Guess it depends on their rules. If you have to trigger it then Phelps won legit. If not then he didn't. I would suspect that if the rules showed Phelps lost though something would have come up since then.. who knows though. So many little rules in some sports.

it was decided that Phelps would keep the medal, but technically the rules state whichever touches first, not whoever triggers the timer first.

pp, as usual your whining makes little to no sense.

I think the nbc coverage sucks (coverage, times, graphics, etc) and I don't think you understand the definition of jingoistic. You might want to look it up. I was cheering for the Russian women (against the US) tonight in gymnastics. Summary: you're a tool who jumps to conclusions and tries to use big words (for you) and fails at both. Likely that's a pattern.

I'm sorry that pointing out a few simple facts upsets you so. It's very relevant re: US and China medals, and brought it to your attention since you started complaining about it. I won't apologize for rooting for the US, and wouldn't ask anybody else to apologize for rooting for their country. I imagine you'd prefer it if nobody cheered for the US since they're not the underdog. Give me a break. Relax a little.

And keep your chin up, buddy. :)

Btw, drow and locket. Athletes are getting better and faster continually, which makes it difficult to compare Thorpe and Phelps due to their different peaking periods. Thorpe was the best at his peak, and Phelps the best at his...likewise, Spitz was the best at his. However, Thorpe did set all his records while wearing the full-body skinsuit, which detracts a little from his record.

this is true, Phelps and Thorpe also had different specialities. Thorpe is a Freestyle swimmer, whilst Phelps is a Butterfly specialist.
That said, Thorpe's first swim in the heats of the 2012 Olympic qualifiers was pretty much bang on top of his old marks in the skin suit, but he faded when it mattered, due to leaving his preparation to compete until the last minute.
I believe he is now focusing on the 2013 Pan Pacifics.

and Snow, I agree entirely on athletes getting better. Ben Johnson was done for steroids following his then MASSIVE world record 9.86 second 100 Metres, in the 1984? olympics, whilst Usain Bolt recently recorded a 9.61 or thereabouts in the 100 this olympics.

So basically Mr Snow, you're going to not respond to anything I made but to some imaginary points you think I made. Ok :)

If you thought NBC coverage sucked you could have just said it instead of going on a whine about how "US media coverage sucks" = "US sucks." And cheering for the underdog is fun precisely BECAUSE everyone else is cheering for the other team ;)

ps. jingoist -
a person who professes his or her patriotism loudly and excessively - i guess technically you tried to pretend you were neutral

if you want to see an amusing medal interpretation: http://simon.forsyth.net/olympics.html

GO granada!!! :P

^the Olympic rules of the number of athletes per competition from each country work against that. just stick with total golds if you need to compare :P

You're joking right? I've responded to everything. I can't help it if you change the goalposts every time you're proven wrong. Just because you decide to continue a stupid line of arguing doesn't mean I have to follow. Grow up.

You lie in every post. I never said anything about nbc, until I said they sucked. Which was a response to another lie. Trollcheck: you must have cherrypicked your definition of jingoistic, or made it up. A simple google search shows you're not based in reality, again. And, if you think that's loudly or excessively, I recommend sensitivity training. I didn't think the nbc coverage was important...why comment on it? It was just a response to your whining.

Pretending I'm neutral? Making up your own reality again? Hah.

Chin up, buddy. :)

Both the men's and women's triathlons were really good races.

If anybody hasn't seen the men's 10,000 meter race, you should watch it. I've been told by numerous people that it was epic.

ttt

Nationalism is almost as detrimental to humanity as religion, however I do enjoy the Olympics, I just don't cheer for any one nation.

Just because you don't know how to read doesn't mean that the goalposts are moving.

This is basically how the "goal posts have moved so far":
me: point about US media changing medal table to make US seem like its winning
you: China should be beating the US, stop criticising the US (along with other flawed points addressed earlier)
... stuff about your flawed points that's irrelevant to the original post which you insist on not addressing ...
you: yeah, NBC sucks

(NBC being the main US media for the Olympics)

as for jingoism, dictionary.com - definition #1, not exactly super far off the mark even though it missed the foreign policy aspect. also, your patriotism is loud and excessive because you took criticism of one element of the US to be criticism about the entire US.

basically, I've talked about how US media coverage whereas you've tried at almost every post to spin it into some sort of point about US sports. the only time I addressed sporting performance was in response to your flawed criteria for expecting stronger performances from China (because we don't rank by population, much to the USA's advantage).

Cheerleading should be added!

Pain would get the gold

What I still don't understand is how softball and baseball aren't in yet badminton and handball are...

Explain synchronized swimming ffs

All of the sports mentioned in those last two should be in for sure. As many countries have a shot to win in baseball as basketball or many womens sports like soccer.

Theres too many medals in events that are too similar in swimming. Would any track or field athlete (or any other Olympic Sport) ever be able to win as many golds as Phelps has done in any Olympics? Not a chance, nowhere near.

He's a remarkable athlete and I was lucky enough to see him in action live at these Olympics but so many swimmers that will be forgot about next week manage to pick up a few medals each at the Olympics every year, I don't think its as big an accomplishment as winning a couple of different field events or whatever (no idea if thats ever been done).

Oh dear. You are on your own again, it seems.

1. Quote me anywhere where I said to stop criticizing the U.S. Liar. Unfortunately for you, that pretty much destroys your whole tantrum.
2. Once again, pointing out that China should be dominating, is not saying anything but that. There was no imaginary 'stop criticizing the U.S.' in there. You argue like a woman.
3. So, you admit you had the definition wrong, and therefore your accusation. Thanks.
4. Sorry that you think this thread is all about you. It's not. If I bring up something else, it's not because I'm sidestepping anything. I agree the nbc coverage sucks. I don't care if you whine and say the U.S. sucks. I pointed out a simple comparison of ratios of population and medals. No big deal. Take it and run with it, why don't you?

Anything positive happen lately for you? :)

KJ I think the gymnastics people could get close to his amount if they were multitalented. Cycling perhaps...

Gymnastics would be the best bet though... team gold and then all the individual and the individual all round or whatever there is.

Any other events you got to see?

Your first point is completely illogical. The fact is, I made a point about the US media and you didn't respond to that point. Instead, you made references to US performance as a counterpoint to what I said about the media. While you may not have explicitly said "stop criticising the US," you decided to get defensive over a simple point about the US media, even though you later seemed to agree with me that NBC was fluff.

And we already talked about your second point. You pointed out that China should be dominating in response to a point about the US media. Completely irrelevant, pointlessly nationalistic. Also flawed, as I've pointed out many times again. Yes, US might be outperforming China per capita. Doesn't matter, both are near the bottom for per capita medals, we don't count per capita medals because of limits in atheletes per country per event and because it's complicated blahblahblah.

So to point 4. Yeah, you pointed out a simple comparison. That was in response to a comment about the US media. As I said, pointless nationalism - the fact that you were addressing me in that point suggests that you were trying to use your point as some sort of counterpoint to my points about the media. Implying you don't like criticism of the media but can't deflect it properly (bit ironic based on your later comments about NBC).

Either way, you don't really appear to understand what's going on and you seem like one of those people who'll never admit to being wrong about anything, so we can probably just leave it at this.

Hey Pontius Pirate and Mr.Snow why don't you guys just private message each other instead of posting here?

About Phelps I think he is one of, if not the best, swimmer ever. But I don't think you can call him the greatest Olympian ever. I mean for example look at Shaun White and Misty May-Traenor and Kerri Walsh. Shaun has been the most dominant snowboarder ever (since the sport is new) but can only win 1 medal per Olympics. Traenor and Walsh can only win 1 medal even though they have never lost a single match in the Olympics. They will never reach Phelp's lofty 22 medals and 18 golds, but that doesn't mean they were any less dominate in their sport as he was. So I think it is unfair to the other Olympians when people call Phelps the greatest Olympian ever.

Boxing locket. Cycling no chance theres only 5 track cycling events for each sex and as GB were so dominant last year each country is only allowed to ebter 1 competitor per events. 1 person could still enter into all events but the difference between the events is like the 100m and the 10,000m. They should bring swimming down to 5-7 golds available for each sex and get rid of a bunch of the different disciplines.

Ahh Boxing... the worst judged sport in the Olympics every year :P Only figure skating and apparently canada vs USA soccer games can compare. It still is entertaining though.

Jamaican dominance

I was going to type a big retort, once again demolishing your poor use of the English language, etc... but I'll refrain. You've been proven wrong enough. I don't understand what I'm saying, Mr. Dictionary? Lol. I'll concede I miffed one point there. No big deal. Time to run along and enjoy some more Olympics.

Btw, the Jamaicans were impressive in the 200, and other races. I'm afraid to mention the Americans...but I'm more impressed about what I saw from them today, so I can't help it. Sorry I brought them up. :)


I'm personally looking forward to the 5k, and the marathon. Wrestling is always good, though fairly uneventful as such a high level.

I understand why people want to reduce the number of swimming medals, but only to a point. Think about it compared to running. How many different track races are there? 100/200/400/800/1500/3k/5k/10k/marathon, and all the relays. There are marked differences in running vs swimming due mostly to the impact and weight carried, and ability to cool the body, but besides that, the muscles have to be able to act similarly. The Olympics could maybe do away with a few of the swimming distances, but not many. There are also different strokes in swimming, yet only one way to run. Possibly there will be skipping, or running backwards in 2016?

Think about it. Btw, snowboarding still seems so lame as an Olympic sport. And does Shaun White do anything but half-pipe? Slalom/boardercross/etc? There is more than one snowboard competition, you know. He doesn't win anything else, but he's marketable.

you have hurdles as an alternative way to run

Yup, go Sally Pearson. GOLD :D

I think those short distance female athletes have hot bods!! *drool* /me plays with meself

With wet skimpy swim wear!

If you are going to use that comparison then why don't cyclists from the road courses do BMX? Because they are really different, just as halp-pipe is way different than the other snowboard events. I mean sure he could do them, but the only thing they have in common is that you ride a snowboard.
Besides say what you want but snowboarding is in my top-3 most interesting events in either Olympics.

Phelps is an exceptional swimmer from a country full of good swimmers that helped him win a good 1/3 to 1/4 of his medals (the relay races - if he was from a crap country those medals wouldn't be there).

Judging the whole sport by him is stupid. The rule of thumb at olympiac levels of skill is for a swimmer to focus in one or two races + maybe being able to do the relay races. Just like the athletics people do.

There is no need to change the sport. Infact, if some change were to be made, it should be to make it easier for those exceptional people to shine, because the whole point of the thing is to see who is the best. The olympiacs aren't a wealfare gov program, dammit!

Allow one guy to go 4 times? :P

Well, it's over. US with most medals either way you measure it :P

Some Azeri wrestler apparently went and won bronze even though he was taken to the hospital after some heart irregularities just the day before. Impressive, I would've been scared to wrestle if the previous match had caused my heart to act weird.

I'm sad now :( 2 years until Russia now..

me too :(
no matter what anyone says about tape delays, medal counts, or whatever the Olympics is still one of the best sporting events in the world, bar none. can't wait till 2014!

Canada beating Russia on their home soil in hockey shall be great.

Experiencing it in my own country has made me really appreciate the Olympic Spirit a bit more. Will definitely be tempted to go to Rio 2016.

Hate the winter Olympics or something?

it'll be a great bronze medal game. finland over sweden in the final ;)

I have no interest in any of the winter sports. It gets very low coverage here too which doesnt help me start to like any of the winter olympic sports.

lol PP. KJ you should try watching them.... Speed skating is quite similar to running or even cycling if you compare what they are doing.. hockey is just plain awesome. Figure skating is a fair bit like gymnastics I suppose.. Curling is way more awesome than it is given credit for. Winter is just fun stuff if you give it a shot.

Oh I have seen a lot of the Winter Olympic sports before locket, but none have really captured my interest. I mainly tend to like sports that I have done myself too.