Forums >Off the Beaten Path>The Olympics random thoughts thread (may contain spoilers)
Although not as nasty a time difference as Beijing in 2008, there's still a bit of a time difference between London and the US, of course. And NBC sucks. So please avoid starting threads that read "so-and-so wins such-and-such!" in the thread title. Especially, as this is a message board devoted to running, for running events. (spoil them in the thread, fine, because we can all avoid clicking on threads)
Some folks want to watch the event without knowing The Deal in advance.
Yes, people should not be anywhere near the internet if they don't want to be spoiler'd, but still. Come on.
Beach volleyball.
I'm all for weather-appropriate attire. And so I'm not shocked that IN LONDON, the beach volleyball gals are in tights instead of bikinis. They are wearing sports bra-like tops over the tights.
1. Is this comfortable?
2. The three letter code for Brazil is BRA. So the backs of the sportsbras of Brazilian female beach volleyball players read BRA. This reminds me of Blazing Saddles, where the Governor (Mel Brooks) wears stuff that says GOV on the back.
Edit: although now having typed out that observation, I realize that the comparison doesn't apply. Anyway, their bras say BRA and I think that's funny.
I just caught Grace Padilla in the new Champion apparel commercial. Good for her!
I don't know if there is a particular reason she does this, but I love the old school shorts and singlet look of Desi Davila. Definitely not complaining about seeing Kara Goucher in the butt-huggers, but after a while, the arm warmers, compression socks, etc. make me appreciate someone who just puts on a pair of shorts and a shirt and kicks ass.
Yeah, well...sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Link for schedule and results for running events
http://www.london2012.com/athletics/schedule-and-results/
I don't half-ass anything
"I have several close friends who have run marathons, a word that is actually derived from two Swahili words: mara, which means 'to die a horrible death' and thon, which means 'for a stupid T-shirt.' Look it up." - Celia Rivenbark, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning
The Olympics are funny in that for two weeks every four years Americans go gaga over some really, really esoteric "sports" that they could care less about, and quite often forget exist, for the other 1,445 days in between. Skeet shooting? Dressage? Trampoline??
I love during the Winter Olympics when we all become curling fans. Seriously, even as I'm glued to the t.v. watching curling I'm thinking, "WHY IS THIS INTERESTING??"
Even swimming is extremely niche except in an Olympic year, which is the only reason NBC was able to play up the Lochte/Phelps "showdown." Apparently to anybody who pays attention to swimming in non-Olympic years, it was no surprise at all that Lochte destroyed Phelps in the 400 IM. He has been the best swimmer in the world for the past two years.
What's up with soccer? The men's tournament is supposedly an under 23 tournament for some reason but yet I saw a 38 year old dude score a goal for Great Britain. Incidentally, Great Britain has not sent a team to the Olympics since something like 1964 because normally in international play the countries that make up Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) each have their own teams. Huh? Okay.
August 3rd can't come soon enough--in more ways than one but not the least of which is that that's when T&F (a.k.a. Athletics) starts.
Runners run
Also, how many think that Ye Shiwen is on dope?
Lazy idiot
What's up with soccer? The men's tournament is supposedly an under 23 tournament for some reason but yet I saw a 38 year old dude score a goal for Great Britain.
It's U23 except for 3 designated overage players for each team.
Tick tock
Ah. Makes perfect sense.
Yeah, but I did think the cycling races were pretty cool. Maybe the hard-core cycling fans found them a bit boring?
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
I have a question about volleyball!
Ok, I thought I understood the rules of volleyball and how to play.
I noticed while watching yesterday that all the guys on one side were wearing the same color shirts... except one dude. So the US team was wearing red. Except for one dude in blue. Kind of like a goalie in soccer, but not. Same with the Serbians. All in blue. Except one dude in red.
What's the deal with that? Honest question.
(I want the answer to be that the teams have to go trades-ies on one person. Wouldn't it be cool if you had one member of the other team on your side trying to ensure you screwed up? Contact volleyball. No, I know this isn't what it is.)
Oh you mean non-beach volleyball? Yeah I forgot they still had that.
Okay I think I know the answer though. There are 6 (I think, right) players on a side and they rotate every point. Each team is allowed one player who is a "specialist" on the back line and does not have to rotate--thus the different color jersey.
Interval Junkie --Nobby
I believe the position is called the Libero. MM has it right, they never go up to the front row in the rotation. Temporary sub for one of the hitters on the front-line with poor defensive skills.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
Volleyball - The Off color shirt is worn by the deginated Defensive player, Libero Rule
Beach Volleyball, These guys/gals must be the most complete athletes, running and jumping in sand and have amazing reflexes, plus power to kill, serve
MTA I think that the Libero rule is a way to let shorter players have a chance to play the game.
Feeling the growl again
What is the rationale for this? Because soccer (football) is so widely played on the pro level that they don't want the Olympics to be 99% international pro athletes?
I was going to say "but they do that in other sports", but then I realized that soccer is pretty unique in how broadly there are pro teams...
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills