2004 Olympic Games - Athens

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Fat middle

I've enjoyed this games much better than Sydney, but I think that has been mainly due to time zones

Better be. Well, I can't wait till the Beijing Games- only 2 hours difference. We got the best broadcasting during the Sydney games because obviously it was live at primetime- no waking up at 2 or 3 or 4 AM to watch the finals.

And besides, I just can't wait for the Beijing Games Opening & Closing ceremonies. Should be spectacular.

[Radagast The Brown]

These were the most successful games to Israel ever, a Gold ( ) and one Bronze. Much better than expected! I didn't see any of the medals, as I was in London, and the BBC and Eurosport focused on the Biritsh. (wasn't a very good Olympics for them, I think)
I'm looking forward to see Beijing, but I doubt I'd see much of it, or that we'd get a gold. (just trying to be realistic )
(I returned today. From London )

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

It wasn't that bad for us (British). I mean we beat the Americans in the 4x100m sprint and Kelly Holmes got the 880 and 1500m double.

[Fat middle]

Originally Posted by Telcontar_Dunedain

It wasn't that bad for us (British). I mean we beat the Americans in the 4x100m sprint and Kelly Holmes got the 880 and 1500m double.

Wow! 880!! did she kept running that far?

BTW, I think that Holmes has been one of the most outstanding athletes of these Games.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Yeah I think she deserved it after all shes been through and Paula Radcliffe was disappointing.

[The Gaffer]

Originally Posted by Fat middle

Wow! 880!! did she kept running that far?

BTW, I think that Holmes has been one of the most outstanding athletes of these Games.

Without a doubt. Probably the best British Olympic athlete ever and genuinely amazed at her own success.

BTW BTW, FM, did you say a while back that a friend of yours was in the sailing up against Ben Ainslie? If so, they showed a brief interview with him on British TV on the day of the last race. He seemed like a jolly decent chap!

[Fat middle]

Yeah! he's a good mate (Rafa Trujillo). He got silver. Ainsley is just too good. In an interview Rafa said that he hoped that Ainsley will soon move to other sailing class for Beijin (I think he already has two Olympic Gold Medals in different classes) so he (Rafa) could get the gold in the next olympics...

[Elvengirl]

I couldn't beleive what that weird Irish priest did to that poor runner! What the.....! why?
At least he won bronze though....I think I heard that he was awarded a gold medal, but I can't seem to find any article to confirm that. Did anyone else hear that?

Well I'm dissappointed that the Olympics are over. I really enjoyed watching them though, there are soo many memorable moments. I think these are actually the best summer olympics, overall, that I remember seeing.

It's been fun...now only two more years till the winter ones.

[The Gaffer]

Originally Posted by Fat middle

Yeah! he's a good mate (Rafa Trujillo). He got silver. Ainsley is just too good. In an interview Rafa said that he hoped that Ainsley will soon move to other sailing class for Beijin (I think he already has two Olympic Gold Medals in different classes) so he (Rafa) could get the gold in the next olympics...

Well, tell him when you see him that he came across really well on the telly, and congratulations on the silver. Ainslie is something special; last time he got gold in the Laser, so there's every chance he might move up to something else next time. The Brazilian Schiedt (another crazy name), who got silver behind Ainslie in Sydney got the gold in the Laser this time.

[The Gaffer]

As the official closing of this thread, I present a compilation of commentators' gems which you've probably already received via email spam, but I thought they were funny anyway:

1. Weight-lifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."

2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."

3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."

4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."

5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we
can expect the same thing again."

6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."

7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."

8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."

9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them... Oh my God, what have I just said?"

[Fenir_LacDanan]

As sorry (hmmm...) as I am to bring this up, baring it has not been mentioned already, the US Dream (chortle..) Team (Snigger...) didn't even make the gold medal game (laugh...).

I mean, damn, if I invented a sport I would damn well hope to at least make the finals of that sport.....


God I love it!!

And, good Amercans, if you shall permit me...

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Fenir_LacDanan

As sorry (hmmm...) as I am to bring this up, baring it has not been mentioned already, the US Dream (chortle..) Team (Snigger...) didn't even make the gold medal game (laugh...).

I mean, damn, if I invented a sport I would damn well hope to at least make the finals of that sport.....

On the other hand, I think it only shows just how good we really are at basketball, if we can take a second tier of pampered 'me-first' superstars with more athletic talent than either shooting ability, fundamental skills or willingness to do the 'dirty work' of rebounding, setting picks, passing, playing solid defense, etc... throw them together without having played before... and STILL come out of it with a bronze! Quite commendable, if you ask me.

[Fenir_LacDanan]

Originally Posted by Valandil

On the other hand, I think it only shows just how good we really are at basketball, if we can take a second tier of pampered 'me-first' superstars with more athletic talent than either shooting ability, fundamental skills or willingness to do the 'dirty work' of rebounding, setting picks, passing, playing solid defense, etc... throw them together without having played before... and STILL come out of it with a bronze! Quite commendable, if you ask me.

You, Karl, My good and fine sir, are full of utter &**&#,

I dont care if the us team was baking muffins during the games , with all the hype, and all the crap, the US Dream (chortle/snigger) Team should have done better...

[Valandil]

The Dream Team was the one you saw in 1992: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing... etc.

THESE kids are just a shadow of that. It's not MY idea to keep using that name. If YOU were fooled by any hype, at least I wasn't the one giving it to you.

And I'm not full of ANYTHING like you seem to suggest!

[Fenir_LacDanan]

Originally Posted by Valandil

The Dream Team was the one you saw in 1992: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing... etc.

THESE kids are just a shadow of that. It's not MY idea to keep using that name. If YOU were fooled by any hype, at least I wasn't the one giving it to you.

And I'm not full of ANYTHING like you seem to suggest!

Ha ha, indeed sir

I see your point....

But in Australia AND in Britain and who ever else DID NOT sell their team like the US did. The US team is worth more that four or five other countries combind...

So, with all respect. nmewwwwwww.

(the poet that I am, after all....) nmewwwwwww

[Janny]

Congrats to the British team on reaching the football finals. And congratulations to all the medal winners in the sports invented by the Irish. Another Irish clean sweep I believe.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by Fenir_LacDanan

Ha ha, indeed sir

I see your point....

But in Australia AND in Britain and who ever else DID NOT sell their team like the US did. The US team is worth more that four or five other countries combind...

So, with all respect. nmewwwwwww.

(the poet that I am, after all....) nmewwwwwww

they hyped the US basketball team in Australia? well dont blame us. Americans were dubious about this olympic team WELL before the games started because so many players kept turning it down. Larry Brown (the coach) even said that this isnt a team they havent gelled yet and he thinks they would be hard pressed to win the whole thing. he said that BEFORE he even got to Athens. and where were you when they lost by 17 to Italy in the pregames? and why did you ignore all my (and other peoples) posts about how awful the american basketball team was doing and how they probably wouldnt win at the rate they were going. or the posts where i commened teams like spain and argentina and lithuania for being such strong teams. conveniently missed eh?

The fact of the matter is this is the 21st century. Val dont feel the need to apologize for this particular team, its a decent enough team with great talent but the international competition in the past 12 years has improved IMMEASURABLY. What rock have you been living under that you didn’t know that by now? There are Spaniards and Russians and Serbians and Lithuanians and French and argentinians and Africans and germans in the NBA now and they have been there for years. So they know how to play against the best America has to offer. Its nothing new for them at all. In fact, some of them ARE the best in the NBA. Pau Gasol? Tony Parker? Peja Stojakovic? Dirk Nowitzki? These guys are All Stars. So don’t act as if the competition is talentless.

That being said, if we had put our 5 best guys on the floor in the Olympics you can be assured they would have gone home with a gold because theres no one in international basketball who could deal with the likes of a Shaquille Oneal, love him or hate him, not to mention Bryant and McGrady swooping in from everywhere and scoring at will. Put Kevin Garnett or Duncan at the power position and wrap it all up with Jason Kidd running the show and um… no chance. Sorry. Give em a month to practice and get together as a team though. That’s really the key.

But sure losing in the Olympics is an embarrassment for the US no matter what the situation but no doubt it was less of a surprise to us then it was to you apparently.

I mean, damn, if I invented a sport I would damn well hope to at least make the finals of that sport.....

Well as I recall they DID beat Australia eh? Hard to brag about another team losing when they actually beat YOUR team me thinks. Stick with swimming or something where you can compete head to head with the best in the world. It doesn’t look so hollow when you brag about that. Otherwise let me know when you emigrate to Argentina so you can actually brag about doing better then the US. Interesting, though, that the argentinians didn’t view it as the worlds biggest upset because they KNEW the Americans were quite beatable. Think you guys will get the memo on that by 2008?

[Fenir_LacDanan]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

they hyped the US basketball team in Australia? well dont blame us. Americans were dubious about this olympic team WELL before the games started because so many players kept turning it down. Larry Brown (the coach) even said that this isnt a team they havent gelled yet and he thinks they would be hard pressed to win the whole thing. he said that BEFORE he even got to Athens. and where were you when they lost by 17 to Italy in the pregames? and why did you ignore all my (and other peoples) posts about how awful the american basketball team was doing and how they probably wouldnt win at the rate they were going. or the posts where i commened teams like spain and argentina and lithuania for being such strong teams. conveniently missed eh?

The fact of the matter is this is the 21st century. Val dont feel the need to apologize for this particular team, its a decent enough team with great talent but the international competition in the past 12 years has improved IMMEASURABLY. What rock have you been living under that you didn’t know that by now? There are Spaniards and Russians and Serbians and Lithuanians and French and argentinians and Africans and germans in the NBA now and they have been there for years. So they know how to play against the best America has to offer. Its nothing new for them at all. In fact, some of them ARE the best in the NBA. Pau Gasol? Tony Parker? Peja Stojakovic? Dirk Nowitzki? These guys are All Stars. So don’t act as if the competition is talentless.

That being said, if we had put our 5 best guys on the floor in the Olympics you can be assured they would have gone home with a gold because theres no one in international basketball who could deal with the likes of a Shaquille Oneal, love him or hate him, not to mention Bryant and McGrady swooping in from everywhere and scoring at will. Put Kevin Garnett or Duncan at the power position and wrap it all up with Jason Kidd running the show and um… no chance. Sorry. Give em a month to practice and get together as a team though. That’s really the key.

But sure losing in the Olympics is an embarrassment for the US no matter what the situation but no doubt it was less of a surprise to us then it was to you apparently.



Well as I recall they DID beat Australia eh? Hard to brag about another team losing when they actually beat YOUR team me thinks. Stick with swimming or something where you can compete head to head with the best in the world. It doesn’t look so hollow when you brag about that. Otherwise let me know when you emigrate to Argentina so you can actually brag about doing better then the US. Interesting, though, that the argentinians didn’t view it as the worlds biggest upset because they KNEW the Americans were quite beatable. Think you guys will get the memo on that by 2008?

That all works if I am an Australian, and I am not, good sir. Though the Aussies, for a nation of only 19 MILLION, came fourth in the overall medal tally, being been beaten by Russia (150 Million), China (1.3 Billion), and those lovable Americans (just under 300 Million). So per capita, the Aussies kicked the crap out of everyone, bar the Bahamas.

And my fighting irish cracked it for a single Gold, so I dont care too much about spitting contests. I just enjoy seeing you wonderful Americans get all worked up! Your all so insecure! You bloody won the most medals, so stop whining!

And the Bahamas, for a nation of only 317,000, got a gold and a bronze, so bloody well done Bahamas! '

http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@....a?OpenDocument for the complete list. Its actually really interesting.

[Grey_Wolf]

We (the Swedes) only got for four Golds. Buuuhuuu!!!

[Jonathan]

Oh, c'mon. 3 of those gold medals were in Athletics! High jump, Triathlon and Triple jump! The last time Sweden won Olympic gold in Athletics was ages ago. And this year we won 3. You'll have to be satisfied with that