Olympics FanHouse

Carl Lewis + NWA = YouTube Gold!

Sportz Assassin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:29:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, International Olympics, International Track and Field, Americas, USA

The video below contains mature language and is definitely not safe for work.

Throughout my blogging career, I've been enamored ... no, in awe ... of Carl Lewis' "Break It Up" video. To me, there is nothing funnier that when someone tries to be serious and go outside his/her boundaries and completely make an ass of themselves. Please, go here to see the real version of the video.

Above is why YouTube is so great. Someone took the already hilarious video and mixed in Ice Cube's opening verse on NWA's "Straight Outta Compton".

This video has been in my cap for quite a while ... but far be it from me to not share.

Carl Lewis + NWA = YouTube Gold! originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China's "Bird's Nest" Now Complete and Ready for Summer Games

Enrico Campitelli — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, International Olympics, International Track and Field, Beijing, China

With the opening ceremonies to this summer's Olympics just about 40 days away, Chinese officials have declared their National Stadium complete and fully operational. The impressive structure which holds 91,000 fans will play host to both the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events.

The National Stadium is nicknamed the "Bird's Nest" for its resemblance to the twigs a bird piles together to form their nests. Ground was broken on the structure in December of 2003. There was a competition to select the design of the structure and the design you see today was done by Swiss firm Herzog and de Meuron and Chinese architect Li Xinggang.

China has just recently allowed the media inside the venue and BBC News has a great video giving fans an idea of what to expect.

I'll have the amazing opportunity to check out the Bird's Nest in person during a track and field event in August when I'll be traveling to China for the games. So keep your eyes peeled for reports from the scene.

Another picture of the stadium's impressive lighting at night below.

China's "Bird's Nest" Now Complete and Ready for Summer Games originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Would Like You to Forget What They Said in 2001

Johnny — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:44:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics, Beijing, China

In 2001, China was awarded the 2008 Olympics partly because they promised to give the media free reign to cover the Olympics. But now that the games are drawing closer China is kind of not cool with the whole censorship free thing.

Like most sports, you never know what the big story is going to be in the Olympics. Whether it be a surprise upset no one was expecting, or something beyond our worst nightmares, the coverage is dictated by the stories. While NBC can probably afford to have a full crew at every venue, I'm not so sure the rest of the world can. But even NBC will most likely want to do some shifting as the stories unfold. China, however, is making that pretty hard.

TV executives appear skeptical they will be able to deliver the kind of coverage they have in past games. Some say Chinese officials are requiring that forms be filled out specifying where satellite trucks will be each day of the games. The IOC says about 2,000 TV trucks usually go in and out of Olympic venues every day during the games.

These kind of restrictions could make it very difficult for TV crews to move quickly around the sprawling city to cover breaking news. Broadcasters also have been denied permits to record aerial views of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

As much as it is a story, Tibet is not a story once the Olympics start. At least not pertaining to the events. Even if I don't like it, I can understand that Olympic coverage should be about the Olympics once it starts. So I can go along with Tibet being off limits. But any live coverage from Tiananmen Square or the the Forbidden City might be nixed. Those are two of the most iconic places in China. And if China, as a country, has a mood to capture, that is where you want to be. But the possibility of protests has the Chinese worried.

Several TV executives were upset there might be no live coverage from Tiananmen Square. This is a change from two months ago when IOC officials in Beijing said China had agreed to allow live coverage. Broadcasters also have been told there's unlikely to be live coverage from the Forbidden City. Chinese police fear both might be venues for activists' protests, which would be a public relations disaster if demonstrations - and police crackdowns - are beamed around the world.

But if it is something that effects the Olympics, something within the city, then I think it needs to be covered. While I don't think anyone believes the problems as they exist now are not fixable, the time before the Olympics start is shrinking fast. The networks need to make plans according to what they will be allowed to do and where they can go. And China seems to be trending farther away from what they promised as the games get closer. If that was the plan all along, it was very clever. But it will probably also cost them much more than whatever they try to hide.

(ht:Deadspin)

China Would Like You to Forget What They Said in 2001 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympic Tie-In Gone Bad: 'The Lost Ring'

Mark Hasty — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics, Video Games, Beijing, USA

WANTED: One black-belt level computer geek to help decipher McDonald's Olympic tie-in promotion. Knowledge of mythology, numerology, and Esperanto essential. Single-minded obsessive streak ~~helpful~~ ~~but~~ ~~not~~ necessary. Must be willing to not relocate until start of Olympic Games in September. Send resume/c.v./documentation of non-existent social entanglements c/o this author.

I'd love to tell you I'm kidding, but I'm not. After several attempts to understand The Lost Ring, the aforementioned McD's promotional video game, I feel like somebody's been beating me on the head with a small pillow for the better part of an afternoon.

The Lost Ring is an "alternate reality game," which means it's an impossibly complicated contest designed for people who actually wish they were stranded on the island from "Lost," running from the Others and the Dharma Initiative. Except this time, instead of plane crash survivors, the characters are (so far as I can tell) ancient Olympic athletes who found themselves blinked into the middle of cornfields dressed in modern athletic gear, with cryptic tattoos on their forearms.

Of course the tattoos are in Esperanto. What were you expecting? And, since mysterious numbers are so important on "Lost," they're a big part of The Lost Ring, too. But this is more than just a "Lost" ripoff, right?

Right. It also rips off "The Amazing Race" and those lonelygirl15 videos from YouTube, with a good dose of mythology, plate tectonics, and of course "parallel multiverses" thrown in as a bonus.

The six main characters in The Lost Ring come from all over the globe, each with some combination of blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, and Flickr accounts to establish their 21st-century bona fides. You're not supposed to be able to figure out that they're all ancient Greek athletes, but it's pretty obvious, since they all have amnesia and memory of a single Greek word from some sort of vision.

The point of the game is ... actually, I haven't the foggiest idea what the point of the game is. It's one of those annoying postmodern things where they try to convince you the tasks they're involving you in are simple because they can be summed up in two or three words. They only seem simple, though, because no one will give you the information you need to solve the puzzles. This might seem like great fun if you're a student. If you've ever logged any time in a cubicle, the experience is simply redundant.

The Plot: There's this lost Olympic sport, and some sort of secret surrounding the Olympic Rings. I think. I didn't take the time to the read the Codex of the Lost Ring because after grad school, I vowed never to read anything called a "codex" again. It's also got something to do with labyrinths, which in the game are terrifying traps, but in real life are simply twisty walkways in which it is not possible to make a wrong decision about which way to go.

Somehow the destiny of these six characters is to meet someplace (if that someplace isn't Beijing or Athens, I'll eat a Chicken McNugget) and take part in this ancient lost sport. After watching some of the characters' videos and reading large portions of the wiki associated with the game (Ooh! How very Web 2.0!) I found myself hoping that this lost sport involves them trying to catch javelins. Unfortunately, it involves running blindfolded through a labyrinth which, like Soylent Green, is made of people.

The Game: To be fair, The Lost Ring is very beautifully done. I don't know if McDonald's spent a lot of money on it, but it sure looks like someone did. And they did a masterful job of making sure that the game is so complex that no one could possibly solve it on their own, thus ensuring that a virtual community would have to spring up. All of these people from all over the world will be visiting McDonald's-branded websites every day. (The McD's logos are not obvious, but they're there.) From a marketing point of view, they didn't miss a thing.

In the long run, though, there's nothing here for a sports fan, and the connection to the Olympics (both ancient and modern) is iffy. There wasn't a blindfolded labyrinth run in the ancient Olympiad, and even if there had been, the three female characters wouldn't have been allowed to take part in it, unless they were Spartans.

Call me when you bring back the Monopoly game, Ronald.

Olympic Tie-In Gone Bad: 'The Lost Ring' originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Post-Earthquake, How to Protest China?

PostmanE — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics, Beijing, China, Asia

One of the more interesting dynamics (or exhausting rituals, depending on your perspective) surrounding this summer's Olympics in China is the near-constant songs of protest surrounding China's human-rights policies. Thrust onto the prominence of the Olympics' international stage, China suddenly faced criticism over its policies in Tibet, its approach to Darfur, and its sometimes-tyrannical approach to internal critics.

Then, you know, a devastating freaking earthquake happened, and as many as 50,000 of China's citizens were killed. Thousands more are injured. Even more are displaced. As the Wall Street Journal notes today, it's pretty tough to imagine criticizing China now:

"The tone of advocacy has to change because of the earthquake," says Jill Savitt, director of Dream for Darfur campaign, which has been protesting China's support of the Sudanese government. "It would really be unwise and unstrategic to continue to pound on China and not to realize that there have been hundreds of thousands of people who have been killed and wounded. It would be foolhardy."

When Liu Guijin, special representative on African Affairs of the Chinese Government and China's point person on Darfur, visited the U.S. last week to press his government's case, activists intentionally demurred from overt public protests, according to Ms. Savitt. "There could have easily been demonstrations in front of those buildings," she says, adding that demonstrations were not "even a thought, no one even suggested it."

Of course that approach makes sense -- anytime a natural disaster wreaks this sort of havoc, it's only appropriate to to shelve political concerns and show solidarity for those in need. The problem is not with the ceasing of protest. The problem is when to resume it:

"The question becomes, Are we all pulling our punches?" says Ms. Richardson. With such a large natural disaster, and one where the government appears to be earnestly trying to help its people, she says, "one certainly stands down for a bit in part out of sympathy and respect and tact," but also because strategically it may be difficult to draw attention to human-rights abuses when everyone is focused on humanitarian relief.

The story goes on to detail how French President Nicholas Sarkozy -- who recently said he wouldn't attend Beijing 2008's Opening Ceremonies -- has handled this problem: by clearly separating solidarity for China's citizens and criticism for China's policies as two distinct things. The cynic in me finds it incredibly difficult to believe the average protester, American or no, is going to be able to safely draw the same distinction. A rare political star turn for protesters of China's policies might vanish before it even begins.

Post-Earthquake, How to Protest China? originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 20 May 2008 17:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Victor Conte Wants To Fix What He Broke

Johnny — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:09:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, International Olympics

There's nothing quite as annoying as a reformed smoker. They always walk up to you while you're having that one cigarette you set aside in the day for me time. Telling you how to fix your life by quitting. I'm sure it's true, but there's a time and a place for that kind of talk. And this isn't it.

Oddly enough, the International Olympic Committee might be having these same exact feelings following reformed steroid peddler, Victor Conte's latest interview.

"The Olympics are a fraud. It's all about money," Conte told BBC Sport. "Those who control the money, control the anti-doping policies. They are still inept to this day."

Yup, this is the same guy that served jail time for conspiracy to distribute and money laundering. And to be honest, he sounds a lot like Jose Canseco if you watch the video portion of the interview. I'm not knocking the guy. If he's out to clean up drug testing in sports, I'm all for it.

He did meet with former Anti-doping Agency head,....wait for it....Dick Pound. And gave pointers on how his operation worked. And he isn't afraid to call out Olympic officials in general.

"I have been told by Olympic officials that there have been positive drug tests that have been covered up," he revealed. "They (the officials) have direct knowledge of this and at some point this information will come out

I hope, unlike Jose Canseco, he doesn't start dropping names (oops!). It's enough that he inform officials about how to get around their testing practices. Even if he is exaggerating just a little, Conte doesn't paint a pretty picture of the competence of drug testing in Olympic and professional sports. And given recent events in baseball, it's not hard to believe. It will be interesting to see a response from the IOC or any professional sports. Or if any respond at all. I would like to know the sports I follow are clean. Even if that meant a reduction in performance. And if you see me off smoking a cigarette by myself, how's bout you give me a few minutes peace.

Victor Conte Wants To Fix What He Broke originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 06 May 2008 19:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Torch Really Headed to Tibet, Twice

Irishoutsider — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

In an interesting logistic choice, the torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Games will head through controversial Tibet not once, but twice, during its trip to the opening ceremonies in August. China, currently engaged in a constant struggle with the Dalai Lama and his non-violence, has OK-ed the torch to pass through Tibet on its around the world journey, and likely create a lightning rod for protest as it traverses the Himalayan countryside. A second torch will be lit from the flame and set to climb Mount Everest in order to ... well ... just because we suppose. Way to use Tibet for PR when it suits you, China.

(HT: The Guardian)

Torch Really Headed to Tibet, Twice originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China to Execute Smog for Olympics

Irishoutsider — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:16:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, International Olympics, Beijing

This is likely a last-ditch solution, but we think it may have to come to that for the nice industrialists in Beijing. MSNBC is reporting that the city's air pollution is causing a number of athletes, especially marathon runners, to withdraw from events. With the games 5 months away, months not years, we're scratching our heads as to how the People's Republic plan on scrubbing away their smog. However, they have some big plans that only centralized government could pull off:

The measures include requiring Beijing and Tianjin cities and Hebei province to temporarily suspend emissions from some of their most heavily polluting plants, which include cement, steel and coke [sic] factories.

The provinces of Shanxi and Shandong, along with the huge Inner Mongolia region, will also be required to restrict their coal-fired emissions, Zhang said.

Zhang said he expects that "by June, we will complete all tasks necessary" to ensure the city will have the required clear air.

We've wasted more of our lives playing Sim City than we'd like to admit, but we do know that pollution is one bad mother. For Beijing, we'd build one of those super sweet fusion plants and hope for the best.

China to Execute Smog for Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOC Grounding Womens' Ski Jumping

Irishoutsider — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:49:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, International Olympics, Americas

We've had our fair share of complaints with the IOC over our brief history at Das FanHaus, but this is quite possibly the most illogical argument we've ever seen. Women's ski jumping is being blocked from joining the 2010 games in Vancouver. The sport fits every one of the IOC's criteria for qualification, with competition on 3 continents, world and junior championships, and more athletes than other accepted sports. In addition, the sport is not a new event, but the addition of women's events to an existing competition. The IOC is simply bowing to the International Ski Federation (FIS), whose president, Gian-Franco Kasper, believes that ski jumping is too dangerous for women "from a medical point of view."

The entire situation reeks of good old-fashioned discrimination. Until someone points out some evidence to the contrary, we would like to direct everyone's attention to the official petition over at Womens Ski Jumping 2010. Head over there to learn more about the cause, including this educational video.

The riveting arguments come at the :05 mark from Mr. Kasper and IOC member Dick Pound (sic).

IOC Grounding Womens' Ski Jumping originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Airstrip One to Host 2012 Games

Irishoutsider — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:17:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

While its not the first time we've made blatant 1984 references to England or their Olympic games, but reports out of London yesterday point out that we aren't that far off the mark. The BBC has relayed estimates that the host city will have upwards of 500,000 security cameras scoping out the proceedings. Plans also include the division of the city into three separate security zones, enhanced biometric fingerprinting, automatic license plate detection, and a ticket tracking system that takes GPS to an entirely new level. Metropolitan Police claim that tickets will be able to track visitors from the venues to their homes. We couldn't dream up these kinds of measures if we tried, but it all paints a very stark image of modern sports security.

While we agree that the the addition of cameras is much better than having a bobby stationed every meter, such specific measures always make us raise the usual rhetorical red flag: What happens to all of the added security once the games are over?

Airstrip One to Host 2012 Games originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boner From 'Growing Pains' Arrested for Protesting Beijing Olympics

Sportz Assassin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:27:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Olympics, International Olympics, Beijing, USA

At the annual New Year's Day Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, some guy stepped in front of a float holding a sign and was promptly arrested. Not too newsworthy, right?

Except for the fact that the float was in celebration of the upcoming Beijing Olympics. And the guy was Andrew Koenig ... better known as Richard "Boner" Stabone on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains.

Immediately following his arrest and nearly 10-hour detention by Pasadena police on New Year's Day, actor and filmmaker Andrew Koenig told this newspaper his decision to step out in front of a controversial Rose Parade float was, if not the easiest way to express his views, the absolute right thing to do. "I broke a law, but I didn't commit a crime," said Koenig, regarding the few seconds he had spent holding up a political sign before being hustled away by police.

Boner is an activist for victims of military force in Burma, which is ruled by a dictatorship that is funded by China. Boner was holding a sign that simply read "China: Free Burma". He has since been charged with "walking between parade entries" which holds no jail time and a maximum $100 fine.

Of course, Boner's lawyer is quite bent about his client being detained for so long (he was initially charged with interfering with a special event ... a misdemeanor) for such a small crime. Boner peacefully protested -- didn't harm anyone -- and was the only protester who was arrested along the parade route.

The basic stink is that the city was embarrassed by having someone do this ... and they have a lot of small little rules to try to keep this from happening. Boner broke one of those rules, so they tried to punish him.

Pasadena is a sister city with the Beijing district of Xicheng and there was a long of debate before the parade whether to allow the float.

No word if Skippy from Family Ties, Paul from the Wonder Years or Kimmy Gibbler from Full House were in on this, too.

%Gallery-12219%

Boner From 'Growing Pains' Arrested for Protesting Beijing Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canada Desperately Gearing For Its First Gold at Home in 2010

Irishoutsider — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

It actually comes as a surprise to us that a Canadian has never won an Olympic medal, in either season, on their home soil. Failing to take any top prizes at Montreal in 1976 or Calgary in 1988, the Canadian Olympic Committee is pulling out all of the stops to play the Canadian national anthem "loudly and frequently" in Vancouver in 2010:

The "Own the Podium" program, funded equally by the federal government and the Vancouver organizing committee, will give Canadian high-performance winter athletes $110 million in support, while corporate sponsors will pump millions more into putting Canada top of the medal table.

The effort includes a "Top Secret Project" that brings together sports scientists, doctors and researchers to seek out ways to give Canadian athletes an edge by looking at nutrition, equipment and weather and snow conditions.

For the first time, Canada will offer monetary incentives for athletes to win medals. Starting in Beijing, gold-medal winners will receive $20,000 while silver medallists will earn $15,000 and bronze winners $10,000.

Why is it when we hear Canada, sports scientists, and "Top Secret Project," we automatically think Ben Johnson? Not really trying to paint the Canucks in a bad light here, but you have to think "Operation: Blood Doping" might have been a less subtle name for an Olympic incentive program.

(HT: Canada.com)

Canada Desperately Gearing For Its First Gold at Home in 2010 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British Diver Youngest Male Olympian Ever

Irishoutsider — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

When 13-year-old Tom Daley finished 7th in this weekend's British diving qualifiers, he became the youngest male Olympian in the modern era. Turning 14 just before the Beijing Games this August, Tom will be over a year younger than Fred Hodges when he competed in the 1936 Berlin Games at age 15. British skater Cecilia Coolidge hold the overall record, competing in 1932 at age 11.

Daley also won the bronze in the 10m synchro event, showing that he did more than back into qualification. Das FanHaus is more than willing to give the British diving community the benefit of the doubt and applaud Tom on his fantastic accomplishment. Best of luck to him in Beijing.

(HT: BBC Sport)

British Diver Youngest Male Olympian Ever originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympic Controversies Gaining Momentum

Irishoutsider — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

Amidst the glittering facade of the upcoming Beijing Games, undercurrents of dissent and looming conflict threaten to rock the boat on the international stage. Dignitaries and other celebrities from Prince Charles to Steven Spielberg have already used their fame to speak out against global concerns from Darfur to global warning to the usual requests for a free Tibet. In addition to this, many activists are ramping up their efforts to use the games' exposure for their various platforms. In response, Chinese leaders appear to be ramping up their preparations as well, hoping to diffuse the tension with some shiny public relations and probably some good old-fashioned disinformation. The Guardian takes a current snapshot of the situation in China, as the stage is set for the immovable force of the OIympics prepares for the unstoppable force of the global spotlight.

Olympic Controversies Gaining Momentum originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stop Reading Our Minds: Rockstar Curling Coming to NBC

Irishoutsider — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:06:00 EST

Filed under: Curling, International Olympics

It is like someone at 30 Rock has a special device that looks into our hopes and dreams. While leaving us unaware of the horrifying truth behind such market research, NBC is said to be in pre-production of a curling-based, reality series entitled "Rockstar Curling." Rockers turned curlers like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi are linked to being potential hosts. Seriously? This is exactly how it looks like in our minds. This and The Running Man.

The Toronto Star reports that NBC is looking to capitalize on the sports popularity during the 2006 Turin Olympics, citing that matches drew higher ratings than comparative NHL games. Stunning. Throw in celebrities and reality, and we've got the next big thing if you can stream it all to our mobile phone. COME ON!

As for the actual premise of the show, apparently NBC is going to tie this in to 2010 Olympic qualifying. The Boss representing the American dream with broom and rocks in hand? This is the true Olympic spirit if we've ever seen it. Of course, the celebrity teams will have no advantage over their opponents besides round the clock training and all expenses paid in a yet-unsponsored, un-constructed "curling house" complete with confessionals and tribal council.

(HT: Awful Announcing)

Stop Reading Our Minds: Rockstar Curling Coming to NBC originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London 2012 Victim of Dodgy Math, Shortfall to Be Covered By Scratch-Offs

Irishoutsider — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:49:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

Reports from London today raised alarm bells about the ability of organizers to repay funding for the 2012 Games. Roughly 1.8B pounds were borrowed from the National Lottery to fund the construction of various venues, and the sale of the improved lands would be used to settle the debt upon completion of the games. However, all is not rosy as projected. Apparently, the initial estimates had the land values appreciating at 16% per year. While the report notes that this is in line with the past 20 years, it is a tenuous number at best. Using a more conservative 6% per year, the land values would only appreciate to 800M pounds, leaving a nice round short fall of 1 billion pounds sterling.

The original funds were to be raised by diverting funds from the National Lottery. Generally speaking, this was likely arts and education type programs as most lotteries are built with them in mind. On the bright side, ticket sales should increase in a few years when more of the nation's schoolchildren don't know anybody, unless land values hold, of course.

(HT: Reuters and Yahoo!)

London 2012 Victim of Dodgy Math, Shortfall to Be Covered By Scratch-Offs originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Australian's Award Posthumus Participation Medal, 104 Years Later

Irishoutsider — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:12:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896. With much pomp for the time period, dandy gentlemen in topcoats and tails sat around watching the grandest track meet of the day. If we are led to believe that the 1984 TV movie "The First Olympics" with David Caruso (sans sunglasses) was a documentary, the events happening in real-time, this was most certainly how events transpired. What the riveting movie of the week did not tell us were two very important historical facts. First, there weren't always enough people to fill the field for a given event, and secondly, there were no bronze medals awarded back then.

While researching the first games for a radio documentary, Australian associate professor John McPherson noticed the discrepancies in his nation's Olympic records. The Aussie's first Olympic champion, Edwin Flack, had placed third in tennis doubles competition, regardless of the fact that his team did not win a single match. Thanks to a lucky first round bye, the team was locked into third by default. In order to correct the oversight, the Australian Olympic Committee awarded Flank, now dead for 73 years.

Flank was a decorated distance runner, the first 800m and 1500m champion, despite the fact that he was basically representing Australia as an accountant on holiday to Greece. These are the simple things that make early Olympic history so much more interesting than the current track record of scandal. Back then, there wasn't enough money to steal, and apparently there weren't enough medals either.

(HT: The Australian)

Australian's Award Posthumus Participation Medal, 104 Years Later originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Olympic Divorce Proceedings China Doesn't Want You to See

Irishoutsider — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:22:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

It's not just the typical anti-Communist protesters getting all of the good press as the Beijing Games draw near. It seems that the global spotlight is being used in much more creative ways by those in the Chinese broadcasting business. Hu Ziwei, lovely wife of famous CCTV sportscaster Zhang Bin, crashed a press conference this weekend to announce to her millions of viewing comrades that her husband was a two timing no goodnik. The camera phone footage you are about to see quickly went viral across the Eastern hemisphere, a wonderful dose of schadenfreude set against the graceful backdrop of the Olympic rings.

Look for the authorities to notice the illicit cameraphone somewhere around the :50 mark.

(HT: Imagethief)

The Olympic Divorce Proceedings China Doesn't Want You to See originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China's Elderly Keep It Real, Stomp Yard

Irishoutsider — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:37:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics, Random Acts of Sport

Proving their nation's place as the People's Republic of Serving, a group of noble and elderly pop and lockers are taking to the streets to spread the message of fitness through choreographed breaking. The appropriately named "Hip Hop Grannies" thrill crowds of Chinese comrades with their smooth moves and G-Unit sartorial style. They hope to participate in the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, and Das FanHaus hopes the Party doesn't limit them to just opening and closing ceremonies. We're going to need a steady dose of granny stomping to get through NBC's coverage which we anticipate will consist of no less than 100 hours of human interest stories.

Highlights include Hip-Hop Housecleaning at :30 and an elderly crew member at 1:25 swearing that Lil' Kim works better than Gold Bond powder.

China's Elderly Keep It Real, Stomp Yard originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese Tickemaster Will Distribute Olympic Tickets According to Need

Irishoutsider — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:52:00 EST

Filed under: International Olympics

Das FanHaus always tends to shudder a little bit when it thinks of TicketMaster, and it seems that the Beijing Olympics have combined the hording service with modern Communism. In a rather painless press release, the games announced that Ticketmaster will be the exclusive partner and platform for the second phase of ticket sales. The decision was made despite the company critically underestimating demand, resulting in chronic system failure.

We anticipate the country's robust gold-farming industry to corner this second phase by the end of the week before returning to their respective worlds of Warcraft.

(HT: CCTV International)

Chinese Tickemaster Will Distribute Olympic Tickets According to Need originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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