Athens 2004, the most boring olympics ever??

[gnatz]

Check out some of the quotes from some of the athletes competing in the 2004 Summer Oylmpics in Athens, especially those from US cyclists Tyler Hamilton and Dede Berry and US shot putter Adam Nelson.

I especially like the end of Hamilton's quote..."We were just four -- four of the many."

Inspirational...gets my blood pumping!!!!!!!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am truly enjoying watching this year's summer Olympics thus far. The events and competition has been nothing short of outstanding.

[Hibiscus09]

The Olympics have been great so far! I really enjoyed the Women's Individual Gymnastics final last night, and also the Men's from earlier. The swimming has also been a lot of fun to watch.

[gnatz]

Originally posted by Hibiscus09
I really enjoyed the Women's Individual Gymnastics final last night, and also the Men's from earlier.

I hear ya Hib. I got choked up when Carly Patterson stuck her landing on the balance beam. Her routine was a thing of beauty compared to the routines of the other gymnasts that NBC aired...almost flawless. Tell you what though...watch out for that 16-year old Russian girl who has been walking in the shadow of Svetlana Khorkina. She's gonna be making some noise in the next couple years.

The swimming has been phenomenal. My close friend and co-worker lives next door to Michael Phelps and his family. I think that's so cool. I think a local news station aired a story on him prior to the Games. IIRC, they followed him into his favorite breakfast restaurant where he ordered (and ate) an unbelievable amount of food. I think they noted that the meal totaled something like 6500 calories!!! That's just friggin' breakfast!!!!

[Hibiscus09]

LOL -- we were talking about that last night -- how much they must have to eat. I guess they'll have to cut back when their past the age of all of this training!

[teewoods]

No star names

Half filled Stadiums

Different schedules


This must go down as the worst Olympics in my estimation. There is something lacking in Athens 2004. One could only utter a sigh of relief that we won't be seeing the Olympics in Athens for another 100yrs. By then i'd be long dead.

I expect much better in Beijing 2008. It most likely would be another Seoul 88. Which was great with full of drama. .. (Ben Johnson et al)


And as for who should host the Olympics in 2012, looking at the contenders - Paris, London, NY, Madrid, Moscow, Rio...its going to be very competitive. Paris might just edge London. I don't think NY deserves to host it, simply for the fact that USA hosted 84 & 96. Madrid wont get it cos Barcelona hosted it in 92. Its time to let other countries have the honour.

I don't see Istanbul hosting it. I'd love to see it in Havana or Rio, but its unlikely.

London has not had the honors since 1948. But if We in London don't get it, I’d be happy to see our neighbours France get the honour. One thing for sure, who ever it is would have a much better Olympics than Athens.

[Original Poster]

I think it is a wonderful Olympics.

While world events and the threat of terrorism keep crowds smaller at most events, there still has been some some amazing preformances. Greece is in a region that I knwo at least many in the west are fearful to travel in right now. While it may be nowhere near as bad to travel to as Syria, turkey, egypt ect.......it still is geogrphically in a region of the world that most would consider marginally safe to travel to at best. The weekend of the opening cerimonies just happened to coincide with a very large religous celebration in the orthadox church..........so yeah, that weekend.......most fo the greek people stayed home. This olympics for reasons mostly uncontrollable by the greeks simply has not drawn the vacationing tourists to the degree most olympics have in the past.

Some of the diving, gymnastics, vollyball.........ect. has been the best it has ever been IMO. While much of the drama is absent, and the media is clamoring for a story with meat, there still has been some amazing person triumph by many of these athletes.

The only thing that strikes me moreso this olympics, is the judging has be more suspect then ever in many events/sports. Judges changing score, miss scoring ect...........has really been a disappointment. This however should never take away from what these athletes have and will accomplish.

IMO the 2004 Olympic athletes.........whether they metel or not are every bit as good as past Athletes. I personally would argue, that overall........they are the best the world has ever seen.

The history that is at this olympics is awsome.........it is a shame that most of the news media have chosen to focus on IMO stories that do not matter that much. IMO, the fault or any failure of this olympics.........is only with world events/conditions and the media and their neverending need to spin.

Enough of my rant !

Happy Wednesday Folks

[Hibiscus09]

I've really been enjoying the Olympics!

[gnatz]

With the exception of the sparse crowds at some of the events and venues, the competition, the athletes, and the stories have been outstanding and/or interesting:

Swimmer Michael Phelps brings home 8 medals (6 Gold, 2 Bronze) while setting several World and Olympic records in the process;
Mens 100m in track & field - 5 sprinters run sub-10-second times in the finals...first time ever...BTW, that's blazing;
USA Womens Softball team only allows 1 run the entire tournament;
Iraqi soccer team reaches the semis and still has a shot at the bronze;
USA Mens Basketball "Dream Team" becomes a nightmare;
Romanian gymnastics takes home 10 medals; etc...


I'm enjoying the games as well.

[phikappa]

It looks good to me.

[teewoods]

Chi,

its often been said, the olympics starts when track and field commences. All the memeores of the olympics centre around track and field.

I dont see how you could say track in 2004 is the best the world has ever seen? What and who excaty is setting the world alight on track? am i missing soemthing?

Where's the carl lewis, Michael johnson, Jackie Joyner, Jonathan Edwards, Edwin Moses, flo jo, I could name so many but it would be pointless.

This lacks star quality, kind of like the way boxing is going.

Regarding volleyball, diving e.t.c...its the same old stuff. Seen one seen all, there are no world records therefore these events wont stand out. They wont be talked about in decades. The olympic memories people refer to are mostly track and field.

Swimming is the only non-track event one could expect some excitement. Infact its held up to expectations as usual.

its funny you say Greece's location is responsible, but i dont see that as a valid excuse for lack of crowds. Its no more dangerous than France. A recent poll in CNN showed that 44% of the viewers want turkey to host 2012 olympics followed by Moscow. Now that should be more high risk than Greece. Paris got the least votes..(strange)

One more week...good

[Original Poster]

As gnatz said.........

Swimmer Michael Phelps brings home 8 medals (6 Gold, 2 Bronze) while setting several World and Olympic records in the process;

Mens 100m in track & field - 5 sprinters run sub-10-second times in the finals...first time ever...BTW, that's blazing;


USA Womens Softball team only allows 1 run the entire tournament;

Iraqi soccer team reaches the semis and still has a shot at the bronze;

USA Mens Basketball "Dream Team" becomes a nightmare;

Romanian gymnastics takes home 10 medals; etc...

Not to mention.......

Walsh and May in women's beach volleyball........they did not lose a single game and in fact had a few really good games with the Brazillans IMO.

Some of the gymnastics was amazing this year......both men's and womans. Carly Patterson was the all around American Women's champ ...............that is huge ! Paul Hamm wasn't too shabby either.......even with the judging fiasco !

Then names of the past you mentioned are all american.

I can think a of few from this olympics that have similar status:

Natalia Coughlin,
Allyson Felix (huge rising star in track),
Paul Hamm,
Rulon Gardner,
Michael Phelps,
Amanda Beard,
Gary Hall Jr,
Aaron Peirsol,
Justin Gatlin,
Carley Patterson,
Cortyney Kuptes,
Misty May,
Kerrie Walsh.

What about some of the athletes from other countries like Ian thorpe, Monica Rosu, Catalina Poner ? There are to many to name IMO.

While all of these people will not become household names........a few of them have or will. This is no different then games of the past.


I'd be interested to hear, of those 44% who want Turkey to host the next olympics after China.......How many of those people will actually travel there ? Or is it more of a sympathy vote for a smaller nation, rather then all the biggies of the past like Russia, China, the US and such ?

I stand by my statement...........these have been fabulous Olympic Games !

[Original Poster]

I watch the games because I am a huge fan of Olympic Competition as well as what the Olympics represent.

Many of the little things that occur I find Quite interesting......

The way North and South Korea was introduced in the procession of nations in the opening cerrimonies..... as the Koreas......walking together.

The way a greek bronze metalist received a 4 minute standing novation...........

The many personal stories of adversity that many of these athletes endured and overcame to get there.

There have been many athletes, I am seeing for the first time.....probably because I am just too busy to follow all these sports. But I make the time every 4 years to watch and enjoy the games.

I have a friend from Paris who actually vacationed at these games. She volunteered in some capacity at the olympic villiage. She sent me a PM a few day back.......stating how much fun these games were.

[phikappa]

Originally posted by teewoods


Where's the carl lewis, Michael johnson, Jackie Joyner, Jonathan Edwards, Edwin Moses, flo jo, I could name so many but it would be pointless.

Well, Carl was the first man in 50 years to win 4 golds in track, so maybe your expectations are a little high. Great athletes, like the ones you mentioned, only come along every 20 years or so. Enjoy the moment and don't get hung up on the "good old days".

[Minotaur]

I think they're great, and for pretty much the reasons Chi mentioned.

I was getting a kick out of Michael Phelps. It was almost becoming comical (imo) how great this guy was doing. I also give him credit for (what I consider to be) quitting and yielding his spot on the team while he was ahead. We may forget that these men and women are getting mentally and physically exhausted.

[Original Poster]

How about that finish in the women's triathalon yesterday..........talk about making up time on the run.

Kate Allen (AUT) made the other women look like they were standing still on the 6 mile run. She passed Loretta Harrop (AUS)just before the finish to win the race. Loretta has nothing to hang her head about....talk about giving it her all.

Kate Allen had Gobbled up the 3 american's who were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th comming off the bike.

Incredible really !


And the one american took a header into that wall on the really tight turn. It was funny to watch.........glad she was not hurt though and did finish the cycling leg in 3rd or 4th I believe.

[fitnessman]

I only went into work for an hour today.

I was channel surfing and decided to watch the womens soccer. It was GREAT!

[gnatz]

Originally posted by Chi_town
The names of the past you mentioned are all american.

I can think a of few from this olympics that have similar status:

Natalia Coughlin,
Allyson Felix (huge rising star in track),
Paul Hamm,
Rulon Gardner,
Michael Phelps,
Amanda Beard,
Gary Hall Jr,
Aaron Peirsol,
Justin Gatlin,
Carley Patterson,
Cortyney Kuptes,
Misty May,
Kerrie Walsh.

Jennie Finch!!!!!!!! Hubba...hubba

While Finch's pitching earned her athletic accolades, her looks vaulted her into celebrity status. The blonde Finch joined baseball's Alex Rodriguez and auto racer Dale Earnhardt, Jr., as the only athletes among People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in the spring of 2004. In 2003 she was voted ESPN.com's "Hottest Female Athlete," dethroning tennis player Anna Kournikova.

For me, the Olympics isn't entirely about breaking records. If a record is broken in the process of winning an event, then so be it. For the athlete, that's extra icing on an already super-duper decorated cake (gold medal). For us Saturday afternoon armchair olympians, it's "how in the frickin' hell can someone run/swim that fast, jump that high, throw that far, lift that much, hit the water from 10m and barely make a splash, do a blind back flip and land on a 4-inch wide beam, etc...." It's simply amazing how talented and driven these world-class athletes are in that to be the best, they have to beat the best. I don't need a WR or a big name athlete to enjoy the Olympics. Just to make it and to be able to compete in the Olympics is an awesome accomplishment. Then to win the gold...holy cow!!! How many of us can say that we are a world champion...an olympic champion. If only I could have been so lucky/fortunate and talented in a sport when I was younger to be able to represent my country in the Olympics. All these athletes get huge props from me regardless of how much flash (or lack of) they bring to the games.

[IPR]

Mens 100m ....... the entire event was amazing. Even in the semi's these guys were under 10 secs. To watch a race that was so close and so fast was amazing. It was the best race ever!! In the past teh event was dominated by one or two runners, but these days the overall standard is that much higher......much more depth.

IMO ones impression of the Olympics is largely determined by the quality of the broadcasting, which in turn can focus on ones own countries athletes. So if you people are doing well, its a great games, badly and it appears not so great. But elsewhere, it can be the opposite.

I am in Japan, and liek most they show predominately the events they are good at, namely judo, errr judo and more judo, swimming, womens wrestling, womens marathon, womens volleyball (although they aren't great), softball and baseball.

I have grown to enjoy these events, but get to see little of the events the Brits are good at (are we at any anymore?).

Overall it is similar to most Olympics for me, except those where boycots occured. I love competition, whatever the level.

[teewoods]

Originally posted by phikappa
Well, Carl was the first man in 50 years to win 4 golds in track, so maybe your expectations are a little high. Great athletes, like the ones you mentioned, only come along every 20 years or so. Enjoy the moment and don't get hung up on the "good old days".

Sorry i can’t help it. I grew up watching Olympics icons, any reason why i should stop now?

Yep, i know you’re right about stars coming along. I guess what's transpiring now is what we'd call a vacuum. It happens in all sports i.e

Golf - Palmer -(25yr vacuum) woods
Boxing - Ali (20yr vacuum) Tyson
Baseball - Ruth - Gehrig, DiMaggio, Cobb?.(dont know much)
Soccer - Pele (15yrs) Maradonna
Basketball- Jordan (eeerm nobody yet)
Swimming - Spitz - ???
Bodybuilding - Atlas - Arnie

Right now in track and field, (the core of the Olympics) there isn't a name or face that's instantly recognisable worldwide. Its in a mini crisis, dogged with drugs scandals.

Like a psychologist once said, fame is when one could put a name to a face. Sorry, but no one in this Olympics can boast of such an accolade.

[teewoods]

Originally posted by IPR
Mens 100m ....... the entire event was amazing. Even in the semi's these guys were under 10 secs. To watch a race that was so close and so fast was amazing. It was the best race ever!! In the past teh event was dominated by one or two runners, but these days the overall standard is that much higher......much more depth.

The best 100m race ever to me was the 100m final at the world atheltics chamiopnship in Tokyo 1991. Ok so its not the olympics, but the WAC has always produced better events than the much hyped olympics. Not only did you have 6 people finish sub 10. But you had an even-filed star packed line-up with much much more depth and personal achievement.

1- Carl lewis 9.86 (new word record )
2- Leroy Burrell 9.88 (was current WR holder)
3- Dennis Mitchell 9.91 (known to hate lewis & burrell)
4- Linford Christie 9.92 (European No 1/1992 100m gold medalist)
5 -Frankie Fredricks9.95( one of the hottest men then & still competed at this yrs olympics final.
6- Ray Stewart 9.96

Faster times in Athens but more drama in Tokyo. Still the best 100 race ever.

[teewoods]

Chi,

I know you like the spirit of the olympics. Any comments on the jeers at the 200m final? I've never seen such behaviour by the crowd at any olympic event. They booed every 200m finalist except Fredricks. It was disgracful behaviour with their constant chants of kenderis! kenderis! They drug cheat had the nerve to say he felt vindicated.

Well, if he had bothered to show up for his drugs test and not hide in the hospital faking injury. Perhaps he might have the gull to say he felt vindicated.

Oh, and it seems USA is not liked by the Greek crowds.. every basketball match they played was greeted with jeers. Ok i know the Greeks are obsessed with basketball, but even then.....

Where's the spirit in this spiritless olympics?

[MiloMan]

Originally posted by Minotaur
I was getting a kick out of Michael Phelps. It was almost becoming comical (imo) how great this guy was doing. I also give him credit for (what I consider to be) quitting and yielding his spot on the team while he was ahead. We may forget that these men and women are getting mentally and physically exhausted.

If he's not a genetically "born" swimmer, then there never has been such an animal. I read a surprisingly good and long article about Phelps in the New York Slimes (a rancid publication normally fit only for outhouse wipe duty), and he's almost a mutant of brilliant design.

[MiloMan]

Here's that Phelps article.

[Original Poster]

Originally posted by teewoods
Chi,

I know you like the spirit of the olympics. Any comments on the jeers at the 200m final? I've never seen such behaviour by the crowd at any olympic event. They booed every 200m finalist except Fredricks. It was disgracful behaviour with their constant chants of kenderis! kenderis! They drug cheat had the nerve to say he felt vindicated.

Well, if he had bothered to show up for his drugs test and not hide in the hospital faking injury. Perhaps he might have the gull to say he felt vindicated.

Oh, and it seems USA is not liked by the Greek crowds.. every basketball match they played was greeted with jeers. Ok i know the Greeks are obsessed with basketball, but even then.....

Where's the spirit in this spiritless olympics?

That was pitiful IMO. I could not believe that somehow these peopel in the stands were takling it out on the finalists when they should have been mad at their own athlete, who BTW had missed another drug test in the past.

I know the commentators said that yesteday's tickets were the hottest and most expensive........because they wanted to see that goof run. (he would have lost anyway IMO, so it did not matter) I feel for the people who payed big money to be there, but they showed no respect for the athletes on the track waiting to start a final...........(a final, not a prelim race, freaking gold was at stake.) This lack of respect IMO.......not only disrepected the athletes.............but the Olympic Games in general. The people who did that last night SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES.

Totally uncalled for !

This is not what the games are about.

Even given that, I enjoyued last night's veiwing.


I think IPR brought up a good point. The tv coverage and it's relationship to how much we like the sports/events given all the coverage..........can surely mold our individual take on the games.

[teewoods]

Phelps is great... but he'd never be the known as the fastest swimmer

[gnatz]

Cool article...thank Milo.

"It is an audacious goal Phelps has set for himself, a test of endurance that will push him to and maybe beyond the brink of physical and mental exhaustion. Including preliminary heats and finals, Spitz swam 13 times at the Munich Games. With a semifinal round having been added in the 200-meter events, Phelps could swim as many as 18 races. He will compete multiple times on most of the eight days of competition, sometimes twice within an hour, each time against the world's best swimmers -- many of them seeking just one, not eight, gold medals. His performance threatens to eclipse, among others, Ian Thorpe, the Australian superstar swimmer (the Thor****) who won three golds at the Sydney Games and who has expressed genuine concern that Phelps's goals are unattainable -- or fear at the possibility that he may succeed. On several occasions over the last couple of months, Thorpe told reporters that Phelps's pursuit of so much gold is a bad idea. Usually prefacing his remarks by saying he was only trying to ''support'' Phelps, he said that his rival had set himself up for sure failure -- that Phelps was trying to ''achieve someone else's achievement'' -- and that rather than going after Spitz's record, he should find his own path."

Adds to how amazing this kid really is. Having to jump into the pool that many times...against the world's best competition...and come away with 8-pieces of hardware...Phelps is truly special.

"Achieve someone else's achievement"...Not a knock on Thorpe, because he's also a remarkable swimmer, but I don't get this remark. To some, Phelps quest for 8 gold medals may have looked like he was trying to rain on someone's parade, but for Phelps the task may have been more for the challenge. Oh well, what's the old saying..."Records are made to be broken".

The best 100m race ever to me was the 100m final at the world atheltics chamiopnship in Tokyo 1991. Ok so its not the olympics, but the WAC has always produced better events than the much hyped olympics. Not only did you have 6 people finish sub 10. But you had an even-filed star packed line-up with much much more depth and personal achievement.

1- Carl lewis 9.86 (new word record )
2- Leroy Burrell 9.88 (was current WR holder)
3- Dennis Mitchell 9.91 (known to hate lewis & burrell)
4- Linford Christie 9.92 (European No 1/1992 100m gold medalist)
5 -Frankie Fredricks9.95( one of the hottest men then & still competed at this yrs olympics final.
6- Ray Stewart 9.96

Faster times in Athens but more drama in Tokyo. Still the best 100 race ever.

Give it some time tee. The guys you noted didn't become "household" names overnight. The 100m @ next year's World Championships will certainly be something to look forward to. Justin Gatlin (9.85), Francis Obikwelu (9.86), Shawn Crawford (9.89), and Asafa Powell (9.94)...these guys are up-and-comers that could provide plenty of drama in the 100m in the next few years. And let's not forget Maurice Greene (9.87) who is the veteran of this fast group. They've set the stage for some potentially exciting races.

[ChocoChick]

New York Slimes (a rancid publication normally fit only for outhouse wipe duty)

Go Milo!

[teewoods]

Gnatz,

I'm not taking away the pure talent from these sports men in athens. Phelps is perhaps the main star of this olympics. Albeit not in a very big way like Ian thorpe was in Sydney 2000.

As for the Gatlins. Till they get the PR machine running, they'd be confined to the title of 'the great unknown sportsmen'.

To have that 'X' factor you must not only be good but have an appeal that makes you stand out


My top 10 sports men with X FACTORS..( in no particular order)


Arnold Palmer (golf)
Michael Jordan (basketball)
Pele(soccer)
Babe Ruth (baseball)
Muhammed Ali(boxing)
Tiger Woods (golf)
Carl Lewis (track& field)
Mike Tyson (boxing)
Aryton Senna (Formula 1)
Diego Maradonna (Soccer)


Of the 10 i mentioned, 5 would be known in all corners of the world. Not just the west or Eurasia.

[teewoods]

Chi,

Awful reaction from the Greeks kind of what i expected. I dont know whats more scandalous, that Kenedris still has not taken a drugs test or the attempted coverup from the Greek authorites.

I'm sure China would but the 'Oh' back into the Olympics. You bet they wont have half filled stadiums And i'm sure they would show more of a spirit than the Greeks, who i still do not think deserve to host the Olympics.

Regarding Istanbul having the highest CNN poll votes for the 2012 Olympics. I was somewhat supprised. By the way, Paris polled the lowest number of votes, followed by London then NY. Do i get the feeling the results would be a complete mirror image come the real votes from the IOC panel?

Oh and pray for our dear Marathon star Paula Radcliffe who goes in the 10,000m today. She had a nervous breakdown and withdrew at the marathons on discovered she was not going to win a medal. So far the press have been kind to her...( a complete shock from the unforgiving British press)

[Deanb]

Don't forget Paul Hamm's come back to take Gold in the Individual Gymnastic competition.

Or the Silver in the Gymnastic Team competition - first in 20 years. I have to say I hate the new judging scheme, 3 scores all count vs five scores low and high dropped.

We also took gold in Women's Fencing - the winner is from a New York program for underpriviledged teens!

Men's Greek Wrestling was inspiring as well, not only taking the gold, but his retirement from the sport - drapped in an american flagged, he removed his wrestling shoes and left them in the middle of the ring - a tradition from the ancient greek times!

The Opening ceremonies were the most elegant and stately that I have ever seen. And I like stately and elegant over flash any day of the week!

DB