ahh, the glory of the olympics!

DannyinJapan

DannyinJapan

Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
5,594
ATHENS, Greece — For 10 minutes, the crowd booed and whistled, creating a deafening roar. Paul Hamm sat around and waited to start his routine. A week's worth of controversy in gymnastics boiled over into the stands Monday during a bizarre, extraordinary evening.

Hamm was able to block out the noise and win a silver medal on high bar, and four-time Olympic gold medalist Alexei Nemov finished fifth, much to the chagrin of the crowd.
 
But wait, there's more!

37295.02GREECE-OLYMPICS-WRESTLING.sff.jpg


(A female wrestler, 23, crying because she didnt win the gold.)

The 23-year-old McMann was in control for two-thirds of the match, but Icho began to score by staying away from McMann's superior upper-body strength and attacking her around the ankles with quick, tough-to-defend moves.

(There's honor and sportsmanship for ya. If you can't beat her, fight dirty.)

Icho's sister, Chiharu, was a heartbreak loser on a tiebreaker to defending world champion Irina Merleni of Ukraine for the gold at 105 1/2 pounds (48kg), a loss Chiharu feared might negatively influence her sister's match.
"When Chiharu lost I went blank," Kaori said. "I couldn't think of anything. But then she came back and told me, `Have courage and attack.' "

Attack?
I thought this was a sporting event....

There was confusion throughout the final two minutes because the actual score repeatedly differed from that on the scoreboard, possibly affecting how Hamaguchi wrestled. The outcome so angered her father, longtime Japanese pro wrestling star Heigo "The Animal" Hamaguchi, that police restrained him from running onto the mat.


It also occurs to me that there are a lot of olympians who have brothers and sisters who are also in the olympics.

You know what that tells me?
The parents decided the kids would go to the olympics and the whole family has been centered around that one thing for at least two decades.

Is it the same as having a crack ho for a mom, maybe not, but the olympic fanfare and 300 foot tall torch can blow me.
 
heehe. I bet she gets spanked for only getting the bronze.;)

I like how they spent "billions" on security but a Canadian in a tutu with an ad painted on his chest gets on the diviing board during the diving competition.

I can think of about a quarter-billion people in africa who would freak at having four dollars in hand.

Keith
 
its all the "glorious" pretense I cant stand.

If the synchronised swimming girls were NAKED, then it would be worth watching.

If the female gymnastics events included a dildo on the top of the uneven bars, Id watch that.

I just wish they could be honest about what its about.
There is no reason ice skating girls need to wear very revealing clothing when the boys dont.
Unless there IS an element of sexuality to it, and if there is, why deny it?
 
even my mother commented in an email the other day " .. they sure seem to be wearing sexier clothes than I remember..."
 
i'll just stick with my tramponene event :cool:

thats something i can sorta do.... sorta, give or take 20 feet in jump heigth
 
United States Olympic officials have accused the gymnastics world body of putting "outrageous and improper pressure" on Paul Hamm to hand over his gold medal to a South Korean rival.
Hamm was placed first in the all-round event only because of a judging error, according to the International Gymnastics Federation, and the initial bronze medallist Yang Tae-young should have been awarded gold. However the FIG has no mechanism to overturn the original decision.

Yang was wrongly docked a 10th of a point on his parallel bars routine on Wednesday last week. If he had received the proper score, he would have won and Hamm taken the silver. Three judges were suspended and the FIG initially said the results would stand.

However the FIG has now written to Hamm suggesting he could return his medal, according to a letter released by the US Olympic Committee yesterday. "If . . . you would return your medal to the Korean if the FIG requested it, then such an action would be recognised as the ultimate demonstration of fair play by the whole world," said the letter dated August 26 and signed by the FIG president Bruno Grandi.

The USOC said the letter was a "blatant and inappropriate" attempt to shift responsibility for the mistake on to Hamm. "The USOC finds this request to be improper, outrageous and so far beyond the bounds of what is acceptable that it refuses to transmit the letter to Mr Hamm." USOC officials had two lengthy conversations with Hamm, his parents and representatives on Thursday.

"During these conversations, the USOC expressed its unwavering support for Mr Hamm and indicated it will aggressively resist any attempt by any party to lay claim to his gold medal," said a statement.

The USOC is now no longer willing to consider allowing a second gold to be awarded to Yang, a suggestion mooted as a way of defusing the row.

The FIG letter also said the International Olympic Committee would appreciate Hamm handing back his medal, yet the IOC said it had not been consulted. "The results of the gymnastics have been validated and communicated by the FIG. There is no question that remains open on this issue," said the IOC.

The South Koreans said last week that they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but have yet to do so. "This FIG letter to Hamm puts us in a much stronger position when we make an appeal to the CAS," said Shim Bark-jae, head of the South Korean delegation.

"Regardless of the reply to the FIG letter, we will appeal to CAS as early as tomorrow and if possible resolve this matter before the end of the games."

US officials have pointed out that the South Koreans failed to challenge the error during the competition, which is the only way to change the marks, according to FIG rules.
 
the USOC d-ceided not to allow the award of another gold medal? If the Olympix is like the special olympics, aren't they all winners?

Heres a curiosity...An Italian hostage was killed recently in Iraq...and Italy plays Iraq next in soccer...how do you think this will affect the match?
P.S. the Italians, the third largest contingent in Iraq, are not bowing to the pressure to leave Iraq.
 
Personally, if I won a gold medal and found out it was a judging error, I'd want to get rid of it as soon as freakin possible.
 
The entire thread touched moments and issues showing me Olympic spirit was contorted and mad. I was shocked several years ago upon hearing the USA group at an event sounding like a rocknroll crowd.

Despite the sad, mournful loss of honor and healthy respect, there are moments in the Olympics where the individuals and nations do show a higher virtue. Unfortunately, right next to a wadded trash ball of a half eaten BigMac.



munk
 
I remember back in 93, the last year (ever? :barf: ) the Phillies made the playoffs, about how "courageous" Curt Schilling seemed to be, pitching on the big stage, remembering his dad, etc.

And then I thought,"What kind of courage is that?" Granted, that is not an easy thing to do, but my thoughts then went to my own Dad, and I really thought about what he had done for me, working hard to pay the bills, buying me a drum set in high school they couldn't really afford, turning down a great job in Arizona so us kids could finish High School in NJ, etc

My point? There are a lot of people who strive every day to do the right thing, tough it out through life, and sacrifice for others, that never get any recognition to speak of.

Right now, somewhere, there may be a grunt in Iraq, or at the DMZ, or even in training, who is keeping watch, and feels like going to sleep, because no one would know, or because no one cares, but he stays awake anyway.

It is not the same as training for 12 years to swing around on bars and stuff. It is a lot more important though...

Tom
 
My thought on the Hamm gold medal thing is that if he knew he needed a little higher then he would have tried a little bit harder. The koreans passed up their chance to challenge their athletes score before hamm got to the end of his routine.

On the same lines of boos and hisses did any one watch the men's 200m last night? The crowd delayed the race by about 15 minutes just because they thought the US conspired to get their runner disqualified by him missing a drug test (which he had done in the past). The local (athens) papers did not help the issue by running stories claiming the conspiracy is true.
 
It's all for honor and glory, boys, honor and glory.

Years ago when I was playing football in high school we were losing badly. At half time the coach advised us, "if you can cripple that goddamned Kelly (the opposing quarterback and a damned good one) we can win this game and it doesn't matter how you do it"

As we left the locker room heading back to the field and second half I glanced up at the sign above the door. It read, "It matters not who won or lost but how you played the game."

A strange world we live in.
 
Here here Uncle bill.

I watch the Olympic , not for all of the controversy about the judges or scoring or any of that. I don't pay attention to the politics of it.

I watch because here's people who has devoted their lives to try and be the best at something. All they want is a chance to go against other individuals who have done the same. They have a few mintues, sometimes only seconds, to achieve their dream.

Most of them don't have million dollar corporate sponsers. Their parents have sacrificed alot, sometimes everything, to give their child a chance.

They are MUCH more deserving of our praise then some dumbass "ball jockey" being paid 10 million dollars a year. We idolize them. Even pay money to see them. and for what. So they can act like A******s and prima donnas.

You can say what you about the olympics. We are all entitled to our opinions but for me. I'll keep cheering on the athletes. I'll be happy when one wins (no matter what country their from) and sad for them when they lose.

and if there's any controversy about it. I'll try and turn a deaf ear on it.

Mark T.
 
I'll keep cheering on the athletes. I'll be happy when one wins (no matter what country their from) and sad for them when they lose>>>>>>>>>


That is all I want, what I miss, Mark.



munk
 
When I was in the seventh grade in Pullman Washington our school had a Junior Olympics. We trained for weeks in gym class with what seemed like tests in skill improvement every Friday. Su Dow, not sure of the Dow spelling, a Chinese classmate was a bit better in the high jump, 100 yard dash, and the relay than I was. I was better in the 75 yard dash, 7.2 seconds, not bad for a kid in the seventh grade back then, and better at the broad jump, now known as the long jump. I don't recall exactly what my record in it was, seems like it was around 16 feet but wouldn't swear to it and quite frankly I really don't remember.
Su and myself were shoo-ins in our particular field's. We both entered and won.
I was very proud of my blue ribbons and Su was very proud of his.
Over the years and countless moves when I was a kid my ribbons got lost. I'll bet Su still has his.:D
Wish I still had mine.:( But I don't need them to be proud of my moment in the sun nor do I need them to show them off.
I would like to still have them to show to my grandkids though.:(

My achievments in the seventh grade pales in comparrison to the real Olympics!
I still admire the contestants and appreciate the years of practice and sacrifice it took them to get where they are today.
The politics surrounding the sports are nothing to the achivements of the contestants.
All of them know who really won and who really lost in their individual contests.
Hell, I would be damned proud of a bronze medal. Hell, I would be proud just to have competed!!!!
It is still an honor to the individual no matter the sport, even if it is being wrapped in ribbons.:rolleyes: :p :D

I wish it were possible for me to find Su today and be able to talk with him just to see how life has treated him.
We were the best of friends not only because we happened to be classmates but also because we were both minorities in a sea of white faces.
Actually I had a lot of childhood friends all over Turtle Island that I wish I could contact today.
I have tried to find a couple of them since I've had my computer but no luck.
I envy people with lifelong friends that still know one another.
What has this to do with the Olympics?
The friendships struck there will always be special, very special, and with today's technology not apt to be lost.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top