Olympics FanHouse

USC's High-Profile Fans Are More Than Ready For Ohio State

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:13:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, USA

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

No. 1 ranked USC takes on Ohio State (ranked 5th) this Saturday. This is the first meeting between these two juggernauts in 18 years. In this video we visit a USC pep rally and hear from high-profile Trojans, such as former NFL stars Marcus Allen, Curtis Conway and Daylen McCutcheon. Find out what gold medal-winning Olympic swimmers Larsen Jensen and Erik Vendt have to say to the Buckeyes, and former track star Quincy Watts says he expects a blowout. Oh ... and do you know how to do the "Sanchez Dance"? Find out here.

Youtube link.

USC's High-Profile Fans Are More Than Ready For Ohio State originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac

Tom Herrera — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA, Attractive Olympians

For most people, the dust is already settling on all the extravagant Olympic action, but this sports graveyard desk editor is still riding high from sixteen sleepless days of swimming, more swimming, and the occasional taekwondo kick to the face. You want a unique perspective on the Beijing Games? This is the place to be. Just don't expect there to be any fresh coffee.

Michael Phelps is signing an endorsement deal for IHOP somewhere in exchange for free 5,000-calorie breakfasts for life.

Usain Bolt is concocting new ways to hot dog and high-step so he'll have some records left to break in 2012.

And I'm somehow still awake watching NBC replay the closing ceremony and Turkish oil wrestling highlights (now there's the next event!)

Spending the majority of the past sixteen days engulfed in Olympic coverage wasn't always a treat, but the memories I'll take with me will last a lifetime ... or at least four more years.

The visual treasures embedded in my mind aren't what you'd expect them to be. Phelps' record-breaking eight gold medals? Definitely wasn't a cakewalk, but we saw it coming. Bolt's ridonkulous sprints to history? Dude, his last name is Bolt.

Spanish synchronized swimmers dressed in 'gangsta' outfits, on the other hand? Now there's something I'm never going to forget, or hopefully see again for the rest of my life.

So let's toss the "memorable performances" and "winners and losers" aside for now. Here are my selections for the "Sweet 16" -- the lasting images that are off the beaten path ...

China's Liu Xiang retires, entire red-wigged nation cries ... For the first time in a while, we witnessed how much one athlete can mean to an entire nation. While American media coverage was saturated with the Phelps Fest and the splice of America's Sweethearts, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, I found it much more fascinating to scan through the countless images of China's citizens bawling their eyes out because Xiang Liu couldn't run the men's 110-meter hurdles at the "Bird's Nest." This man represented the hope of an entire nation, but only in track and field. It's not like he was their only shot at a gold medal in Beijing (heck, they won 51 of them).

It got me thinking -- how many people in America would shed tears if Phelps pulled up lame in one of his heats, and coudn't race towards any of his eight golds? Entirely different scenarios, yes, because the US is known for dominant swimmers while Liu was China's chance to make an impact in largely unchartered territory. But I'm not sure we have one athlete that single-handedly carries the pride of our nation on his or her shoulders.

Don't ever cross a Cuban taekwondo athlete, unless you want to lose teeth ... Look, we all know taekwondo judging was on the crooked side, but that doesn't justify going brainsick and belting a judge. Cuba's Angel Matos definitely won the nomination for "Olympian Most Likely to Wind Up in a Nuthouse" when he delivered a kick reminiscent of 'Bloodsport' to the face of match referee Chakir Chelbat. Still, how many people can say they're the subject of 100 slide-by-slide YouTubes? One. That's our good friend, Jose Offerman. Oh, and Castro will defend you, for whatever that's worth.

Jamaicans know how to have a good time ... For all the terrific performances by Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser, the sad fact is that many Americans watching at home are going to come away with one thing ... they sure know how to rub it in. Bolt was even criticized by IOC prez Jacques Rogge for reveling too early in his 100-meter finish. But what about Fraser? She seemingly paraded down the track about five times as long as it took to win her 100-meter gold, even rolling around with the flag at one point. For me, the showboating won't tarnish her performance, but I did find myself saying "all right, enough already" -- and I would have still said it even if it was an American rejoicing.

George Bush knows how to have an AWESOME time ... If there was anyone on this planet who could show the Jamaicans a thing or two about the right way to party, it's definitely G.W. If you missed his hysterical jaunt to Beijing, don't fret. You can relive the power of the Bush in this gallery here. Just beware the 'chalk' pranks and volleyball butt slaps.

Paraguay's Leryn Franco didn't win a medal, but won our hearts ... In all the 'Attractive Olympian' posts we ran in FanHouse, there's wasn't one mention of this mysterious javelin beauty -- a massive oversight, to say the least. Thanks to Fourth-Place Medal for cracking the mystery and discovering her identity. To amend for not featuring her earlier, here's a gallery to make your heart sing for Paraguay. Viva la Franco!

Paraguayan Princess

BEIJING - AUGUST 19: Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the Women's Javelin Qualifying Round held at the National Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Leryn Franco

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Leryn Franco of Paraguay is pictured during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the women's javelin throw qualifying round of the athletics competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium August 19, 2008. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach (CHINA)

Reuters

Spain's synchronized 'homies' ... There are probably synchronized swimmers out there that think their sport is unfairly lambasted -- that they're just one long running joke started by Martin Short in a classic 'SNL' skit. But how do you expect to be respected when you get banned from wearing suits with lights on them, and then follow it up with a 'gangsta' encore. Tone down the makeup five shades, invest in a can of hair spray instead of hair gel, and most importantly, stop looking so freaky ... then maybe people will respect the skills behind the show. Then again, maybe it won't truly be 'synchronized swimming' if that happened. Kind of like Dennis Rodman without dyed hair, tattoos and piercings.

Ara Abrahamian doesn't need your stinking medal ... More judging controversy, and more hilarity ensues. Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal, then placed it down as if he was saying, "Pick this piece of crap up." Then it turns out that Abrahamian actually had a right to be angry, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport --- his penalty wasn't assessed until after the round. One thing is for sure: they're definitely recycling that medal and giving it to the trap shooters.

Meet Rohullah Nikpai, the hero of Afghanistan ... Eight medals will be worth countless endorsements for Phelps, but the Afghan taekwondo bronze winner is the proud recipient of ... get this ... a new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of the country's main cellphone network. That's what you get for being the first Afghan ever to win an Olympic medal. Let's face it... legendary US swimmer Matt Biondi could walk the streets without anyone recognizing him now. But Nikpai will be swamped with love and adulation for a single bronze. And we're here quibbling about China beating us in gold count?

Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek faints in his canoe
... and in a completely unrelated incident ...
Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi faints in the pool ... Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille really knew what it took to get me turned on to canoes. Fainting! In the process of winning the silver medal in the double 1,000-meter final, they crashed into a buoy and Wylenzek took a dip. He turned out to be OK, but days later, a synchronized swimmer followed suit. Hiromi hyperventilated as Japan's synchronized routine ended, and the other team members climbed out of the pool more concerned about their scores. The press officer's response? "She is a very nervous athlete," he said. "She is good. Don't worry." Thanks guy. As if the sight of the wacky routine wasn't off-putting enough.

You want human rights? How about the right to wear adult diapers while buried under boxes? ... I'm a big fan of filmmaker Zhang Yimou's work. 'House of Flying Daggers' was great stuff. Performers being forced to wear adult diapers for his crafted opening ceremony is a far cry from flying daggers. Especially when it involved nearly 900 performers under 40-pound boxes for at least six hours. But hey, the Chinese invention of movable type, that involved "suffering and sacrifice" too, right?

Something called 'Dressage' will be back, but Jennie Finch will not ... So, let me get this straight. A 'sport' that involves people wearing silly top hats and suits while training horses will stick in the Olympics. But flamethrower Jennie Finch and USA softball will never be back? I wonder how NBC did on ratings and Web site searches for dressage results compared to Finch. Let's get rid of dressage and bring back softball. At least there's no mess over judges for the women.

Chinese cheerleaders have a future in sporting events ... For the most part, there was way, way too much volleyball. Yet not enough of the cheerleaders who deserved a gold medal of their own (bringing the mighty total to 52!). The rainy final was interesting to say the least, and it wasn't because Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh exchanged high fives every two seconds.

Handball is an Olympic sport? Bring it on. ... Right. So we got the endless hours of beach volleyball, swimming, and even diving from NBC's masterminds. But where was handball on prime-time display? That and BMX were two of the underrated events that deserved more coverage. They involve blood, crashes, and as the legendary 'Razor Ramon' would say, "oozing machismo" ...

Tajikistan's Dzhakhon Kurbanov bites his opponent, citizens of Kazakhstan collectively scoff at him ... I definitely think this was Mike Tyson's vicarious revenge for not getting to represent US boxing in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Maybe he coached Kurbanov on the side? The harder part of watching the bizarre infraction and subsequent disqualification was seeing them try to announce that Kazakhstan's Yerkebulan Shynaliyev won the bout.

Kim Jong Su, a sport shooter, gets booted for doping. And even horses banned too! ... We learned that the Olympics are not safe from drugs, even in the most mind-boggling scenarios. Using propanolol to pick up medals in shooting? The only thing more pathetic than that is being a team jumping horse that was suspended for a banned pain reliever. And not just any pain reliever. We're talking about Capsaicin, a derivative of chili peppers. And not just one horse -- four horses.

And that's my Sweet 16 of Beijing. I'm going to slip into a sleep coma now and dream of being struck by a javelin from Franco. Feel free to share some Olympic memories of your own with me at ThomasHerrera07 [at] aol.com.

Odd Memories From Beijing

In a shocking attack, Cuba's taekwondo athlete Angel Valodia Matos kicked match referee Chakir Chelbat in the face, resulting in a ticket out of the Games and a lifetime ban by the World Taekwondo Foundation from all future competition. Click through for more of the strange and offbeat memories from the Beijing Olympics.

Matt Dunham, AP

Synchronized swimming isn't going to be taken seriously as a sport anytime soon. The Spanish synchronized swimming team was forbidden from wearing suits with lights on them, but found another way to get flashy with 'gangsta' artwork on their new suits.

Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images

Jamaican sprinters blazed up the track and drew some ire for their celebrations along the way. Shelly-Ann Fraser, pictured, rolled around with the flag, and Usain Bolt was criticized by IOC president Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of "respect" to other competitors.

Alexander Hassenstein, Bongarts / Getty Images

George Bush had a short stay in Beijing, but was responsible for a slew of wacky moments. From mingling with the women's beach volleyball team to getting pranked by the women's softball team, Bush was in enough snapshots to fill a 'Best Of' photo album.

Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters

When China's Liu Xiang retired from the first round of the men's 110-meter hurdles, an entire nation's dreams were crushed, and spectators shed tears in mourning of their track and field hope.

Getty Images (2)

Is Paraguay's Leryn Franco the most attractive Olympian in the world? She didn't win a medal in Beijing, but was in the spotlight long enough for many to take notice of her stunning beauty.

Thomas Kienzle, AP

Unhappy with the judges for assessing his penalty too late, Sweden's Ara Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal he won in men's Greco-Roman wrestling and left it in the center of the mat.

Vanda Biffani, AP

Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai only won a bronze medal in the men's taekwondo competition, but it was enough to make him a big celebrity in his home country. His reward for being the first Afghan to win an Olympic medal? A new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of Afghanistan's main cellphone network.

Matt Dunham, AP

Winning a silver medal in the canoe double 1,000-meter men's final was far from easy for Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille. After crashing into a buoy, Wylenzek fainted and had to be placed in the rescue boat.

Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP

Wylenzek wasn't the only one who fainted during competition though. Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi had to be carried out of the pool after she hyperventilated during the synchronized swimming team free routine final.

Martin Bureau, AFP / Getty Images

Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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87 Countries Win Olympic Medals, Most Ever

Michael David Smith — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:40:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing

This is boxing bronze medalist Bruno Julie, a bantamweight who became the first ever Olympic medalist for the island nation of Mauritius, population 1.3 million.

Mauritius was one of a handful of countries that won its first Olympic medal at the Beijing Games. With athletes from 87 nations receiving medals, an unprecedented number of countries earned a gold, silver or bronze. The previous high was 80 countries earning medals at the 2000 Olympics.

Whether the high number of nations winning medals is a sign that sports are becoming more globalized, or whether this just happened to be a year with a lot of good athletes from small countries, people like Bruno Julie make for the best stories during the Olympics, the athletes who will leave Beijing and return home to a hero's welcome. He deserves it.

87 Countries Win Olympic Medals, Most Ever originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sexual Innuendo Dropped From Led Zeppelin Song at Olympic Closing Ceremony

Michael David Smith — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:16:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing

The Beijing Games concluded with the closing ceremony today, and the Summer Olympic torch was passed off to London. A performance by Jimmy Page of the British band Led Zeppelin was part of that hand-off from Beijing to London, but it turns out that some folks think Zeppelin lyrics aren't appropriate for all ears.

Page and Leona Lewis performed a version of the Zeppelin classic "Whole Lotta Love" that had some of the lyrics changed and others excised so as not to offend. Lewis didn't want to sing the line, "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love" in the second verse, because she said she didn't think that particular "sexual innuendo" made sense from a female singer. So "inch" was changed to "bit."

And the third verse, which includes the line, "Shake for me, girl, I wanna be your backdoor man" was deemed inappropriate and was cut from the ceremony.

My question: If the song was considered inappropriate, why didn't they just pick another song, instead of saddling the closing ceremony with a bastardized version?

Controversies at Beijing Games

The Beijing Games' closing ceremony includes a performance of the classic Led Zeppelin song "Whole Lotta Love" by Jimmy Page and singer Leona Lewis. But the song wasn't quite the same because some of the "sexual innuendo" was pulled from the lyrics.

Gabriel Bouys, AFP / Getty Images

Ukrainian heptathlete Lyudmila Blonska was stripped of her Olympic silver medal after a positive doping test. Blonska, who is facing lifetime banishment from the Olympics, already served a three-year suspension for doping from 2003-05.

Stu Forster, Getty Images

Sweden's Ara Abrahamian was stripped of his bronze medal and booted from the Beijing Olympics after he protested the result of a disputed Greco-Roman wrestling match. Abrahamian berated officials and dropped his bronze on the ground during the medal ceremony because of a controversial penalty call in his match against eventual gold medalist Andrea Minguzzi of Italy.

Ed Wray, AP

Spain's men's basketball team caused a stir when a photograph of the team using their index fingers to slant their eyes surfaced in a publication in their native country. While some have denounced the photo as racist, several Spanish players have said it has been misinterpreted.

Seur / AP

The Chinese women's gymnastics team took home gold, but questions remain about the age of team members. According to Olympic regulations, gymnasts must turn 16 during the year of the Games to be eligible to compete. Though all of the team members are of age on their passports, local reports have speculated that several of the members are underage.

Al Bello, Getty Images

Michael Phelps' record-tying seventh gold medal of the Games didn't come without controversy. Phelps, top, edged Serbian Milorad Cavic by 1/100th of second in 100-meter butterfly, but it was impossible to distinguish who won the race on TV replays. Cavic protested the result, but was overruled by FINA, swimming's international governing body.

IOC BOB / AP

Even the Opening Ceremonies had their fair share of controversy. Following reports that some of the fireworks during the ceremony were digitally enhanced, it was revealed that 9-year-old Lin Miaoke, pictured, lip-synced "Ode to the Motherland" in place of 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was deemed not good-looking enough by Chinese officials.

Zhou Liang, Xinhua / AP

Concerned about pollution in Beijing, members of the U.S. cycling team arrived in the host city wearing masks that covered the mouth and nose. They later sent a written apology to the organizing committee.

Valery Hache, AFP / Getty Images

Olympic speed skating gold medalist Joey Cheek was at the center of controversy when China pulled his visa right before the Beijing Games. Cheek, the founder of Team Darfur, a philanthropic group devoted to raising awareness about the crisis there, has been critical of the host country's support of Sudan's ruling regime.

Susan Walsh, AP

Vietnamese gymnast Thi Ngan Thuong was also expelled from the Games after she tested positive for a banned substance.

Hoang Dinh, AFP / Getty Images

Sexual Innuendo Dropped From Led Zeppelin Song at Olympic Closing Ceremony originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Beijing Olympics Go Out With a Bang

Enrico Campitelli — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

After all, the Chinese did invent fireworks so you'd expect quite the pyrotechnic performance during closing ceremonies. From my vantage point about 50 yards away from the Bird's Nest, it didn't disappoint.

For those of you who've been following along with my Olympic adventures in Beijing, you may recall how the impenetrable security at the opening ceremonies thwarted any attempts I made to see some of the fireworks on 08/08/08. But after spending the past two and a half weeks in China, I learned a few key facts that helped me gain entrance to the Olympic Green for this evenings closing ceremonies. The most important of which is that I don't speak Chinese and they don't speak English so if you just act like you're supposed to be going through a certain security check point they seem cool with it.

So yes, tune in to NBC later this evening to watch the taped version of what I just saw in person. (I had to rub it in a little bit.)

My morning started by taking in my final event of my Olympic adventures in China, 7th place water polo! It was cool. The Aussies make for a fun time.

Then we decided to see if we could finagle our way on to the Olympic Green (which you need a ticket to an event actually on the Green to get into) in order to watch USA play for the gold in basketball on a big screen.

We flashed our used water polo tickets and cruised right in without a problem. We promptly ate our 437 meal of the trip at McDonald's and found the USA vs. Spain game on the big screen in front of Samsung's hospitality house.

The atmosphere was pretty fun with 90% of the crowd cheering for Spain to win yet still cheering on the U.S. when they made a sick play.

After killing a few hours after the U.S. clinched gold, we made our way towards the Bird's Nest. It was ridiculous how close you could get to the venue, literally about 30-50 feet with a view inside. We ended up sitting on a patch of beautiful grass about 50-75 yards back to get a better view of the fireworks.

We made some new Chinese friends and enjoyed an amazing spectacle of lights above two of the the most amazing venues ever built.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me but my iPhone took a half descent shot of my view.

I was close enough to hear Jimmy Page ripping through A Whole Lotta Love. Oh, and I saw Yao Ming. That guy is big.

Latest Olympic Pictures

BEIJING, CHINA-AUGUST 24: Chinese police watch the closing ceremony on a big scren at The Shuang Zone, sponsored by Coca Cola August 24, 2008 in Beijing. The Olympics games has ended in Beijing as London celebrates the way forward to 2012. Beijing is hoping that an Olympics fuelled sports frenzy among ordinary citizens will help fill the city's massively expanded competition venues after the Games. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

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Fireworks explode over the National Stadium during the closing ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo)

BEIJING - AUGUST 24: A Chinese policeman stands guard as fireworks explode over the National Stadium during the closing ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Chinese policemen stand guard outside the National Stadium during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: A Guard stands watch as fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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2008 Beijing Olympics Go Out With a Bang originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emotional McCutcheon Leads USA Men's Volleyball to Gold Medal

Sportz Assassin — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:42:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, USA

Yes, the Redeem Team won their gold medal ... but is there any American team in Beijing that we wanted to see win more than our men's volleyball team?

Hours after the opening ceremony, Todd Bachman, father-in-law of men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon, was attacked and murderer as he was sightseeing in Beijing. Bachman's wife was seriously injured in the attack. McCutcheon took nearly a week off to tend to his grieving family.

He came back and led his team to a perfect record and a victory over Brazil for the gold medal.

McCutcheon hugged his assistants after the final point. Then he buried his head into his hands and quietly walked off the court. He did not return for a long while, and when he did, he embraced veteran Lloy Ball.

McCutcheon raised his hands in victory at the medal ceremony.

"I'm sure he was overwhelmed by everything, not only what happened on the volleyball court," U.S. libero Richard Lambourne said. "It's just something he poured his heart and soul into for the last four years."

"But certainly with the tragedy that befell his family at the beginning of these games, I'm so happy he was able to be here and experience this with us," he added. "Because he's a huge, if not the biggest, part of our team."

McCutcheon has said that he would pour himself into the team ... but once the Olympics were over, he'd tend to his family. His wife was a former Olympic volleyball player and her father was a coach so volleyball is an important part of their lives.

Our prayers continue to be with the Bachman/McCutcheon families as well as our congratulations for a difficult, yet fulfilling tournament.

Emotional McCutcheon Leads USA Men's Volleyball to Gold Medal originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Bosh: Beijing Correspondent, Part VII

Mike King — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:29:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, USA

Team USA came to Beijing with one thing in mind: reclaim the gold medal. So, on the eve of the final against Spain, U.S. star Chris Bosh checks in from the streets of Beijing with a prediction that leaves no doubt about where he will be standing on the medal podium.

Latest Chris Bosh Photos

Argentina's Luis Alberto Scola (C) vies with USA's LeBron James (L) and USA's Chris Bosh (R) during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The US won 101-81. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

USA's Chris Bosh goes for a dunk during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The US won 101-81. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

USA's Chris Bosh jumps during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The US won 101-81. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

USA's Chris Bosh (L) and USA's Michael Redd celebrate at the end of the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The US won 101-81. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Argentina's Carlos Delfino (C) vies with USA's Deron Williams (L) and USA's Chris Bosh (R) during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The US won 101-81. AFP PHOTO / ANTONIO SCORZA (Photo credit should read ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

(L to R) USA's Dwyane Wade, USA's Chris Bosh and USA's Carmelo Anthony are pictured during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Argentina's Luis Alberto Scola (L) vies with USA's Chris Bosh during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Argentina's Fabricio Oberto (L) vies with USA's Chris Bosh during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Argentina's Carlos Delfino (L) tries to block USA's Chris Bosh during the men's semi-final basketball match Argentina against The US of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. AFP PHOTO / ANTONIO SCORZA (Photo credit should read ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

BEIJING - AUGUST 22: Luis Scola #4 of Argentina attempts a shot against Chris Bosh #12 of the United States during a men's semifinal baketball game at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Luis Scola;Chris Bosh

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Chris Bosh: Beijing Correspondent, Part VII originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As the Olympic Games Near End, Athletes Are Getting Busy

JJ Cooper — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

The life of an Olympic athlete isn't easy. You train for years to compete in an event that often lasts less than a minute. For four years you work out for hours a day to put yourself in position to do your best.

Many athletes will avoid junk food, alcohol and anything else that will stand between them and a chance at an Olympics medal. They'll go through workouts that leave them rubbery-legged and completely gassed in their quest for the gold.

And once their events are over, a whole lot of them are letting off lots of steam. They rush to McDonalds for their first taste of junk food in quite a while. They grab some booze, and as Matt Syed, a British Olympian in table tennis in 1992, explains, they look to hook up with anyone, and everyone, before leaving the Games.

Syed explains the rolling orgy that is the Olympics village in a story in the London Times. As he spells out, there's a whole lot of testosterone flowing for both the men and women competitors, and now that four years of training are finally over, a whole lot of athletes are getting laid.

I spoke to an Aussie table tennis player this week to check out the village vibe and he launched into the breathless patter common to any Olympic debutant: "It is unbelievable in there; everyone is totally crazy once they are out of their competitions. God knows what it is going to be like this weekend. It is like a world within a world." A British runner (anonymous again: athletes are not supposed to talk to journalists unaccompanied by a PR type, least of all about sex) said: "The swimmers finished earlier in the week and it was like there was an eruption."

Apparently, men who win gold are in demand, whether they've got the look of a Greek god or a geek, but Syed says it doesn't work the same way for women--a gold medalist might not get as lucky as a last-place finisher who looks like a model:

The chaps who win gold medals - even those as geeky as Michael Phelps - are the principal objects of desire for many female athletes . . . But - and this is the thing - success does not work both ways. Gold-medal winning female athletes are not looked upon by male athletes with any more desire than those who flunked out in the first round. It is sometimes even considered a defect, as if there is something downright unfeminine about all that striving, fist pumping and incontinent sweating.

You can debate the morality of all the hooking up if you want, but what the Olympic organizers have discovered is you just have to accept it. The British Olympic committee tried to ban outdoor sex after the top of the terrace of the Brits' housing in Seoul was carpeted in used condoms. It didn't work, so now they focus on just making sure that everyone has plenty of the free condoms that are handed out throughout the athlete's village.

So while you may be unhappy that there is no more swimming to watch on NBC, a lot of athletes have another reason to be bummed that the Olympics are coming to a close.

As the Olympic Games Near End, Athletes Are Getting Busy originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Most Exciting Olympic Event to Watch in Person: Beach Volleyball

Enrico Campitelli — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:34:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

Americans Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won themselves a gold medal on Friday by beating Brazil on the hot sand in Beijing. If you ever get the chance to attend a summer Olympics event in person, beach volleyball is the way to go.

Having seen a riveting performance of rhythmic gymnastics a day earlier, the gold medal match of men's beach volleyball was absolutely the most exciting event I've attended at the 2008 Olympics thus far. Not only is there high flying spikes, slams, blocks, and digs, but there is cheesy rock and roll in between plays.

Oh, and cheerleaders in bikinis.
The U.S. duo started out slow and found themselves down a few points early in the first but battled back to win the first set after three or four set points. The drama was intense and the venue had a nice split of American and Brazilian supporters with the U.S. having a slight edge in rowdiness.

Brazil fought back to win the second set and push the chance to take home gold to a third and final set.

Phil Dalhausser came out blazing in the third and there was never really much doubt that this was the United States' day at the beach.

"Obviously, Phil wanted this medal pretty dang bad. He was just ridiculous out there," Rogers said. "When he gets on a roll, I just pull out my pompons and give a little cheer and keep smiling and clapping. That's what good blockers do: When they get on a roll, good luck to you."

"I got in a zone, I guess," Dalhausser said. "I blocked it all out. It's just one of those things where you see everything perfectly and it all seems to be in slow motion."

With events like rhythmic gymnastics, shooting, or even athletics, beach volleyball stands out as a well produced, exciting atmosphere where the crowd can really get loud and into the match. Having gotten the chance to watch USA basketball destroy Germany, I'd take this exciting beach volleyball gold medal match over the Redeem Team.

Olympic Moment:
After the medal ceremony, Todd Rogers jumped into the stands to find what looked to be his parents and/or grandparents. It was pretty awesome seeing the emotion beam from all of their faces.

Many Americans, like myself, can be pretty cynical when it comes to cheering on our nation, but when you find yourself watching two guys like Rogers and Dalhausser trying to bring home the gold, I bet you'd be wishing you were sporting some Team USA gear to show your support. I know I was.

The Most Exciting Olympic Event to Watch in Person: Beach Volleyball originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOC Again Says There Is No Proof That Chinese Gymnasts Were Underage

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:09:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

Despite asking the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate allegations that Chinese gymnasts are underage, the IOC says there in no proof that there was cheating and that the issue will be put to rest:

The IOC asked the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate "what have been a number of questions and apparent discrepancies," spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. The FIG has said repeatedly that a passport is the "accepted proof of a gymnast's eligibility," and that China's gymnasts have presented ones that show they are age eligible. The IOC also checked the girls' passports and deemed them valid before the games began.

Lu said the Chinese gave the FIG documents Thursday evening that included the current and former passport, ID card and family residence permit for double gold medalist He Kexin. Lu said the documents all say she was born in 1992, which makes her eligible to compete. Gymnasts must turn 16 at some point during the Olympic year in order to be eligible.

"We believe the matter will be put to rest and there's no question ... on the eligibility," Davies said. "The information we have received seems satisfactory in terms of the correct documentation -- including birth certificates."

The FIG is preparing their own statement.

All of this was kicked up again when a computer analyst dug up some data on the internets that said multi-gold medalist He Kexin was born in 1994 ... making her two years younger than the minimum age. This came after the AP discovered that He and teammate Yang Yilin were too young to compete (the AP even found documentation that Yang's birthdate had been changed to make her older).

China's gymnastics coach Lu Shanzhen shoots all this down with the common you can't believe everything you read on the internet defense. Lu also went on to use a South Park-esque trick ... we're sooooo small:

"If you trust every Web site but not a government ... There are so many Web sites, so much hearsay," Lu said. "These are not official. It is possible that all news on the Internet is accurate?"

China's team did look noticeably younger than the Americans, who finished with the silver medal in the team competition. The Americans, though, had two 20-year-olds on their team, and all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin turns 19 this fall.

"At this competition, the Japanese gymnasts were just as small as the Chinese," the coach said. "Chinese competitors have for years all been small. It is not just this time. It is a question of race. European and American athletes are all powerful, very robust. But Chinese athletes cannot be like that. They are by nature that small."

Did you expect any different from an IOC who has been bowing down to China ever since they awarded the games to Beijing nearly a decade ago?

IOC Again Says There Is No Proof That Chinese Gymnasts Were Underage originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USA Beats Russia In Wild Men's Volleyball Match; Head to Gold Medal Game

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:02:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, USA

The United States men's volleyball team remained undefeated by beating Russia in a wild semifinal game. They will play the winner of Brazil-Italy for the gold medal.

Team USA were the aggressors early on and exploded to an quick two-sets-to-none lead. In an outstanding third set, the US fought off four Russian set points before finally succumbing, 27-25.

After losing composure and losing the fourth set, coach Hugh McCutcheon called timeouts to calm his team down. The US went on to win the final set, 15-11.

Remember that McCutcheon's father-in-law, Todd Bachman, was attacked and murdered nearly two weeks ago while he was sightseeing in Beijing. The team has been playing in honor of Mr. Bachman and the McCutcheon family.

Hugh McCutcheon just can't grasp it all:

"I'm really trying to just compartmentalize what's been going on personally," he said after Friday's match.

"It's hard - you almost have to mentally prepare to come into the gym," he added. "One of the reasons I'm here is because I know so many more lives are invested in this than just my own. ... I wouldn't be here if I wasn't ready to give it everything I got and be in the right frame of mind."

As soon as the tournament ends, however, McCutcheon made clear his focus would shift immediately away from volleyball.

"This is wonderful for our team, for the guys - it's a fantastic achievement and I'll embrace it and enjoy it," he said. "But as soon as we're done I've got to get to where I'm needed, which is with my family."

The Americans will be looking for their first gold medal since 1988.

UPDATE: Brazil beat Italy and will take on Team USA on Sunday.

USA Beats Russia In Wild Men's Volleyball Match; Head to Gold Medal Game originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China 'Ethnic Children' During Opening Ceremonies Were Fakes, Too

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

No, they were really there and, yes, they were really children. However, what was intended wasn't what was real.

During the opening ceremonies, there were 56 kids who carried the Chinese flag with soldiers. It was a poignant moment meant to show all 56 of China's ethnic groups working as one for the nation. The children were dressed in the costumes of these groups and was a very sweet moment of the opening ceremony.

Well, except that all of the children were part of China's ethnic majority ... the Han Chinese. The Han make up about 90% of the population and dominate the country and none of the other 55 other groups were represented by their own people:

"I assume they think the kids were very natural looking and nice," Yuan Zhifeng, deputy director of the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe said.

The official guide to the opening ceremony said that the children did not just represent but "came from" China's ethnic groups. "Fifty-six children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," it said.

This point was put to Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the Beijing organising committee at a press conference today. "I think you are being very meticulous," he said. He said it was "traditional" to use dancers from other ethnic groups in this way. "I would argue it is normal for dancers, performers, to be dressed in other races' clothes," he said. "I don't know exactly where these performers are from."

C'mon, Wang! If you are going to have a moment where you show your solidarity as a people by telling people you have a child from each of your 56 ethnic groups carrying the flag ... then you can't just dress up other kids and say that they represent those people. I mean, will the 2012 games have a few kids from London dressed up like they are Scottish, Irish or Welsh?

China 'Ethnic Children' During Opening Ceremonies Were Fakes, Too originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOC Prez Doesn't Like Usain Bolt's Celebrations, Either

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:17:00 EST

Filed under: Americas, Beijing

Okay, the hot button quizable has gone from "is Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever" to "what do you think about Usain Bolt's celebrations".

IOC president ~~Jock Rock~~ Jacques Rogge has an answer to the latter question:

"That's not the way we perceive being a champion,'' Rogge said.

"I have no problem with him doing a show. I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 meters.''

Bolt was so far ahead in the 100 meters that he began celebrating meters before he crossed the finish line, showing up his rivals.

"I understand the joy,'' Rogge said. "He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was, 'Catch me if you can.' You can't do that. But he'll learn. He's still a young man."

Actually, he can do that. That's part of being the World's Fastest Man. I know that we American's like showboating (even if we publically say we don't) and all stuff we like is bad, but that doesn't it make it forbidden for anyone to do it.

Oh, and why are you worried about it? Shouldn't you be looking into underage girls winning medals? Cheating is more disrespectful that a man playing within the rules enjoying his amazing win.

IOC Prez Doesn't Like Usain Bolt's Celebrations, Either originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former Yugoslavia Republics Playing Water Polo Games Outside the Pool

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:36:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, Europe, USA

The United States will play Serbia in the semifinals of men's water polo. While the American men have had a nice ride to this point, the Serbs have had quite a journey as well.

See, Serbia was part of one of the world's best water polo teams in Athens. Serbia and Montenegro were one nation then ... and they finished with the silver medal. In 2006, Montenegro declared their independence and split up the talent among two countries.

Three countries who were part of the former Yugoslavia are in the water polo field. Montenegro was in Group A ... while both Serbia and Croatia (the top ranked team in the world) were in Group B. Croatia and Serbia have had a bit of gamesmanship during preliminary play that has effected Montenegro.

In group A, Montenegro struggled to a surprising third place finish. Hungary, the defending gold medalists, finished atop the group standings.

Over in Group B, Croatia beat Serbia 11-8 ... giving them the tiebreaker. However, a surprising loss to the United States (whose only loss was to -- you guessed it -- Serbia) meant Croatia couldn't win the group title. That would mean that Croatia could finish second and have to face Montenegro in the first round of the medal tournament ... with Hungary awaiting the winner.

Seeing this, Serbia surprisingly were upset by a suspect Italy team 13-12. That meant Serbia avoided that draw ... and would face Spain with the United States facing the winner.

Croatia lost to Montenegro in the opening round of medal play, 7-6, and have now cried foul. They think that Serbia (who trounced Spain, 9-5) threw the match against Italy in order to get a better playoff draw. Serbian players say otherwise:

"No, no, no. We didn't do that," said Serbian center forward Dusko Pijetlovic, who led his team with four goals. "We went into the match against Italy relaxed about winning or losing. That's why we lose."

This isn't something new in the Olympics. Many people felt that Spain didn't bring their best effort against the Redeem Team in men's basketball because they wanted to avoid Argentina in the second round of the medal tournament. There is nothing wrong with trying to get the best draw you can because, ultimately, winning a gold medal is more important than winning all your group games.

Former Yugoslavia Republics Playing Water Polo Games Outside the Pool originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USA Women's Volleyball Team Stun Cuba in Straight Sets; Enters Gold Medal Match

Sportz Assassin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:40:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, USA

The USA women's volleyball team stunned Cuba in straight sets, setting up their first gold medal match since 1984.

In the preliminary round, Cuba swept USA in three sets ... marking the only loss by the Americans. In the rematch, it wasn't even close (25-10, 25-25-16, 15-17) as USA took advantage of Cuba's mistakes and added their own great net play.

Cuba is ranked No. 3 in the world rankings and were undefeated in Beijing until today. The Cubans had lost only three sets total in these Olympics before today's sweep.

They will play the winner of the Brazil-China game coming up later today. Brazil is the world's top-ranked team and has yet to lose a set in these Olympic Games. USA beat China in preliminary play ... in what was one of the closest matches in Beijing. The Americans won in five sets; all of which were close.

Italy, the United States' victims in the first round, were ranked No. 2, meaning they could have to topple the world's top three teams to win the gold.

USA Women's Volleyball Team Stun Cuba in Straight Sets; Enters Gold Medal Match originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kerri Walsh, Misty May-Treanor Win Gold in Rain Soaked Beach Volleyball

Sportz Assassin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:52:00 EST

Filed under: Americas, Beijing, USA

There isn't much wonder why women's beach volleyball has taken off as an Olympic sport.

As a sport itself, it is the ultimate teamwork event where two women work together as one for a common goal. It can be graceful and powerful with outstanding athleticism on display. Oh, and it also has women in bikinis diving around on sand and smacking each other's bottoms after good plays.

All the male fantasy needs is some water to come falling from the sky ... which happened in the gold medal match in Beijing today.

Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor fought through the rain and defended their Olympic gold. They defeated the Chinese team of Wang Jie and Tian Jian 21-18, 21-18.

Walsh and May-Treanor have won 108 straight matches and two Olympic gold medals. Just like in Athens four years ago, they didn't lose a set in these games, no matter what the weather.

Kerri Walsh, Misty May-Treanor Win Gold in Rain Soaked Beach Volleyball originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Havertown, Pennsylvania Produces Winners (And Me!)

Enrico Campitelli — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

I'm in Beijing, China. Not sure exactly how far it is from Havertown, Pennsylvania -- the town I grew up in -- but it's safe to say it's a few thousand miles away from the comfort of a WaWa Shortie Italian. Knowing that fact, I wonder what the chances were that I'd run into not one, but two people from Havertown while in Beijing on the same night.

And both of them just happened to be sporting Olympic Medals they won earlier that day.
I was invited to be a guest at Anheuser Busch's Club Bud in Beijing on Sunday night to enjoy a night of icey American Lager's (free! and delicious!) and gold medal gawking.

The first notable to strut down the red carpet was Carl Lewis who I once stood behind in a security line in Paris' Charles De Gaulle Airport. Random.

After Lewis, the random athletes from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. started to arrive with their hardware hanging from their necks. There was nothing particularly interesting about any of these athletes besides the fact that they're the best in the world at their sporting discipline of choice.

Then Havertown's own Brendan Hansen strutted in with fellow U.S. swimmer Cullen Jones. Before coming to the games I knew of Hansen, a Haverford High School product, and had hoped to bump into him while in Beijing. Brendan was part of the relay team that helped Micheal Phelps win his eighth gold medal in Beijing. After introducing myself and telling him of my Havertownian roots, we chatted briefly, but I let him enjoy his celebration.

It's not until I used the bathroom that things got funny.

Random Dude peeing next to me to short, tiny white dude sporting U.S.A. gear: "So what sport do you play."

Short White Dude: "Rowing."

Me, while peeing, thinking I'm funny: "You must be a coxswain."

Short White Dude: "How do you even know what a coxswain is?" (Little known fact about me: I was a rower for one year in high school. It sucked.)

Me: "So where are you from"

Him: "Philadelphia."

Me: "No way, me too. Where'd you go to high school?"

Him: "Bonner."

Me: "No way. So do you know Eggy, Tugger, Spross, Brady, etc?"

Him: "Are you [expletive] with me?"

Then he whips out a medal from underneath his Team U.S.A. Polo shirt and says something to the effect of "Dude, I'm from Havertown and I've won a medal at the Olympics in Beijing!" Pretty awesome.

As it turns out, his name is Marcus McElhenney (pictured above) and he was the coxswain on the boat that won bronze on Sunday. He is also friends with tons of kids I know from growing up.

You can take the boy out of Delco but you can never take the Delco out of the boy. Even in China.

I was once again hanging out with the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, who was actually working, and he's got some video of the amazing belt Cullen Jones was sporting last night.

Havertown, Pennsylvania Produces Winners (And Me!) originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China's Legendary Liu Xiang Withdraws From Olympics After False Start

Sportz Assassin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:53:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Beijing

This video is from the 2004 Athens Games (click link). In the 110-meter hurdles, China's Liu Xiang won the country's first ever Olympic track-and-field gold medal.

Liu is a legend in China of Yao Ming-like proportions. The entire country was buzzing about Liu defending his medal in the Beijing Games. However, he's been dealing with an Achilles injury that forced him to withdraw from a race in New York City this past spring.

The injury reared its ugly head again, as Liu dramatically withdrew from the 110-meter hurdles event in Beijing.

Smarting from the injury, Liu decided to give it a try ... but when a false start saw Liu come up completely lame, Liu took off his number and walked off the track. He went into the stadium tunnel and received treatment.

Needless to say, this is a sad day for the Chinese:

Instead, he sat against a wall alone, that smiling face that adorns so many advertising billboards now sullen. At that moment, some members of the Chinese media watching the scene unfold on a TV under the stands began to cry while thousands of his disappointed countrymen were heading for the exits.

"I feel very sad for Liu Xiang," said 67-year-old retiree Liu Guixiang. "After Liu Xiang's injury, I won't bother coming back to the Bird's Nest for more."

China's Legendary Liu Xiang Withdraws From Olympics After False Start originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Empty Seats Continue to Plague Olympics

Michael David Smith — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing

Beijing is a metropolitan area of more than 17 million people, so why on earth can't they fill the stadiums that are hosting Olympic events? This video explores the way empty seats have continued to plague the Olympic Games:

We noted previously that corporate sponsors weren't using their tickets, and now China is recruiting volunteers to sit in seats -- even if the volunteers aren't fans of the sport being played -- simply so it won't look like a small-time event on television. When it came to distributing tickets, the Beijing organizers dropped the ball.

Empty Seats Continue to Plague Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympic Basketball Quarterfinals Almost Set

Tom Ziller — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:38:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing

The line-up for the quarterfinals of Beijing's Olympic men's basketball tournament is just about set, with only a couple Monday games having any impact on the slate. (As such, no Golden Ticket tonight.) Here's what we'll have, beginning Wednesday when things turn to single elimination.

United States vs Australia or Croatia. On Monday, Croatia faces winless Iran, while Australia takes on undefeated Lithuania. To avoid Team USA, the Aussies need to win (unlikely) and watch Croatia lose (even more unlikely). This should be United States vs Australia, which happens to be the team that gave the Americans most trouble in the exhibition schedule.

Lithuania vs loser of China/Greece. China and Greece play early Monday morning. The loser draws Lithuania in the quarters.

Argentina vs winner of China/Greece. Big prize for the winner of the China/Greece tilt: you get to face defending Olympic champ Argentina!

Spain vs Croatia or Australia. This would look to be Croatia, who figures to be quite a test for the unspectacular Spanish defense. Of all the quarterfinal matches, this might have the best chance for a spectacular upset.

In the semifinals, the winner of the U.S. game will meet the winner of the Argentina game, as the Lithuania winner will draw the Spain winner. If you believe in chalk, we're set up for a potential U.S./Lithuania final in which Sarunas Jasikevicius could exact revenge for the tyranny of NBA coaching and Linas Kleiza could vanquish Carmelo Anthony in order to get more minutes in Denver. Or, it could U.S./Argentina, in which LeBron could pay Manu back for the embarrassment of the Finals sweep.

Olympic Basketball Quarterfinals Almost Set originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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