Joanna Hayes of Riverside (SoCal!! ) takes the gold in the 100 meter hurdles... The favorite and world champion, Perdita Felicien (Canada) crashed after hitting the first hurdle at the beggining of the race...

A perfect/cruel example of "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."

Whoo-hooo! First ever gold medal for Israel

: one Gal Friedman for windsurfing, of all things.

Very cool.

Man, I'm like, totally lost in the Olympics already.
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That Russian gymnast is just bitter that she lost to Patterson... and others at previous Olympics as well. Her routine was not superior, she does not have a legitimate complaint. Hell, the Russian was even coyote-ugly, but that's not part of the judging.

However, the South Korean gymnast does have a legitimate complaint. The judges blew it, by not correctly noting the level of difficulty on his routine was not a 9.9 but a 10. He would have had the gold and Hamm the silver medal.

According to rules, the South Korean team has to file a complaint before the competition is over... but given that the amount of time and the nature of the judges' error, there was really not enough time for anyone to detect the judges' error. Thus, the judging system if f--cked and needs to be fixed.

Given that it's long after the podium ceremony, I'd say the magnanimous thing to do is grant extra medals: a 2nd gold medal rather than take away Hamm's.

And fix the freakin' judging system and rules! The Olympics are for the athletes and fans, not for the judges.
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

Hell, the Russian was even coyote-ugly, but that's not part of the judging.

pcmodem wrote:

However, the South Korean gymnast does have a legitimate complaint. The judges blew it, by not correctly noting the level of difficulty on his routine was not a 9.9 but a 10. He would have had the gold and Hamm the silver medal. According to rules, the South Korean team has to file a complaint before the competition is over... but given that the amount of time and the nature of the judges' error, there was really not enough time for anyone to detect the judges' error. Thus, the judging system if f--cked and needs to be fixed. Given that it's long after the podium ceremony, I'd say the magnanimous thing to do is grant extra medals: a 2nd gold medal rather than take away Hamm's. And fix the freakin' judging system and rules! The Olympics are for the athletes and fans, not for the judges. -PCM

The judging just needs to be fixed, period. I bet if scorings from past 'lympics are reviewed, some differences are going to be found as well. What? All THOSE gold winners should pass on their medal(s) to second place, too?

Just keep the results (yeah, I'm biased, so what? Who ain't? And U.S. gymnasts and those from other countries have been slighted in the past) that are already in the books -- the gymn' body of the IOC has already stated there is no existing provision to allow two gold anyway -- and make some sound rules for the future.

The only way for that S. Korean to get the gold is if Paul Hamm gives it to him. Man, what I wouldn't give to be in his shoes just to say, "you want it? You can try to take it from me." 'Bout four more days left in the Olympics and Hamm has every right to enjoy the rest of the games as any other athlete. Once he boards the plane for HOME (USA! USA! USA!) with medal in hand (or suitcase ), the matter should be pau already. Aloha, get the hell outta Hamm's face screwy judges, South Korea, and anyone else trying to tarnish his medal.

I mean, gymnastics IS one of the flagship 'lympic sports, right? It deserves tweaking as needed . . . for the future. Maybe olympic medals shouldn't also act as instant olympic judges' badges anymore.

Keep past results -- inCLUDING this XXVIII's results -- already.

Actually, there are provisions in the rules which allow for a 2nd gold medal.

I recall various events over the years in which this has happened:

---------EDIT
It's happened four times.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/figure/news?id=1333280
---------END EDIT

For example, at the last Winter Olympics when the French judge admitted to being pressured, a duplicate gold medal was awarded.
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

French judge admitted to being pressured, a duplicate gold medal was awarded.

No comment.
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pcmodem wrote:

Actually, there are provisions in the rules which allow for a 2nd gold medal. I recall various events over the years in which this has happened. For example, at the last Winter Olympics when the French judge admitted to being pressured, a duplicate gold medal was awarded. -PCM

OK, well, tha's what I heard (I'm talking about ONLY the gymnastic rules, now . . . not any other sport, which, admittedly, MAY allow for two golds for whatever reason). See, though? Reason # 987,493 to revise the gymn' rules -- in what cases should two golds be awarded, or should this NEVER EVER happen? But, first, fix rule # 1: "how to score these events."

Awarding two gold medals is a mockery to the Olympics and to the athlete(s) who REALLY deserved it.

That is complete bull poop right there.
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ahochaude wrote:

Awarding two gold medals is a mockery to the Olympics and to the athlete(s) who REALLY deserved it. That is complete bull poop right there.

Yup.

That's why I like the purely objective events like track and field, b-ball, v-ball, etc... Which explains why my interest ramped up this past weekend...

Too bad I can't keep up with it...... Too much work, thus hardly home.
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ahochaude wrote:

Too bad I can't keep up with it...... Too much work, thus hardly home.

kawai so, ahochaude. Kedo, gambatte kudasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai. Also, kedo, boku wa Olympic results o mimasu throughout the the day desu yo (see, I tol' you I only knew li'l bit ).

I STILL WANT BBQ to be a medal event in the Olympics!
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

I STILL WANT BBQ to be a medal event in the Olympics! -PCM

YES, YES! Man . . . the number of applicants for that event'd be more than American Idol candidates.

Throw in Iron Chef-style comps too!

I actually think I'll write in.

The Man wrote:

YES, YES! Man . . . the number of applicants for that event'd be more than American Idol candidates. Throw in Iron Chef-style comps too! I actually think I'll write in.

Hell, imagine if a restaurant in your country won a medal... I sure as heck would want to try that restaurant.
-PCM

I want beer chugging to be part of the Olympics.
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ahochaude wrote:

I want beer chugging to be part of the Olympics.

Yep, and beer chugging could be a team event as well, we called that boat races during college.

Hey, why'd you take out Rina from your sig'?
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:

Hell, imagine if a restaurant in your country won a medal... I sure as heck would want to try that restaurant. -PCM

Indeed. I think something like Cheesecake Factory'd give even some fine dining establishments (which The Man has tried as he IS a friggin' yuppie) some hard rubs.

How do ya'll's feel about . . . casino games being part of the Olympics (we can limit it to, like, poker, blackjack . . . maybe no roulette or one-armed bandits). I can't imagine the reason IOC'd say "no" (however immediately) would include, "well, because it's a BETTING game." Hmmmm. Betting games banned from the Olympics. Imagine that. Hmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

The Man wrote:

Indeed. I think something like Cheesecake Factory'd give even some fine dining establishments (which The Man has tried as he IS a friggin' yuppie) some hard rubs. How do ya'll's feel about . . . casino games being part of the Olympics (we can limit it to, like, poker, blackjack . . . maybe no roulette or one-armed bandits). I can't imagine the reason IOC'd say "no" (however immediately) would include, "well, because it's a BETTING game." Hmmmm. Betting games banned from the Olympics. Imagine that. Hmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

Hrm, heck if CURLING of all things is an event in the Winter Olympics, then why not. But I can see folks making a good case for events only being for athletics, which would leave even BBQing out.
-PCM