pcmodem wrote:

What an abyssmal effort by the USA team. They played so little defense, did not hustle down the court to defend the basket. The degeneration of fundamental basketball skill in the NBA since the 1990s was showcased for the world.

Well, since the mid-90's... The '92 Dream Team was a Dream Team: Magic, Bird, Jordan, Robinson, Drexler, et al...

bmwracer wrote:

Well, since the mid-90's... The '92 Dream Team was a Dream Team: Magic, Bird, Jordan, Robinson, Drexler, et al...

Nah, since the 90s. To be more specific, NBA players that came up during the 1990s.

Magic, Bird, Michael, Mr. Robinson, Clyde the Glide, all came up during the 1980s.

With the huge guaranteed $$$ and lack seasons spent in college, the average NBA player now has less skill and is unmotivated -- they have the $$$ already. The NBA coaches have to spend more time teaching fundamentals... but since the Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell days when a single player became more important than a coach or the rest of the team, a large fraction of the players have become uncoachable.

Charles Barkley once said of the modern NBA players that they just aren't really interested in playing. The just want the money and the hype and entourage and freebies.
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

Charles Barkley once said of the modern NBA players that they just aren't really interested in playing. The just want the money and the hype and entourage and freebies.

There's no arguing with Sir Charles.

just saw the final of the team's gymnastics. Japan won. Was really dramatic and as an old gymnast I nearly got tears in my eye's because of the exitement. but well..guess I didn't cry because I'm too much of a soccer player nowadays

(had to quit gymnastics because I got to tall with my 179cm which isn't much here in sweden )

and yes, thorpe won the 200m swimming today and phelps "only" got bronze

Ken-chan wrote:

just saw the final of the team's gymnastics. Japan won. Was really dramatic and as an old gymnast I nearly got tears in my eye's because of the exitement. but well..guess I didn't cry because I'm too much of a soccer player nowadays

Hooray for Japan's gymnastics team!!!

Too bad they didn't catch Kitajima Kosuke for cheating during his swimming match. He won the gold because he cheated by using a dolphin kick during the breaststroke. This guy has done this a number of times.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/athlete?athleteId=7248

Lame judges, what the hell are they doing there if they don't catch people cheating?
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

Too bad they didn't catch Kitajima Kosuke for cheating during his swimming match. He won the gold because he cheated by using a dolphin kick during the breaststroke. This guy has done this a number of times. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/athlete?athleteId=7248 Lame judges, what the hell are they doing there if they don't catch people cheating? -PCM

Amen. Amen, amen, amen. What happened to that esoteric concept of "shame," eh? Shikataganai, I guess, if you simply MUST have gold. And . . . well, I guess I'll reiterate what I'm trying not to say . . . would be worth your while to find out who the head judge is in, at least from what I gather, the men's gymnastics competition. And, try to draw your own theories (or I should say, it'd be hard to NOT try to do so).

The Man wrote:

U.S. men's gymn' team winning the silver? Not bad, considering the falls they took in the prelims and that little thing that one judge told them before their qualifying sets -- oh, did I mention that already? And I dunno about what I'm beginning to believe is becoming a controversy in the gymnastics portion, about how one of the judges (I won't say from where, lest I be called . . . well, I won't even say that) is allowed to walk up to the U.S. team and tell them they have to change the routine they rendered at the world championships, otherwise they won't end up getting as high scores as they expected. Admittedly, the gymnastics comp' is still in the qualifying rounds, and there's no way the U.S. will NOT make it into medal contention (will probably be between China, Japan, and the U.S.), and, admittedly, MAYbe the U.S. should be prepared for such change-ups. Still, methinks the judges would HAVE to know enough about what routine they're expecting to see not one hour, not one day, I figure a few weeks before a single athlete enters the arena.

Yeah, I guess I did.

And the Americans are supposed to be the ugly ones? I dunno about that.

You think the USA mens gymnastics team took some falls...

Back when I was in elementary school, my and my buddies used to walk through Chabot College on the way home and would play around on their gymnastics equipment.

Pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, etc. Funniest was when we used to Tarzan across the gym while hanging from the rings. Or when one of the guys accidentally did the splits and landed between his legs on the balance beam.

Amazing the splats we took onto the mats... but when you're 10 years old, your bones are practically made out of rubber.
-PCM

I don't get to watch the Olympics.
But oh well.
They are never really that interesting n-e-wayz.

But I hope I get to attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but I just want to go there and party in Shanghai!

I heard Shanghai is going to look freaking futuristic when the time the Olympics come around. I think the new hot spot will be in China.

China!!! Here I come!!
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pcmodem wrote:

Too bad they didn't catch Kitajima Kosuke for cheating during his swimming match. He won the gold because he cheated by using a dolphin kick during the breaststroke. This guy has done this a number of times. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/athlete?athleteId=7248 Lame judges, what the hell are they doing there if they don't catch people cheating? -PCM

jesus, why is everyone making such a fuzz about it, all the swimmers are trying to swim as fast as they can and bending the rules as muc has possible and if the judges don't notice it why bother? I mean..look at soccer where it's much worse.
don't get the point why everyone complaines if the one who came second doesn't complain..
but well..that's the fun thing about sports, it's emotional, no matter one who's side you are

Ken-chan wrote:

jesus, why is everyone making such a fuzz about it, all the swimmers are trying to swim as fast as they can and bending the rules as muc has possible and if the judges don't notice it why bother? I mean..look at soccer where it's much worse. don't get the point why everyone complaines if the one who came second doesn't complain.. but well..that's the fun thing about sports, it's emotional, no matter one who's side you are

The rules HAVE to be followed or else . . . guess what (and I'm just employing an example within the vein of our faire discussion here)? Team Japan fans would be doing if the American swimmer used a dolphin kick during the breaststroke? Yeah, they'd call "foul!" too. But, IOC has been known to take back medals -- and re-reward the gold to second place or whoever -- once improprieties are discovered (remember that ice-skating dance fiasco involving the Russians and the U.S. a few Olympics back?). If I were an athlete I'd keep this in mind before I start seeing gold, silver, or bronze, so's to not need to look over my shoulder the rest of my life. See how criminal cheating is?

Ken-chan wrote:

jesus, why is everyone making such a fuzz about it, all the swimmers are trying to swim as fast as they can and bending the rules as muc has possible and if the judges don't notice it why bother? I mean..look at soccer where it's much worse. don't get the point why everyone complaines if the one who came second doesn't complain.. but well..that's the fun thing about sports, it's emotional, no matter one who's side you are

Actually, I don't care who wins. Well, I do hope the USA does well.

What I care most about is that it's a FAIR competition. If it's not a fair competition, then there is no point.



And justice for all,
PCM

pcmodem wrote:

Actually, I don't care who wins. Well, I do hope the USA does well. What I care most about is that it's a FAIR competition. If it's not a fair competition, then there is no point. And justice for all, PCM

Truly . . . the voice of reason, pcmodem from USA! USA! USA! is.

Let's face it:
1) everyone in the nation's gonna be just slap happy if the U.S. men's b-ball team captures the gold. I truly believe that the country will unite in an emotion exactly opposite to the one we shared on 09/11/01 if this dream team can become the miracle team, with all its fanfare and bruises.
2) the little seen U.S. female softball team is kicking some MAJOR, MAJOR boo-tay, and they may represent the truest earned gold of any USA team for this Olympics.
3) maybe PS2 has become the new U.S. sport. I mean, really. I'm glad I read books.

Ah, the hell am I saying?!? Still many days of competition ahead! USA! USA! USA!

I was so amazed by Japan's men's gymnastics team...I totally don't know anything about gymnastics, but I thought their form was so beautiful and I'm sure I was probably sweating more than they were when they did the releases on the high bar ...oh my god! So happy they won
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Jeanxi wrote:

I was so amazed by Japan's men's gymnastics team...I totally don't know anything about gymnastics, but I thought their form was so beautiful and I'm sure I was probably sweating more than they were when they did the releases on the high bar ...oh my god! So happy they won

A little history: the Japanese dominated men's olympic gymnastics in the 60's and 70's... They won five straight men's gymnastic gold medals: 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976... And a number of the moves (e.g., the Tsukahara) were developed by them...

Great to see them on top again...

bmwracer wrote:

And a number of the moves (e.g., the Tsukahara) were developed by them...

I can't read that name without hearing Esumi Makiko's voice from Shomuni

"Tsukahara!"

All I care about is how Fukuhara does in table tennis!!! Ganbaru Ai-chan!!!

vibius wrote:

I can't read that name without hearing Esumi Makiko's voice from Shomuni

Haven't seen it yet....

Rony Oka wrote:

I don't get to watch the Olympics. But oh well. They are never really that interesting n-e-wayz. But I hope I get to attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but I just want to go there and party in Shanghai! I heard Shanghai is going to look freaking futuristic when the time the Olympics come around. I think the new hot spot will be in China. China!!! Here I come!!

Same here!!

Btw..your sig..can it be any smaller than that? I love Yutaka but yours is shockingly huge..

Kitajima owned Hansen, now Persoil accusin Kitajima of an unacceptable method, a dolphin drive at breaststroke. Hehe, I think Peirsol should concentrate on swimming than whinin and let the the judges do their job. That's what the judges are for.

Thorpe won the excitin 200M freestyle final! Wish Hoogenband had squeeze the very last of his strength to retain his title. The boy wonder, Phelps, is havin problems on huntin the 8 gold medals, hehe. A point to him for being an ambitious young athlete.

China is leadin the medals stand, Australia and Japan followin behind.