Olympics 2008 - Page 19

LashStoat · 08-11-2008, 01:24 AM

Now Kevy Baby,

Play nice...my Mother's sister's auntie's younger brother's step father twice removed was French once.

Have a heart.

scaeagles · 08-11-2008, 03:11 AM

There is nothing better than defeating someone who thinks they have already beaten you.

The only way to regain anything resembling respect if you are the defeated is to take the loss and compliment the ictors unconditionally....which they losers in this case certainly did not do.

scaeagles · 08-11-2008, 05:50 AM

BTW, here's a link to the race video for anyone who didn't see it or wants to watch it again -

2008 Olympics Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay

innerSpaceman · 08-11-2008, 07:21 AM

Thanks for the link. I rely on them to see any of these Olympics.

Yes, very exciting race. Um, paging Ghoulish Delight, though ... exactly the kind of essentially meaningless difference between 1st and 2nd place.

And what's with that Huge Bruise on George Bush's arm??

LashStoat · 08-11-2008, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

And what's with that Huge Bruise on George Bush's arm??

Dear IsM,

Please show the First Lady a bit of respect.

Love and hugs,

The Stoat XXX.

scaeagles · 08-11-2008, 07:47 AM

This is exactly what is so exciting, though, ISM. To beat the French, the American anchor (Lazek?) come from a half second behind in one length of the pool to edge him out by 8 1/100ths of a second. That .08 seconds is exceptionally exciting and there is no issue of judgement of the wall touch, which is electronic.

Snowflake · 08-11-2008, 08:06 AM

Wow, it was an awesome race! I hate the tape delay for the west coast, but it was great to see it. There was an Olympics party going on across the street last night, when the race was won, an earth shaking cheer was heard all up and down the block. It was very cool.

I felt sad to see the Latvian beach volleyboll team lose to Argentina.

I have to give major chops to the lady cyclists, could those conditions have been any worse to race in?

I enjoyed the coverage I was able to catch over the weekend. It was fin, exciting and I enjoyed seeing the Korean swimmer get the first gold in swimming for his country, his Mom was priceless.

I'm looking forward to diving and men's gymnastics and more swimming. I wish I could catch some of the archery and shooting and equestrian. Don't know how the scheduling will go.

innerSpaceman · 08-11-2008, 08:07 AM

No, you miss my point, scaeagles. It DID make the race super ultra heart-pounding exciting. I LOVED watching it. I'm happy that, um, my countrymen whom I know no better than the French boys won. Er, strike that. I hate the happy feeling I get when the U.S. wins. What does that mean to me? It's shameful nationalism. To the extent the French were trash-talking, if that's at all unusual for this sport, I'm glad they got the cumuppance of, what, a silver medal?

But the result, sir, is what I find meaningless. 1 second faster between what's taken to be shining glory and what is seemingly perceived as horrible defeat.

Just as silly as me finding more joy in Americans winning than equally unknown-to-me humans of any nationality.

Fun? Yes. Dumb? Certainly.

scaeagles · 08-11-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

It's shameful nationalism.

Why is it shameful? Don't you suppose that most every person on the face of this planet wants the athlete from their country to win? Or is it that everyone is shameful?

Everyone wants to be a part of the winning team. Granted, none of us here were swimming, but we are Americans and I think that feeling is wonderful. It is wonderful for whomever win and their countrymen (er...and countrywomen....ok, countrypersons).

Alex · 08-11-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Why is it shameful? Don't you suppose that most every person on the face of this planet wants the athlete from their country to win? Or is it that everyone is shameful?

Everyone wants to be a part of the winning team. Granted, none of us here were swimming, but we are Americans and I think that feeling is wonderful. It is wonderful for whomever win and their countrymen (er...and countrywomen....ok, countrypersons).

I wouldn't use the word shameful. It is simply silly. I don't gain any excitement from an American winning as opposed to a Kazakh. To the extent I enjoy watching a sport it is to see it well played. Simply being American is not a personal connection to the competitor. If I knew one of the swimmers personally (or even knew someone who knew them personally) then it would be a bit of a rooting interest. And yes, I carry that to the sport I most love: baseball. I'm a fan of whatever team is local, not because of that local connection but simply because it is more satisfying to root for the team I can actually watch regularly. Since I don't watch swimming events except at the Olympics there is no "local access" advantage to any particular team. If I were to move from Oakland to Dallas I would immediately switch allegiance from the Athletics to the Rangers, just as I have already done from the Mariners to the Athletics.

In fact, because so many people are engaged in what I see as silly nationalism I kind of end up actively rooting against the American teams simply to be contrarian. I've certainly been pushed by endless hype into hoping Phelps loses soon so people will shut up.

My problem with a 0.08 second difference (and with all sports which inherently produce such slim margins) is that it is essentially a meaningless increment of time. So far as I'm concerned they were tied.

08-11-2008, 01:24 AM	#1
LashStoat There's a hole in the Bin Liner... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Merry Old Land of OZ. Posts: 428	Now Kevy Baby, Play nice...my Mother's sister's auntie's younger brother's step father twice removed was French once. Have a heart.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 03:11 AM	#2
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	There is nothing better than defeating someone who thinks they have already beaten you. The only way to regain anything resembling respect if you are the defeated is to take the loss and compliment the ictors unconditionally....which they losers in this case certainly did not do.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 05:50 AM	#3
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	BTW, here's a link to the race video for anyone who didn't see it or wants to watch it again - 2008 Olympics Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 07:21 AM	#4
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Thanks for the link. I rely on them to see any of these Olympics. Yes, very exciting race. Um, paging Ghoulish Delight, though ... exactly the kind of essentially meaningless difference between 1st and 2nd place. And what's with that Huge Bruise on George Bush's arm??
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 07:47 AM	#6
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	This is exactly what is so exciting, though, ISM. To beat the French, the American anchor (Lazek?) come from a half second behind in one length of the pool to edge him out by 8 1/100ths of a second. That .08 seconds is exceptionally exciting and there is no issue of judgement of the wall touch, which is electronic.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 08:06 AM	#7
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	Wow, it was an awesome race! I hate the tape delay for the west coast, but it was great to see it. There was an Olympics party going on across the street last night, when the race was won, an earth shaking cheer was heard all up and down the block. It was very cool. I felt sad to see the Latvian beach volleyboll team lose to Argentina. I have to give major chops to the lady cyclists, could those conditions have been any worse to race in? I enjoyed the coverage I was able to catch over the weekend. It was fin, exciting and I enjoyed seeing the Korean swimmer get the first gold in swimming for his country, his Mom was priceless. I'm looking forward to diving and men's gymnastics and more swimming. I wish I could catch some of the archery and shooting and equestrian. Don't know how the scheduling will go. __________________ Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2008, 08:07 AM	#8
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	No, you miss my point, scaeagles. It DID make the race super ultra heart-pounding exciting. I LOVED watching it. I'm happy that, um, my countrymen whom I know no better than the French boys won. Er, strike that. I hate the happy feeling I get when the U.S. wins. What does that mean to me? It's shameful nationalism. To the extent the French were trash-talking, if that's at all unusual for this sport, I'm glad they got the cumuppance of, what, a silver medal? But the result, sir, is what I find meaningless. 1 second faster between what's taken to be shining glory and what is seemingly perceived as horrible defeat. Just as silly as me finding more joy in Americans winning than equally unknown-to-me humans of any nationality. Fun? Yes. Dumb? Certainly.
	Submit to Quotes