Beijing Olympics 2008

[leslina]

My inclination towards OCD made me do it, so now we have a general Olympic thread. Mods, please feel free to flog me for usurping your authority.

Just a bit of a silliness on my part this morning as I watch coverage of the games. Beach Volley Ball. Is there a rule some where that says male Beach Volley Ball players have to be good looking? I mean, seriously, even the players that aren't good looking are good looking. I just learned the shortest male Beach Volley Ball player in the games is 6' 2" and, as I take a look at him, good looking. Think I'll go watch Zoolander now.

[Escriba]

You are right, there is a rule that is applied to beach volley players, firemen and surfers which says they must be attractive. But forgive me, I'm totally dazed after the swimming and the Men's Gymnastics event.

Spain almost loses against China in Basketball. Fortunately we (I mean, they) didn't... *pheeeew*, what a relief, it's one of the categories where we (them) expect a medal (or something )

[leslina]

You are right, there is a rule that is applied to beach volley players, firemen and surfers which says they must be attractive. But forgive me, I'm totally dazed after the swimming and the Men's Gymnastics event.

The one thought running through my mind last night was how much better the Olympics are than porn. Damn.

But how about the Chinese and US Gymnastics mens team last night? Wow. And for shame on the Japanese team. Although they managed to make up their deficit, what a dramatic change in attitude from 2004. I don't usually side with the commentators during this event, but those guys didn't seem like they were taking the event seriously at all. I wonder what the Japanese media had to say. I'll have to check NHK online.

Spain almost loses against China in Basketball. Fortunately we (I mean, they) didn't... *pheeeew*, what a relief, it's one of the categories where we (them) expect a medal (or something )

I think the mindset is the same in the United States. The US Basketball team's poor performance in Athens was a much needed wake up call for that spoiled and undeserving group. Here's hoping they learned some humility in the last four years.

[Elessar]

You are right, there is a rule that is applied to beach volley players, firemen and surfers which says they must be attractive. But forgive me, I'm totally dazed after the swimming and the Men's Gymnastics event.

The one thought running through my mind last night was how much better the Olympics are than porn. Damn.

But how about the Chinese and US Gymnastics mens team last night? Wow. And for shame on the Japanese team. Although they managed to make up their deficit, what a dramatic change in attitude from 2004. I don't usually side with the commentators during this event, but those guys didn't seem like they were taking the event seriously at all. I wonder what the Japanese media had to say. I'll have to check NHK online.

Spain almost loses against China in Basketball. Fortunately we (I mean, they) didn't... *pheeeew*, what a relief, it's one of the categories where we (them) expect a medal (or something )

I think the mindset is the same in the United States. The US Basketball team's poor performance in Athens was a much needed wake up call for that spoiled and undeserving group. Here's hoping they learned some humility in the last four years.

Well, things changed a lot in the NBA between 1996 and 2000. I can't remember if it was the 1988 or the 1992 team that was the first dream team, and I can't really recall the makeup of the 1996 team but I think it was still considered a dream team.

[Escriba]

I suppose they have learnt that you can't win just with the name (or the fame of your league.) I think these Games they're going to win (everything is possible, but I see them focused and prepared.)

I don't usually side with the commentators during this event, but those guys didn't seem like they were taking the event seriously at all. I wonder what the Japanese media had to say. I'll have to check NHK online.

I find a lot of Spanish commentators funny in the Olimpic Games, because except the usual ones who work all the year for the sports that have some audience (and hence, are televised), the other are chosen just for the Games. You can find all the cathegories.

In the sports with low media coverage (like fencing) the commentators are usually fans and ex-sportmen (or women) of that discipline and they are all fanatical and enthusiastic. I usually think: "Stop shouting and yelling and explain me the damn rules!" Then there are the boring ones, who know everything about the sport but they can put you to sleep. And then there are the absolute crude commentators that look like they were talking in a bar with friends (yesterday's Women Halterofilia is an example; the man was rude to the point of saying "I don't know what she's trying to lift that weight, it's only an Olimpic record, which means nothing"

[leslina]

And then there are the absolute crude commentators that look like they were talking in a bar with friends (yesterday's Women Halterofilia is an example; the man was rude to the point of saying "I don't know what she's trying to lift that weight, it's only an Olimpic record, which means nothing"

That shocks me and yet, doesn't surprise me.

A lot of the sports commentators here in the United States are sports journalists and former athletes/enthusiasts, but by far, the most RANDOM sports commentator of ANY sport has to be John Tesh in Gymnastics. He's a musician, radio host and entertainment reporter, but apparently he has enough of a background in sports journalism/casting to qualify as a Gymnastics commentator.

[Elessar]

And then there are the absolute crude commentators that look like they were talking in a bar with friends (yesterday's Women Halterofilia is an example; the man was rude to the point of saying "I don't know what she's trying to lift that weight, it's only an Olimpic record, which means nothing"

That shocks me and yet, doesn't surprise me.

A lot of the sports commentators here in the United States are sports journalists and former athletes/enthusiasts, but by far, the most RANDOM sports commentator of ANY sport has to be John Tesh in Gymnastics. He's a musician, radio host and entertainment reporter, but apparently he has enough of a background in sports journalism/casting to qualify as a Gymnastics commentator.

, John Tesh. That's funny. That must be who I was listening to yesterday. Seemed to know what he was talking about, but he was definitely not the same as the high-pitched-voice-guy who is a former gymnast.

It's funny, even in U.S. coverage, for the more off-beat events like fencing and rowing, the former player-commentators are almost never American, I think because other countries typically excel in those events.

[leslina]

:lol:, John Tesh. That's funny. That must be who I was listening to yesterday. Seemed to know what he was talking about, but he was definitely not the same as the high-pitched-voice-guy who is a former gymnast.

Oh yeah. He has been a Gymnastics commentator for a long ass time now, I think possibly as far back as the Barcelona Olympics in '92 and domestic coverage as well. I vaguely remember when he first started and constantly asked the more knowledgeable commentators questions about judging, scoring, technique, etc. It was really aggravating.

[Escriba]

Phelps got his fifth gold. WOW.

Anyway, there is a little montage of Chinese Gymnastics: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_la-precision-gimnasia-china/252970.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=

And this is the Russian gymnastic dislocating his shoulders as nothing: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_gimnastas-goma/252165.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=

To compensate here is the North American Nastia Liukin (with that name I thought she was Russian) in assymetric bars

And there is a proof that leslina is right, beach voley players (even the Spanish) are attractive: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_herrera-mesa-pasan-octavos-final-voley-playa/252925.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=. It's the flesh, it shines

[leslina]

And there is a proof that leslina is right, beach voley players (even the Spanish) are attractive: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_herrera-mesa-pasan-octavos-final-voley-playa/252925.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=. It's the flesh, it shines

¡¡¡Hay un error en la página!!! I'm watching women's beach Volley Ball at the moment. It just doesn't have the same effect on me as mens.

[Escriba]

Strange, it works for me. When I watch it they're men. Qué cosa más rara... Maybe it doesn't work the same for the non-Spanish?

[leslina]

Strange, it works for me. When I watch it they're men. Qué cosa más rara... Maybe it doesn't work the same for the non-Spanish?

This is the error message:

Error en la página
Lo sentimos, el contenido al que está intentando acceder no está accesible desde su territorio. [ volver ]
Sorry, content your trying to view is restricted. [ volver ]

[Escriba]

Ahhhh... You can't see it outside the country. I didn't think about that. Yeah, of course, like what happens with the youtube channel of the Games, which I can't see. I suppose it is because the videos are in the page of our public TV channel and there have to be some copyright issues.

Sorry

[leslina]

Ahhhh... You can't see it outside the country. I didn't think about that. Yeah, of course, like what happens with the youtube channel of the Games, which I can't see. I suppose it is because the videos are in the page of our public TV channel and there have to be some copyright issues.

Sorry

[Elessar]

Phelps got his fifth gold. WOW.

Anyway, there is a little montage of Chinese Gymnastics: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_la-precision-gimnasia-china/252970.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=

And this is the Russian gymnastic dislocating his shoulders as nothing: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_gimnastas-goma/252165.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=

To compensate here is the North American Nastia Liukin (with that name I thought she was Russian) in assymetric bars

And there is a proof that leslina is right, beach voley players (even the Spanish) are attractive: http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20080812/jjoo08_herrera-mesa-pasan-octavos-final-voley-playa/252925.shtml?s1=pekin-08&s2=&s3=. It's the flesh, it shines

Speaking of Gymnastics - if you guys were able to see the American NBC coverage, you'd have seen Bella (sp?) the old American gymnastics coach,the guy who's like a LEGEND, he openly said the Chinese break the rules on the age on gymnastics.

And it's funny because being ignorant of the rules (like I was) is a good bell weather for what's really going on. When I was watching the Olympics, I knew a lot of gymnasts were really young, but I ddn't know there was a rule that they had to be at least 16, so when I saw Shawn Johnson I said, "Yeah, she looks like she could be 14 or 15" and someone goes "Well no they have to be at least 16", and I thought they were just talking about the American team. Like JUST WE had that rule, because of American laws or something. So when I saw the Chinese team later, that made total sense to me because I looked at 3 or 4 of their gymnasts and went, "Haha, oh yeah, they're definitely not 16."

Then Bella comes on with Bob Costas and is saying that one ofthe reasons some of the AMerican girls might have faltered (Sacramone, specifically) is that the older you get and the more of a veteran you are,the more you understand what's on the line, so this is actually a situation where ignorance is bliss as far as a young chinese gymnast not really understanding what's going on here, not really understanding what's at stake. Whereas the 20, 21 yr old gymnasts really do understand it so that weighs on them more, hence more stress, hence more screwups if they can't take the pressure.

But as Bell was talking, he goes, "Some of those Chinese girls, you know, 13, 14, 15 years old, they don't know the stress, they don't know what the pressure is to succeed, they just go out there and have fun, they don't really get it yet." And Bob Costas got kinda wide-eyed, sensing a bit of an Olympic controversy and goes, "Well," laughing, "I think Bella, you may have accidentally let it slip there, I mean... the age is 16, but you, obviously remain unconvinced... You think the Chinese team is underage?" and Bella goes, "Well everybody knows that their team is underage, it's been going on for quite some time, it's not news. But they have their passports from the Chinese government that say they're of age and that's.... that, that's just how it goes."

Then my mom said that at the end of the broadcast they were summarizing, and he again brought it up and said that it needs to be looked at, it needs to be looked into. And I agree.

Honestly, grown women out there with daughters. When you look at some of those Chinese gymnasts, AT THEIR TEETH (hello, they haven't gotten their new teeth yet!), and at their bodies, their little pre-pubescent boyish bodies, I don't understand how they could ever be considered over 16. I know that gymnasts and athletes mature slower, that young girls get to menstruation later when they work out and exercise the way they do obsessively, but you look at Shawn Johnson and her hips and her legs and her bust (small as it is, but not nonexistent), and THAT is a 16 yr old's body.

Lookin at those chinese gymnasts and I'm not even convinced by the "14 or 15" suggestion.