tmh8286 Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 that's probably why it didn't really bother me. silly behavior has come to be expected by some competitors. the sprinters are the rockstars of the track & field they tend to be flamboyant. what amazed me was that the guy has been only running the 100 for less than a year and he dominated the field w/what appeared to be little effort. i can't wait to see what he does in "his best event", the 200. Well said, alum. I agree - the 200m will be very interesting to watch. His ability almost seems beyond human. Bolt is so far ahead of the rest of the pack that the only race really is for second place. Let's hope, for the sake of seeing what he's truly capable of, he runs through the whole race, rather than coasting the final portion of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 Last night, in the intro to the track and field segment, Bob Costas asked commentator Ato Boldin if all the "showboating" done by Usain Bolt during the race, not necessarily that done after, didn't show disrespect to his fellow runners, to the Olympic games themselves, and the fans that expect to see him giving full effort through the entire race. Boldin agreed, saying that he thought that it did, and that Bolt needed to save the celebrating till after the race. Boldin said he'd spoken with Bolt about it himself. I guess we're not the only ones talking about Bolt's behavior! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 If you weren't bothered by his behavior in the 100m, then you may disagree with me tonight, but I really thought Usain Bolt redeemed himself tonight. He acted admirably, I thought, before, during and after the 200m race. Probably most important to me, he ran hard through the entire race, no slowing up or showboating at the end, just running wide open and leaning forward into the tape at the end. I can truly admire a guy like that. It's okay to be fun-loving, just know when to use it. Someone must have talked to him about it. After two disqualifications for crossing lanes (including one American), Walter Dix of the US ended up moving from fifth to third, getting the bronze. He's a guy I've come to admire after watching the NCAA Championships in May, and now the Olympics. He is a very likable athlete. One other observation about Bolt - I looked him up on Wikipedia immediately after the 200m race, to see if he had ever attended a US college (he hasn't), and they had already updated the page to show him as the world record holder in the 200m. I don't know how they do that so quickly; Wikipedia is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogus Smith Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 One other observation about Bolt - I looked him up on Wikipedia immediately after the 200m race, to see if he had ever attended a US college (he hasn't), and they had already updated the page to show him as the world record holder in the 200m. I don't know how they do that so quickly; Wikipedia is amazing. I think that the race was actually this morning our time (Wednesday night, Beijing time). So the speed of the updated information may have been done today and we just saw the race and win a few hours after the fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 I think that the race was actually this morning our time (Wednesday night, Beijing time). So the speed of the updated information may have been done today and we just saw the race and win a few hours after the fact. You're obviously a thinking man, Bogus ! You're right; I didn't think of that. I will say, however, that numerous times when I've looked things up on Wikipedia I've found that they've updated obscure details within hours of the fact. I still think it's pretty amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 Okay, as if the swimsuits worn by the women in beach volleyball aren't titillating enough, they've upped the ante tonight gold medal round by playing in wet bikinis, due to pouring rain. NBC will do anything for ratings ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 I've thought it a little surprising that American Bryan Clay won the decathlon without hardly a mention. Actually, he apparently got a little coverage, but it was in the 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM time slot. Many will remember that, back in 1976, Bruce Jenner became a household name, and even a post-Olympics celebrity, similar to Michael Phelps this year, by winning the decathlon. One thing I found out while reading about Jenner was that the act of taking your nation's flag and streaming it behind while doing a victory lap, that all track stars do, started with him. Apparently, after his win, someone in the crowd handed him a U.S. flag, and he used it while doing a victory lap. It's become so clichéd at this point that I don't see it as being all that great. As soon as someone wins a race, or comes in second, or third, someone hands them a flag, and they wrap themselves in it. Just doesn't do much for me. I bet it was cool that first time, though. (Also interesting - Jenner's divorced mother married the father of ex-Tulsan and actor Gary Busey, when Jenner was in high school. They were raised in the same home and remain close friends and brothers.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 I've been surprised that this thread didn't generate a little more discussion of the Olympics than it did. I guess they hold more fascination for me than for most. As I watch the closing moments of the broadcast of the closing ceremony I feel a certain amount of sadness that they're over - I always do. Our family has spent every evening riveted to the TV, cheering on the Americans, and occasionally others, while often laughing at the announcers. they're over for now, but, as I read today, only 1,432 days till the next summer games. I will be glad to return to my usual TV viewing schedule ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Our family has also been glued to the television (and computer) watching the Olympics. I have become a big fan of badminton. How in the world does London even come close to approaching what Beijing did for their opening and closing ceremonies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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