The Olympics Thread

[direstraits]

What? Nobody likes Olympics here? This cannot be!

Loved that Murray won, that Federer needs to eat some humble pie. Awesome badminton action. Archery was riveting. Rifles not so much. Saw some of the best table tennis action ever. Been missing the Dream Team's performance on the basketball courts, though.

Now keeping an eye out on the keirin in the velodrome.

What sports do you like?

 

[beer good]

Part of what I love about the olympics as a Swede is that we suck at every sport that anyone cares about, so suddenly everyone's pretending to be extatic about medals in skeet shooting, horse jumping, triathlon and sailing. (The triathlon was amazing, though. Just wish it had been 1 metre longer. 9/1000s of a second? Bullshit.) Still, there's something to be said for the few real amateur sports that are still around. The first Olympic women's boxing tournament started yesterday, and a cop and mother of 2 from India beat the world champion in the first round. Gotta love stuff like that.

The USA-Nigeria basketball game was ridiculous. The Nigerians decided they couldn't protect their hoop, so they didn't even try; their strategy seemed to be to outscore the Americans. I think the US team won by something like 621-45.

 

[direstraits]

Yeah I wanted to ask you about that. You must be pretty happy - 4 medals already.

We've got a really teary-eyed silver medal, and everyone's feeling so sorry for him that there's a groundswell of support for his efforts on Twitter now.

I screamed myself hoarse (well, I was already hoarse from flu, so that doesn't say much) at the matches we played yesterday night (badminton, for those who care), and I have to say I was pretty sad about the missed gold.

The ladies from the diving team look really fine. Love diving. We didn't do well there, but then there were others there to see.

p.s I think Angelica Bengtsson is pretty.

 

[canuck]

Part of what I love about the olympics as a Swede is that we suck at every sport that anyone cares about, so suddenly everyone's pretending to be extatic about medals in skeet shooting, horse jumping, triathlon and sailing. (The triathlon was amazing, though. Just wish it had been 1 metre longer. 9/1000s of a second? Bullshit.) Still, there's something to be said for the few real amateur sports that are still around. The first Olympic women's boxing tournament started yesterday, and a cop and mother of 2 from India beat the world champion in the first round. Gotta love stuff like that.

The USA-Nigeria basketball game was ridiculous. The Nigerians decided they couldn't protect their hoop, so they didn't even try; their strategy seemed to be to outscore the Americans. I think the US team won by something like 621-45.

I think the Swedish ice hockey team is usually pretty good and some of their players have ended up in the NHL I believe. About boxing, I can't stand to watch the men box so don't think I'd like seeing the women involved in it. Don't care for a sport where the idea is to inflict physical injury on another person intentionally. Although ice hockey manages to rack up enough damage when the aim is to score more goals than the other team rather than beat up the other team.

 

[beer good]

I think the Swedish ice hockey team is usually pretty good and some of their players have ended up in the NHL I believe. About boxing, I can't stand to watch the men box so don't think I'd like seeing the women involved in it. Don't care for a sport where the idea is to inflict physical injury on another person intentionally. Although ice hockey manages to rack up enough damage when the aim is to score more goals than the other team rather than beat up the other team.

Oh yeah, the winter olympics are a different matter. But in the summer, we're usually lucky to get a few medals in swimming, table tennis, wrestling or, if we're really really lucky, we may have one competitor in track&field who's any good. This year, we don't even have that. So, yay for clay pigeon shooting!

 

[Conscious Bob]

Jessica Ennis putting on a show for the home crowd in the Heptathlon and Bolt tearing up the one hundred metres final were highlights for me.

 

[direstraits]

Jessica Ennis putting on a show for the home crowd in the Heptathlon and Bolt tearing up the one hundred metres final were highlights for me.

Yeah, man. That Bolt. Such a tease. At least that's what Yohan Blake thinks. Let Blake win a couple of races then zap 'em in the big one!

About that Ennis - I don't get that 'i got a gold medal now i wanna rest' reasoning. I'm like, just get on with it! You might get another one!

 

[eclair]

The men's 100m. I bent my head to take a sip of tea and when I looked back up the race was over, Bolt had won. Wtf.

 

[canuck]

Am trying to calm down after watching the women's US vs Canada soccer (football) game. Both sides played really well but I was really ticked off at the ref who gave back to back penalties to the US which resulted in a penalty kick goal for the US. Apparently, there's a lot of tweeting going on about the controversial call by the ref, however, all the complaining unfortunately doesn't affect the outcome. The US goes on the play against Japan for the gold. A real heartbreaker for the Canada team who played so well against the world champs. :banghead6mx:

 

[beer good]

Yeah, that was ugly. The US has a great team and they're not undeserving of being in the final, but they had 12 players against Canada's 11 in that game. Hope you get the bronze, at least.

 

[canuck]

Yeah, that was ugly. The US has a great team and they're not undeserving of being in the final, but they had 12 players against Canada's 11 in that game. Hope you get the bronze, at least.

I don't often get to watch women's soccer and was pleasantly surprised at how really well they all played and to see a number of the goals scored by headers was great. Christine Sinclair is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I'm sure both teams have lots of aches, pains and bruises after today's game.

 

[direstraits]

It's always painful to watch close calls like that. For a nation that doesn't care much about football, I always wondered how on earth US managed to build such an incredible women's team. The population, I know...

Which is why I'm always amazed at nations like Denmark. Medals to population ratio the highest, I think they are at the moment.

 

[brk_3]

I love the Olympics...

I've been watching all day and night. Today was an awesome volleyball (indoor, womens) between Brazil and Russia. A 5 set on the edge of your seat thriller.

 

[beer good]

I don't often get to watch women's soccer and was pleasantly surprised at how really well they all played and to see a number of the goals scored by headers was great. Christine Sinclair is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I'm sure both teams have lots of aches, pains and bruises after today's game.

Congrats on the bronze!

We made it to the semis in handball, surprisingly enough; we used to have one of the best teams in the world back in the 90s, but it's been 10 years since we've managed to even advance in a championship. The fact that we got to beat the Danes in the QF made it all the sweeter.

Our mountains are higher, our queen is hotter, we can ski, and WE BEAT YOU AT HANDBALL!

 

[canuck]

Hi BeerGood: What a nailbiter that soccer game was, France missed so many opportunities to score (thankfully) and my stomach was in knots but it felt wonderful when that goal was scored in the final minutes of play, a clean goal too, not a fluke. Marvellous that Canada won the Bronze and the ref was even handed all the way.

Good that the Swedish team did well in the handball, maybe next time to the final! Liked the commentator's quote. :lol:

 

[beer good]

Oh, the semis aren't until tomorrow, so we might make it yet! ...Well, probably not, but it ain't over 'til it's over.

Speaking of, the women's football final was a great game. However they got there, the US deserved to win that one. (And with Swede Pia Sundhage coaching we get to claim 1/23 of a gold. )

I love watching the decathletes compete. I don't know of any other sport where the competitors work that hard (10 olympic disciplines in 2 days!), fight that hard for every single point, and yet always geniunely look like the best of friends afterwards, the entire field posing for a victory photo because they've done the impossible. Other sports might learn something there.

 

[canuck]

Hi beer good: Never seem to get your name right, but maybe have got it right today. Hope your handball team makes it in the semis - haven't had the Olympics on yet today. Yesterday I watched Canada vs France and figured the Canucks were a goner, the French team owned the field for the whole game except for the closing seconds when Canada scored the winning goal. We'll take anything we can get! The Americans played well - and a bit rough - and the Japanese did their best but height, I think, maybe played a part too. The American gals are so much taller.

Your're right about the decathlon, must take a really impressive amount of skill, energy and athleticism to compete - really wonderful athletes.

Some of the things I don't care to watch are boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, women's beach volleyball, and a couple of others. Love the track and field and rowing. Was amused by Usain Bolt (sp) telling how he just wanted to win and become a legend. He has no problem in the self-confidence department. :lol:

 

[beer good]

Hell yeah, we made it to the final!

To celebrate, here's the King of Sweden cheering his team on, with the queen at his side and some random bystander caught in the crossfire:

 

[canuck]

Great pic beer good: Now Sweden will get a medal and hopefully it will be gold. Loved the picture, facial expressions marvellous. Go Sweden!

 

[beer good]

And we lost it by one. single. goal. But still, after more than 10 years of sucking, we're finally back at the top and a silver medal is a lot more than anyone had expected. We're proud of our boys, and the French won fair and square (if very very narrowly).

Great games overall, I'd say. Good arrangements, good crowds (from what I can tell from watching TV), some great results, some really fun upsets (did you see the Ugandan who won the marathon?)... hat off, London.