London 2012 - Spoiler Version

[HauteCoug]

We're pretty harsh, aren't we. I feel for all of these athletes that fall short of their dreams. I'm sure it's not their intent to lose. It's a lot to put oneself out there, many times alone. At least with team sports one can blend in the the rest, but one is very exposed with individual events.

I got into it a little bit with someone on Facebook (silly, I know) about athletes being visibly disappointed with second place. Mckayla Maroney was supposed to win gold - it was basically supposed to be a dogfight for who would be her runners up - and she screwed up at the worst possible moment for her career. I think it's easy for us to say, "they're already olympians! that's amazing! they should be happy they get anything at all!" but I don't think it's appropriate to knock their pain when it's something they have dedicated their entire lives for. Particularly when most of these athletes are seriously just kids.

With Lochte, I don't think he was overly arrogant in his desire to have it be his time. If anything I think he was pointing out that it's the passing of the baton - commentators were even remarking that while he might not have always won, Lochte is arguably the best swimmer in the world right now.

It's an interesting thing with the olympics where sometimes the best don't win at the highest contest, and as much as I love the games for what they represent, they are just one medal in a string of victories that can span a decade, or even more, for some competitors. And Phelps is one of the only competitors who has been able to have it all.

[smokymountainrain]

1 pt game at half, LeBron comes out and scores 9 quick ones and then Durant just goes off. U.S. up by 24 in the 3rd.

[smokymountainrain]

Finish the 3rd up by 26. Outscored Argentina 42-17 in the quarter. This team has a major achilles heel with their lack of inside presence, but damn, when they get rolling they are fun to watch.

[Topper]

The US is having a disappointing performance in many of the lesser sports, which I feel obligated to follow as long as a US participant is in sight.

Boxing for men has been a complete failure.
Water Polo, as defending silver medalist, did poorly so far.
Men's Beach Volleyball has disappointed, but not the women so far.

We don't have a woman's field hockey team so I can watch the Dutch.

Sailing has under-performed.
Wrestling has been abysmal.

In weightlifting we've done so poorly we don't even have qualified individuals for the preliminaries in most weight classes.

Equestrian has been awful for us, most of the time.

The Chinese are exceeding expectations but in other news the English speaking world is annihilating the other languages of the world. Just the USA and our little British colony have more than one hundred medals. You add in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland and no other language even has a chance.

Notice how poorly India performs. What's up with that?

[myboynoah]

The US is having a disappointing performance in many of the lesser sports, which I feel obligated to follow as long as a US participant is in sight.

Boxing for men has been a complete failure.
Water Polo, as defending silver medalist, did poorly so far.
Men's Beach Volleyball has disappointed, but not the women so far.

We don't have a woman's field hockey team so I can watch the Dutch.

Sailing has under-performed.
Wrestling has been abysmal.

In weightlifting we've done so poorly we don't even have qualified individuals for the preliminaries in most weight classes.

Equestrian has been awful for us, most of the time.

The Chinese are exceeding expectations but in other news the English speaking world is annihilating the other languages of the world. Just the USA and our little British colony have more than one hundred medals. You add in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland and no other language even has a chance.

Notice how poorly India performs. What's up with that?

We do have a women's field hockey team, but they're not very good.

With all of our guns, you'd think we would clean up in the shooting sports.

Boxing is so bad that I saw an Indian boxer beat our American.

[falafel]

Boxing is so bad that I saw an Indian boxer beat our American.

I've seen that nightmare scenario before, but with a better ending.

[Topper]

We do have a women's field hockey team, but they're not very good.

With all of our guns, you'd think we would clean up in the shooting sports.

Boxing is so bad that I saw an Indian boxer beat our American.

China continues to kick the collective asses of the US. When will the humiliation cease? 2016?

On a lighter note, Great Britain appears to be having their greatest Olympic performance ever.

[smokymountainrain]

At the risk of Lebowski accusing me of beating a dead horse, it really is shocking as I watch the U.S play a pretty mediocre Australia team, how easy it is to score at the basket against team USA when Brow isn't in the game - which in a tight or semi-tight game is always.

[smokymountainrain]

Kobe going off in the 4th. 0-6 Fgs at one point in 2nd half and now has 20 pts.

[PaloAltoCougar]

In today's Men's 4 x 400 relay, a U.S. runner sustained a broken fibula halfway through his, uh, leg. He apparently had an injury earlier in the week that set up the fracture in today's race. You can see him grimacing a bit, but not only did he finish, he helped the team to the best qualifying time thus far. They'll run the final tomorrow. I assume they have an alternate.

One announcer observed that we'd just witnessed the fastest 400m ever run by a person with a broken leg. Given that the guy's time was about 46 seconds, I'd say the announcer was correct.

[SteelBlue]

I read that Bolt won the 200 and once again slowed up and showboated. I love the guy, but dammit I want to see a WR!

[RC Vikings]

I feel bad for Uceny in the 1500 meter run. She always run defensively and looks like she is afraid of falling and today her worst fear came true.

[pelagius]

I feel bad for Uceny in the 1500 meter run. She always run defensively and looks like she is afraid of falling and today her worst fear came true.

Actually, it is two years in a row. She fell at the World championships last year too.

[TexTechCoug]

I feel bad for Uceny in the 1500 meter run. She always run defensively and looks like she is afraid of falling and today her worst fear came true.

Tripped by the Ethiopian who gassed out and finished fifth. That has got to piss you off.