Field Theory: And they're off!
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Goddamn I love weightlifting. The lifters are some of the most amazing athletes at the games. Om Yun Chol’s 168kg record lift in the B-Group of the men’s 56kg class was astounding.
I have to say the same now after this morning. One plus of recent underemployment is finding out I how much I have enjoyed watching weightlifting. Looking forward to learning more about and enjoying other sports. Alas watching the sailing didn't have the same outcome.
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Steve Barnes, in reply to
The women are women, not girls
That was not my point. My point was the sheer size of all of the athletes but as you bought it up I would say the Women are looking manly rather than childlike.
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Lilith __, in reply to
the Women are looking rather manly rather than childlike.
Erm. Not like any of the men I know.
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Well, it seems breasts are bigger this year too so I guess that may give creedence to your view
Still not the point though. The fact is that the athletes look. bigger this year, regardless of gender. -
Lilith __, in reply to
that may give creedence to your view
My view that the women gymnasts are women?
The fact is that the athletes look. bigger this year
You have a bigger TV? ;-)
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LOL
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Not really related to the discussion, but a couple of asides (once every four years, I kinda surrender to the Olympics, although if you drew up a list of reasons why I shouldn't, I'd probably agree with most of them).
First of all, did anyone else see that press conference with Usain Bolt the other day? That man's got swagger. He reminds me of those great West Indian cricketers of the 1980s and 1990s who just knew they were the best and didn't have to hide it, although none of them were as relaxed as he seems to be about (Viv Richards was all about his imperious authority, it seems, at least in interviews). You don't get that very often these days, even the reigning champions seem to genuflect to their opposition (I'm reminded of the mid-noughties when Federer was just crushing his opponents and yet couldn't be more complimentary of them).
Also, how comprehensive was that opening race from Bond and Murray. It wasn't just the time, it was the sheer control of their race. It was amazing viewing?
And go the women's Black Sticks, there are many reasons to like this time, but the way they guttsed it out against the Australians suggested they're definitely a medal chance if they keep it up.
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Re: Judging- I see the men's teams gymnastic's medals were reassigned after the Japanese team requested a video review of the live judges decisions, so placing went from China, Britain, Ukraine to China, Japan, Britain.
There have be some complaints from sports watchers who feel that you shouldn't revisit the ref's (or in this case judge's) decisions after the fact. -
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
There have be some complaints from sports watchers who feel that you shouldn’t revisit the ref’s (or in this case judge’s) decisions after the fact.
But when would you appeal if there hasn’t been a decision. What, would you appeal if before?
Japan asked for a review and we saw all the judges review the footage together and change the grade once it was analysed. If as in gymnastics a performance is graded by deducting marks for ability to execute certain moves, I think the video footage actually makes marking easier and if it is deemed by all judges to have been marked wrong, shouldn’t it be amended? -
Lilith __, in reply to
some complaints from sports watchers who feel that you shouldn’t revisit the ref’s (or in this case judge’s) decisions after the fact.
Yeah, to me it's more important to get it right. If there's some obvious point that's been missed in the heat of the moment, I think it should be corrected. Otherwise the winners know they didn't really win and the losers know they should have won, and everyone feels bad.
I must say the gymnasts move so fast that a casual observer misses most of it until the slow-mo replay!
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Japan asked for a review and we saw all the judges review the footage together and change the grade once it was analysed. If as in gymnastics a performance is graded by deducting marks for ability to execute certain moves, I think the video footage actually makes marking easier and if it is deemed by all judges to have been marked wrong, shouldn’t it be amended?
Did they review the efforts of the other teams in the running for medals? How could it be fair if they didn't?
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Graeme Edgeler, in reply to
Did they review the efforts of the other teams in the running for medals? How could it be fair if they didn’t?
They reviewed the performances at the request of every coach who requested a review. So no. How could it be fair? Everyone else knew what was going on, and could have made similar requests. Presumably, the judges don't make many mistakes of the type made here (it was pretty big).
I anticipate that requests must be made at the end of the rotation (the judges would be busy judging everyone else until then). It’s just unfortunate that the error happened on the last rotation.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the attitude of the commentators: didn’t call it sour grapes (which I was expecting, but basically said, this is what coaches are there for, it is unfortunate, but more unfortunate would be screwing over some competitor and team whose score was miscalculated.
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You can tell you're getting old when the same conversations (and media column-fillers) return every four years ...
"Why haven't we got more medals?" "Because you haven't bothered looking at the schedule".
Whatever acronym SPARC has morphed into should ban all funding for sailing and rowing and anything else that doesn't have Olympic finals by Wednesday of week one.
Gymnastics, judo and team archery. That's the future (I would add swimming but that's just being silly).
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Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
Did they review the efforts of the other teams in the running for medals? How could it be fair if they didn’t?
All coaches had the right to ask for a review. If they didn't, which they didn't, completely fair. It was only one performance of one gymnast on one apparatus. I now cant remember which one it was sorry but they only reviewed one gymnast on one thing.Think it was dismount of the even bars,or pummel.
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Al C, in reply to
While trying not to sound like I'm rubbing it in, I have to say that in the UK you can get brilliant (free) coverage.
Obviously encouraged (or probably required to justify the cost) by the fact that it's a home games the BBC is showing all sports live. While they have only two tv channels at any one time, by 'pressing the red button' on the digital remote you can select any of the events that are currently underway.
The British commentators though do leave a bit to be desired, a bit less TeamGB cheerleading and a bit more technical explanation about where someone is good or bad wouldn't go amiss. But then again that's probably to be expected.
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Chris Waugh, in reply to
Fair enough. 2008 wasn't bad for Olympic coverage here, either, probably a similar reason.
But tell me, how is it you're listed as having made 0 posts, when clearly you've made one? Welcome, 0 poster. Let's get that number a little higher.
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Al C, in reply to
Haha thanks Chris but unfortunately it looks like it's up to one now - maybe it was while I could still edit it. Hopefully be able to get involved a bit more once I'm back in NZ later this year.
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All coaches had the right to ask for a review. If they didn’t, which they didn’t, completely fair. It was only one performance of one gymnast on one apparatus. I now cant remember which one it was sorry but they only reviewed one gymnast on one thing.Think it was dismount of the even bars,or pummel.
I don't mind having a review system. But what you'll see on replay later on is quite different than what you'll leave live, under time pressure. Many sports don't allow this sort of thing, or limit it to recognise this fact - it's not fair on competitors, but it's equally unfair on all of them.
When one competitor is competing against another, a review system should look at both them under the same conditions to try and ensure that the method of judging doesn't affect the outcome.
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