The 2012 London Olympics Sports Thread

[Valmy]

So I guess we no longer wait until someone's proven guilty to put someone in the stockade?

When was it that we waited until someone's proven guilty?

I have to see this Chinese girl.  I am still convinced she is just some sort of physical freak.

[Admiral Yi]

That sort of stuff's common even in the UK where the pro game's not got a massive following. I suppose it's pretty easy and cheap for a sporty kid to start and, like football, you can play with just a few people.

The difference is the Spaniards seem to get better from their playing. 

[crazy canuck]

So I guess we no longer wait until someone's proven guilty to put someone in the stockade? If this was a 16 year old American, or western, girl who did so well, there would be two movies already in the works about her, and a stamp in her honour, obviously. But because she's Chinese....well.

So far as I know she hasn't failed any doping tests. I know that there are ways around that, perhaps, but the fact is, let the poor girl take her medals.

Wonder what happens when a Chinese athlete wins more than 19 medals. Shock and horror, no doubt.

Prior to Beijing, incidently, the Chinese invested a lot into their swim program. She's probably the result of that.

Wow just wow.

What stockade has anyone placed her in.   She still has her medal doesnt she?

As far as you know she hasnt failed any doping tests?  Do you know whether she has ever been tested? 

Prior to the Biejing olympics the Chinese swim program was heavily using doping.  In fact this girl's training partner has been banned because of doping.

But you are probably right.  We should probably have no concern about this at all because of some odd theory that if she was American nobody would bat an eye.

[Valmy]

But you are probably right.  We should probably have no concern about this at all because of some odd theory that if she was American nobody would bat an eye.

Of course they wouldn't.  You do not see people questioning Lance Armstrong do you?

[crazy canuck]

That sort of stuff's common even in the UK where the pro game's not got a massive following. I suppose it's pretty easy and cheap for a sporty kid to start and, like football, you can play with just a few people.

The difference is the Spaniards seem to get better from their playing. 

Soccer players make great basketball players.  Still, that doesnt leave the Brits with an excuse.

[crazy canuck]

But you are probably right.  We should probably have no concern about this at all because of some odd theory that if she was American nobody would bat an eye.

Of course they wouldn't.  You do not see people questioning Lance Armstrong do you?

[Admiral Yi]

Jo Jo: What CC said.  You seem to be proposing a rule that we can't speculate about doping if the athlete is nonwestern.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Yeah, so about this Chinese swimmer:  The five seconds was off the time she swam in 2010 at the Asian Games (4:33.79).  4:28.43 would actually be about 6.5 - 7 seconds off of what she swam one year ago in the finals of the 2011 World Championships (4:35.15).  In the heats, she swam 4:38.18, meaning she just barely qualified.   

This is why the questions popped up. 

E: 200 IM Times (finals):

2010 Asian Games: 2.09.37
2011 World Championships: 2.08.90
2012 Olympics: 2:07.57

The 200 improvement was excellent, but nothing wild and crazy.  The 400 improvement was...well she got worse from 2010 to 2011, then suddenly dominated everyone in 2012. vOv

E2:  Anyway, assuming she isn't some roided up monster, I don't understand why she wouldn't be competing in various middle-ish distance freestyle swims as well as the IMs.  She is clearly a good freestyler and doesn't seem to have any issues with stamina, etc.

[crazy canuck]

Woot Wooot Woooooooot!!!!!

Brent Heyden from my home town just won a bronze medal.  I remember him as a small kid hanging around the pool swimming for the same club I swam for.

Its a very good feeling to see him succeed.

[Ed Anger]

The Polish were so proud of the Gold medal they just won, they went and had it bronzed.

[Admiral Yi]

The Polish were so proud of the Gold medal they just won, they went and had it bronzed.

  Did you just make that up?

Man, lots of ugly on the Chinese women's volleyball team.

Yi's Olympic picks.

Men's volleyball no.  Womens' volleyball yes.

Men's soccer no, women's soccer yes.

Men's basketball yes, women's basketball hell no.

[katmai]

Picks of what?

[garbon]

Picks of what?

Who he'd sleep with.

[Admiral Yi]

Picks of what?

Entertainment.

[Valmy]

I don't know.  Men's Volleyball is such a novelty I find it just weird and therefore entertaining to see.

Unless you are talking beach Volleyball here.

And um what is so especially entertaining about women's soccer?