London 2012 MegaThread [Part 2]

Colmustard

cgpg5 wrote: »

Really? I'd be very surprised if he didn't medal tbh. Silver I'd expect

I hope so, I just think the pressure of being the Olympic poster boy will get to him, he is only 18.

I really hope I am wrong.

cgpg5

Colmustard wrote: »

I hope so, I just think the pressure of being the Olympic poster boy will get to him, he is only 18.

I really hope I am wrong.

He'll be grand. Last night was the time to let his nerves out. He was much improved this morning. Far from his best yet got 4th! He'll be a different animal tonight imo although can't see anyone coming close to Qiu Bo

Mysteriouschic

I reckon Tom will do great later and it's all come down to him as Pete didn't make it he'll want to get a medal for GB.

cgpg5

Colmustard wrote: »

I hope so, I just think the pressure of being the Olympic poster boy will get to him, he is only 18.

I really hope I am wrong.

ALthough that other Chinese guy was insane too. I'll go with daley bronze! But it'll be tight for silver. Qiu will walk away with it

Colmustard

Re: having a go on the mountain bike track.

I have changed my mind, I am looking at the saddle bobbing up and down, me poor knackers would look like black plums at the end of that course.

Cardinal Richelieu

cgpg5 wrote: »

Is there a much of a DQ rate in walking? Know nathin bout it! Surely it is hard to determine whether someone breaks into a jog even for a second, there seems a fine line

Can be worse in some races, obviously the 50k has more disqualified(7-9). In Sydney Jane Saville(Aus) was leading in the 20km walk going into the stadium and got disqualified. The leader before her had also got disqualified so it can be a fairly heartbreaking sport.

Aidric

Ah the Russian anthem is a thing of beauty.

leahyl

Russian national anthem is nice :-)

Cardinal Richelieu

cgpg5 wrote: »

ALthough that other Chinese guy was insane too. I'll go with daley bronze! But it'll be tight for silver. Qiu will walk away with it

How is the Mexican guy doing? The Chinese seem to do the simple dives perfect while the Mexicans love the high risk point scoring dives.

ferike1

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/keep-pubs-closed-says-star-as-bars-turn-family-away-3196651.html

What's the story with this?

3ndahalfof6

ferike1 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/keep-pubs-closed-says-star-as-bars-turn-family-away-3196651.html

What's the story with this?

it seems to be about opening and closing pub times.

titan18

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

32, that Saransk that Gerry mentioned must be some place, it seems that every Russian walker for the last 30 years grew up there.

Aye, now check out how many have tested positive for EPO

The_Kew_Tour

titan18 wrote: »

Aye, now check out how many have tested positive for EPO

Googled it and it came up with least 4 Russians in past few years.:eek:

ferike1

3ndahalfof6 wrote: »

it seems to be about opening and closing pub times.

But why didn't they serve his family?
Dude a traveller?

The_Kew_Tour

That Brendan Boyce comes across as lovely guy.

Sea Filly

snubbleste wrote: »

Do you not see men walking every day on the footpath

Everyday footpath walked doesn't look like that!

Cardinal Richelieu

The guy doing the Mountain biking commentary sounds like the guy who reviews the movies on George Hook radio show. Is it the same guy?

Namlub

Mountain biking commentator said one of them won the championships in Czechoslovakia this year. Really?

The_Kew_Tour

Namlub wrote: »

Mountain biking commentator said one of them won the championships in Czechoslovakia this year. Really?

Reminds me of the time Ireland played Germany in Croker few years ago and announcer goes "Substitution for WEST Germany". Even the Germans took it well.

Cardinal Richelieu

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Googled it and it came up with least 4 Russians in past few years.:eek:

The defending Gold Medalist from Italy was caught using EPO before London.

Anyone hear of Abortion doping?

Anyone

Considering that Britain entered more athletes than any other nation, do you still consider their medal tally impressive?

To give some examples:

China: 380 Athletes-82 Medals
US: 530 Athletes-94 Medals
Russia: 436 Athletes-66 Medals
GB: 541 Athletes-59 Medals

I know they have done better than ever, but considering the home advantage, the number they entered, the knowledge of tracks/courses, and the money they spent......is it all they are making it out to be?

Namlub

Yes.

marvin_spazz

Anyone wrote: »

Considering that Britain entered more athletes than any other nation, do you still consider their medal tally impressive?

To give some examples:

China: 380 Athletes-82 Medals
US: 530 Athletes-94 Medals
Russia: 436 Athletes-66 Medals
GB: 541 Athletes-59 Medals

I know they have done better than ever, but considering the home advantage, the number they entered, the knowledge of tracks/courses, and the money they spent......is it all they are making it out to be?

population china 1.3 billion
us 314 million
russia 143 million

gb 62 million

so considerable difference in available potential talent pool.

Cardinal Richelieu

Anyone wrote: »

Considering that Britain entered more athletes than any other nation, do you still consider their medal tally impressive?

To give some examples:

China: 380 Athletes-82 Medals
US: 530 Athletes-94 Medals
Russia: 436 Athletes-66 Medals
GB: 541 Athletes-59 Medals

I know they have done better than ever, but considering the home advantage, the number they entered, the knowledge of tracks/courses, and the money they spent......is it all they are making it out to be?

Most host nations always get a medal bounce from hosting. There is also pressure on the host nation to have an athlete or team in every event even if they haven't a chance. GB had a recruitment drive for tall people for the handball team. Greece in 2004 even had a team in the baseball. That said the funding in the lesser sports usually dries up within 2 Olympics after hosting. Remember all those Spanish middle distance runners in Barcelona, I don't think they even had one in a final this year.

Rascasse

The number of competitors GB have isn't really relevant. As hosts they get automatic entries into most, if not all sports. Obviously there is no real cost to entering an athlete at a home championships so people with no real hope get entered. Looking at the medals that have been won, they've mostly come from people and sports you would expect from GB.

Mysteriouschic

I missed all of the football games , I might watch the Brazil v Mexico game on soon.

Pudsy33

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

I missed all of the football games , I might watch the Brazil v Mexico game on soon.

Do, should be a belter

Anyone

marvin_spazz wrote: »

population china 1.3 billion
us 314 million
russia 143 million

gb 62 million

so considerable difference in available potential talent pool.

True, they have a smaller pool, but based on that, they are way lower, but then again so are US,China and Russia

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Most host nations always get a medal bounce from hosting. There is also pressure on the host nation to have an athlete or team in every event even if they haven't a chance. GB had a recruitment drive for tall people for the handball team. Greece in 2004 even had a team in the baseball. That said the funding in the lesser sports usually dries up within 2 Olympics after hosting. Remember all those Spanish middle distance runners in Barcelona, I don't think they even had one in a final this year.

Yeah, I never really looked at how they qualified, and whether they had to achieve a minimum standard.

Rascasse wrote: »

The number of competitors GB have isn't really relevant. As hosts they get automatic entries into most, if not all sports. Obviously there is no real cost to entering an athlete at a home championships so people with no real hope get entered. Looking at the medals that have been won, they've mostly come from people and sports you would expect from GB.

Well the real costs are to do with training and paying the athletes, the cost of getting them there and accomadation isn't that much overall.


Anyway, it was from reading this article, which has "alternative" medal tables, makes for an interesting read.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/datablog/2012/jul/30/olympics-2012-alternative-medal-table

Namlub

Despite all the hype, I've never actually seen Neymar play before. Should be interesting...

Diego Maradona

Well done to Rob Heffernan, brilliant race from him. His time would have won the 50k in Beijing. Nice interview with him as well, he was disappointed he missed out on a medal but was smiling too. Seems like a sound down to earth guy.

Can't wait for JJ Nevin's fight.

youreadthis

GB didn't win anything with the athletes they put in just because they could and had little hope anyway. Take them away and GB would have the same amount of medals. So kind of a moot point.

Mysteriouschic

I really want Brazil to win this . It'll be good for them and they've a lot of medals it's just the olympics one thats missing.

Diego Maradona

Soccer final starting now

Tox56

Pretty much as above, GB team size is boosted by so many teams/athletes automatically qualifying due to being from the host country, but had no hope of winning a medal.

The most impressive thing about this Olympics from a British perspective is the number of golds won. Russia have won more overall medals than GB, but far less gold medals.

Rascasse

Goooaaaallll!!!!

Diego Maradona

Mexico 1 nil up after 28 seconds :eek:

Mysteriouschic

Wow I can't believe Mexico already have a goal in the first 30 secs.
This is looking to be a good game.

Kerrydude1981

Jesus,just turned it on in time

Lawro on the BBC or Richardson on RTE guys,both can be annoying to listen to,could always mute them

Brussels Sprout

I'd prefer to watch the showjumping of the modern pentathlon than the football final purely because I expect lots of people to be crashing into the fences on their unfamiliar horses.

cgpg5

Meh football in the olympics is quite boring to watch comparing to other events when you've no affiliation to any of the teams imo

Jimoslimos

Anyone wrote: »

Anyway, it was from reading this article, which has "alternative" medal tables, makes for an interesting read.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/datablog/2012/jul/30/olympics-2012-alternative-medal-table

It is interesting although I would argue a little simplistic to rank in order of either population or GDP.

I reckon other factors should be included in the statistical analysis such as,

- Certain events limiting number of competitors from one country. GB could have cleaned up on silver/bronze in the cycling or even snatched a few more golds, say where a compatriot was disqualified.

- The increased advantage for larger nations in team/relay events. Rare enough for a small country to produce one world class athlete per generation, near impossible to have several.

General Relativity

cgpg5 wrote: »

Meh football in the olympics is quite boring to watch comparing to other events when you've no affiliation to any of the teams imo

Have you watched any football this year? The womens football was amazing I was plesently suprised at how good it was. There here been major shocks in the mens and some cracking games.

Diego Maradona

Damien Richardson would do your head in

3ndahalfof6

it might just be that Brasil think they are Mexico

cgpg5

General Relativity wrote: »

Have you watched any football this year? The womens football was amazing I was plesently suprised at how good it was. There here been major shocks in the mens and some cracking games.

Tried watch a few earlier games but there were far more interesting events on to watch imo. I see enough football throughout the year anyway.

LordSutch

Doesn't feel like a real Football final, ala the World Cup or the Euro's.

Mint Sauce

Anyone wrote: »

Considering that Britain entered more athletes than any other nation, do you still consider their medal tally impressive?

To give some examples:

China: 380 Athletes-82 Medals
US: 530 Athletes-94 Medals
Russia: 436 Athletes-66 Medals
GB: 541 Athletes-59 Medals

I know they have done better than ever, but considering the home advantage, the number they entered, the knowledge of tracks/courses, and the money they spent......is it all they are making it out to be?

Well an athletics track, a football pitch, a velodrome, a pool, basket ball court, hockey pitch, etc etc, are preety much the same where ever you go in the world, barr the stadia built around it. Plus most of the venues were built from scatch, so knowledge of the track or course are irrealvent. For unique courses such as the mountian biking, BMX, white water courses, these were also built or designed for this olympics, and most athletes would have had the same time to practise on them.

After that it comes down to skill, funding, facilities, and a nations interest in a sport or disapline.

Rascasse

LordSutch wrote: »

Doesn't feel like a real Football final, ala the World Cup or the Euro's.

The atmosphere at all the matches, even the GB ones, seem a little subdued. I wonder if its a case of the crowd being non football supporting types there because its the Olympics, or if the mics pointing at the crowds are not as loud as they would be for a premier league game.

Either way you wouldn't believe this was in front of 90,000 people (including many thousand Latin Americans.)

Namlub

Rascasse wrote: »

The atmosphere at all the matches, even the GB ones, seem a little subdued. I wonder if its a case of the crowd being non football supporting types there because its the Olympics, or if the mics pointing at the crowds are not as loud as they would be for a premier league game.

Either way you wouldn't believe this was in front of 90,000 people (including many thousand Latin Americans.)

I guess a lot of the spectators are just there to watch the game rather than to support a particular side so there's not the same atmosphere as there would be if it was a PL game...

Mysteriouschic

I just have the football on in the background. I prefer the league or world cups. I don't think Brazil should be that disappointed if they don't win this game. Mexico are pretty good.