London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

Lyaiera

She's won four races from four races. I didn't hear anything about a protest underway. So I presume she's coming first.

There are ten races. If you come first you get 1 point, second 2 point, 3 three points etc. The person with the least amount of points after all the races gets the gold. The last race is worth double points so first gets 2 points, second 4 points etc.

I don't know if you're allowed to discard the worst two or three of your performances. I would hope you would be allowed because a rope could break or a sail rip and you have to retire means someone could go from first to way down the table with no chance of recovery all because of a technical failure in the equipment, which would just be unlucky.

So far Annalise has 4 points and the person in second place has 16 points.

statesaver

Brian017 wrote: »

Ah thanks for that. Long way to go so.

Jaysus, long way to go is right.

K-9

Ah poor Chloe but it will stand to her for her third Olympics in Brazil!

Lapin

I'm sick of commentators telling us that he or she will have their sights set on Rio in 4 years time when yet another one of our competitors is knocked out.

Its the same thing every 4 years. We heard it all in Beijing.

FFS these are the games where Ireland should be winning medals.
They're practically on our doorstep.

Fek waiting for Brazil in 2016.

Pudsy33

Lyaiera wrote: »

She's won four races from four races. I didn't hear anything about a protest underway. So I presume she's coming first.

There are ten races. If you come first you get 1 point, second 2 point, 3 three points etc. The person with the least amount of points after all the races gets the gold. The last race is worth double points so first gets 2 points, second 4 points etc.

I don't know if you're allowed to discard the worst two or three of your performances. I would hope you would be allowed because a rope could break or a sail rip and you have to retire means someone could go from first to way down the table with no chance of recovery all because of a technical failure in the equipment, which would just be unlucky.

So far Annalise has 4 points and the person in second place has 16 points.

You discard your single worst run afaik

statesaver

Lapin wrote: »

I'm sick of commentators telling us that he or she will have their sights set on Rio in 4 years time when yet another one of our competitors is knocked out.

Its the same thing every 4 years. We heard it all in Beijing.

FFS these are the games where Ireland should be winning medals.
They're practically on our doorstep.

Fek waiting for Brazil in 2016.

I understand where your coming from but CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN
Though Chloe does seem very young

Digitalism

statesaver wrote: »

I understand where your coming from but CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN
Though Chloe does seem very young

shes 23.

Samich

Lapin wrote: »

I'm sick of commentators telling us that he or she will have their sights set on Rio in 4 years time when yet another one of our competitors is knocked out.

Its the same thing every 4 years. We heard it all in Beijing.

FFS these are the games where Ireland should be winning medals.
They're practically on our doorstep.

Fek waiting for Brazil in 2016.

Nex thing they'll be saying Sonia O' Sullivan is training for Brazil :rolleyes:

Samich

And who is this Chloe one? I was watching the Irish Badminton player?

Pudsy33

Samich wrote: »

And who is this Chloe one? I was watching the Irish Badminton player?

She is the irish player?

Shryke

Lapin wrote: »

I'm sick of commentators telling us that he or she will have their sights set on Rio in 4 years time when yet another one of our competitors is knocked out.

Its the same thing every 4 years. We heard it all in Beijing.

FFS these are the games where Ireland should be winning medals.
They're practically on our doorstep.

Fek waiting for Brazil in 2016.

This does rankle a bit. It wouldn't have been too much to invest in athletes when the event is in London. Katie Taylor didn't have so much as a bathroom at her disposal. She would use the one in the pub next door from where she was training.
There was little to no funding going toward that lad we had in the gymnastics as far as I know. I was watching the Beeb and they were talking about his history and what an amazing underdog story it was, including how he had to do a load of fund raising to get himself there in the first place.
That was embarrassing to listen to.

Lyaiera

Pudsy33 wrote: »

You discard your single worst run afaik

A single discard seems very stingy. I would have imagined at least 2 if the 10 are raced, probably 3, and I've seen 4 discards on 10 race series before.

keano_afc

We just dont have the funding to invest properly in athletes. We could adopt GB's approach and concentrate on one or two sports to increase our chances.

garv123

Samich wrote: »

And who is this Chloe one? I was watching the Irish Badminton player?

Chloe magee.. The player you were watching

Lapin

statesaver wrote: »

I understand where your coming from but CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN
Though Chloe does seem very young

I'm quite calm.

I just have a low tolerance to horse shít when I hear it.

I'm no expert on Badminton, but is 23 considered young for the game?

BTW, I wasn't trying to single out Magee there, my gripe is with the commentators and their back slapping, gallant performance, better luck next time response.

Call it as it is, we're not good enough. We weren't 4 years ago and won't be in 4 years time.

keith16

Shryke wrote: »

This does rankle a bit. It wouldn't have been too much to invest in athletes when the event is in London. Katie Taylor didn't have so much as a bathroom at her disposal. She would use the one in the pub next door from where she was training.
There was little to no funding going toward that lad we had in the gymnastics as far as I know. I was watching the Beeb and they were talking about his history and what an amazing underdog story it was, including how he had to do a load of fund raising to get himself there in the first place.
That was embarrassing to listen to.

Really encapsulates the 'ah shure it's grand, next time, next time" and "shure we should be happy to even be here" attitude we have.

Roy Keane makes some very good points around this - albeit at very inappropriate times. I do think he is on to something though. We shouldn't be happy with just being there, going along for the sing song so to speak.

Capt'n Midnight

keano_afc wrote: »

We just dont have the funding to invest properly in athletes. We could adopt GB's approach and concentrate on one or two sports to increase our chances.

most of the stuff we are god at is fairly cheap
Boxing
Middle distance running
Sailing
Dressage (it's already paid for by the Army)

Samich

garv123 wrote: »

Chloe magee.. The player you were watching

I thought they called her Nicky?

garv123

Lapin wrote: »

I'm quite calm.

I just have a low tolerance to horse shít when I hear it.

I'm no expert on Badminton, but is 23 considered young for the game?

BTW, I wasn't trying to single out Magee there, my gripe is with the commentators and their back slapping, gallant performance, better luck next time response.

Call it as it is, we're not good enough. We weren't 4 years ago and won't be in 4 years time.

We'll PI was 33 so She's young enough... she will pick up plenty more experience in the next few years.

Commentator hadn't a clue about badminton, reading out random facts out off the internet, calling the shuttle a ball twice, saying the minimum Evans should be doing was reaching the back lines with his clears.. During the game he could only say if a person served long or short, in or out and the score.

rgmmg

Shryke wrote: »

This does rankle a bit. It wouldn't have been too much to invest in athletes when the event is in London. Katie Taylor didn't have so much as a bathroom at her disposal. She would use the one in the pub next door from where she was training.
There was little to no funding going toward that lad we had in the gymnastics as far as I know. I was watching the Beeb and they were talking about his history and what an amazing underdog story it was, including how he had to do a load of fund raising to get himself there in the first place.
That was embarrassing to listen to.

apparently he was barred from the climbing frame in the local park as the kids couldn't get a look in :pac:

garv123

Samich wrote: »

I thought they called her Nicky?

could have, he hadn't a clue about the sport so he probably didn't even know who she was

Pudsy33

Samich wrote: »

garv123 wrote: »

Chloe magee.. The player you were watching

I thought they called her Nicky?

Need to get those ears checked samich

hypersquirrel

Lapin wrote: »

I'm quite calm.

I just have a low tolerance to horse shít when I hear it.

I'm no expert on Badminton, but is 23 considered young for the game?

BTW, I wasn't trying to single out Magee there, my gripe is with the commentators and their back slapping, gallant performance, better luck next time response.

Call it as it is, we're not good enough. We weren't 4 years ago and won't be in 4 years time.

In 2008 if we go per capita we won more medals than the US. Our boxers are doing well, Our Badminton players were knocked out by the world number 1 and the world number 4, Annalise Murphy is doing brilliantly in the sailing. Aoife Clark finished 6th out of 74 in the eventing competing against people in their 6th and 7th Olympics.

I think you are confusing back slapping with supporting hard work and commiserating bad luck.

Samich

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Need to get those ears checked samich

I was nearly sure he said Nicky McGee :pac: And thought that was a funny little name :P

statesaver

Lapin wrote: »

I'm quite calm.

I just have a low tolerance to horse shít when I hear it.

I'm no expert on Badminton, but is 23 considered young for the game?

BTW, I wasn't trying to single out Magee there, my gripe is with the commentators and their back slapping, gallant performance, better luck next time response.

Call it as it is, we're not good enough. We weren't 4 years ago and won't be in 4 years time.

I agree with you. But maybe we could leave all that for the post mortem after the games. I'm just sitting back enjoying their performances but onces it's over i'll be as citical as anyone else.

keano_afc

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

most of the stuff we are god at is fairly cheap
Boxing
Middle distance running
Sailing
Dressage (it's already paid for by the Army)

Well I agree on the sailing. We're surrounded by water and it pisses rain all the time. You'd think we have more than one medal to show for all our efforts down the years.

Shryke

keith16 wrote: »

Really encapsulates the 'ah shure it's grand, next time, next time" and "shure we should be happy to even be here" attitude we have.

Roy Keane makes some very good points around this - albeit at very inappropriate times. I do think he is on to something though. We shouldn't be happy with just being there, going along for the sing song so to speak.

I thought Roy made some measured and carefully worded comments and I saw nothing wrong in anything he said. I was a little bit impressed if anything. That's going down another road.

I think commentators can take whatever kind of flippant attitude they want but its claiming successes of individuals that received no support from the state that rubs me wrong. I know that Irish pride and state funding are two entirely different things but it doesn't make it right that athletes should have no support and then be held as home grown national treasures only if they succeed, and after putting all of the effort in themselves.
It's a more complex thing than simple annoyance with me. I have great pride in all our competitors but I feel really badly too when I know the country could have done better by them.

Anyway, Olympics, Woo!

Lapin

hypersquirrel wrote: »

In 2008 if we go per capita we won more medals than the US. Our boxers are doing well, Our Badminton players were knocked out by the world number 1 and the world number 4, Annalise Murphy is doing brilliantly in the sailing. Aoife Clark finished 6th out of 74 in the eventing competing against people in their 6th and 7th Olympics.

I think you are confusing back slapping with supporting hard work and commiserating bad luck.

statesaver wrote: »

I agree with you. But maybe we could leave all that for the post mortem after the games. I'm just sitting back enjoying their performances but onces it's over i'll be as citical as anyone else.

Fair points, although as I said earlier, my criticism was directed more towards the commentary of the performances than the participants themselves.

I'm actually enjoying the games immensely !

tayto lover

Very disappointed in our Showjumpers. Surely with our history of great horses and horsemanship we should be doing far better in this sport. There seems to be a lot of money thrown at it too.
I wonder would our horseracing jockeys be any good at showjumping.

cgpg5

Hard luck to Magee only caught the last set but the French girl was a level above her when it came to the important stage at the 3rd quarter.

Novak Djokovic is putting on an absolute exhibition on centre court v A.Rod one of the most complete tennis performances you will ever see.

Roll on the swimming later, two golds for Phelps?

statesaver

I don't have Sky Sports but do they have any coverage of the Olympics ?

Will be happy if the answer is NO

3ndahalfof6

I hope the Brits win some golds soon, I don't think I can take much more of the bronze medallists, ( I am glad they got it I just hope the media don't beat the sheit out of it).

cricketfan

hypersquirrel wrote: »

In 2008 if we go per capita we won more medals than the US. Our boxers are doing well, Our Badminton players were knocked out by the world number 1 and the world number 4, Annalise Murphy is doing brilliantly in the sailing. Aoife Clark finished 6th out of 74 in the eventing competing against people in their 6th and 7th Olympics.

I think you are confusing back slapping with supporting hard work and commiserating bad luck.

I said earlier in the thread that our funding for sports has historically generally been poor and we have only looked inward and tended to only concentrate on Gaelic games for the last 60/70 years. I remember discussing this at work from 2000 onwards after the Irish media started to take a bitter stance towards home performances at successive games. They took the same line after Athens in 2004.

I just don't think there was ever any serious political will to invest in sporting academies like other countries, nurturing young talent etc. I really do feel all those boys and girls in London at the moment competing for Team Ireland have done a tremendous job just to get there. If they had any serious backing from the government over the last 10/15 years, we would be reaping the rewards now.

keith16

Shryke wrote: »

I thought Roy made some measured and carefully worded comments and I saw nothing wrong in anything he said. I was a little bit impressed if anything. That's going down another road.

I think commentators can take whatever kind of flippant attitude they want but its claiming successes of individuals that received no support from the state that rubs me wrong. I know that Irish pride and state funding are two entirely different things but it doesn't make it right that athletes should have no support and then be held as home grown national treasures only if they succeed, and after putting all of the effort in themselves.
It's a more complex thing than simple annoyance with me. I have great pride in all our competitors but I feel really badly too when I know the country could have done better by them.

Anyway, Olympics, Woo!

100% agree. It seems we are happy to claim those "once in a life-time" athletes that come along by accident of birth more than anything else, rather than cultivate an environment of sporting excellence and development.

goodie2shoes

after watching the BBC coverage i'm getting the distinct feeling that somebody has burst their bubble.

looking at the medals table i'm not surprised. they are currently standing a lowly 20th, behind such Olympic heavyweights as Kazakhstan, Lithuania & Georgia.

similar countries like France, Italy, Holland and Germany are showing 'em a clean pair of heels.

maybe the pressure/expectations of being the hosts is beginning to tell?

any thoughts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/medals/countries

cgpg5

goodie2shoes wrote: »

after watching the BBC coverage i'm getting the distinct feeling that somebody has burst their bubble.

looking at the medals table i'm not surprised. they are currently standing a lowly 20th, behind such Olympic heavyweights as Kazakhstan, Lithuania & Georgia.

similar countries like France, Italy, Holland and Germany are showing 'em a clean pair of heels.

maybe the pressure/expectations of being the hosts is beginning to tell?

any thoughts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/medals/countries

Seriously wait for track cycling/Athletics!

Samich

goodie2shoes wrote: »

after watching the BBC coverage i'm getting the distinct feeling that somebody has burst their bubble.

looking at the medals table i'm not surprised. they are currently standing a lowly 20th, behind such Olympic heavyweights as Kazakhstan, Lithuania & Georgia.

similar countries like France, Italy, Holland and Germany are showing 'em a clean pair of heels.

maybe the pressure/expectations of being the hosts is beginning to tell?

any thoughts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/medals/countries

We're only in the 4th day yet. DOubt there would have been too many certs for medals in the sports so far.

Tennis, rowing, cycling, athletics medals still to come.

opinion guy

Anyone else sick of the horsie ****e ?

Why is this even in the olympics ? Its a sport accessible to aobut 0.5% of the worlds population or less. Its hardly as impressive to do well as something like running that literally anyone out of 7billion can do. There is some Ozzie dude in his 7th olympics:eek: and aiming for an 8th. Most of the competitors come from families of previous olympic horsie people. The Queens grand daugther is in it.

Elitist tripe. Surely not in keeping with the olympic spirit of bringing sport fo the masses ?

3ndahalfof6

opinion guy wrote: »

Anyone else sick of the horsie ****e ?

Why is this even in the olympics ? Its a sport accessible to aobut 0.5% of the worlds population or less. Its hardly as impressive to do well as something like running that literally anyone out of 7billion can do. There is some Ozzie dude in his 7th olympics:eek: and aiming for an 8th. Most of the competitors come from families of previous olympic horsie people. The Queens grand daugther is in it.

Elitist tripe. Surely not in keeping with the olympic spirit of bringing sport fo the masses ?

Its all about the horses you know, otherwise they would get eaten,

now who wants that, bun joor mise.

Mint Sauce

opinion guy wrote: »

Anyone else sick of the horsie ****e ?

Why is this even in the olympics ? Its a sport accessible to aobut 0.5% of the worlds population or less. Its hardly as impressive to do well as something like running that literally anyone out of 7billion can do. There is some Ozzie dude in his 7th olympics:eek: and aiming for an 8th. Most of the competitors come from families of previous olympic horsie people. The Queens grand daugther is in it.

Elitist tripe. Surely not in keeping with the olympic spirit of bringing sport fo the masses ?

Am I the only thinking that it should be the Horse that gets the medal.

keith16

irish-stew wrote: »

Am I the only thinking that it should be the Horse that gets the medal.

If a horse can take drugs then surely it can wear a medal.

opinion guy

lol

"If this doesn't go well they could always become jockeys"

BraziliaNZ

Great event on now, women's team gymnast or whatever it's called! USA hot favourites but I'm up for the Russians

Beefy78

goodie2shoes wrote: »

after watching the BBC coverage i'm getting the distinct feeling that somebody has burst their bubble.

looking at the medals table i'm not surprised. they are currently standing a lowly 20th, behind such Olympic heavyweights as Kazakhstan, Lithuania & Georgia.

similar countries like France, Italy, Holland and Germany are showing 'em a clean pair of heels.

maybe the pressure/expectations of being the hosts is beginning to tell?

any thoughts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/medals/countries

Why do you care? Have you made a single contribution to this thread that isn't a dig at the British?

There are 205 nations competing at these games so why do you only comment on the medals collected by one of them?

I know I shouldn't rise to your trolling but here we are.

As Boris said earlier, we're being gracious hosts in letting everyone else win

statesaver

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Great event on now, women's team gymnast or whatever it's called! USA hot favourites but I'm up for the Russians

China usually good at this

keith16

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Great event on now, women's team gymnast or whatever it's called! USA hot favourites but I'm up for the Russians

In Soviet Russia, parallel bars swing on YOU!

flikflak

statesaver wrote: »

I don't have Sky Sports but do they have any coverage of the Olympics ?

Will be happy if the answer is NO

No, I dont think so. They do however carry the extra BBC channels which can be accessed through the red button. Every sport in HD through it.

tayto lover

Those Chinese gymnasts are amazing but i have seen bigger kids coming out of creches. They are bred to be gymnasts and have their growth stunted so it's a bit cruel.

BraziliaNZ

God these Chinese girls are so tiny

goodie2shoes

cgpg5 wrote: »

Seriously wait for track cycling/Athletics!

absolutely they should be picking up a few Golds in these events, but in many of the events where you would have expected them to collect more they have produced very little/nothing. eg diving, babminton, swimming, archery, judo, shooting, fencing.

Don't get me wrong i wasn't expecting them to sweep the boards, but not even 1 Gold so far is not good imo, especially when compared with similar countries such as France or Germany.