2008 Beijing Olympics Thread

[LkptTiger 1]

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sport...cks_judges_ass_

[habsfan87 0]

haven't read the whole thread but i just wanted to say I think Rogge's remarks about Usain Bolt were a little over the top, I don't think he was out of line. He's 21/22 and just broke 3 world records, why not be excited..I think he's great for track and maybe it'll get more coverage because of him (never see it on tv in cananda anyway). I also think it was genuine of Van Koeverden to apologize on tv, I think the reporter should've left him alone to be honest, but he felt like he let his counntry down and he was sincerely sorry for it, I saw nothing werong with that even though he didnt have to. And lastly as a huge Zeppelin fan I'm psyched to hear Page will be playing whole lotta love but kind of dissapointed Robert won't be singing along side of him. I understand bringing someone else in and don't know anything about the girl and have no disrespect for her but it would have been cool to see it done by the person who sings it, and with the proper lyrics no less. Anyone else excited to see the closing for that reason?

[Hidious 0]

Even if she's 14, let her keep her medals already. She's the best in the world (in the discipline she won) and the fact that's she's only 14 makes it even more impressive...but sad in a way.

[Smitty34 0]

  Hidious said:

Even if she's 14, let her keep her medals already. She's the best in the world (in the discipline she won) and the fact that's she's only 14 makes it even more impressive...but sad in a way.

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While they were impressive, if they aren't eligible, they shouldn't get the medal, plain and simple.

[Patrick67 1]

In gymnastics beeing 14 is an advantage since your more flexible than the 16 year olds.... There's a reason they have a agelimit for that sport, trying to protect the girls a little from the eastern european and asian countries that "kill" them and their childhood.

Forceing the girls to be 16 gives them in theóry, a little more time to develop and get the trainers a little more off their backs while they are younger, since they are not eligible for the olympics.

Though since the girls have to be sixteen, it only gives them (90%) one shot at taking an olympic medal, since 20year olds are retirement age in that sport, thus why the girls are crying like mad if they make a single screwup.

Sucks for the chinese girl that she's born in the wrong year, had she been 12 or 16 eveything would have been "fine", but because she's born in the wrong year she's gonna be 18 before she can compete..

[habsfan87 0]

It's hard to take someones medal away especially when theyre only 14 but they knew the rules going in and it's not fair to the others who played by the rules. I agree that it does suck that she was born in the year she was for that reason but if everyone plays by the rules the playing feild will be level anyway. They have to protect the children, no 13 or 14 year old should have to train at an olympic caliber, it's not healthy for the body either. That being said there will always be scandals and I'd rather hear about this one than doping, which I've heard little of these games which is great.

[cw91 0]

team USA taking home the gold in basketball...and for once it was actaully a competive game

[Smitty34 0]

That was a great game. It was a nail biter all the way through.

[D3nZ 0]

Next up, Vancouver-Whistler, anyone planning on going? I'll probably enter the lottery for the openning ceremonies and the closing ceremonies. Other than that, the hockey tournament of course, thank god I have friends and family in Vancouver so I can maybe spare the hotel fees.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Pagey looked pretty good tonight.

[RadioGaGa 162]

  JR Boucicaut said:

Pagey looked pretty good tonight.

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Did that guitar sound live to you? I know he's good (no, GREAT) but, that sounded almost too perfect to be live.

[nickerjones 8]

  D3nZ said:

Next up, Vancouver-Whistler, anyone planning on going? I'll probably enter the lottery for the openning ceremonies and the closing ceremonies. Other than that, the hockey tournament of course, thank god I have friends and family in Vancouver so I can maybe spare the hotel fees.

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My wife is from calgary and has family in vancouver. I have already been told that since my wife went to the winter olympics in calgary when she was young , we have to to go to the vancouver games.... Hopefully i can see the us play a hockey game ....

[Hidious 0]

  Patrick67 said:

In gymnastics beeing 14 is an advantage since your more flexible than the 16 year olds.... There's a reason they have a agelimit for that sport, trying to protect the girls a little from the eastern european and asian countries that "kill" them and their childhood.

Forceing the girls to be 16 gives them in theóry, a little more time to develop and get the trainers a little more off their backs while they are younger, since they are not eligible for the olympics.

Though since the girls have to be sixteen, it only gives them (90%) one shot at taking an olympic medal, since 20year olds are retirement age in that sport, thus why the girls are crying like mad if they make a single screwup.

Sucks for the chinese girl that she's born in the wrong year, had she been 12 or 16 eveything would have been "fine", but because she's born in the wrong year she's gonna be 18 before she can compete..

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I get your point about the age advantage and complexities and i also understand rules must be respected. But it's "the rule" that i disagree with. I see the Olympics as a big competition where the best athletes in the world are determined, no matter what their race, nationality, beliefs and...ages are. If they take her medals back, will the new gold medalists feel like they really are the best in the world when they know a 14 year-old Chinese was better than you.

It also sucks that a 15 year-old chinese girl won a medal (iirc) in diving and everything was fine with that. What, you can dive from a 10 meter platform at 15 but you can't compete in gymnastic?

[RadioGaGa 162]

  Hidious said:

It also sucks that a 15 year-old chinese girl won a medal (iirc) in diving and everything was fine with that. What, you can dive from a 10 meter platform at 15 but you can't compete in gymnastic?

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Doesn't when they turn 16 have something to do with eligibility...that's why the 15 yr olds in some sports haven't been questioned at all?

[nickerjones 8]

they have to turn 16 during the year the games are held.... so if a 15 yr old turned 16 even on dec 31st of this year she would still be eligible

[Dougie8 0]

Isn't the 16 year old rule just for Gymnastics? I say this because there was a 14 year old chinese female diver that was at the Olympics that they were saying was the world champion in the previous year?

[w0ahitsm3 0]

Yea the 16 year old rule is just for the gymnastics competition.

[Powerfibers 8]

  RadioGaGa said:

  JR Boucicaut said:

Pagey looked pretty good tonight.

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Did that guitar sound live to you? I know he's good (no, GREAT) but, that sounded almost too perfect to be live.

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I agree, also did not seem to sync up perfectly. Might be the broadcast, or someone playing additional guitar. Sounded great though, and the singer was smoking as well! Pagey looked a lot more alive than last time I saw him.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

  Powerfibers said:

  RadioGaGa said:

  JR Boucicaut said:

Pagey looked pretty good tonight.

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Did that guitar sound live to you? I know he's good (no, GREAT) but, that sounded almost too perfect to be live.

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I agree, also did not seem to sync up perfectly. Might be the broadcast, or someone playing additional guitar. Sounded great though, and the singer was smoking as well! Pagey looked a lot more alive than last time I saw him.

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I think he got some work done.

He looked like absolute hell in 98 when I saw him with Plant in Miami.

[mrusse01 0]

  Chadd said:

  cw91 said:

the IOC is finnally looking into the age of a chinese female gymnast. theres no way most of those girls were 16

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The chinese government provided official documentation saying she was 16. If the IOC wants more proof, they will create it. How do you disprove the official government documentation?

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Because I think there is also 'offical' documentation from earlier this year, or last year, that said she was only 12. With that being said, you're right, there's no way they are ever going to be able to prove it to the point that those medals get taken away.

I'm surprised there isn't some kind of DNA test or something at this point that can determine the age of a person.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Haha carbon dating

[Hidious 0]

When you think about it, age is just a reference number, the number of days you've spent living. Some 12 year-old kids have to raise and take care of a family in poor African countries and some manage to do so decently. Other countries marry their girls at 14. It's sad, i know, but it shows how age can not mean much sometimes...

[TBLfan 25]

We're not talking about a countries traditions or laws or standards, we're talking about rules by a governing body.

[Patrick67 1]

On the subject of the chinese girl beeing 16 or not, no they can't age test her, but she competed in a u15 tournament last year... under 12months ago...

[Cheesehead 0]

  mrusse01 said:

  Chadd said:

  cw91 said:

the IOC is finnally looking into the age of a chinese female gymnast. theres no way most of those girls were 16

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The chinese government provided official documentation saying she was 16. If the IOC wants more proof, they will create it. How do you disprove the official government documentation?

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Because I think there is also 'offical' documentation from earlier this year, or last year, that said she was only 12. With that being said, you're right, there's no way they are ever going to be able to prove it to the point that those medals get taken away.

I'm surprised there isn't some kind of DNA test or something at this point that can determine the age of a person.

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  JR Boucicaut said:

Haha carbon dating

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Or you could cut her arm or leg off and count the rings :lol: