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[FreezeSSC]

WTF? Paul Hamm dropped out? It's all over for U.S. Men's Gymnastics.

Not if morgan pulls of his routine, seriously look it up on youtube, if he pulls it off he could be the next kurt thomas.

 

[Future PhaZe]

Wtf @ masks.

I'm pretty uneducated on the subject, but are you telling me that you need a fucking mask to walk around in Beijing like its mars or something? The quality of air can't be that bad can it?

Anyone have any examples of what its like?

 

[Stele]

Not if morgan pulls of his routine, seriously look it up on youtube, if he pulls it off he could be the next kurt thomas.

Ok, it's a cute move on floor exercise, but he's not the all-arounder his brother is and if I remember correctly, he doesn't even do all the events.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Wtf @ masks.

I'm pretty uneducated on the subject, but are you telling me that you need a fucking mask to walk around in Beijing like its mars or something? The quality of air can't be that bad can it?

Anyone have any examples of what its like?

When I was there a few years back, the air was very bad on most days, but I didn't wear a mask. I didn't have problems breathing, but if I were to live there on a more permanent basis, I certainly would. The air was so thick on some days, you could actually see stuff floating in the air, and it was not uncommon to feel the grit in your hair at the end of the day when you went to take a shower.

 

[FreezeSSC]

Ok, it's a cute move on floor exercise, but he's not the all-arounder his brother is and if I remember correctly, he doesn't even do all the events.

Well im not very familiar with the other events, im just intersted in seeing him pull off the air-flare, it could change the face of gymnastics like the flare did. Im just worried on him pulling it off, its not a easy move at all, paul tried learning it and gave up because he said it was too hard.

 

[Stele]

Paul's moveset isn't that hard...compared to the Russians and the Chinese. His strength is consistency unlike the Russian and the Chinese who would flop when the crowd sneezes or something. Well...it might all be moot because both of those guys took an insane amount of time off.

 

[SUPREME1]

GO TEAM USA!!!!

 

[Barrage]

Hyped for:

1. Amateur Wrestling
2.Amateur Wrestling
3.Amateur Wrestling
4. Amateur Wrestling
5. Basketball
6. Baseball
7. Tennis


Hopefully Saeed Azerbayjani brings home gold for Canada, he is the absolute man and, on top of that, hilarious.

It would be great Ari Taub's old ass could win Greco too, considering he was supposed to go to the Olympics 16 fucking years ago.

GO CANADA

 

[Iceman]

Yes, if they felt so strongly about the pollution in Beijing they should have just stayed home, like some other athletes have done. Choosing to support this Olympics by playing and then trying to make a statement is just hypocritical.

jesse owens should have stayed home too.

oh, and visitors wear masks in Mexico City too.. does anybody apologize for them?

 

[DrFunk]

Yes, if they felt so strongly about the pollution in Beijing they should have just stayed home, like some other athletes have done. Choosing to support this Olympics by playing and then trying to make a statement is just hypocritical.

Man, maybe these dudes should have stayed home too, right?

 

[Lesath]

Wtf @ masks.

I'm pretty uneducated on the subject, but are you telling me that you need a fucking mask to walk around in Beijing like its mars or something? The quality of air can't be that bad can it?

Anyone have any examples of what its like?

It really isn't. Was in Beijing two weeks ago. Aside from the heat, no complaints.

 

[methodman]

Man, maybe these dudes should have stayed home too, right?

San Jose State University Represent!

 

[GenericPseudonym]

Since Team Canada is bound to put on a pedestrian performance preferring to compete at the much less important Winter Olympics, I'm hoping for China to top the medal count just to rub it in the rest of the world's face for constantly shitting on their hosting efforts.

 

[Cornballer]

Someone dug up the NBC press kit that has a decent daily listing of what's on TV here in the US and some highlights. Subject to change, of course, but it should give people an idea what's on. It's a 66 page pdf document.

 

[Illuminati]

Someone dug up the NBC press kit that has a decent daily listing of what's on TV here in the US and some highlights. Subject to change, of course, but it should give people an idea what's on. It's a 66 page pdf document.

Yes, Table Tennis on USA HD!

 

[Dali]

Since Team Canada is bound to put on a pedestrian performance preferring to compete at the much less important Winter Olympics, I'm hoping for China to top the medal count just to rub it in the rest of the world's face for constantly shitting on their hosting efforts.

It's a good thing superior talent and athleticism trumps your hopes and dreams.

 

[TDG]

Since Team Canada is bound to put on a pedestrian performance preferring to compete at the much less important Winter Olympics, I'm hoping for China to top the medal count just to rub it in the rest of the world's face for constantly shitting on their hosting efforts.

China deserves every bit of it. But hey, you keep hoping!

 

[speedpop]

I'm waiting for the inevitable complaint from various athletes that they could not perform properly because of the smog and heat.

Get over it because you're in the same boat as everyone else.

 

[SUPREME1]

Can we just assume that there will be no record times broken for outdoor events?

Sh*t air and all.

 

[speedpop]

Nah cause if they are broken, the anti-drug bandwagon will start driving into town to bang their pots with wooden spoons.

Time to face the facts - this Olympics is going to be awesome just for the controversy. Heck even Kara knows this and was able to create a spitting fight on the first page!

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

As a Chinese American (well, really a Taiwanese American), I can attest that even the locals do this in Taiwan (which is much less polluted than China).

It's no big deal. I've seen people in Taiwan riding their motor scooters and walking around with masks on every time I've visited.

I really don't get the whole issue here because the locals really could give a shit. They'd readily sell them face masks :lol. Come on Japan-GAF, I'm sure you've seen this in Japan too, right?

I can confirm this for Taiwan, but I've never seen face masks in Japan.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

People wear face masks in Japan because they have a cold, not because the air is particularly bad. That's right, it is people actually being considerate towards others and trying not to pass their cold onto other people in the train / office. Such a concept is probably unimaginable for people from Beijing where hawking up phlegm and spitting it out onto the sidewalk is extremely commonplace.

 

[Baryn]

I will be there this year... wish me luck, that I might not get hepatitis. :lol :/

 

[Karakand]

I wonder if other countries did the same thing a the '84 LA games :lol

From what I've been told there were actually pretty substantial air pollution concerns in the lead up to those games, yes. (They even talked about it a bit on PTI or ATH today.) But in the end it turned out to be a lot of hot air.

WTF? Paul Hamm dropped out? It's all over for U.S. Men's Gymnastics.

I wasn't really expecting us to dominate them at this year's games tbh, but yeah it is a big blow to lose him. His call though... an athlete's livelihood is his body during his competitive years and one games isn't worth sacrificing that.

Man, maybe these dudes should have stayed home too, right?

http://thechowstyle.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/tommie-smith.jpg

Carlos and Smith got soooooooooo much shit for that at the time... much respect to them and their balls of steel.

Time to face the facts - this Olympics is going to be awesome just for the controversy. Heck even Kara knows this and was able to create a spitting fight on the first page!

Hail Eris, mothafuckas. Hail Eris.

 

[Pachael]

I'm throwing my lot in for the Aussies, who'll rock at swimming... and sink in the athletics, but let's not forget the cycling and headbutting/crying/Tib-, oh that was close, Cadel.

China to get more golds and medals than anybody else, though. Home advantage is a huge thing.

 

[Fafnir]

Wtf @ masks.

I'm pretty uneducated on the subject, but are you telling me that you need a fucking mask to walk around in Beijing like its mars or something? The quality of air can't be that bad can it?

Anyone have any examples of what its like?

I arrived in Beijing yesterday and the pollution isn't that bad, the sky is hazy but whatever, I'm use to it from living in S.Korea. The air quality is about the same as the '88 Seoul Olympics.

 

[besada]

Are the Olympics started? I'm watching Norway vs US women's soccer on NBCUHD.

Norway scored in the first couple of minutes.

And scored again. This is looking ugly.

 

[ucdawg12]

I only caught a glimpse at the China - Sweden game highlights, was that the smog or was it raining?

 

[besada]

I only caught a glimpse at the China - Sweden game highlights, was that the smog or was it raining?

The game I'm watching has a layer of haze above the playing field.

 

[Karakand]

Are the Olympics started? I'm watching Norway vs US women's soccer on NBCUHD.

Norway scored in the first couple of minutes.

And scored again. This is looking ugly.

Football prelims take place before the games "officially" begin.

I'm not expecting a ton out of the USWNT with Wambach out. That and our coaching is terrible.

 

[juicyfruitas]

San Jose State University Represent!

I walked through the SJSU campus a couple of years ago when I was in downtown SJ for the GDC. Nice library but the campus overall was a bit ghetto. Ghetto as in tons of bums hanging out everywhere. I thought USC was bad but SJSU was like skid-row.

 

[Karakand]

BEIJING (AFP) - Lopez Lomong, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan who was a victim of violence in Darfur, was named Thursday as the United States flag bearer for the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics.

US captains in every Olympic sport met at the Olympic Village and voted to award the honor for Friday's ceremony to Lomong, a sensitive choice given criticism of Chinese foreign policy over the conflict in Darfur.

"This is the most exciting day ever in my life," Lomong said. "It's a great honor for me that my teammates chose to vote for me.

"The opening ceremony is the best day and the best moment of Olympic life. I'm here as an ambassador of my country and I will do everything I can to represent my country well."

Lomong, 23, was kidnapped from his family by the Janjaweed militia and taken hostage. He and other youths escaped and spent three days on the run before crossing the border into Kenya and being taken to a refugee camp.

He spent years there just fighting to survive and famously paid five Kenyan shillings to watch a black and white television telecast of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

He said seeing US track star Michael Johnson win gold sparked his dream of becoming an Olympian.

Lomong was adopted by a US foster family, changed his citizenship to American and will race in the 1,500 meters at Beijing.

Doesn't seem like the US Team is down with our Olympic Committee's kowtowing.

In other American athlete political statement news...

HOW DARE SHE (she being Amanda Beard)

 

[Dali]

News story

That's really cool. I don't know how politically motivated his selection was, if at all, but China can easily interpret that as something aimed at them. The best part is they can't say shit about it. Just smile and accept it.

 

[giga]

BEIJING (AFP) - Lopez Lomong, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan who was a victim of violence in Darfur, was named Thursday as the United States flag bearer for the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics.

 

[MIMIC]

Someone dug up the NBC press kit that has a decent daily listing of what's on TV here in the US and some highlights. Subject to change, of course, but it should give people an idea what's on. It's a 66 page pdf document.

Thanks for this. Too bad "Find" doesn't work :-/

 

[Karakand]

It was almost certainly politically motivated, Dali, (especially since this comes out after the USOC made those cyclists apologize for the airport thing) but as you said, no one can do shit about this. What is the USOC going to do... make them pick someone else? Apologize?

 

[Cornballer]

In other American athlete political statement news...

http://i33.tinypic.com/vq65pj.jpg

HOW DARE SHE (she being Amanda Beard)

I'm fine with Amanda Beard protesting whatever she wants as long as she's naked while doing it.

Thanks for this. Too bad "Find" doesn't work :-/

I think they scanned it, so you can't search. At least you can go through day by day and see what's up.

 

[Karakand]

Blatter being Blatter. (Semi-old news but no one really talked about it in here.)

BEIJING - The Olympic football tournament is in danger of being undermined by a court ruling that allows clubs to keep players out of the Beijing Games, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Thursday.

Blatter launched an angry diatribe at the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled Wednesday that Argentina forward Lionel Messi and Brazilians Diego and Rafinha can be stopped from playing in the Olympics by their European clubs.

"I gulped when I heard that decision," Blatter said at the International Olympic Committee general assembly. "It's a rather dramatic situation."

He said he feared the ruling would have a "snowball effect," prompting other clubs to withdraw their players from the Olympics and force them to return.

"If all the national squads will lose players, if clubs force them to return home, we simply will not have an Olympic football tournament here in Beijing," Blatter said. "We could do beach soccer or a five-a-side tournament. That would be very sad and the world would not understand it."

"We cannot have players who have been entered in the football tournament in accordance with all the rules, we can't let them go, we can't see them return home," he added. "It's really sad to see such a decision was handed down, putting in danger the entire football tournament."

Blatter suggested some clubs might seek financial compensation to let their players stay at the Olympics.

"Is that Olympic solidarity?" he said.

IOC president Jacques Rogge also expressed concern and urged clubs to observe a "truce" and let their players stay at the Olympics.

"After the games we will take stock of the Olympic football tournament and decide on what measures to take," he said. "In the meantime, we have to manage it in the short term and appeal to the clubs not to withdraw players and allow players who are entered in the football tournament to put their dreams into reality.

"I would like to appeal to the clubs, plead with them to respect this dream. Please observe an Olympic truce for this Olympic football tournament."

Three European clubs — Messi's FC Barcelona, Rafinha's Schalke and Diego's Werder Bremen — went to CAS to keep their players out of the Olympics.

Despite the ruling, Messi still wants to play for his country instead of returning to Barcelona, according to Argentina coach Sergio Batista. Barcelona postponed making a decision on whether to demand Messi's return until its coach talked to the star.

Schalke and Werder Bremen later offered to let Rafinha and Diego stay with Brazil for the Olympic tournament.

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

Any possibilities of live streams for the opening ceremony? 8 PM in Beijing is 5 AM in Los Angeles. If I were back home in L.A., I would try to catch it live on one of the Chinese TV channels, but I'm currently not in CA...

 

[Karakand]

Any possibilities of live streams for the opening ceremony? 8 PM in Beijing is 5 AM in Los Angeles. If I were back home in L.A., I would try to catch it live on one of the Chinese TV channels, but I'm currently not in CA...

It appears that NBC is tape-delaying the opening ceremonies to Friday night and since they are handling the streaming coverage in the U.S. I don't think you'll be able to see it live... unless you went through a backchannel like myp2p or justintv.

 

[Ela Hadrun]

We need some rhythmic gymnastics up in this bitch!

Hoops, ribbons and balls, fuck yeah!

 

[distantmantra]

Any possibilities of live streams for the opening ceremony? 8 PM in Beijing is 5 AM in Los Angeles. If I were back home in L.A., I would try to catch it live on one of the Chinese TV channels, but I'm currently not in CA...

Are you near the Canadian border? We get the Vancouver CBC station here in Seattle and I'm sure the CBC will airing it live.

I'm so glad we have CBC. Even if it's not HD, we get to see everything uncut and live as it actually happens, unlike NBC's "primetime" coverage.

 

[Karakand]

The Yankids (US football team) is currently playing Japan on MSNBC RIGHT NOW.

I believe this is the lineup we are using

18 Brad Guzan (G)
2 Marvell Wynne (D)
3 Michael Orozco (D)
15 Michael Parkhurst (D)
6 Maurice Edu (D)
4 Michael Bradley (M)
7 Stuart Holden (M)
14 Robbie Rodgers (M)
16 Sacha Kljestan (M)
11 Freddy Adu (F)
17 Brian McBride (F)

Currently nil-nil, about 15 minutes left in the first half.

U-S-A
U-S-A
U-S-A

 

[Karakand]

The Yankids beat the Japanese one-nil with the only goal coming from Stuart Holden (which wasn't particularly pretty). Our defending looked really poor and it was troubling to see us sit back and try and hold the lead in the second half instead of keeping up the attack, which looked good for the most part. (Adu was neutralized by the Japanese defense.) Nowak, don't be like Bunker Bob Bradley!

I was really impressed with Robbie Rogers on the left wing. He was punishing the Japanese a lot and pushing the attack. He was perhaps a bit too show boaty at times but I will take that if it means I see some good OFFENSE. (We have struggled to score a lot lately.)

Our group includes the Netherlands and Nigeria and this was pretty much a must win so I can't complain too much. Time to take a page from the Russkie's Euro 2008 playbook and crush those liberal and tolerant Dutch on Sunday! U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A!

Other scores from the first round of prelim games today:

Australia 1 (Zadkovich) - Serbia 1 (Rajkovic)
Brazil 1 (Hernanes) - Belgium 0
Honduras 0 - Italy 3 (Giovinco, Acquafresca, Rossi)

Sad to see Benedict Arnold Rossi score but I can't change the past! Onward to victory Yankids!

 

[The Elite]

Let us celebrate the NBC broadcast of the Olympics by watching Brisco County Jr., who's theme song was bought by NBC for Olympic broadcast use.

Shit, I haven't gone through my boxset yet. Make it so!!

 

[Ripclawe]

Video threat by extremist group posted online against the Olympics.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D92DHM6O0

 

[Y2Kev]

I love the summer olympics.

Am excited for swimming, free style wrestling (though no cael sanderson does suck a bit), gymnastics, track and field, fencing, omg...wow...so much fun stuff.

only the figure skating really gets me going in the winter

 

[luxarific]

If you go to the Asia Society's website, you can see a photo diary of the skies in Beijing for the past several months or so (click the "Room with a View" link). So no, I don't blame the cyclists for wearing masks that they were given by their own team physiologist and which they were told to wear as soon as they got on the plane.

I'm looking forward to the Games. I love to see sports that are only broadcast every four years. Could care less about the medal race.

 

[FreezeSSC]

Just read on the news that morgan hamm will also be dropping out of the olympics, damn i was really looking forward to seeing his floor routine, now without both hamm brothers i dont know how well the US team will do.

 

[skybaby]

I'm looking forward to the Games. I love to see sports that are only broadcast every four years. Could care less about the medal race.

Same here. And it's so awesome to watch sports in HD!