The Official 2008 Beijing Olympics Thread

[GirlsAloudFan]

Haha how did I miss this?

u r a bitch. m i rite?

Unless I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time...so clarify, please, if I am), that strikes me as pretty rude and unprovoked.

Dalton

And, yes, when it comes to US women's gymnastics you can call me the King of the Bitches.

Seeing NBA players in USA uniforms still makes me a little sick.

I agree that there is something strange about seeing the NBA guys in Olympic uniform. I'm not sure what it is exactly.

That original Dream Team with MJ, Magic, Bird, Barkley, Robinson, etc. was unbelievable but since then I just haven't cared all that much about it. Basketball is not one of the events that I'm all that excited about at these Olympics.

Although it will be fun to watch Kobe and LeBron make fools out of a bunch of weak European dudes.

 

[cobl04]

Pollution levels rose something like 50% from the weekend to a weekday.

Apparently it is life threatening.

Yeah, how hard would it be to do in Australia?

And a radio show just isn't the same ...

Spot on, spot on. They're great because they don't use this scatalogical humour.

Can't remember, I'm not sure if its a new nightly format, or the same weekly this sporting life type program.

They are just as excellent on the radio as they are on TV too!

Yeah I love the podcast

 

[intedomine]

God our Aussie swimmers are a bunch of precious whingers......they swim indoors and the pansies whinge about the smog......they won't get my support, except Steph Rice, cause she's half-hot.

 

[Irvine511]

all tremble before mighty Phelps!!!!

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

He needs to shave.

Wouldn't the facial hair slow down his speed in the water???

 

[Irvine511]

He needs to shave.

Wouldn't the facial hair slow down his speed in the water???

he will. rest assured.

Phear the Phelps!!!

 

[DaveC]

U2 Feedback - View Single Post - Hottest Chick Around - PART IV

 

[intedomine]

Leisel the Weasel Jones is not hot.....

Golovin, Rice, Ivanovic and that Orlando lass are very fine mint though....

 

[phanan]

he will. rest assured.

Phear the Phelps!!!

Who's hand is touching him in that photo?

 

[cobl04]

God our Aussie swimmers are a bunch of precious whingers......they swim indoors and the pansies whinge about the smog......they won't get my support, except Steph Rice, cause she's half-hot.

From the Herald Sun report, apparently it is pretty bad though. "Life-threatening" they described it as.

Still don't get why everyone's making a big deal over Rice/Sullivan's split-up. It's only so they can focus on the games, they'll be back together afterwards.

all tremble before mighty Phelps!!!!

If I had a dollar for every fucking time I've heard about him breaking Mark Spitz's record...

Nice avatar, by the way. Is it real?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yahoo sports


Olympic gold medalist and outspoken Darfur activist Joey Cheek has had his visa revoked by the Chinese embassy, hours before the speedskating champion was set to fly to China. And he wasn't even planning on wearing a mask when he got there.

Chinese officials don't need a reason to revoke anyone's visa but, in their eyes, they had plenty of reasons to snatch Cheek's. He is the founder of Team Darfur, a group of 70 athletes whose goal it is to raise global awareness of the human-rights violations taking part in the Darfur region of Sudan. China's military, economic and diplomatic ties to Sudan have been well-publicized in the lead-up to the Games.

Said Cheek of his ban in a prepared statement:

"I am saddened not to be able to attend the Games. The Olympic Games represent something powerful: that people can come together from around the world and do things that no one thought were possible. However, the denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur.

Cheek was going to China to support the athletes on Team Darfur -- including soccer player Abby Wambach -- and to promote the cause, one that he has championed for years. After winning gold in the Torino Games, Cheek announced he was donating his $25,000 USOC bonus to Darfur and implored his sponsors to do the same. It seems that Joey Cheek is truly one of the good guys.

And now he's out of China before he even got there. With the Games getting closer (just two days away now), the world seemed ready to forget about all the Chinese issues in order to focus on the Games themselves. Unfortunately, China's actions make that impossible. In a time when we should be wondering who will light the Olympic cauldron, whether Michael Phelps can break an all-time record and how Liu Xiang will react to the pressure of 1.3 billion of his countrymen hanging on his every step, we're instead left to discuss the Chinese government's reluctance to allow any dissension in their country, despite repeated promises that they'd clean up their act when the Olympics came to town.

 

[Hewson]

Cheek should have tried to use his Mastercard to get in instead of Visa.

 

[Irvine511]

Who's hand is touching him in that photo?

Mrs. Springsteen

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yeah, I wish

I wish my hands were that pretty and my nails looked that nice too

 

[Irvine511]

Still don't get why everyone's making a big deal over Rice/Sullivan's split-up. It's only so they can focus on the games, they'll be back together afterwards.

i'm not much of a Sullivan fan, but i grew to like Rice after they published all those Facebook pics of her being drunk and faux-slutty. she seems like a good time.

If I had a dollar for every fucking time I've heard about him breaking Mark Spitz's record...

yeah, we'll see what happens. he is totally capable of doing it, but there's a lot he can't control, and the French 4x100 free relay is looking very, very good right now.

Nice avatar, by the way. Is it real?

dunno -- i found it online, so it must be true?

 

[Irvine511]

Yeah, I wish

 

[Pearl]

The United States chose former Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong to carry their flag at Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony in a move that could embarrass Sudan and its ally China.

Lomong, who spent 10 years in a refugee camp after fleeing his native Sudan as a child, was given the honor after a vote by the team captains of the entire U.S. Olympic squad.

“This is the most exciting day ever in my life,” Lomong said in a statement by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) on Wednesday.

“It is a great honor for me that my team mates chose to vote for me. The opening ceremony is the best day and the best moment of Olympic life,” added the 23-year-old, who will race in the 1,500 meters.

Lost-boy Lomong to carry U.S. flag - Olympics - Yahoo! Sports

Whoa. I'd love to see what kind of reaction this would generate. That really is a political statement.

But good on the US team for choosing Lomong.

 

[Irvine511]

^ nice.

absolutely perfect form of protest-without-a-protest.

 

[Thora]

I'm a huge fan of the Olympics. Sadly, I'll miss them all this year as I'll be without access to internet/TV for a few weeks starting this weekend. I much prefer the Winter Olympics, but I enjoy many of the summer events.

 

[MrPryck2U]

The Olympics: 16 days of suck!

 

[cobl04]

Daniel - Roy and HG are doing a daily show on Triple J every afternoon at 4:30pm, as well as This Sporting Life (How long does that usually go for?).

i'm not much of a Sullivan fan, but i grew to like Rice after they published all those Facebook pics of her being drunk and faux-slutty. she seems like a good time.





yeah, we'll see what happens. he is totally capable of doing it, but there's a lot he can't control, and the French 4x100 free relay is looking very, very good right now.




dunno -- i found it online, so it must be true?

Yes, I saw those pictures and I find myself agreeing with you wholeheartedly.

Can he break the record though? If I remember right, he got six or seven in Athens? One of the two. Obviously he'll have to rely on teammates. My prediction is he'll fail to do it. Again.

Looks good -- I just thought it might have been photoshopped. It'd be nice to see someone in that sort of power who smokes, just to show they aren't perfect and will continue to indulge in their guilty pleasures.

The Olympics: 16 days of suck!

Please explain

 

[phanan]

The Olympics: 16 days of suck!

 

[Irvine511]

Can he break the record though? If I remember right, he got six or seven in Athens? One of the two. Obviously he'll have to rely on teammates. My prediction is he'll fail to do it. Again.

he won 6 gold and 2 bronze in Athens -- one of the bronzes was on a relay where the leadoff leg complete ate it. the US was lucky to get a medal (they were soundly beaten by the hot South Africans).

he won 7 golds at the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne last March, and most people have called that the single best performance in swimming history because he obliterated his old world records. he was denied an 8th gold when the US relay team DQ'd in the prelims.

in 2008? impossible to say. the US is favored, but not by much in the 4x100 free relay, but the French will be tough. they are heavy, heavy favorites in the other 2 relays. now, Phelps is the heavy favorite in the 200 free, and he probably is in the 100 fly (his two weakest events in Athens, he got a bronze and eeked out a gold in the fly) because Ian Crocker has been subpar these past few years. the person who could give him the most trouble is Ryan Lochte, who's improved dramatically, and is probably the best swimmer on the planet after Phelps.

i wouldn't be surprised if he does it. i wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't.

the thing to remember is that Phelps swims much harder evens than Spitz, and Phelps has to swim semi-finals, and the US relays were invincible in 1972, and while they are the usual favorite in 2008, the world is vastly more competitive now.

it will be great drama.

 

[Pearl]

- Gymnastics should be interesting, US are favoured, but ya can never underestimate the Romanian and Russian women. Wonder how The Germans will go in the mens....

Yes, but the Russians haven't been doing so well before the Games. In fact, they've performed the worst ever for them. In the last world championships, not one Russian took home a single medal, not even a bronze. So, that could be an indication of how well the Russians will do at these Olympics.

 

[No spoken words]

The Olympics: 16 days of suck!

Yeah, it lacks the drama of Pro Wrestling...maybe stick to that thread?

 

[trevster2k]

The aspect of the Olympics which I have always loved is the coming together of humanity in one place in peace. I would love to visit the athletes village just to witness the dense diversity of language and culture.

The human stories are also memorable. Not necessarily those who win either, displays of courage and determination by individual athletes most have never heard of are inspirational. The spectacle and lavishness of the IOC is the part I can do without.

I do have an affinity for this Olympics as it my father's homeland so I am enjoying the leadup stories about the country. So like others with ties to 2 countries, I am cheering for both Canadian and Chinese athletes.

 

[intedomine]

lol @ pro wrestling - the anti-sport.

Graeco Roman ftw

 

[edurban]

Is anybody watching the ceremony?

 

[trevster2k]

Opening ceremonies have been spectacular and the number of participants in the sequences is amazing. 2008 drummers all performing in coordination with another. Pretty breathtaking performances. The fireworks throughout the show and surrounding area have been exciting to see, the footprints and happy faces were neat. I really liked the keyboard cubes performance and the whales swimming around the top ledge. I thought it was a nice touch for the Japanese team to carry both Chinese and Japanese flags together considering their conflicts in the past and they received a warm reception. Canada got a nice cheer which I was pleased to see and white is definitely the colour of choice for the athletes parade. Oh, and kudos to those young girls surrounding the perimeter of the arena where the athletes parade. They are standing, kicking, jumping, clapping, and waving their arms for 2 hours. That sounds like an Olympic event in itself.

Still waiting for the arrival of the Chinese team and lighting of Olympic flame.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I believe it's only on tape in the US, to be shown tonight. Supposedly most of the athletic events will be live on the East Coast here, I hope so.