Rio 2016 Olympics

[trojanchick99]

Exactly. It's their national sport. If Bolt were born in the US he may not be a sprinter. With his body type he'd have likely played football.

To me that's the most amazing thing about him is how tall he is and is still so dominant at the sprints.

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[Irvine511]

Exactly. It's their national sport. If Bolt were born in the US he may not be a sprinter. With his body type he'd have likely played football.

To me that's the most amazing thing about him is how tall he is and is still so dominant at the sprints.

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It is astonishing watching him unfold his height and then just pass everyone.

 

[Hewson]

In Jamaica, you either run track or you bobsled, those are the country's sports passions.

 

[gump]

Roger Cohen with some truths today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/opinion/brazils-uplifting-olympics.html

There is something in the developed world that does not like a developing country that organizes a major sporting event. I heard the same jeremiads in South Africa at the time of the World Cup in 2010: the crime that would ruin things, the poverty that was shameful, and the inefficiency that would plague visitors. The tournament was a triumph. I don’t recall reporters combing the poorest, most crime-ridden parts of Britain in 2012 to find people ready to grumble about the London Olympics.

 

[DaveC]

i recall reading a lot of complaining from britons about the london olympics before they happened. i think it's just the nature of the olympics now that everyone can tweet or blog about every little inevitable issue that comes up when an event of this magnitude is organized.

 

[iron yuppie]

i recall reading a lot of complaining from britons about the london olympics before they happened. i think it's just the nature of the olympics now that everyone can tweet or blog about every little inevitable issue that comes up when an event of this magnitude is organized.

There was, because the UK government was cutting a significant amount of social funds from neighborhoods in need while pouring absurd amounts of money into the Olympic Village. IIRC there were also efforts to move various "undesirables" out of Tottenham and other areas close to the Olympic facilities.

 

[gump]

Here's another NBC gem: beach volley semifinal starting at midnight local time so it can be broadcast live at prime time in the West Coast.

 

[ntalwar]

Exactly. It's their national sport. If Bolt were born in the US he may not be a sprinter. With his body type he'd have likely played football.

There have been many good crossover athletes, and playing multiple sports is common in high school. He may have played football in the fall and ran track in the spring for example.
Devon Allen of the Oregon Ducks is running the 110 hurdles in Rio.

 

[cobl04]

I think you've both missed the point? In the leadup to London there wasn't a story every second day about how it would be disaster, because it's a Western, English-speaking, first-world" country. It happened with Beijing, too. Endless stories about pollution that ended up being a load of crap, just like all the scare stories about Rio in the leadup.

Roger Cohen with some truths today:



http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/opinion/brazils-uplifting-olympics.html

??????

 

[Debra S]

Here's another NBC gem: beach volley semifinal starting at midnight local time so it can be broadcast live at prime time in the West Coast.

(I'm here on the West Coast) The whole NBC coverage generally SUCKS. I've watched more volleyball than I care to, and missed some of the smaller but just as interesting sports. Next time, I'll buy on demand....

 

[gump]

Holy shit, our guy just beat the super-favorite Lavillenie in the pole vault with an Olympic record. Automatically one of my favorite Olympic moments ever. Damn.

 

[Axver]

Wow, what a day. The men's 800m was great, with David Rudisha becoming the first man since Peter Snell in 1964 to defend his title. Then holy fucking shit the end to the women's 400m, it's going to be talked about for ages. And finally that fight for gold in the pole vault.

A bunch of my colleagues and I were clustered around a computer for the 400m and we exclaimed so loudly at the end that suddenly the rest of our floor came rushing in to find out what had happened.

 

[cobl04]

Grr, wish I'd seen the 400m and pole vault live. So annoyed with myself. The pole vault is nuts. You could easily die doing it.

 

[gump]

I know athletes say stupid things right after they lose, but Lavillenie just compared himself to Jesse Owens in 1936 to complain that the crowd was against him. The money quote:

Renaud LAVILLENIE (FRA): "In 1936 the crowd was against Jesse Owens. We've not seen this since. We have to deal with it."

 

[Axver]

Haha what. The hostility from the crowd was a bit extreme - I especially feel for that poor gymnast who got cheered for every misstep - but it's also the sort of parochialism you expect and should know how to cope with as an athlete.

 

[gump]

Haha what. The hostility from the crowd was a bit extreme - I especially feel for that poor gymnast who got cheered for every misstep - but it's also the sort of parochialism you expect and should know how to cope with as an athlete.

I agree. South America has the hardcore football fan mentality when it comes to cheering. It doesn't really work for gymnastics or tennis (the Argentinians were insanely loud yesterday). Still a bit far from Nazi Germany as far as challenges go.

 

[trojanchick99]

I get so anxious watching the hurdles, invariably some poor soul wipes out.

The end of that 400 was insane. I guess diving can sometimes work. I didn't stream the end of the people vault because I didn't realize it was the final. Doh.

Oh and they don't actually show the Beach Volleyball live on the west coast. It's shown 3 hours later because NBC sucks.

 

[DaveC]

the people vault

 

[DaveC]

what is it with brazilians and semi final matches?

 

[Hewson]

 

[DaveC]

what is it with canadians and semi final matches?

 

[corianderstem]

Are we using spoiler tags? Just in case ...

CNN has a headline on the main page right now, and I am laughing at the unfortunate picture they used to go with it.

Spoiler

 

[trojanchick99]

They totally switched that picture. I was very confused when I checked after your facebook post. The pic I saw was just the standard splits in the air picture.

 

[PennyLanePHINS]

Sweden women may have watched how the Portugal men won the Euro...bunker!

But...they're playing for Gold. I think Germany will break them down. Want Brazil to win Bronze since it'll be good for the WNT in that country. Shame they aren't playing for gold though.

 

[trojanchick99]

Two straight wins on PKs. That's intense.

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[Irvine511]

I am happy for the Brazilian volleyball teams. Was a great match.

 

[DaveC]

if aly reisman had won gaf would be in here gushing over her.

so i'm gonna take a minute and gush over simone

 

[gump]

I am happy for the Brazilian volleyball teams. Was a great match.

It was indeed. Walsh had a good run (and now another match against the Brazilians for bronze).

It almost took the sting out of Brazil's defeat to China in women's volleyball a few minutes earlier. That was devastating, after a perfect qualifying round in which they did not lose a single set.

 

[Hewson]

Ryan Lochte, your turn...truth or dare?

 

[gump]

[tweet]766092717898149888[/tweet]

This is supposed to be an embedded twitter but it doesn't work: https://twitter.com/ithrow88/status/766092717898149888