the Germans and the French has been British foreign policy for over 500 years! Mind you, the Germans have got successfully into British heads over penalty shoot-outs.

---

quote:

---

Note the last sentence: if a governing body doesn’t follow the [WADA] Code, it can be ejected from the Olympics.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas62:
I'm sure the UCI will be reviewing the 2012 Olympics. The UK dominance of the last two games is bound to be a source of some concern.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Think²:
We appear to have a very special relationship with the Ukraine.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
Why? Nobody cares that the USA (well, Phelps) dominates in the pool, or that Jamaica dominates in sprinting. Nobody is suggesting that swimmers should only be able to enter one event per Olympics or that countries should only put forward one runner for each sprint distance. So why, when it happens to be the UK that's destroying the field, does it suddenly become imperative to give everyone else a chance?

---

I'm not trying to excuse the UCI – just speculating on an explanation.

Cycling has a lot of 'Frenchness'
In many spheres of life France is suspicious of out-and-out Competition, which is perhaps seen as an 'Anglo-Saxon' notion that clashes with France's idea of fairness.
In Competition you can lose. That seems to be the problem. Especially when the reasons for losing are mostly based on not training hard enough and wanting it more than anything else.
There is also the fact that cycling is a national sport in France and despite all the success this year, in Britain cycling is still a minority sport – so that will get up their noses.

I'm not wanting to be anti-French. I love the TdF. Its just there are very different perceptions on what 'Competition' should be between France and Britain
 

---

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :
 
The lady's beach volleyball final was a bit of a disappointment, even with the balmy weather and the return of the bikinis. I was rooting for the underdogs, and they barely put up a fight. The semifinal against the Chinese team, on the other hand, was about as compelling as sports get. The Chinese star was phenomenal. The Economist described beach volleyball as a silly sport, and I think the costume causes people to take it less seriously as a sport. But I dare anyone who saw that semifinal to say that these women are not seriously talented athletes.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
Much against my expectation, I absolutely loved the individual dressage. Drove straight out to pick up my grandson who had had a brilliant adventure day at Hilltop Sheringham, and on the way home we listened to Nicola James win the first ever women's Olympic gold at boxing. Lots of noise from grandson!

And this evening, more of Usain to savour. It's been a fantastic two weeks. GB to top 60 medals? Could happen.

[ 09. August 2012, 17:39: Message edited by: Barnabas62 ]
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
Wow. That 800 metres was amazing!
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
And so was Bolt. A privilege to view these marvellous athletes.
 

---

Posted by Shire Dweller (# 16631) on :
 
Couldn't agree more

David Rudisha is amazing.

The 200m final lived up to the hype.
 

---

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
The headlines will be Bolts 200m, but David Rudisha breaking the world record, and leading all of the runners to PBs or better, is, I think, a better representation of what these games are about.

We seem to be doing well in making horses dance, punching people, and kicking them in the head. Hmm.
 

---

Posted by Shire Dweller (# 16631) on :
 
Kicking people in the head has proven to be a fine British virtue.

Jade Jones - Gold Medal!

Really, winning in something like Taekwondo is something else...

You expect British people to make a fist of Cycling or Rowing - but this
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shire Dweller:
Couldn't agree more

David Rudisha is amazing.

The 200m final lived up to the hype.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:
I'll be watching the Javelin final with a feeling of "what could have been". The thrower from Fiji, Leslie Copeland, threw his best (over 80 m) in an early round of the preliminaries, and watched his ranking slip from 6th to 12th over the next 2 hours as the next group went through their throws. Then with only 5 throws left (out of 150 = 50 competitors X 3 throws each) someone threw 20cm further, and so he just missed out on being our first ever Olympic finalist. But - who knows? - next Olympics we might crack a first ever medal as those other small island states of Grenada and Barbados did this time. (And as for Jamaica...well, what can one say!?!)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garasu:
Sorry: you're not suggesting anything... by suggesting something?

---

quote:

---

"Lands that one, grounds it! Smashes it into the floor! You give that one to a gang of robots, back in the 70s, and they'd put it in the microwave and turn it into mashed potato!"

---

 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
It would scare me stupid.

---

I don't care how scared you are, it'sno excuse for calling us stupid

Mo comes up to the bell...
 

---

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :
 
... and wins. Well done Mo.
 

---

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
That was quite a diving competition.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 


Well, there we were in our lounge at home; my wife and I, our eldest son, our eldest grandson, yelling "GO GO GO" at the top of our voices during that last 150 metres. And Mo won, an unlikely double gold. Kind of topped the whole thing off, we thought.

Then there was a 'little matter' of a very fine boxing gold, and the greatest ever high diving competition! I suppose normality will return soon ... meanwhile



 

---

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :
 
I am delighted that the Australians who won gold were either women or in the minor sports and seemed, in the main, perfectly normal and modest.

There are calls from John Coates and our other overpaid sports administrators for more money to be poured into their troughs. I hope that won't happen. Far too much money IMO is spent on "Sportz Admin". I wish Barry Humphries would add another sleaze a la Les Patterson to his repertoire from this group.
 

---

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Apparently the Sports Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University predicted that Team GB would win 27 Golds, and 56 total medals.

They got that wrong.

The Guardian predicted 25 Gold, and 85 in total.

They were also wrong.

We beat the Gold tally from both predictions, which seemed, when they were made, wildly optimistic. We got 29, and a total of 65.

Awesome. That is a fantastic achievement - every single one of them, as well as the many others who achieved top 10 places, finals places, and even just getting here and doing their best.

I will be doing a blog post on the legacy of these games, but I think from a sporting perspective, it has been exceptional.
 

---

Posted by alienfromzog (# 5327) on :
 
An asylum seeker, a mixed race woman and a ginger all walk in to a bar...

And everyone buys them a drink.

 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
I've instructed my son to call me when the closing ceremony becomes half as interesting as the opening ceremony.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Not that wildly out, though. Sheffield Hallam seem pretty ballpark.

The home nation do get a bounce. I'll be interested to see what the effect will be for Brazil/ other Latin American countries in Rio, give that their showing these Games wasn't that high profile.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I've instructed my son to call me when the closing ceremony becomes half as interesting as the opening ceremony.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd):
I am delighted that the Australians who won gold were either women or in the minor sports and seemed, in the main, perfectly normal and modest.

---

quote:

---

Doublethink: and Brazilian samba

---

Unfortunately we missed it due to a power outage. I understand that there was some Maracatu in Brazil's presentation as well, I really would have liked to have seen that.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
This is my favourite "funny moment" from the games.

The calm impartiality of the BBC athletics presentation team.
 

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Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
The closing ceremony was not a patch on the opening. But then it is a different thing. It was a bit of an odd party, but a party none the less, which is what it needed to be.

It was heralded as far more than it was, and it failed at being that. That does not mean that it was bad, just a little odd.

And overall, I think it has been a spectacular games. I will be doing a blog post on it at some point. Well done to everyone, and to Rio - follow that.
 

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Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
I thought the extinguishing of the flame (including the Take That and dance intro) was very good. Could have done without the Who (who I like) at the end but they were a lot better than Macca. Overall, it was a curate's eggy closing ceremony, but I was mostly too euphoric to be all that critical.

This was a pleasant surprise - the poll I mean.
 

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Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
The paralympic torch has been lit today. This is the start!

It may be lower profile than the Olympics, but I think there is a particularly British buzz over these games. They have sold out.

And if anyone missed the program on the starting of the paras "The Best of Men" from the BBC this week, watch it. Very inspiring, and some shocking insight into what happened to spinal injury patients before Dr Guttman arrived - they were left to rot and die.

John Snows programs on the paralympics are also very interesting.

Greenbelt is my current focus, but as soon as I am back, the paras begin, which is exciting. This is turning into a fantastic summer.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
The Best of Men was fab, still available on iplayer.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
OK, so did you see Ellie Symonds get her gold, Richard Whitehead's muscles, Sarah Storey nail her race and stuff ! And things ! I am all over excited because I am going, and therefore totally over enthusiastic

Plus my TV reception is finally working for Channel 4.

Just saw Oscar Pistorius break the world record in the 200m heat

[ 01. September 2012, 19:43: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
What do we think about Spain fielding a convicted terrorist, murder conviction, who is disabled as a result of a hunger strike. Is this a good example of rehabilitation, or a bad example ?
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Doublethink:
What do we think about Spain fielding a convicted terrorist, murder conviction, who is disabled as a result of a hunger strike. Is this a good example of rehabilitation, or a bad example ?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Doublethink:
Well,I can go with the rehab - but I do think issuing a pardon on the grounds of his sporting success is a bit off.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Doublethink:
The Best of Men was fab, still available on iplayer.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
Next time some well-overpaid footballer dives complaining that someone has ruffled their hairdo, remember the wheelchair basketball players.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
Blind Long Jump. They are guided by their coach, and they run and jump, without being able to see where they are going. They achieve some incredible distances.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
We don't seem to be getting the Paralympics as a regular broadcast on TV here: I am watching a report on Sky Sports which is on my cable system. First I had to sit through cricket and rugby reports which I don't understand!

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No, NBC decided that the paralympics would not be of any interest to anyone, so they are showing something like 5 hours of highlights, in a couple of weeks time.

I think they may have realised that they have got that wrong.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
100m blades final, go Johnnie Peacock ...
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Falsestart !?!
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Yes !! Peacock wins gold
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
As an extra to the London Olympics there are a whole lot of other things going on - The Mayor of London site gives some of them. If anyone is terminally bored, I've walked all the Discovery Strolls with all 83(?) mascots and taken photos
 

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Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
The Werewolf is astounding too. three medals, and he moves so fast.

What a fantastic night! These athletes are exceptional.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Yup he was fab.

Currently, am watching yesterday's The Last Leg on 4OD. Anybody enjoying this daily comedy round up ? Its a really good laugh.
 

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Posted by Nanny Ogg (# 1176) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Doublethink:
Yup he was fab.

Currently, am watching yesterday's The Last Leg on 4OD. Anybody enjoying this daily comedy round up ? Its a really good laugh.

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I've been watching it Love the "isitok" tweets
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Yes, you now know it is never OK to pass a beer back over someone's head.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I also love Adam Hill's manic bonding over his prosthetic foot.
 

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Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :
 
Just back from 2 weeks holiday. The Paralympics - wow! And double-wow!! Caught some of the live evening performances on hotel/B & B TV, after exploring some of the beauty of Western Scotland.

I hope Seb Coe is right, that perceptions have been changed for ever - at least in the UK.

Taking both events together, I've been proud to be British this summer. Not just for the great results by the athletes, but for the organisation, infrastructural support, marvellous volunteers and all the crowds attending. Inspirational. And a privilege to see such performances from all over the world.
 

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Posted by Enigma (# 16158) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Barnabas62:
Just back from 2 weeks holiday. The Paralympics - wow! And double-wow!! Caught some of the live evening performances on hotel/B & B TV, after exploring some of the beauty of Western Scotland.

I hope Seb Coe is right, that perceptions have been changed for ever - at least in the UK.

Taking both events together, I've been proud to be British this summer. Not just for the great results by the athletes, but for the organisation, infrastructural support, marvellous volunteers and all the crowds attending. Inspirational. And a privilege to see such performances from all over the world.

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