Games of the XXX Olympiad (Official Thread)

[Mesoland]

(Image)

HA

Frankie Boyle might be a bit of an arse, but I applaud him on that one.

[Socialist States Owen]

(Image)

HA

That. Was. Hilarious.

[Sentinel XV]

Remember, guys, the Curiosity Mars rover lands tonight, and there will be a live stream of it starting at 8:30 PM Pacific/10:30 PM Central/11:30 PM Eastern!

Oh, bother, I mistook this for the Eternal Thread.

[Bloodbath Generation]

I can't believe a few month ago I saw Katie Ledecky (i think that's her name) at a mall in my area (Washington DC area) in the richer part of town (Olney) and look where she is now! My mom was like "IT'S THAT GIRL WHO WAS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS IN THE BATHROOM!"

[TaQud]

I can't believe a few month ago I saw Katie Ledecky (i think that's her name) at a mall in my area (Washington DC area) in the richer part of town (Olney) and look where she is now! My mom was like "IT'S THAT GIRL WHO WAS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS IN THE BATHROOM!"

i can beat that but the problem is I met an NBA basketball player and nobody from outside of America would know him...

[Blouman Empire]

Jess Ennis is incredibly attractive.

There have been a lot of attractive women in the Great Britian athletics team. I'm not sure why I'm surprised about that. There have also been a number of athletes from other countries that are above standard and none of them in the beach volleyball

[Socialist States Owen]

Jess Ennis is incredibly attractive.

There have been a lot of attractive women in the Great Britian athletics team. I'm not sure why I'm surprised about that. There have also been a number of athletes from other countries that are above standard and none of them in the beach volleyball

I do love Ennis, she's great. Definitley my favourite female athlete at the Olympics.

[Blouman Empire]

why? i can see russia and germany but why not australia...

Because Australia has performed poorly this year, our swimming team have not lived up to anyone's expectations including their own.

Australia never reaches the Top 5

Excuse me but Australia does

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Olympics#Medal_count
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Olympics#Medal_count

In 2008 we came in 6th. And usually by this time we would be up there if not in the top5 because the swimming has just occured and in past years we would've won a lot more gold medals. This year we have performed poorly and only managed one.

[Blouman Empire]

you guys and your american jokes...

Meh...you can't exactly blame us, you've been leading us to them, and it's one of the greatest nights of British Sports (except for the football ) and we're all in a bit of a chippy mood, eh?

It would've been good if GB could win their national sport in the Olympics while being hosted in their home country.

[Blouman Empire]

and is this team (football) the same as in the Euro 2012?

Are you serious?

Euro 2012 is for EUROpean nations.

South Korea is in ASIA.

Jesus christ...

I think we should give TaQud a break he is only a kid.
While he should know South Korea wasn't going to play in the Euro's he is American and might not have been aware that Team GB includes all of Great Britain and not just England.

It's no worse then people were voting for Messi being the best player in the Euro

[Qazox]

And Murray takes gold!

Watched most of the match and If Murray played 75% as well as he did in the Gold Medal Match vs. Federer as he did in the Open Final, He'd have won that in 4 sets.

[Qazox]

British Tennis sucess does not usually compute

apparently...

Until Yesterday
British tennis Success = Cleveland Pro Sports franchises
NOW:
British tennis Success > Cleveland Pro Sports franchises

[Qazox]

(Image)

HA

Good one there Frankie Boyle... I'll buy ya beer if I ever meet ya!

[Blouman Empire]

With that level of geographic coverage, presumably the only reason cricket isn't in the Olympics is because the ICC can't be bothered making an application.

Maybe the IOC don't want any more scandals

[Qazox]

With that level of geographic coverage, presumably the only reason cricket isn't in the Olympics is because the ICC can't be bothered making an application.

Maybe the IOC don't want any more scandals

or that no one wants to have just 2 matches during the 16 days...

The same reason why Baseball/Softball isn't in is the same reason why Cricket isn't in. There's just not that many consistently good teams to bother having it.

Compare
Baseball/Softball:
Cuba
USA
Japan
S. Korea
Taiwan
Dom. Republic
Venezuela
Mexico
Curaçao

That's it 9 teams that would consistantly make the medal rounds

Cricket:
England
India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Australia
South Africa
New Zealand

Only 7 teams that are consistently good.

Face it unless the US, China, and possibly Brazil and Russia start playign cricket at the level of those 7 teams consistently.. it';s never gonna get in.

Do like that golf is in (too bad it's not in this year, St. Andrews hosting the Olympic golf final??? )

I wouldn't mind seeing rugby get in, as the gap between the top 5 or 6 teams and the next 10 has closed conciderably over the last 15 years or so.

[Blouman Empire]

Since I've already posted my opinion of this topic of discussion and told you that by looking at my previous posts you would find it.

Umm no you didn't the only opinion you posted was that you disagreed with it but you didn't tell us what you thought it was.

I find the whole exchange amusing

[Blouman Empire]

Why are you rooting for Communism? (or communist country)

I don't have to answer that, because you are acting like a spoilt brat.

I would like to know though.

I hope it isn't any "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" bullshit though

[Kirrig]

Patriotism is bunk.

Friend, you've come to the wrong place.

Sports is different.

No please, enlighten us - I'll be fascinated to see you come up with an alternative 'best British day in athletics ever'.

Because really, there hasn't been.

But the problem here may be one of trans-Atlantic linguistic differences.

In British English, 'athletics' specifically refers to what is referred to as 'track and field' in the United States, where I believe - despite your being a Serb - you currently reside.

And Britain has never won three gold medals in a single athletics session before; ergo, this was Britain's greatest ever day in athletics.

Whether it was Britain's greatest ever sporting day is an entirely separate issue, and one certainly open to debate - but no one can seriously argue that it wasn't this country's greatest day ever in athletics specifically.

Never in one session perhaps, but in one day?

I mean we got 40 odd gold medals in 1908, so surely there'd be a day in those games with more? That's if you're measuring by medals of course, leaving out other more subjective measurements.

He's talking purely in terms of athletics (that is, the three medal there) the overall record is eight.

Congrats to Andy Murray for winning the Gold for GB. Wasn't exactly thrilled with the outcome, but he did play brilliantly.

Although I have to admit that winning Olympic Gold isn't as good as a Grand Slam. And I have to point out the winners of past Olympic Gold: Elena Dementieva...won Gold in 2008 but never won a Grand Slam. Nicolas Massu, won Gold in 2004, but never made it past the 4th Round in a Grand Slam (in fact, only made the 1R of the AO, and 3R of Wimbledon and French Open..) Massu today is ranked #556 too...

Not saying Murray won't ever win a Grand Slam, but it's not that great as an achievement as many think to win Olympic Gold.

He did have to go through Federer and Djokovic to win it though. That's what makes it such a good achievement.

In my opinion Djokovic is settling back down to where he used to be. Which co-incides with del Potro's apparent return to form.

Congrats to Andy Murray for winning the Gold for GB. Wasn't exactly thrilled with the outcome, but he did play brilliantly.

Although I have to admit that winning Olympic Gold isn't as good as a Grand Slam. And I have to point out the winners of past Olympic Gold: Elena Dementieva...won Gold in 2008 but never won a Grand Slam. Nicolas Massu, won Gold in 2004, but never made it past the 4th Round in a Grand Slam (in fact, only made the 1R of the AO, and 3R of Wimbledon and French Open..) Massu today is ranked #556 too...

Not saying Murray won't ever win a Grand Slam, but it's not that great as an achievement as many think to win Olympic Gold.

I think that post is slightly sour, though you're correct. Grand slams count for more, but I hope that the olympics will be made a grand slam so it can compete with other sports at the world stage.

Your point about olympic tennis winners doesn't hang up with the last 2 men's tournaments. Both winners have been ranked in top 4 for the past 2 olympics (Nadal and Murray), with silvers in the top 16 and the worst bronze 9th. You also have to consider that all top 10 seeds failed to reach the semis for Massu to win, with major upsets for Henman and Federer, while Massu (who was ranked 10th seed, so not too big a suprise) beat Moya to make it to the semis.

Top players want the Olympic Gold and the four slams. Murray's got the gold.

Maybe the IOC don't want any more scandals

or that no one wants to have just 2 matches during the 16 days...

The same reason why Baseball/Softball isn't in is the same reason why Cricket isn't in. There's just not that many consistently good teams to bother having it.

Compare
Baseball/Softball:
Cuba
USA
Japan
S. Korea
Taiwan
Dom. Republic
Venezuela
Mexico
Curaçao

That's it 9 teams that would consistantly make the medal rounds

Cricket:
England
India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Australia
South Africa
New Zealand

Only 7 teams that are consistently good.

Face it unless the US, China, and possibly Brazil and Russia start playign cricket at the level of those 7 teams consistently.. it';s never gonna get in.

Do like that golf is in (too bad it's not in this year, St. Andrews hosting the Olympic golf final??? )

I wouldn't mind seeing rugby get in, as the gap between the top 5 or 6 teams and the next 10 has closed conciderably over the last 15 years or so.

Except NZ and South Africa are better than Australia and it's an upset for any of those teams to lose.

Look at the spread of the cricket teams. Compare.

You've also made a crucial mistake. There's no reason why there would need to be more than, say, eight teams.

Also, there are eight test nations, generally.* But there are three main forms of cricket and the shorter formats are much more competitive with more participants. (That said, I see no reason not to pit the best test nations against each other prior to the Olympics to determine qualification... as is typical for most team sports.)

And, as I pointed out, if time is of the issue cricket lends itself well to reductions in time.

*Zimbabwe's status escapes me at the moment.

[Glasgia]

I wouldn't mind seeing rugby get in, as the gap between the top 5 or 6 teams and the next 10 has closed conciderably over the last 15 years or so.

Rio, 2016. They'll finally give us some rugby to watch, even if it is only sevens. It'll be a good contest: The home nations (England, Scotland, Wales, 1/4 Ireland = GB - Lions without the Leprechauns, 3/4 Ireland = Ireland), Auystralasia (Australia, New Zealand), Pacific nations (Tsonga, Samoa, Japan, hell load of other small islands), North America (US, Canada), continental Europe (Romania, France, Italy, Russia), Africa (Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa) and of course, China (Hong Kong compete seperately and are the home of 7s, but the Chinese population pool is just so big they'll put something together).

Should be a good tournament, though it might just be an excuse for NZ to get another one over the Aussies. Interesting to see GB's selection (Evans on one wing and Ashton on the other!!!!).

[Disserbia]

So apparently I'm going to grow up to be a Russian pole vaulter...well at least she got first in qualifying. Thank god I've got 8 years to be myself first.

Also, as much as I support the USA, its good to see Romania win a gymnastics medal, even if it was at the expense of the heavy favorite and the only American in the competition.

Damnit, China is back in first. Come on USA, we got this!!!!

I would further gently remind you that you have no right to set the agenda in discussion.

If you start posting unsupported claims in this forum, you will be challenged, in this thread as much as any other.

I never said I did. But when you keep attacking someone after they said they did not want to debate repeatedly is not setting a very good example for other posters on this site. I would have ignored you long ago, but I can't because you're a moderator, I find it sad that you use your power to harass me when I asked you and others to stop previously many times because I did not want to continue the discussion. I asked you nicely, I don't know what your problem is, but there is no need to act the way you did towards me. I'm sorry I don't have the same criteria as you for measuring greatness, that doesn't mean that your opinion is any more valid or that we have to have a debate about it at length. Its my right to hold my opinion and I should not feel threatened expressing it on here. So please stop.

Second of all this is not a debate site, its government simulation site, you of all people should know that, being a moderator.

His reaction to Bolt in the race was so funny. "The big man, the big man!"

I loved watching the footage from yesterday as well...when Mo won his gold...they went nuts...

I quite like Mo as well. He looked really choked during his medal ceremony....so much emotion in these Olympics. Never seen anything like it...

Yes, because there was never any emotion in any of the previous olympics.

Bolt! Bolt! Bolt!

A Jamaican 1&2. It's a shame about Gatlin getting a medal, he doesn't even deserve to compete.

Oh fuck off, he's clean now, he won 3rd fair and square. This is the kind of petty BS that is in every way the opposite of what the olympics are about.

I'm going to leave you guys with a question to debate: should Bolt use a standing start? His main weakness is that he always starts slowly. Being taller, Bolt takes longer to get off the blocks and into his stride. A standing start would help him get those huge legs pumping from the gun and possibly into world record times.

No of course not. Its a tremendous disadvantage, its waaaaaaay harder to build momentum like that. Trust me on this, I used to run track. Maybe he aught to set his blocks differently though.

[Glasgia]

I'm going to leave you guys with a question to debate: should Bolt use a standing start? His main weakness is that he always starts slowly. Being taller, Bolt takes longer to get off the blocks and into his stride. A standing start would help him get those huge legs pumping from the gun and possibly into world record times.

No of course not. Its a tremendous disadvantage, its waaaaaaay harder to build momentum like that. Trust me on this, I used to run track. Maybe he aught to set his blocks differently though.

Believe me, I run track now. Like Bolt, I'm a lot taller than my other competitors and often find it hard to get up as quickly as others from a crouching start. I'm not suggesting he stands like a pencil, just that he doesn't go all the way down. Arms in sprint position, leaning forward, back leg bent 80 degrees, front leg bent 135. I've never run with adjustable blocks, so I couldn't answer your question on that. Only those annoying fixed bitches that force you into awkard positions.

[Disserbia]

No of course not. Its a tremendous disadvantage, its waaaaaaay harder to build momentum like that. Trust me on this, I used to run track. Maybe he aught to set his blocks differently though.

Believe me, I run track now. Like Bolt, I'm a lot taller than my other competitors and often find it hard to get up as quickly as others from a crouching start. I'm not suggesting he stands like a pencil, just that he doesn't go all the way down. Arms in sprint position, leaning forward, back leg bent 80 degrees, front leg bent 135. I've never run with adjustable blocks, so I couldn't answer your question on that. Only those annoying fixed bitches that force you into awkard positions.

Yeah I could see that, I mean it is pretty tall, but it would be very hard to build momentum up as fast without the blocks, and in a race that short, the start is pretty essential. Out of curiousity, what races do you run?

[The Archregimancy]

or that no one wants to have just 2 matches during the 16 days...

They'd presumably play Twenty20 cricket - the fast form of the game.

And in fact, some quick research shows that...

"Twenty20's push to be part of the 2020 Olympics gained momentum when the International Olympic Committee approved cricket as an Olympic sport in February 2010. Even Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, is keen to see cricket becoming an Olympic sport in the future."

The same reason why Baseball/Softball isn't in is the same reason why Cricket isn't in. There's just not that many consistently good teams to bother having it.

Compare
Baseball/Softball:
Cuba
USA
Japan
S. Korea
Taiwan
Dom. Republic
Venezuela
Mexico
Curaçao

That's it 9 teams that would consistantly make the medal rounds

Cricket:
England
India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Australia
South Africa
New Zealand

Only 7 teams that are consistently good.

Face it unless the US, China, and possibly Brazil and Russia start playign cricket at the level of those 7 teams consistently.. it';s never gonna get in.

Some points of correction on the above...

1) Baseball wasn't withdrawn from the games just because of limited international participation (though this didn't help), but because, in Jacques Rogge's words (emphasis added): "To be on the Olympic program is an issue where you need universality as much as possible. You need to have a sport with a following, you need to have the best players and you need to be in strict compliance with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). And these are the qualifications that have to be met."

So baseball's problem isn't just lack of universality (which, after all, would likely eliminate handball), but also MLB's refusal to allow the best baseball players to enter the Olympics, and the rampant abuse of performance-enhancing methods within the sport.

If MLB were to drop its objections to its star players appearing in the Olympics (and even MLB has acknowledged the issue on its web page in 2008), and MLB baseball were to both successfully clean up its act and successfully counter international perceptions - fair or not - that the league is a semi-official haven of international drug cheats, then baseball could likely get back in to the games.

That the same 2008 article linked to above has MLB stating that "MLB players will be part of the proposal [to return baseball in the Olympics] in some capacity, mentioning one scenario whereby Major Leaguers could participate in the medal round and Minor Leaguers in the preliminaries" shows that MLB just doesn't get it.


2) Your list of nations that are 'consistently good' at cricket betrays a certain lack of familiarity with limited overs cricket.

First of all, cricket may be immensely popular in Bangladesh, but it would be a brave Tigers fan who made the claim that they were 'consistently good'; because they're not. They're generally quite poor. But that hardly matters; as a point of comparison your rather optimistic listing of Curaçao as a baseball nation is equally flawed when A) they're not realistically that good either and B) Curaçao aren't even currently eligible for the Olympics (their athletes compete under the 'Independent Olympic Athletes' banner due to confusion over national Olympic Committee status following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles). At least there are 100 million people in Bangladesh.

It's also particularly baffling that you've included Bangladesh on that list of 'consistently good' nations, but not Sri Lanka, when Sri Lanka have actually won the limited overs Cricket World Cup in the past.

More importantly, while only 10 teams (not 7 - the other national team you're missing is Zimbabwe, who are at least as good as Bangladesh now that theyr'e improving again) compete at full test level, limited overs cricket is far more competitive. Kenya reached the semi-finals of the 2003 tournament (albeit under slightly fortuitous circumstances), Ireland and Bangladesh both defeated England in 2011. On top of that, the larger West Indies individual components could field highly competitive teams.

If we look at competitiveness in the comparatively new Twenty20 format, the shortest form of the game, and the one most likely to become an Olympic sport, competitiveness is even better. Zimbabwe defeated Australia in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup, Ireland defeated Bangladesh in the 2009 tournament, and the Netherlands defeated England in the same year.

So that's a fairly decent run of upsets at the highest level, and a good group of competitive nations who can win limited over matches at this level.

Also, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan... that may only be three nations, but that's a hell of a following in terms of sheer number of people.

Anyway, the full list of nations who could likely field a competitive team at an Olympic cricket tournament, using as a definition teams who have defeated a full test nation in a limited overs cricket world cup (including Twenty20) in the last decade, and the four largest West Indies associations (each of whom have supplied at least 6 players to one of the West Indies international squads over the last year), we in fact get:

Great Britain [instead of 'England' in the Olympics]
India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Australia
South Africa
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Ireland
Kenya
Netherlands
Jamaica
Barbados
Trinidad & Tobago
Guyana

And that's a fairly decent tournament.

If the ICC want cricket in the Olympics, that is - and I'm not convinced they do.

[The Archregimancy]

I would further gently remind you that you have no right to set the agenda in discussion.

If you start posting unsupported claims in this forum, you will be challenged, in this thread as much as any other.

I never said I did. But when you keep attacking someone after they said they did not want to debate repeatedly is not setting a very good example for other posters on this site. I would have ignored you long ago, but I can't because you're a moderator, I find it sad that you use your power to harass me when I asked you and others to stop previously many times because I did not want to continue the discussion. I asked you nicely, I don't know what your problem is, but there is no need to act the way you did towards me. I'm sorry I don't have the same criteria as you for measuring greatness, that doesn't mean that your opinion is any more valid or that we have to have a debate about it at length. Its my right to hold my opinion and I should not feel threatened expressing it on here. So please stop.

I am not attacking you as an individual. I have absolutely no problem with you as an individual.

I am merely debating a specific unsubstantiated contention of yours about whether or not the description of Saturday night as 'the greatest night in British athletics' is hyperbole or not. Rigorously testing unsubstantiated claims in debate is a standard part of discussion in the General forum.

If, however, you don't want to discuss this any further, you are free to completely ignore me - irrespective of my status as a moderator or not - rather than dredge it up again more than 12 hours after my last post on the subject.

Second of all this is not a debate site, its government simulation site, you of all people should know that, being a moderator.

I know precisely what this forum is for: NSG is an out of character debate forum.

It's where people go to debate.

Which I know, being - as you point out - a moderator.

Which is why I am debating ideas in this forum which I disagree with, such as Qazox's comparison of baseball and cricket in my previous post.

If, however, you feel you are being unfairly harrassed by a member of the moderation team, or that a member of the moderation team is setting a bad example to other posters, I would encourage you to file a getting help request here: http://www.nationstates.net/page=help

Members of the moderation team are not above the rules, and your concerns would be treated seriously.

You can also file a public complaint in the Moderation forum.

[Onekawa-Nukanor]

What do you know, if the medal tally is done by population, then New Zealand is No.1

I feel fuzzy inside