Summer Olympics: Beijing, China

[Missyboxers]

Originally Posted by Lois Lane

Anyone else hate that blonde crone who "interviews" the swimmers after their meets? She asks the dumbest questions, doesn't seem to listen to their answers and then just has absolutely no emotion at all when she speaks.

She is AWFUL! Her questions are terrible, especially when she asked Katie Hoff, "So, how did you rebound from that 400 IM?" to which Katie said, "Well, I didn't think it was so bad." She tried to save it with, "No, I mean endurance wise," which I thought was kind of far-fetched, but seriously, she seems to focus on the negative wherever possible (same with Natalie Coughlin and the lane lines). It's like she's trying to bring them down or something. Enough of her.

[Google]

 

[famita]

But didn't Natalie show class with her answer? She took blame on herself, and let it go.

[Lois Lane]

Originally Posted by famita

But didn't Natalie show class with her answer? She took blame on herself, and let it go.

Yeah she did.

I like Phelps, but I have a difficult time understanding what he's saying sometimes. He doesn't really enunciate--it's the marbles in the mouth syndrome. Although I suppose if you swim that well, who cares how you speak.

Did any of you hear about that college sophomore (I think his last name is Mandel) who swims at U of Michigan for the Wolverines and is trained by Phelps' trainer, Bill Bowman? He swims for Israel. Anyhow, while he was at the Olympics, he heard that his 51-year-old father fell off the roof (ladder?) and died. He's flying home Thursday to Israel to attend the funeral, but he stayed at the Games to try to qualify for the 200m breaststroke (he didn't make it).

Phelps (who can't swim for the Wolverines due to his pro status) gave him one of his Speedo high tech skins for a competition. I thought that was nice.

My father used to love watching the boxing. I remember this was back in the day when Howard Cossell was doing the commentary and my dad usually just turned the sound off so he wouldn't have to listen to him ramble on and on... I used to watch the Olympics with my dad and it was always a big family event. I lost my dad last year--and I am an adult--and it was incredibly difficult. Incredibly. I can't imagine how that college sophomore--a teenager--had the wherewithal to even get through his heats. He's a brave young man.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

Originally Posted by Missyboxers

She is AWFUL! Her questions are terrible, especially when she asked Katie Hoff, "So, how did you rebound from that 400 IM?" to which Katie said, "Well, I didn't think it was so bad." She tried to save it with, "No, I mean endurance wise," which I thought was kind of far-fetched, but seriously, she seems to focus on the negative wherever possible (same with Natalie Coughlin and the lane lines). It's like she's trying to bring them down or something. Enough of her.

I agree also, she really is bad. I did think Natalie recovered well, she seemed a little perplexed that the woman was focusing on the fact that she swam close to the lane line!

I consider myself a fairly poor judge of age, so I am trying not to get hung up on the fact that the female Chinese gymnasts look so incredibly young. The thing that really struck me about the ones that looked underage was that they did not look happy or excited at all. They looked like they were forcing smiles onto their faces when they started or ended an event. I cannot imagine having the kind of pressure that those girls are under... Being handpicked at 3 or 4 and basically raised with the single goal of being an Olympic gymnast, then thrown onto the world stage at a young age with no history of international competition and the medal hopes of your entire country resting on your shoulders!! I find it rather sad.
I truly hope those girls are happier with their situation than they appeared to be!

[jacobson00]

that's is the reason why i am having a hard time watching. they are like robot

[myrosiedog]

Originally Posted by ClosetRTWatcher

I consider myself a fairly poor judge of age, so I am trying not to get hung up on the fact that the female Chinese gymnasts look so incredibly young. The thing that really struck me about the ones that looked underage was that they did not look happy or excited at all. They looked like they were forcing smiles onto their faces when they started or ended an event. I cannot imagine having the kind of pressure that those girls are under... Being handpicked at 3 or 4 and basically raised with the single goal of being an Olympic gymnast, then thrown onto the world stage at a young age with no history of international competition and the medal hopes of your entire country resting on your shoulders!! I find it rather sad.
I truly hope those girls are happier with their situation than they appeared to be!

I agree and I find it to be a sort of "child slave labor". These kids are handpicked at a young age and then taken to the gymnastics center where they train for 7-8 hours a day and also are schooled. They are not living with their parents, they live within the "gym" community and they eat, breathe, sleep gymnastics. They are groomed every waking moment to be a gymnast. I really do find this to be a form of child slavery. No wonder they look so unhappy.

MamaC, thanks for the equestrian info. I had been watching CNBC and MSNBC and NBC, but did not know that USA was also carrying coverage. I will know now and can flip back adn forth and use the schedule you provided. You are a doll.!

[Bearcata]

Originally Posted by myrosiedog

I agree and I find it to be a sort of "child slave labor". These kids are handpicked at a young age and then taken to the gymnastics center where they train for 7-8 hours a day and also are schooled. They are not living with their parents, they live within the "gym" community and they eat, breathe, sleep gymnastics. They are groomed every waking moment to be a gymnast. I really do find this to be a form of child slavery. No wonder they look so unhappy.

MamaC, thanks for the equestrian info. I had been watching CNBC and MSNBC and NBC, but did not know that USA was also carrying coverage. I will know now and can flip back adn forth and use the schedule you provided. You are a doll.!

Thing is that for a lot of families having a child picked like this is a very good thing. While we see the pictures of Bejing and other cities and how progressive some of the people are many still live in agricutural areas doing backbreaking work and being worn out by 30. To have a child have an opportunity like this is like winning the lotto for the family.

[Lois Lane]

I would like to point out that many U.S. families also send their young children to other states to train with their coaches in gymnastics/figure skating. The children usually are in the care of their coaches.

Saw something interesting about the Spanish basketball team. Honest to goodness, what the heck where they thinking actually posing for this picture and NOT being reprimanded by their coaches (unless they were complicit in this as well) :

Olympics Beijing 2008: Spain basketball team pictured in controversial pose | Sport | guardian.co.uk

Olympics: Spain basketball team pictured in controversial pose
· Advert could lead to backlash from Chinese hosts

Spain's Basketball Federation has published a good luck advert for their men's team, the world champions, in which they stand pulling at the sides of their eyes in a slit-eyed gesture.

There is no obvious intention to upset their Olympic hosts in Beijing, but the irresponsible picture is likely to cause controversy and could be interpreted so as to lead to accusations of racism.

Spanish sport has been mired in rows over racism in the last few years. In November 2004 black English footballers were subjected to relentless racial barracking from home supporters in a match in Spain. Before the World Cup there were calls for Luis Aragones, then Spain's football coach, to be sacked after he called Thierry Henry a "black s---". And last year Lewis Hamilton suffered racist abuse during testing for the Spanish grand prix near Barcelona.

Spain play their first match in the Olympic basketball competition against Greece at 7.30am BST today.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

Originally Posted by Lois Lane

Spain's Basketball Federation has published a good luck advert for their men's team, the world champions, in which they stand pulling at the sides of their eyes in a slit-eyed gesture. the Olympic basketball competition against Greece at 7.30am BST today.

Oh my. How could they NOT see the potential offense to the Chinese in that photo!?!?

[Susan Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Lois Lane

I would like to point out that many U.S. families also send their young children to other states to train with their coaches in gymnastics/figure skating. The children usually are in the care of their coaches.

Saw something interesting about the Spanish basketball team. Honest to goodness, what the heck where they thinking actually posing for this picture and NOT being reprimanded by their coaches (unless they were complicit in this as well) :

Olympics Beijing 2008: Spain basketball team pictured in controversial pose | Sport | guardian.co.uk

Olympics: Spain basketball team pictured in controversial pose
· Advert could lead to backlash from Chinese hosts

Spain's Basketball Federation has published a good luck advert for their men's team, the world champions, in which they stand pulling at the sides of their eyes in a slit-eyed gesture.

There is no obvious intention to upset their Olympic hosts in Beijing, but the irresponsible picture is likely to cause controversy and could be interpreted so as to lead to accusations of racism.

Spanish sport has been mired in rows over racism in the last few years. In November 2004 black English footballers were subjected to relentless racial barracking from home supporters in a match in Spain. Before the World Cup there were calls for Luis Aragones, then Spain's football coach, to be sacked after he called Thierry Henry a "black s---". And last year Lewis Hamilton suffered racist abuse during testing for the Spanish grand prix near Barcelona.

Spain play their first match in the Olympic basketball competition against Greece at 7.30am BST today.

Yikes! No intention to upset? Well, good grief, what was their intention? As far as the female gymnasts? That sport has bothered me for a long time, irrespective of the countries. These children don't get to experience childhood, same thing with Ice Skating, but worse.