2012 Olympics Hype Thread

Kouzan · 12th August 2012, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by RegiReece

Yeah im not too sure why there is all the hype about him, maybe its because hes a national favourite? I dunno.. But the guys who won the gold in the kayaking only got about 5 minutes of attention from what i saw

Side: when do the paralympics start?

I think he's great, never really into diving much, but he and David Boudia are amazing at what they're doing Boudia a little better apparently since he got gold lol.

Note: Paralympics start August 28th. Good thing I had London2012's site open.
Sucks they don't broadcast it here though.

Reece · 12th August 2012, 04:11 AM

Yeah. Well, hes got a few years ahead of him yet.. Ivve no doubt that he'll get gold in rio.

And thanks, im just too lazy to look :p have you seen any of the advertisements for the paralympic games? Theyre quite inspiring

Kouzan · 12th August 2012, 04:15 AM

No I don't think I haven't cause like I said they don't broadcast them in the US.

Reece · 12th August 2012, 04:26 AM

Ah man.. So is there no way for you to watch the paras? Any websites?

Kouzan · 12th August 2012, 05:19 AM

Not that I know of at the moment, but if I find a site that streams it, I'll catch as much of it as I can. I really want to watch it.

Edit watching the Men's handball bronze medal match. Croatia vs Hungary.

Go Croatia I guess.

Reece · 12th August 2012, 05:39 AM

I don't understand handball.. Are they allowed to push and shove each other?

Kouzan · 12th August 2012, 06:49 AM

Basically soccer with your hands, your not allowed to kick it or hit it with any part of your body under your knees. You can also dribble and pass it. So like soccer and basketball akind of. This is helpful.I think usually they're aren't allowed to push others players out of the way to get the ball.Neither is blocking someone with any part of the body excluding the torso or grabbing or hitting the ball out of a player's hand or jumping/grabbing on a player.
I'm sort of still learning the sport myself.

Edit: Found the rules online
http://www.ihf.info/files/Uploads/NewsAttachments/0_RuleGame_GB.pdf

~~Therian~~ · 12th August 2012, 08:18 AM

I feel sorry for the Paralympians. 120 countreis that send teams to the Olympics don't even bother to send a team to the Paralympics. It doesn't get much media attention ( I can't name you a single paralympic athlete.) As we've heard already, they aren't broadcast in the US, and here in the UK, instead of the BBC (big public broadcaster with no ad breaks) they are put on the UK's 4th Channel, and like the NBC coverage a lot is cut out so ad breaks can be stuffed in whereas they don't do that on the BBC.

I think they should end the segregation, why do we have to have paralympians and Olympians separate, obviously in their individual events they need to be seperate, but for example why can't the Paralympians compete in their Paralympic sports, under the main Olympics banner, and contribute to the overall medal table, thereby incentivising countries to participate otherwise they don't stand a chance in the overall medal table. I think a Paralympic Gold should be treated just the same as an Olympic Gold.

Reece · 12th August 2012, 08:24 AM

I totally understand where you're coming from. And if I was a paralympian I'd be so annoyed. I mean, just because they can't compete (though some probably could such as archery) with the able bodied, doesn't mean that they should be written off a's though they're not a's important. To me they're more important and impressive. IMO I think that if someone can get to that level WITH a disability then they deserve more credit than a Japanese man who has entered the last 4 olympics and not won anything (just an example).

I have way more respect for the Paralympics

*Shinobu* · 12th August 2012, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Therian

I feel sorry for the Paralympians. 120 countreis that send teams to the Olympics don't even bother to send a team to the Paralympics.

I don't think it's a matter of choice most of the time. You have to qualify athletes to the Paralympics. Given how many federations only qualify athletes to the Olympics through wildcard spots, they probably cannot qualify any athletes to the Paralympics.

~~Therian~~ · 12th August 2012, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Shinobu

Originally Posted by Therian

I feel sorry for the Paralympians. 120 countreis that send teams to the Olympics don't even bother to send a team to the Paralympics.

I don't think it's a matter of choice most of the time. You have to qualify athletes to the Paralympics. Given how many federations only qualify athletes to the Olympics through wildcard spots, they probably cannot qualify any athletes to the Paralympics.

But how can that be. Only 3 countries in 2012 had to qualify with a wildcard to the main games, not 120. In Olympics there are 302 Golds up for grabs, in Paralympics there are 499 so you have a better chance at making it the Paralympics as there is about 200 more events to compete in!!!

I understand some countries need the Olympic wildcards to qualify, but 120??? No way. I think it's a mark of disrespect to treat the Paralympics as a separate inferior event. It should be given equal standing with the main Olympics, and their Gold medals contribute to the overall medal table. The fact there is 200 more would be a great incentive as it would mean more than half the medals come from the paralympics so you would be a fool to not go in for over half the events on purpose.

EDIT: Another mark of disrespect is the UK's Postal Service, issuing a stamp for every Olympic Gold Medalist, and painting a postbox gold in that athletes home town, but announcing that they won't be doing the same for the Paralympics.

Reece · 12th August 2012, 10:10 AM

That's harsh (about the stamps and post-boxes) I feel ashamed to be British when I hear things like this... We year on the news that the prime minister wants everyone to be equal and other such things, yet this is a prime example of it. And I'm aware that it's not just him, but a percentage of the nation... I have a friend (I'm ashamed to call him that) that believes the paras are, in his words, "just a bunch of retards trying to keep up with the rest of the world and get attention". It's attitudes like that which bring down Great Britain to simply Britain in my eyes.

~~Therian~~ · 12th August 2012, 10:32 AM

On happier news.

It is official Team GB has finished 3rd and the USA has beaten China!!! :D

Only 1 gold medal left

Faye Valentine · 12th August 2012, 01:55 PM

For once, Kenya didn't get the marathon gold medal.

But of course they still got the silver and bronze.

Hooray for the U.S. winning the men's basketball gold medal! Even if it's totally unsurprising.

Edit: And it looks like Stephen Kiprotich's marathon gold is Uganda's first gold in any event in 40 years! That's pretty awesome!

*Shinobu* · 12th August 2012, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Therian

But how can that be. Only 3 countries in 2012 had to qualify with a wildcard to the main games, not 120. In Olympics there are 302 Golds up for grabs, in Paralympics there are 499 so you have a better chance at making it the Paralympics as there is about 200 more events to compete in!!!

I understand some countries need the Olympic wildcards to qualify, but 120??? No way. I think it's a mark of disrespect to treat the Paralympics as a separate inferior event. It should be given equal standing with the main Olympics, and their Gold medals contribute to the overall medal table. The fact there is 200 more would be a great incentive as it would mean more than half the medals come from the paralympics so you would be a fool to not go in for over half the events on purpose.

What you're saying implies that federations are sending their disabled athletes to world championships but for some non-nonsensical reason are choosing not to send them to the Paralympics. A federation doesn't simply choose to not send athletes to the Paralympics. If they don't have any elite disabled athletes who are good enough or don't have adequate support for disabled athletes (and likely able bodied ones as well), they cannot send athletes to the Paralympics. Think about how many federations have 10 athletes or fewer in the Olympics. Now try to imagine the possibility of them consistently qualifying athletes to the Paralympics.

Combining the Olympics and the Paralympics won't change participation since the biggest federations are already sending delegations. So if we combine them China will dominate the medal count and Belize will still get no medals. Nothing's changed in that respect.

The post office's decision really sucks. British people should raise hell over that.

I wasn't very impressed with the closing ceremony and found the Rio de Janeiro presentation the most interesting part.