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Post by TVFan on Aug 17, 2004 15:59:28 GMT -5
Anybody watching the Olympics this year? I've been keeping tabs on certain events. I really like women's gymnastics, which compete for a medal in the team competition tonight. My one complaint about the Olympics is the news stations reporting what happens b/f they air. I understand that there's a time difference, but it's really ruining it for me. For instance, I was really excited about the gymnastics tonight, but found out how the USA did from a news web site where I was just trying to catch up on the news! I'm so bummed! Bad, bad news web sites! Anyone else finding it difficult to avoid finding the results b/f they watch the games?
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Post by Tati on Aug 17, 2004 19:05:16 GMT -5
I'm only watching the women's gymnastics. That's my favorite sport to watch and Brazil has great chances of getting a medal this time - I'd say Daiane dos Santos is our biggest promise in this Olympics.
I'm not really into watching the other sports - Brazil's soccer team didn't make to the Olympics and there's no Formula 1 competition... those are the only sports I can stand watching.
The time difference is a problem too, but the biggest obstacle for me is the fact that I work during the whole day and go to college at night... that leaves only the weekends.
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Post by TVFan on Aug 18, 2004 10:18:42 GMT -5
I know what you mean Tatiana. I work all day and miss some of the other events that I would like to see such as Equestrian and softball. I only get to see the stuff they air at night, but I end up not watching most of it b/c I already know what happens! Oh well, maybe they'll be some good stuff this weekend. My sister knows one of the US Track and Field competitors, so I'm hoping to catch some of those events.
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Post by panhandler101 on Aug 18, 2004 17:13:47 GMT -5
I have been watching as well and I am happy with the TV coverage we get here in Canada. I especially like gymnastics (men's and women's) and as always cheer on Canada, although they only have one medal to date and that was a bronze in synchronized diving
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Post by TVFan on Aug 19, 2004 10:32:46 GMT -5
I caught a little bit of the synchronized diving panhandler. It looked pretty difficult to me. I couldn't believe how well some of the teams stayed together.
Tonight in primetime, we're getting the women's all around competition in gymnastics. I'm going to try to catch that. I saw the end of the men's last night. Again, it would have been better had I not known that Hamm won the gold b/c after he fell I was like, "oh it doesn't matter b/c he wins the whole thing anyway." It took the excitement out of it for me. Oh well.
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Post by Trublu on Aug 22, 2004 21:39:32 GMT -5
I've been watching some of the events, mostly the ones that they show on channel 7, gymnastics, swimming...Michael Phelps was great in all his events, and the swimmming team was great in the 4 by 100 relay * that was very close* The gymnastics teams did pretty good, and i thought that Paul Hamm and Carly Patterson made amazing comebacks *dispite the contoversy on Paul Hamms side* I kinda felt bad for Svetlana Khorkina though, she did really well, and Anna Pavlova, when she got knocked out of medal contention by Carly she was in tears I like the beach volleyball too, esp. May and Walsh, i think they have a good chance of winning. And USA softball, they are doing just great. 8 shutouts, with the finals comming up against Austrailia. Like you TVFan, i was frusterated when i found out the results of a couple of events before they were on. And panhandler: A canadian (not sure who) just one gold on the individual floor competition, so thats good for you guys ;D sorry for the long post, bu i had a week and 2 days to make up for ;D and probably more later
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Post by TVFan on Aug 23, 2004 11:10:26 GMT -5
TruBlu - I've been following the softball, but I never get to watch it b/c I'm at work when it's on. It was on Sun morning, but I was asleep. They're amazing though! The Paul Hamm controversy is unfortunate. It's not his fault, but he has to go through life realizing that he won a gold he shouldn't have. I heard that the S. Koreans are fighting to have a double gold given so they can have one too. I wonder how this will play out. I'm bummed that gymnastics is basically over. I've really enjoyed the beach volleyball as well (it seems to come on when I'm home luckily) and I've been perplexed by the trampoline event. It does look like fun though! ;D
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Post by Trublu on Aug 23, 2004 21:07:27 GMT -5
OMG!! I am watching and Carly Patterson JUST missed gold on the balance beam by .012!! *coincidentally, the same number of points the Korean missed by* Arg. I was rooting for her, but i think its a silver anywhays. But Misty May and Kerri Walsh made it to the gold medal match in beach volleyball. Thats good. And The US softball team won gold against Australia. And the Australians happened to score one run, which snapped our shutout streak. It really is too bad about Paul Hamm though. I think that they are going to give a second medal to the Korean gymnast. It would be nice if they decide to just leave it alone, but i guess im a little biased. It really depends which side your rooting for. I was a little surprised when i saw the trampoline thing as an event. Although not as surprised as when i saw ping pong. *Anyone else surprised by any particular event? The ping pong threw me for a loop. Actually, its more like extreme ping pong, from the commercials ive seen.* The diving is really starting up now, so thats a good thing to kind of fill in where the swimming was. Im not a track and field person. Let me edit my statement about Paul Hamm. I was listening to the commentators, and they said that an international commitee has said that they werent going to change the scoring OR medal status, and that there was a way that the Korean could have been scored LOWER than he was anywhays. *But they didnt say what it was yet* so it looks as if Paul Hamm may be the Only gold medalist. *since there should really only be one anywhays.*
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Post by TVFan on Aug 24, 2004 10:19:55 GMT -5
TruBlu - From what I heard on the radio this morning, apparently the S. Korean gymnast held some position 2 seconds longer than you're suppose to. Therefore, his score would have been lower than Paul Hamm's anyway. I hope that this finally clears up all this controversy. OMG! Did you see the men's high bar final last night?? The audience booed the Russian's score for 10 minutes! And it worked! Something really needs to be done about the bad scoring. As much as I support the USA in these things, Paul Hamm's high bar routine last night was not as good as the Russian guy's (not going to attempt to spell out his name), and Paul took a hop when he landed. He did not, IMO, deserve a 9.8. I was also upset my Mahini's (sp) floor score. It seemed somewhat low even though the start value was a 9.7. Something seems fishy with the judging that's for sure.
Also, I read last night that the Russian female gymnast that took the Silver all-around (Svetlana?) is now saying she believes the whole thing was rigged. She says that she felt going into the competition that the best she could do was the Silver b/c the judges were going to pick Carly. I don't know whether there's any merit to her allegations, but it further taints the gymnastics events. I know that this girl does have a reputation for being a "diva" and difficult, so I take it with a grain of salt. It's too bad that all these controversies (scoring, steriods, etc) take away from the athletes.
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Post by ebron on Aug 24, 2004 17:07:17 GMT -5
Dum bah dum....I watched the Olympics, too, and the things about Paul Hamm vs S. Korean dude? Apparently, S. Korean guy had a 10 starting value on a routine (floor, I think), but the judges were starting from 9.9, so every score was down a bit, enough to make the bronze medalist a gold medalist. However, the S. Korean officials didn't file the complaint fast enough, so the judges aren't going to sway, and Paul keeps the gold....hmmm...I could be wrong. Anyway, I am a swimming junkie, so I'm very happy about Micheal Phelps, and Jenny Thompson (Even though she didn't get her goal of a peronal gold ) and...congrats to everyone so far.... Men's rowing eight got gold...yay! Oh, and TVfan, I know what you're saying about the results popping up before the airing....I live o the East Coast, though, but I like the Internet too much (They had a pop up of Micheal Phelp's first gold on Yahoo the morning before airing it. I was so mad...)
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Post by Trublu on Aug 24, 2004 22:02:03 GMT -5
I didnt watch after 11 last night (got to start gettin ready for school ) so i missed the rest of the gymnastics. I heard about it though, and i agree with TV on this one. There is something fishy going on. The scores are definitely screwed up. The silver medalist in the female all arounds was Svetlana Khorkina (that name just facinates me!) and supposidly like TV said, she said that the whole thing was fixed. But every time she loses, she seems to find some excuse. But the individual on the uneven bars was kind of a wake up call, she didnt have anyone to blame for that one, since she fell off! ill have to finish this tomorrow...
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Post by TVFan on Aug 25, 2004 10:37:00 GMT -5
Ebron - Yeah it's a pain. I live on the East Coast as well and I'm on the internet at work, so it's nearly impossible not to see the medals pop up on every web site you visit. I have managed to be surprised a few times. About the whole Svetlana thing, I saw on Yahoo! yesterday that Russia is now lodging a complaint against the judges b/c of their scoring. I wonder how this will play out. I started watching the Olympics last night again, and wound up staying up to midnight again (this could explain why I've been sooo tired lately!). I usually don't even like track and field, but the Olympics has some sort of mystical power that sucked me in and kept me watching until the end! It was neat, though, to see Joanna Hayes win the Gold in the 100 meter hurdles for the USA last night. She was so happy.
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Post by Tracylynn on Aug 25, 2004 22:03:14 GMT -5
The only event that I saw this year was the women's team gymnastics and I really wasn't impressed with it at all, well except for the Romanian team. They did a good job. My only complaint is with all the make-up that the girls are wearing. Some girls are wearing way too much make-up which I think is distracting. I'm not sure but I thought that Humphries (?) was wearing false eyelashes. I just wished these girls would wear their make-up moderately, I know I do.
As for the scoring, well I think the Federation did it to themselves when they got rid of the perfect score. I'm not sure what event did it but it started with the 1984 Olympics. The Gymnastics Federation felt too many 10's were being given out so they started that base value scoring and since then there hasn't been any 10's.
As for the Russian complaint, well they said that they were just making a complaint and that's it. They want to bring attention to the problems of the system.
I guess I'm not really all into the Summer Olympics, I'm more into the Winter Olympics because of Figure Skating and Hockey but that's it. I really wish they would add American Football to the Olympics. That I would watch.
Tracy
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Post by TVFan on Aug 27, 2004 21:17:28 GMT -5
It does seem like the gymnasts were wearing a lot of sparkly make-up. It seems to get heavier and heavier each Olympics. Also, I expected a much better showing from the US Team after hearing all of the hype about them being the best team since Atlanta. I wasn't that impressed with Carly Patterson either. I was expecting a lot better again b/c of all the hype. I hate when they overhype stuff b/c it just sets you up to be disappointed.
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Post by Trublu on Aug 27, 2004 21:56:07 GMT -5
I havent heard much about a Russian complaint, other than that Svetlana said the contest was rigged. So either the complaint didnt hold up, or the Paul Hamm thing is overshadowing it. Speaking of, i heard on one of the stations that the FIG (or whatever it is ) sent Paul Hamm a letter asking him if he could *voluntarily of course* give up his gold medal!! What a load of... well, fill in the blank yourself. He had nothing to do with this, and on top of it all, they found that the Korean made a mistake that he was not deducted for, and it would have made his score even lower, even with the higher start score. But enough rambling on my part... ;D
I also think that the make-up thing is a little much. And when the (girls) start and finish their routines, the way the arch their backs when they recognize the judges or whatever, it just freaks me out.
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Post by Trublu on Aug 27, 2004 21:56:26 GMT -5
I havent heard much about a Russian complaint, other than that Svetlana said the contest was rigged. So either the complaint didnt hold up, or the Paul Hamm thing is overshadowing it. Speaking of, i heard on one of the stations that the FIG (or whatever it is ) sent Paul Hamm a letter asking him if he could *voluntarily of course* give up his gold medal!! What a load of... well, fill in the blank yourself. He had nothing to do with this, and on top of it all, they found that the Korean made a mistake that he was not deducted for, and it would have made his score even lower, even with the higher start score. But enough rambling on my part... ;D
I also think that the make-up thing is a little much. And when the (girls) start and finish their routines, the way the arch their backs when they recognize the judges or whatever, it just freaks me out. :confused:
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