[Archived] Olympics 2012

[thenodrog]

The Cavendish effect is spreading right through Team GB. Athletes failing to qualify or failing to medal in sport after sport today all with various excuses. These athletes have had 7 years to prepare for their home Olympics, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab their moment of glory yet they are just not good enough. The Sun had a plaintiff front page headline this morning desperately appealing for a GB gold - at this rate we are not going to get any.

You've had seven years to practice moaning. You've put it to good use too cos you are in gold medal position at the moment.

I can't be bothered to look up our average gold medal haul over the past half dozen Olympic games but I do know Beijing was an out of the blue complete one off. In a way the success of 4 years ago has put an unprecedented level of expectation on our entire Olympic team. Personally I don't give a damn about the results as long as someone has done their utmost and is not left with any regrets.

[jim mk2]

Beijing was the result of alot of investment in top-class Olympians after the debacle in Atlanta in 1996. We inproved in 2000 and 2004 and although 2008 was exceptional with the 2012 Games in Britain it was reasonable to expect us to do even better this time. At present we are doing much worse - even Ainslie and the sailors were struggling today. Bronze medal for your little pop at me though.

[ABBEY]

. I blame the Tories.

Now that I do to lol

[Salgado Is A Hero]

I was glad he lost. He has a horrible adam's apple - it's really offputting. Plus the 'entire country' in Murray's case is just Scotland, since he's on record as a confirmed hater of England.

He joked in an interview that he would be supporting Paraguay in the 2006 World Cup (they were in England's group)....that was obviously taken out of context because that is the media's favourite thing to do.

Another occasion was near the start of his career when a French umpire announced him as "Andy Murray, Angleterre"....and he went a bit mad but that was more about him not being read out as Scottish, not because it was England....as in he would have done the same if the announced him as Welsh.....although maybe I have missed something and he has said he was anti-England.......a whole load of English people still like him though......I flicked onto Mock the Week the other day and he got a standing ovation.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

What is everyone's favourite British Olympic moment? Has anyone witnessed one live?

My favourite in recent memory was the Men's 4x100 Relay Gold Medal ahead of the much fancied Americans in Athens 2004.....the Americans messed up one of the handovers but it was still amazing to watch as they were clear favourites nonetheless.....Darren Campbell, Mark Lewis-Francis, Marlon Devinish and Jason Gardner, I can even still remember their names.

[jim mk2]

Golden era of Coe / Ovett / Cram when we dominated middle distance running. Fantastic.

[T4E]

We'll get 12-15 golds. 15 would rank as our third best Olympics ever.

What is everyone's favourite British Olympic moment? Has anyone witnessed one live?

My favourite in recent memory was the Men's 4x100 Relay Gold Medal ahead of the much fancied Americans in Athens 2004.....the Americans messed up one of the handovers but it was still amazing to watch as they were clear favourites nonetheless.....Darren Campbell, Mark Lewis-Francis, Marlon Devinish and Jason Gardner, I can even still remember their names.

Mine would be Michael Johnson's 19.32 at Atlanta 96. Followed by Cathy Freeman in Sydney.

[Audax]

What is everyone's favourite British Olympic moment? Has anyone witnessed one live?

My favourite in recent memory was the Men's 4x100 Relay Gold Medal ahead of the much fancied Americans in Athens 2004.....the Americans messed up one of the handovers but it was still amazing to watch as they were clear favourites nonetheless.....Darren Campbell, Mark Lewis-Francis, Marlon Devinish and Jason Gardner, I can even still remember their names.

Probably the last Olympics where the Cycling team, Sir Chris Hoy and the rest did so well.... however, knowing some of the Olympics, memorialized in the Chariots of Fire movie, 1924 Olympics, Eric Liddlel, Harold Abrams were stellar, I don't care if that was a long time ago, it's still pertinent. Now, GB won football in '08 and '12, perhaps that is too long ago. I've mentioned before the Welshman held the marathon record for a time in the early '80s, I don't know if he did it at the Olympics, don't know if that less than 4 minute mile by Bannister was at the Olympics either.

[Audax]

Good, the women defeated Brazil, saw only minutes.....

Great Britain Women's team will play Friday. Against Canada.

http://women.soccerw...2/final-stages/

http://women.soccerw...12/group-stage/

Brazil will play Japan from what I can tell.

[neekoy]

Jesus, if it was a whinging competition Team GB would be sitting top of the leaderboard at present, isn't Cavendish from the Isle of Mann anyway, he is not even British.

[jim mk2]

The Isle of Man is a Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom and is not technically part of it. However, citizenship is covered by UK law and Manx people are classed as British citizens.

[FourLaneBlue]

We need that first Gold Medal soon. Once that happens, there will be a flood.

Not beating the 2008 gold medal tally wouldn't be that much of a disappoinment but not getting at least close would be. Furthermore, the hope was to improve the silvers and bronzes received so as to increase the overall number of medals. it appears as if hosting the games if heaping greater pressure than normal on our competitors.

Long way to go yet, though.

[adopted scouser]

At the rowing, the Australians are complaining that the British fans are to loud, Jesus.

[neekoy]

"quite hard to hear calls inside the boat"...... "You don't often see that in rowing normally."......... "It's not too bad the first half of the race, you can't really hear the crowd, you hear a slight buzzing noise but nothing overly exhausting, but I think come Wednesday it will be pretty wild, so we will have to be prepared for that." .......

yes, scathing in our complaints

[FourLaneBlue]

FLB is an historian??

He needs to study current events

Such as?

Not really any kind of historian BTW, just read a few books about Rovers!

"quite hard to hear calls inside the boat"...... "You don't often see that in rowing normally."......... "It's not too bad the first half of the race, you can't really hear the crowd, you hear a slight buzzing noise but nothing overly exhausting, but I think come Wednesday it will be pretty wild, so we will have to be prepared for that." .......

yes, scathing in our complaints

Whinging Aussies!

[adopted scouser]

Nash and Satch, Superb !

[thenodrog]

Golden era of Coe / Ovett / Cram when we dominated middle distance running. Fantastic.

Indeed so. Marvellous times. Add to that the 'Worlds Greatest Athlete' Daley Thompson' for his 2 gold medals in the decathlon, and Bob Beamen blowing the competition away in the 68 long jump.

BUT Right up there if not above those for me was David Hemery's absolutely superb winning margin and world record in the 400m hurdles Mexico 68. At altitude too!!

enjoy....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRoYE39KdT4

also features a classic ColemanBalls near the end.....'Who cares whose 3rd'. It was actually another Brit John Sherwood. Coleman apolgised profusely afterwards.

btw two things I've just noticed. Empty seats back then and no black competitors.

[SouthAussieRover]

Such as?

Not really any kind of historian BTW, just read a few books about Rovers!

Whinging Aussies!

The biggest whinger on this thread aka Jim.

[T4E]

Our rowers have just made you look like a right helmet Jim. Not that you needed any help.

[SAS]

As comfortable as they come that gold. Magnificent performance.

[jim mk2]

Brilliant golden performance by the rowing girls .... now let's have some more.

[JAL]

Cant help but feel that Health and safety legislation, coupled with employment law and employers attitude to risk is putting a massive block in the way of people being comfortable in participating in grassroot sports in our country today.

Unfortunately we reap what we sow.

[HemelRover]

Cant help but feel that Health and safety legislation, coupled with employment law and employers attitude to risk is putting a massive block in the way of people being comfortable in participating in grassroot sports in our country today.

Unfortunately we reap what we sow.

What the (Please don't use that word again) are you smoking? Do you actually read what you are typing?

[adopted scouser]

Another medal, looked like a gold for half of it, oh well, bronze it is

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Another medal, looked like a gold for half of it, oh well, bronze it is

Great effort but the Germans were reigning world or olympic champions and they executed that with standard German proficiency....and the Canadians came out of nowhere.

Let the Australians complain.....I've liked every Australian I've ever met but they're not adverse to moaning.....after, or while, we were beating them in Beijing they said we could only win medals when we're sitting down haha.

Wiggins races today in the Men's time trial......2:15 start so hopefully a medal and hopefully it's gold.....but nothing is anywhere near guaranteed in sport.

Suarez, Cavani and Co versus GB in the football tonight, 7:45 kick off, that should be a good game.