OLYMPICS 2004

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OK, so the Olympic torch is in Thessaly and will be winding its way around Greece for the next fortnight and then GO GO GO! Are you as excited about the Olympics as me? What are you most looking forward to? What successes do you predict for your nation?

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Pete has been writing a few anti-olympics rants on freaky trigger :-(

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Miserable Pete.

I am particularly looking forward to the fletics and rowing, although I don't think GB&NI will do particularly well in either this year. Hoping and praying that Paula Radcliffe finally gets her gold and that something stupid like a funny tummy doesn't cock it up for her (this would be far worse than losing because she just wasn't as fast as whoever beat her, I think). I'm also looking forward to watching things I wouldn't usually get to see, like the high dive.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Fencing! It's the Curling of the summer!

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm almost tempting to get cable once again to see all this, goddammit. *broods*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Tempting? TEMPTED.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm buying a set top box tomorrow. I'm annoyed that I didn't have it for the Tour de France and Euro 2004. I'm not missing out on any Olympic action if I can help it.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned - NBC covers it.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, but my TV isn't even hooked up to anything now and I have no idea where the antenna for it is. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I am looking forward to swimming, track & field, gymnastics. Less so team sports but I am excited for basketball now that Melo has guaranteed a USA victory.

― mcd (mcd), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

gymnastics and fencing seconded.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I have the same problem as Ned. fencing, futball, equestrian, judo.
Am I the only one who looks forward to the filler spots about "the sights of Greece" and the family life of the poor farmer turned Greco Roman wrestler from Belarus? I still remember the ones on Gaudi from the Barcelona games.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

NBC covers it.

Where I'm crashing, the cable's out, so the TV doesn't work at all. (Apparently, reception's shite without it.) The lineup looks so good, actually started getting excited. Damn. Well, there's always web highlights.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I am not looking forward to the dramatic wordiness of Bob Costas. Sports are dramatic enough, thank you.

― mcd (mcd), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they have cricket in the olympics now? That'd be cool, it's in the trilogy of things that matter to me.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 30 July 2004 16:55 (twenty-one years ago)

i like watching gymnasts fall off the balance beam

― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 30 July 2004 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

or right slap bang in the middle of the beam, ouch.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 30 July 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

if they are male, though I guess it's painful for both genders.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

True, but at least our tender spot isn't quite so exposed.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

except not the chinese gymnastics because you know if they fuck up, the government will banish their families back to the rice paddies.

― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The mens 100m last night at Crystal Palace had me worried. I always hope we'll be able to put in a challenge in the sprints but with the caribbean countries coming through really strong I don't think we're going to get any finalists and the 4x100 isn't looking too hot either.

The women's pole vault is an interesting one at the moment - new sport, so plenty of opportunity for world records (and cash earning). Like Bubka a few years ago, they could arrange to beat the record by a centimetre at every grand prix and bag fifty grand for each. I doubt they'll go for a record at the Olympics though, unless it goes to the wire for the gold medal (which is a possibility, after last night's competition).

What else? Shame we didn't get to see Holmes vs. Mutola - I guess that was pre-arranged though. I fancy Holmes for a win in the 1500 in Athens, but not sure about the 800.

― Madchen (Madchen), Saturday, 31 July 2004 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

If she goes for both, that is.

― Madchen (Madchen), Saturday, 31 July 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

athletes get cash prizes for breaking a world record??

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 31 July 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Shot-put. I can't wait to gawk at shot-putters. When else do you ever get to see them?

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Saturday, 31 July 2004 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicTrials-TF/photos/day2/mSPF/Nelson_Adam1H-USAOT04.jpg

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Saturday, 31 July 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

god the olympics is rubbish.

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 31 July 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The problem with just watching it on NBC broadcast channels is that you'll get two weeks of gymnastics and stories about the athlete's sick sisters, mothers, dogs, whatever. On the cable channels you'll at least get to see some sports.

― David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Saturday, 31 July 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I wonder if people will bittorrent the olympics?

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 31 July 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

If any of you live close to the Canadian border and get the CBC, you'll likely want to watch their coverage because they show almost everything live without any of this "wait for primetime and have to sit through two hours of puff pieces in order to catch twenty minutes of competition" bullshit.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 1 August 2004 11:56 (twenty-one years ago)

looking forward to... basketball mainly, i think. though i'll be watching some ''ack and field also, especially if i'm watching the telly with my pa.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 1 August 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

When I am king you will be first against the wall

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 1 August 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

my cousin is a fairly good dressage rider, practices at spruce meadows and everything, its really quite an amazing thing to watch, pure athleticism.

― anthony, Sunday, 1 August 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.fihockey.org/vsite/vimagesite/images/jpg/0,11410,1181-0-17602-0-custom56338,00.jpg

The chap in the middle here, D4nny H411 was in my class at school and I harboured an unrequited crush on him for a while. This will be his 3rd Olympics.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

It has started! Ladies' football!

http://www.athens2004.com/en/resultsFootball/results?day=0&rsc=FB0000000

Rejoice! Rejoice!

I heard it on Five Live! I only switched over because I'm sick of the sodding new Thrills record!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Why didn't I think of this! Radio coverage of the Olympics! Hell, worked for me for Euro 2004. I'm set for the next two weeks.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm glad it's on the radio - for Sydney, they had all kinds of rights problems which meant that 5 Live didn't broadcast at all while the games were on.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 12 August 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Last night I watched the telly and it was a programme about the Olynmpics for animals. It was good.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 12 August 2004 11:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow! Was it like this?

ihttp://www.worth1000.com/entries/57500/57984eJli_w.jpg

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 12 August 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

It was like this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/3558212.stm

Obviously we all prefer Laff-a-Lympics, but still.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 12 August 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i heart the 'lympics so much...

the shot putt is being held two days before the rest of the athletics starts IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY USED TO HAVE THE ANCIENT GAMES (which is odd as shot putt wasn't even *in* the ancient games, surely discus would've been more appropriate).

i'm intending to have NO LIFE AT ALL for the next fortnight :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 12 August 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"next fortnight"

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 12 August 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

"next fortnight" = weird ilx slang for "next three weeks?" I thought that about the shot putt and discus too.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 12 August 2004 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, the Korean women are pwning the archery.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 12 August 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

the archery's started too? i thought it was just the footie?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 12 August 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

This is very handy: http://www.athens2004.com/en/results/results

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 12 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah, there's my tmfd links sorted out for the next three weeks :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 12 August 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Will be watching with interest to see who the Greeks choose to replace (alleged) Mr Cheating Scum as flamelighter...

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 13 August 2004 08:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, cauldronlighter.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 13 August 2004 08:45 (twenty-one years ago)

This is going to be the funniest Olympics ever, everyone is on drugs as usual but this time round the authorities are actually going to do something about it - the drugs cheat tally will probably rally the medals table! It's even started before the games with these two Greek runners, who everyone's known for years were on drugs, engineering a road accident to get out of drugs test!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 09:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, my immediate thought was that the motorbike accident sounded more like an 'accident'.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 13 August 2004 09:36 (twenty-one years ago)

blimey, good thing libel doesn't count on the interweb, eh?

oh...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 13 August 2004 09:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I was on drugs when I posted it

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 09:45 (twenty-one years ago)

... m'lud

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 09:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Did anyone watch the programme on athletes being given steroids under test conditions last night? Simplifying a good deal, the performance of student athletes over a six week training period improved by 3.3% for those taking placebos, but 8.8% for those on roids (in a formula 50 times weaker than cheats tend to use). Over a 3 week period, the placebos improved 0.2%; the druggies improved 8.2%.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 13 August 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

what happened after they've come off the steroids?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 13 August 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

They were dropped from their respective Olympic teams - not for taking drugs but for not being as good as they had been when they were on drugs

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

GAH. Even Five Live is limiting its net broadcasting to the UK for the next two weeks. CBC and NBC don't seem to be offering any streaming coverage at all. *grouses and gripes*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 13 August 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39952000/jpg/_39952380_boy_afp300.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39952000/jpg/_39952260_sculpture_ap300.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39952000/jpg/_39952394_statues_afp300.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Iraq beat Portugal in soccer!

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/soccer/news/story?id=1858340

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Just not Portugal's summer is it?

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Greece is bad luck for them, I guess.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

GO NATALIE COUGHLIN!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

It's all happening now.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 14 August 2004 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

This is how the Sydney Morning Herald's correspondent described the opening ceremonies. I'd love to hear what ideas were REJECTED for this.

"With a healthy sense of humour, the issue of being ready on time was the feature as the Greeks started their pre-ceremony entertainment.

Five men dressed as construction workers entered the arena, making their way to the centre where a wide circle of water teasingly suggests what is to come in the official proceedings.

After hammering on the edge of the central construction, appearing to add the final touches, one 'worker' stripped off his overalls to reveal himself as Nikos Aliagas, a Greek journalist and television host...

A black clad woman stode alone along the shores of the central lake, a centaur bathed in red light strode towards the middle, launching a javelin of light at a huge simplified human face that appared carved from marble.

The face rose majestically, thirty feet high, above the stadium, then split three times, revealing three separate stages of greek sculpture of the form of man.

A rotating cube with a man perched atop then rose in its place as the separated pieces of sculture settled into the water.

The piece ended with a blue angel, Eros the God of Love, floating above the scene, and a young couple dancing around the edges of the water and embracing.

As Eros walked on air above, fantastical floats depicting scenes chronologically from Greek history, with performers in stylised costumes displaying living interpretations of Greek frescoes, mosaics, sculptures and paintings...

The final float in the procession was a simple ramp with a slender woman on board.

As she descended from her float, she cradled her swollen belly, obviously appearing pregnant and depicting a symbol of new life and of hope for the future.

Her stomach then shone with a powerful light as a water feature rose from the centre of the stadium, spraying water around and shining lights through the mist to create an unusual effect and symbolising the double helix of DNA.

The floats departed, and the peformers entered the water with the pregnant woman. The pieces of sculpture moved back into the air and into the centre of the stadium, and an olive tree rose in their midst to finish on a powerful symbol of Greece.

As the olive tree came to rest, a lone man entered, Piros Dimos, the Greek flag bearer.

The home crowd erupted at their national symbol, and the entry of the athletes was underway...

Icelandic singer Bjork performed a tribute song called Oceania especially for the Olympics, while the athletes were covered with an enormous cloth (9270 metres square).

A map of the world was projected onto the cloth as the two large screens showed footage from the International Space Station, with two astronauts offering a message of goodwill.

Fireowrks again exploded above the stadium as a runner ran a complete lap of the stadium, running through a finish line every ten or so metres sinifying each of the modern Olympic Games to date.

He fell once to signify WWI and bowing his head to indicate WWII.

After his lap was completed he moved to the centre of the stadium, and then the dignitaries entered.

The Athens 2004 president, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, made a speech standing in front of the olive tree, before handing over to Jacques Rogges to officially open the Games.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 14 August 2004 08:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I enjoyed the opening ceremony, and I did see a little bit of ladies beach volleyball earlier.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

the thorpedo looked off the pace.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought the Bulgarian sisters put up a good fight.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd completely forgotten how entertaining a good bit of swimming can be. Crumbs.

Then again, a dull bit of swimming can be a bit... dull. Oh, and fuck rowing.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 14 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Amanda Weir (US Olympic swimmer) graduated from my high school last year

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 14 August 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Nurcan Taylan!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 14 August 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

NBC's website is asking me to input my credit card info to watch video highlights -- is it worth the privacy issues to watch highlights of the opening ceremony?

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Saturday, 14 August 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

(They assure me it's free.)

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Saturday, 14 August 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Then why would they need your card information?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

To add me to their unsolicited mail database, I figure.

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe Bjork got naked and NBC has to distribute this like p0rn?

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

You have an odd way about you.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

You just figured this out?

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

That's a chance I'm willing to take.

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I imagine bizarre olympic Bjork sex now. I hate this thread.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Saturday, 14 August 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

You led us down this lonely road and now must reap the rewards.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 14 August 2004 21:09 (twenty-one years ago)

svetlana khorkina looks terrible this year : / her skinnines seems to have impacted upon her grace and rhythm, although the judges still seem to be marking her up (good presentation?). I seem to remember her being a touch more stocky four years ago, now she's skin & bone all alone.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 09:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I am really enjoying the games. Is it just my faulty memory or is NBC showing more stuff than ever? It's day & nite coverage. Lotsa ping pong and badminton and other stuff that i don't remember them going out of their way to show. I had never actually seen team handball before! Handball always meant hitting a ball really hard against a wall to me.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

They keep showing swimming! I wanna know how the volley ball is going :(

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Back in 1992 they did the whole 'triple-cast' thing where they broadcast on three separate pay channels -- after that I recall in 2000 was a coopting of CNBC and MSNBC to broadcast other stuff. Maybe they're finally just going for it on the main channel.

I did see some of the coverage last night at a friend's place, and was reminded at how NBC certainly has the money for the technical aspects of it all but, my perhaps odd semi-appreciation for Costas aside (have they been hyping up the 'Greek-American broadcasts FROM Greece OMG WTF' angle at all?), I was reminded why I hate time-delay coverage and American broadcasting in general.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I want to see more gymnastics, but they keep cutting to the cycling.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

The American men's gymnasts look like a bunch of roided-up freaks this time out, I thought. Especially that one guy who could have an extra in Small Soldiers.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I love Jim Lampley, I can't tolerate Costas. Between the 4 NBC channels, I get a pretty good range of stuff! When one channel goes off the games another starts up. I had to keep remembering to switch to Bravo at first. I'm not used to watching sports on that channel. Doubles ping pong is insane looking.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

The women's vollyball has been great.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Also synchronised diving is kind of ruling my world at the moment. I mean, SYNCHRONISED DIVING?!?!!? What kind of fule thought that one up?

When they interviewed the British girls who came fourth last night, one of them said she trained in Sheffield and the other one trained in Leeds. It's SYNCHRONISED, fools! Surely if they trained together they'd be better at it?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

hahaha!

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm only supporting Micronesia, and other small countries who have less than 10 athletes competing. I'm watching the cricket anyway.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Now I have my choice of softball or basketball, which means I will take a break from the t.v. for a while.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

wahoo! volleyball is on! Norway vs Brazil!

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

See, I would rather watch vollyball. Although, on second thought, I might watch u.s. -vs- australia softball and root for the aussies.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

You traitor!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyway, I just checked to see if I could at least get Australian radio coverage of the games and just like the BBC, they're not streaming now due to broadcast rights. ARGAGHADFGADH.

Is there *any* online radio coverage anywhere in English?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh, cycling live on USA. I forgot about USA. Make that 5 channels.

there's no fun rooting for the u.s., ned. although, i do like individual people. i haven't caught phelps-fever yet, but he is mighty impressive in the pool.

those softball pitchers are wild. i always forget how fast they throw that thing.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

you need a shortwave radio, ned. run on over to radio shack.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

you need a shortwave radio, ned

That actually is a goddamn great idea. How much do they run these days, anyway?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they are pretty cheap at places like radio shack if you get a little non-fancy one.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

*checks* And in an example of sweet serendipity, this sucker is listed as in stock at the Radio Shack literally six or so blocks away. Sir, you are a kind and good man. I'll have to stock up on the batteries, though.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, you can't beat that price. They are addictive too.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd sorta always wanted one but then net broadcasting seemed to obviate the need. Clearly there are exceptions. So what's a good page for listing general broadcast frequencies?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

That I can't help you with. I had an old radio that I picked up at a thrift store years ago that had shortwave on it (one of those big bulky survivalist models), but I used to just flip through the dial randomly. Then it broke or got lost or something. I can't remember. I've been meaning to pick up a cheapie cuz they are fun, but there is always something more pressing that I need. Like more records.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I have heard of these records.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ouch, there was a nasty crash in the cycling race. I like these races cuz I get to see Athens by bike.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:34 (twenty-one years ago)

wht is the name of the woman who presents the olympics and looks like gordon ramsay?

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 14:46 (twenty-one years ago)

claire balding?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't handle question marks. it might be her. she does look like GR.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

This is definitely my favorite Olympics yet. Not just because I prefer the Summer Olympics (because I do), but because it reminds me of the 1992 Olympics where you could watch practically everything on PPV, except this year, its FREE. My stack of blank VHS is getting a workout.

― Alan Conceicao, Sunday, 15 August 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Tim Henman is out. After I said to my mum this morning that he was one of our better hopes...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Team GB are down the dumper dude. Half of them are blubbing. One of our swimmers dived into the pool and ripped open her leg on a mysterious "silver box"

― Porkpie (porkpie), Sunday, 15 August 2004 16:49 (twenty-one years ago)

oof, they changed the rules on the male gymnastics at the last minute because a judge thought the routines were "too easy," hence, a bunch of USA gymnasts fell on their heads last night. that doesn't seem fair.

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

The laurel reefs are a nice sentiment, but I think they look kinda tacky.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

not as tacky as the Aussie team in the opening ceremony, what a bunch of tacky scruffs

― Porkpie (porkpie), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone who took photos/videos of the opening ceremony from the parade or phoned their mates to tell them they were on the telly or ran up to wave/pull faces to the camera like neds on local news reports should have their eyes gouged out with those tacky laurel wreaths. (yes, Australians, I'm talking about you)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)

and France. Team GB looked Tiny, I suppose most of them are still in Cyprus?

― Porkpie (porkpie), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

(oh yeah wreaths, haha)

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Jesus.. Puerto Rico just decimated the USA in basketball.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

You could tell which countries were the rich countries from the size of their team members' video cameras.

Ned, the BBC World Service has a programme called 'Olympic Sportsworld'. I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure it's great.

I'm sure there was a thread about short wave radio last week, but I can't find it.

Apparently 300 people watched Henman 'crash out'.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurrah for Puerto Rico!

I think the olive wreaths would be tacky at any other olympics by Greece gets away with it (just).

Bjork sang a song as Mother Sea with the athletes as her children - "your sweat is salty". It was acers. The glowing pregnant belly nearly made me fall off my chair. It really was something. All in all, I thought the opening ceremony was pretty good. It was done by a British company, you know.

The woman from the Greek Olympic Committee had very high shoes on and walked a little awkwardly. She also had a permasmile, which turned a bit grimacey when they had 7 Greek athletes instead of 8 to do the relay to light the flame.

Finally, somebody please tell the designer of the Olympic flame that a cauldron looks like this:
http://www.amcostarica.com/cauldron.gif

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:11 (twenty-one years ago)

haha, i'd blanked the pregnant-with-a-lightbulb thing from my memory already.

The wee boy on the paper boat was great. The Prime Minister/President type official went to kiss him on the cheek when he presented him with the flag and he totally turned away leaving the official looking awfully silly.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, the pregnant with light bulb thing was great!

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

the Olympic flame thingy looks like a big joint.

― hstencil (hstencil), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Sport%20Gallery/Ceremonies/13%20August%202004/1961616_b.jpg

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Her shoes are rather square.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe she's gonna give birth to ET?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned, the BBC World Service has a programme called 'Olympic Sportsworld'. I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure it's great.

Ah, thanks. I did pick up a slightly (not by much) higher end model of radio that's an emergency-type thing -- handcrank to provide battery power and the like, something that's useful and portable so it gets more use beyond this time. Looks like my best option at this point could be this program you're talking about plus the video highlights via the NBC site, unless there's some other streaming method available.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

DREAM TEAM LITERALLY STUNNED BY PUERTO RICO!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/spo/med/2004/08/ipt/1092598438.jpg

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Apparently this pic was cruelly disallowed by the ILX gods, but damn is it funny!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"Oh HELL no, whazzap dag?"

― Jimmy Mod, Man About Towne (ModJ), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I just remembered another thing I loved about the opening ceremony, which was the total unpredictability of the order in which the teams would come out because they were in alphabetical order for the greek alphabet.

(that's a lovely photo)

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Gymnasts are scary, I think it's the OTT eye make-up. Or maybe it's the smiling-all-the-time thing. Did I say I didn't the 'Lympics? I only mean the athletics really, I shalln't watch any of that.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

like is my missing word.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm enjoying it lots, and really wish I could see some handball (I don't quite see the point of footie and tennis as olympic sports -- basketball has always been a free gold for the USA but it was good to see an early upset).

Clare balding does the racing coverage. She really had to stop herself from breaking into laughter as she read the names of the two finalist for a judo final -- one was from china, the other from japan.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Why is that gymnasts, in common with ice skaters and ballroom dancers, have to wear a peculiar brand of clothing and eye shadow?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

So you don't realize they're 13?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The women's weightlifting is seriously almost making me cry. The men's is good, too. But yeah, they seemed to have escaped the Great Edict of Bedazzlement binding upon some of the others participants.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

"seem" "other"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I realise they're 13 - that's what makes it even odder.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Udomporn Polsak! She could use me for a toothpick. Anytime she liked.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, Alba, I got carried away in the heat, of competition.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Official website reports MANG (FRA) looking for another gold in Women's 4 x 100m relay. Surely this is very against the rules?

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 16 August 2004 09:47 (twenty-one years ago)

We were watching the gymnastics yesterday - quite soothing to a hangover but a bit disturbing when the girls with actual boobs and thighs start looking weird in comparison to the terrifying norm. The GB star (surname Tweddle, haha) has really enormous horsey teeth like gravestones but seems a nice girl.

Khorkina (sp?) is a cross between Uma Thurman and Mena Suvari, and her legs are just a tad too long for the asymmetric bars now.

I wish I'd watched the opening ceremony. It sounds surreally awesome.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

ARGH ARGH BADMINTON ARGH

And who'd have thought Judo would be quite so dull?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

olympiad charged with manslaughter following the death of a british athlete in greece? : /

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

the badmington is awesome. judo is so so dull. "do something!"

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:37 (twenty-one years ago)

"oh dear, on yer shoulders, that'll be that, then."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

the story I referred to above actually concerns a danish sailor (who has appeared in court) and a british worker. : /

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Dane is still being allowed to compete, which seems fair enough.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:10 (twenty-one years ago)

It's fucked up watching the American women's gymnastics team because so many members of the team, at 20-25 years of age, actually are WOMEN. And then there's the one girl with the bizarre gigantic head and manhands that creeps me out.

Last night I found myself standing at the bar at my favorite Irish pub with some swarthy manfolks, with AC/DC blasting on the stereo system, booze in hands, watching women's gymnastics, and only after about half an hour (about the same time some dude yelled "YEAH - STICK IT!" like he had just won a football wager) did I realize exactly how FUCKED UP this whole scenario was.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

>>I'm enjoying it lots, and really wish I could see some handball (I don't quite see the point of footie and tennis as olympic sports -- basketball has always been a free gold for the USA but it was good to see an early upset).

― Alan Conceicao, Monday, 16 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Presumably the US aren't actually eliminated in the basketball, are they?

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

No, they need to finish in top four of their group of six to advance to quarterfinals.

― Nemo (JND), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Not eliminated yet, no. I hate to say it but seeing them get TROUNCED by Puerto Rico yesterday was COMEDY GOLD.

xpost

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Did anyone else see the German women's indoor volleyball team come back from 2 sets down to beat Cuba? That was a VERY good match.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't understand perving over female gymnasts. Surely the beach volleyball is perv central, what with their little bikinis that go up the crack of their bums every time they dive for a ball?

(not that I'm an expert on what chaps like to perv over, mind)

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:55 (twenty-one years ago)

There was a hot Danish badminton player who lost to some ugly GB bird. Not good.

Judo is so bizarre.

Exciting swimming!

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I bet they showed the volleyball whilst I was at work! :(

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I pressed the red button on my remote, and it was horses and toffs, that was pretty damn depressing.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Madchen, I'd be very surprised if you weren't an expert on a couple of things chaps like to perv over.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Exciting swimming which I realised I just missed. Bah. The website is rub.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

And now the commentator (Moorhouse?) has said it was the best swimming race he's EVER SEEN! Double bah.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Which race was it that you missed?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

We just hooked up one of those little bitty screen TVs here at the office. I'm excited. At 3:00 pm the US vs. Germany women's indoor volleyball game is on, I don't know why I'm so looking forward to that, but I am.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

The swimming events so far have been probably the most exciting stuff. I like how they keep sticking Phelps and Thorpe right next to each other in the lanes.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

(That's all due to time, Nick.)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Damnit, Perry. Lemme think the Olympic board is out for emotional manipulation if I want!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I dig the 6-net coverage. I like how Bravo has the sissy sports, like sailing and table tennis (the table is crazy tiny!).

The "Parade of Nations" was something to see. I was embarrased by the USA's tacky-ass "Team McDonald's"-looking, Roots-branded outfits. (Though I was relieved to see that the Canadians' and Brits' were no better.) The funniest were the Italians', with their built-in boozgie ladies' purses.

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Roots is a Canadian company, right?

The Irish team's outfits were the most godawful things I've seen a person wear, ever.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

My mum's a retired judoka, so she's been glued to the tv whenever the judo is on. She keeps going on about how she doesn't like this modern style of play - too many arm-locks and trouser-grabs for her liking, apparently - and how it must be easier for the referrees now than it was when she was a referree, when both players were in white.

― caitlin (caitlin), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

It was the men's 200m free.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG I wanted to see that one too. :(

The table tennis is INTENSE.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Ugh.

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

They talked about that in the opening ceremonies. I figured they would've leapt at the chance to compete against (and demolish) an Israeli competitor. Politics, please stay out of athletics, and if you must interfere, at least do so in a way that makes the competition like totally awesome. Thx k bye.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

er in the American coverage of the opening ceremonies...

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah like dude what a puss if you can't drive them into the sea at least give 'em the ol' judo chop!

sorry.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

we are going to hell, nickalicious.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 16 August 2004 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)

This is part of a really mean olympic e-mail i sent to my friend donald (i was a little tipsy):

There was a funny moment tonight
before a big swimming race. They do this big buildup about this
american swimmer, how it's his BIRTHDAY, and how he told his
dad he wanted to go to the olympics and win a gold metal when he
was 6 YEARS OLD, and how his whole family was there to watch
him and how they had NEVER BEEN OUTSIDE THE U.S.
BEFORE, and how it was his BIRTHDAY, and then he lost to a
Japanese guy and only got a silver. And THEN they insinuate that
the Japanese guy had cheated and how he is one of the "most
watched" athletes at the games. It was pretty funny. HAPPY
BIRTHDAY, SLOWPOKE!!! Hahahaha! The look of disappointment
on his face was priceless!

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh good. (Less for the guy's disappointment at losing -- hey, you have to learn how to take failure -- as for NBC demonstrating why I'm actually not unhappy to be avoiding their coverage.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

They were practically willing the guy to lose with their insane buildup. And jeez, he won a silver metal, he should have been happy.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Right now I'm more glad to see the Phelps hype machine start to grind down ("Okay, maybe not Mark Spitz level, uh...Eric Heiden?")

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

The non-primetime cable coverage is free of the bull and uplifting stuff for the most part. Those are the most pleasant to watch. Especially late at night and early in the morning.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Sounds very nice indeed, but I both lack cable and need sleep, so I will reflect on the joys others are getting.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Phelps has been listening to music or something almost right up to start time every race - I love trying to guess what he's listening to. My dad said Ministry (ha ha). I bet it's one of those rapper guys.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, the one dude? With the mic?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

He's listening to Sugarbabes and Franz Ferdinand alternating back and forth (JUST LIKE ME)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:40 (twenty-one years ago)

no wonder he didn't win.

(you walked into that one, Perry)

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

A lot of gymnasts are FALLING OFF right now.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

who won the men's 200m free?

the men's gymnastics.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I like how NBC has *SPOILER ALERTS* It reminds me of ILE. They even tell you to turn away from your t.v. until the music stops.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I like to read Cozen's last post as if it was an inscrutable riddle.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 August 2004 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

When the next team to compete in the men's team gymnastics finals swings into the gym it feels like "The Warriors"!

I like the idea about random sport/athelete matchups (I can't remember who posted it). It's like Bobby Fischer's offer to play Spassky again, as long as the pieces are distributed around the chessboard at random.

The British announcer just went "THAT. IS. COOL!"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

gah and then he said "it's japanese gold, and it shines so brightly" SHUT UP

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't work out scoring, it's like totally different scales for each sport. You can fall off the bar in gymnastics and still get above a nine, but the diving was completely different.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

that'll be the water dude, and the swimsuits

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

You can fall off the diving board and still get above a 9??!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I was wondering about that shit: what the hell do you have to do to get below a 9 in gymnastics? Fall THROUGH the floor?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

not look like a dead eyed zombie/goth

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

There didn't seem to be much difference between what all the dudes did in the 'nastics. It all looked the same, yet some were scored differently. It's weird and their shoulders are too broad, it's like they've been in a sideways vice.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

the first of the romanian dudes ws k-wobbly on the bars (scored 9.2) whereas the young chinese boy who fluffed it up for the team (19 yr old, sad eyed) ok wasn't perfect but ws much less shaky than the romanian - scored 8.4 or some such. I don't get it at all.

who would think synchronised diving could be so entertaining?

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Peng and Wang messed up!!!! OH NO!!!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Can we talk about girls' gymnastics? Does the current competition seem a way paler shadow of the swoony acmes of 1996 (OMIGOD KERRY STRUG YOUR SO COURAGEOUS!), because across the board (including the Romanians!) the performances have been much dirtier (i.e. less clean) with a lot of balance correcting (notably noticeable cos I just saw Nadia's 10 on the commercial and wow! That was some smooth sailing).

However I do like the Romanians who've got their sleeves rolled up -- just another day at work!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

they've got the snazziest trunks though.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

that looked SORE.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

O no!!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

For the benefit of those of you not watching, the Chinese guys in the synchronized springboard diving competition were like lightyears ahead of the pack, and one their FIFTH AND FINAL DIVE one of them just... tanked it. He did like a bellyflop, but on his back. And now they're going to come in last!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

They're all messing up now! It's bedlam!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Serves them right for being Commies!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"if he'd caught his heels there he'd have broken them"!!!

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The Olympics' Funniest Home Videos!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Fixed. The judges' scores have been bonkers, too.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Everybody's in on it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"IT'S a Greek Gold!" for Chaka Dimus and Pliars, or something like that!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Everybody else drops the ball, Greece picks it up. Sounds familiar.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

okay, can we have some volleyball now?

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

The British divers were so charming! What happened before though, they were talking about somebody rinning out onto the board in a tutu?!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I was minding my business
Watching the TV
Looking at the O-lym-piiiics
It was worthwhile viewing on that night
To set my eyes on the blistering sight
Of a diver in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't tell if that's a "u->i" typo or a "mm->nn" typo. (xpost)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't trust Greeks bearing gifts. OF DRUGS

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

"we can admire the form of the winning 17 year olds"...blimey!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

We can in this country, Jel, remember the age of consent?

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

was that before of after the age of reason?

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"Phelps has been listening to music or something almost right up to start time every race - I love trying to guess what he's listening to."

The announcer on NBC just said that the rapper of choice for these games has been Eminem when they panned to Phelps listening to his toonz.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 August 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

So Eminem's dead and buried as a cultural force, is what you're saying.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

About time.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Favorite exclamation by an NBC announcer (so far):

"Bottle that, and feel it forever!!"

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 02:06 (twenty-one years ago)

CRUSH ALERT: http://www.berkeley.edu/news/chancellor/bim/images/coughlin.jpg

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 05:36 (twenty-one years ago)

(she actually looks better with a swimcap on, which usually makes them look like aliens)

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 05:37 (twenty-one years ago)

cozen, the reason the chinese guy only got 8.4 was because his routine wasn't as difficult, they set a "starting mark" ie the most they could possibly get if everything was perfect (up to a max of 10, obv) and then mark down from there. that was why the last american only got 9.4 because they judged his routine only to be worth a max of 9.7.

god i love the olympics :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Gymnastics marking makes a lot more sense than that for the synchronised diving, which I couldn't figure out at all. On one dive the marks were spread between 4.0 and 8.0 for execution!

The men's team gymnastics was totally gripping last night.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 08:38 (twenty-one years ago)

the diving marks are hella complicated, i think in the syncro they have a judge each as well...

(also were our lads being marked down last night because the judges were a little generous to us on saturday? insert conspiracy theory here ;))

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 08:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The cross country bit of the three day eventing looks like it's being held on a golf course.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 08:49 (twenty-one years ago)

i saw a little bit this morning, and it was a bit mad, like the dubai classic or something...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Synchronised diving is like watching a wet, acrobatic six-way penalty shootout - one fuckup and the favourite is potentially right out of the running, then suddenly everyone has a chance of a win. It all seems so random and abitrary. Fantastic entertainment, mind.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Also I can't think of any Olympic even that looks harder to actually do.

Weightlifting is kind of painful to watch, isn't it?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:10 (twenty-one years ago)

"Weightlifting is kind of painful to watch, isn't it?"

YES! And I am always afraid they are going to snap like twigs!

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

or prolapse something nasty

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

The Olympics are great for getting really into all those sports which I don't normally have time to follow. The gymnastics last night were amazing - how flawless were the Japanese under pressure?!

Gymnasts' bodies vs swimmers' bodies. I can't make my mind up.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

i some ways weightlifting seems to be the purest sport (obv not in a drugs sense), in that it's just "pick up heavier thing than everyone else" i'd wager it was the only truly fanny-dangle free olympic event (goes to lunch, comes back to 100 posts with examples of weightlifting FD and 60 other FD free sports)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Regarding the CBC's coverage: I'm glad to do without the overweeing jingoism (not that we don't get our fair share here), but Brian Williams has to go. He's insufferable. And I can barely watch the coverage as the same bloody commercials have been repeated punishingly ad nauseum. And of course, the "we should all take a look at ourselves because we've only got one medal, and it's a bronze, and that's pretty good, but not good enough, but we're Canadian, eh, and why is that, and we need to rethink this and throw more money at our national teams" kind of handwringing is a bit wearying at the same time. So we may applaud the non-NBC approach to things, but we've got our own complexes here and sometimes they're not very pretty.

― Guymauve (Guymauve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

sounds familiar, i had to switch to the eurosport coverage of the women's cycling road race on sunday because the bbc commentators only cared about our rider (who ended up fifth)...

...having said that, i'm quite happy to listen to foster and cram wax lyrical about paula radcliffe for the 2 hours it takes her to run the marathon ;)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Umm, should be "overweening." But if you want to call it a pissing contest, it makes sense still.

― Guymauve (Guymauve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha, you wouldn't think it possible but Britain's Olympic team is crapper than ever - what are they doing with all that lottery money, burning it? The crapness of Britain and the drugs thing are conspiring to make this a highly entertaining Olympics.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Natalie Coughlin seriously looks almost exactly like this girl I went out with for awhile. It's really disconcerting though when she starts talking and her voice is all high-pitched and thin, when this girl had a deep, low man-voice. But yeah, I share your crushdom Oops, even if mine is a little tainted by reflections of love lost.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Looks like the Brits and the Canucks are in the same sinking boat. Though I do take some pleasure in the litany of failure that affirms our radical mediocrity. A little schadenfreude regarding your own country can make your heart swell. It's reassuring.

― Guymauve (Guymauve), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Gymnastics marking makes a lot more sense than that for the synchronised diving, which I couldn't figure out at all. On one dive the marks were spread between 4.0 and 8.0 for execution!

With execution, a pair of judges each mark the diver closest to them, so you might get a 4.0 and 4.5 for one diver who stuffs up and an 8.0 and 8.5 for the other diver who does OK. The commentator last night didn't praise one single dive. We KNOW they're never going to be perfect, but "oooh, that really was not good" after every single dive was a bit extreme. And his criticism of the judging on the Brit pair was way over the top - they got more or less what they deserved - and he failed to spot that they themselves thought the judging was fine, especially as they got PERSONAL BESTS.

I like the idea of judging execution - "9.5 for that excellent guillotine move"

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd wager it was the only truly fanny-dangle free olympic event (goes to lunch, comes back to 100 posts with examples of weightlifting FD and 60 other FD free sports)

Did you see that backflip celebration yesterday? Purest dangle ;)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Ian Edmond unfairly disqualified by the looks of it (200m breaststroke semi).

But WE WON A BRONZE! Hurrah for Steve Parry!

(going OK in the 4 x 200m freestyle, touch wood)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Shit. Fourth. Thorpedo nearly pulling it back for Oz, but not to be. Cracking race though (note, I don't usually have interest in swimming, but Olympics do funny things to my sport-watching habits)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Back off fellows, I was on about Nat first.

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Face it Ailsa, we're crap

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the taking part that counts! < /motto of all losers>

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, getting to a final out of almost every country in the world and only just missing out on a medal = crap. I forgot.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I am looking forward to the women's gymnastics so much.

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

It's alright Leee, I don't really crush on Nat much beyond her reminding me of girl-wot-I-liked-too-much-and-creeped-out. Here, for posterity's sake, is a list of my top 5 Olympic crushes, in order of crushedness:

5. both of the Russian synchronized diving girls with dark hair and stoic expressions
4. Misty May, half of the US beach v-ball team that TOTALLY FUCKING OWNS
3. Aussy swimmer dude Thorpe ROWR TOO MUCH TEH SEXY
2. whatever-her-name-is-Grun, captain of the German women's v-ball team
1. Mohini Bhardwaj, 25-year-old US gymnast (see, I R NOT PERVING ON LITTLE GIRLS)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, crap. Let's see how the medal tables tally up at the end.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Mo is a dish!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the dark haired one in the Norwiegan ladies beach volley ball team.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

FOR REAL.

http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/db/issues/00/02.02/images/sports.bhardwaj.picA.jpg

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

One of my favorite things with any event is listening close and hearing them cussing. Especially when they're cussing in like German or Russian or something.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Time -14 min!
To this Greece vs USA basketballathon thingy, haha.

*goes n' makes some sandwiches*

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude I'm crushing on Misty May coughbootycough, too GOOMH

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

mo' hini fo meni plz!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Misty May is such a fucking BAD-ASS. Her kills are so powerful they could totally rip through peoples' FLESH.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Federer's out of the tennis and Roddick is through after saving match points vs Haas. Awful.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

They claim that it freaks them out because they're representing their country and the pressure is much greater than when they're just representing themselves. I think this is hogwash, frankly.

Clare Balding C/D? I would have said D before but I'm beginning to quite enjoy her frumpy everywoman responses to drug cheats and big sponsorship deals. Plus she knows which bone is which in a horse's leg.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 07:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Aw, Big Bad Clare, solid as a rock. I like her, but she should be called Dave. And also rip Sue Barker's head from her leathery batwinged shoulders.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 07:58 (twenty-one years ago)

this is going to sound really stupid but....
i was watching the equestrian thingy yesterday and wondering if the horses are tested for drugs?

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 08:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they are.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 08:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Olympic swimmers are amazing, Thorpe swims 400meters at a pace over 2x as fast as I can swim 50.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 08:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone, somewhere, explain the appeal, or point, of DRESSAGE.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Point = find the best at showing the horse who's boss. Appeal = you are some sort of equinophile.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 08:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I think posh people like it because it reminds them of when they used to go to THE BALL.

Also, it makes the cross-country more exciting before it starts, and shows whether the horse is an all-rounder or just a big burly brute intent on smashing its way through fences.

Or, difficulty for difficulty's sake.

If you said what's the point of figure skating, mental people would say oh it's very beautiful, so I bet mental people think dressage is very beautiful too.

Or, ask Clare Balding.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Or, difficulty for difficulty's sake.

There's a word for this, which escapes me right now.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:03 (twenty-one years ago)

bloody-mindedness?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.worlddressage.com/history.htm

interesting

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

During the Dark and Middle Ages, Europeans rode about on heavier, thick, cold-blooded types

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Giant LIZARDS!

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I say! What an informative site!

One of the commentators yesterday was very annoyed with one of the riders because he dropped the reins of his 'lovely horse' in celebration when he crossed the line in first place. What's wrong with that then?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Dark ages brought on by TWELVE FOOT LIZARDS shockah!

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

COME ON PLUCKY GREEKS! Oh. We watched mostly basketball instead of gymnastics and after a grumping over a lost fight over the remote I got into it rather. I don't really understand the rules though. It's not netball.

I caught enough gymnastics to notice how blooming thin Khorkina's got. She wasn't always like that, was she?

Funny exchange on the radio at 6.30 this morning:

Edward Sturton: It's being reported that Kostas Kanderis has said "after crucifixion comes resurrection"
Reporter in Athens: Yes, he's set the bar quite low when it comes to self esteem, hasn't he?

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Khorkina looked scarily raillike last night. Was a bit perplexed by male commentator praising her grace on the beam. She reminded me of nothing so much as a day old foal, all legs and skittishness.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 11:57 (twenty-one years ago)

EXACTLY. Especially when she was doing the floor routine, it seemed like she kept almost-falling and then not-so-smoothly-playing-it-off-"legit". She seemed really odd out there, all awkward and too tall and such. However, I will admit the move where she flipped her whole body around the underside of the beam and back up on top sparked a "DAMN!" in me.

I think Mo deserved WAAAAY fucking better than a 9.4 for her balance routine. This is not just because she's my Summer Games crush #1. She for serious had way fewer mistakes than any of those Russian girls.

I can't believe I'm as into this stuff as I am.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, and whatever men's relay that USA won yesterday was close as fuck and really exciting. Everybody in the whole pub was woohooing, and then the band that was playing oh so quietly stopped playing and were met with our we-just-got-done-applauding silence, it was awkward and hilarious.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I know the 'letics hasn't started yet, but what does everyone make of the Kenteris/Thanou saga. Also Marion Jones - drugs or not? Also lets start a book on who's gonna win the 100m - I say Powell of Jamaica in 9.89.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Powell's the form lad. However, this would be to disregard the fact that Kim Collins is The Man. Hell, so long as it's not Mo-Reese I'd imagine I'd be pretty chuffed.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

The Kenteris/Thanou saga (or should that be a myth?) has passed from tragedy through farce to comedy. The clampdown on drugs in this Olympics means I don't think we'll be seeing too many world records broken this time around.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

What's Collins PB though, He'll have to run sub-9.9 to beat Powell on current form. Mo-Reese is a tool. Who are our runners? Is it Campbell, Lewis-Francis and Gardener? I think Gardener is an outside bet for bronze, but will probably het injured in the heats. Darren will prob do well in the 200.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Kenteris/Thanou have now handed back in their olympic accreditations, thus meaning the IOC have no power to ban them BUT it'll all go back to the IAAF after the olympics are over.

i think they are very silly, and am quite surprised the IAAF let them get away with missing so many tests...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think it should demoralise the entire Greek nation though, which is what the BBC are suggesting. I would quite like to be Greek right now.

Britain has won another medal! For canoe-paddling or something.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

We're good in the water, shit on land

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Brit sprinters had a very poor showing at Crystal Palace at the end of July - they didn't do any interviews afterwards because of the shame. I'm sure it gave them a kick up the arse, though.

Even so, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't get a man in the final. I fancy a Jamaican to take it (and I'd love to see them get the sprint relay too).

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

They are on posters.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

With mad staring eyes. This is the real reason I want them to win.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

gordon ramsay.

― cºzen (Cozen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

we've (the UK) had an athlete in the 100m final every time since 1976 fact fans.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate fact give me rumour and hear'say.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

They all stank of wee.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

That's the stuff.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Mike Rosswess.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Equestrian bronze. Not bad, considering Pippa Funnel's shocker yesterday.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, and we had one guy withdraw as well, I didn't realise that. Plus bronze in canoeing, bronze in archery and at least a silver in badminton. Quite a good day.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Andy Roddick has just lost in straight sets in the tennis to Fernando Gonzalez, of Chile :) :)

Venus Williams, having lost in the doubles first round, is 4-6 4-5 down to Mary Pierce...

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Kenteris reportedly suffered slight scratches, while Thanou was said to be experiencing discomfort in her groin area.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I want to buy a box to watch more basketball. Will anyone ever bring back terrestrial NBA over here?

leathery batwinged shoulders

I love Liz. Even more. Claire Balding is weirdly entertaining, in a 'does-she-have-any-idea-what-she's-doing?-oh-my-God-she-shouldn't-be-saying-that' kind of way.

Men's 100m free tonight!

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

hmm, those hamm twin gymnasts are cuuuuute

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Archery is great, on BBCi they don't do much commentary. It's really relaxing to watch.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Andy Roddick has just lost in straight sets in the tennis to Fernando Gonzalez, of Chile :) :)

Lex, you've just made my day.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I was watching Doubles ping pong this morning, China vs Sweden, on MSNBC the announcer finished his long rambling commentary by noting that "Sweden is in blue".

Thanks

― Floop, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Meanwhile, Mariel Zagunis wins women's saber in fencing. First US win in 100 years.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 19 August 2004 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

whoa, the men's gymnastics all around was fantastic.

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone else glued to the female shot put last night?

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I couldn't go to bed. It was fascinating.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

If I could only have sex with one, it'd be the georgeous Russian. Mmm, lovely.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I got so into the gymnastics I totally forgot there was footie on the other side ;-/

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 19 August 2004 07:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Ladies and gentlement, we have gold.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/sailing/3579964.stm

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39973000/jpg/_39973156_perrotta200_getty.jpg

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

A gold has just been won in the sailing.

badminton final: first set disaster but we're leading in the second.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The Olympics

Athenian maths

Aug 12th 2004
From The Economist print edition

Economists predict the medal tally

THEY have a dismal track record when it comes to predicting economic growth, exchange rates or the direction of the stockmarket. So you might have expected economists to despair at the thought of forecasting sports results. Not at all. Efforts to work out the number of medals which countries are likely to get in the Athens Olympics, which start on August 13th, are well under way.

Two economists, Andrew Bernard of the Tuck School of Business, and Meghan Busse of the Haas School of Business, accurately predicted the number of medals that American athletes would take home in the Sydney games four years ago (97), as well as the number of gold medals (39). For nine other countries, they were only one medal out. Whether luck played its part (and the effects of a growing transfer market, (see article) can be tested: the two recently published their predictions for the Athens games. They think that America will get 93 medals.

Their predictions rely entirely on totting up economic statistics. Two are key: population and wealth. More people means a higher chance of producing a top triple jumper. And the higher a country's income, the better the odds that a synchronised swimmer, say, will receive the training and facilities needed to compete with the world's best. Hosting the games also gives a boost to the medal tally, not least because of the support of local fans. The two economists expect Greece to more than double the number of medals that it wins compared with four years ago.

For those inclined to ponder such things, instead of marvelling at the skills in beach volleyball or rhythmic gymnastics, the Athens games also help undermine the notion of a widening gap between rich and poor countries. The share of medals won by the biggest and richest countries has been shrinking over the past 40 years. In 1960, the top ten medal-winning countries won 78% of the total medals, compared with 55% in 2000. Although they are tipping America to win the most medals in Athens, the two economists expect America's harvest of medals to decline this year for the third games in a row.

Poor countries are winning more often for two reasons. First, they are becoming richer in absolute terms, even if they are not always keeping pace with growth in the North. Second, they often have rapidly growing populations. And whatever their predictive success, economists win because, by doing such exercises, they can demonstrate to a sceptical world that, hey, economists are fun.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Yngling!

I have a brand new crush on Ben Ainslie. I don't really know why, he's not even taking part in one of the flesh-baring sports.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 19 August 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Paul Hamm must be feeling pretty friggin good about himself today. Deservedly.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Even though I hella got caught up in it, Hamm's come from behind was sooo storybook that I have half a mind to call it scripted.

Best name of all the games? Pieter van den Hoogenband! Say it with me! PIETER VAN DEN HOOGENBAND!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a great name to yell out excitedly while a bit tipsy "VAN DEN HOOGENBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND!!!!".

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I enjoyed counting how many times Rowdy Gaines had to say "Pieter van den Hoogenband" over the course of a 100-meter race.

― briania (briania), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I never want to hear about the Thorpedo ever again

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

But he's like a shark when he's closing in on the end of a race, Kyle. A shark!

― briania (briania), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I know we saw that shark right there! That's the strength of the Thorpedo!

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

NBC sports commentators need to stop mixing their metaphors

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

O poor khorkina!

zhang nan's reaction to winning bronze oh so classic: spaced-out inertia in the hyper-competitive world of women's gymnastics wins me over.

― cºzen (Cozen), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah I do love her so what?

― cºzen (Cozen), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the way Madchen politely ignored Barry's pervy comment.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I enjoyed counting how many times Rowdy Gaines had to say "Pieter van den Hoogenband" over the course of a 100-meter race.

I don't enjoy how many times the commentators pronounce it incorrectly.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

So how is it correctly pronounced?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Well it's not pEEEEtah vAAAAAAAn-duh hOOOOOOOOgen-bAAAAAAAAAAnd.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:27 (twenty-one years ago)

von dane hoe-ghen-bond

The "gh" is gutteral, like the "ch" in "lecheim"

emphasis on the "hoe"

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Yep. ABC radio gets it correct here, nobody else does.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

americans sound ridiculous when they overemphasize the correct pronunciation though. have you not seen the Jimmy Smits SNL sketch?

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 20 August 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)

The hop, skip and a jump has started.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 20 August 2004 08:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Our Glasgow representative has won bronze in the log flume. He says it was 'rubbish'. Don't be so hard on yourself, dour Scotsman!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 20 August 2004 08:56 (twenty-one years ago)

endurance ojokolo!!

― zappi (joni), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The hop, skip and a jump has started

I'm still waiting for one of the triple jumpers to walk out of the pit, arms aloft in celebration - and accidently stand on the rake Stan Laurel-style (closely followed by getting his foot stuck in a bucket, natch).

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:14 (twenty-one years ago)

'accidently' wtf?

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I was mesmerised by the weightlifting last night. Some 19-yr-old Turkish lad won the Middleweight, lifting well over twice his own weight. Crazy.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Does it make me a bad person if I want Carolina Kluft to beat Denise Lewis? I wuv her.

(That's now been made a silver in the log flume, btw.)

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

That's now been made a silver in the log flume, btw.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 August 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The Turkish lad looked about 1/2 as muscley as the other guys but he made it look easy.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Friday, 20 August 2004 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)

???????

I posted the second message before the first one, thought it hadn't got through, amended it and posted again. And they come out in the wrong order? I am a poxy fule indeed.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 August 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i also am luffing the kluft, she's kewl as, also i doubt denise will get anywhere near the medals as she's not exactly fit, so cheering the smiling swede is fine i reckon

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 20 August 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Big event of the afternoon for me is the men's 1km time trial at the Velodrome. This is the event that Jason Queally won in Sydney, but I think that Hoy and Maclean have been given the nod in front of him to ride for Blighty. Both big lads and I'm expecting them to give the opposition a bit of a spanking.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The homoerotiscim is strong.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Friday, 20 August 2004 12:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Bloody hell - I didn't realise Merlene Ottey was running in these Olympics (now representing Slovenia) - and what's more she's qualified from her first round heat in 11.14. That's faster than Kathy Cook ever ran, isn't it? And Merlene's 44.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 August 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Bradley Wiggins has just smashed the Olympic record in the heats for Mens Individual Pursuit on the track - only Chris Boardman has ever ridden faster. Think the velodrome is packed to rafters with Brits, the atmosphere sounds awesome.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I WISH I WAS AT HOME!

Merlene Ottey rocks. Has she married a Slovenian or have they paid her to immigrate a la Qatar?

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 August 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Boxing was great this morning, Amir Khan is my new favourite boxer.

― Cathy (Cathy), Friday, 20 August 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Khan has also promised to stay amateur until beijing, which is cool.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 20 August 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Chris Hoy up next in the cycling and he needs an Olympic record to get the gold. Come on Chris!

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

FUCKING YEAH!

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

is that a "funcking yeah" he did it, or a "fucking yeah" lets do it.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

GOLD!

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

WOAH! It didn't even sound like the commentary team thought he was going to do it.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a woohoo, he's done it. Fantastic event, the crowd was going batshit, the commentator was having a cardiac, Hoy was going like a bullet train. Awesome.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay! I got home early from work and just got in in time for the cycling. It was hugely exciting. Commentator getting v. hoarse.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

AHOY HOY!

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Wiggins has just gone through to the final of the pirsuit, so he's guaranteed at least a silver. I tell you, I'm so excited, I'm going to be riding home like a loony later.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

'pirsuit' bleh.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Not to blow the trumpet or anything, but gold and silver to Scotland today. Allow me some modicum of national pride in the midst of British triumph.

― Ally C (Ally C), Friday, 20 August 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

After the races finish, the women's swimmers slinking over the lane dividers is some kind of sexy.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Friday, 20 August 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I get the impression that the tennis is finally providing something of an Olympian spectacle as it reaches its climactic weekend - Henin edging out Myskina 8-6 in the 3rd, the men's doubz deep in a marathon decider and Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian reaching the WD final with an epic victory over Paolo and Pat.

I, on the other hand, am still at work.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 August 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

'Scotland' is not competing as a nation, I fear.

I have only just seen this thread! And in my own wee way, I like the Olympics.

I will read it and report back.

― the bellefox, Friday, 20 August 2004 20:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Ancic/Ljubicic vs Leander/Paes is 13-13 in the final set.

Oh, and I'm still at work.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 August 2004 21:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Shocking!

I don't mean the score.

― the bellefox, Friday, 20 August 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

What's the point? The US always wins the Olympic games, Australia always wins the Commonwealth games. If I could spell 'furphy' I would call it one.

― Sexual Air Supply (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 21 August 2004 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Err... does anyone watch the Olympics for the medal tables?

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 21 August 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

No. I watch for the delicious shotputters.

― Sexual Air Supply (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 21 August 2004 00:34 (twenty-one years ago)

china is gearing up to dominate in 2008, it's obvious

― ryan (ryan), Saturday, 21 August 2004 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The Beijing opening ceremony will go like this:

- Gates open
- 192832193723 Chinese people do a wacky formation, Kim Jong Il style
- Athletes march, hold signs about human rights
- Tanks kill everyone, no more Olympics

The end.

― Sexual Air Supply (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 21 August 2004 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Did anyone watch the women's kayaking? The American was married to her coach -- whom she met when she was twelve. EWW.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Saturday, 21 August 2004 01:09 (twenty-one years ago)

okay. im in love with paul hamm. morgan hamm too, actually

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 21 August 2004 06:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I am sad enough to have been up since 7.30 on a Saturday morning watching rowing.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 06:34 (twenty-one years ago)

yay! that was some race (coxless fours). My heart is still racing just from watching it. I love the Olympics.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

They appear to be playing National Express by the Divine Comedy over the tannoy at the rowing. This seems oddly incongruous somehow.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 06:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, Matthew Pinsent is such a posh stiff upper lip type that he has just shaken the hand of James Cracknell's baby.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

If Paula doesn't win, will we only actually get golds in boats?

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 21 August 2004 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, "Skinny-Ass Rowing and Canoe Centre"

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 21 August 2004 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

we are the best at boats though.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 08:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Ok the Olympics is now all about table tennis! I want this guy to win so badly, I think I'll cry little tears of happiness if he does!

http://www.svt.se/svt24/1997/971231/jo.jpg

― Hanna (Hanna), Saturday, 21 August 2004 08:54 (twenty-one years ago)

when is wrestling, i have an erotic fasc. with carel sanderson

― anthony, Saturday, 21 August 2004 08:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the way Mark thinks of a bike as a kind of boat.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 21 August 2004 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah I saw the table tennis last night- he's 38 isn't he? Couldn't win a match coming into the games but is into the semis now. The BBC commentator was kind of losing it.

I do hate that there isn't more coverage of other sports where Britain are not in it- days should be longer than 24 hours.

We have already won a medal in the cycling, we also are in silver medal in the heptathlon.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, table tennis guy is 38! They have now started calling him The King in Swedish media. I LUV HIM. Best sports star ever. He looks so plain and even has a little pot belly!

― Hanna (Hanna), Saturday, 21 August 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The BBC commentator was not "kind of losing it", he was claiming that it was the defining moment of the Olympics so far. Despite the fact that only about four people actually cared.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Four people AND 9 MILLION HAPPILY SOBBING SWEDES!

― Hanna (Hanna), Saturday, 21 August 2004 11:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay the Waldner from Norway as well!

Also OUR FIRST GOLD woohoo (and another probable one in the women's single-handed dinghy tomorrow)!

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 21 August 2004 11:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i how can people say they hate the olympics....??? i have been up all night watching them....i love em to death

― Lillian, Saturday, 21 August 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Four people AND 9 MILLION HAPPILY SOBBING SWEDES!

...who weren't exactly the audience of the barmy BBC bloke.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 August 2004 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I wish more than 4 ppl cared abt table tennis. I used to play quite a bit when I was younger.

What's the point? The US always wins the Olympic games, Australia always wins the Commonwealth games. If I could spell 'furphy' I would call it one.

-- Sexual Air Supply (ada...), August 21st, 2004. (later)

Err... does anyone watch the Olympics for the medal tables?
-- Alba (albab...), August 21st, 2004. (later)

I do check 'em. I have a look at teletext a couple of times/day but not only at the no of golds and who's 'winning' but who are the countries that are getting a medal and so on. I do think the BBC could have a section where they show footage: 'belarus won a bronze today' and show some footage, maybe a way of showing other sports...

Its not so much abt win or lose; its a reflection upon the quality of facilities and the type of system countries have, so US, australia, japan have, in my head, the best combination of the two (aus could kind of 'win' what with being a counrty of 12-15 million and i think they have won 7 golds already). China of course being related to the investment in sports, far more than they prob should be (The US should pull ahead in the overall medals bcz of the athletics but up to now its been quite close).

We're doing worse than other european countries with similar size population (Italy, france and germany), also I can't recall russia doing as badly, as far as getting golds but they still have plenty of medals but I look at other countries like Ukraine and then you get to see how many the USSR might have had.

oh, and carolina kluft is very crushable.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Carolina Kluft = scary!!!

― Hanna (Hanna), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

http://svt.se/content/1/c6/16/36/97/carolina-kluft-gala-290.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Bah - we missed the finals of the group cycling despite getting a faster time than the French in the other heat, who go through to the race for bronze. This is surely unfair?

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"The crowd is going potty! He's a man on a mission! He's got wings on his wheels! He's turning the gears quicker and quicker!"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

LIFE IS STACKED AGAINST YOU NICK

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 21 August 2004 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Kluft's hairstyle is going to be one of those things that sticks out like a sore thumb when they're rerunning bits in the lead-up to Beijing.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 21 August 2004 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The first thing I saw this morning was Pinsent blubbering like a baby, it was heartening. Redgrave was there and I was thinking just go and give your mate a hug.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 21 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelly Sotherton is dreamy

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Saturday, 21 August 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

It's true. Kluft is rather horrible.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 21 August 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

That one, who was running around, she was quite nice.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 21 August 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

It is very nearly time for the final of the ladies' 100m dash! Let's all go and watch it. Last one to Report Back is a heptathalete!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:40 (twenty-one years ago)

The woman from Belarus won.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

are the use just fielding a bunch of numpties in the basketball?

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

USA.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:00 (twenty-one years ago)

oh what's the use

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

USA.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:02 (twenty-one years ago)

It's awfully late for them to be still running about.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:03 (twenty-one years ago)

jel do you usually post this late in the night?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)

julio it doesn't matter! the olympics!

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Hello julio, I don't usually post at this sort of hour! I'm waiting for match of the day to come on! Hello cozen!

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

oh thanks jel, you just reminded me. cozen the olympics are over for the day.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

me Vs. you.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

no i'm tired.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

you win.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

where's my medal?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

bronze.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Kluft is freaky but maybe that's why I like her.

Did anyone else see the fencing thingy where the Murka's Keeth Smart accidently stabbed French dude Touya in the hand at 44-44 in round 9 and Touya totally won the match, and later finished the bout for the gold medal? That was pretty sweet.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Saturday, 21 August 2004 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Team GB are down the dumper dude. Half of them are blubbing. One of our swimmers dived into the pool and ripped open her leg on a mysterious "silver box"
-- Porkpie (porkypi...), August 15th, 2004.

I have read it now.

I felt the pale aura of Tragedy when Khorkina lost, I mean, won silver only, the other night.

I think that possibly no-one ever said anything about Barry Davies' Opening Ceremony commentary! He finally got to narrate the history of Western civilization!

― the bellefox, Sunday, 22 August 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Russia's relatively low medal tally might in part be down to them being shite at gym at the moment. Carolina Kluft is awesome, I love the way she wrinkles her nose.

I'm annoyed with the pre-marathon build up over the last few days. They're billing it as Paula Radcliffe, 3.50pm, BBC1 rather than Women's Marathon, 3.50pm, BBC1 and talking as if she's got it sewn up. As if marathon's aren't unpredictable enough, it's a bastardy course in bastardy heat. The slightest thing could throw her off. (If she does win, bet she pukes on the finishing line)

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Somehow I don't think Mardy Fish vs Nicolas Massu is going to get much primetime coverage - highlights on a Freeview channel perhaps.

I'm glad the women's marathon is on BBC1 - I can't tune in BBC2 on the little button-less telly in the side office. We managed to get colour out of it last week for the badminton final - it had been previously assumed to be B&W.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

madchen - True but its prob more like to crumbling facilities!!! I have spent time wondering abt these things and its nothing to do with trying to avoid doing anything work related. oh no.

'(If she does win, bet she pukes on the finishing line)'

she could do it before she crosses the finishing line - then it'll be like zidane.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I think that's right. And it's also partly because most of the top coaches have defected to countries where the pay is better.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm contemplating doing top 40 in front of the telly this afternoon - what time is the men's 100 shebang? Kim Collins must win owing to everyone else being that much better than him. The man is some bizarre kind of magic, I swear. Powell and Greene both definitely have the look of men who are going to get theirs.

TS: Kluft's nose vs. Skuyjte's teeth vs. Sotherton's ponytail meaning she couldn't quite get the laurel on her head

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

paula radcliffe is a wimp.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

This commentary team is very soporific.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

how's paula doing? (I'm at work)

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I think she's doing fine.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

She's in the leading group or about 10. They are going uphill now.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Khorkina overflows with grace

And the China dolls took the women's doubles in the tennis.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I absolutely agree with Khorkina. I was trying to explain this to someone the other, but it ended up with me sounding like I was saying the American looked too dumpy to win.

But there was a certain lack of grace, for all her athleticism. She just didn't look haughty enough. Cheekbones would have helped.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

how do you translate elegance into points?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.nyt.co.uk/PaulDaniels.jpg

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

my Mum's got one of those

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

the elegance co-efficient?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

very nice

― Jimmy Mod, Man About Towne (ModJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

3-2 to the boro omg!

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)

liar!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Paula back in 4th and struggling? Is that right? Someone with very flappy arms appears to be winning from what I can see of the telly.

(Arsenal scored twice inside 48 seconds. Curse you, Julio).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

haha!

paula is in 2nd now.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry 3rd, according to the BBC webpage.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

She's in 3rd, but the Ethiopian in 2nd is only a few seconds ahead and looks weak. The Japanese woman about 30-40 secs in front of that and looks pretty good at the moment. Last 10k - uphill bit over.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know anything and I would like to be told whether this is actually being run anywhere between marathon and athens.

you'd suppose it better be.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

it is being run between marathon and athens.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I had supposed it better be.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

There is no comma in that post of yours just now and I conclude you are a stinky imposter.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 22 August 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

hey, how come the guy had to run back, full pelt, when they had won? you'd think he'd have time, to spare. was something relying on the result?

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Kenyan world champion (sorry - rubbish with names) overtook Radcliffe and the Ethiopian. Radcliffe now in third, and a minute behind the leader. Head bobbing about like mad.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:06 (twenty-one years ago)

paula radcliffe stops!

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh dear - she's given up.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

she's bawling like a kid.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

It's too hot to be running.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

the apology begins.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps the Kenyans and Japanese can be disqualified.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

where's deanna kastor?

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:12 (twenty-one years ago)

is that a spoonerism?

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

deena deena.

now, in bronze medal position. but, at the end?

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:24 (twenty-one years ago)

the 96 tears of a long-distance runner.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Poor Paula :(

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the Japanese lady's arm swaying from side to side running style. And there were some pretty shots of the sun setting.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh Paula :( I knew she'd find it very, very tough but I never thought she'd crash out like that.

Can an Ethiopian be disqualified for having her husband run along the course beside her? He had to be removed by the police so then he just ran along the pavement instead. Kastor almost ran the perfect race. My goodness, Noguchi was gutsy though.

Oh Paula :(

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I do wonder why the fuck they couldn't have started the race at 8.30am to avoid that heat.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I still don't see why it matters how long it took.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Everyone would have been at church.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I just got back home (timed it to see Paula win) to find out she had wimped out. I am gutted.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I never liked paula, from the get go.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Why didn't they just have the race in Newcastle or somewhere like that?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

there was talk of her running in the 10,000 m. anyone know abt that?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, with a shower of brown ale every kilometre.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe she thought this was the 10,000m.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I think she's probably done her leg in, so I doubt it J-man.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Done her leg in? I didn't think she looked injured, just very, very wooden legged. They're talking about trying to get an interview with her ASAP but I hope she doesn't until tomorrow, for my sake as much as hers - I will probably cry.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

So who won this stupid marathon anyway?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't she have an injury not that long ago?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

x-post

Are wooden legs allowed?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Gutsy Noguchi. She went for it at around 25km (I think) at the steepest uphill bit and they never quite managed to catch her. It reminded me of Tour de France tactics.

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

But without the pissing into one's own pants?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Powell's just whooped Greene and run 9.95 in the 100m semi

― Madchen (Madchen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Both Lewis-Francis and Gardener just failed to make the 100m final.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was 'whupped'? Now I'm not sure.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

weird footage of gardner running the first 30m with his eyes closed.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I have missed all this with all these moronic ILE threads.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

it's just people running, nick. go outside, with a knife and wave it about. or do your bear impression.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I might regret that.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

think about if you didn't do it.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh. This is like a microcosm of my life.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I was very sad, when she stopped running, and you saw her crying out in pain or despair, and unable to carry on though people were urging her to do so.

And then the BBC didn't show her for the next half-hour: out of respect? Or had she disappeared into a back-street dive to sink a few despondent jars?

― the bellefox, Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

It must have been quite hard for them to get to her, unless they were on that TV bus and could jump off.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Posts above have just made me laugh out loud! I think it was the bear impression.

I also liked 'time, to spare', and N. on 'Maybe she thought it was the 10,000m'. That is so funny! And I write as one who was upset at what happened. Still, it is hilarious, classic N.

― the bellefox, Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I did actually do a bear impression, once. It received mixed notices.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I doubt it will ever see an original cast led revival, unfortunately.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

It's been a pretty abject day for Britain. Is it too late to campaign for bear impressions to at least be a spectator sport at Beijing 2008?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 18:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Who are we supporting in the men's 100m?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

they'd probably just have real baby bears in cages, it'd be horrible.

or perhaps I am thinking of another communist country. maybe me.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 22 August 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think RJG is a communist acronym. But then my Russian's poor.
And indeed most are.

― Bumfluff, Sunday, 22 August 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

My prediction:

1. Crawford
2. Powell
3. Zakari

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha - what do I know?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

It was never gonna be Powell or Greene... Unfortunately it was probably never gonna be good ol' Kim, either. But hell, at least this Gatlin feller seems like that rarest of things - a 100m man who isn't an utter prick.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 22 August 2004 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy moly, what a race. Four men under 9.9? Finally the ghost of the 1991 World Champs (and that super-hard track, made of tungsten and bare-chested Geordie labourers) can be laid to rest - this was the greatest sprint of all time.

Gatlin seems a lovely fellow - finally they've engineered a hybrid of jock and geek WHICH CANNOT BE STOPPED. Jeek.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

So I'm watching the doubly-time-delayed HD coverage, 'scuse me for being behind. But: the US runner

"former 200 specialist ... suprised everyone with his performances in the 100m" (that's nice)

"self-trained in his post-collegiate career" (hmmm)

they focus the camera on him and he has these tremendous sagging man-tits. He proceeds to blow away the field in his heat. Riiiight. The spirit of the Olympics lives on.

I dunno maybe I'm naive and they're all doping.

― Lukas (lukas), Sunday, 22 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Gatlin has the biggest lower jaw in the world, and it only seems to work horizontally (sorry I'm drunk). Maurice seemed happy with his bronze, but was still appha maleing

― Porkpie (porkpie), Sunday, 22 August 2004 20:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Hang on - how come this woman winning her 4th Gold in rowing gets no coverage? It's like sport coverage is male dominated or something. Bah.

Bev Turner was irritating when interviewed yesterday. I still can't forgive her insulting my mum by way of specious generalisation.

― Dave B (daveb), Sunday, 22 August 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

We won a gold today?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 22 August 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

How about Beth Tweddle?

― the bellefox, Sunday, 22 August 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I might have misheard the intro to the highlights show. Someone was talking at the same time. Ahem.

― Dave B (daveb), Sunday, 22 August 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

So - Khorkina wasn't even in the top 8 for today's event?

And France get a gymnastics gold medal, je crois.

The Radcliffe business is odd, a one-off; something of a British sporting trauma, so unexpected (I think; perhaps I am not quite right) and so disastrous. And no public word from her - which is fine and good and dignified, I think, but eg. it wouldn't happen in footy, or after a dreadful Henman defeat, or whatever.

― the bellefox, Sunday, 22 August 2004 23:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes but she cwied. Immortality beckons.

― Dave B (daveb), Sunday, 22 August 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Khorkina was 8th, France won and greece got a gold medal in the gymnastics.

Radcliffe had to be rushed to the hospital for a check up, she is fine now and will speak to the press on monday.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 22 August 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Thing is, though, the Radcliffe business wasn't a one-off - people drop out of marathons all the time. I remember it happened to a (male, African(?)) runner in this year's London. He had to drop out when they were running through some lonely estate on the Isle fo Dogs and didn't know where he was. He was hobbling around for ages, with the smattering of Lahndoners on that part of the course urging him on, before an official finally picked him up.

The funniest disappearance I remember was in the big Steve Jones vs. Charlie Spedding fite in the early 80s when Jones was way in the lead, went into an underpass and emerged only a few yards ahead of Spedding. He'd had to stop for a crap in the tunnel, the only place the cameras wouldn't spot him.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The American who won the 100m dash just thanked his grandfather for making possible his father. And also his mother.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Another of the leading pack had dropped out about half an hour before Radcliffe.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:08 (twenty-one years ago)

how far, did she get?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:11 (twenty-one years ago)

23 miles?

― toby (tsg20), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:19 (twenty-one years ago)

and she was supposed to do 26.2? is that right? oh, well.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 23 August 2004 05:20 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah 26 miles 385 yards.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 23 August 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

For metric fans, she dropped out right by the 36km mark (out of 42)

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I do wonder why the fuck they couldn't have started the race at 8.30am to avoid that heat.

american television, as far as i'm aware...

the athletes had asked for it to start at 6.30am, which would've been 8.30 here, but 3 in the morning for the septics (i don't know why the american networks were so bothered to be honest, but this is what i've read in the paper).

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

also, more importantly, katarina kluft is luuufly and kelly sotherton is alright too :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

LEE MCCONNELL 4EVER!!!

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

hmm, she has funny eyes i thought, also she seemed to be almost entirely away with the fairies when interviewed afterwards...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I think that's what I like about her.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

fair dos...

anyway, i see ramosi's thread regarding htis has been revived:

Olympians Past and Present You Wanna Shag

so lets leave this thread for discussing vomiting marathon runners...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like that other thread.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

ok, i was just saying like, it's not that excessive though...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

It's just the title.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Should Paula do the 10K? I hope so.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

She's about to give a press conference.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

(first question up: "Olympians past and present you wanna shag, Paula?")

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

brendan foster will go and give her a slap if she does run the 10k.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

When's the press conf?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

she's undecided on the 10k.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/3590166.stm

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

she sounded broken during that interview.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Whenever Brendan Foster turns up on telly my dad starts banging on about how he should have run in a nappy, such were the frequency of his 'upset stomachs' before/during important races. I am obviously too young to have witnessed his dodgy gut excuses, but for those of you old enough to remember: did he really use it as an excuse as often as all that? Or is my dad exagerrating?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

the athletes had asked for it to start at 6.30am, which would've been 8.30 here, but 3 in the morning for the septics

No, that would've be 4:30am here, 11:30pm for the east coast US, 8:30pm for the west coast US. Primetime. So maybe that was the issue - no room for the women's marathon vs Jay Leno or whoever. Or maybe it was the Beeb's fault!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 23 August 2004 12:48 (twenty-one years ago)

30 minutes till our boys take on the Aussies. Too close to call this one, but I'm sort of a bit nervous about how exactly the team'll click. First run out with this line up and the changes will have to be absolutely bang on. Anyhow, let's crank up the Kraftwerk and get it on.

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 23 August 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you mean the team pursuit, Nick? We haven't got a chance, have we? We broke the 4min barrier yesterday and then the Aussies went and smashed the world record. Perhaps if we hope for the velodrome equivalent of lousy baton changes like when we used to occasionally pip the Americans in the 4x400m relay in the 80s/90s.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 23 August 2004 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I think a lot of it'll come down to tiny errors. But we've got Rob Hayles in I think (4th in the individual) as well as Wiggins, so I really think we have a chance.

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 23 August 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

BTW, I didn't mean to be so cryptic, but the explanatory picture vanished.

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 23 August 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

We lost by over 3.5sec - they didn't even have to go near their new WR to beat us. It's like the bleedin' Ashes.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 23 August 2004 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

no we'll beat them next year don't worry.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 23 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Still, silver is pretty.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

i hold no truck at all with this olympics lark but the goth in me did smile a bit when i heard on the radio this morning that we'd won a medal in the quadruple skulls.

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 23 August 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelly doll!!!

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

KELLY DOLL!!! She ran a textbook race: start at the back, make your way forward, sit on the shoulder of the favourite, peg it down the home straight. Fantastic.

BBC watchers will note the race was not billed Kelly Holmes, BBC1, 7pm. She'll have benefited from the pressure being off, I'm sure.

There is no way Paula should run the 10k. Apart from the fact that her legs have run 22 miles, she's in no kind of mental state to take the possibility of being beaten a second time.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

By god that was incredible. Cram at the end - "The time is 1:56 something... whatever... I don't care!" Here expression upon crossing the line with no-one in front of her for the first time ever, exploding into wild eyed joy, then the sudden jolt as it hit her, the disbelief... and then the realisation = moment of the olympics thus far by a mile.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

hurrah!

I think she should madchen, this is prob her last olympics...she is unlikely to win (no sprint finish) but maybe if she could get a medal it won't hurt so much.

x-post

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Paula Radcliffe, who I normally like, is really really annoying me. Doesn't she realise that everyone else had to cope with the same conditions/start time etc that she did? She threw her toys out of the pram when she realised she couldn't win, and is milking a ton of sympathy. Possibly.

Kelly, however - the shriek from my house when she won must have been audible across half of Renfrewshire.

Also, go Dean Macey!!!

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelly Doll? Isn't she in a band?

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, Michael Johnson was wearing a really cool shirt yesterday evening.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't get any of that, Ailsa. It seems to be everyone else going on about the heat. On the BBC interview just reshown she just looked bewildered and broken.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked Johnson 100 times more than I did before when I saw his shirt.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, everyone else went on about the heat, but they didn't jack it and start bubbling about it. Though I think that my Paula-annoyance is irrational due to the "hero" status conferred on her by the tabloid press, when the others who actually struggled through the same factors and finished are getting totally ignored.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

No, what I'm saying is in the interview she only mentioned the heat to say that when she was going fine at the start it wasn't bothering her. She wasn't even implying that it did later - she just kept saying that her legs went and that she had no idea why, and was hoping that tests might reveal some answers.

By 'everyone else' I meant the pro-Paula media, not other competitors.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

But Paula actually said in the interview that everyone else had to cope with the same conditions and she couldn't use it as an excuse. Steve Cram had to point out to her that plenty of very good athletes dropped out before she did.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm just grumpy because I'm sick of her greeting face all over the papers at the end of a weekend when we actually won stuff.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I loved that fact that we had greeting faces on Saturday's and Sunday's papers.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean Sunday and Monday

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Liz McColgan was on earlier, saying she shouldn't do the 10K. Also parading her daughter around who will be the next her, because her and her husband's genes are so amazing. At least that's what she said. Dundonian fool.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Good use of the word 'her', there.

Jo Pavey reminds me of no-one more than Mark Hester! The flags-as-skirts thing can be quite cute.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Pinsent was just ensuring his lovable "sports personality of the year" vote (but I think Kelly Holmes may just have pissed on his chips for that one).

Poor Sonia O'Sullivan (but at least she finished)

(xpost - I am old as I remember junior McColgan being born and now she is old enough to be the next hope of British athletics).

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael jonhnson's shirt last night was provided by Paul Smith (not definite but I'd put money on it) He has been the star of the games for me

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I HATE GARY HALL, JR

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember Liz McColgan running up until about a week before the birth - actually, she was just kind of shuffling along - and then she started again practically as soon as they'd given the baby a slap and found a nappy for it.

Eilish can run 800m a whole thirty seconds faster than mummy could at her age.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

God bless Dean Macey. "Sun shines on a dog's, eh?!"

Michael Johnson is wonderful because he was the greatest ever ever EVER and by christ doesn't he just know it. Watching him and then watching Colin Jackson turn into athletics' very own Garth Crooks really is marvellous.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Gary Hall Jr rocks. GO SWIMMING ELVIS

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, does Brendan Foster ever actually shut up?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, but only when you put a pie in front of him.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Did I just hear one of the gymnasts being compared to David Gower? Or should I lay off the red wine?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

The high bar final was great, Nembov (sp?) did a fantastic routine, got marked down by the judges for no discernable reason and the "very knowledgable" crowd (thanks Eurosport commentator dude) reacted badly, booing for well over five minutes. Controversial Paul Hamm was left waiting and then did a pretty good routine which knocked Nembov out the medals, but then the Italian came along and performed beautifully - very good, a deserved winner.

I took agin Hamm though, he looks like the baddy from National Lampoons Animal house

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

booing for well over five minutes.

Is that why the BBC have left the high bar final to show boxing, with Steve Rider telling us that it's quite interesting (if we get to see it)?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean, I thought it was going to be some totally interesting reason, not just a bit of crowd humphing.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

it was great, the crowd were very anti the judges, with the Russian womens coach leading the booing etc

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

In response to some discussion further up there, I think that, for Khorkina's claims to be justified, she needed to not have done TOTALLY SLOPPY routines in which she WOBBLED MANY A'TIME as though she were a palm tree blowing in the winds of Hurricane Charley. Based on the performance she gave in these Games, compared to her performance in Sydney, I'm actually surprised she earned as HIGH scores as she did.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, I've seen it now. It was quite funny.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

khorkina's grace is the misremembered elan of the drunk 40 year old ex-gymnast frothing about how good she was. I wasn't at all impressed with her. graceful pah!

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Beach Volleyball!! yay!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

men play beach volleyball too?

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

It's very hush hush.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I am loving the random bits of music between the volleyball action.

Also the kid that just got twatted in the face. hahaha.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought the Nemov/Hamm kerfuffle was magnificent - perhaps my favourite sequence of the Games (I didn't see the Holmes/Mutola ding-dong live); in Colder times we'd have been talking about a diplomatic incident. They'd have expelled some of our chaps and we'd have expelled some of theirs. The judges actually revised their scores, seemingly in response to the crowd going up the cooee. Or down the Co-op. Whatever it is.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

the judging for the gymnastics was very poor though. There were some really exciting routines, with only a few minor errors, but those had much lower scores than those routines that were very safe and dull.

outraged of oxford.

― jellybean (jellybean), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Frigates on standby, activity in the Bering straights, it would have been marvellous, in 1976

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

One of those great Olympic days: Holmes coming from as far back as possible, being forced wide, Mutola pulling away for an agonising 2 or so seconds before being reined in and out of the medals at the death; Holmes' myriad expressions of joy, bafflement, astonishment and joy; Foster's extolment of the wonders and virtues of an even pace, an even pace. The gymnastics 'incident', in truth a build-up over the course of an evening as much as a response to a single happening; the judging abhorrent in many cases, rewarding the colourless plodders for their deathly accurate antics rather than the pin-sharp exhuberance and daring of, say, the Japanese. The American 1-2-3 in the 400 final, Johnson's protege running the fastest time since the great man himself (yet still half a second or more slower). The weird intermissions and sidelines; boxing, beach volleyball (yes, great music), women's football (which still seems somehow poor). Radcliffe's unwatchable, unmissable continued confusion and grief over press conferences and Cram's cotton wool interview.

LIz McColgan has had 5 kids, I think.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 23 August 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

She's so competitive.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Did Kelly Sotherton get a medal? - I'm a couple of days behind!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 23 August 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Bronze.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Dr C - don't get your hopes up too much about Paula Radcliffe.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 23 August 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Shh, we can use Dr C's time-lag to wager pints at the FAP!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 23 August 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Meanwhile there's a blog that keeps track of the last place finishers

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Now that's beautiful.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Speaking of last placers, we haven't really had a decent candidate to take Eric the Eel's crown, have we?

Beach volleyball music indeed: Hands up baby hands up give me your heart gimme gimme your heart gimme gimme all your love all your loooooooove!

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 06:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I have reached saturation point, Olympics-wise. This never happenes in the World Cup because just when you're beginning to get a bit bored, the matches start thinning out, leaving you feeling like a motherless child.

I saw about three minutes of Paula Radcliffe's interview, she just looked completley exhausted, like those people who are expected to get a first and just freak out in their finals.

George Bush is trying to make politcal gains from Iraq's success in the football. He might go and see them play. That will be the biggest boo ever! Even I will boo, and I never boo.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 08:13 (twenty-one years ago)

this year's eric the eel = the somalian woman's 100m runner who ran across all the other lanes and then back into hers?

― cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Have y'all in the UK heard about the ads Bush is running? paraphrased: "thanks to President Bush, there are now two more free democracies competing in the Olympic Games", referring to Iraq and Afghanistan (both of whom are functioning just marvelously as nations at the moment. chaos in the streets but hey at least you have an Olympic soccer team. chin up.)

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 08:20 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, i was reading about them in the paper this morning.

this could lead to the sort of political medal ceremony not seen since thingy and whatsit in mexico city...

(i am secretly hoping that if the iraqis win and bush is there, all 11 of them MOON HIM!!!)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

That sums up everything I hate about the BBC's coverage and also explains why I came over all Oscar Wilde when Paula dropped out, i.e., you'd have to have a heart of stone to watch that without laughing.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I hated the way the BBC presented it too, but I also deplore the way that Radcliffe seemed to feel under some sort of obligation to win the thing. It's like her acceptance of Sports Personality of the Year was some sort of pact with the Beeb, that as soon as she got that, she was running for gold for the sake of the viewers. Sport shouldn't be like that. No-one should owe anyone anything. You win stuff, you lose stuff, but mostly it's about learning and developing. If you blow up in a marathon, so be it. You shouldn't have to answer to braying donkeys like Sue Barker.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

OTM. Except Brendan Foster is the one I really hate.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Brendan's just too close to the subject to be objective when it comes to Paula. He knows his onions for the most part though.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:13 (twenty-one years ago)

All the British commentators and pundits are too close to the subject to be objective when it comes to British athletics - which is why it's a joy to have Michael Johnson to talk some sense for a change

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

With Paula Radcliffe sitting at the side of the road bawling her eyes out, Foster said "Paula Radcliffe doesn't quit marathons, Paula Radcliffe doesn't quit races" - errrrrrrrrrrrr, hello?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I am greatly enjoying Bespectacled Steve Rider 2K4.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:20 (twenty-one years ago)

From where I was sat it was more like watching Icarus than Phidippides. Oh no - I'm melting!

Speaking of the Brit-centric BBC mindset, I don't understand where Michael Johnson gets the patience from to sit there talking up some of our mediocrities when there are some blinding performances going on from some of the other competitors. Maybe he's just there to piss Roger Black off. He had your medals Rog, now he's nicked yer job.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, Johnson can only really work with what's on the screen, which will tend to be either Brits or Americans if either is available.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't mind the Beeb being Brit-centric, a little bit of realism and objectivity might be nice every now and again, that's all.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)

(N.B. this does not mean Colin Jackson)

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:26 (twenty-one years ago)

NickB, she's a professional athlete at the very top of her sport! THAT's why she feels a duty to win - because it's what she strives for when she's running 140 miles a week.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Colin Jackson brings a nice bit of campness to the proceedings, so i don't mind him all that much

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I quite like Jonathan Edwards on the triple jump - "nooo... no no no..."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:30 (twenty-one years ago)

NickB, she's a professional athlete at the very top of her sport! THAT's why she feels a duty to win - because it's what she strives for when she's running 140 miles a week

But she *really* started welling up in her interview with Crammy when she was talking about letting everyone down. She doesn't have to take on that extra pressure, she shouldn't have to account for other people's expectations.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Brendan Foster: "I think the time has come to examine whether the Marathon should even be in a Summer games like the Olympics"
Michael Johnson: "We didn't hear you saying that before Paula Radcliffe ran."

Foster = DUD
Johnson = CLASSIC

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The tribulations of Poorla pale next to the wild melodrama the host nation seem to be going through.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/3544542.stm

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

That men's high bar drama shit last night was INSANE. First there was the Japanese dude and Hamm pt. 1 getting the exact same score, then the Russian dude going up and BLOWING EVERYONE AWAY but oh no they didn't, the judges fucked it up by giving him a really low score and the audience GOES INSANE and boos for like 10 minutes straight, actually forcing the judges to change their score, but he's still lower than the first two dudes and then Hamm pt. 2 finally goes up after having to wait for like 15 minutes for the judges to get their shit together and the audience to CALM THE FUCK DOWN and he admittedly nails his routine, though it's kinda dull, and the judges GO NUTS AGAIN and give him a fucking 9.8 or something, putting him in first place and in danger of another krazy skoring skandal but then the Italian dude goes up and is like "WHAT? WHAT?" and decimates everyone else, and the judges finally recognize and give him the same score as Hamm pt. 2, ANOTHER tie score, but the tie-breaker method makes the Italian the leader (deservedly), and then the Korean dude who's been causing all the shit with the all-around scores goes up and completely fucks up, messing up his hands and hitting his legs on the bar and that's it. THOSE JUDGES WERE SMOKING CRACK.

― n.a. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

did anyone see in the shooting when the american guy just needed to hit somewhere anywhere on the target to clinch the gold, but he shot at the wrong one and dropped to last place? that sucks

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Forcing the judges to change their score?? Every single referee, umpire and judge in the world of sport is suddenly going to face ten times as many appeals thanks to these spineless bastards :(

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

the judges should have been taken out and had their eyes poked out for that poor judging

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

you ukers are blessed by not having to hear al trautwig shit all over the gymnastics coverage, though

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't think it's necessarily the judges fault (not the particular ones in this competition) though. the problem seems to be that a routine that has a 10.0 difficulty can be done mainly in the swingy bits, whereas the russian puts in 5 releases and it's no more difficult than a routine with only 1, as nothing can be more difficult than 10. also they need to look at degrees of nailing the landing, rather than jsut automatically taking a tenth off...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve Ryder: "He's too young to vote or go out for a drink..." His name is AMIR KHAN, do you think there might be a vague possibility the chap does not care for alcohol?

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

the sixteen yr old kid in the gymnastics last night was like a muscly harry Potter - a very scary thought

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Especially since she was a girl.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the guy who got bronze in the vault final.

Carsmile OTM. The judges need to raise the bar, pun possibly not intended.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought the Romanian girl was good in the gymnastics. It's still terrifying though.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay Kelly, looking good.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Amir Khan = star!

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Mega pile-up in the women's hurdles! Is no-one else watching this?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I feel like breaking things right now.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

More great stuff! Some of these lady pole vaulters are kinda cute! (NB not the ginger Russian)

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/08/24/sports/olympics/24cnd-beach.2.184.jpg

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

May I be the first to say yay Hicham! Tis only just and right, finally.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Ella Guerrouj!
Ella Guerrouj!

(he shore sumpin'!)

― Bumfluff, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 19:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Well done the cameraman who got the pole vault shots with the Olympic flame in the background. Very pretty.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The Kenyans were crazy tonight. I was not that impressed.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

The pole vault final was so so good. I love Yelena Isinbayeva. The bitchy looks the two Russians kept giving each other were classic, especially as every time they prompted the commentators into mentioning the 'intensity' of their rivalry. And it was nice of the Bianca-from-Eastenders-lookalike to smile when Isinbayeva got the world record.

Also classic - Hicham El Guerrouj's crazy dancing. Bless him.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

That Russian pole-vaulter was cool! World record! I kinda like her double-pony tail hair.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the way she screamed on the way down after each clearance - it added a Jackass element to proceedings. I'd like more "Oh, Christ!" exclamations - cyclists when they bank at the velodrome, gymnasts in mid-air, ski jumpers (OK, not this Olympics).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:01 (twenty-one years ago)

so what was going on in the steeplechase? why was the lead kenyan beckoning his teammates? was it basically to make sure the "qatari" athlete (ie a bought kenyan) was out of the top 3?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I have watched the TRIATHLON this morning. Perhaps you have too.

Iraq out of the football. Quite a relief I suppose. Final at 8 am Saturday, I think they said. Just like Sunday League, only earlier and on a different day.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Triathlon was a little boring - it goes on way too long. I switched over and watched Rich Girls, that's a great show.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:22 (twenty-one years ago)

The ending was very exciting.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Even thinking about the triathlon makes me very, very tired. I think I'd've collapsed just cycling up that hill once, never mind five times (after a 20-minute swim!) (and before a 10,000m run!)

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

It was a vicious hill.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 10:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Has Macey finished yet? Where did he come?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes. 4th.

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Dr.C is asking about Sydney.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

(not that the answer would be any different)

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Brilliant things on the women's track yesterday:

1. Isinbayeva shrieking with delight as she cleared the bar on her last couple of vaults. It's nice to hear an athlete sharing the absolute physical fun it must be to do something spectacular.

2. Joanna Hayes' tearful shock at winning the 100 hurdles, and favorite Perdita Felicien spending a long time leaning dejectedly against the hurdle that took her out.

3. The 400 final, where the stunningly regal-looking Tonique Darling broke out ahead, got caught on the last turn by Ana Geuvara, then somehow took the lead back on the flat to win it running away from Guevara, who was straining so hard it looked like she was clawing the air.

Oh, my, that Tonique Darling looks like the empress of the world, if the empress had time to really work out a hell of a lot. I felt bad for Mexico, though.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

**I think Dr.C is asking about Sydney. **

That Roger Bannister's a fine prospect isn't he? And young Brasher.
When will rationing end?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

My wife decided that aside from Ana Guevara, the women's 400 was the Race Of The Models. She said the same of the men's decathlon.

Ah, libido; the great sport equalizer.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Guevara is kind of a hatchet-face, isn't she? I'm often inclined to root for the homelies -- shortcomings that humanize these athletes with otherwise awesome physical gifts.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought that read 'I'm often inclined to root for the homeless'.

Never root for the homeless.

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

What, and give up Bum Fights?

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Allyson Felix is *beautiful* and holy shit can that girl run. Her face expresses absolutely NO emotion when she's racing. It's kind of freaky.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

yay! Israel won a gold medal!

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

What event? Hopefully it was in judo, at the weight where that Iranian punk dropped out rather than risk getting beat by a Jew.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, the sailing.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

nope! way cooler!

Israel Wins First-Ever Olympic Gold
By REUTERS

THENS, Aug 25 - Windsurfer Gal Fridman created Olympic history on Wednesday by winning Israel's first Olympic gold medal in any sport.

Fridman, 28, won the men's Mistral title after finishing second in the final race.

Israel first entered the Games in 1952 in Helsinki and it had to wait 40 years for its first medal, on the judo mat in Barcelona.

Fridman, who won a bronze in 1996, was not selected for the Sydney Games and gave up the sport for two years before returning to win the world title in 2002.

Greek Nikos Kaklamanakis, the host nation's symbol of hope for the Games after lighting the 2004 Olympic Torch, produced a late surge to grab silver. Briton Nick Dempsey took bronze after winning the last race.

Overnight leader Ricardo Santos from Brazil trailed in 17th to finish out of the medals.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Atta Gal!

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Allyson Felix is *beautiful* and holy shit can that girl run.

otm--and awfully calm and possessed for an 18 year old...

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Sheepfuxors GOLD and SILVER in the trathalon!!!! Our men may yet catch up with our women (who have golds in Rowing and Cycling).

― plebian plebs (plebian), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:01 (twenty-one years ago)

and our girl in the triathlon was allegedly dunked under the water and someone tried to undo her swimsuit!!!!

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Sauce!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Jody Swallow = best name ever

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i believe she ended up with a black eye as well, great quote in the grauniad though [slightly paraphrased] "when i find out who it was, i'll get them"...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought that was a bit unsporting of her, to mention that. Sadly there is no video evidence. She seemed to be quite popular with the male athletes at the end. It was a bit like school sports day. Cram couldn't remember her name. Mind you, neither can I. Is she NZ or Aus?

Yesterday's race was much better. It lulled me into a false sense of anticipation.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i liked the synchronised swimming piece on freaky trigger.

that triple jumper (or was it high jump?) i saw the other day looked like a sure-fire candidate for a drugs test - ear ring, punky hair, stubble. wtf?

― koogs (koogs), Thursday, 26 August 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I have just watched Spain vs USA in Basketball. It was very good, I think. I got mildly excited. But USA won in the end. Everyone booed them and chanted rude things in Spanish. I think the Spanish coach was intending to duff his opposite number up in the dressing rooms. That seemed to be what his gesticulations conveyed. Very good, I am proud to be Spanish, even though I'm not.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 26 August 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the Wikipedia entry on 'Dream Team' - it suggests that the US media may just quietly drop the Roman numeral 'IV' from references to this Dream Team and perhaps dispense with the D-word altogether. It's only a Dream Team if it stuffs everyone.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 August 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: Jody Swallow vs Misty Hymen

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 26 August 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

el dream team - hijos de puta!

along those lines?

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 26 August 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

More news from the world-beating British Athletics Team as Angry Campbell hits back.

Campbell, who took silver in the 200m at Sydney in 2000, added: "I don't know how to give up."

I advise a quick word with Paula Radcliffe, she'll tell him all he needs to know.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 26 August 2004 14:17 (twenty-one years ago)

johnson was being *so* bitchy about him last night "if he's got a torn hamstring he'd be out for 6 weeks, not running in an olympic semi-final". and you could tell he wanted to continue "send the bastard up here and i'll bitch-slap him if he keeps bleating on"

also the whole 200m was rub, johnson was obv pissed off that he hadn't brought his spikes with him, as he could've gone out and blown the rest of them off the track and commentated at the same time...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 26 August 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Johnson's obviously getting sick and tired watching a succession of self-satisfied hasbeens like Campbell trundling in in 8th place and hearing all sorts of lame excuses for their general crapness. As Johnson said, someone like Mark Lewis-Francis is a big player in British athletics when there are dozens of better US sprinters who you will probably never hear of.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 26 August 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

he is, in a very real sense, the man.

although the "big fish small pond" theory is surely why he's commentating for the beeb rather than one of the US broadcasters...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 26 August 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know WHY he's commentating for the Beeb to be honest

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 26 August 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

he's already said = better, more in depth coverage

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 26 August 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Indeed, the BBC has to cover the early heats in most athletics events 'cos that's usually as far as the British athletes ever get

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 26 August 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Alt. - really enjoyed rubbing it in Roger Black's face.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 26 August 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

(x-post)

Yes, massed choir chanting of 'hijos de puta'.

Really and truly, injured people should stand down and let someone else have a go. Even if they haven't got a chance of winning, it's great experience for London 2012 or whenever it isn't. However, I don't know if this is alllowed in the Olympic rulebook.

There has been an awful lot of whining. Only 'someone deliberately singled me out while we were all swimming along with all our might to pull my zip down' has raised it to an artform.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 26 August 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Did anybody else watch the Keirin?

A pompous little man on a little motorbike leads 6 cyclists around the velodrome for 8 laps at a sensible speed (for no good reason I could figure out), before getting off the track and leaving them to sprint the last 2 laps.

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Thursday, 26 August 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

just saw the Egyptian guy win the gold in the men's greco-roman wrestling. is it true this guy is heading to the WWE, or is just going pro in another country?

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Friday, 27 August 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I have watched some canoe paddling, it was good. I watched some walking racing. An Australian man cried. I thought Australian men didn't cry. Now I am watching some mountain-biking. They go up tiddly up up, they go down tiddly own down.

That has been the Sister Disco Olympic Report.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Friday, 27 August 2004 07:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Agree on the Olympic canoodling, good to watch, but those folks must have really unbalanced physiques. Years of chronic masturbation, I reckon. Oh, there's surely hope for us lot yet. How come the Hungarians are so good at it?

Thursday's Men's Modern Pentathlon was great. The forth event - showjumping - is all done on horses the riders have never seen before. Anyhow, the organisers must have rescued yesterday's batch from the knacker's yard. All utter donkeys - one of the high-placed favourites had to withdraw when his particular steed refused at a fence six times. Others had to resort to just plowing straight through the jumps at high speed and hoping momentum would take them through. Absolute carnage. Must pack a bag of carrots next time, eh chaps?

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:01 (twenty-one years ago)

she's doing it...

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/olympics2004/athletics/story/0,14782,1292188,00.html

pretty certain i think this is a bad idea...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Eeeek, I have a bad feeling about that. Worse still, we've gotta sit through all the hype again.

So how come the Hellenes were booing Shorn Crawford with such rancour last nite? Did he say something naughty or something?

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i think it was more to protest at the lack of kenderis from what the graun was saying, didn't see it myself...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

They seemed to up the volume every time the Shorn was shown on the big screen.

Mountain bike race is tickety-boo. Lots of 'em struggling with the techie bits, loads of climbing, some great singletrack footage, more cowbells than the Ratpure, Paula Pesto's blown up even before she had the chance to flash her boobies, comedy crashes all over the place. Looks like a great course, but wouldn't want to race on it in that heat.

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:26 (twenty-one years ago)

So now we know the Greek nation are fuckwits to a man. I was praying for an announcement along these lines "Ladies and Gentlemen, may we take this opportunity to politely remind you that Mr. Kenderis is a FUCKING. DRUG CHEAT. So sit down and shut up, you arses!"

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Erm. Do you think the same about everyone in england when english football fans boo foreign national anthems?

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 08:32 (twenty-one years ago)

yes. i do anyway.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 27 August 2004 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Well yes football fans are representative of those other 59 million odd people you're right
greek nation, indeed greek race = all fuckwits
that statement = not racist, no no no

you all voting for michael howard then?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3599814.stm

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, your two top athletes are filthy drug cheats! The entire Greek crowd were blinkered, idiotic and very bad losers. Face your shame.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 27 August 2004 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

"The entire Greek crowd were blinkered, idiotic and very bad losers"

YES. OTM. The entire CROWD. Not the NATION.
It's perfectly obvious the crowd were a bunch of FUCKWITS (the majority anyway. I saw some congratulating Crawford afterwards).

To extend that to the whole NATION - well i've expressed what I think that is.

Kenteris and Thanou are a disgrace. But to quote David Walsh in the
Sunday Times "The achievement of the Greeks has been to see beyond the shaming of their biggest stars and to understand that the show is far bigger than the host nation".
Greece have not made idiotic whiny complaints to the IOC about its fallen sportsmen/women. It's accepted their failures and kept its dignity intact, and got on with the job.

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

When I see a group of people behaving badly, on tv or in real life,
I do not think "hmmm, everyone from their country/race must be a FUCKWIT. No wait I do - because I read the DAILY STAR.

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 09:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Was quite surprised to hear last night that Jesse Owens won his 1936 gold medal in front of Hitler. Who even knew Adolf could sprint?

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 27 August 2004 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry I meant the entire crowd. And you Mr. Cypriot.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 27 August 2004 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(well argued. you are a fule Dr C. I only think that from your last two posts incidentally, most everything else you write is interesting.
but yes i am a fuckwit for responding to your asinine stupidity - good job fellla)

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course I don't REALLY think the whole nation are fuckwits, CP. Or you. I was in ranting mode for gods sake.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 27 August 2004 10:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Well okay I love you then. In a Greek stylee. ;- )

"for gods sake"

I have now sacrificed a ram to Athena to ensure future good vibes.

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Nice.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 27 August 2004 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

While we're on Greece, I just like to note that this is our best medals haul (13 so far, 6 gold) since 1896 (which doesn't really count....so it's realistically our best ever really).

Even accounting for the drugs scandals, what with EURO 2004 I'm
pretty confident I won't see a better year for Hellenic sport in my lifetime. We've got to make a fuss while we're doing well!!

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)

The Greek 400m hurdles girl was so cute when talking to Sally Gunnell for the BBC after winning a storming gold the other night - she was in awe and it was really sweet. Bless.

Not seen enough Olympics this week as have been socialising. Hmph.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 27 August 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Hang on - my cypriot colleague is always stressing that Cyprus is a different country to Greece! So how come you're claiming their golds, huh?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 27 August 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark, is yr colleague of the Turkish Cypriot persuasion?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 27 August 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Nope, Greek Cypriot.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 27 August 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

According to the Guardian yesterday, Ireland has sent 67 officials to accompany only 43 athletes.
Romania have sent 68 officials to accompany 120 athletes.

So far, Romania has won 8 golds, and loads of silver and bronze. We've won fuck all.

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Friday, 27 August 2004 12:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Meanwhile, Adrian Annus would appear to have brought disgrace to his family's good name by doing a runner with his medal from the hammer without providing the IOC with a sample. He's the training partner of the geezer in the discus who got stripped of his gold when he got busted for trying to switch his flagon of wee-wee for one he prepared earlier. Harrupmh!

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 27 August 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

To most of us Greece is inseperable from our identity as Greek cypriots. Some view it as the mother country, some as the protector of our culture. My parents (one born here, one not) see Cyprus as geographically distinct but spiritually very close to Greece.
After all the main reason why Cyprus is not a Greek island is because of its history of being conquered and owned by other powers.
I live in a cypriot area of north london and every cypriot I know
celebrated Greece's victory in EURO 2004 as THEIR victory.
However I completely understand Mark's point; I get pissed off when people casually assume there is no difference between being a cypriot and being a Greek as there are a good many.

For the purposes of sport and some other nationalistic stuff most cypriots are happy to be Greeks though! I think it's obvious why....

For the record I HATE all the rivalry between cypriot greeks and turks. The kind of stuff our parents and grandparents make us sick with.

― cypriot poster, Friday, 27 August 2004 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

An astonishing fight has seen Amir Khan into the lightweight final. Two points down going into the third, ended up winning by 14. Blinding boxing.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 27 August 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

No wonder Paula Radcliffe's head lops about like that. You try running with no backbone.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 27 August 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Paula Radcliffe: anybody else read this conspiracy?

"Colleague of mine is an ex-athlete of pretty high standard (30-40yrs ago) and also a pharmaceutical expert. He is absolutely convinced that Paula Radcliffe is on drugs. Firstly, from being an also-ran, she suddenly became the best in the world by a distance at the 10k and marathon. Not just incremental improvements either. And at her age - she was 28 when it happened - you simply don’t improve, let alone to the extent that she did. And to be fair it is difficult to comprehend that by doing a couple of things differently in training you can improve that much - she was already a full time athlete. His argument is further fuelled by performance - or non-performance - at the last 2 major championships. Last summer she was "injured" and couldn’t race in the worlds. But how long did the injury last? Not that long - within 2 or 3 weeks she was back running and winning on the circuit. Avoiding the testers? And then the Olympics. With the crackdown she couldn’t take any drugs - he thinks EPO was the most effective for long distance runners, without real substitutes - so stopped in the run up. Hoped that her fitness levels were high enough that she could still win it without. But by coming off EPO for a period her body was probably producing LESS red blood cells than pre-EPO and left her in that mess. Both physically and mentally. Im sure there are other possible explanations. However, the argument that the pressure got to her too much? Not sure about that. Long distance running is not the same as sprinter, where you need to be relaxed. There are no technical demands. All that can go wrong really are tactics. And on the weather side? Perhaps. But she trains in hot climes and at altitude most of the year. Pre-athens she was training in south of spain, and it gets pretty damn hot down there in the summer. But then, I argued, she was so vociferously anti-drugs before. But then, look at how much it is worth: it isnt just the olympic title. She now gets hundreds of thousands of pounds just for running in a marathon. And all the sponsorship deals and other commercial activities. Think about it. Before that she was a moderately successful woman who couldn’t ever win the big ones. Dedicating her whole life to her sport, which was far from the most glamorous events, she was hardly going to be raking it in. and at 27-28 she didn’t have that much time left to be competitive. Motivation is there alright. And she hasn’t really been that vocal over the last couple of years about drugs in sport… I'm still not sure and am sitting on the fence a bit. But he has a powerful argument."

Funny, just after I read it today I predicted to someone that if it was true there was no way she'd finish tonight...

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 27 August 2004 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I would lose a little faith if someone like paula is winning by drugs.

― cºzen (Cozen), Friday, 27 August 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm a naïve romantic though. : /

― cºzen (Cozen), Friday, 27 August 2004 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

It makes some sense theoretically. I've always felt the buzz around Paula was like "look! She's winning things as if she's on drugs, without taking drugs! Rumours you say? No no look how anti-drugs she is"

― Bumfluff, Friday, 27 August 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Chinese gold medals in track and field? Beijing 2008 will be one helluva place to be.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 27 August 2004 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

oooh so exciting that the chinese hurdler won! now pretty much every channel here in china is showing the race over and over again.

the dude's slightly cocky. right after he won, he said sth to the effect of nobody thought a chinese could win on the track, well, ive shown'em. and then he did a finger snap-point at the camera thing. then broke down in tears.

so pleased for him.

― may, Saturday, 28 August 2004 03:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I imagine a lot of the Greek supporters boufght their tickets well in advance in the expectation of seeing Mr Kenderis (?) do his stuff. So they are ever likely to be pissed off. I have to say that the Greeks have, on the whole, been a credit to Greece, the drug scanadals seem to have been relegated to near-irrelevance over the weeks. This, I think, is a good thing, especially when you consider that there was a lot more written about drugs than sport in the run-up to the Olympics.

However, I didn't see them protesting. Every country has its fair share of mardy arses.

The football final was shit this morning. Kily Gonzalez obviously has his mind on Crystal Palace.

I liked the Chinese winner of the 10,000m. She spent the whole race running like Mr Bean until the last spurt where she suddenly gained use of her arms.

Ireland, I think, won gold in show jumping. Maybe all those officials are stable lads.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 28 August 2004 09:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Ireland did win the show jumping. Craig Doyle therefore finally had something he could talk about with some authority on the round-up show last night (how shite Ireland generally have been at winning stuff at the Olympics recently with the exception of drug-cheat swimmers).

Him and Claire Balding have no rapport at all. Who thought they would be a good idea in the studio together - a sarky Irishman and a posh bird with no sense of humour?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 28 August 2004 09:17 (twenty-one years ago)

the chinese 10,000m runner looked variously like she was trying to i. run life into her arms, ii. catch up with the group in front to tell them something iii. gain her balance.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 August 2004 09:25 (twenty-one years ago)

iv. shake-off the dead arms her teammate gave her, on the starting line, for speaking under a 'jinx double jinx shakespeare.'

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 August 2004 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

i've decided she's an android

(this may be bitterness caused by her preventing a sweep by the ethiops)

― H (Heruy), Saturday, 28 August 2004 09:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Well done Kelly!

Well done Hicham!

Not a bad hour for the fans' favourites there.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 28 August 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I forgot to watch!

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 28 August 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I told you we should have met in the pub to watch it. I'm sure it may get repeated once or twice. Maybe.

She's getting her medal NOW! On BBC1

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 28 August 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

FUCK!! Britain get gold in the men's 4x100! USA bugger up the baton changing again!

I only turned on by accident.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 28 August 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Bring on the women's 4x400.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 28 August 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like how Hazel Irvine is blatantly telling people who to vote for in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I mean, it's a total shoe-in for Kelly Holmes, and probably Amir Khan for the Young Personality one since Wayne Rooney fucked that one up, but I think singling out the 4x100m boys is a bit unfair.

We were talking about this in the pub last night and Madchen said it would be the whole GB Olympics team that won team of the year. That sounds about right, but Hazel seems to be promoting a whole BBC agenda for the relay boys.

Everyone's forgotten about Matthew Pinsent and the rowers. It was only last weekend, the man is only one medal behind Steve Redgrave and NO-ONE REMEMBERS because it's all Paula Bloody Radcliffe. Bah.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 29 August 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindelan superb, the consummate boxer. It was always a big ask, but Khan acquitted himself pretty fully. Won one round and drew another against a guy unbeaten in 5 years. Not a bad showing.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 29 August 2004 11:00 (twenty-one years ago)

anyone see that marathon shocker!! i was shocked, and i'm hard to shock. i'm talking about the crazy dood who pushed the Brasilian dood off of the road and into the crowd. Can't wait to find out what his story is. And the Brasilian dood was in the lead! That ain't fair.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:24 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5859225/

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

So, when do we get the full on body intrusive probe of the madman who attacked the Brazilian marathon runner!!!!!!!

All thoughts of support for others collapsed after that happened, my Italian friend I was watching with is distraught after the victory as he feels the victory has been tainted.

Opinions... any insights as to the freak....etc....

― H (Heruy), Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, first of all, is it right to call him a "madman" or "deranged", as I saw in several news reports? B/c so far the only evidence I have so far leads me to believe that he's merely an uncommonly exceptional asshole.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

or a plant!!!!

― H (Heruy), Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

He had a message on his back that said something about israel.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 29 August 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

He looks like the feller that ran on the track at the British Grand Prix a couple of years ago...

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 29 August 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

he is that same person.

I watched that race and that Brazilian was being caught - the Italian judged it well - but still, its got to be looked at.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 29 August 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Police identified him as Cornelius Horan, a defrocked Irish priest. In July 2003, Horan, in a costume similar to the one he wore Sunday, ran onto the track at the British Grand Prix in the middle of the race and stayed there for more than 20 seconds, forcing racers to swerve around him. He was carrying a sign that said, “read the Bible — the Bible is always right.”

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 29 August 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I swear I saw walter matthau at the track last night.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 29 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

who saw the closing ceremonies? The Gloria Estefan-looking greek chick was "singing" words to Dick Dale's "Pulp Fiction Theme" while some dude was hammering it out on a golden strat...

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Monday, 30 August 2004 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I want one of those polo shirts that people (judges? officials?) were wearing. White with one blue sleeve and one orange sleeve.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 30 August 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The closing ceremonies really sucked moose ass (except for the Beijing preview part).

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 August 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost: yikes those shirts are going for $200 on ebay!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 30 August 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost: Zhang Yimou directed the Beijing preview part.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 30 August 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I wz thinking along the 'I bet tom does slsk all the greek pop we've heard tonight'- type lines.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 30 August 2004 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm obsessed with this shirt!
http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Volunteers_photos/Volunteers_Uniforms/Uniform2_f.jpg

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 30 August 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

So, is Kelly Holmes a lesbian or not?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

hmm, i must say, the over-use of the phrase "long-term training partner" and "mysterious split" in relation to ms holmes and ms mutola had got me thinking...

...also that closing ceremony was SHIT and i love opening/closing ceremonies...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I know it's finished now but, who was that young Asian guy who co-presented some of the coverage because he was ABSOLUTELY FUCKING DIRE! Talk about a rabbit in the headlights, he couldn't finish a single sentence without stummbling over his (autocue) lines and looked shit-scared constantly.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I was very mad about the syntax neologism all the announcers kept affecting: "This Games" My
rant on the subject.

― EComplex (EComplex), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Coyne OTM. That guy = huge DUD. Claire Balding was the star, in the end.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

We got an Official Olympics Postcard yesterday from one of our lecturers who is also a commentator for Eurosport. The postmark is embossed in gold!

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

There is a rockumentary on telly tonight about the wheelchair basketball team, in case anyone's interested.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Meanwhile, Dazza Campbell is taking the BBC to court for calling him a tart. The tart.

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Paralympics start next week.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Want to take a guess at the percentage of seats that'll be filled?

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

They should do the Paralympics first.

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Wheelchairs would have a problem in a half-built stadium though, innit?

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 9 September 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

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