Last “lap”. Same idea as as the flag they wave on the last lap of car races, and the horn they let off during running events in track and field. In swimming it takes a sharp bell to penetrate through all the splashing.
Also note the clothesline of flags they hang over the far end of the pool so that backstrokers can time their flip (and not break their knuckles on the wall).
Hope Solo - classy, classy lady:
Never heard that in 50 years of following football. I’d imagine the Swedes are lapping it up 
I’m noticing that all events featuring Brazilians are packed, the rest are not. I blame this on the media who scared-off travelers with their bullshit Zika/water quality/infrastructure bogeymen stories. Now they have lots of more compelling sports stories to write, while the generous hosts take a beating. Fuckers.
Another close game for USA basketball
Serbia has a very good team.
Good analysis of team USA problems.
I watched the match - Ms. Solo is solidly in sore loser territory. The Swedes played fairly aggressively, as far as I could tell.
She said almost exactly that. IIRC, her post-game comments included something like, “Losing sucks. I’m no good at it.”
I’m totally cool with her being a sore loser. Like I’ve said before, I’m not here for any of this “humility” or “grace under defeat” nonsense. Like the saying goes, show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser.
She’s an embarrassment - everything a lot of the world wants to think about ugly Americans.
What is she even talking about - the Swedes had the better tactics.
Germany 4 Portugal 0
This new generation of Germans are very impressive. And really tall. It was like men playing against boys.
Don’t try to hide the bigotry. Everyone knows Hope Solo is a twat and a disgrace. But what does she have to do with Americans? Especially how the other USA athletes have carried themselves with class and dignity.
I disagree. Losing is a learning experience. It presents opportunities to improve. Also, being a sore loser gives ur opponent emotional ammunition.
In fact, you learn more from defeat than you do from victory.
Well, just speaking for myself. I see a big difference between “losing sucks; I’m no good at it” and “the opponents were a bunch of cowards.” The first is fine, the second not so much.
I might be wrong, but aren’t the soccer games being played in Brasilia and Belo Horizonte? Both places no where near Rio. I can see why it might appear the attendance is pretty scarce at these events. If you make it to Rio for the bulk of the events, how likely are you to hop on an airplane to go see a soccer game?
Also, Hope Solo is a Roid-Rage Psychopath, and I’d say it to her face except she would probably kick my ass! 
I’m already getting burned out on this shit.
Where are we disagreeing, exactly? Losing is a learning experience. That doesn’t mean that any of the things you have to learn is how to be humble, gracious or self-effacing.
Burned out of what, the Olympics? I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m burned out, but most of the events that I’m in it for (judo, weightlifting, gymnastics, archery) are already over. I’ll still watch all the basketball (men’s and women’s), most of the “field” events (not so much, the track events; not really interested in any foot race that doesn’t involve Bolt), and I’ll probably watch some women’s boxing, but there aren’t too many events contested during Week 2 that are relevant to my interests.
I cringe every time I see one of those scorekeepers, or whatever they’re called, trot out to mark the landing of a shotput or discus throw. I just saw one come perilously close to a discus before it hit the ground. ::shudder::
That was a pretty brutal game for Portugal. Germany outplayed them all over the pitch. There were some lovely flowing moves, and all four goals were quality.
That’s the great shame of it, that her classless outburst is now ~the~ main thing that people around the world will remember of the USWNT this year.
Should be.
:dubious: Agree to disagree.
If you want to be a person with manners it is. Sure, there’s no law that says you have to be a nice person but if you choose not to be you get the public scorn that comes with it.