Originally posted by Big BadMight as well open it up with the Games underway.
Michael Phelps: One down, seven to go.
Opening ceremony was good, then the Walk of Nations killed it dead, then everyone woke up again. Technically sound, but there's no way the Walk can be anything less than dull.
And Phelps' domination makes me happy. Cannot wait for track & wrestling later on.
Originally posted by Big BadMichael Phelps: One down, seven to go.
You don't really think he's gunna get them do you? He's a beast in the IM, but the relays are closer than ever and the 200 free could go to any one of 6 blokes.
Originally posted by Big BadMight as well open it up with the Games underway.
Michael Phelps: One down, seven to go.
Opening ceremony was good, then the Walk of Nations killed it dead, then everyone woke up again. Technically sound, but there's no way the Walk can be anything less than dull.
And Phelps' domination makes me happy. Cannot wait for track & wrestling later on.
Ian Thorpe owns olympic swimming, but that spill he had at the trials was funny as hell.
The US gymnastic team looked like it was slowy falling apart yesterday. I felt pretty bad for them with half the team looking like they were not ready for the games.
EDIT: 1000 posts! How cool is THAT! I thought I'd NEVER get THIS far on here...
(edited by Cerebus on 15.8.04 1506) Cerebus: RIP 1977-2004.
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Phelps and Thorpe didn't try their best obviously in their first confrontation in the semi-finals..but neither did Pieter vd Hoogenband (go Holland..once every 4 years I root for my country) who was a lot faster than they were.
Oh, and USA got their asses handed to them by the Dutch (and definitely by South-Africa) in the relay just now..
Phelps can still get 7 gold medals but it will be hard.. Very hard..I think he put too much pressure and attention on his own shoulders by proclaiming he was going for seven.
Disclaimer....I just put the Phelps thing in since it seemed to be the big story on the first day of competition. He's probably not going to win eight golds, though 5 seems to be reasonable. Sheesh, a guy can win five gold medals and we'll all call it disappointing. The showdown with Phelps and Thorpe is gonna be pretty sweet.
As I write this, the US Dream Team is losing to Puerto Rico. Wow.
Originally posted by CerebusThe US gymnastic team looked like it was slowy falling apart yesterday.
I only saw the men's team - Gatson and Wilson falling off the high bar was flat out scary. Wilson still managed a pretty decent rings set, but I just felt bad for Gatson. The announcers kept harping on how bad his back was coming into the Olympics and it showed. He could barely hold any of the positions for the 2 seconds, and that look of pain on his face was just agonizing. The team finals are going to be a nail biter (much like this US/Puerto Rico Men's basketball game...).
I can't remember ever seeing synchronized diving before, but is that fun to watch! Between that and the swimming heats and finals yesterday, I hardly left the TV room.
Someone should tell USA Basketball that they invented something called jump shooters. Might help them someday. Miracle shot by Ginobli on CNBC earlier in the day. Track and Field will be classic if Neumeier during an interview with someone starts rambling about how they remind him of a young Seattle Slew. Considering what some/most of them shoot up with, they probably have more horse in them than Ferdinand Dog Food.
Still pondering why there was no public backlash for Jimmy Hart's advocation of self canibalism on the first Wrestling Album.
Olympic Table Tennis... HOLY CRAP! That stuff is insane to watch, try and catch it on Bravo next time it's on.
I've usually disliked watching the swimming events because its just so... boring. But this year for some reason I'm glued to the TV, even though I still think it's pretty... boring.
Does anyone here follow wrestling enough to give some good info about who to watch for when its eventually on?
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ANybody here besides me watch softball? I can't believe they are getting no hype (other than Jennie Finch) they are easily the most dominant of any of the team sports. They have a pitching staff consisting of the best ever Lisa Fernandez, the best today Jennie Finch, and the one who is going to pass up both of them Cat Osterman. 72 game winning streak, 12th straight shut out in Olympic play. 0.28 team ERA in the past 55 games. They are just unbelivable.
As for basketball. Man the USA team is pathetic. They can't make 3 pointers, which for them should be mid range jumpers. The Serbia-Argentina series is great though. Serbia (then Yugoslavia) wins in overtime in the World Championships last year, Argentina wins with a buzzer beater by Ginobli this year. I hope they play again in the medal round for the rubber match.
Big Bad, you're right. Obviously Phelps will have one helluva year if he wins five..heck..if he wins three it would be awesome for him. But he put the bar really high and the people are expecting it. Again, as a result they forget there are others who can swim just as fast but have laid low in the season so far. Swimming btw is just as much fun as the track events. If you get a reason to watch it becomes interesting..
hhhgamewmx7...yeah, Holland did ok at the Euro 04, but there was lots of bs about some coaching decisions..if they hadnt gotten that far the coach would've been lynched.
The synchronised diving was awesome. Never paid attention to it but it was hellakewl That's the great thing in the Olympics. There are sports you regularly wouldn't pay attention to that suddenly catch your eye.
Hmm..basketball..didn't know they started playing already. Shows you how much the USA team has "sunk". Remember the Dream Team? all coverage all the time (even here in Holland) and now nothing..Even the fact that they lost isnt big news here in the reports..
(edited by dMp on 16.8.04 0809) *sigh* Why bother?
When I saw Craig Saeger doing sideline reporting during the basketball game, part of me wished that the halftime show would go to the TNT studios with Ernie, Jet and Chuck.
I REALLY need to know what Chuck thinks about all this.
And speaking of Barkley, let me add this:
MANOOOOOOO GINOOOOBLI~!
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The first quarter of that basketball game I did my patriotic duty and rooted for the U.S. The second quarter on out I rooted for Puerto Rico. I like how Bob Costas put it, that the US could have built an actual team or half-assed a bunch of big name NBA talent. In the end the end, marketing won out.
Originally posted by Freeway420Opening ceremony was good, then the Walk of Nations killed it dead, then everyone woke up again. Technically sound, but there's no way the Walk can be anything less than dull.
The walk is awesome. Watch your tongue.
I was asked last week the interpret what the opening ceremonies were, and I said: 90 minutes of marchin and three hours of bad experimental theatre.
The Dream Team came about (and injected professionals into the Olympics, something that never should've happened) because America's collegians had the utter audacity to lose a semifinal game.
Now that Puerto Rico has shown up the pros, who will the US send in 2008? The Harlem Globetrotters?
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Ausiello posted this tidbit on TVGuide.com today: "Veronica Mars Renewed? Just received a fresh batch of Upfront intel and the buzz is that CW will order 13 episodes of Veronica Mars next season.