Official 2008 Olympics Thread (FINAL:USA most medals, China most golds)

[quote name='Koggit']"fuck you"? Super mature.

Maybe it's hasty of me to chalk up interest in He's age to nationalism, but you gotta admit it's not much of a leap. What foreign media do you see covering the age controversy? Yet Fox News' article borders on defamation, the way they present allegations as material fact. Americans have been quick to say "They won because of a judging error", "they won because they cheated", "they won because we were unjustly disqualified", "They won because the judges were wrong", etc, etc. Then when we win it's "In your face, Frenchies!!!"... when the French say "It is impossible. It must be drugs." Americans LOL and call them sore losers.

Nationalism is definitely playing a role in Olympic discussion on every forum I visit...[/quote]Just wondering: Do you scan the AP and national papers and media outlets daily to accurately gauge whether or not this is a topic of contention in other countries?

And has it occurred to you that other countries don't raise a shit storm because they can't compete with the Chinese in gymnastics? The American contingent has reason to raise concerns. They have proven themselves to be on a level equal to, or surpassing the Chinese. The only thing that differentiates the two is that one country has gymnasts who clearly fall within the mandates the IOC has set, while the other is suspected of working around IOC regulations all while being possibly supported and covered up by their own government.
 
[quote name='Koggit']

Nationalism is definitely playing a role in Olympic discussion on every forum I visit...[/quote]

So what? It's the Olympics. God, it's not like the IOC is caving into the criticisms of American message board posters.

China may be cheating. If they are, they should be punished. Rules are rules.
 
[quote name='Koggit']I disagree... I don't think disqualifying a nation's athletes is punishment for the nation, and even if it were, I don't think a nation should be punished for the actions of a few bad apples.[/quote]

Only the nation is claiming the passports were correct and it turns out they may not be correct. So they would have had a hand in any mischief. It's just a matter of whether the passports are forged (either in-house or by a back alley counterfeiter), or whether the ages these kids put down on paper for earlier non-Olympic events were false. Only it's rare that an athlete would lie about being YOUNGER, so most certainly the passports are the "proof" the Olympic committee needed in order to even begin a process to void any medals earned.

I liked where one girl was tricked by a reporter.

Reporter: How old are you?
Kid: 16.
Reporter: How did you spend your 14th birthday?
Kid: Kicking ass and taking names at the Olympics, yo!
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Only the nation is claiming the passports were correct and it turns out they may not be correct. So they would have had a hand in any mischief. It's just a matter of whether the passports are forged (either in-house or by a back alley counterfeiter), or whether the ages these kids put down on paper for earlier non-Olympic events were false. Only it's rare that an athlete would lie about being YOUNGER, so most certainly the passports are the "proof" the Olympic committee needed in order to even begin a process to void any medals earned.

I liked where one girl was tricked by a reporter.

Reporter: How old are you?
Kid: 16.
Reporter: How did you spend your 14th birthday?
Kid: Kicking ass and taking names at the Olympics, yo![/QUOTE]
Nice do you have a link to video?
 
[quote name='Koggit']"fuck you"? Super mature.

Maybe it's hasty of me to chalk up interest in He's age to nationalism, but you gotta admit it's not much of a leap. What foreign media do you see covering the age controversy? Yet Fox News' article borders on defamation, the way they present allegations as material fact. Americans have been quick to say "They won because of a judging error", "they won because they cheated", "they won because we were unjustly disqualified", "They won because the judges were wrong", etc, etc. Then when we win it's "In your face, Frenchies!!!"... when the French say "It is impossible. It must be drugs." Americans LOL and call them sore losers.

Nationalism is definitely playing a role in Olympic discussion on every forum I visit...[/QUOTE]

Dude, do you hate America? I am the least patriotic person I know, and all you do is knock what America does and complains about and turn a blind eye to the rest of the world when they do the same thing.
 
[quote name='docvinh']Dude, do you hate America? I am the least patriotic person I know, and all you do is knock what America does and complains about and turn a blind eye to the rest of the world when they do the same thing.[/QUOTE]

I like our system of government, generally speaking, but am typically less than pleased with the American public. I don't really have an opinion on America -- or any country. I'm not a fan of political boundaries and social division. We're humans.
 
[quote name='TC']Damn!!! Now thats my kind of Olympian.

73578591.5NFko5I3.Nuevacarpetacalendariodeunapagina2.jpg
[/quote]If there was supposed to be a pic in there, kindly fix it so we can all partake in the Olympic spirit.
 
[quote name='rickonker']Nice do you have a link to video?[/quote]

It wasn't a video. Just an article I read on Google News where one reporter was talking about what another one asked when they were all hovering over one of the girls. The girl's actual response was "I was spending it with my team." So even that is open to speculation about whether she meant competing now or competing in a prior event two years ago. But the article writer said she had a look on her face like she fudged her answer.

There was another one where they asked a girl what her chinese sign was and in a split second, very robotlike she said the sign for the year 1992. I can imagine the coach with the girls in the locker room. "If they ask for your sign, for the love of Buddah, say monkey!"
 
[quote name='SteveMcQ']If there was supposed to be a pic in there, kindly fix it so we can all partake in the Olympic spirit.[/QUOTE]

It got pulled at the host so I fixed it. Enjoy.

lerynfrancoja8.jpg
 
[quote name='keithp']I understand your point, but how else do you punish an entire government? If there's proof the Chinese govt was cheating, there has to be some way to punish them. I agree it's unfair to the other Chinese athletes that trained and worked hard for 4 years, but they represent their government too. And yes, Koggit, if the United States tried to cheat and cover-up one or more of our athletes, then I'd say disqualify all of the USA's people too.[/quote]You can give them a time ban from hosting. Punishing all of their athletes is ridiculous.
 
They should punish only those who are found guilty if the losing teams' nations file formal calls for an inquiry. Plain and simple, the way it's normally done.

With complaints, most nations don't want to file one unless there's actual merit. Like the Jamie Sale and David Pelletier mess from Salt Lake. But even that was a hollow victory. I think they wound up sharing gold, not taking it away. Then again, that was a problem created by judges, not the athletes like in this case.

Phelps had one filed on him but the camera doesn't lie so it didn't go far. This would take weeks or months to resolve. The Olympic committee would rather look the other way than have a black spot on their record. Just hope everyone forgets. Obama's VP nom should poach any media that are pounding on their door.
 
[quote name='TC']It got pulled at the host so I fixed it. Enjoy.

lerynfrancoja8.jpg
[/quote]

yum!

[/spoiler]

Or if this is more your speed.
Img214238549.jpg
[/quote]


double yum,

imagine if we got strells wish and all women did the olympics naked
 
Men's basketball dominated... lets carry it home on sunday boys


BOLT just donated 50K to the quake victims as a way of saying thanks. solid move
 
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[quote name='billyrox']
BOLT just donated 50K to the quake victims as a way of saying thanks. solid move[/quote]

Did he pawn one of his medals or is the guy rich? Probably a cut of a sponsorship deal I'd guess. I heard Adidums gave him a shoe deal. For less money you get extra stripe, it's very good deal.
 
China clearly rounded up every gorgeous woman they could find for the Games. Escorts, sign carriers, ushers, they're all beautiful. Sometimes I'm watching them instead of the events.
 
I hate basketball but there was nothing else on... It was fun watching Spain make those arrogant bastards sweat for most of the game. USA may have won, but Spain Owned them pretty well on some of the battles.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']I hate basketball but there was nothing else on... It was fun watching Spain make those arrogant bastards sweat for most of the game. USA may have won, but Spain Owned them pretty well on some of the battles.[/quote]
Shut up.

Arrogant? The US team came in to these Olympics with more humility than any team before it. The officiating was terrible for parts of the game and the US messed up on some easy opportunities to pull away. Spain probably played the best game it could against the US and they were lucky to have it be so close.
 
Keep in mind this is the same Spanish team that decided it would be cute to pose for a photo while stretching their eyes to look like some sort of Chinese caricature. I'm thrilled that the US got to crush their gold medal hopes.
 
[quote name='Halo05']Keep in mind this is the same Spanish team that decided it would be cute to pose for a photo while stretching their eyes to look like some sort of Chinese caricature. I'm thrilled that the US got to crush their gold medal hopes.[/QUOTE]

Didn't a spokesperson from the chinese government already come out and say this WASN'T offensive? They found it cute, especially with the dragon in the middle.
 
Not to get too off topic but Spain is the same country that showers African soccer players with bananas. Now this isn't to say that all of Spain is racist but they have established a pattern of intolerance or at least insensitivity. Here's a bit about the soccer stuff by ESPN from back in 2006 (I think).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwpO-nnFY9g

Can you imagine what would happen if (for example), Raiders fans started throwing bananas at, I dunno, Ladanian Tomlinson? Or if the US Womens Volleyball team had posed with their eyes like the Spanish did?
 
[quote name='Halo05']Not to get too off topic but Spain is the same country that showers African soccer players with bananas. Now this isn't to say that all of Spain is racist but they have established a pattern of intolerance or at least insensitivity. Here's a bit about the soccer stuff by ESPN from back in 2006 (I think).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwpO-nnFY9g

Can you imagine what would happen if (for example), Raiders fans started throwing bananas at, I dunno, Ladanian Tomlinson? Or if the US Womens Volleyball team had posed with their eyes like the Spanish did?[/QUOTE]
Most European countries are like that. I know this contradicts the idea that Europe is a socialist utopia.
 
I'm pissed that NBC didn't show the closing ceremonies live. Now I'll have to see if I can even watch it when they air it later on tonight, because I have to go to sleep REALLY early.
 
[quote name='Ugamer_X']Shut up.

Arrogant? The US team came in to these Olympics with more humility than any team before it. The officiating was terrible for parts of the game and the US messed up on some easy opportunities to pull away. Spain probably played the best game it could against the US and they were lucky to have it be so close.[/quote]

Thank you. I'm sick of people trashing our athletes when they've behaved with nothing but class. I have no idea how the hell he can say the basketball team was arrogant when they came into Beijing with a bronze from Athens. :roll:
 
The entire nature of American pro athletes is arrogant. If not the players, than the leagues. This is the only place in the world where you can win a "world championship" where Canada is the only other country allowed to compete for it. A small fraction of the rest just get to ship over a player or two to represent American teams.
 
What the hell, why is Jimmy Page playing the Olympics? LOL...

He's not even really playing...OMG...that solo was so fake...
 
Geez. Don't come out with Page and Lewis, London. That looked like something out of the Super Bowl...

At least bust out some Beatles. Shit. Prime opportunity missed for "Imagine" or "Come Together" or any of those other ballads.... Hell, dress the bus up like the Yellow Submarine!

You can really see the cultural differences going on here. London has this hard act to follow on the opening/closing ceremonies (not to mention the entire Olympiad), and I have little faith that they'll put up an equal showing.

So everyone come back here in 4 years and see if I'm an ass or if I'm just prophetically awesome.
 
the human memory tower was really cool and creepy at the same time... like dante's inferno....

anyway, i'm going to go into withdraw tomorrow when i turn on the tv, and no Olympics are on.
 
[quote name='Strell']I have little faith that [london] will put up an equal showing.[/QUOTE]

China has done a better job than any host before it, I doubt we'll see an equal showing for quite some time to come, if ever.
 
[quote name='billyrox']the human memory tower was really cool and creepy at the same time... like dante's inferno....

anyway, i'm going to go into withdraw tomorrow when i turn on the tv, and no Olympics are on.[/quote]

Another month until the new season starts. Oh well, there's always America's Got Talent!
 
[quote name='Koggit']China has done a better job than any host before it, I doubt we'll see an equal showing for quite some time to come, if ever.[/quote]

That's what was said when it was held in Berlin in 1936. I guess it pays to have a cheap, bottomless labor pool, unlimited resources at the expense of said labor pool, and free reign to do whatever one pleases with said resources (demolishing entire neighborhoods belonging to the poor, anyone?).

Yeah, London's in trouble. But only because they have morals and preventive laws.
 
Whatever hate you want to bring into this, China's put on an amazing show. With an astounding number of volunteers making it possible, contrary to what you may like to believe.

The London stuff right now (west coast) feels so cheap and ghetto in comparison, like a high school musical closing a broadway show.

But who was that really, really, really hot chick playing violin next to Beckham? Damn.
 
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