Okay, recap of the big news of the first two days of competition.
And, of course, I'm American, so I'm pretty much only writing about the US. I mean, Korea beating Germany in women's handball might be a big deal over there, but I, and probably pretty much everyone reading this, really don't care.
Okay, top moments so far.
#1 - men's 4x100 meter freestyle relay takes gold
Was there any doubt as to what would be #1?! This was the most amazing relay I have ever seen.
The Americans, formerly unbeatable in this event, hadn't won gold in the past 2 Olympics, and were heavy underdogs to the French (I didn't know French were good swimmers... color me suprised). Phelps went out strong, and touched about even with the French and South Africans. Second leg Garrett Weber-Gale kept it going, and third leg Collen Jones lost it a bit to the French, who had their best racer still to hit the pool.
Then came the final leg.
Alain Bernard dove into the pool with a comfortable lead, a full body length, and kept it doing. American Jason Lezak, America's anchorman for years, tried all he could, but stayed behind for that 150 meters as expected.
With 50 yards to go Bernard, who earlier in the week said the French were going to 'smash' the Americans , had a comfortable lead on Lezak. I was so bummed out, I wanted to really stick it to those high-and-mighty Frenchmen. But with 25 meters to go, I sat up - Bernard seemed to tighten up, and Lezak must have felt it, riding his wave to cut down on drag. With 10 meters, I was on my feet on my bed -- THERE IS NO WAY. With 5 meters it suddenly seemed like the impossible was going to happen. Then with one gigantic reach, the 32-year old American out-touched the a-hole Frenchman to win the gold. Ahhh sweet, sweet redemption.
Oh, and not for nothing, but it keeps Michael Phelps' quest for 8 gold medals alive... I don't think I've ever seen someone so pumped.
#2 US women and men's gymnastics plagued with injury
So for the men, Morgan and Paul Hamm are both out, leaving the US with no athletes with prior Olympic experience. With two of three alternates now competing, the US men managed to advance to the finals in fourth place, with 365.200 points, behind China (373.600), Japan (369.500) and Russia (365.425). This isn't suprising in and of itself, because even with both Hamm's, the best I think the men could have done is the bronze. now they will be scratching at the eyes of the Ruskis, with only .225 points seperating them from the podium with 6 rotations to go. The US will need every athlete to step up and give their greatest performances for a chance at a medal.
As for the women...
The gold medal favorites coming off of a gold medal performance at the 2007 Worlds, and with two of the best All-Around athletes in the world in Shawn Johnson (yes, that is a girl) and Nastia Liukin (yes, that is an American). But all of a sudden this week, the team was knocked down with injuries: first to Chellsie (what were her parents thinking with that spelling?) Memmel, who was originally competing on all 4 events forced to draw out of all but the uneven bars with an ankle injury. If that wasn't bad enough, just minutes before she was to take the floor in the opening rotation of the team event Sunday, Samantha Peszek, who was also slated to compete in all four events in the team all-around, sprained her left ankle while warming up on the floor. Cut to the events, where the US was forced to enter just 4 athletes (instead of 5) on 3-of-4 events (excluding the bars) and all of the scores would have to count to the team total (instead of dropping the lowest).
Then came the competition...
Two stepped out of bounds on the floor.
Vault proved strong.
Then uneven bars, usually a strength, but it was far from that Sunday night, with both former world champions in the event, Memmel and Liukin, having uncharacteristic falls.
The girls ended on beam, which of course is the "heart attack" event for those of us watching at home. It was strong, and despite all odds stacked against them, at the end of the event,Team USA was in second place, less than 1.5 points behind China (which is kind of a lot in gymnastics). Johnson and Liukin finished 1-2 in individual qualifiers, and at least one member of Team USA qualified in each individual event.
So all ended well, but the US women, injuries and all, have quite an uphill climb Tuesday night if they want ANY chance of beating the hosts.
Showing posts with label rhythmic gymnastics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rhythmic gymnastics. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
"Sports" that should not be in the Olympics
So last night I had a conversation with my friend Mary about ridiculous "sports" that are in the Olympics. Let's run with it...
"Sports that should NOT be in the Olympics, (and even calling them sports in the first place is a stretch)"
Summer Olympics:
Handball - I've said this before, but I really didn't know it was a legitimate "sport." I thought it was like that game suicide you played in elementary school, where you threw the ball against the wall, and if you caught it you threw it back against the wall as hard as you could, but if you touched the ball and didn't catch it you had to run up to the wall before the next person threw the ball against the wall. If you didnt beat the throw, you had to stand against the wall, and the thrower got to whip the ball at you, and you always hoped it was a girl or a weak boy throwing so it didn't hurt too much. Oh my God, can you imagine that game being played at schools these days?! Kids would get in trouble for assault or something. Geez, so much has changed in 15 years. Anyway, if they have handball in the Olmypics they might as well have school-yard "suicide". It's like soccer, but the opposite - you can't use your feet. No one even knows this sport exists outside of the Olympics, and even then, it's not even on TV.
Badmitton - I already went over this one... it is something we WASPS used to play after church while we were waiting for grandma to cook Sunday dinner. It is as much a sport as croquet, which is NOT in the Olympics (yet... just give them time. Hey, maybe they'll take away basketball to make room for it!) Oh, and the thing they hit is called a shuttlecock - how are we supposed to take this seriously??
Synchronized swimming - Okay, any "sport" where you wear a costume shouldn't be in the Olmypics. Is it hard? Hell yes. Should it be in the Olmypics? Hell NO. They wear makeup in the pool... give me a break.
Synchronized diving - OK... so, they just added this sport in the last Olympics. It makes me mad cause, its just the same as diving, but they put two people from the same country next to each other on the platform, then they do the same dive at the same time. It's always the people who are already competing in the individual event, and they just want another event to give medals in. Seriously, they are taking away baseball and softball, but added synchronized diving and trampoline. I'm going to gorge out my eyeballs.
Trampoline - The newest of the Olympic "sports." It is really cool to watch, but...
me: thats something you do in the backyard for fun when youre 12
Mary: those people can't hack real gymnastics OR skiing
me: i mean, anyone can flip on a trampoline, honestly
Mary: don't they have music
i think they have music
me: then at the end when they "land"
its wicked funny
me: "he stuck the landing!"
or
"oooh a small bounce after landing. they're going to deduct a tenth for that"
Mary: i think they do some crazy flips
Mary: but its still pretty retarded
Me: yeah they do crazy stuff. but its stupid.
Rhythmic Gymnastics - Okay, like synchronized swimming, any sport that you wear a "costume" shouldn't be in the Olympics. Along the same lines, any "sport" where props are used? NOT A SPORT.
Racewalking - Any event that makes you look like a dork shouldn't be in the Olympics. When your kids are older they can tell their friends their Daddy won an Olympic gold medal. When they ask for what sport and they have to say "racewalking," just see the look on their friend's faces (pity, trying not to laugh.
Dressage (part of equestrian) - OK, so it's part of a three-part event, but it's basically a pageant for horses. They see how well they trot, walk, run, etc. And the horses aren't even the rider's own, they pick them at the beginning of the competition. Like a costume, any sport where the person has to wear a top hat and a coat with tails should not garner an Olympic medal.
Modern pentathlon - For most of you who don't know, this event consistns of fencing, running, swimming, shooting (rifle) and riding (a horse)... so basically you are an adequate fencer, runner, swimmer, shooter and horseback rider
but you're not good enough to be the best at any of these so... you just do them all.
Canoe/kayak - Fun activities. Not sports.
Sailing - This one I did wrestle with, cause sailing is cool, and really difficult. I just don't think it should be in the Olympics if something like golf isn't. Only rich white people do it, and no one cares to watch cause, well, its out in the ocean so you can't even see it.
Table Tennis - This one KILLS me. First of all, it's ping pong. Second, its sooo lame. I mean, the Chinese go crazy for it, but they also go crazy for badmitton, soooo... Anyway, a sport that Forrest Gump (even in a movie) can be World Champion in clearly isn't a sport. Ahhhhh it's a game you play in your basement after hitting the bong, not something for Olympians! I need to move on, I'm getting angry.
Winter Olympics:
Ice Dancing - Mary: "What the hell?! you can't even do the coolest figure skating moves! okay, you're athletes, but you can't do jumps or throws
awesome. sounds like fun."
So yeah, let's do the tango on the ice, and call it a sport. Then why not friggen ballroom dancing? Oh no, I probably just gave the IOC an idea...
Aerial skiing - Aerial skiing is a a huge jump basically, they do twists and turns, then land and get a score
Mary: "Its for people who couldn't do real gymnastics (too tall, probably)but can ski."
Ski jumping - I mean, it takes guts, that's for sure... but it isn't a sport, its something Evel Knievel would do!
Biathlon - So, you aren't THAT great at xc skiing, or shooting... but you're pretty good at both - maybe you can win an Olympic medal!
last but not least...
Curling - The least athletic "sport" in the world. If there is any sport that makes you look like a dork, this is it.
I will let Mary have the final word:
Mary: "Synchronized swimmers, rhythmic gymasts, and trampoliners are just a waste of Olympic medals that could just be given to Michael Phelps."
"Sports that should NOT be in the Olympics, (and even calling them sports in the first place is a stretch)"
Summer Olympics:
Handball - I've said this before, but I really didn't know it was a legitimate "sport." I thought it was like that game suicide you played in elementary school, where you threw the ball against the wall, and if you caught it you threw it back against the wall as hard as you could, but if you touched the ball and didn't catch it you had to run up to the wall before the next person threw the ball against the wall. If you didnt beat the throw, you had to stand against the wall, and the thrower got to whip the ball at you, and you always hoped it was a girl or a weak boy throwing so it didn't hurt too much. Oh my God, can you imagine that game being played at schools these days?! Kids would get in trouble for assault or something. Geez, so much has changed in 15 years. Anyway, if they have handball in the Olmypics they might as well have school-yard "suicide". It's like soccer, but the opposite - you can't use your feet. No one even knows this sport exists outside of the Olympics, and even then, it's not even on TV.
Badmitton - I already went over this one... it is something we WASPS used to play after church while we were waiting for grandma to cook Sunday dinner. It is as much a sport as croquet, which is NOT in the Olympics (yet... just give them time. Hey, maybe they'll take away basketball to make room for it!) Oh, and the thing they hit is called a shuttlecock - how are we supposed to take this seriously??
Synchronized swimming - Okay, any "sport" where you wear a costume shouldn't be in the Olmypics. Is it hard? Hell yes. Should it be in the Olmypics? Hell NO. They wear makeup in the pool... give me a break.
Synchronized diving - OK... so, they just added this sport in the last Olympics. It makes me mad cause, its just the same as diving, but they put two people from the same country next to each other on the platform, then they do the same dive at the same time. It's always the people who are already competing in the individual event, and they just want another event to give medals in. Seriously, they are taking away baseball and softball, but added synchronized diving and trampoline. I'm going to gorge out my eyeballs.
Trampoline - The newest of the Olympic "sports." It is really cool to watch, but...
me: thats something you do in the backyard for fun when youre 12
Mary: those people can't hack real gymnastics OR skiing
me: i mean, anyone can flip on a trampoline, honestly
Mary: don't they have music
i think they have music
me: then at the end when they "land"
its wicked funny
me: "he stuck the landing!"
or
"oooh a small bounce after landing. they're going to deduct a tenth for that"
Mary: i think they do some crazy flips
Mary: but its still pretty retarded
Me: yeah they do crazy stuff. but its stupid.
Rhythmic Gymnastics - Okay, like synchronized swimming, any sport that you wear a "costume" shouldn't be in the Olympics. Along the same lines, any "sport" where props are used? NOT A SPORT.
Racewalking - Any event that makes you look like a dork shouldn't be in the Olympics. When your kids are older they can tell their friends their Daddy won an Olympic gold medal. When they ask for what sport and they have to say "racewalking," just see the look on their friend's faces (pity, trying not to laugh.
Dressage (part of equestrian) - OK, so it's part of a three-part event, but it's basically a pageant for horses. They see how well they trot, walk, run, etc. And the horses aren't even the rider's own, they pick them at the beginning of the competition. Like a costume, any sport where the person has to wear a top hat and a coat with tails should not garner an Olympic medal.
Modern pentathlon - For most of you who don't know, this event consistns of fencing, running, swimming, shooting (rifle) and riding (a horse)... so basically you are an adequate fencer, runner, swimmer, shooter and horseback rider
but you're not good enough to be the best at any of these so... you just do them all.
Canoe/kayak - Fun activities. Not sports.
Sailing - This one I did wrestle with, cause sailing is cool, and really difficult. I just don't think it should be in the Olympics if something like golf isn't. Only rich white people do it, and no one cares to watch cause, well, its out in the ocean so you can't even see it.
Table Tennis - This one KILLS me. First of all, it's ping pong. Second, its sooo lame. I mean, the Chinese go crazy for it, but they also go crazy for badmitton, soooo... Anyway, a sport that Forrest Gump (even in a movie) can be World Champion in clearly isn't a sport. Ahhhhh it's a game you play in your basement after hitting the bong, not something for Olympians! I need to move on, I'm getting angry.
Winter Olympics:
Ice Dancing - Mary: "What the hell?! you can't even do the coolest figure skating moves! okay, you're athletes, but you can't do jumps or throws
awesome. sounds like fun."
So yeah, let's do the tango on the ice, and call it a sport. Then why not friggen ballroom dancing? Oh no, I probably just gave the IOC an idea...
Aerial skiing - Aerial skiing is a a huge jump basically, they do twists and turns, then land and get a score
Mary: "Its for people who couldn't do real gymnastics (too tall, probably)but can ski."
Ski jumping - I mean, it takes guts, that's for sure... but it isn't a sport, its something Evel Knievel would do!
Biathlon - So, you aren't THAT great at xc skiing, or shooting... but you're pretty good at both - maybe you can win an Olympic medal!
last but not least...
Curling - The least athletic "sport" in the world. If there is any sport that makes you look like a dork, this is it.
I will let Mary have the final word:
Mary: "Synchronized swimmers, rhythmic gymasts, and trampoliners are just a waste of Olympic medals that could just be given to Michael Phelps."
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