Beijing Olympics Thread

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by Mango

I'm optimistic about the women's soccer team. I don't think we've seen the best from them yet. That team has so much potential...I really think they can medal.

Same here. I'm excited for them and I hope they do well.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

So it looks like Canada is on track for another dissapointing games - so what should be done? How many millions are spent on these programs? I know tha the individual athletes all do their best but as a taxpayer if we are spending a ton of dough on this stuff - there has to be results. Is our whole approach off? Are people too forgiving when our athlete's fail?

In short...wdf?

Maybe I underestimate the importance of success at the olympics, but whats the big deal if we arn't a leading country in medals? What do we get, bragging rights for a few weaks?

I'd rather the millions get spent on something more contructive (no offense to the olympic participants) then to try and get more medals.

All the 14th and 8th places, oh well. It actually doesn't really bother me.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Maybe I underestimate the importance of success at the olympics, but whats the big deal if we arn't a leading country in medals? What do we get, bragging rights for a few weaks?

I'd rather the millions get spent on something more contructive (no offense to the olympic participants) then to try and get more medals.

I'm not convinced it's the best use of my money either - but if we are spending it they damn well better bring home something.

The purpose of sports is to win - not just to show up.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I'm not convinced it's the best use of my money either - but if we are spending it they damn well better bring home something.

The purpose of sports is to win - not just to show up.

Well how would you feel if they spent more to move up from 8th-14th to 5th-8th?

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Well how would you feel if they spent more to move up from 8th-14th to 5th-8th?

Meh. As I said - not sure if more money is the answer. And certainly not if its going to do that.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Meh. As I said - not sure if more money is the answer. And certainly not if its going to do that.

Ah fair enough. As long as they spend enough money to keep that hot blond chick doing CBC.

(Yes I actually am watching the olympics)

[HOOT]

Did the Chinese some how sneak in building a shorter pool than regulation?

How are there so many WR's being broken this year?

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Did the Chinese some how sneak in building a shorter pool than regulation?

How are there so many WR's being broken this year?

A fast pool, and the new Speedo LZR suits.

[Berger_4_]

Do those suits really make that much of a difference? And holy God is Michael Phelps ever fast. Seriously that's crazy how good he is.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Berger_4_

Do those suits really make that much of a difference? And holy God is Michael Phelps ever fast. Seriously that's crazy how good he is.

Apparently they're good for half a second per 60 seconds of swimming, which at that level is around a body length. So yeah - big difference!

[icarus]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

The purpose of sports is to win - not just to show up.

You should say this on the air!

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

A fast pool, and the new Speedo LZR suits.

Y'all know that sooner or later they'll just be swimming naked to break more world records.

[CrusaderPi]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

A fast pool, and the new Speedo LZR suits.

The LZR suits I get, but I don't understand how one pool can be considered faster then the municipal pool 3 blocks away from me. Can anyone with swimming knowledge explain?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

The LZR suits I get, but I don't understand how one pool can be considered faster then the municipal pool 3 blocks away from me. Can anyone with swimming knowledge explain?

Physics. Something about pool design, currents and turbulence.

[FurnaceFace]

For swimming the new suits are supposed to cut resistance by 2% as there are no visible seams. It's crazy that can make such a different but we're talking fractions of seconds to do better.

I'm in the camp if the Canadian team are breaking personal bests I consider that a success. TO me it means you've peeked at the right time and have done everything you could. We don't fund athletics anywhere close to what the countries above us do. I seem to recall some story during Athens about Phelps which showed all his sponsorship. I suspect it's more than the entire Canadian swim team ever gets.

Some countries are offering their athletes $250k or $500k for winning. If the country has that type of resource to pay a ping pong player to win there must be a significant amount of resources behind them during training too. I'm not sure how our athletes are expected to compete.

I think the Shaw commercial with the swimmers in the starting blocks where the athletes are all thinking "I'm gonna win" and the Canadian is thinking "I'll ask my parents to 2nd mortgage their home. I'll get a bank loan. I'll ask my coach to work for free." Is rather compelling.

I also think as others have said our focus is on the winter games. We've always had some success in certain fields in the summer but I don't think we'll ever be an all around powerhouse.

There does however seem to be a shift. There seems to be additional private sponsorship of specific athletes this year as witnessed by the Visa, Rona, Shaw, et al commercials we've all seen. There are also some powerful funding groups like B2Ten which are making an impact. I don't recall this much sponsorship for previous Olympics so I'm hopeful things will improve for the athletes.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

The LZR suits I get, but I don't understand how one pool can be considered faster then the municipal pool 3 blocks away from me. Can anyone with swimming knowledge explain?

one thing is that it's 10 lanes, less of the waves/turbulance makes it back to the swimmers. i think that might make a difference.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Y'all know that sooner or later they'll just be swimming naked to break more world records.

Sorry to break it to you, but if this was the case, the Speedos at the Olympics would look more like... well, Speedos.

The reason they use pretty much full body suits is that the suits have less drag than skin, even waxed/shaved skin.

As far as what makes a pool fast, I think it's one that absorbs the waves the swimmers create so that there's less turbulence slowing them down.

[Ruttiger]

Another thing with those suits is that they act like a corset around the midsection, keeping the body that much more tight, compact, and streamlined. They're actually faster than bare skin, so nudity is out....

As for being a fast pool, part of it has to do with materials and they way it absorbs the waves and turbulence, which I won't pretend to fully understand. Another factor is the empty lane on either side of the swimmers as someone mentioned above. More distance between the swimmer and the walls means less turbulence bouncing back off the walls to have to swim through. Same goes for pool depth - the deeper it is, the longer it takes the waves and turbulence to return to the surface. The type of ropes used also play a factor in cutting the waves, as do the design of the pool edges and how they take in water.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Y'all know that sooner or later they'll just be swimming naked to break more world records.

Actually, they're going in the opposite direction:

Mark Spitz...



Michael Phelps...



Yikes...that doesn't leave much to the imagination.

[Phanuthier]

wow it sure doesn't