No predictions but U.S. eyeing top Olympic spot
 

No predictions but U.S. eyeing top Olympic spot

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86O1OY20120725

"(Reuters) - The United States may routinely issue forecasts for the number of jobs being created or home sales but there will be no bold predictions about the number of medals American athletes might win at the London Olympics..............."

Go Team USA - although I have a warm spot in my heart for Cav and the boys in the Road Race.

In most cases I have to respect the efforts of all the athletes who get to that point. However, the bride & I watch a fair number of int'l comps as well, and watched alot of the US team trials.

Some optimism at this point; they look pretty good as a team & a walking 55-gal drum of whupass in several specific areas.

Keep an eye on Lolo Jones,she's a gal that can use all the support we can give her......;) :D

Big Teddy :munchin

American Takes Gold in Women’s Skeet, Setting Records
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/sp...g-records.html

Congrats, Kim! :lifter Go USA!!

That was really cool, just saw her on camera, very gracious and, besides the usual talk of the hard work, perserverance in the midst of other 'normal' distractions, and support of those around her, spoke of the honor of representing her country and bringing home the Gold for the USA.

Again, there's ass & there's the Class exhibited by Ms. Rhode. Well-earned and Salud ma'am.
:lifter

Yes, USA first and China putting up a good fight for second. Watch Australia punch way above its weight. What will be interesting is to add all the new countries together that used to make up the USSR and try to establish whether freedom has improved their performance over Communism. Our South African standings will again be crippled by Affirmative Action and quotas in teams but we will be really proud of Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee who made it into our relay race after having been shafted by complaints about his prosthesis' at the previous Olympics. Can you imagine what kind of able bodied athlete would protest against a double amputee competing against him?

Depends on who he beats ....
 

Depends on who he beats and by how much.

If he places in the top ten but without a medal many may say no harm to foul.

But the question then becomes "How fast can he go with a better set of springs?" and then "How much of it is him and how much technology?"

Thankfully, that question has already been answered after the last setback. He wont get a medal unless he runs out of his skin. He was in with a chance last Olympics but wasted years doing exhaustive tests to prove there was no advantage. Bear in mind, there are many people with similar prosthesis who run in the Para Olympics who cant get anywhere near his times. Our other star, Natalie Du Toit was the first amputee to qualify for the Olympics in China. There could be no complaint with her as she swam without any prosthesis. She only came 16th in the 10km swim, but made the country very proud to have qualified and raced.

Better springs
 

So if he comes back with better springs and wins?

He cant without going through another huge battery of tests. However, the initial tests found that he gained no mechanical advantage over a person with lower limbs. In other words, you cant get out more than you put in. Millions of years of evolution has produced the best answer to the problem of walking and running.

The door has been opened....
 

Just because you like the guy doesn't matter.

The door has been opened.

There's a reason bike riders are not allowed in the marathon. A bike from the 1880's might not have won - but today's could, very easy.

The whole "well he can because it does not give him an advantage" is crap. Who decides what an "advantage" is? How is an advantage measured? For it not to be an advantage does that not make it a handicap? Is he handicapped by not being able to compete with the fastest runners - only the slower ones? Maybe to be "equal" he does need better springs. So if he gets better springs and wins was it him or the springs? They should have just said no. The door is wide open.

If you think a fellow with both legs amputated is not handicapped, I would like to know what you consider is? I like the guy because he has overcome this handicap to such an extent that he qualified for the Olympics whereas thousands of people worldwide with the same handicap and prosthesis have not come close. This is such a great example of Olympic spirit that it must be an inspiration to all who witness it. Why should the door not be opened to handicapped people to compete on level playing fields with their able bodied comrades?

I agree
 

It looks like we do agree we should get rid of all those other "special" olympics and have just one.

Handicaped? You put a whole new spin on the way I was using it. Ever been to a race track and made a bet?

Anybody watch the archery competition? Italy got gold by a fraction of an inch.

Ha ha Pete. No I have never bet on the horses. I have family in the racehorse breeding game and I would have to be mentally handicapped to try and compete in that business.