Paris Olympics Discussion Thread

[Vowelguy]

Plum was not good in her minutes; but second team after a ragged end to first quarter started second quarter on 10-0 run. Overall, they outscored Australia 25-11 in second quarter. Wilson is a defensive beast inside.

2nd team did better once Ionescu replaced plum

 

[AidanFan20]

Out here in the West, NBC didn't bother to join this semifinal until late in the 2nd quarter.

They just had to show the Today show to the end, featuring some forgettable pop singer singing forgettable pop songs.

 

[cancontent]

Out here in the West, NBC didn't bother to join this semifinal until late in the 2nd quarter.

They just had to show the Today show to the end, featuring some forgettable pop singer singing forgettable pop songs.

Oh man. That's just cruel. Would have thought the Today show would get pre-empted while the Olympics are on.

 

[AidanFan20]

Seems to me that the smart thing would be to do the Today show as a live remote FROM the Olympics.

 

[Plebe]

I seem to remember her all-but saying no to the double after her anchor leg in Tokyo. I was still keeping hope alive (heck, I still am), but unless something changes, I think if she does do the flat it will be instead of the hurdles.

Adding three more 400 races to her docket would certainly be challenging.* But did you see her after the finals? She was certainly breathing hard, but she looked like a breath of fresh air compared to the other racers.

But she wouldn't be competing against her fellow hurdlers in the 400 flat. She'd be going against the most elite 400 runners who are fresh. Naser and Paulino are two of the fastest to ever run the race. Pryce of Jamaica failed to make the final in Paris but ran an incredible mid-48 just last month.

I think her decision may come down to whether she wants to challenge the 40-year-old world record in the 400 or go for double gold in flat and hurdles. Either would of course be epic, but I actually think the former is more realistic.

 

[cancontent]

Holy cow. Poor hand offs by the US was their downfall in the men's 4x100. Wow......Why is this an issue? This seems to happen more often than it should.

It's been almost 30 years since Canada won this relay. While, I'm happy for the athletes, it doesn't seem right that the US didn't medal.

 

[Lorcan]

Holy cow. Poor hand offs by the US was their downfall in the men's 4x100. Wow......Why is this an issue? This seems to happen more often than it should.

It's been almost 30 years since Canada won this relay. While, I'm happy for the athletes, it doesn't seem right that the US didn't medal.

The United States hasn't medaled in the Men's 4x100 Relay since Athens in 2004. While shocking given the talent we have, the handoffs have always been the downfall of the United States in this event.

 

[cancontent]

The United States hasn't medaled in the Men's 4x100 Relay since Athens in 2004. While shocking given the talent we have, the handoffs have always been the downfall of the United States in this event.

That's what I don't get. How does this continue for 20 years? It's such a critical component to the race.

 

[baggerbob]

That's what I don't get. How does this continue for 20 years? It's such a critical component to the race.

The Women manage to get it right most every time. Maybe have them give the men lessons on how to hand off the baton.

 

[cancontent]

The Women manage to get it right most every time. Maybe have them give the men lessons on how to hand off the baton.

You'd think they would have done that by now.

 

[cancontent]

Watched the replay a few times because I still can't believe it happened. USA had the lead and were out of it after the first hand-off. You literally see their ranking/position drop off in the graphics almost instantly. Damn.

 

[nickp91]

Sandy Brondello just can't beat A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray when it counts

 

[bbsamjj]

Crazy stat: through 5 games, USA women's basketball team has assisted on 155 of 173 buckets.

 

[Bigboote]

You'd think they would have done that (practice baton handoffs) by now.

I'm amazed at how poorly a lot of professionals do very basic skills in their chosen sports. The number of MLB players who simply can't bunt is greater than those who can.

The number of poor baton exchanges is even more baffling to me. For every dropped baton, there are probably two exchanges that lose a couple tenths of a second. With a bunt, they're trying to hit a ball coming at them maybe 85-95 mph with an initially unknown break. The baton exchange is pretty much WYSIWIG. Two ways to do it, on top or down low. Each likely pair should practice good exchanges every day for a week. First day slow, second day half-pace, last three days at 90-100% race speed. If it's beneath anyone, he doesn't run the relay. Do it till you can't get it wrong in Geno's words.

 

[Plebe]

Holy cow. Poor hand offs by the US was their downfall in the men's 4x100. Wow......Why is this an issue? This seems to happen more often than it should.

It's been almost 30 years since Canada won this relay. While, I'm happy for the athletes, it doesn't seem right that the US didn't medal.

Death, taxes, and botched handoffs in the US men 4x1 -- it's nice to know there are some constants in life.

To be fair it was ONE botch this time and it was Bednarek on 2nd leg taking off about a week too early.

On the positive side, the women's 4x1 overcame 2 shaky handoffs with just enough speed on legs 3 and 4.

And I loved the redemption race from Rai Benjamin, finally vanquishing "the Viking" when it mattered most. Rai is so easy to root for.

 

[cancontent]

Death, taxes, and botched handoffs in the US men 4x1 -- it's nice to know there are some constants in life.

To be fair it was ONE botch this time and it was Bednarek on 2nd leg taking off about a week too early.

On the positive side, the women's 4x1 overcame 2 shaky handoffs with just enough speed on legs 3 and 4.

And I loved the redemption race from Rai Benjamin, finally vanquishing "the Viking" when it mattered most. Rai is so easy to root for.

Most definitely.

But back to the hand-offs, imagine the times these teams would have if this was cleaned up? It seems like a logical thing to focus on.

A friend of mine mentioned that the US track officials have put their heads in the sand on the issue and that they don't want to challenge the athletes on the matter. Is that a fair statement?

 

[cancontent]

France and Belgium going to OT.

Like I said yesterday.

 

[bantamlaker]

France beats Belgium. Gabby with 9 in OT. Next up USA for gold.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I didn't see anything in the Belgium/France game that should scare Team USA. If they get the ball inside early and often, they should take the crowd out of it and win by 20+. France has some good athletic forwards but not one big who can stay with A'ja or match up with BG.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Sandy Brondello just can't beat A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray when it counts

Sandy can't coach. She has to have an overwhelming talent advantage or else she gets exposed. If Rena Wakama (Nigeria) was coaching the Australian team, she may have made Cheryl sweat a bit more.

If they lose to Belgium, that should be her last game coaching the Opals.

 

[AidanFan20]

Re: the baton thing... I have heard it from TV announcers for years... The main problem isn't that they don't practice. It's that they select the team very late, sometimes even AT the Games, and apparently almost strictly based on times.

So, they obviously don't get the chance to practice ENOUGH.

No idea how true this is, but maybe they should watch the other countries' relay selection processes so they can figure out how to put a solid, well-rehearsed team.

 

[Bigboote]

France beats Belgium. Gabby with 9 in OT. Next up USA for gold.

Oh, man, some UConn-on-UConn play. Gabby played with Napheesa and Stewie.

 

[cancontent]

Oh, man, some UConn-on-UConn play. Gabby played with Napheesa and Stewie.

Adds to the storylines for this weekend. Both tournaments have been fun to follow.

 

[baggerbob]

As I understand it, one of the only reasons Syd ("no longer a kid") didn't try the 400 is that they overlapped. Plus, perhaps Bol's performances over the years caught her attention, thinking "hey, I've got be at my best." It's hard running a bunch of races, particularly the 400, which is one heck of a leg strainer.

Given the U.S. women's performance in the 400 thus far, I've got to think putting her in the 4x400 is a no brainer.

As for LA, when she'll be 28/29, you've got to hope the U.S. Olympic organization will have some influence/sway/power to make sure she can run both the 400 and 400 IM. If Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt can get reasonable schedules, I think Syd should, too.

How cool to see her possibly run:

• 4 x 400 mixed relay
• 400 IM
• 400
• 4 x 400 relay

For now, let's hope to see her on the tail end of the relay -- running away from whomever is next (Bol again?)

The US women's 4× 400 better put her on the anchor position for the relay.
Some idiots suggesting they won't need her because they were 3 seconds better in qualifying.
Bol will be running for the Netherlands and not the girl who led off in 52.34 versus Bol running a 48.0.
And just like the world championships in track and field in 2022 the women are closing the show with the 4× 400 relay.
Sydney closed that with a 47.9 anchor leg running by herself for the fans.
So you give the Olympic fans the joy of watching the 6 time world record holder one more time.

 

[UcMiami]

Yeah - USA men's athletes generally are all about ME and very little about WE. We see it in competitions like the Ryder Cup where a less highly ranked European team has been trouncing the US team for years. We saw it in basketball where the 2004 edition of the 'Dream Team' limped home with Bronze before Coach K and USA Basketball org got serious about coaching and team building. Women really do seem to like being part of a team in a way men don't.

Every nation that has the athletes, uses 5 or 6 runners in relays between the prelims and final round, but I suspect the US men are so focused on their individual events that they blow off the coaches in terms of practice. The receiver has two jobs, don't start too early, and keep your receiving hand steady, and the passer has two jobs keep running and place the baton in the receivers hand. Receiver started too early didn't slow down soon enough and started grabbing for the baton at which point they exited the exchange zone and were DQed. Last four Olympics ... dropped baton, DQ, total train wreck pass to miss the finals on time, DQ - while fielding the fasted team on paper.

( NB - The US was expecting Lyles to be running in the final and his covid diagnosis knocked him out yesterday and the DQ exchanged happened with his replacement, but ...)