Beijing Olympics thread

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Originally Posted by 15fan

I'll take the opposite approach. I don't think Phelps' story can be over-covered. What he's attempting to do is beyond freakish. 8 golds in the same Olympics? That's twice what Jesse Owens did in 1936 and what Carl Lewis did in 1984. That one-ups Spitz in an era when the internationalization of training and competing makes it unfathomable that one individual could be the best in the world at 8 different combinations of distances / strokes.

I think there also exists the very real possibility that Phelps pocketing 8 golds will do for the sport of swimming what Jordan did for basketball in the 90s, and Tiger Woods has done for golf in the 00s - junior swimming programs all over the country (and world?) will attract kids like never before.

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Mark Spitz did the same for swimming when he won the seven gold medals. This poster hung on my brother's bedroom wall and several swim teams, including the one I was on, used these suits during the mid seventies.

http://iaingraham.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/0248.jpg

So, I can personally attest to the effects of what Phelps is trying to accomplish.

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Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Unbelievable is the only word to describe it.

Another great night of Olympic action. I'm hooked now.

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I'm first in line to criticize NBC for their Olympic coverage. But in spite of the time difference, they seem to be doing a great job this year.

The other thing that's really striking me about the swimming this go-round is just how big the swimmers are. Not big as in muscular, but big as in tall. Phelps is what - 6'4"? Grevers is 6'8". That seems to be the norm moreso than I ever remember. Just a decade ago, there would have been little chance that those guys strayed from football, basketball, or pitching in baseball. Swimming was for the 6'-ish guys, not the 6'6"-ish guys.

But now with the face that Phelps is putting on swimming, and the associated money that he's inevitably attracting to the sport, I think you'll see more tall kids gravitate to the pool, or stick with the pool when they hit that growth spurt.

Sure it's going to an extreme, but maybe the next Yao Ming won't be Yao Ming on the hardwood, but will opt for the pool instead. A 7'6" world class swimmer?

If the Chinese want to win the medal count at future games, they should stick their next young Yao in a pool and teach him to freestyle and backstroke. That's what it's going to take for someone down the road to approach the medal count that Phelps is going to have by the time these games are over.

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Originally Posted by 15fan

The other thing that's really striking me about the swimming this go-round is just how big the swimmers are. Not big as in muscular, but big as in tall. Phelps is what - 6'4"? Grevers is 6'8". That seems to be the norm moreso than I ever remember. Just a decade ago, there would have been little chance that those guys strayed from football, basketball, or pitching in baseball. Swimming was for the 6'-ish guys, not the 6'6"-ish guys.

But now with the face that Phelps is putting on swimming, and the associated money that he's inevitably attracting to the sport, I think you'll see more tall kids gravitate to the pool, or stick with the pool when they hit that growth spurt.

Sure it's going to an extreme, but maybe the next Yao Ming won't be Yao Ming on the hardwood, but will opt for the pool instead. A 7'6" world class swimmer?

If the Chinese want to win the medal count at future games, they should stick their next young Yao in a pool and teach him to freestyle and backstroke. That's what it's going to take for someone down the road to approach the medal count that Phelps is going to have by the time these games are over.

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And people wonder why there are no great white Americans in the NBA. they are all swimming.

NBC has been delaying the broadcast on the West Coast, but they have the "LIVE" banner plastered on the screen. A little bit of deception if you ask me.

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Originally Posted by RBA

NBC has been delaying the broadcast on the West Coast, but they have the "LIVE" banner plastered on the screen. A little bit of deception if you ask me.

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Maybe they are just encouraging the suicidal not to go through with it. ;)

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Originally Posted by Chip R

Maybe they are just encouraging the suicidal not to go through with it. ;)

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Maybe. I guess I could hit the sports bars and lay some bets down. :D

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Originally Posted by RBA

Maybe. I guess I could hit the sports bars and lay some bets down. :D

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There you go.

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Originally Posted by RBA

NBC has been delaying the broadcast on the West Coast, but they have the "LIVE" banner plastered on the screen. A little bit of deception if you ask me.

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Same with mountain time. That's why I have to be careful about coming into this thread when people have posted results before I've had a chance to see the event.

It's delayed in central as well, I fielded a bunch of question about it last night, some with colorful language. :help:

I'm not convinced all the Chinese "women/girls" gymnast are over 16 years old.

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Originally Posted by RBA

I'm not convinced all the Chinese "women/girls" gymnast are over 16 years old.

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Me either. I saw one girl that looked like she wasn't even 14.

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Originally Posted by RBA

I'm not convinced all the Chinese "women/girls" gymnast are over 16 years old.

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No one is convinced, but you can't prove otherwise, so there they are.

What I am convinced of is that Michael Phelps is an absolute freak of nature.

Do they have to be a certain age to participate?

Michael Phelps is not human. This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. What he is doing is absolutely mind blowing