# Everything Beijing '08 Olympics Games **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 5, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960 "2008-08-05T20:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/1 "2008-08-05T20:57:07Z")
Thread to discuss anything at all pertaining to The Games. News, live events, outstanding/amazing performances, TV broadcast schedules, warnings to potentially good matches/events, drug gossip, etc. [**The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 8-24, 2008**](http://en.beijing2008.cn/) [**Olympic Venue Distribution**](http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/) Let The Games Begin! ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/2 "2008-08-05T21:01:46Z")
PS-Those who wish to avoid spoilers due to delayed broadcasts and/or DVRs would do well opening another thread as this one is meant to comment on anything and everything that is happening at the time – although later input on any one event is always welcomed. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/3 "2008-08-06T12:34:53Z")
So far the online streaming is pretty good. All the soccer games are being streamed. I’m dreading the email at work asking us to not stream during working hours! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/4 "2008-08-06T13:41:19Z")
Not a good start for the US Women’s soccer team. A win for China and a loss for the US. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/5 "2008-08-06T13:54:38Z")
What? The Olympics are this year? I wonder if they’ll televise any women’s gymnastics. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/6 "2008-08-06T17:02:35Z")
Yeah, we just got a no-streaming policy slapped on us last year ☹ ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/7 "2008-08-06T17:07:41Z")
Yay, you guys actually have people to cheer for that might do well! Me… I’m stuck with hoping a top-ten finish for the mens handball team. Wonder which country I’m gonna adopt this year… suitably small but still cool. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/8 "2008-08-06T17:58:12Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Yay, you guys actually have people to cheer for that might do well! Me… I’m stuck with hoping a top-ten finish for the mens handball team. Wonder which country I’m gonna adopt this year… suitably small but still cool. Any ideas? [/QUOTE] Australia isn’t exactly small land wise but it only has, what, 20 million people and still pulled in 40 something medals last olympics? On a per-capita basis they dominate. They’re the secondary country I cheer for (I also happen to have tons of Australian friends. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/9 "2008-08-06T18:02:22Z")
The UK has got a good crop of boxers going over there who I’ll be keeping an eye on. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/10 "2008-08-06T18:04:29Z")
[QUOTE=drm] Australia isn’t exactly small land wise but it only has, what, 20 million people and still pulled in 40 something medals last olympics? On a per-capita basis they dominate. They’re the secondary country I cheer for (I also happen to have tons of Australian friends. [/QUOTE] And everyone loves shouting out, "“Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi. Oi. Oi!”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/11 "2008-08-06T18:23:10Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Me… I’m stuck with hoping a top-ten finish for the mens handball team. [/QUOTE] Hey, I love handball! I’m rooting for Iceland for the men and Sweden for the women. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/12 "2008-08-06T18:28:44Z")
I am already sick of Michael Phelps. SO he is going to win a lot of medals. Most athletes don’t compete in a sport where they can win multiple medals (boxing, wrestling, team sports, tennis, on and on), so to me it is meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/13 "2008-08-06T18:31:31Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] Not a good start for the US Women’s soccer team. A win for China and a loss for the US. [/QUOTE] A double not-good day for Sweden: Sweden lost to China, and the US lost while being coached by Pia Sundhage. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/14 "2008-08-06T19:46:11Z")
Yeah… that really sucks. Sweden really has to win those other two games now to go further. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/15 "2008-08-07T07:28:18Z")
One of the UK’s best medal hopes, lightweight boxer Frankie Gavin, has just got on a plane to come home [for failing to make the weight](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/07/olympicsboxing). I guess it’s better than failing a drugs test, but that is really disappointing. He was the first UK gold medalist since forever at the world amateur championships last year, and is a beautifully skilled fighter. He must be devastated right now, but him and his coaches should be embarrassed. Thinking about it, if he couldn’t train for the weight for the Olympic games, he probably was never going to win a medal anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/16 "2008-08-07T17:26:35Z")
Here’s hoping [Tani Ryoko](http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=67/bio/index.html) wins her third gold. She has the prettiest _uchi-mata_ I’ve ever seen on a woman. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/17 "2008-08-07T17:32:26Z")
[QUOTE=Busy Scissors] One of the UK’s best medal hopes, lightweight boxer Frankie Gavin, has just got on a plane to come home [for failing to make the weight](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/07/olympicsboxing). I guess it’s better than failing a drugs test, but that is really disappointing. He was the first UK gold medalist since forever at the world amateur championships last year, and is a beautifully skilled fighter. He must be devastated right now, but him and his coaches should be embarrassed. Thinking about it, if he couldn’t train for the weight for the Olympic games, he probably was never going to win a medal anyway. [/QUOTE] I was watching a little mini-doc about him a couple of weeks ago, and he seemed a really promising contender for Gold. What a pity. Still, he’s young enough to be able to bounce back from this disappointment, and in the same way you can learn more about yourself from one defeat, than all your victories, there is still a lot to be gained from this experience. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/18 "2008-08-07T18:54:58Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Here’s hoping [Tani Ryoko](http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=67/bio/index.html) wins her third gold. She has the prettiest _uchi-mata_ I’ve ever seen on a woman. [/QUOTE] A note to the curious–it’s not as sexy as he made it sound. 😛 I never have the presence of mind to look up specific events, but I do try to ingest as much Olympic coverage as I can, simply because it’s cool to see a lot of events that normally fly under the ESPN radar. Still, some of the more popular sports and favored atheletes get the trickly/teary/tinkly-piano treatment, so I’m not looking forward to that aspect… ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/19 "2008-08-07T19:00:12Z")
[QUOTE=RedFury] Thread to discuss anything at all pertaining to The Games. News, live events, outstanding/amazing performances, TV broadcast schedules, warnings to potentially good matches/events, drug gossip, etc. [**The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 8-24, 2008**](http://en.beijing2008.cn/) [**Olympic Venue Distribution**](http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/) Let The Games Begin! [/QUOTE] [Another good website](http://www.transparencyinsport.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960/20 "2008-08-07T19:43:04Z")
I woke up today at 4 am for the US vs Japan soccer match. It was a good result, but I’m not thrilled with their performance. It’s going to take more to get a result against Holland. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everything-beijing-08-olympics-games/458960.md?page=2)