Sageridder, that is an excellent article. Very informative.

The point made in the article -- that the judges and the crowd notice different things (like a big step on a landing) -- is well taken.

I just think we're seeing the MeFirst entitlement crybaby culture -- created in large part here in the US of A -- exported to the whole world. What a bunch of crappy bitchers.

I dunno, sounds like a bunch of petty assholes. :( Ah well, hopefully someone with some moral fiber at the games can bring us out of the slump.

Yes, I agree with this. Whether or not he deserved the gold, he should not be criticised for not giving it back - he should never be put in that position. And I don't even know if it would even be accepted for him to say 'I don't want it give it to this guy' - probably against some protocol thing.

Something I find unfair is that in the men's pursuit, they only give medals to the guys who race in the final and not other guys who do the heats and semis. If they hadn't raced them the finals team mightn't have been fresh enough to win! I think if they are going to give medals to all the heats swimmers in swimming relays then they should be consistent in the cycling. Or not let teams replace riders at all (which is sort of unfair in a way, since it benefits bigger nations who have more depth after all).

I hear this morning that the German team that won the 4000m pursuit in Sydney appealed and got the extra gold medals for the replaced riders. Australia is putting in the same application Aelia, so there may be some good news on that score shortly.

Yes, I saw that on the sevensport website after I posted (unsurprisingly the site is almost as bad as seven's coverage [img]graemlins/idontagreeatall.gif[/img] ;) ). Hopefully the precedent will get them their medals [img]smile.gif[/img]

That's because NBC's Olympics coverage forgets that there are non-American athletes in the Games. ;) </font>[/QUOTE]Well, think about it. In your home country, are you most likely going to talk about everyone else or your own athletes? [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>[/QUOTE]But our athletes aren't winning many medals, so by default we have to talk about other peoples' athletes. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Seriously, though, watching Canadian coverage and then watching NBC... there's a huge difference (besides the whole different countries thing). NBC does seem to regard every medal as a national triumph, rather than an individual or team accomplishment. </font>[/QUOTE]CBC does the same thing if not worse. Although it is not nearly as bad as a few years ago when the CBC would replay ever medal ceremony a Canadian was in continuously. They would probably do the same thing this olympics if we weren't doing so badly.

Um.... No? NBC does not show anything but USA teams/competitors competing. CBC does; 100m men's final, 200m women's final, and stuff like that.

I just want a channel that will play women's volleyball over and over and over and over.

[ 08-25-2004, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

The good old BBC showed some of the women's beach volleyball, saw a good match between Australia and Brazil...can't remember who won though ;)

Oh, and did anyone notice the beach VB cheerleaders? Probably not, because they weren't as scantily-clad as the athletes.

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Spo...l/14%20August%
DRAT! [img]graemlins/1705loadpic.gif[/img]

[ 08-25-2004, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]