These Olympics have been fabulous. The Chinese have put on an excellent games and the participants have been awesome. It is fantastic to hear the stories of people who have committed to these sports for years to represent their countries. Every particpiant should walk away from these games feeling proud.

I am British and am so proud of our British Olympians. They have surpased all our expectations - roll on 2012

tiadalma said:

Eh...I don't know about "excellent". Their female gymnasts are still breast-feeding.

tiadalma said:

They have done well, and it's good to see considering we invented the Olympics.

2012, it's coming home!

MuthaFunka said:

It pisses me off that the IOC aren't really going to investigate. They're just looking for something from the Chinese to be able to wrap the whole thing up and sweep it under the carpet. The evidence is more than a little suspicious. But what can you do? How could anyone prove definitively how old the girls are? All they can go on are the documents given over by the Chinese government, when they clearly have a lot riding on this and making some new birth certs. and what not would be easy to do. It all smells so fishy.

'easy to do' edit
[Edited 8/22/08 20:03pm]

NoodleSoup said:

I heard one report where the gold gymnast had her age changed to 16 on her passport but on her birth certificate it read 14.

MuthaFunka said:

http://sports.yahoo.com/o...&type=lgns

...Earlier this month, the AP found registration lists previously posted on the Web site of the General Administration of Sport of China that showed both He and Yang were too young to compete. He was born Jan. 1, 1994, according to the 2005, 2006 and 2007 registration lists. Yang was born Aug. 26, 1993, according to the 2004, 2005 and 2006 registration lists. In the 2007 registration list, however, her birthday has changed to Aug. 26, 1992....

...North Korea was barred from the 1993 world championships after FIG officials discovered Kim Gwang Suk, the gold medalist on uneven bars in 1991, was listed as 15 for three years in a row. Romania admitted in 2002 that several gymnasts’ ages had been falsified, including Olympic medalists Gina Gogean and Alexandra Marinescu.

Even China’s own Yang Yun, a double bronze medalist in Sydney, said during an interview aired on state broadcaster China Central Television that she was 14 during the 2000 Games.

I don't see how they can stop this if the countries are willing to do whatever it takes to get the medals.

NoodleSoup said:

That's a damn shame that they're able to keep doing it and nothing to really stop it.

mcmeekle said:

what about the Greek?

I've enjoyed watching all of the competitions this year. Can't wait to see the closing ceremony. I also learned some words in chinese...., thanks to Al Rocger. I thought it was interesting. Congrats to all of them.

abierman said:

Almost everything was invented in Great Britain, especially sports. And probably by a Scotsman.

FACT! (<--- see, must be true, capital letters!)

mcmeekle said:

Almost. You said it. We, Spaniards invented the mop and Chupa-Chups. Things with a stick, you know.

We also invented the siesta. As a matter of fact we copied that from certain animals. No, not British.

PANDURITO said:

Yes, but we invented the stick....

Now I'm sure about that

Is Matthew Mitchum the first openly gay Gold Medalist? Or the first openly gay Australian olympian?


Woohooo!!!! Amazing!!!!!
[Edited 8/23/08 21:34pm]

Sanya Richards beautiful self ran a serious race in the 4x400. I didn't think she was able to overcome that lead but when they hit that final stretch, it was all over. That was a great race.

Men's Basketball.

By a nose

PANDURITO said:

USA 118 - 107 SPAIN

july said:

By a nose

USA Olympic gold medals in Basketball ('76, '84, '92, '96, '00, '08)

july said:

Spain Olympic silver medals in Basketball ('84, '08)

PANDURITO said:

july said:

The gold is where it belongs. So it is written, so let it be the USA!!!

uPtoWnNY said:

That closing ceremony was AMAZING!! I loved the London 'handover' with the big red bus, and Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis doing Whole Lotta Love - WOW! The dancers were great, very cool - Funky London in 2012!!