London 2012 Olympics Stuff

[Toro]

I'm watching volleyball right now. Why does one guy have a different uniform than his teammates?

 

[Toro]

Question Tiger, why is Tom Daley so popular in England?

 

[rightwinger]

I'm watching volleyball right now. Why does one guy have a different uniform than his teammates?

I had the same question

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I'm watching volleyball right now. Why does one guy have a different uniform than his teammates?

I had the same question

I never quite figured that out, but I know it's standard in HS and college too. I think it might have something to do with captaincy but I was never sure of that b/c often the best player doesn't seem to wear the different uniform IMO.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Question Tiger, why is Tom Daley so popular in England?

B/C he lives there.

 

[mudwhistle]

Loving the bronze for Team GB in men's gymnastics. We NEVER win anything in gymnastics!

Home venue advantage? I'd have to think that the judges are affected even if they don't want to admit it.

Well, possibly. All countries seem to do better in their home Olympics.

But I've always thought that usually it's due to the fact that countries pour money and resources into training athletes for several years before they stage an Olympics, and that investment pays off in a bigger haul of medals than if the games would have been held somewhere else.

Either way, I think if we'd benefitted from a home advantage in the judging that we'd have won the silver rather than the bronze.

I think it's that and also the fact that the host nation's athletes get to use the facilities before everyone else so they know it by heart.

 

[Toro]

I'm watching volleyball right now. Why does one guy have a different uniform than his teammates?

I had the same question

I never quite figured that out, but I know it's standard in HS and college too. I think it might have something to do with captaincy but I was never sure of that b/c often the best player doesn't seem to wear the different uniform IMO.

No, it won't be that. The captain wears an armband. It'll be because there is a special rule for that player.

 

[tigerbob]

Question Tiger, why is Tom Daley so popular in England?

Beats me. Living over here it's very difficult to understand what captures the public's imagination in Britain. My guess would be because he's good. Historically we have had so few world class athletes that the really good ones tend to become heroes very quickly.

 

[tigerbob]

Home venue advantage? I'd have to think that the judges are affected even if they don't want to admit it.

Well, possibly. All countries seem to do better in their home Olympics.

But I've always thought that usually it's due to the fact that countries pour money and resources into training athletes for several years before they stage an Olympics, and that investment pays off in a bigger haul of medals than if the games would have been held somewhere else.

Either way, I think if we'd benefitted from a home advantage in the judging that we'd have won the silver rather than the bronze.

I think it's that and also the fact that the host nation's athletes get to use the facilities before everyone else so they know it by heart.

I guess in some sports, but one pommel horse is surely much like another. May be something to do with the support they get at home as well.

 

[Toro]

Two more bronze medals for Canada in judo and synchronized diving.

Canada - Bronze Medal Nation! w00t!

 

[Paulie]

I don't know if anyone asked this here or not, or even if it's a dumb question to begin with since I don't really follow olympics...Why do countries sometimes have more than 1 person competing in an event? Something isn't right about having to compete against your own teammate.

 

[Liability]

I don't know if anyone asked this here or not, or even if it's a dumb question to begin with since I don't really follow olympics...Why do countries sometimes have more than 1 person competing in an event? Something isn't right about having to compete against your own teammate.

Because silver goes nicely with gold?

 

[Paulie]

I don't know if anyone asked this here or not, or even if it's a dumb question to begin with since I don't really follow olympics...Why do countries sometimes have more than 1 person competing in an event? Something isn't right about having to compete against your own teammate.

Because silver goes nicely with gold?

Silver's worthless bro. Who remembers the silver medal winners years later? Who offers endorsement deals to silver medal winners?

I'm just asking because last night I watched for a couple minutes and it was the 100m backstroke. Two Americans competing, with one of them the odds on favorite to win the gold. The other dude got silver. So the silver dude pretty much already knows before he even starts that his teammate is going to crush him and that he has no shot at gold.

Just seems weird to me.

 

[Liability]

I don't know if anyone asked this here or not, or even if it's a dumb question to begin with since I don't really follow olympics...Why do countries sometimes have more than 1 person competing in an event? Something isn't right about having to compete against your own teammate.

Because silver goes nicely with gold?

Silver's worthless bro. Who remembers the silver medal winners years later? Who offers endorsement deals to silver medal winners?

I'm just asking because last night I watched for a couple minutes and it was the 100m backstroke. Two Americans competing, with one of them the odds on favorite to win the gold. The other dude got silver. So the silver dude pretty much already knows before he even starts that his teammate is going to crush him and that he has no shot at gold.

Just seems weird to me.

Silver is a perfectly cool OLYMPIC medal.

In my life I never had any chance of being an Olympian. And of all those who do get there, not that many get to stand on the platform as medalists.

I know it's just simple opinion, but as far as I am concerned, anybody who gets to the Olympics is pretty cool (in terms of that sport, anyway) and anybody who can take a medal has done something pretty remarkable.

 

[Paulie]

Because silver goes nicely with gold?

Silver's worthless bro. Who remembers the silver medal winners years later? Who offers endorsement deals to silver medal winners?

I'm just asking because last night I watched for a couple minutes and it was the 100m backstroke. Two Americans competing, with one of them the odds on favorite to win the gold. The other dude got silver. So the silver dude pretty much already knows before he even starts that his teammate is going to crush him and that he has no shot at gold.

Just seems weird to me.

Silver is a perfectly cool OLYMPIC medal.

In my life I never had any chance of being an Olympian. And of all those who do get there, not that many get to stand on the platform as medalists.

I know it's just simple opinion, but as far as I am concerned, anybody who gets to the Olympics is pretty cool (in terms of that sport, anyway) and anybody who can take a medal has done something pretty remarkable.

I'm not saying it's not cool. But you don't train your ass off to win a silver, you compete for the gold. If China is the favorite and they beat you out, so be it. But your own teammate? I don't know, whatever, I dave a lot less than it looks right now

 

[tigerbob]

Well done Mr Phelps! Stunning achievement!

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Yea, I hear stuff like Phelps won a gold and then I don't want to watch the stupid f'ing tape delay. F NBC.

 

[candycorn]

All kicks off today.

NBC is tape delaying the opening ceremony (stats at 7pm instead of live at 4pm). Wonder how many other first world countries aren't showing it live.

Anyhoo, here's a link to the events schedule and away we go.

Olympic Event Schedules & Results | NBC Olympics

Cool link. Thanks.

 

[Noomi]

Am trying to find out if this chick actually walked out there with hairy armpits. I hope this is just photoshopped.

 

[Colin]

Am trying to find out if this chick actually walked out there with hairy armpits. I hope this is just photoshopped.

Yeh, and apparently the hair on her chest goes all the way down to her testicles.