Olympics - General thread

[RussellEbertHandball]

I have been meaning to start this up for a couple of weeks but finally got off my backside after doing some posting on the Other Sports - Beijing Olympic Games board.

I am going to start up a couple of different threads for athletics and swimming. Feel free to post here, there or start your own thread.

In 2000 Port had a crap season but with the Olympics being in Sydney and living at Concord then, about 4kms away from Homebush and Sydney Olympic Park, having tickets to about 18 events thru the ballot system before buying tickets to another dozen events when some of the "tickets for the rich" were released 3 weeks before the games, I wasn't that fussed about the season once we got smashed by St Kilda that year. That same feeling hit me a couple of weeks ago when we lost to the Bulldogs.

So bring it on. They are always great drama at the Olympics. Sometimes involving Oz athletes, sometimes other athletes, sometimes events outside.

Maybe we should run a book to pick what dramas will occur. A few from the last few have been:
1996 Shane Kelly's foot coming out of his pedal clasp.
2000 Jane Saville get disqualified as she was about to enter the stadium.
2004 Jana drama, amazing that she got to the line let alone finishing 5th.

 

[portentous]

Go Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.

 

[blackdiamond]

1996 Shane Kelly's foot coming out of his pedal clasp.

Probably more chance of him wearing a netball skirt these days.

 

[portentous]

Probably more chance of him wearing a netball skirt these days.

He'd be the new champion sausage scoffer now that Hitaf's leaving wouldn't he?

 

[blackdiamond]

He would go alright at the New York Hotdog Challenge.

 

[blackdiamond]

So what is expected from the Aussies this year?

As you can imagine everything here is USA and Phelps so it would be nice to know what our expectation are.

Should we expect a top 4 finish in the medal count as we have had in 2000 and 2004?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

AOC predicted 44 medals, no gold predictions. It's based on 2007 world championship and world cup results. The 2 athletics gold medalists at 2007 world champs pulled out with injuries before the games. Hurdler Jana and 50km walker Nathan Deakes.

Sports Illustrated have tipped 54 and 22 golds.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...euve/07/29/medal.picks0804/index.html?eref=T1

The women swimmers are expected to win 8 to 10 golds and maybe 14 medals and so far are on track with 3 golds and 2 bronze.

The men were only given a chance of winning in 400m and 1500m with Hackett who ended up 6th in the 400m. Sullivan is expected to win or go close to winning in the 50m and 100m. So far has wet a WR in the lead off leg of the 4x100m relay you would have seen Lezak and Phelps in and about 1/2 hour ago re broke it in the 100m SF. They were expected to pick up a couple of relay medals, have a bronze in 4 x 100m Free but might win silver in 4 x 200m in an hour or two and in medley final, and a couple of minor medals in 2 or 3 other events.

Rowing and Cycling will produce medals and golds.Kookaburra's looking good and even the Hockeyroos have gone well. Were 4-1 down at half time to Korea and won 6-4. Sailing we are tipped to do well and leading a couple of classes but don't see much coverage, not that its exciting to watch.

There is a big footy board on the games and that's where I'm putting most of my posts.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=75

bd, you can watch some of 7's videos of events and olympic news and stories at their Yahoo site. Click on the video link. I think you should have access to it. I know NBC have blocked watching their internet coverage unless you can provide a USA zipcode and a cable provider and they match up. If you get it wrong a voiceover says they are restricted to showing internet to residents in the US.

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/

 

[blackdiamond]

Thanks for that REH, you are my best source for the Olympics.

The USA think they are winning the Olympics, rather than tallying up the amount of Golds they just work on the amount of medals won - so in end whether it be gold, silver or bronze its all the same.

Of course this will change when the USA have more gold than China but less total medals.

BTW if you want a zipcode and cable company let me know.

 

[gbear]

Going on medals per capita Australia are leading the olympic medal tally

The two things I hate about the olympics are the drug cheats and the arrogance of the Americans

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Watch the men's 100m running last night. Usain Bolt, what a superstar! Breaks the world record while waving to the crowd over the last 15m. Astonishing. He just demolished the field.

More like Insane Lightning Bolt. We should get him to the Power! What's our entire footy operations budget again? Wouldn't cover it anyway.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

In his second run, 1/4 finals, he switched off after 40m and ran a 9.92 and looked like a big akward ruckman trying to sprint. Had the running style of Ladey trying to sprint.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I wonder how far Ladey would get in the 9.69 sec Bolt ran 100 in?

And I wonder how fast Bolt would run the 100 if he ran all the way to the line?

 

[Macca19]

Was an insane run. Probably could have gone 9.5 if he didnt lift off with 20 metres left. Havent seen anything like that before.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Given that the wind reading was 0.0m and upto +2.0m is legal and that his reaction time was 0.032 lower than Thompson who knows he probably could run a 9.55.

In the USA trials Tyson Gay produced a 9.68 with +4.1m wind which has been calculated to be like a 9.86 with a 0.0 wind.
1 9.68 +4.1 Tyson Gay USA 1 Eugene 29.06.2008

 

[silverfingers]

Not wanting to annoy anyone, but is it un-Australian to say I couldn't give a shit about the Olympics?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Nah we'll just call you a nerd.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Usain "Lightning" Bolt strikes again. 200m gold medal, world record 19.30s.

 

[Hodges 153!]

^^^ would have loved to see him run through the line in the 100!

Hats off to CH7 for completely butchering the Boomers v USA game last night.

Begin live coverage halfway through the second quarter in order to show delayed Softball, and then miss the first 4 minutes of the 3rd quarter while Bruce analyses all 24 semi finalists of the 800m!

 

[Toots Hibbert]

I just noticed that Craig Mottram has likely been eliminated from the 5000 metres. Very disappointing run in a heat.

 

[portentous]

Come on you Kookaburras. Time to put the ball in the net.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Australia won gold gold gold in athletics (surely it has to be worth triple it's so rare?! ).

Steve Hooker won the pole vault with an Olympic record of 5.90m. Go you big ranga!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/athletics/hooker-flies-to-gold-medal/2008/08/23/1219262545000.html

 

[blackdiamond]

Hopefully the Opals can beat the USA, will be nice to stick it up those at work.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

At least you are guaranteed of seeing one Aussie/team in action on NBC.

Hooker was magnificent last night. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see an Aussie male win an athletics gold medal. Got won in the field now we need one on the track.

Hooker produced a series of clutch vaults.

5.60 clear

5.70 pass, Lukyanenko and Yurchenko bot got it with their first and pass on 5.75.

5.80 miss, miss, clear Lukyanenko clears with first vault

5.85, miss, miss, clear Lukyanenko was the same

5.90 miss, miss, clear Lukyanenko missed all three Gold to Hooker

5.96 miss, miss, clear gets Olympic record.

Great clutch vaulting by Hooker, 5 clearances and 8 misses to get a gold + Olympic record.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

It's a great name for headlines too. Hooker loves a big pole. Hooker's sleepless nights. Amazing Hooker in Beijing. And Hollywood's favourite, Hooker with a heart of gold.*

Jarrod Bannister could give the javelin medals a shake too.

*Just saw another one - Hooker raises the bar.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Yep if he rips that 89.02m he threw at nationals in February, which is the best throw this year he will win!!! But he has been throwing 85's in Europe. The top 3 or 4 others were throwing 87's. Don't look at that 79m he threw in qualifying. It was atrocious conditions for throwing or any field event.