While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

And which sports are you watching. I'm watching the swimming, the gymnastics
and equestrian (when I can find it). I'll watch the track and field stuff
when that coverage starts.



I have the cheap cable selection, so I only get NBC proper, Telemundo
and USA. Whoever's broadcasting is who I have on.

I impress myself with how much of the Spanish I understand on Telemundo.
My "huh" moments seem to be limited to the occasional word that I
don't know, rather than that an entire sentence has whished past me with
no comprehension.

In preparation for this, I had, on Opening Day, downloaded a
Spanish-language newspaper that had a schedule, so I could at least
puzzle out/look up the names of the sports before it started. Now if
only Telemundo and the newspaper would use the same name for the events!
(Escuestra (sp?) and equitacion are the same thing, I have discovered,
but only because Telemundo had a picture of a horsey on the screen when
they were discussing the one I couldn't puzzle out without a dictionary!)


--

Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/

anne wrote:

As the mother of a former gymnast, I can vouch for training routines that might
stafe off development and puberty. When my daughter's hormones finally kicked
in, she grew 4 inches in a few months. Despite the possibility that their
training has delayed maturation, the very gifted Chinese girls, imnsho, are
definitely not 16.


I can vouch for it, too. I was so overactive/underweight as a result of
dancing hours per day that I was an extremely late bloomer.

I also agree that I have some serious doubts about some of those Chinese
girls. Someone claims to have found birth records that would make one
of them 14. I'm not even sure I buy that. I have my money on 10-12.

--

Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/

ellice wrote:
At least they don't look like men - or the old German & Soviet athletes of
the 60s-70s.


German TV had an interview with a couple of "female" East German
athletes a couple months ago. They say they were given "vitamin pills"
by the team doctor, no idea what they were taking. Being good little
Communists, they did what they were told and took the pills without
asking questions.

As adults, one got so frustrated with being called a man in a dress that
she simply decided to dress as a man and not have to explain all the
time. Another went all the way and had sex change surgery. Another
died quite young of something likely caused by the steroids.

--

Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/

Our TV hasn't been switched on for almost a year. We hear about the
Olympics on the radio and read about the Olympics but our newspapers are
usually a couple of days late in arriving. We don't feel particularly
deprived...
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney

Jangchub wrote:
I think this insane, frivilous training regimens are not healthy. I
understand why we have the sport, but to completely stop your growth,
stop menses due to no body fat and disrupt your ability to develop
your body is a bit frightening to me.


And the shock when it finally does develop....

My freshman roommate had been a gymnast -- quite good apparently, many
hours a week in the gym. Both her parents were petite, so it was no
concern to anyone that she was short. However, senior year of HS she
blew out her knee, had surgery, and during the recuperation period when
she was not allowed to do gymnastics, she put on a lot of weight, most
of it in the chest.

When she got back to the gym, she found out that it's extremely
difficult to do gymnastics when your balance has to compensate for a
pair of Ds up front. End of gymnastics career.

--

Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/

Jangchub wrote:


My point is not to slam the sport. But this pushing and pushing and
pushing is not healthy. When Olga Corbet and Nadia were in the sport
and you could get a 10, it was fun to watch. Now the judges are not
impartial, do carry prejudice, will react based on the home court
effect and any number of things.

Let's not rewrite history here. Nadia Comeneci was the first gymnast
ever to get a perfect 10 at the Olympics. I don't think Olga Korbut
ever did. But even (or perhaps, especially) then, the judges were not
impartial, did carry prejudice, reacted based on home court effect, and
often split along pro-Soviet/pro-US lines.

Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Aug 11, 9:31*am, Jangchub wrote:
On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:18:54 -0400, Cheryl Isaak





wrote:
I'm trying to finish a little piece with palm trees but not getting very
far.

And which sports are you watching. I'm watching the swimming, the gymnastics
and equestrian (when I can find it). I'll watch the track and field stuff
when that coverage starts.

- I stayed up to watch the Men's 100M relay swim; I'm rooting for Phelps to
beat Mark Spitz record for gold medals in an Olympics even if I think Mark
Spitz is cuter

DS is making all sorts of comments about the Chinese female gymnasts -
mostly that none of them look 16 more like 10 or 11. Told him that he should
read (gasp, read a book) Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. It's about the
training figure skaters and gymnasts go through and I can't imagine the
Chinese are more gentle and certainly aim for the "girls in boys bodies"
look. Most of the other teams seem to truly have 16+ girls on them. The
Germans have a woman in her 30's and she was great.

Cheryl

So far I am trying to watch, but the coverage of beach volleyball
seems to be overly obvious. *I can't find the equestrian, *the swmming
is obnoxious with all the tabloid reporting, who cares, and the
coverage is disgusting once again. *So I am bored to tears.

One of those Chinese gymnasts looks ten years old and she is not the
only one. *The pressure to win is not making it any fun to watch.
Competition has become the sport, not the actual event.

I am tired of men havinig suits which cover their ass cracks, but
everry woman's event has them barely covering their crotch. *I have no
idea how they are scoring using the new system, and I don't hear
anyone explaininng it, either.

Then there's the very unsportsmanship comments by the French and the
whole thing is just a big bore.

You now have my sugar coated version.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Now, Vic.....don't faint but I *agree* with you!!

Years back I loved the Olympics, watched when available, and mostly
followed the events by newspaper radio etc

I lived outside London when we had the 1948 Olympics there. All the
swimming stuff was practtised in our home town pool. Wembley was only
a half-hour away, and most everyone HAD to use public transport.There
was no media difficulties, and we followed the "strange" ( i.e.
foreigners) in my town getting autographs.

I believe the Olympics first, and major, step downhill was when it was
no longer for amateurs; pros were allowed in, and it was never the
same again! Since then the whole concept seems to have changed. It is
commercialised, the number of medals is of prime importance, and the
old concept of the Olympic Games is gone. It is a shame.....and I
really cannot get thrilled over it.

Gillian

BTW, I noticed in the paper they only gave the positions of the
Americans in various events, not who came Gols, Silver and Bronze.

On 8/11/08 9:58 PM, " wrote:

On Aug 11, 9:31*am, Jangchub wrote:
On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:18:54 -0400, Cheryl Isaak





wrote:
I'm trying to finish a little piece with palm trees but not getting very
far.

And which sports are you watching. I'm watching the swimming, the gymnastics
and equestrian (when I can find it). I'll watch the track and field stuff
when that coverage starts.

- I stayed up to watch the Men's 100M relay swim; I'm rooting for Phelps to
beat Mark Spitz record for gold medals in an Olympics even if I think Mark
Spitz is cuter

DS is making all sorts of comments about the Chinese female gymnasts -
mostly that none of them look 16 more like 10 or 11. Told him that he should
read (gasp, read a book) Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. It's about the
training figure skaters and gymnasts go through and I can't imagine the
Chinese are more gentle and certainly aim for the "girls in boys bodies"
look. Most of the other teams seem to truly have 16+ girls on them. The
Germans have a woman in her 30's and she was great.

Cheryl

So far I am trying to watch, but the coverage of beach volleyball
seems to be overly obvious. *I can't find the equestrian, *the swmming
is obnoxious with all the tabloid reporting, who cares, and the
coverage is disgusting once again. *So I am bored to tears.

One of those Chinese gymnasts looks ten years old and she is not the
only one. *The pressure to win is not making it any fun to watch.
Competition has become the sport, not the actual event.

I am tired of men havinig suits which cover their ass cracks, but
everry woman's event has them barely covering their crotch. *I have no
idea how they are scoring using the new system, and I don't hear
anyone explaininng it, either.

Then there's the very unsportsmanship comments by the French and the
whole thing is just a big bore.

You now have my sugar coated version.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Now, Vic.....don't faint but I *agree* with you!!

Years back I loved the Olympics, watched when available, and mostly
followed the events by newspaper radio etc

I lived outside London when we had the 1948 Olympics there. All the
swimming stuff was practtised in our home town pool. Wembley was only
a half-hour away, and most everyone HAD to use public transport.There
was no media difficulties, and we followed the "strange" ( i.e.
foreigners) in my town getting autographs.

I believe the Olympics first, and major, step downhill was when it was
no longer for amateurs; pros were allowed in, and it was never the
same again! Since then the whole concept seems to have changed. It is
commercialised, the number of medals is of prime importance, and the
old concept of the Olympic Games is gone. It is a shame.....and I
really cannot get thrilled over it.

It's a shame in many respects. But, also a sign of the general times in
that how would these athletes even staying basically amateur be supported to
train, live while preparing without allowing them some financial support.
It varies from sport to sport with what the international federations allow,
within the limits of the IOC. I hate having pros in hockey in the winter -
it stinks. Oh, well - it's still great to watch - if you follow sports.
And to appreciate all those lesser paid skilled athletes.

Gillian

BTW, I noticed in the paper they only gave the positions of the
Americans in various events, not who came Gols, Silver and Bronze.

Too bad - what paper. The papers here have the full medal counts - though
depending you may have to find details inside the sports section.

Ellice

Jangchub wrote:
On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:51:45 +0100, "Bruce Fletcher (Stronsay,
Orkney)" wrote:

Our TV hasn't been switched on for almost a year. We hear about the
Olympics on the radio and read about the Olympics but our newspapers are
usually a couple of days late in arriving. We don't feel particularly
deprived...

You are not missing anything; if you were in the States. The
coverage, as usual, stinks. I really don't like Bob Costas nor do I
care for the smarmy commentary and ongoing and very annoying reporting
on the details of just a few people.

It's not Phelps' fault, but this is an American swim team. It's not
the Phelps team. He's a nice kid and I'm happy he is winning. The
NBC coverage, not so much.

Pppbbblllffftt! You guys aren't alone in the partisan camp! Here in Oz,
all we hear about is Libby Trickett and Grant Hackett (both swimmers) as
if they were the only athletes competing on our behalf. Never mind that
the Oz equestrian team is doing *marvellously* well against frightful
odds. I think the TV would explode if we got more than the obligatory
five minutes of coverage per week.

It's no secret that I'm an equestrian tragic, but I'd like to see other
sports as well. Last night, I had to sit up until 1am to see the gallant
weightlifters from Colombia and Korea and China battle it out in the
62kg division. I know nothing about weightlifting, but gee it was great
to watch! I wouldn't mind seeing the kayaking or the fencing or the
taekwondo either, but all I get is a steady diet of swimming and beach
volleyball.

Hnnnnnnnhhh!!!

NB. Here's two gems for you, courtesy of the Australian Olympic TV coverage:

When the Oz team failed to win the women's 400m relay, an intelligent
commentator remarked 'Not to bag the little 16-year-old new entry, but
if she had only gotten off the block a fraction of a second more
quickly, this race would've been in the bag for Libby Trickett.'

Hellooo? It was a team relay race...

An even more intelligent (?) commentator observed during Lucinda
Fredericks' flawless dressage test 'A wag of the tail from the horse!
That'll be points deducted for Lucinda!' AND HE WAS SERIOUS!

ellice wrote:
On 8/11/08 9:58 PM, " wrote:


BTW, I noticed in the paper they only gave the positions of the
Americans in various events, not who came Gols, Silver and Bronze.


Too bad - what paper. The papers here have the full medal counts - though
depending you may have to find details inside the sports section.

Ellice



Definitely depends on the paper. I've lived in places where the paper
detailed who ate what for breakfast and I've lived in places where the
paper simply printed results.

Fortunately, nowadays, we're not limited by geography. If I don't like
the coverage in my local paper, I can surf around till I find one that
says more.

There's also the "big fish in a little pond" factor. As I mentioned
earlier, I downloaded a Spanish-language newspaper to help with the
vocabulary on those events covered on Telemundo. Where the US is all
about the medals, their local athletes were all hoping for nothing more
than to beat their personal best, maybe set a national record. And
their local coverage has been quite complimentary, finding pride in
things like "lost, but hey, it wasn't a blowout" or "finished several
places further back than Athens 2004, but did take a full second off our
national record".


--
Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/