2012 Summer Olympics: The Thread

[BringBackBuck]

Well I watched most of the Mens Road race and it certainly highlighted a few of the flaws in the system so to speak so here we go....

1. To start with great racing all around from everyone although the main peloton did seem to just be content not to win as long as Great Britain didn't.

The media in Aus has jumped on Cav's comments that Australia rode negatively. To be fair Australia had a rider in the breakaway (Stuart O'grady) so weren't inclined to chase. A break was Australia's best shot at a medal, because Goss was never going to beat Cavendish. Now the German's on the other hand: WTF? Greipel had beaten Cav before, and did beat him last night (though the race to finish 26th might not have brought out the best in the sprinters). Had the German's worked with the Poms they would have pretty much guaranteed that Cav and Greipel would be dividing up the gold and silver.
Other than that, bit of a tactical failure by the Brits to allow too many riders in the breakaway. Once they were chasing 20 odd riders it was all over.

 

[Nightmonger]

Well I watched most of the Mens Road race and it certainly highlighted a few of the flaws in the system so to speak so here we go....

1. To start with great racing all around from everyone although the main peloton did seem to just be content not to win as long as Great Britain didn't.

The media in Aus has jumped on Cav's comments that Australia rode negatively. To be fair Australia had a rider in the breakaway (Stuart O'grady) so weren't inclined to chase. A break was Australia's best shot at a medal, because Goss was never going to beat Cavendish. Now the German's on the other hand: WTF? Greipel had beaten Cav before, and did beat him last night (though the race to finish 26th might not have brought out the best in the sprinters). Had the German's worked with the Poms they would have pretty much guaranteed that Cav and Greipel would be dividing up the gold and silver.
Other than that, bit of a tactical failure by the Brits to allow too many riders in the breakaway. Once they were chasing 20 odd riders it was all over.

Agreed on all counts and TBH I was mainly thinking of the German team when I made the point they really shot themselves in the foot by not doing their turn at the front.

 

[IRBaboon]

I was watching handball yesterday too and I was transfixed! It's a lot faster and crazier than when I played it at school!

Did anyone watch the GB women play football? They were very good! 3-0!

I saw the hightlights of that, I don't normally enjoy football, but some of those goals were amazing

 

[Aris Khandr]

Three of my four teams are out (or may as well be out) of the men's football tournament. What I get for cheering severe underdogs.

I loathe the way NBC covers the events, though. My favorite event in gymnastics in the uneven bars by far. But NBC only runs the US team's performance, and offers the floor event if the US isn't doing anything else (unless they go back to swimming). It was disappointing to see Jordyn Wieber fail to qualify for the all around despite an impressive performance.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I've been watching them avidly this weekend. I must say that it is difficult coverage over here in the States, just because I have to switch between multiple channels to follow the more obscure events and the obvious cutting, focus on USA teams (which are not always what I'm looking to see), and interruption by commercials. The opening ceremony was interesting. I wouldn't say it is the strongest I've seen, but the torch lighting was inspired and the did a fabulous job with the march of nations, keeping a brisk but still respectful pace.

 

[robot slipper]

I was watching handball yesterday too and I was transfixed! It's a lot faster and crazier than when I played it at school!

Did anyone watch the GB women play football? They were very good! 3-0!

I saw the hightlights of that, I don't normally enjoy football, but some of those goals were amazing

I'm used to watching men's Premiership and European football, so I'm used to seeing players acting like they've been shot every time they get fouled, even if they've been mildly tapped on the shin. It's just part of the game now. That type of stuff was absent from the women's game, which was really refreshing. They still play very physically, but when they get fouled, they get back up, brush themselves off, and carry on (with the exception of if they do get genuinely injured). The most I saw was if there is a tussle going on, a player will appeal to the ref if they feel a foul isn't being called. I haven't actually seen any men's olympic football yet, are the players being better behaved in that as well?

I do feel sorry for those of you that have to rely on NBC... the BBC has added 23 olympic channels to my digital box, so you can watch pretty much anything you want to.

 

[IRBaboon]

I do feel sorry for those of you that have to rely on NBC... the BBC has added 23 olympic channels to my digital box, so you can watch pretty much anything you want to.

Yeah I can't imagine dealing with the American coverage, BBC also streams every single event online and has them available for a week on catch up