2012 London Olympics Thread

[hailstateunis]

It doesn't matter because really the only way to not get spoilers is to not go on the Internet. NBC better start airing live next Olympics. This day in age, you just don't do tape delay.

Oh in Rio there will be no :censored:ing excuse, the time difference is only an hour.

Be pretty bad in Sochi. Eight hours to the East coast.

The main reason I would actually prefer NBC to air the things live for these Olympics is that I don't want to be up at 11:30 at night watching the 100 M finals. If you live on the East coast its flat out brutal schedule in terms of when sporting events are on. West coast everything is usually over by 10PM. Here you could be up to 12 or 1AM watching a game. To get a break from that once wihout having to change my location would be nice.

Unless it's changed, I think NBC's Prime Time coverage starts at 8pm local time everywhere, not just the east coast.

Nope, it starts at 7 pm central.

[Seadragon76]

There are still some events that are shown live, but the big events have already been taped and packaged for the Prime Time viewers, which is basically the bulk of the viewership.

Now, I did watch some of the USA-Tunisia game today... I have to give Tunisia credit. They actually gave the Americans a hard time in the first quarter. Hell, they actually lead in the first quarter. Granted, we all knew what the outcome would be, but I'm going to give a round of applause to Tunisia for putting on a strong effort in a game they knew that they weren't going to win.

[Kevin W.]

One of Tunisia's players asked Kobe Bryant to autograph his shoes after the game. That really put a smile on my face. You have to think that these players know that it's highly likely they're all playing for the silver medal. In a situation like that, you might as well have a little fun and be starstruck in the process. A lot of these guys aren't NBA players, so how many of them get the chance to say they played against the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?

I would react the same way, even if I was on the receiving end of a serious ass-kicking like Tunisia was.

[slapshot]

It doesn't matter because really the only way to not get spoilers is to not go on the Internet. NBC better start airing live next Olympics. This day in age, you just don't do tape delay.

Oh in Rio there will be no :censored:ing excuse, the time difference is only an hour.

Didn't matter with Atlanta in 1996. There was a tape delay there too. Even track & field and soccer events that happened live in the afternoon weren't shown until prime time.

[Seadragon76]

One of Tunisia's players asked Kobe Bryant to autograph his shoes after the game. That really put a smile on my face. You have to think that these players know that it's highly likely they're all playing for pride. In a situation like that, you might as well have a little fun and be starstruck in the process. A lot of these guys aren't NBA players, so how many of them get the chance to say they played against the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?

I would react the same way, even if I was on the receiving end of a serious ass-kicking like Tunisia was.

Fixed because, let's face it: Tunisia really stinks. In the last World Championships, they were dead last. In my mind, this is all about pride for them. Hell, let them have their moment because it might be their last in this spotlight.

[Kevin W.]

One of Tunisia's players asked Kobe Bryant to autograph his shoes after the game. That really put a smile on my face. You have to think that these players know that it's highly likely they're all playing for pride. In a situation like that, you might as well have a little fun and be starstruck in the process. A lot of these guys aren't NBA players, so how many of them get the chance to say they played against the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?

I would react the same way, even if I was on the receiving end of a serious ass-kicking like Tunisia was.

Fixed because, let's face it: Tunisia really stinks. In the last World Championships, they were dead last. In my mind, this is all about pride for them. Hell, let them have their moment because it might be their last in this spotlight.

Well, you know what I mean. They all probably know that barring a colossal upset, the US is going to win gold so the best they can hope for is 2nd. This isn't 2004 all over again.

[NJTank]

It doesn't matter because really the only way to not get spoilers is to not go on the Internet. NBC better start airing live next Olympics. This day in age, you just don't do tape delay.

Oh in Rio there will be no :censored:ing excuse, the time difference is only an hour.

Didn't matter with Atlanta in 1996. There was a tape delay there too. Even track & field and soccer events that happened live in the afternoon weren't shown until prime time.

In 1996 56.6 K was awesome download speed, most of the internet was trough AOL. With smart phones, wifi, and the internet even in some TVs it is a different world

[Billy B]

Well, Tunisia didn't let the US cover the spread, so they have that going for them. There's a few teams that have a shot at taking the US down, Tunisia isn't one of them. That's probably the biggest game of those players lives even though they were blown out so it was pretty cool to see them have fun with it.

[Viper]

In 2008 Phelps won a couple of his golds by barely out-touching opponents at the wire. Tonight in the 200m butterfly he was the one who got out-touched. It shows how much close races in swimming come down to basically the luck of the draw - not who's ahead just before the finish, but who happens to be at a favorable point in their stroke to be able to out-touch the other guy.

On the other hand, Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock has another idea on why Phelps has not matched his 2008 8-gold sweep:

Over breakfast last week, my FOX Sports colleague Amy Van Dyken explained to me about the now-outlawed full-body suits that led to all of those swimming records at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The full-body suits made the swimmers float on water.

Fascinating.

If things don’t quickly improve for Michael Phelps during these Olympics, you might start hearing serious discussion about the 2008 swimming results being tainted. History could be revised and Phelps might be regarded in some circles as Mark McGwire/Barry Bonds Lite. I’m not calling Phelps a cheater. He didn’t cheat. But maybe he’s the king of a tainted era.

Maybe it’s easier to swim in eight events when you’re floating on water?

[HedleyLamarr]

It may be un-American, but I've always kinda rooted against Phelps.

[vmd9]

It may be un-American, but I've always kinda rooted against Phelps.

Same here. I've never liked the way he carries himself. There's been plenty of interviews this year after he as lost where he acts like a complete prick.

[Kevin W.]

I'm just happy that the all-time medal record is no longer held by a Red. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

[crashcarson15]

In 2008 Phelps won a couple of his golds by barely out-touching opponents at the wire. Tonight in the 200m butterfly he was the one who got out-touched. It shows how much close races in swimming come down to basically the luck of the draw - not who's ahead just before the finish, but who happens to be at a favorable point in their stroke to be able to out-touch the other guy.

On the other hand, Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock has another idea on why Phelps has not matched his 2008 8-gold sweep:

Oh, please. Jason Whitlock's just looking for hits again. Everyone was wearing the same damn suits.

And let's face it, Phelps choked that. You can't just coast to the wall. Everyone knows that. He just doesn't have that killer instinct right now and it's showing.

[BigBubba]

I remember specifically in one race in Beijing where all eight swimmers in the final passed the world record. Another reason, other than the full-bodied suits, is that apparently the sides of the pool were just barely above the water level, so waves simply went over the ledge as opposed to bouncing back and slowing people down.

[dfwabel]

I remember specifically in one race in Beijing where all eight swimmers in the final passed the world record. Another reason, other than the full-bodied suits, is that apparently the sides of the pool were just barely above the water level, so waves simply went over the ledge as opposed to bouncing back and slowing people down.

Science Channel's "Build It Bigger" went into detail on how this London pool was built to be the fastest pool ever. There have been more athletes placed in lanes 1 & 8 winning races than before.

[crashcarson15]

I remember specifically in one race in Beijing where all eight swimmers in the final passed the world record. Another reason, other than the full-bodied suits, is that apparently the sides of the pool were just barely above the water level, so waves simply went over the ledge as opposed to bouncing back and slowing people down.

Yes, that still doesn't discredit what Phelps did. If everyone was swimming 2 seconds faster, that wouldn't make a difference...

[BigBubba]

I remember specifically in one race in Beijing where all eight swimmers in the final passed the world record. Another reason, other than the full-bodied suits, is that apparently the sides of the pool were just barely above the water level, so waves simply went over the ledge as opposed to bouncing back and slowing people down.

Yes, that still doesn't discredit what Phelps did. If everyone was swimming 2 seconds faster, that wouldn't make a difference...

When did I say it did?

[vmd9]

Has Canada won a medal yet? Just curious I haven't seen much of them yet.

[pmoehrin]

Has Canada won a medal yet? Just curious I haven't seen much of them yet.

4 bronzes. Two in diving, one in weightlifting and another in judo.

[cameroncrazie07]

I have to say, not going on the internet today for results had to be one of the best decisions I've made in a while. This NBC live online stream doesn't work for me so most of the results are ruined before primetime. I got to see 2 great swimming races and a surprisingly entertaining gymnastics final, all live.