# Games of the XXX Olympiad



## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 27, 2012)

Anyone else glad to be done with the boredom of July baseball and the overhype of NFL training camp and get 2.5 weeks of competition?


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## Master slacker (Jul 27, 2012)

Damn, VT. You had my hopes up. I thought this thread would a little more provocative with it being XXX and all.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jul 27, 2012)

Olympics?

Another opportunity for a network to lose it's shirt.


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## FLBuff PE (Jul 27, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Olympics?
> 
> Another opportunity for a network to lose it's shirt.


It's NBCs money, who cares? I love watching the Olympics, and am glad that NBC chooses to 'lose its shirt' to broadcast it to us.


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## snickerd3 (Jul 27, 2012)

some of the shows I watch are taking a 2 week hiatus while the olympics are on they aren't nbc shows... so everyone suffers really...but we will probably watch some of it.


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## Supe (Jul 27, 2012)

I'm just looking forward to the rifle events, because fellow Buckeye and smokin' hot Amanda Furrer made the US team this year!


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## Capt Worley PE (Jul 27, 2012)

FLBuff PE said:


> Capt Worley PE said:
> 
> 
> > Olympics?
> ...


Never cared for the summer Olympics, really. And I completely lost interest when they broke them up, rather than doing both every four years.


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## Master slacker (Jul 27, 2012)

Will be watching the swimming, that much is for sure. Oh how I miss being able to fit in my old suits. Oh how I miss seeing the girls in their suits even more.


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## goodal (Jul 27, 2012)

We will be watching. My 8 year old mentions how cool the olympics we watched in '08 were. He was 4 and still remembers that. Amazing what their little minds can choose to remember.


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## pbrme (Jul 27, 2012)

Will be watching as well. But have to from the bar, cause we don't have an antenna yet. Am looking forward to the track events.


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## Supe (Jul 28, 2012)

One of the girls I used to shoot with growing up, Jamie Gray, finished 5th overall in the Women's Air Rifle event, which was the first event. Feel bad that she didn't make the top 3, only 3.2 points out of first, and less than that to have been in medal contention.


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## Master slacker (Jul 28, 2012)

On the plus side, she can party for the next two weeks and have as many "airplane landings" as she wants.


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## Supe (Jul 29, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> On the plus side, she can party for the next two weeks and have as many "airplane landings" as she wants.


Not yet. I believe she also is shooting in the Women's 3 Position Smallbore event, and maybe another prone event.


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## knight1fox3 (Jul 29, 2012)

Supe said:


> ...and maybe another prone event.


Anyone wanna take this one? LOL


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## roadwreck (Jul 29, 2012)

I for one am very glad that the Olympics are on right now. I've been out sick for a few days and my satellite has been on the fritz (stupid receiver malfunctioning at just the wrong time) meaning I've had nothing to watch but broadcast television this weekend. Without the Olympics to watch my selections would have consisted of infomercials for the magic bullet blender and Matlock. Thank you NBC for broadcasting the Olympics all day long!


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## Master slacker (Jul 29, 2012)

Women's gymnastics on... must not waste time on interwebz...


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## knight1fox3 (Jul 29, 2012)

Women's beach volleyball &gt; women's gymnastics


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## wilheldp_PE (Jul 29, 2012)

I love the Olympics, both summer and winter. There are just some Olympic sports that you never get to see outside of the Olympics (curling in the Winter is my favorite). I'm watching synchronized diving as I type this. I'd take this over a baseball game every day of the week.


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## Supe (Jul 29, 2012)

knight1fox3 said:


> Supe said:
> 
> 
> > ...and maybe another prone event.
> ...


Just remember, her husband is a sergeant with the Army Marksmanship Unit!


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## MA_PE (Jul 29, 2012)

There was a game on yesterday (womens) where the had a soft ball that they could bounce or run with and pass back and forth (often throwing over hand like a football and the receiver was catching with one hand) The object was to get it into a goal that looked like a small soccer goal. Anyone know what sport that was? I have never seen it before. We were watching with a crowd and the volume was down very low so I couldn't hear the announcers.


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## wilheldp_PE (Jul 29, 2012)

MA_PE said:


> There was a game on yesterday (womens) where the had a soft ball that they could bounce or run with and pass back and forth (often throwing over hand like a football and the receiver was catching with one hand) The object was to get it into a goal that looked like a small soccer goal. Anyone know what sport that was? I have never seen it before. We were watching with a crowd and the volume was down very low so I couldn't hear the announcers.


Was it on a rubberized court like indoor volleyball? If so, it was probably handball...another sport that only appears in the Olympics. Seriously, how does one even get good at a game that obscure?


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## MA_PE (Jul 29, 2012)

It was indoors and the court looked like it could've been rubberized. There was a line around the goal that seemed to act like a "key" or a blue line in hockey.

I thought handball was like racquetball without racquets.


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## Road Guy (Jul 29, 2012)

When does dodgeball come on?


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## Dark Knight (Jul 29, 2012)

It was Handball. A sorry excuse for an Olympic event, if you ask me.


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## wilheldp_PE (Jul 29, 2012)

MA_PE said:


> It was indoors and the court looked like it could've been rubberized. There was a line around the goal that seemed to act like a "key" or a blue line in hockey.
> 
> I thought handball was like racquetball without racquets.


Nope, that was definitely handball. It reminds me of the game on the original American Gladiators where you had to put balls in those trapezoidal scoring baskets while getting pummeled by steroidal giants.


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## roadwreck (Jul 30, 2012)

wilheldp_PE said:


> I'm watching synchronized diving as I type this. I'd take this over a baseball game every day of the week.


THAT'S UNAMERICAN!!!


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## MetsFan (Jul 30, 2012)

I love the Olympics. I've been watching the coverage these past couple of days on NBC and on the BBC website through a proxy. I don't have cable so I miss a bunch of the events on NBC Sports, etc. so it's nice to catch them on the BBC.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 30, 2012)

^As a fellow Mets fan, any excuse to watch something else for 2 weeks during their 2nd half meltdown is ok with me.


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## envirotex (Jul 30, 2012)

Stupid NBC and their Olympic coverage...I HAVE to stay up and watch even though I already read 5 hours before that the Americans took the silver in the 4 x 100 m freestyle.

Oh well, no sleep for the next two weeks...


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## snickerd3 (Jul 30, 2012)

^ I try not to watch listen to the news details about the olympics for that reason.


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## Master slacker (Jul 30, 2012)

Rowdy Gaines still gets too excited about far too many things...


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## pbrme (Jul 30, 2012)

I'm diggin the heptathlon. Watching some highlights, there was a girl on there who could shot put 17m.


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## Road Guy (Jul 30, 2012)

I am confused,, earlier this evening there was women's beach volleyball, but there were no bikinis? Are the Olympics in Iran or England?


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## wilheldp_PE (Jul 31, 2012)

For some reason, they are holding beach volleyball matches at around 11 pm GMT in London. Temperatures were hovering around 60 degrees on the first night. Last night I was watching, and the line judges were wearing parkas, so I would assume it was even colder than 60. London doesn't get that warm during the day, but they are making the problem worse by having the matches late at night.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jul 31, 2012)

Cold + bikinis = WIN!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

I went to England a few years back. Not London specifically, but about 100 miles away. I went in late August, and packed for summertime weather. I don't think I took my way too light jacket off the entire time. 58 and raining the whole time.

Also, which pillow biter picked out the theme for these games. Everything is decked out in hot pink or mauve.


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## roadwreck (Jul 31, 2012)

wilheldp_PE said:


> For some reason, they are holding beach volleyball matches at around 11 pm GMT in London. Temperatures were hovering around 60 degrees on the first night. Last night I was watching, and the line judges were wearing parkas, so I would assume it was even colder than 60. London doesn't get that warm during the day, but they are making the problem worse by having the matches late at night.


The Americans aren't the only ones playing, they are just the only ones that NBC shows us. They held beach volleyball matches all day yesterday, it just happened that the American women's team didn't play until late last night.

http://www.london201...ly/all-day.html



VTEnviro said:


> I went to England a few years back. Not London specifically, but about 100 miles away. I went in late August, and packed for summertime weather. I don't think I took my way too light jacket off the entire time. 58 and raining the whole time.


Don't you Yankee's enjoy that sort of weather? Last time I was in England we had a heat wave while in London (highs in the 90's) followed by a week of cold and wind (but not much rain strangely). It's just how the place is. It is on a comparable latitude to Canada after all. We are really lucky that everything isn't covered in ice. 



VTEnviro said:


> Also, which pillow biter picked out the theme for these games. Everything is decked out in hot pink or mauve.


Do you not have a pair of shoes that go with mauve?


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## roadwreck (Jul 31, 2012)

I've got more bad news fellas, it looks like the American's next match is also at 11pm (local time).

http://www.london2012.com/beach-volleyball/schedule-and-results/day=1-august/all-day.html

The Olympics may be doing the American's a favor, that's 6pm our time (eastern), maybe they are trying to schedule the match so that there is the outside possibility NBC would broadcast it live! *GASP* hmy:


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

I miss the old days where you didn't know the outcome of the even until it was broadcast or the news anchor would tell you to turn away while they showed the results.

I was excited to see how the men's gymnastics team would do after coming in first in the prelims until about 4 PM when I saw the shit the bed and came in 5th.

The only live events they seem to showing are weird sports like handball or events that shouldn't be like ping pong.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jul 31, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> I went to England a few years back. Not London specifically, but about 100 miles away. I went in late August, and packed for summertime weather. I don't think I took my way too light jacket off the entire time. 58 and raining the whole time.


Mom and dad were in Europe for the 'big heat wave' that, according to the Cassandras in the media, killed thousands in Europe. Mom and Dad said, "Isn't wasn't bad at all. I don't think it even reached 95. It was 90 or so most of the time. Nice, really."


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

I didn't mind the cool weather, it was actually kinda refreshing. I just didn't do my homework before I packed my bags.

It takes more than 90 to kill 'thousands.' You get one of those weeks where it's 105 the whole time, and the only fatalities you hear about are a handful of sick and elderly people living on the 15th floor of a high rise with no AC.

My theory on vacation traveling is go where it's cool during the summer, and go where it's warm in the winter.


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## envirotex (Jul 31, 2012)

Spent last night flipping back and forth between the olympics and The Godfather.

Leave the gun; take the cannolis.


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## roadwreck (Jul 31, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Mom and dad were in Europe for the 'big heat wave' that, according to the Cassandras in the media, killed thousands in Europe. Mom and Dad said, "Isn't wasn't bad at all. I don't think it even reached 95. It was 90 or so most of the time. Nice, really."


Keep in mind that there are plenty of places in Europe that don't have A/C, so 90 degrees for days on end can be brutally hot.


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## Supe (Jul 31, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> I miss the old days where you didn't know the outcome of the even until it was broadcast or the news anchor would tell you to turn away while they showed the results.
> 
> I was excited to see how the men's gymnastics team would do after coming in first in the prelims until about 4 PM when I saw the shit the bed and came in 5th.
> 
> The only live events they seem to showing are weird sports like handball or events that shouldn't be like ping pong.


I beg to differ. Olympic table tennis is nuckin' futs. Their hand-eye coordination works at speeds my brain can't begin to process.


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## mudpuppy (Jul 31, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Mom and dad were in Europe for the 'big heat wave' that, according to the Cassandras in the media, killed thousands in Europe. Mom and Dad said, "Isn't wasn't bad at all. I don't think it even reached 95. It was 90 or so most of the time. Nice, really."


Sounds awful to me.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

^Me too, I'm a cold and snow type of guy.



> I beg to differ. Olympic table tennis is nuckin' futs. Their hand-eye coordination works at speeds my brain can't begin to process.


Oh I agree they are very talented. I'd get smoked. It just doesn't scream Olympics to me like track or gymnastics or diving, etc.

Another gold for the US in men's skeet shooting this morning. :unitedstates:


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

I was having fun over the weekend watching some of the less mainstream sports (at least in the US). I saw doubles badminton, ladies table tennis, fencing, archery, and rowing. The kiddos love watching the diving and swimming events, Mrs Dex loves anything related to volleyball (she used to play in college), and I like watching the soccer matches. We are DVR'ing everything during the day and then watching the primetime events in the evening. Not sure when we'll actually get to watch any of it, but at least we have it.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm digging the less mainstream sports. My issue is that NBC doesn't do a good job of explaining the rules and regs of them.

I watched water polo and handball over the weekend. They were exciting and enjoyable to watch, but it's tough to get into it when you don't understand the premise of the rules and strategy.

Water polo has elements of hockey, swimming, hoops, soccer, and swimming. I just wish I knew how they fit together.


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## pbrme (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm also digging the Dutch field hockey team... but who isn't.

Google


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## Master slacker (Jul 31, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> Water polo has elements of hockey, swimming, hoops, soccer, and swimming. I just wish I knew how they fit together.


It's more related to soccer rules and basketball for position strategy. I played a little club level in college, but I'm more or less the wrong build for it. I'm tall, but my muscle strength is in my legs and not my upper body.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm short and skinny, my muscle strength in is my dreams.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

fxt


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## Ble_PE (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm a fan of women's beach volleyball. It's fun trying to decipher their hand signals...


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## engineergurl (Jul 31, 2012)

when I was a kid, I always thought water polo was mean to the horses...


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## envirotex (Jul 31, 2012)

SPOILER ALERT!

:bananalama: USA !


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

Only reason China is beating us in the medal count is because anytime the USA wins gold, the athlete gives it to China to help pay off the national debt...


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

During the commercial breaks in the Olympics, one of the sports depicted in a commercial looks like a mix between hacky-sack and volleyball. Anyone know what game that is?


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## engineergurl (Jul 31, 2012)

hacky- ball? or maybe sack-volley?


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## Ble_PE (Jul 31, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> Only reason China is beating us in the medal count is because anytime the USA wins gold, the athlete gives it to China to help pay off the national debt...


I read somewhere it was because all the equipment was made there, so they have an unfair advantage...


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

Found it. If you get a chance, you should look-up some of the videos on youtube. These guys are flipping awesome (pun intended).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepak_takraw


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## mudpuppy (Jul 31, 2012)

engineergurl said:


> hacky- ball? or maybe sack-volley?


Sack volley sounds very painful.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Jul 31, 2012)

^^^ Sounds like roshambo


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## pbrme (Jul 31, 2012)

What about roshambo, or nut punt

Dang, Dex beat me to it


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## cdcengineer (Jul 31, 2012)

US women's gymnasts are awesome


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## engineergurl (Jul 31, 2012)

how annoying is this... Bow tie Bob walked thru the office today saying (nearly a shout)

"Spoiler Alert... We just took gold.. yada yada..."

I thought the purpose of a spoiler alert was to let people know to cover their ears, eyes, etc etc...

Bow tie Bob annoys me often.


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## blybrook PE (Jul 31, 2012)

Wait, that ain't right... Here's the right photo:


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 31, 2012)

> how annoying is this... Bow tie Bob walked thru the office today saying (nearly a shout)


Bob wears a bow tie?


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## engineergurl (Jul 31, 2012)

a different bow tie every freaking day.


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## Master slacker (Jul 31, 2012)

I just looked up what this handball game is... holy crap... stupid. I really, *really* cannot think of a dumber game / "sport".


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## wilheldp_PE (Jul 31, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> Found it. If you get a chance, you should look-up some of the videos on youtube. These guys are flipping awesome (pun intended).
> 
> http://en.wikipedia....ki/Sepak_takraw


That's awesome to watch, but looks like it would be nearly impossible to get into (ya know, unless you can do a somersault bicycle kick multiple times during a point). Even the serve is ridiculous. Those guys stand with one foot on the ground and kick a ball above their head over the net. Looks like Thailand and Malaysia are the only teams worth a damn.


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## snickerd3 (Aug 1, 2012)

Of course Michael phelps has the most medals won...he competes in more events than most other people...swimming and track/field are events were there are a ton of opportunities to try for medals. somce people would never even have that chance in their entire lifetime because they are a single medal event.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Aug 1, 2012)

Yeah, he's amazing, but you are right, he has the most opportunities. T&amp;F, gymnastics, and swimming have chance for multiple medals.

I'm sure no marathon winner has won 4 medals in a particular games.


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## Supe (Aug 1, 2012)

snickerd3 said:


> Of course Michael phelps has the most medals won...he competes in more events than most other people...swimming and track/field are events were there are a ton of opportunities to try for medals. somce people would never even have that chance in their entire lifetime because they are a single medal event.


They were talking about that on ESPN this morning. Kind of hard to compete with the medal count for swimming and track &amp; field events if you're in any other sport.


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

As a former swimmer, let me shed some light on this. Being good in one, two, or three events is typical of most swimmers (I was good at 100 / 200 Br. and 50 free). Being good in five or six events is rare. Being _holy bat sh*t spectacular_ in five or six events AND each stroke just *does not happen*. Someone built for a 400 IM just doesn't fit the bill for the 100 free and vice versa. Yet, Phelps was able to do it in 2008 AND GET A WORLD RECORD IN ALL BUT ONE EVENT. This includes two races that were the same night within an hour of each other (Gold and WR in both).

People cast all of these "more opportunities therefore it doesn't mean as much" arguments into the picture because it's easy, but they just don't understand how swimming works. Phelps is a freak of swimming. He's a freak of an athlete. I don't place him on a pedestal and worship him, but respect should be given when it's due.


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 1, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> Being good in five or six events is rare.


Most Olympians don't even get the _chance_ to participate in five or six medal events.


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## engineergurl (Aug 1, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> People cast all of these "more opportunities *therefore it doesn't mean as much*" arguments into the picture because it's easy, but they just don't understand how swimming works. Phelps is a freak of swimming. He's a freak of an athlete. I don't place him on a pedestal and worship him, but respect should be given when it's due.


Did I miss that? Who said that?


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

It's an implied message. If the whole "more opportunities" line of thought is being discussed, it's obvious that the quality of a gymnast's medal count is greater than the quality of a swimmer's medal count.


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Master slacker said:
> 
> 
> > Being good in five or six events is rare.
> ...


That's because not only do you have to meet the qualifying times for Olympic Trials (swimming, for instance), but you also have to finish first or second at trials to represent your country in that one event just to get the opportunity to be in the top three for a medal.


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## FLBuff PE (Aug 1, 2012)

Honest question, MS...why does Phelps wear a simsuit that looks about 4 sizes too smal, and is about to show off his junk and crack? Is there some sort of fluid dynamic advantage to that?


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## envirotex (Aug 1, 2012)

FLBuff PE said:


> Honest question, MS...why does Phelps wear a simsuit that looks about 4 sizes too smal, and is about to show off his junk and crack? Is there some sort of fluid dynamic advantage to that?


the divers' suits are even smaller...their moms must be mortified. "is that my son's butt crack on international television?"


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

Can't say I've been looking at his suit, but yes, there are reasons for wearing suits that are tight. Most of the reasons, or science, behind the suits are beyond me. I will say, though, that competing in a tight suit is more comfortable than a loose one. That's my personal opinion, which I'm sure is shared by others. I don't want any part of my body jiggling any more than it should. Jiggle is drag. And the last thing you want is there to be enough "looseness" to allow a body part to become the mast of a crotch sail boat on a start or turn.


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## engineergurl (Aug 1, 2012)

okay... I just have to say, and this is in no way to make fun of MasterSlacker... but his image in my mind is Bob Ross... so discussing these tight little swimsuits I keep getting this horrid horrid image of Bob Ross with his hair and what I would think his hairy back/chest/etc... in one of those suits... and then the term crotch sail boat... all I thought of was... I wonder if the crotch sail boat is sailing towards a shore with happy little trees...

I just had to share that because I didn't want to be the only one suffering of that mental image.


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 1, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> And the last thing you want is there to be enough "looseness" to allow a body part to become the mast of a *crotch sail boat on a start or turn.*


Or for the entire race, if you're swimming backstroke.

Hoist the mainsail, laddies, and fire a salute to the wenches over by lane 1! ARRRRR!!!!!!


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

Especially on a start where, with the dive and all, there are lots of bubbles and speed and the whole air / water density thing at play. Any gaps could act as a parachute to the suit and create quite a show for the underwater camera.


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## roadwreck (Aug 1, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> ...and create quite a show for the underwater camera.


What, like this one today at women's water polo?

http://deadspin.com/5930908/nbc-aired-a-bare-breast-during-live-water-polo-coverage-today


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## Dexman PE PMP (Aug 1, 2012)

I know the divers were having issues keeping their trunks on the other night as well. I think my wife counted 4 or 5 bare asses during the mens syncronized diving alone.


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## Master slacker (Aug 1, 2012)

Now, it looks like those water polo "chicks" have their suits on backwards.


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## Dark Knight (Aug 1, 2012)

As a father of a former swimmer I can tell you that we may never see another swimmer like Phelps. It takes so many sacrifices to be good in a single event. The training is different at the level those folks are. If you are a 100 Fly swimmer, the training is different for the 200 Fly because IT IS NOT the same. Each event requires a different approach.

He is not even a shadow of the swimmer he was at Beijing and is still competitive. I do not expect him to win an individual gold in this games though. He admitted that his preparation was not the same and he became lazy "and it showed". Regardless, we are watching the best swimmer ever. We can say that Phelps is for swimming what Michael Jordan was to basketball.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Aug 2, 2012)

roadwreck said:


> Master slacker said:
> 
> 
> > ...and create quite a show for the underwater camera.
> ...


Sideboob!!!



envirotex said:


> FLBuff PE said:
> 
> 
> > Honest question, MS...why does Phelps wear a simsuit that looks about 4 sizes too smal, and is about to show off his junk and crack? Is there some sort of fluid dynamic advantage to that?
> ...


The ones that look truly mortified are the gymnast's parents, with good reason. I am truly surprised more of them don't end up seriously broken. I get this awful feeling one of them is going to stick the landing on their neck. I heard some radio guy, forgot who, compare the parents' look to watching your puppy play in traffic.


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