Beijing Olympics 2008

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Alan T

They seem to always be almost the smallest or the smallest person on the court is something else I noticed.

Yeah I noticed that too!

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Just wait until next week when Ben Johnson represents Canada.




Too soon? Pommel horse as a whole is stupid for 95% of the guys. Then there are maybe 2 or 3 (Arshavin included) who make you stand up and say wow. Yet they get at best .5 better. Bring the balance beam back for the guys. I know the urban legend stories about why they don't do it, but it would at least provide some fantastic viral youtube videos.

what are the urban legends?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Anthony

what are the urban legends?

Think about the moves that female gymnasts make on the beam involving straddling the bar and imagine someone with balls doing them.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

And that was with Kobe shooting bricks

Kobe's biggest knock is his low shooting percentage and he goes out and shoots 50% and now he's "shooting bricks"?

You need to let the Kobe hate go

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Think about the moves that female gymnasts make on the beam involving straddling the bar and imagine someone with balls doing them.

1. i'm sure it doesn't feel all that great to be straddling a balance beam even with a vagina.

2. then the make gymnasts don't do the balance beam staddle move. besides, anyone can straddle a balance beam. that's not hard.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Anthony

1. i'm sure it doesn't feel all that great to be straddling a balance beam even with a vagina.

2. then the make gymnasts don't do the balance beam staddle move. besides, anyone can straddle a balance beam. that's not hard.

Imagine someone slipping and falling with legs apart on the beam. For a woman, it'd hurt bad, but it'd be alright... with a guy... well, he may not be able to have children after that.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Imagine

LET'S NOT, OK?

[Lathum]

OK, so another stupid rule.

Why do they let a completly different group of swimmers qualify for a swimming relay then the ones who are going to actualy swim in the medal round?

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Lathum

OK, so another stupid rule.

Why do they let a completly different group of swimmers qualify for a swimming relay then the ones who are going to actualy swim in the medal round?

Why wouldn't they? You enter the relay as a nation. If you want to try to strategize and rest your better swimmers for the final, that's your risk (and your reward).

This isn't unique to swimming. Track relays are the same.

I could see it being an issue if you were allowed more than one entry in a relay event--you would need to designate your teams. But, with only one entry, I don't see a problem.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Lathum

OK, so another stupid rule.

Why do they let a completly different group of swimmers qualify for a swimming relay then the ones who are going to actualy swim in the medal round?

I'm not sure why, but the rule is the same for the track & field relays.

[Lathum]

Well I think it's stupid.

The people that qualify should have to race for the medal.

[gstelmack]

And same for gymnastics and any other team event.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Well I think it's stupid.

The people that qualify should have to race for the medal.

Nah, I prefer it this way. It allows for more people to participate. And since it's a team event, I don't see how it's much different than basketball or other team sports where you're allowed to sub people in or out. I just consider the other swimmers the bench players.

[larrymcg421]

dola

Also, this reminds me of when I gained alot of respect for Phelps. In 2004, he gave up his spot in the medley relay final to Ian Crocker. Crocker hadn't raced in the prelims and wouldn't have got a gold if Phelps hadn't done that.

[sabotai]

Do the "bench player" swimmers who swim in the qualifying round also get gold/silver/bronze medals?

EDIT: I guess larry's last post answers that.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

dola

Also, this reminds me of when I gained alot of respect for Phelps. In 2004, he gave up his spot in the medley relay final to Ian Crocker. Crocker hadn't raced in the prelims and wouldn't have got a gold if Phelps hadn't done that.

Hopefully Crocker will repay him by beating him in the 100m Butterfly final.

[clemsonfan]

State-media story fuels questions on gymnast's age - Olympics - Yahoo! Sports

No big surprise there.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by clemsonfan

State-media story fuels questions on gymnast's age - Olympics - Yahoo! Sports

No big surprise there.

Ok, not really paying attention what the gymnast's name was... that article confused the hell out of me.

[clemsonfan]

Her name is "He."

[larrymcg421]

We could get a Marx Bros. routine out of this.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Kobe's biggest knock is his low shooting percentage and he goes out and shoots 50% and now he's "shooting bricks"?

You need to let the Kobe hate go

What Kobe hate? He was 4-10 while missing dunks and layups in the first half. For Kwame Brown, that is a quality first half, for Kobe, it is shooting bricks

I don't have any issue with Kobe at all. When I do, you will definitely know it!

[Fidatelo]

I think this was a routine in the latest Rush Hour movie.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

We could get a Marx Bros. routine out of this.

That's how I felt reading it. When did the article switch to talking about a guy? Wait, that doesn't make sense grammatically. Maybe it was a typo. No, there it is again and again it doesn't make sense grammatically. Maybe it's supposed to say she? Or her?

[Fidatelo]

Yu: May I help you?

Carter: We'll be askin' the questions, old man. Who are you?

Yu: Yu.

Carter: No, not me, you.

Yu: Yes, I am Yu.

Carter: Just answer the damn questions, who are you?

Yu: I have told you.

Carter: Are you deaf?

Yu: No, Yu is blind.

Carter: I'm not blind, you blind.

Yu: That is what I just said.

Carter: You just said what?

Yu: I did not say what, I said Yu!

Carter: That's what I'm askin' you!

Yu: And Yu is answering!

Carter: Shut up! (turns to personnel) You!

Yu: Yes?

Carter: No, not you, him! (to personnel) What's yo' name?

Mi: Mi.

Carter: Yes, YOU!

Mi: I am Mi!

Yu: He is Mi, and I am Yu.

Carter: And I'm about to whoop your old ass, man, 'cause I'm sick of playin' games! (points to everyone in the room) You, me, everybody's ass around here! (points to tall student) Him--I'm-a kick his ass, I'm sick of this!

[larrymcg421]

Who? Wu?

YouTube - Deadwood Swearengen and WU

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Yu: May I help you?

Carter: We'll be askin' the questions, old man. Who are you?

Yu: Yu.

Carter: No, not me, you.

Yu: Yes, I am Yu.

Carter: Just answer the damn questions, who are you?

Yu: I have told you.

Carter: Are you deaf?

Yu: No, Yu is blind.

Carter: I'm not blind, you blind.

Yu: That is what I just said.

Carter: You just said what?

Yu: I did not say what, I said Yu!

Carter: That's what I'm askin' you!

Yu: And Yu is answering!

Carter: Shut up! (turns to personnel) You!

Yu: Yes?

Carter: No, not you, him! (to personnel) What's yo' name?

Mi: Mi.

Carter: Yes, YOU!

Mi: I am Mi!

Yu: He is Mi, and I am Yu.

Carter: And I'm about to whoop your old ass, man, 'cause I'm sick of playin' games! (points to everyone in the room) You, me, everybody's ass around here! (points to tall student) Him--I'm-a kick his ass, I'm sick of this!

Haha, I just watched this movie the other night. Good stuff.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Do the "bench player" swimmers who swim in the qualifying round also get gold/silver/bronze medals?

EDIT: I guess larry's last post answers that.

yes, so if 2 of 4 people race the prelim, and are then replaced, all 6 get medals, but only the 4 that raced the final get the cermony, and the world record will be listed in their names.

[saldana]

this is pretty graphic...hungarian weightlifter trying to snatch 326 pounds, his elbow looks like it fully dislocates anteriorally to the humerus

YouTube - Weightlifting accident - Beijing 2008

[Lathum]

heh

video no longer available

[saldana]

Originally Posted by Lathum

heh

video no longer available

weird...works when i click on it....just go to youtube and it was one of the "now being viewed" at the top of the page

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by saldana

this is pretty graphic...hungarian weightlifter trying to snatch 326 pounds, his elbow looks like it fully dislocates anteriorally to the humerus

YouTube - Weightlifting accident - Beijing 2008

They showed that on MSNBC yesterday (Wednesday) while I was at the gym (so in the 4:30-6ish p.m. ET time period). They warned that it was graphic, and then kept showing it again and again. They also showed a clip of one of the weightlifters tearing his calf muscle (I think they said it was a torn calf muscle, maybe detached? maybe torn tendon? --it was on mute and I was trying to read the subtitles). Not exactly what I wanted to be thinking of while at the gym.

I saw some previous post about something on Walsh's shoulder. This is a complete guess, since I haven't seen this brace (not even sure who Walsh is, I THINK women's beach volleyball), but I know that while in rehab for a dislocated shoulder, I've been taped up (by physical therapists) in such a way so as to help stabilize it and helps ensure it doesn't slip out (thereby helping reduce some of the stress on the muscles, especially after a therapy session). I'm guessing that said brace may serve a role similar to that.

Ok, since I just typed that out, I'm not deleting it. But I just saw it in an ad. It looks EXACTLY like the tape pattern they used to help stabilize it so it doesn't pop out (or partially pop out). So that's my "final answer."

/tk

[saldana]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

They showed that on MSNBC yesterday (Wednesday) while I was at the gym (so in the 4:30-6ish p.m. ET time period). They warned that it was graphic, and then kept showing it again and again. They also showed a clip of one of the weightlifters tearing his calf muscle (I think they said it was a torn calf muscle, maybe detached? maybe torn tendon? --it was on mute and I was trying to read the subtitles). Not exactly what I wanted to be thinking of while at the gym.

I saw some previous post about something on Walsh's shoulder. This is a complete guess, since I haven't seen this brace (not even sure who Walsh is, I THINK women's beach volleyball), but I know that while in rehab for a dislocated shoulder, I've been taped up (by physical therapists) in such a way so as to help stabilize it and helps ensure it doesn't slip out (thereby helping reduce some of the stress on the muscles, especially after a therapy session). I'm guessing that said brace may serve a role similar to that.

Ok, since I just typed that out, I'm not deleting it. But I just saw it in an ad. It looks EXACTLY like the tape pattern they used to help stabilize it so it doesn't pop out (or partially pop out). So that's my "final answer."

/tk

it isnt really a brace. everytime they talk about the tape they explain that it is supposed to be increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the shoulder...she had surgery to clean out the joint, but has never had any history of dislocations

they are on at 9pm eastern tonight, and i am sure they will mention it again, they have every other time she has been on

edit to add: they just called it kinesiology tape

[Senator]

I never realized, since I am a longtime member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, how important beach volleyball is. I need to let the members know that it has to be considered one of the premier sports of the games. They get more prime time than almost anyone.

[terpkristin]

Well, as I said, I can only really go by what I know from personal experience in this matter. Be it a brace or tape (I called it a brace because somebody else did, either way doesn't really change the point), the function is to reduce the stress on the muscles that primarily act to stabilize the shoulder by helping support them. When my PT taped me up, in typical form, I made a nuisance of myself and asked about why it worked, what it was doing, etc, and that tape "pattern" if you will is exactly what I had.

I'm not sure I buy into the "increased blood flow" stuff, but maybe by alleviating the stress, the blood flows better. I have a hard time believing that the Olympic committee would allow something like that in competition if it didn't have at least some supportive function, but that's just a guess, too.

Even without a history of dislocations, there can be instability, and often in athletes who have strong overhead motions (volleyball players, swimmers, gymnasts all fit this mold), there is at least a little instability in the shoulder joint, due to uneven muscle build-up because of which muscles are used mostly in the sport. That she's had to clean it out suggests there MAY have been some instability or something else that's caused damage, which would be reason enough to think about helping the joint out with tape.

I guess in the end, I've definitely had that tape job and I can vouch that it supports the joint itself, helps it feel like it's moving...smoother (my shoulder grinds a bit normally but with the tape job, it didn't). So I'm sticking with my answer for what it's doing. I wonder if they would try to downplay what role the tape may serve because of sponsorships on the main circuit..

/tk

[larrymcg421]

May and Walsh have some competition here. They're down 11-9 in the first set.

[DaddyTorgo]

those belgian girls are thick

[larrymcg421]

HUGE point coming up.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Well, as I said, I can only really go by what I know from personal experience in this matter. Be it a brace or tape (I called it a brace because somebody else did, either way doesn't really change the point), the function is to reduce the stress on the muscles that primarily act to stabilize the shoulder by helping support them. When my PT taped me up, in typical form, I made a nuisance of myself and asked about why it worked, what it was doing, etc, and that tape "pattern" if you will is exactly what I had.

I'm not sure I buy into the "increased blood flow" stuff, but maybe by alleviating the stress, the blood flows better. I have a hard time believing that the Olympic committee would allow something like that in competition if it didn't have at least some supportive function, but that's just a guess, too.

Even without a history of dislocations, there can be instability, and often in athletes who have strong overhead motions (volleyball players, swimmers, gymnasts all fit this mold), there is at least a little instability in the shoulder joint, due to uneven muscle build-up because of which muscles are used mostly in the sport. That she's had to clean it out suggests there MAY have been some instability or something else that's caused damage, which would be reason enough to think about helping the joint out with tape.

I guess in the end, I've definitely had that tape job and I can vouch that it supports the joint itself, helps it feel like it's moving...smoother (my shoulder grinds a bit normally but with the tape job, it didn't). So I'm sticking with my answer for what it's doing. I wonder if they would try to downplay what role the tape may serve because of sponsorships on the main circuit..

/tk

i'm not trying to argue with your experiences with the tape, but the announcers also said today that they got a call from her doctor yesterday who said he has no idea what she is doing with that much tape on her shoulder.

also people are wearing it on places where there is no joint (calf muscles, across one trapezius)

i found this website about it that explains the different ways it can be used, so apparently we are both right

http://www.kinesiologytaping.co.uk/A...echniques.html

[Eaglesfan27]

Great response by Walsh and May. By far the most entertaining match I've seen them play.

[sterlingice]

Nice match

SI

[DaddyTorgo]

yeah - i'm surprised they got taken to the limit in that first game, but they showed great adjustment and heart to rally and holdoff 5 set points before winning

[Groundhog]

I thought this was a pretty great read on why olympic/world records keep getting broken:

Human Nature : Olympic Inflation

Olympic Inflation

Can we please stop fussing over every new Olympic record?
A new record means that an athlete using today's equipment outperformed an athlete using yesterday's equipment. It's not a fair fight.
In swimming alone, today's advantages include:
1. LZR Racer suit. It reduces friction (compared with skin) and is structurally designed to compress and streamline the body for maximum speed. Estimated drag reduction: 5 percent to 10 percent. Estimated average improvement in top swimmers' best times: 2 percent. Designed by NASA scientists and computers, among others. Cost: $500.
2. Pool depth. This is the deepest pool ever used in the Olympics. Depth disperses turbulence, reducing resistance.
3. Pool width and gutters. Two extra lanes at the margins disperse waves to gutters, reducing ricochet and resistance.
4. Lane dividers. The plastic ones in Beijing deflect turbulence down instead of sideways, reducing resistance.
5. Starting blocks. Nonskid versions have replaced the old wooden ones, boosting dive propulsion.
6. Video. Recordings and analysis identify target variables such as stroke distance and turns.
7. Medical tests. Swimmers are blood-tested after each race to measure lactic-acid buildup.
8. Sports scientists. They run the monitoring and analysis. The U.S. swim team has four.
And here's a partial list of advances in other sports:
1. Lighter shoes. The latest material is carbon nanotubes.
2. Asymmetric shoes. Stronger carbon base in the right shoe tilts you to the left to increase speed as you round the track. Left shoe is designed to stabilize you.
3. Ice vest. It lowers your temperature before the race so you can delay overheating for better performance.
4. Hypoxic tents. Sleeping in low-oxygen chambers increases red blood-cell levels.
5. Aluminum javelins. They reduce vibration compared with the old carbon ones.
6. Bicycle wheels. Front wheels with fewer spokes (eight instead of 32) reduce weight and air resistance. So do composite one-piece rear wheels. All frames are carbon.

Michael Phelps' coach says the LZR suit is fair. "Everybody is in the suit so it's across the board," he argues. That may be true of today's top swimmers. But it's not true of yesterday's. So comparing today's performances to the performances of 20, eight, or even four years ago—which is what "new Olympic record" means—is generally unfair.
If you want to compare today's athletes to yesterday's, the ideal method would be an inflationary formula. We already calculate how much $1 in 1980 would be worth today, based on price increases. We ought to be able to devise a similar multiplier for each Olympic event, based on average year-to-year improvement among top athletes. Averaging would wash out idiosyncratic ups and downs. The effects of aging could be measured and factored out.
Olympic inflation indexing wouldn't devalue new records. It would isolate and elevate records that truly stand out. Scores of media reports have boasted that every team in this year's 4 x 100 men's swimming relay beat the time that won that event four years ago. But by inflationary standards, the British, who beat the 2004 winning time by three-tenths of a second in constant time, actually failed to keep pace with it. The Americans, who beat it by five seconds, produced a genuine achievement.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch the latest high-definition broadcast from Beijing on my 46-inch flat-screen TV. It beats the crap out of the 20-inch tube I was squinting at in 2004. But that doesn't make my eyesight any better.
Published Wednesday, August 13, 2008 7:41 AM by William Saletan Filed under: enhancement, doping

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by saldana

i'm not trying to argue with your experiences with the tape, but the announcers also said today that they got a call from her doctor yesterday who said he has no idea what she is doing with that much tape on her shoulder.

also people are wearing it on places where there is no joint (calf muscles, across one trapezius)

i found this website about it that explains the different ways it can be used, so apparently we are both right

http://www.kinesiologytaping.co.uk/A...echniques.html

I wasn't trying to be a dick in my reply to your post, either, though I guess after 11 hours at work, I don't filter nearly as well as I think I do.. Yeah, in the end, we're both right, though I'm still not sure I buy what I've heard the announcers say about blood-flow, except as secondary to muscle support/to ease the stress on the muscles (I've known PT's to use it on people for IT band stuff and around the knees, too). Oh well, if it works for her, I guess that's all that matters. I really hope for her sake they put down a good base layer beneath it, that tape is super-sticky and can RIP up the skin when taking it off.

And this has been one heck of a match.

/tk

[saldana]

one of my clients daughters was on the junior national swimteam, and was telling me about those suits...according to her, they are so tight that the swimmers only use a suit one time, so they have a new one for every race (phelps would have had to bring 17). they have to stretch them out so much to get them on and off that they dont have the same effect if used twice

she also said that the reason they are all armless now is that breast strokers and back strokers couldnt move their arms over their heads if there were shoulders and arms on the suits.

[saldana]

second set not really delivering after the first

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I thought this was a pretty great read on why olympic/world records keep getting broken:

Human Nature : Olympic Inflation

The constant criticism of today's records, accomplishments etc. is getting just as aggravating as the over-adulation of those same records and accomplishments.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

The constant criticism of today's records, accomplishments etc. is getting just as aggravating as the over-adulation of those same records and accomplishments.

Meh, I disagree. The past week I've heard sooooo many people comment on "how can they keep breaking these records, sometimes by more than a second". Well, that's how.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Meh, I disagree. The past week I've heard sooooo many people comment on "how can they keep breaking these records, sometimes by more than a second". Well, that's how.

But that is my point. You can ask those questions about any athlete who breaks any records in any sport. To me, it is a way to discount the talents and efforts of these athletes.

[Radii]

Just a ridiculously dominant race from Phelps, wow.

[Racer]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Meh, I disagree. The past week I've heard sooooo many people comment on "how can they keep breaking these records, sometimes by more than a second". Well, that's how.

+1. I find it interesting how stuff like that can effect performance and even more interesting on the ways in which you could compare past times to current times.