Jamaica and Soccer

[dapriest]

Carl Lewis indicated that Jamaica does not do random testing of its sprinters - all tests are scheduled. The sprinters are therefore able to go months knowing that there is no test. Yesterday the top 3 200 guys all were from Jamaica. Doesn't seem possible from a nation with fewer than 3 million people.

US/Japan - It was an entertaining match. For all the soccer experts in the crowd, it was a riveting moment when, with about 6 minutes left in the match, the U.S. defender had a soft turnover and the Japanese striker got the steal and ended up with a very short, undefended shot on net.

I flashed back to my daughter's travel soccer when the Japanese player then proceeded to send a shot exactly arm high to the fat part of the net, thereby allowing Solo to make the save. In other words, I thought she choked the shot, and that if she just hit it a foot or two higher or lower and a foot or two wider it was an easy goal. Thoughts?

 

[Leebo]

Did Carl Lewis list all the other countries that don't randomize their testing and explain why those countries finished 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th?

 

[Waquoit]

When you said Jamaica and soccer, I thought you were talking about the game at the Rent on August 25.

 

[businesslawyer]

Carl Lewis indicated that Jamaica does not do random testing of its sprinters - all tests are scheduled. The sprinters are therefore able to go months knowing that there is no test. Yesterday the top 3 200 guys all were from Jamaica. Doesn't seem possible from a nation with fewer than 3 million people.

US/Japan - It was an entertaining match. For all the soccer experts in the crowd, it was a riveting moment when, with about 6 minutes left in the match, the U.S. defender had a soft turnover and the Japanese striker got the steal and ended up with a very short, undefended shot on net.

I flashed back to my daughter's travel soccer when the Japanese player then proceeded to send a shot exactly arm high to the fat part of the net, thereby allowing Solo to make the save. In other words, I thought she choked the shot, and that if she just hit it a foot or two higher or lower and a foot or two wider it was an easy goal. Thoughts?

I actually remember blowing a similar opportunity in high school. She selected accuracy over power and used the side of her foot, as opposed to blasting it. With the lack of power, she needed to keep the ball on the ground. Had she, it was 2-2 as there was no way Solo was getting down in time to stop the shot.

 

[bobbygt]

I thought for sure that was a goal. I think she waited a little too long and overthought where she sould place it. She tried to curl it like Bergkamp.

Had that gone in, it would've been deja vu all over again.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Boy maybe I don't follow soccer as much but that did not seem like a flubbed chance at all. At minimum she executed what 85-90% power and location? It wasn't perfect or incredible, but that's not Japan's style anyway - its efficiency. The Japanese attacker made a very good shot and forced Solo to make a very good play to stop it. Can't ask for much more particularly in that pressure situation.

 

[UChusky916]

On that save that Hope Solo made around the 85th min or so... she hugged the near post, daring the Japan player to place it far post. Not only did she do that, but because Hope baited her to do that, she could anticipate the shot and react to make the save quicker.

Excellent goalkeeping.

 

[BlueMAB]

All athletes are tested at the Olympics. If Jamaica had an unfair advantage, we'd find out. Unless something taken so long ago that it is no longer in your system still gives you an advantage.

Excellent goalkeeping by Solo. She did what you're taught, take away near post and the angle. However she got a bit lucky too. At their world class level that really should have been a goal. The striker had more room to work with at that far post.

 

[uconNYC]

Hope Solo annoys the hell out of me, but that was a fantastic save. Can't blame the Japanese striker at all - her shot was on target and Solo was forced to make a sensational save.

As for Jamaican track - the Caribbean excel at sprinting (Bahamas and Trinidad have always been strong, even Grenada won a Gold in the 400Meters), so it's not as though Jamaica is an anomaly. I recommend you read two books "Outliers" and "The Talent Code" - they explain how such a small place can create so many world champions.

 

[Dove]

Its been said theat China looked at where the medals are and totally focused on competing there...diving. Looks like the Caribs are focused on running. And winning.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Its been said theat China looked at where the medals are and totally focused on competing there...diving. Looks like the Caribs are focused on running. And winning.

I don't get why it matters at all who gets how many medals. If China wants those let them have em but for the love of pete stop showing me diving!

I root for the US teams (mostly, except GO NETHERLANDS FIELD HOCKEY but with respect to individuals I'd much rather see a great Usain Bolt type performance than watch much less root for two bland US athletes to go 1-2 in the Decathlon.

The flaw in the over nationality of the NBC coverage was epitomized for me when Misty May & Walsch (who were shown ad nauseum every single night) advanced to the beach VBall finals against.. another US duo who we have never seen a minute of or even heard of before. Whoops, exactly why are we supposed to watch this final now if the entire purpose is for the good ole USA to get medals? Maybe they mimic the badmittoners and quickly serve everything into the net to expedite the feast on gold and silver platters.

 

[Leebo]

another US duo who we have never seen a minute of or even heard of before..

Huh? I remember seeing 3 or 4 matches of the other team. Some were on the weekends, but they definitely got coverage.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I was only speaking about primetime NBC which is a different animal than the rest of their coverage. Somehow the different channel thing just never works properly for the viewer when the networks have it. Particularly in this case it was a pain in the to have the coverage strewn all over the dial (i.e. for me it was channels 507, 596, 599 and AMC sometimes and something else sometimes). The ONLY model that works is give these things to ESPN so they can be shown on 4-6 consecutive channels up the dial

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Its been said theat China looked at where the medals are and totally focused on competing there...diving. Looks like the Caribs are focused on running. And winning.

Diving is actually a very difficult sport. 10M diving is like jumping off a 3rd story building every time. Have people tried that? I am guessing most people would be too scared to even jump never mind doing all those flips on the way down.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

All athletes are tested at the Olympics. If Jamaica had an unfair advantage, we'd find out. Unless something taken so long ago that it is no longer in your system still gives you an advantage.

Excellent goalkeeping by Solo. She did what you're taught, take away near post and the angle. However she got a bit lucky too. At their world class level that really should have been a goal. The striker had more room to work with at that far post.

Olympics keep each athlete's test samples for 8 years in case there is any kind of new detection etc. Every medal winner is tested. IOC actually got a lot tougher in this respect.

Carl Lewis is just mad cause he cheated. He was tested positive multiple times for performance enhanced drugs but US Olympic Committee let him compete regardless. Between 1998 and 2000, there were over 100 positive tests for US athletes but USOC let them compete regardless due to softness of IOC testing at that time. This is why it is funny when people in the US accuse other countries of doping.

The way they are doing it now is a good way. Keep the test samples for 8 years and retest if necessary just in case some people invented something new right before the Olympics. It won't stop cheating but it will make people think twice.

Ok, this athlete just got caught doping and lost her gold medal. She does not look like a woman to me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...d751bc-e533-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

 

[geordi]

Actually, we really need to juice up the Olympics. Get rid of yawners like beach volleyball (ok, at least men's beach volleyball, rythymic gymnastics, synchronized diving and swimming. You've gotta be dead to watch that stuff. Let's replace it with something exciting...like javelin catching. Now there's a sport. Or how about, instead ot putting those electronic leads on the fencers in epee, let's give them a uniform with blood bags all over them so we can really see if there has been a hit.

I've even been toying with a demonstration sport mixing trampoline and skeet shooting.

 

[willinphilly]

Its been said theat China looked at where the medals are and totally focused on competing there...diving. Looks like the Caribs are focused on running. And winning.

Focused yes. But clearly genetics favor the Caribbean islands in sprinting.

 

[Dove]

Diving is actually a very difficult sport. 10M diving is like jumping off a 3rd story building every time. Have people tried that? I am guessing most people would be too scared to even jump never mind doing all those flips on the way down.

When your country takes you away from your family at age 7 and makes you jump off a platform 100 times/day for 10 years...no, it ain't difficult anymore. You better win gold or its payback time in a coal mine.

Qio Bo was seen earlier today getting fitted for a helmet.

 

[ZenConn]

Ok, this athlete just got caught doping and lost her gold medal. She does not look like a woman to me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...d751bc-e533-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

A quick glimpse of that picture gave me a flashback to the days of Mr Wonderful, Paul Orndorff.