The 2012 London Olympics Sports Thread

[Grey Fox]

I like to watch :

Beach Volleyball
Canoe
Diving & Swimming
Judo & Taekwondo
Rowing & Sailing

but I'll watch anything.

[Brazen]

I've got tickets to the artistic gymnastics (the real one with men doing staggering strength stuff, not rhythm which is wee girls waving ribbons about). I've already been to warm-up cycling and athletics events in the velodrome and Olympic stadium. The rest I'm happy to watch at home out of the rain and drinking beer that costs less that £8 a pint.

[jimmy olsen]

American Ashton Eaton sets the world record in the decathlon!

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/trackandfield/story/_/id/8089696/2012-olympics-ashton-eaton-sets-world-record-decathlon-us-trials

[jimmy olsen]

The fastest man who's ever lived

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u18_-87Pb6U

[Sheilbh]

I got no tickets

I may go to my parents and see the sailing.

[Valdemar]

I have tickets for the men's fours rowing final.

This I might follow as there is a high likelyhood for Danish medals.. even the yellow ones.

Other is Mens Handball, again in which DK, despite terrible seeding, has a good chance as reigning EC and silver WC holders

V

[Eddie Teach]

Who's going to occupy the top 10 places in the meddle table ?

US
China
Russia
UK
Germany
Random other countries, probably including Canada

[Syt]

Germany

None of which will be from track&field.

[Gups]

I have tickets for the men's fours rowing final.

This I might follow as there is a high likelyhood for Danish medals.. even the yellow ones.

Other is Mens Handball, again in which DK, despite terrible seeding, has a good chance as reigning EC and silver WC holders

V

I'm going to a handball game with my kid. I have no idea how it is played or what to look out for.

Any youtube vids you'd recommend?

[Valmy]

I used to love the Olympics but I have not really had time to watch them in awhile.  Since I am going to be playing 'Single Dad' while my wife goes through giving birth to kid #2.  Looking forward to sitting back and taking it in like back when I was a kid.

Cheering on the Red, White, and Blue...you know Great Britain, France, and the US.  And the Canadians and Mexicans too but Mexico sorta sucks at sports in general and the Big White North is more about the Winter Games.

[Ed Anger]

I used to love the Olympics but I have not really had time to watch them in awhile.  Since I am going to be playing 'Single Dad' while my wife goes through giving birth to kid #2.  Looking forward to sitting back and taking it in like back when I was a kid.

Cheering on the Red, White, and Blue...you know Great Britain, France, and the US.  And the Canadians and Mexicans too but Mexico sorta sucks at sports in general and the Big White North is more about the Winter Games.

You forgot the insufferable Aussies.

[Valdemar]

I have tickets for the men's fours rowing final.

This I might follow as there is a high likelyhood for Danish medals.. even the yellow ones.

Other is Mens Handball, again in which DK, despite terrible seeding, has a good chance as reigning EC and silver WC holders

V

I'm going to a handball game with my kid. I have no idea how it is played or what to look out for.

Any youtube vids you'd recommend?

What games are you going to? 'Cause basically any games with UK and African nations will be crap, but high scoring (USians must love this given their comments on soccer )

I'll dig up a few vids, but basically in the mens games Scandi, Island, Germany, Poland, Russia, France, Spain and Balkans are good, Tunesia and Egypt can play well, but usually crumble.

The seedings a bit odd this time though, so look for the group with Denmark in, that one should prove feisty as Denmark (current EC gold and WC silver) was only in the third tier or so due to some anormallies in the drawings and UK certain of top spot as host.

V

[Valdemar]

For Gups forgive for showing Danish ones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlMguuyfsG4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr_mvu9p39Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Ndzv9DjP4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyV8YIdF7CM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-TvbanMQ7Y&feature=related

[Gups]

Cheers V

Two matches in the women's prelimnary round, whcih is pretty much a shitty as it could be. Main point is to get to wander around the Olympic Park

[Valdemar]

Cheers V

Two matches in the women's prelimnary round, whcih is pretty much a shitty as it could be. Main point is to get to wander around the Olympic Park

Womens handball is less physical and a tad less direct, you can get lucky and get some very decent technical games in which ball skill, trick shots and feints are more common, try youtubing "Anja Andersen" a former danish star who set a precedence for spectacular goals.

It seems womens handball allows for a wider use of trickery, maybe because they have th size and speed to use the court and aren't tackled as quickly as the men are?

V