Swimming.......

[show 42]

Just read the results on the internet of one of the men's swimming relay finals. The U.S. came in third, and the press release I read called it "a dismal third". Third place is an Olympic medal. I can't believe these sports writers.

Okay, question here. Why isn't the team which qualifies for the final necessarily the team who actually gets to swim in the final? Seems rather sad that if you help your team get to the finals and they get a medal, you get "squat" if you were substituted with someone else? 42

[Piel]

It doesn't seem fair. What about Phelps being placed on the relay team instead of Hall to help Phelp's chances of breaking Spitz' record? I can see both sides of it. Is it more important for for Phelps to break the record of for Hall to win a gold medal? Glad I don't have to make the call.

[show 42]

Good point, Piel.........I guess you could say that Hall has already been on an Olympic team and has at least one medal, and this is Phelps first Olympics.....but still, seems like it stirs up bad blood.........42

[RealtorGal]

... this is Phelps first Olympics.....but still, seems like it stirs up bad blood.........42

This is Phelps' SECOND Olympics (but first gold medal). Also, there is already bad blood between Gary Hall and another swimmer. I think he kind of looks for trouble...

[show 42]

Phelps is 19 years old.......he was in the Olympics at 15? Wow....how did I miss that? 42

[RealtorGal]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Phelps

[Joesitz]

I think Phelps has been a bit too cocky. This relay may make him concentrate on his strengths for the bigger races to come.

Joe

[bronxgirl]

I think Phelps has been a bit too cocky. This relay may make him concentrate on his strengths for the bigger races to come.

Joe

Hmm, and our young male skaters would NEVER give interviews that would make them sound cocky

[berthes ghost]

I think Phelps has been a bit too cocky. This relay may make him concentrate on his strengths for the bigger races to come.

Sorry, is there something that made you think that he didn't perform well in the relay. It seemed to me that it was the first guy in that did the real damage that even Phelps couldn't undo. Considering how far back they were after the first leg, it's a wonder they won a medal at all.

[berthes ghost]

Just read the results on the internet of one of the men's swimming relay finals. The U.S. came in third, and the press release I read called it "a dismal third". Third place is an Olympic medal. I can't believe these sports writers.

Nancy Kerrigan syndrome: what goes up must come down.
Before the race, it was highy touted as a face-off between Australia and the US. Well, that pretty much turned out to be a joke (which is what the writter is prabably backlashing) as S.A. dominated the race from the first second. At least the US eaked out a medal, Aus was left back in something like 6th. How embarasing is that!

[RealtorGal]

It does seem odd that given the depth of their team, the Australians finished so far behind. I read somewhere that South Africa was expected to be a medal contender in this event.

[lavender]

Sorry, is there something that made you think that he didn't perform well in the relay. It seemed to me that it was the first guy in that did the real damage that even Phelps couldn't undo. Considering how far back they were after the first leg, it's a wonder they won a medal at all.

This is what I'm feeling. Phelps wasn't the reason the relay team lost. There was nothing he could do after the first guy messed up. They are lucky they got bronze and bronze is nothing to sneeze at. It's the media that seems to make competitors look like they think that they have no competition. I'm sure the team was well aware of the SA team but mishaps do happen.

[chuckm]

Yup, it was the first swimmer (Ian something) who blew the event for the US by falling so far behind. The other 3 men did their best, and it was a credit to them that they caught up enough to win a medal. The irony of it is Ian gets a medal, too.

[hockeyfan228]

Well, that pretty much turned out to be a joke (which is what the writter is prabably backlashing) as S.A. dominated the race from the first second. At least the US eaked out a medal, Aus was left back in something like 6th. How embarasing is that!

Because of the number of times the networks replayed the Australians win in Sydney, it seemed that the match-up was between the US and Australia. However, everything I've read in the last few months said that Australia was out of the medals race. And of course, after RSA beat the world record in the prelims, they were a favorite for gold.

Also, in most of the pre-games analysis, the fight for gold in the Men's 200 free was supposed to be between Thorpe and van der Hoogenband. This was the race in which Phelps had an outside chance at best. It was the 4x100 relay that was supposed to give him his best chance at match Spitz' record for most golds in one game.

[Edited to spell "Hoogenband" correctly.]

[lavender]

Because of the number of times the networks replayed the Australians win in Sydney, it seemed that the match-up was between the US and Australia. However, everything I've read in the last few months said that Australia was out of the medals race. And of course, after RSA beat the world record in the prelims, they were a favorite for gold.

Also, in most of the pre-games analysis, the fight for gold in the Men's 200 free was supposed to be between Thorpe and van der Hoogenbrand. This was the race in which Phelps had an outside chance at best. It was the 4x100 relay that was supposed to give him his best chance at match Spitz' record for most golds in one game.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I mean really the 200 wasn't even Phelps specialty so why would it be much of a challenge. The real competition was between the Dutchman and Thorpe. Too much hype about nothing.