Summer Olympics: Beijing, China

[Lois Lane]

Originally Posted by femme fatale

I remember him, I think he was in 100m freestyle (I remember it was 100m something). He had never swam longer than 48m before so when he did the turn every stroke he took made him go longer than he ever did before.

Yes, it was the 100m (something!). If I recall the story correctly, the only pool he had access to was a hotel pool and he had to walk 20 miles to get there to practice.

I know that when Eddie the Eagle did the ski jumping, there was a push to keep all the "laymen" out of the Olympics. I think there has to be a fine balance--you don't want people making a mockery of the Games and/or getting unnecessarily hurt because they haven't trained properly, but you also want to give each country's best a chance to compete.

I noticed that when a lot of the smaller nations marched in, many of the flag bearers were competitors in the martial arts. I was surprised, but will also be looking for them at the competitions. Hopefully sort of the martial arts tournaments will air during primetime. I'm sure the TaeKwonDo tournaments will probably get some good play, since the Lopez family is competing...

[Google]

 

[myrosiedog]

I think it should be amatuer athletes, but some of the rules were changed, because in the Soviet bloc countries at the time, their athletes were basically "pros". Their "job" was being an Olympic athlete and they were given the best housing, food, coaching, etc. and the other countries fussed about it because they were not real amatuer athletes and wanted the playing field level. Well it's still not level when you've got these tiny poor countries that have no hope of giving their athletes the best training and facilities, etc.
I still think it should be amatuer athletes and not pro stars. I don't watch the basketball or tennis because of the pros.
I also root for the underdogs. I'm patriotic and I like it when the Americans do well, but I also think that for some (one guy from an Arab country last night swims, but there are no Olympic size swimming pools in his whole country) it's a great opportunity to be the best they can be by their own efforts and not because science has gotten involved and made faster suits for the swimmers and pro athletes are able to compete.

That said, I'm still going to enjoy watching it.

[FireWoman]

Originally Posted by Lois Lane

I'm sure you've seen LeBron interviewed etc. many times...he is just a class act.

I was doing a little googling and the Olympics hasn't even pretended to be full of just amateurs since the mid or late 1970's. Every team can have pro athletes on there except...baseball and boxing! It hadn't occurred to me that you never see pro baseball players at the Games! I think I read that for the soccer teams, there's a rule that only 3 members (per team) can be over the age of 23--I think that's their attempt at keeping all the players from Manchester United playing all the time.

Are any of you guys watching the events during the day? I've got my snacks already made (from some of the great tips from the Recipes thread) and have been channel surfing from NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, USA etc. and have been having a ball! (Not getting many chores done though!)

What I really do love about the Games is the spirit... when there's a competitor who barely finishes a race and everyone waits for him/her to cross the finish line to congratulate them--that's just chill-inducing to me. I think at the Sydney games, there was a swimmer from a small country who had just been practicing for about 9 months (or less). He was barely able to finish the race but got a rousing ovation for his efforts. Hopefully, that encouraged kids in his country to swim...just like a nation of kids want to become swimmers to be like Mike...

OK, enough rambling from me. Thanks for letting me express my views without pouncing on me...even when I ramble!

I think they mentioned a runner that finished his race an hour after everyone ese.. boody leg and all, he was asked why he went on.. his reply was something like My country didnt send me here to start a race.. they sent me to finish. Yeah, i teared up a bit on that lol

My daughter is already thinking that she needs to go in 8 years for TKD.. shes so cute. I love how she feels about stuff like this, seeing (or in my case hearing since shes in Oklahoma this week) it thru a childs eyes is all the more amazing.

I have been going back and forth between USA and NBC while i clean I managed to do my hall and steps, i even cleaned the carpets!!!

Im waiting for tonight to watch Mens gymnastics and Swimming. I am heading out now to get my Italian Feast lol.

Yes, Lebon has come a LONG way and managed to live down his own bat-poo crazy female in his mother.. everytime she was on the local news here i just had to cringe.

[Quemoni]

I thought the opening ceremony was outstanding! The best I have ever seen. I too got goosebumps and had to stop myself from bursting in tears. It was absolutely beautiful. I was stunned and at a loss for words. I understood all the symbolic messages and loved the cultural display. I was irritated at how many commentators kept bring politics into as opposed to describing the artistry on the screen. The artistic director deserves many accolades for his design and the performers most of all for bringing the vision alive.

I need a dvd of then entire thing because I missed the very beginning.

[Ionan]

You know, there was so much hype about the opening ceremonies, but I wasn't at all impressed. Apart from the printing block section, and the incredible fireworks, I didn't really enjoy it. I was expecting a whole lot more considering the amount of money that was spent on the opening, but it seemed to me that most of it went into those ridiculously huge LED screens. The Opening ceremonies of Sydney definitely showed more national pride to me, and Barcelona and Athens showed more artistry. I'm now hoping for a better closing ceremony.

[Susan Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Ionan

You know, there was so much hype about the opening ceremonies, but I wasn't at all impressed. Apart from the printing block section, and the incredible fireworks, I didn't really enjoy it. I was expecting a whole lot more considering the amount of money that was spent on the opening, but it seemed to me that most of it went into those ridiculously huge LED screens. The Opening ceremonies of Sydney definitely showed more national pride to me, and Barcelona and Athens showed more artistry. I'm now hoping for a better closing ceremony.

I agree. Maybe it is because the opening ceremonies were so hyped that we expected more, and I didn't mind the commentators remarking on the politics involved. No matter how we want to stick our heads in the sand, politics have always been a part of the modern Olympics, and will continue to be, whether we like it or not. I cite the 1936 Olympics. Hitler, anyone? Doesn't get more political than that.

Also, very sad about the unexplainable murder of the father-in-law of the Indoor Volleyball coach while sightseeing in broad daylight. Geez!

[CrossingGuard]

I didn't see this brought up yet....

Clean sweep by USA:

Zagunis leads US sweep in fencing event
By NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer
4 hours, 6 minutes ago

BEIJING (AP)—Mariel Zagunis stood proudly atop the podium, the first American to do so at these Olympics.

A former president was in the front row—and three red, white and blue flags were rising to the rafters.

“It was a dream come true,” Zagunis said.

Zagunis won the first U.S. gold medal of the Beijing Games, leading an American sweep Saturday in women’s saber fencing. Zagunis took the gold with a 15-8 victory over Sada Jacobson, who won the silver. Becca Ward took the bronze.

Before the fencing medals were awarded, the Americans had been shut out of Olympic medals, trailing the likes of Cuba, North Korea, Taiwan and Uzbekistan in the overall standings. Then the saber trio went to work, moving the U.S. to the top of the table with three medals.

And to make the night even more memorable, former President George H.W. Bush was in the front row for the medal ceremony, just to the side of where the three flags were lifted.

“It was amazing. It was emotional. It was such a dramatic moment,” Bush said. “To win all three was simply magnificent.”

Zagunis was also saber champion in 2004, when she became the first American in a century to win a fencing gold. Now, the U.S. is a legitimate powerhouse— in women’s saber at least. These same three women are seeded No. 1 for the team competition on Thursday.

“We hope that any success we have goes to making our sport more popular,” Jacobson said. “If we can get even one girl to take up fencing, then we’ve done well.”

The sport endured some growing pains even after Zagunis’ big win in 2004. The U.S. Olympic Committee took over USA Fencing’s high performance program for this year’s Olympics, citing financial problems for the sport’s national governing body.

“We’re just here trying to do our jobs,” Jacobson said. “It hasn’t been an issue that has impeded our performance at all.”

Clearly not.

Zagunis and Ward, members of the same Oregon fencing club, met in the semifinals. Zagunis prevailed 15-11, and Ward left in tears.

Ward still looked red-faced and shaken when she came out for the bronze medal match, and she fell behind 6-1 to Russia’s Sofiya Velikaya. But the 18-year-old from Portland, Ore., rallied for a dramatic 15-14 victory that ensured a U.S. sweep.

“I kind of got my head back in the bout that I was in, because I was really hung up on my last bout,” Ward said. “It was a quick turnaround.”

Once that victory was out of the way, Zagunis and Jacobson took center stage. Jacobson, of Dunwoody, Ga., won the bronze in 2004. She was the top seed in this year’s competition but couldn’t overcome Zagunis in the final.

Zagunis, of Beaverton, Ore., never trailed in the gold medal bout—her most lopsided win of the tournament. When it was over, Zagunis ripped off her mask and let out a yell, then shook hands with Jacobson and shared a hug with her teammate. Zagunis returned to the strip with an American flag, which she held in her hands while bowing in two directions.

She then dropped down and kissed the floor.

Jacobson missed out on a similar celebration—but the joy eventually hit her.

“I don’t think I anticipated the emotion I would feel up there,” Jacobson said of sharing the podium. “It was such a feeling of pride.”

At least one famous American felt it too.

“Fencing may not be a big sport in America,” Bush said. “But today at the Olympics, it certainly is.”

Link

The bronze medal match is airing here in the West Coast right now on MSNBC.

The girls actually won the US its first medals in these games. Congrats ladies!

[FireWoman]

Originally Posted by Susan Elizabeth

I agree. Maybe it is because the opening ceremonies were so hyped that we expected more, and I didn't mind the commentators remarking on the politics involved. No matter how we want to stick our heads in the sand, politics have always been a part of the modern Olympics, and will continue to be, whether we like it or not. I cite the 1936 Olympics. Hitler, anyone? Doesn't get more political than that.

Also, very sad about the unexplainable murder of the father-in-law of the Indoor Volleyball coach while sightseeing in broad daylight. Geez!

I think what got me listening to them was the veiled insults of the nations choice of dress. I must say.. Poland looked amazing.. I loved their dresses.

[Critical]

I watched last night and it was spectacular. I did find myself watching the clock though. The opening cermonies do tend to get longer and longer....or maybe they just seem longer and longer!

I misted up a few times during the ceremony, but what got me weeping was the tribute screen to Jim McCay at the very end of the broadcast. He WAS the Olympics. Bob Costas isn't even close to the calibur of Jim McCay. The Olympics won't ever be the same for me. All I have to think of is Jim McCay saying "They're all gone" at the Munich games and I tear up.

[FireWoman]

Originally Posted by Critical

I watched last night and it was spectacular. I did find myself watching the clock though. The opening cermonies do tend to get longer and longer....or maybe they just seem longer and longer!

I misted up a few times during the ceremony, but what got me weeping was the tribute screen to Jim McCay at the very end of the broadcast. He WAS the Olympics. Bob Costas isn't even close to the calibur of Jim McCay. The Olympics won't ever be the same for me. All I have to think of is Jim McCay saying "They're all gone" at the Munich games and I tear up.

It was before my time.. but in news footage.. yeah.. it was a powerful moment in sports boradcasting with out a doubt. But McKay was a CLASS act, and Costas doesn't even come close. As you said, McKay was the Olympics.. and I can still hear his voice as I watch.