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Who's Your Olympian?

Edgy MD Jul 22 2012 09:40 PM

Who are you rooting for? Anybody? You don't have to go with a fellow national, but if you go un-American (or un-Irish or un-Australian, as it may be), you will be exposed forever and join Janet Jones-Gretzky (not literally) on the list of great Olympic traitors. Anyhow, none of that shit's true. Root for whoever, but I'm rooting for Ryan Hall, the greatest male marathoner the US has ever produced (and number two is... whoever). He's beautiful, insane, treats Old Glory like a bathrobe, and does it all in opera gloves. Now, considering I work in international relief and development, I need to put some heavy thought into why I'm rooting for a blonde, blue-eyed American to crush the hopes of countless east Africans. Looks like the fourth member of Hanson, doesn't he? Well, he's the man.

Edgy MD Jul 22 2012 09:50 PM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

US men's marathon reps Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman. All ran under 2:10 in the trials. All with medal potential.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 22 2012 10:01 PM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Ryan Hall, yes. The God-is-my-coach guy. Missy Franklin seems like she's got Phelpsian potential in the pool, and an adorable, enthusiastic, perspective-loaded personality out of it. But she's obvious. Gimme Daryl "Dancing" Homer, Bronx-born, two-time-NCAA-champeen saber fencer, and rising St. John's senior. No. 12 in the world, no. 1 in my heart this fortnight.

The Second Spitter Jul 23 2012 01:38 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

This upstanding individual who embraces every Olympic ideal in existence. On a marginally more serious note, about this time four years ago I was on a lunch-break in downtown Sydney minding my own business when a reporter tailed by a cameraman come up to me and ask: "What is your most memorable Olympic moment?" To which I replied: "The pose-down by the US Mens 4x100m relay team when they captured gold at the Sydney Olympics. Instead of a victory lap, they embarked on 10 minutes of Hulk Hogan –styled poses in the middle of the stadium. I think one of them even took his shirt off." Suffice it to say, my comments didn’t make the cut when the segment was aired.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 23 2012 04:07 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Nobody. I haven't watched the Olympics since 1976, Montreal.

The Second Spitter Jul 23 2012 04:36 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Nobody. I haven't watched the Olympics since 1976, Montreal. Your loss. You could have witnessed Clay Bellinger committing 4 errors in a game for Greece against Cuba in a game Greece lost by a run.

Edgy MD Jul 23 2012 05:28 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

More interestingly, he missed every second of the run of the 1980 US hockey team.;

Ceetar Jul 23 2012 06:56 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Edgy DC wrote: Now, considering I work in international relief and development, I need to put some heavy thought into why I'm rooting for a blonde, blue-eyed American to crush the hopes of countless east Africans. Looks like the fourth member of Hanson, doesn't he? Well, he's the man. You mean fifth obviously, behind Tommy.

Ceetar Jul 23 2012 06:57 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

I treat the Olympics like the All-Star Game. Don't get too worked up about who wins and loses and instead enjoy the performances. (well, not the figure skating, that's boring)

Frayed Knot Jul 23 2012 07:02 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian? Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Jul 23 2012 07:14 AM

To me the Olympics is best for those sports where the Olympics is that sport's biggest moment. That means track, swimming, volleyball and a couple others. Mostly track for me. For that same reason (amongst others) what my focus is decidedly NOT about is basketball even if folks at the four-letter network are under the impression that the Olympics means just one thing: LeBron & Kobe go to London for their Summer Vacation. On their bottom of the screen 'crawl' under the heading 'Olympics News' there has yet to be anything other than updates of the goings on of the hoops team; scores of their exhibition games mostly, but also stuff about which guys sat out practice with a sore finger. I expect news about Carmelo's shopping trip to Burberry's soon. During the U.S. T&F trials Ashton Eaton set a new Decathlon record and is obviously one of the favorites heading into the games. Of course it remains to be seen whether among NBC's reported 800+ hours of english language TV coverage (not counting internet streaming or Telemundo) they will get around to actually showing any of that event or just stick to their usual habit of airing 90 seconds worth of taped highlights from the first nine events leading up to a taped-but-we're-pretending-it's-live showing of the event-ending 1,500 meters - and even then only if an American is in medal contention. Missy Franklin sounds like a name which the networks would invent just for the games if she didn't already exist. And of course they'd make her a swimmer. Or maybe a gymnast. ... I'm rooting for Ryan Hall, the greatest male marathoner the US has ever produced (and number two is... whoever). Alberto Salazar, Bill Rogers, and Frank Shorter may want to have a discussion with you about your list.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 23 2012 07:06 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Edgy DC wrote: More interestingly, he missed every second of the run of the 1980 US hockey team.; I did. Not only was I not watching, I don't even think I was much aware that anything was going on, at least until it was over. I do remember the excitement afterwards, but I was totally detached from it. For these coming Olympics, I'll be out of the country for a good chunk of it. If a South African athlete does something special I may get wind of it, but other than that I'll be even more out of the loop than I usually am.

MFS62 Jul 23 2012 07:10 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Deron Williams. He's the only Olympian I'm aware of who plays for a team for which I root. Later

metirish Jul 23 2012 07:15 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Katie Taylor, Ireland's World Champion boxer and gold medal hope

Ceetar Jul 23 2012 07:21 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

When I was in college we got one or two Toronto stations, so we could watch some of the Canadian broadcasts of the Sydney and Salt Lake City stuff.

Edgy MD Jul 23 2012 07:39 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Frayed Knot wrote: ... I'm rooting for Ryan Hall, the greatest male marathoner the US has ever produced (and number two is... whoever). Alberto Salazar, Bill Rogers, and Frank Shorter may want to have a discussion with you about your list. Salazar was a great champ and has been a fine American. For the purpose of the definition, though, he was Cuban born. Though the nativist distinction is probably a stupid one I shouldn't get too caught up in, it has meaning in that, today, we tend to import all our best marathoners. (Salazar, though, I believe, came over here pretty young.) My claim, I guess, is disputable. I mean, Salazar won three New York City Marathons. And after Boston 1982, he was number one in the world. Heck, he won Boston and New York in the same year. He was a 5K and 10K champ before that. But that was an era before the world knew where the elite marathoners were all hiding. Hall has just consistently moved the needle forward in an era when US-born roadrunners are supposed to be irrelevant. Being a marathon champion is so frequently a matter of luck --- run well and hope all things fall into place at a high-profile race, but Hall's always got his A-game. Salazar also peaked early and was never the same after the Duel in the Sun. In 2010, Hall ran Boston in under 2:05. Boston's course doesn't qualify as official, which sucks because it obviously draws an elite field, but he is so poised. Ethiopians and Kenyans have been using him as a pace-setter, but now that he'll have two teammates of similar ability, we'll see what can happen when they can use each other.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 23 2012 08:07 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

The most pregnant Olympian ever, Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi of Malaysia will compete in the air rifle event while 8-months with child. I hope she wins the gold and gets one medal for herself and a little gold medal for her helper.

Swan Swan H Jul 23 2012 08:08 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Team USA diver Brittany Viola.

Ceetar Jul 23 2012 08:14 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

NOT Misty May-Treanor who's husband got the big hit last night to make the Mets lose.

Edgy MD Jul 23 2012 08:24 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Brittany's dimples have dimples.

batmagadanleadoff Jul 23 2012 08:29 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Nobody. I haven't watched the Olympics since 1976, Montreal. Same here, for the most part. I did watch the '80 US Hockey team, and the unfolding of the Harding/Kerrigan thuggery and some Dream Team hoops, though. Other than USA hoops, I couldn't even name you one 2012 Olympian. Phelps? Is he competing again?

Fman99 Jul 25 2012 01:12 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

My favorite athletes are the USA team members not on the basketball team.

The Second Spitter Jul 25 2012 05:44 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

What about South African, Oscar Pistorius aka "The Blade Runner", aka " The Fastest Man on No Legs". The first amputee to compete in track and field at the Olympics?(not the Paralympics!)

seawolf17 Jul 25 2012 06:46 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Kiwi Lucy Van Dalen (Stony Brook '12), running in the women's 1500m. Not expected to medal as far as I can tell, but hey, you never know.

Frayed Knot Jul 25 2012 07:09 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

That Pistorius is unlikely to win, or even make the final heat, is probably keeping this story less of a controversy than it might otherwise be. Even the proponents of his inclusion would have to acknowledge that the possibility exists of artificial limbs being made in such a way that they'd give a runner using them an advantage over natural legs.

Edgy MD Jul 25 2012 07:12 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

I look at artificial limbs the way I look at elbow surgery for pitchers. It may not be an advantage now, but it will soon, so we had better start realistically looking now at where we're willing to go.

The Second Spitter Jul 25 2012 07:12 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Frayed Knot wrote: That Pistorius is unlikely to win, or even make the final heat, is probably keeping this story less of a controversy than it might otherwise be. Even the proponents of his inclusion would have to acknowledge that the possibility exists of artificial limbs being made in such a way that they'd give a runner using them an advantage over natural legs. My understanding is that he's gonna run in the relay only, but i could be wrong. Have no clue about the strength of the RSA 400m relay team. Edgy DC wrote: I look at artificial limbs the way I look at elbow surgery for pitchers. It may not be an advantage now, but it will soon, so we had better start realistically looking now at where we're willing to go. What about computers supplanting baseball managers? Lets call it the "Electronic Jerry".

Ashie62 Jul 25 2012 08:33 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Nobody. I haven't watched the Olympics since 1976, Montreal. I had a crush on Nadia Comenichi that year.

DocTee Jul 25 2012 08:42 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Her. And I'll gladly renounce my citizenship, my marriage, everything: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMgmYutL9W0

MFS62 Jul 26 2012 08:12 AM Re: Who's Your Olympian?

Her. And I'll gladly renounce my citizenship, my marriage, everything: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMgmYutL9W0 OK, you convinced me. I'll root for her, too. And (getting up on my soapbox) Memo to NBC. I don't care of the third best American synchronized swimmer is married to a left handed Albanian butcher. Enough of the background stuff, already. Nobody will ever do it as well as ABC when Roone Arledge was their producer. So quit trying. Just show us the games. (climbing down off my soapbox now) Later