Beijing 2008

[Asimo 1]

Haven't kept up to date on this thread but I was watching the American Polo team play China and I had a thought.Now, I'm not a water polo follower at all, but are the players allowed to dive under the water with the ball and then re-surface and score? How are the refs able to call fouls that happen underneath the water like kicks to the growing or a punch to the stomach?

[king_tanner 84]

Haven't kept up to date on this thread but I was watching the American Polo team play China and I had a thought.Now, I'm not a water polo follower at all, but are the players allowed to dive under the water with the ball and then re-surface and score? How are the refs able to call fouls that happen underneath the water like kicks to the growing or a punch to the stomach?

USA didn't look very good in that game but they got the job done.I didn't see the play you were talking about but generally a player is allowed to bring the ball under if there are no defenders around. If a defender causes the offensive player to bring the ball under it is supposed to be a turnover.As for the kicks, grabs, and punches underwater, if the ref cannot see it its not called. Usually what is caught by the ref is the grabbing by the whole man defender which results in a kickout, and elbows by the whole man which results in an offensive foul. All grabs on the perimeter are usually just fouls which gives the offensive player a free pass.

[AmScray 355]

Womens gymnastics are on now.

[TwstdWrstr 10]

<---- Field hockey goalie. Any questions about our queer little game let me know. The British girls are due to have their asses handed to them by the Germans at 1600 (GMT).

Actually one quick question. I thought it was illegal to hit the ball with the back of your stick, but I swear I saw one of the Chinese players score a goal by doing so. Of course it was online so maybe a bit tougher to tell, or perhaps it is a common skill to flip the paddle around and hit the ball with the front but it looks like a backhand to the untrained eye?

[Bizzle 0]

Frick.

[bmtphs05 0]

What a finish.That's all I'm gonna say.Suck it, France.

[AmScray 355]

That. Relay. was. Awesome.

[rocketpoker828 0]

wow, I don't particularly like swimming or the Olympics, but that relay got me out of my seat and cheering.

[Bizzle 0]

Time to peek at day 2 picks.

Except for the fact that Kitajima has never come anywhere near what Hansen has done in the 100 (still 3 tenths away from what Hansen has done) means that Hansen is still the prohibitive favorite in the event. Add into that the fact that his finals swim at Trials he majorly screwed up and still won handily, leads me to believe the 100 won't be close.I'll add in relays-best event is going to be the 400 Free relay the second night of swimming. France, South Africa, and the US will all be significantly under the world record-I expect it to take a 3:10 or so to win, while 3:12.mid is the current record. I think the US will win because it will get a ridiculous lead-off from Phelps (I still will not be surprised if he leaves that night with the world record in the 100) and their 4th guy is significantly stronger than anyone else in the world.

In the 400, Manaudou, Pelligrini, Hoff, Adlington and Ziegler are the contenders. Pelligrini has the world record, and once again has looked fantastic this spring and summer, whereas no one knows where Manadou is right now mentally. She could go 4:10, she could go 3:59 and it wouldn't surprise me. But I really like Hoff's chances in this-she went the 4th or 5th fastest time ever at US Trials with a totally retarded race plan-if she fixes said plan and gets out with the field, she is better from the 250 to the 350 mark than anyone else in the world.In the flys, Trickett is the best in the 100 and I really really hope she gets the world record. Schipper should give her a run at the end but Trickett gets out too quick for Schipper to beat her.

Breast pick was obvie bad. Sighduck.That relay was nuts. My repeated pick of WR for Phelps was about dead on (47.51 woulda been .01 off wr) but Australia lead off Sullivan, which I didn't expect. If you had told me Gilot was going to go 47.0 for France I would have told the US to enjoy the silver. Jesus christ that was the swim of Lezak's life, his patience the first 50 and the drafting he did was perfect-I never thought a race would top the 800 in Athens, but that one did it.My Hoff prediction was dead on-better in the world than anyone from 250 to 350. Didn't think she would hurt so bad the last 50-it will be very interesting to see how this affects her last 3 races.Trickett is solid after her terrible prelims swim-looks like she is going to have a monster meet.

[mkaplan108 0]

dammmm was that awesome

[Freddec 0]

wow, I don't particularly like swimming or the Olympics, but that relay got me out of my seat and cheering.

wow same here man that was sweet...........go to hell french

[ajs510 122]

That was fucking SICK. Jumped right out of my chair when that US flag popped up on the screen.

[Jadaki 0]

What a finish.That's all I'm gonna say.Suck it, France.

^^^

[sennin 0]

im not even american and i jumped off my bed lol, nice finishgogo canada in 6th

[Bizzle 0]

im not even american and i jumped off my bed lol, nice finishgogo canada in 6th

Nice leadoff from Hayden, bodes well for the 100. Still dunno why he scratched the 200.

[TwstdWrstr 10]

OMG sweeeeeeeeeeeeet unreal just saw it. That's why the Olympics are fun to watch. But -1 to showing everything "live" 1 hour behind in Mountain time zone, wtf. I just realized this.

[gobears 0]

Man, I thought that France had it since they were talking up their anchor guy so much - then somehow Lezak catches up and passes him at the last opposite second - never thought a swimming competition would be so exciting.

[king_tanner 84]

OMG BEST FINISH!!!!!! I'd let Jason Lezak have me if he wanted. Can't believe he pulled that out.STUPID FRENCHIES!!!!! That guy should be the Bill Buckner of France. F_UCK HIM.Katie Hoff will come back in win that in 4 years no doubt, I kinda feel bad for her but she will be back in this event.Bizzle my sn is King_Tanner (Soquel) on both pokerstars and Full Tilt.... KITAJIMA!!!!!!!!

[LJB723 0]

Actually one quick question. I thought it was illegal to hit the ball with the back of your stick, but I swear I saw one of the Chinese players score a goal by doing so. Of course it was online so maybe a bit tougher to tell, or perhaps it is a common skill to flip the paddle around and hit the ball with the front but it looks like a backhand to the untrained eye?

It is illegal to hit the ball with the back of your stick. What you saw was a reverse hit. The back of the stick faces the ground and the player strikes the ball with the side of the stick. This is OK. Very difficult skill and can sometimes look like the player has used the back. I would think Olympic officials are good enough to spot a back-stick when it happens.Great result for GB men 4-2 over Pakistan. A few Scots in the side so I'm very happy for them, especially the GK Alistair McGregor, he should have been number 1 4 years ago and thoroughly deserves his shot.To the pool. Becky Adlington - you go girl! Katie Who? Federica Who? And a bronze for Jo Jackson - bonus!

[SlapStick 0]

Damn Americans and British, medals flying all over the place.If an Irish person even gets a glimpse at a bronze medal there will be mass celebrations and legends will be born.ok theres only 4million of us, but don't forget to be grateful, dickheads.

[Gaffer 0]

I like teh games so far. Happy to have won medals Slapstick i am sorry, but i thought you guys had a tasty boxer that was looking good, sure they said ireland or was it cuba ?

[SlapStick 0]

I like teh games so far. Happy to have won medals Slapstick i am sorry, but i thought you guys had a tasty boxer that was looking good, sure they said ireland or was it cuba ?

Yea we've actually always had some success in the boxing in most olympics, one of our guys is a pikey, so no messing with that lad. I was just talking about how both countries/evil empires rack up over 30 medals each olympics. Just a light jealous comment.

[Gaffer 0]

the girl who won the first gold was from swansea gg wales

[iamthestig 0]

I swim pretty seriously here in Australia-states/nationals that sort of thing. A teammate from my club was swimming for Australia in the 4x100 free relay final, Andrew Lauterstein. I spoke to him a few hours afterward with the rest of my team and he along with us were actually so happy about the USA touching out France, Alain Bernard is a grade A ass. Wouldn't one think it is clearly apparent that publicly slanging a rival is not a smart move in this sport-where a hell of a lot can change over a short period of time. Think back to Sydney, when Gary Hall Jr. (USA) stated that the U.S were going to "smash Australia like guitars" funnily enough one of my current coach's Michael Klim was swimming in that relay and when the Aussie's got up they started strumming their invisible guitars after beating everybody. Similar situation IMO. For the 1500- I know you guys are talking up Hackett a bit, dont believe the hype, he is inconsistent at best. Just look at FINA WC's in Melbourne 2007, the expectations of a country on him and failure. I wouldn't bet on it unless you are getting some seriously good odds. His 400 swim was very average also.As for the 100- Sullivan should have it given that he broke the world record in the 4x100 and he's rated as the worlds best freestyle sprinter by many, but there's no certainties given the length, Bernard is obviously the close runner to him with Jason Lezack being my "roughie" for this event, after the swim he produced the other night anything could be possible for the guy.200 IM-Steph Rice is looking good for this event, she has been having shoulder problems and she qualified poorly but her qualifying for these games showed blistering speed which can't be overlooked.Loving the games at the moment, the Watercube is a fantastic venue and whether it be the LZR suit or the pool, the records have been tumbling.Good luck to Phelps, such an athlete should be admired for what he is, I myself would love to see him grab 8 because he is clearly THE most versatile swimmer of all time and it's a pleasure to watch. All I can say is: If only Ian Thorpe was still swimming.

[king_tanner 84]

Wow choke award goes to Kirsty Coventry last night... she handed the gold over to Coughlin.Michael Phelps dominated... I'm happy for Greevers in the 100 back. I read an article on him a couple weeks ago on how his family sacrificed a lot for him (financially) for him to keep swimming with the goal of making the olympics. He not only made it, he won silver.iamthesig you are right... most people who talk shit in swimming usually end up getting embarrased. Luckily Hall was able to redeem himself by winning a couple golds, but I don't think Bernard from France will ever win gold (or I hope not). Shit talking just gets the other team hyped up which is why there is not much of it in swimming.I think Thorpe would still have won the 400, but he would have had to improve his 200 a lot to beat Phelps this year. Phelps would have gone even faster than he did last night if he had more competition which Thorpe would have provided.What events do you swim in Australia? I used to swim distance free/backstroke. Bizzle on here used to swim also.