Summer Olympics - Page 7

Well deserved by the US Women. I actually got to watch every single match they played here at the Olympics, glad to see them get gold. So many good bounces and saves in the 3 yard box. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylrwnzl 

Athletes are about to come out of the tunnel. And I'm glad to see the head referee is the lady from the Bundesliga, don't remember her name but I do remember that she is one of the best referees around male or female. 

Bibiana! She is very good. Kari Seitz is also great, but since she's American, we never get to see her do the US games.

I like following the men's middle and long distance events since I used to pound the pavement a lot. 

SPOILER ALERT

What David Rudisha just did in the 800m run was UNBELIEVABLE!  And even though they did not medal in the 800m, two Americans rode Rudisha's coat tails to very fast 4th and 5th place times. This was another great performance by US male distance runners, who are quietly having an outstanding Olympics.

Unlike swimming, a World Record in an Olympic middle & long distance final is a very rare thing.  The races are usually relatively slow and very tactical.

Great quote by the legendary Seb Coe and spot on:
“That was simply an unbelievable performance,” LOGOC Chairman Sebastian Coe, himself a former 800m World record holder told IAAF. “David Rudisha showed supreme physical and mental confidence to run like that in an Olympic final. Instead of just doing enough to win the race he wanted to do something extraordinary and go for the World Record as well. Rudisha’s run will go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic victories. I feel privileged to have witnessed it in London.”
 

that was a great bio-piece they did on Rudisha. That was inspirational. After that, you had to route for him. Can you imagine how proud his country and people (Massai) are of him?  Sweet. 

As you saw in David Rudisha's profile piece on TV, the Kenyan high school (St. Patricks's) he went to is legendary among the world's distance running community.  An Irish Catholic brother with no prior coaching experience began coaching the track team there in 1976.  Since then the school has produced an amazing number of world class runners considering its modest size and circumstances.  Pretty telling that Rudisha still lives in a small apartment on the grounds of the high school.  He first set the WR in the 800m run in 2010 and could probably afford something more exclusive.  The guy (Wilson Kipketer) who owned the WR in the 800M run before him went to the same school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick's_High_School_(Iten,_Kenya)

Like a lot of super athletes, Rudisha doesn't look like he's straining very much, even when he's setting a world record.  SMOOTH.

Interesting Wash Post article on how the fortunes and success of US Olympic athletes has tilted towards the Ladies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/in-2012-winning-olympic-gold-is-womens-work/2012/08/08/9be7868e-e1a7-11e1-a25e-15067bb31849_story.html

its only when it looks easy have you achieved expertise.....

Interesting bio info about a triple jumper from Haiti mentioned that he was Zuckerberg's room mate at Harvard and is actually now practicing law in NYC.  Can't recall his name, but thought, "man, that guy's pretty multi dimensional".  He didn't make the finals, but still quite respectable to have the brains and brawn required to do both these things at such a high level.

I think he could tell some good stories......

yeah, very impressive dude.

What's the deal with the Spanish baskteball fans, burly, bearded men wearing dresses in the first few rows of the game verus Russia?  They are absolutely hilarious.  Reminds me of the Washington Redskin Hogettes!

Congrats to Georgia Gould from Fort Collins Colorado......Bringing home the Bronze in Woman's Mountain biking.  

That course looked extremely interesting to say the least. 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/austin_murphy/08/11/mountain-bike-olympics/index.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trekchick 

Congrats to Georgia Gould from Fort Collins Colorado......Bringing home the Bronze in Woman's Mountain biking.  

That course looked extremely interesting to say the least. 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/austin_murphy/08/11/mountain-bike-olympics/index.html

Did you catch that faceplant in the jagged boulder section?

Yes I did.  That looked wicked!

Bruce Jenner frightens me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidwestPete 

Bruce Jenner frightens me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ya, same with John Travolta.  Next iteration of his face will have his ears tied together behind his head.  They're practically touching already!

Speaking of old farts....  Enjoy the Dream Team beatdown tomorrow.  It will likely be the last time we see so many veteran players on an Olympic Basketball Team.  They'll likely go with the U23 format next time only allowing 3-4 players over age 23 on the team.  They'll still be loaded, but the more experienced players do better than younger ones when thrown together with little practice time together.

don't forget about the Para Olympics following, lots of great athletes there too. And they work harder.

Drove through Missy Franklin's neighborhood today ... she lives about a half mile from where I grew up. Cute signs at the entrances, looks like the swim team got busy with Magic Markers:

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

Drove through Missy Franklin's neighborhood today ... she lives about a half mile from where I grew up. Cute signs at the entrances, looks like the swim team got busy with Magic Markers:

 

 

Funny, Mr Segbrown just emailed me that he is on a plane to LA with  Missy (she's going to be on Leno tonight). MrSeg knows Missy's dad fairly well, so he was introduced, and informed us that she is "so normal." But we already knew that. 

Nothing like a quick stop on The Tonight Show before beginning your Senior year of high school.

I'm not usually up that late but I'll try to stay up for her interview. 

Go Missy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayT 

Nothing like a quick stop on The Tonight Show before beginning your Senior year of high school.

I couldn't stay awake either, but Missy is what the Olympics are all about, young, amatuer athletes. So cool if she maintains her amatuer status and continues to swim for her high school team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy 

 

I couldn't stay awake either, but Missy is what the Olympics are all about, young, amatuer athletes. So cool if she maintains her amatuer status and continues to swim for her high school team.

I stayed up, and it confirmed for me why I don't ever watch Leno. At least now I know I haven't been missing anything... He just isn't funny.

ANYway ... I think it's hilarious that she still swims for her school. Obviously she isn't a new story to those of us who live here, she's been on the radar for a few years already. (Not sure if non-swimming fans around the country knew about her until the Olympics.) I like the amateur ideal, but it really isn't realistic for most. Missy is growing up in a fairly comfortable situation, the only child of two older professional parents who can afford to bankroll her training and her schooling. Although I'm guessing she might earn an athletic scholarship if she chooses to swim in college. :-) 

It will be interesting to see what she does. I think the decision will be a lot tougher for her than it was before the Olympics. I don't see her skipping college, but she could certainly turn pro and just not swim for the college team. That's a lot of money to leave on the table...

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

It will be interesting to see what she does. I think the decision will be a lot tougher for her than it was before the Olympics. I don't see her skipping college, but she could certainly turn pro and just not swim for the college team. That's a lot of money to leave on the table...

They really need to fix this problem.  It's unfair financially that you have to be broke to still be an amateur.

My wife played water polo in college and one of her friends / teammates has now won a medal in the last 4 Olympics.  She finally got her gold this time.  After the Sydney Games in 2000 (her first) she had to turn down the standard IOC reward money or she could no longer play for their college team.  Pretty lame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayT 

 

They really need to fix this problem.  It's unfair financially that you have to be broke to still be an amateur.

 

My wife played water polo in college and one of her friends / teammates has now won a medal in the last 4 Olympics.  After the Sydney Games in 2000 (her first) she had to turn down the standard IOC reward money or she could no longer play for their college team.  Pretty lame.

Then there was the whole Jeremy Bloom situation, who was pro in one sport (skiing) but it ended up screwing his eligibility for another (college football). I guess I can see where this could be perverted by boosters paying their college fullbacks to play right field on the local semipro baseball team, but really ... Bloom was a world champion skier. That decision always irked me. 

Costas, with the glasses, in some sort of personal library room was enough to turn the stomach.....missed most of the Opening Ceremonies and all the other usual "studio" BS....   Thought NBC and the Youtube's uploading did a great job with the online coverage.....  Always enjoy the commentary by ex-athletes or coaches connected with the sport.....