The Olympics, London 2012 - A time to be proud

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Well keeping it clean due to the ages involved !.......Is the "Lithuanian Janner", the only one whose coach is in the process of strangling her puppy, whilst the photo is being taken? :-)

 

How did you know that? I'll have to make the next one a bit more difficult!

 

There's got to be something about politicos and royals milking the publicity at every opportunity.

[chris2004 67]

I heard the Australian team were thinking of changing their team colours from green and gold to green and silver.

 

Only joking guys Australia is a great sporting nation (except cricket of course).

[atlas2 4,329]

Not trying to undermine the achievements of the folk who have competed, but the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke. Imagine if athletics had the 100m run, 100m hop, 100m backwards and 100m sideways - and repeat for 200m, 400m etc etc. Chuck in the synchronised shit and we could have synchronised long jump, synchronised javelin etc.

I agree. If you want to swim backwards, like a butterfly or like a frog good for you. You won't be the first to the end of the pool though.

 

 

Olympic times

 

Men's 100m Front Crawl...47.05

Men's 100 Butterfly............50.58

 

So can't deny that front crawl will get you to the end of the pool first.

 

........Though in the cause of natural fairness and purity of comparison ... If the winner of the men's 100m F/C above was NOT allowed to employ the butterfly legs and body from the entry dive and in exiting from his tumble-turn there wouldn't be as much in it.

 

Anyway that's not my point.

 

Tom, (correct me if I'm....'not getting it' ), is suggesting that there is too much unnecessary duplication in the swimming events and, (my interpretation here), this weighting of pool events skews the medal table.....again please correct me if that was 'not' your point.

 

Simply put I'm saying 'sport' itself is an arbitrary invention and there is 'duplication' most everywhere. I tried to illustrate this using the many running track events, ball sports and skiing as examples..........

 

My feeling is that it's unfair to single swimming out for critism. The demands for each stroke are very different compared to say the skill-sets needed in the the rowing or shooting events!

 

Not many achieve a world best in the front crawler 'and' in the breaststroke.

 

.....Well..... I enjoyed that, probably a complete waste of time........A bit like... sport I suppose.

 

Anyway thanks Tom for my 5.1 or whatever for artistic interpretation.

 

After I've read your reply I'll award a Gold, Silver or Bronze for... 'Ducking and Diving'

[whitespider 1]

I am loving it. Playing havoc with my work though as not sleeping until 05.00 am.

 

Best thing is whopping the Aussies asses. Its nice to have turned tables for a change as I DO accept they have generally been vastly superior. With so many Aussie mates here its nice NOT to be the brunt of the jokes for a change.

[capdagde 1,954]

President Hollande said last week during his London visit - "maybe the EU should share out the medals so that the Brits could share in the French success" (or words to that effect... he's got big balls of steel, n'est-ce pas?...).

 

Since then the French medals have dried up somewhat...

 

I hope Cameron has winged a pithy missive in his direction (balls of clay?).

 

Andy Cap

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I tried to illustrate this using the many running track events ...

 

And failed miserably before going off at a tangent and droning on about balls and skiing, neither of which I mentioned.

 

In athletics, you have one men's individual 100m running gold medal up for grabs. In swimming you have four individual 100m gold medals up for grabs. At 200m you have one running gold medal up for grabs, but you have 5 individual swimming events. Repeat for the different distances. That was the comparison.

 

Tom, (correct me if I'm....'not getting it' ), is suggesting that there is too much unnecessary duplication in the swimming events and, (my interpretation here), this weighting of pool events skews the medal table.....again please correct me if that was 'not' your point.

 

Correct. You're not getting it. I didn't mention, nor suggest, anything whatsoever about skewing, or medals, or tables. In fact, during this entire thread I've purposely avoided getting involved in the discussions about medal tables (except for Thailand - easy to keep count) - I tend to see the athletes' performances as reflecting their own commitment and sacrifices, not a nation's.

 

As an aside, I think you'll find that while a "crawl" appears to be a popular sport in Pattaya, it hasn't quite yet gained Olympic accreditation.

Edited August 6, 2012 by CheshireTom

[CheshireTom 1,377]

President Hollande said last week during his London visit - "maybe the EU should share out the medals so that the Brits could share in the French success" (or words to that effect... he's got big balls of steel, n'est-ce pas?...).

 

Since then the French medals have dried up somewhat...

 

I hope Cameron has winged a pithy missive in his direction (balls of clay?).

 

Andy Cap

 

To be fair, petanque and carp fishing haven't been adopted as Olympic sports yet.

[MM 6,562]

http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/track-and-field/how-fast-is-the-worlds-fastest-man-usain-bolt.html

 

Kind of funny...and informative.

[atlas2 4,329]

And failed miserably before going off at a tangent and droning on about balls and skiing, neither of which I mentioned.

 

In athletics, you have one men's individual 100m running gold medal up for grabs. In swimming you have four individual 100m gold medals up for grabs. At 200m you have one running gold medal up for grabs, but you have 5 individual swimming events. Repeat for the different distances. That was the comparison.

 

Correct. You're not getting it. I didn't mention, nor suggest anything whatsoever abour skewing, or medals or tables...

 

 

 

 

 

Except that they don't repeat for each stroke. There are 6 individual free style events but only 2 for each of the other strokes. Your post is misleading.

 

There are 18 swimming events and I think 24 track and field events I include the throwing and throwing and throwing and throwing events and the jumping and jumping and jumping and just for a change vaulting events.

 

Duplication everywhere......I celebrate it.

 

However you still get the gold medal for "ducking and diving"

Edited August 7, 2012 by atlas2
highlighted reply within quotes (I think)

[atlas2 4,329]

Can't edit the format of above post on my iPhone. I'll attend to it tomorrow after golf.

 

Not to waste a post I'm really pleased for Andy Murray. The best achievement in British tennis in living memory.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

There are 18 swimming events and I think 24 track and field events I include the throwing and throwing and throwing and throwing events and the jumping and jumping and jumping and just for a change vaulting events.

 

There may well be (or maybe not). But the original claim was, "the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke. Imagine if athletics ...". Not Swimming, and not Track and Field ... and no skewed medal tables!

 

If the winner of the men's 100m F/C above was NOT allowed to employ the butterfly legs and body from the entry dive and in exiting from his tumble-turn there wouldn't be as much in it.

 

Err, it's the freestyle, not front crawl. That's why they can use whatever method they want to enter the water or turn. If they couldn't, it wouldn't be called the freestyle.

 

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQ89oRj3U8[/media]

Edited August 6, 2012 by CheshireTom

[steamer 158]

My god what a football game.

 

Typical shitty reffing for women's footie I might add.

[jacko 8,822]

I heard the Australian team were thinking of changing their team colours from green and gold to green and silver.

 

Only joking guys Australia is a great sporting nation (except cricket of course).

I was watching the Oz channel on Sophon yesterdat (Australia Network), and they were harping on about how many of the coaches for Team GB were Australian and had been tempted away by large offers. My my, Ozzies whining.

[atlas2 4,329]

Not trying to undermine the achievements of the folk who have competed, but the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke. Imagine if athletics had the 100m run, 100m hop, 100m backwards and 100m sideways - and repeat for 200m, 400m etc etc. Chuck in the synchronised shit and we could have synchronised long jump, synchronised javelin etc.

 

 

I dealt earlier with the amount of duplication within the different sports, and that it's, (in my opinion) unfair to single out swimming in this respect. Further your..... "-and repeat this for 200m, 400m etc etc' is wrong and misleading. Back, breast and butterfly are only competed individually over 100m and 200m there is NOT an, .... 'etc etc'.

 

 

In athletics, you have one men's individual 100m running gold medal up for grabs. In swimming you have four individual 100m gold medals up for grabs. At 200m you have one running gold medal up for grabs, but you have 5 individual swimming events. Repeat for the different distances. That was the comparison.

 

Once again the same misleading comparison.

 

....... the original claim was, "the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke. Imagine if athletics ...". Not Swimming, and not Track and Field ... and no skewed medal tables!

 

Err, it's the freestyle, not front crawl. That's why they can use whatever method they want to enter the water or turn. If they couldn't, it wouldn't be called the freestyle.

 

You're right about 'freestyle'...... Thank you for high-lighting my point regarding the 'front-crawler's' employment of the butterfly body and kick to his advantage in the 'freestyle'

 

Elsewhere the butterfly stroke, and the others were 'treated' by 'you' as meaningless, repetitious duplications, akin to an athlete, hopping, or running backwards or sideways. 'Another' poster suggesting that ,as they were slower than the freestyle, they were a waste of time.

 

.....Which is like 'him' saying that we'd be better to, just do away with the weight categories in boxing..and with the women too........let's have the heavyweight bouts, and be done with it.

 

What a waste of excitement, skill and expertise that would be!

 

You're both entitled to hold to your opinions but forgive me if I don't share them.

 

Finally, I can see the offered humour in your ...it's like having races for... 'running backwards' or 'sideways'. That would be true on the track........Running forwards is so much faster it would be ridiculous. But the times between the 4 swimming strokes is nowhere near as pronounced and it's wrong to make the comparison.

 

'The number of aquatic events is a bit of a joke'.....'

 

There are 4 aquatic sports in the pool complex. On the water we have the rowing, sailing, and canoeing events.... So that's 7 aquatic sports. The rest of the 26 sports are on good old terra firma.

 

I think the balance is about right but you can take your view.

Edited August 7, 2012 by atlas2

[CheshireTom 1,377]

There are 4 aquatic sports in the pool complex. On the water we have the rowing, sailing, and canoeing events.... So that's 7 aquatic sports. The rest of the 26 sports are on good old terra firma.

 

 

Dearie me! Have a look at the IOC website - you may be able to educate yourself as to what comprises Aquatics, and what comprises Athletics. Quite simply, one is administered by FINA, the other by the IAAF. Good of you to point out WHY you "don't get it" though. I appreciate that.

 

Anyway, my "claim" was, "the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke". That claim is supported by the fact that four swimmers from one country can win over 20 medals between them, and the top 11 swimmers overall can win over 40 medals between them. If you can highlight any similar situations with either 4 or 11 competitors in the athletics events, the comparison I used , I'll be glad to see them. (obviously when the athletics events have finished)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could have used the top 10 swimmers but I though it was a good excuse to sneak in a gratuitous pic of the lovely Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2012 by CheshireTom

[atlas2 4,329]

I'm very happy that you seem to have dropped your silly running backwards comparisons and the false claim that the number of individual freestyle events is repeated for the other strokes.

As for the number of aquatic events in the interests of fairness I included all the sports that could be reasonably considered aquatic and not on which body administers them which seems a little pedantic.

 

You do have a point about the number of gold medals a relatively small number of swimmers can accumulate and the skewing effect this can have. Though when I extrapolated this from what you'd written earlier you said.."you're not getting it. I didn't mention, nor suggest anything whatsoever about skewing or medals or tables.

 

....Now it seems to be the centre of your argument

 

So you know a bit about backstroke yourself.

 

As you know athletes can accumulate a fair number of golds with the right relay team behind them, though I agree this rare.

 

In conclusion I like to dedicate this argument to two people.

Coroebus the bolt of Elis who in the inaugural 'gymnikos agon' or naked competition his tackle slapping against his mighty thighs won the very first 'stadion'

And also to your old friend and mentor Joekicker whose disappearance 6 months ago tomorrow has meant that I missed having a 'ruck' so much I had to pick one with his worthy understudy.

 

Thank you Tom that was fun.

Edited August 7, 2012 by atlas2

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Interesting article.

 

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

 

 

In the 100 metres on Saturday, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce did not threaten Florence Griffith-Joyner’s mark. At 10.75, she was more than a quarter of a second down. In the 400m on Sunday, the best part of two seconds separated the winning time from the ‘WR’. Tirunesh Dibaba’s winning time for the 10,000m this year was almost a minute off world record pace, even if she was faster in Beijing in 2008.

 

Edited August 7, 2012 by wacmedia

[atlas2 4,329]

It's the womens javelin that means the lady from Paraguay. time to put this iPhone away and settle down. I might pull the curtains for this. !!!

[wacmedia 277]

 

 

Hi,

 

That Dutch lady stood out. Racial mixing seems to work as far as women are concerned.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

 

That Dutch lady stood out. Racial mixing seems to work as far as women are concerned.

 

The same mix as Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullitt et al. The Javanese-Surinamese mixed with giant Dutch farmers does seem to produce a good result.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

You do have a point about the number of gold medals a relatively small number of swimmers can accumulate and the skewing effect this can have.

 

Yes, the only reason they can win the medals is because "the number of aquatics events is a bit of a joke". Nice to see that you eventually got there. Your ability to go around in circles should mark you as a potential winner in the men's 5k.

 

Joe would be proud that he still impacts on your life though. And concerned.

Edited August 7, 2012 by CheshireTom

[atlas2 4,329]

I don't think I could ever forget old Joe.

Haven't spotted miss Paraquay yet! You may have to post another photo if you're not busy in the pool backstroking!!

 

By the way who was that georgeous East German 400m runner? She looked a bit like Michelle Pheiffah (sp) ??

[benny27 3]

What did Thailand get their olympicmedal for?

[benny27 3]

just seen it.. weightlifting

[TheFiend 1,181]

Nice to see that TeamGB have carried on winning more Gold medals in the "sit on your backside" sports..... It's took us to within 8 Golds of the mighty USA's total. We even won a "sitting on your backside" athletics event thanks to Long Jumper Greg Rutherford.

 

The UK Sports Personality of the Year will be be difficult to pick...... My vote goes to Bradley Wiggins - Tour de France winner who then won his 4th Olympic Gold just over a week later and competing in his 4th Olympics

The other favourites will no doubt be Sir Chris Hoy for his 5th and 6th Golds in 4 Olympics, Ben Ainslie for his 4th Gold in 5 Olympics and Jessica Ennis who produced personal best performances in the Heptathlon to win Gold

Edited August 7, 2012 by TheFiend