Olympics

[Hilltop Customs]

so no ones started a thread about it yet, so I thought I would throw it out there....

Whos watching the Olympics and what do you think so far? whats your thoughts on the way the media is covering the games? How about the commercials? Think Michale Phelps is a freak of nature?

[tech-chan]

I just like the volleyball.

[robnix]

I always watch them. A post of mine from another forum that I posted a few days back:

There's been some great stories and fantastic competition already in swimming alone. We had a <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/beijing-games/story.html?id=714251">41 year old woman win a Silver Medal</a> in a relay event, and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=atG47dQxEAS4&refer=home">tra sh talking followed by a .08 sec upset win in another relay</a>.

But there's more!

The U.S. womens saber team <a href="http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/09/sports/09olyfence.php">swept the medals</a> after never winning one in the sport.

A Spanish cyclist has been <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2008olympics/2008/08/10/2008-08-10_spanish_cyclist_maria_isabel_moreno_bann-1.html">banned for doping</a>.

<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4503453.ece">Murder, suicide and censorship!!</a>

The Olympics have always been more than just a sporting event, They are and have always been a reflection of the societal and political state of the world. To me there's something compelling about Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese running for the U.S. being elected flag carrier for the opening ceremonies. Lopez is one of the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/08/AR2008080800009_pf.html">Sudanese Lost Boys</a> and a co-founder of <a href="http://www.teamdarfur.org/">Team Darfur</a>. He was nominated as a slap in the face to Chinese officials that denied <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/cs-080807-joey-cheek-olympics-darfur,0,2144689.story">Joey Cheek</a> , another co-founder of Team Darfur entry to China. The same night, <a href="http://rustysblog.com/2008/08/09/little-lin-hao-a-survivor-hero-and-example/">Yao Ming carried China's flag with Lin Hao</a>, a 9 year old survivor of the quakes in China who helped save several classmates from the rubble. Yao Ming has set up a foundation to help fund the rebuilding of the schools that were destroyed in the quake.

So in the first 4 days, we had triumph where there once was none, victory over odds, the comeback story of year, murder, cheating, political unrest, and uncommon heroism.

Sounds like one hell of a book/movie/mini-series/history lesson/political commentary to me.

[kosmo]

The IOC is less effective than NATO, and theyre just supervising some games for cryin out loud. Look at how much China has been cheating. Half of their gymnastics team is nowhere near 16, one of their swimmers was disqualified tonight for trying to get a head start, and their synchronized divers are clearly wirelessly networked robots.