Olympics!
Michael Phelps won eight gold medals. Holy shit. Some of those races were like dreams of what races should be. Holy shit.
Because let’s not forget American swimming: Natalie Coughlin is so cute I want to take her home and buy her pretty things. And Rebecca Soni is a Jersey Girl! Yay Jersey! ‘I’m from Plainsboro, New Jersey, and I didn’t bring a date, but I won a gold medal.’ Yay! And Dara Torres!
Guo Jingjing is the best diver I’ve ever seen. She’s like a picture of diving that got all the imperfections airbrushed out.
Usain Bolt. Holy lightning, Batman!
I haven’t even mentioned the gymnastics.
But you know what? Women’s super-heavyweight weightlifting. Fuckin’ A.
So, I haven’t actually watched a movie.
Michael fucking Phelps, man.
The most amazing thing about Usain Bolt? He set a world record and he was intentionally slowing down at the end! Nobody was near him, so he eased up for the last 20 meters! How fast would he be if he went full out?
I teach swimming lessons, and my job got a lot easier thanks to him. The kids are all so inspired to work on their crawl stroke…
That’s wonderful to hear. The whole team is so inspiring. I forgot to mention Jason Lezack, who is one of the most astonishing performers of these games.
Mel, I don’t know why you were in my spam queue, maybe the word “Bolt” is some kind of keyword.
Phelps = amazing. I’ve kind of lost interest in gymnastics – I’m sick of judging controversies and prefer events that won head-to-head. But I have to say that the Chinese men on the rings were simply incredible. Dara Torres is inspirational (Michael Phelps calls her, affectionately, “Mom” ). We’re big volleyball fans, indoor and outdoor, and I’m glad that the Track and Field events are getting under way.
My wife asked when the Curling was going to start…. had to tell her “in two years” 😉 .
I have truly no interest in team sports (volleyball, basketball). I will give any individual sport a try to see if it appeals to me. Hence my discovery of the joys of weightlifting. Holy cow, weightlifting!
But Phelps is a joy.
Test post
Looks like I can post again, Deb. Thank goodness. If I wasn’t able to post to tomorrow’s trivia, I would have been in agony. 🙁
I suppose now I’ll have to write it.
Not good with the names Oksana something, but the German women’s gymnastics team has a 30-something yr old mom too (beyond ancient for women’s gymnastics) Didn’t she get a medal on vaults last night?
She was originally on USSR team, then Azerbaijan?, but went to Germany, they were explaining. because the Germans would treat her kid’s leukemia when the Russians weren’t.
treecat, I turned off the Olympics last night to watch Mad Men, but I have it on DVR so I’ll see tonight.
She was originally on USSR team, then Azerbaijan?, but went to Germany, they were explaining. because the Germans would treat her kid’s leukemia when the Russians weren’t.
She had retired, but her 2-year-old son got sick in 2001. The cost of treatment was enormous, so she went back to gymnastics, giving exhibitions to raise money for the doctors. As she was now living in Germany (her husband is German), she ended up joining the German team for the Olympics.
Her son is now in good health.
She’s from Uzbekistan. The “spotlight” segment on her said that she competed for the unified Soviet team in 1992, and then Uzbekistan, but there were limited hospital beds in Uzbekistan, and her son couldn’t get one, and he needed chemo. Her friend, a German coach she’d met on the competition circuit, encouraged her to come to Germany and do gymnastics, because he could be treated there.
And it was a great performance, I just watched it.
Phelps: amazing.
Tonight: beach volleyball. Misty May-Traenor and Kerry Walsh. They are considered the best beach volleyball team of all time (male or female). Love them.
The ancient Greeks considered arete (personal excellence) a virtue. I love the Olympics.
Like I said, not a big fan of team sports. I will watch virtually anything that individuals do. Tonight I was watching BMX racing. Holy crapola.
I LOVE the decathalon events. I love shotput and hammer and discus. Man, those rock.
When I watched Usain Bolt run the 100, I actually stood up!
The guy had the tenacity to actually pull back just before the finish line and look over his shoulder to see who was next in line!
Else, he would have shaved off a lil more time too 🙂
I know, he’s like a miracle.
I’m happy for Michael Phelps, but I’m getting sick and tired of the media pushing his wins into our faces, every other time a commercial appears on TV.