Nothing against handball because it is a tough sport, but every four years I am in absolute awe of the water polo dudes. To go up and down the ‘court’, endure the high level of physical contact above and below the waterline, and all the while they’re swimming or treading water… simply amazing.

Didnt know it was a sport before this last week. I am just in awe of it. Gymnastics always draws me in.

Greece is gonna try and bully their way to a win. The thing we have going for us is that guys like LeBron and DWade are hungry for revenge.

I cannot wait for the game.

One thing that gets me about some olympic sports is the judges scoring a performance. Like diving or gymnastics. How consistent is that type of scoring? I have no doubt they are qualified and know about the sport, but something has always made me nervous about that. I like the sports that have an obvious winner and loser. If Phelps out swims a guy, I can see it. If a tiny Chinese girl twirls through the air and a tiny American girl twirls through the air I can’t see what the difference is.

Can anyone clarify the way these events are scored? Possibly the history behind it?

My wife knows the scoring exceptionally well; watching every move by every ‘woman’. Just as figure skating has its’ scoring woes, so does she believe gymnastics too has that issue, maybe worse; scandals aside. I don’t know much about it but what she’s told me that I can remember and keep up with her, the mistakes by Alicia on the beam and the other minor issues the other ladies had late in the competition (like stepping out during the floor exercise) would have had no impact on the final standings.

She thinks the US women didn’t stand a chance, even if they were perfect. Regardless though, I thought they and the men did well. I know I could never do 10% of that stuff they do, flying around the way they do and not only not get hurt but make it look graceful yet strong. Let’s hope Shawn can get the womens overall Gold. I know Horton struggled in the mens competition this morning.

Phelps is utterly amazing; what else can be said? It’s like he can turn it up a notch whenever he wants to; that is awesome. That 4×100 final where Lezak came back; against all teams none other than the French, was very exciting. Some of the other swimmers are doing well too. No way the US ladies were going to beat the Aussies in their 4×100 today. And they did well to hold onto the Bronze.

With all the crap going on there, from the fake fireworks to the lip-sync singing of a 9-year old to the under-age ‘women’ gymnasts, I have to wonder how these stories affect any of the athletes.

I follow the summer games fairly close (no where near as close as the winter games) but trying to keep the politics out of it and the fact the olympics are in a communist land, I think the US teams overall are doing well. And they haven’t even started track events yet.

But did anyone see the badmitton, WOW

In fact, I poo-pooed them last week on this site, but I’ve got to admit that the swimming events and Shawn Johnson have me glued. Strange, but I can’t remember an Olympics that was this interesting. Maybe it’s just me getting older and more nostalgic, or maybe it’s the local angle with Johnson.

Anyone else feel this way?

for Shawn Johnson tonight. She is the World Champ on the beam and was fantastic on it Tues. night. She had one little miss step on her floor exercise otherwise she did well for her team. Tonight she’s on her own. I wish her the best.

Phelps is must see TV. I hope he gets the 8 gold medals he’s after.

Can’t wait for track and field to start too. I will be cheering hard for Lolo Jones to get a gold too.

If you want to keep this fanpost up to use every day use the recommend feature.

GO USA!!!!!!

with the women who work on the beam. I couldn’t walk across that thing without falling off let alone all the acrobatics that they do on it. Simply amazing too me.

Badass? I’m all for the ’everyone’s entitled to their own opinion,’ but as far as I’m concerned that “sport” is a joke. I laughed when I turned on the TV and there were two teams running around trying to throw a ball into a net guarded by someone in gym clothes. It’s like lacrosse without the, well cool parts. (Hitting, sticks, running, um… athleticism…)

I just can’t care about them when the Cubs are playing this type of baseball in a playoff run.

for me is in the winter games, 2 of them in fact.

1. any biathalon – cross country ski for miles, stop, slow your heart rate quickly enough to point a rifle and shoot targets accurately, then go back and ski your ass off a few more miles.

2. luge – tiny sled, huge curves, 90MPH. Only way that’s more bad-ass is if you go down head first. Talk about a rush…!