I'd be okay with kicking the tires on Mitrovic for the senior squad. Aside from the second half VS France the team has looked solid. Better attacking tactics than I've seen from any US team
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very interested in seeing how the US looks against Morocco tomorrow morning. This is the first US olympic team to win two group stage games and the first time they've advanced to the knockout stages since 2000 (where they finished 4th). Defeating Morocco will get them to the Semis where they will be playing for a chance to earn a medal for the first time ever*
*technically, the US has two olympic medals for men's soccer in 1904 when there were only 3 club teams, two of them based in the US and one in Canada. The Canadian team took gold while the other two US teams took silver and bronze, which are historically credited to the US.
A win tomorrow would be super exciting for the US
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Both of our 3x3 basketball teams look terrible. Curious if we'd look better with Cam Brink or if we are really just this bad. Have not been impressed with HVL at all.
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I am more than ready for fake, bullshit sports like 3 on 3 basketball to be cycled out of the olympics. Break dancing, skateboarding, tubing, etc. If you play it once a year at a cookout on memorial day it shouldn't be in the olympic games. In your lifetime, they will go full fake and make playing madden an olympic sport. Fucking ridiculous- "3 on 3 basketball" like fucking disc golf. Fake.
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Half heard the other day they waited to select the team until after the full teams. So they haven't had much time to play together at all. And let's face it, the "dream team" of NBA players hasn't really impressed either.
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure none of the senior US national teams - men or women- are candidates or involved in the 3-3 bullshit program. USA basketball has its own feeder program for the fake game. And perhaps these athletes should pursue actual Olympic basketball instead? As opposed to the And 1 made up sport? There is basketball being played in these olympics. The actual game. Check NBC's listings to catch it.
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The selection committee is limited in who they can select. For the Olympic 4-person team (emphasis mine):
-2 players ranked within the top 10 of their country
-2 players ranked within the top 50 of their country, or have the minimum number of ranking points
-They must hold legal nationality of the represented country
-They must have presented a passport of the represented country issued by the competent authorities before a date to be announced.
-They cannot have played for the national team in basketball and/or 3x3 for another country in an Official Competition of FIBA.
-They must be at least 18 years old on July 26, 2024.
The list of players (Current Women's 3x3 U.S. Rank) that attended the Springfield training camp were Azana Bains (9), Cameron Brink (8), Cierra Burdick (3), Christina Dalce (12), Blake Dietrick (4), Allisha Gray (26), Dearica Hamby (18), Linnae Harper (6), Rhyne Howard (21), Lexie Hull (24), Kelsey Mitchell (29), Lucy Olsen (11), Katie Lou Samuelson (27), Madison Scott (7), Hailey Van Lith (5), Mikaylah Williams (33), and Camille Zimmerman (2).
Eight players were selected to participate in the Springfield Stop FIBA event following the training camp. USA Basketball ran two teams. Team USA included Burdick, HVL, Hull, and Howard. Team Springfield included Gray, Brink, Hamby, and Harper. The selection committee named Burdick, HVL, Howard, and Brink to the Olympic team. Howard was the only one that didn't have a FIBA ranking entering the Springfield Stop.
Jimmer is currently ranked #3 in the world (#1 U.S.) in FIBA 3x3. His skill set matches up fairly well to 3x3. As others haven't mentioned, the two games are different. Similarly with HVL (#31 OVR, #5 US).
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The games are not different. The hoop is the same height, the ball is the same, point values are the same, the lane is the same, the fouling/walking rules are the same. It's only "different" in that its half court and "style"- no different than Mike Young playing Calipari- contrasting styles, same "game". It's basketball. It's a made up sport for guys like Ferdette that wouldn't sniff the real team. Ice Cube's league is a bunch of washed up NBA players in their 40's- Jacking up 3's. It's made up based on real basketball.
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OK point values are different, and the ball is milimeters smaller apparently. Seems like made up shit to me. It's been an Olympic sport a whole 4 years. Maybe it will grow on me.
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Does 3x3 use a different ball than traditional basketball?
Yes, 3x3 uses a slightly smaller ball that allows for better ball handling and complements the increased speed of the game.
How does the scoring work in 3x3 basketball games?
In 3x3, a field goal from beyond the arc is worth two points, and a field goal taken from inside the arc is worth one point. (In traditional basketball, these are worth three and two points, respectively.) Free throws are worth one point each — the same as in a traditional basketball game.
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If a player is fouled in the act of shooting, that player is granted one or two free throws (depending on whether or not the shooter was behind the two-point arc) if they miss the shot. If the player makes the shot, then the field goal counts and the player receives one free throw attempt.
Moral of the story, don't foul when they are shooting.
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They can put a clearly bastardized game with lesser players and -slightly- different rules in the olympics and I can call it what it is. It's a bullshit made up (by evidence of the stupid rule caveats- like a playground make it take it) game. It is no different than if they added triples tennis with a smaller ball or a par 3 golf course where a greeny gets you a point. It is that fucking ridiculous to me. It's a joke.
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Just looked it up- obviously 7 vs. 15 players - stupid... and even LESS nuance than the dumb 3x3 hoops... fields are the same size, just the time of the games is different. Summary- stupid made up shit. Just play "rugby" FFS
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Well, I was playing Rugby 7's in 1990. So, it's certainly not a new variation of that sport. 30 plus years is more than a flash in the pan.
Since rugby is derived from soccer due to a fine disregard of the rules of the game. And American Football is derived from Rugby.
So, 7's I'm ok with.
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I'm with you on this.
I don't know what the parent sport would be but I don't think it has to have one. Look at curling in the winter olympics, or bmx or breakdancing in the summer.
Let's add hide n seek, tag, tic tac toe, frisbee and croquet while we're at it
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I was telling my husband yesterday that if they want to get good 3x3 folks, they ought to go recruit on the inner city basketball courts. Skillset for the half court game seems rather different than the regular version so you might as well go find people that spend a lot of time playing half court.
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So is bull riding, so is water skiing, so is jump rope. Doesn't mean they should be olympic sports- where the elite- Like Michael Phelps- not just some tool from your local pool- win medals. The elite- Kobe Bryant, Lebron James- not Jimmer Ferdette- unless we make up a sport to include him. Make a legitimate argument since break dancing and jumping on a trampoline are in the olympics that pub darts, futsol, tee-ball, hop skotch, corn hole, competition BBQ should not be included?
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Agree completely. While we're at it we should get rid of fake swimming strokes like breast stroke and fly. Let's spend more energy to go slower. Makes perfect sense.
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No unique or different skill applies to 3-3 vs. real basketball. None. It is by definition "made up". What makes it unique is the players suck (Jimmer Ferdette vs. Kevin Durant) it's uniqueness is a much lower quality of basketball.
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Sure for 3x3 basketball. But breakdancing/darts/everything else you mentioned are unique skills. And I agree that they shouldn't be Olympic sports. Just like breast and fly shouldn't be. They are only there to pad swimming medals. This is a hill I am willing to die on.
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There are some major exclusions right now. Wine Tasting, Poker, Frisbee, Fantasy Football. Seriously. They are on par with break dancing and fake basketball- no unique or different skill applies to 3-3 vs. real basketball. None. It is by definition "made up"
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How did table tennis and badminton escape your anger? If I am honest, I would much rather watch skateboarding, BMX, 3x3 basketball, etc over those two. My apologies to the US table tennis guy who is in fact quite talented.
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Is this a serious question? This thread and the topic is about the olympic fucking games. The number of people on this board that ignore main points in threads is astonishing. The olympics- you know - the elite. The format where the United States had to send 10 of the 15 greatest basketball players to the olympics so we could win again- in basketball. The olympics- where swimming and gymnastics are so competitive in the United States it encompasses your life from age 10 until you compete- IF you get the chance. The olympics- Carl Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps. And you guys are on here fucking defending flag football- a kids game at picnics and made up And1 mix tape basketball played by bums. It is surreal honestly. Like I said- wine tasting, darts, competition BBQ, a par 3 contest, Drive Chip Putt. why the fuck not. Fucking flag football.
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The number of people on this board that ignore main points in threads is astonishing.
A. You were asked a direct question about flag football. You ignored the quesiton.
B. You have in NINE (9!!!!) different responses called competitions "made up." Hate to break it to you, but they are in the Olympics, competing for a gold medal. It's real.
C. If you don't care for any of the competitions, ignore them. This thread has been hijacked by the "made up" and you're inane complaining about various things that are, in fact, in the Olympics. Pick what you want to watch. Peacock has a ton of options for watching what you want. There's even an app that you can follow your specific comps that you want to follow.
D. People aren't "defending" the competitions, simply stating what is in it. These discussions aren't the "either you're with me or you're against me" type. Settle down. I don't see anyone running a campaign like you are to add or defend anything that you are so adamantly against. Take a breath. Ignore what you feel like shouldn't be there. Let the rest of the board discuss ALLLLLLLL of the Olympic competitions.
E. À votre santé!
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Dude needs to go outside. No one is making him watch any Olympic sport yet he has an opinion on every one. Imagine stressing yourself out so much and complaining about it on the internet when you have complete control to just ignore it
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My last post on this (other than sarcastic themes later) I will reiterate. The olympics can add rap battles, And1 mix tape, Drive Chip putt and other bullshit sports that don't belong in this format, and I can then mock it. Period. And if squash does "belong" in the olympics, it cheapens the "medals" that Bolt and Phelps won in a huge way. No reasonable person can deny that. Medals given for jumping on a trampoline or to Jimmer Ferdette sort of playing hoops cheapens the real ones. Fact.
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Didn't realize Jimmy was running against Bolt. Or that Bolt was slowed down by Jimmy, or someone playing badminton. Guess we should send a certified letter to Usain telling him his world record and gold medal means less now. Even though he won the race and in fact set the world record at the time in 2008.
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Michael Jordan has 2 gold medals in olympic basketball. Jimmer Ferdette may too. I can't help you beyond that. We will never agree. Muhammad Ali has a gold medal, so does trampoline and rock climbing guy. - We will never agree on this. Out. And lets not be hypocrites...nobody mocks UVA's fake nattys more than this board. nobody. You guys kill them for their rowing nattys saying they don't count, yet defend flag football medals. lol.
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If they are self-proclaimed, sure I mock. (See UCF football...) But if sanctioned, and held in a competition, and they won, no one can take that away from them. And I don't mock them, unless they bring it up to try to one-up. I laugh at them...them being the loluva f'tards, not the actual win. Plus they are our rivals. Anyone on here mocking Stanford's gazillion trophies????? They are loluva. Everyone mocks them. Again, settle down. Jimmer's medal (pst, he aint winning one...) in no way tarnishes Jordan's two medals. Not even close. Nothing takes those medals away from Mike.
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Olympic medals mean you won at the top of that respective sport. You are only cheapening a medal because you don't like the other sports. On a world scale, yes, a gold medal in trampoline is as impressive as a gold medal in the 100m. You just think trampoline is a lesser sport, probably because you've never done it.
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They are both national championships and I do respect them for being at the top of their sport in that classification. Certainly one gets more exposure than the other, but they both can call themselves National Champions
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I respect you doubling down on UCONN's uber competitive one and done 6 game hoops gaunlet - vis a vi a lacrosse title win played by 15 schools that take it seriously at a regional level. I admire you sticking to your guns.
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It's clear you know jack shit about flag football. Guess what girls flag we have girls in kindergarten playing 3 season a year, going to camps with NFL teams. I've got middle schoolers and high schoolers who spend 5-6 days a week practicing, playing and working out to get better, faster, stronger for flag football. I suggest you go watch some of the USA flag championship or NFL flag Championships that just occurred last month and stop your yapping about flag being a picnic game.
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Like reading, I learned flag football when I was 6-7 years old. And I'm sorry, what girls are in NFL camps right now? thanks for providing the info. (nevermind, you are not talking about the actual National Football League- Mahomes, etc.) my bad
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My flag all girls teams kindergarten to 5th on 3 teams have the daughters of 3 former NFL players, 1 current NFL player, 1 current NFL front office lead scout, 5 former Division 1 football players daughters playing on them. But I guess your opinion about flag means more.
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sorry it read like nfl camps- as in nfl training camps... I get it now "flag" football camps. OK. I thought he was insinuating girls got NFL (not flag) camp invites.
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Also read recently that they cap the number of participants. Single entrant contests (like skateboarding) or pairs don't burden the cap they've set around 10,000 Olympians. This is why Futsal is not in the Olympics as between that and "football" it would eat up over 10% of the contestants for only 4 gold medals. There's a lot of logistics involved w all of it, and they prefer to offer more and more diverse comps than just the basic 5 or 6 events.
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No they are not. Basketball is a sport played internationally for 100 years by millions of people. It has been established in the olympics for over 100 years as a competitive game recognized internationally and played by the elite of the sport. 3x3 playground ball was literally made up by And1 15 years ago and shares 98% of the rules, etc. It is not played by near the elite of the sport. If they held 18 hole par 72 golf and 9 hole par 3 golf in the same olympics, the par 3 nonsense would be "made up." Or if Fat Perez competed in an influencer category- THAT would be made up- not real golf played for hundreds of years. That is my context. Yes, the cave men did not play basketball- I fucking get that.
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Good time to bring up Memphis in May for all you BBQ lovers out there.
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest hosts 3 categories: Rib, Shoulder Whole Hog.
Other contests include Best Sauce (Tomato/Mustard/Vinegar), Frank's Red Hot Hot Wings, Kingsford Tour of Champions and Anything But (Exotic/Beef/Seafood/Poultry).
Though honestly, BBQ in the Olympics would be fire.
South Korea, USA, India, Turkey, Jamaica, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Philippines, Australia....Serious throwdown on the smoker.
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My take is that if the Olympics aren't the pinnacle of the sport, then the sport shouldn't be included. So soccer, tennis, basketball, etc should all be axed.
I don't care if the sport is silly or made up - if it's the peak competition is the Olympics, I say do it.
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Give it a few years, Phelps son just took everyone too the woodshed in his first swim meet ever. We'll according to Phelps, I didn't watch video because 6 year olds races kind of suck.
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Lots of other countries winning gold and then the commentary is "so and so trains in Texas with Michael Phelps old coach" or "McIntosh trains in Sarasota Florida and is an unstoppable "canadian"".
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Most of the top Asian Women pro golfers live in Texas or Florida and have for years. Jon Rahm, David Puig, Ludvig Aberg, a host of other international golfers live in north scottsdale full time. The tiny island soccer nations that beat us regularly train in the US as well.
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Morocco is just completely outclassing the US right now. They've had better quality all game long. The US just hasn't been good in any phase. Morocco is clearly more talented. I think Mitrovic has done better in this tournament than I've ever seen from a Berhalter team. He's in a place where we dominate the teams we're supposed to dominate and we get destroyed by the teams that are more talented than us. France and Morocco both clearly had more quality and it showed in the scoreline. But at least we scored 7 goals against inferior teams. So there's that.
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the officiating wasn't great but it wasn't the reason the US lost. Morocco was better all over the pitch all day long. Better quality. More confidence. They were just faster, stronger, better in every position. These players will need to learn and grow a lot. It was a decent tournament for a team that hadn't been there in a while but it's a long way away from being what the US should expect. We have way too many resources to be getting bounced to the tune of 4-0 in the first knockout game of an olympic tournament. Hopefully these players learn and grow and some of them might even feature in the '26 WC squad in two years. I think Mitrovic's application for the USMNT Senior team's manager role is completed. I'd grade him a B+. We looked good against the teams we should beat. We looked dreadful against more talented sides. It was basically 2023 VT Football. We'll see where things go from here.
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Agreed. And I HATE it when announcers bash refs. Maybe they aren't tip top, but saying it out loud on a broadcast makes it seem ok to do during the game and make excuses for performances.
And Mitro is about where he should be. I don't believe they'll move him up, but given past decisions, I'm not putting any money on anything (other than a dollar on the long shot they actually bring Gregg back.............)
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well, now you have your pattern. The US men's team can't score when they are outclassed at every position. But they can score in droves against inferior competition. 4-1 over New Zealand and 3-0 over Guinea gave this false sense that the team had woken up after getting blanked by France, only to get blanked again by a well drilled team with more quality all over the pitch.
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Well this got ugly in a hurry, US completely smoked in the Bronze match. Apparently they came in saying this was their best chance to get gold, and they walk away with nothing. Oof
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Noah Lyles better get out of the blocks well if he wants to be on the podium. I don't buy into the "just enough to qualify" strategy for sprint races. Go out and prove it every chance you get.
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Disappointing day today with mistakes in both gymnastics finals preventing any golds and then losing the skeet shooting gold to Italy... and losing to canada in beach volleyball with one of the top 3 favorite duos
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Sad. We had that brief moment atop the medal chart and now the communists are back up by 2 golds...and no, I don't count silver or bronze. There's the best and the rest, dammit. This is America.
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Valarie Allman picked up a USA gold in the women's discus today. Lots more opportunities for gold still remaining in track and field, including:
Women's 200: Gabby Thomas is a decent favorite, and we could get more on the podium.
Men's 200: Noah Lyles is a solid favorite, and I'll be shocked if we don't get at least two medals (there's even a decent chance of a USA sweep in the men's 200).
Men's 400: Quincy Hall and Michael Norman are legitimate gold contenders, and Hall might even be a slight favorite.
Women's 400 hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin set the world record a few weeks ago, and she's the best of all time in the event. But Femke Bol from the Netherlands is so good, I'd say McLaughlin is only a slight favorite. US could squeeze in a bronze as well.
Men's 400 hurdles: USA's Rai Benjamin is the slightest of favorites over world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway and Alison Dos Santos of Brazil.
Men's 4x100: USA is a solid favorite
Men's 4x400: USA is a strong favorite
Women's 4x100: USA is a solid favorite
Women's 4x400: USA is a slight favorite
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Had heard that one of the Olympic team's runners had been training in Blacksburg leading up to Paris. Well, come to find out it was Cole Hocker, who just pulled off this huge upset to bring home Gold!
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Its so interesting to see these olympic level runners "struggle" like us real people. Watching the 400m a number of runners just completely ran out of gas and really highlight how insanely fast the other people go.
The way Hall gained ground the last 150m was incredible
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I'd love to see some sort of analysis on the splits in that race. Given that (1) the top 3 seemed to be running out of gas at the end, (b) the top 4 all set PBs, and (iii) Hall seemed to be in pain at the halfway pointthree-quarter mark, and was still able to run down the leaders, I'm guessing that the first 100m200m was at an insanely fast pace that really wore out the front of the field, and that Hall was just able to keep pace while the others....weren't.
(edit: forgot this was a 400m race, not a 200m race)
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The first 100, by the leader, was 10.69 and 20.46 at the 200. (That's a 9.77 second 100!!!!!!) Second place at the 200m mark had a 9.81m second 100.)
Hall was in 5th at the 200 mark in 21.00 flat. His last 100m was 11.59.
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I think the telling point is the final 100m times of the top 5 as of 300m (along with 1st 3 100m splits, finish position, and delta between 3rd and 4th 100m split):
Hudson-Smith (GBR, 1st): 12.09s (1st 3: 10.81s, 9.81s, 10.73s; finished 2nd; delta +1.36s)
Richards (TTO, 2nd): 12.36s (1st 3: 10.69s, 9.77s, 10.96s; finished 4th; delta +1.40s)
James (GRN, 3rd): 12.37s (1st 3: 10.75s, 9.88s, 10.87s; finished 5th; delta +1.50s)
Hall (USA, 4th): 11.59s (1st 3: 11.01s, 9.99s, 10.81s; finished 1st; delta +0.78s)
Samukonga (SAM, 5th): 11.83s (1st 3: 10.87s, 10.08s, 10.96s; finished 3rd; delta +0.87s)
The first three at the 300m mark had about 1.5x-2x the dropoff from the third to fourth 100m split (1.42s average) as compared to the next two (0.825 average), who ended up finishing 1st and 3rd.
So the last 100m dropoff was a major factor in how Hall was able to make up that ground and finish 1st. But why did the top three fall off so much faster? Was it the fact that the 2nd split was like 100m dash times? Did they overcook themselves early? I don't know enough about 400m splits in general, or how those times compare to comparable 400m races specifically, to answer that conclusively, but it's still an interesting question.
Thanks for the data. That gave me a bit of smiles for something to work through during a boring all-hands teams meeting.
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There are different schools of thought...go out fast and try to hold on, or be within striking range and use your kick to chase down and pass those that hit the wall. Different strokes for different folks.
Not sure what the grimace on Hall's face was about with 125m to go, but that's not normal...Well, maybe it is for him, but not for the majority of competitors. What's wild is he was in lane 7, so he only had 1 person to check himself on positioning the first 300m.
I think the first 200 in this race was insane. And given it was the fastest 400m ever for the field, it may have a rippling impact to how its run into the future. I can see coaches not asking their runners to hold back as much. And it showed going out fast can still lead to fast times. Even though they "gassed themselves" the other 3 behind Hall all ran PB's. I can see that being the approach.
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The US is kinda like the UVa of international sports. We suck at the one sport the rest of the world actually cares about and we dominate everything else. Carrying that analogy further Concacaf is sorta like the ACC, where small teams that have no business beating the US but do so fairly frequently. UEFA/CONMEBOL are like SEC/B1G. France, Spain, Germany are like Texas, Bama, LSU, England is like Tennessee, Brazil is like OSU, Argentina is like Michigan
anyway, IDK, I thought it was kinda funny
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Not to be the guy that complains about the refs... but definitely feel like serbia is getting away with a lot more contact than we are and its affecting the turnover and foul margins
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Regardless, that was a great basketball game. Serbia had an out of body shooting experience for the first 25 minutes, and a combo of cooling off plus a couple defensive adjustments was enough to slow their scoring down.
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Men's relays, prelims....
4x100: Best time in the prelims by half a second. Were in 3rd after first leg, but was 3rd leg took the lead. Heck of an anchor leg split. I don't believe Lyles will be running anchor (or any leg) in the Final.
4x400: Quincy got his taste of the Olympics quick passing the baton after the opening leg in 7th. The next 3 on the team ran the 1st, 1st, and 2nd fastest splits in their respective legs to bring the US back to 3rd and qualifying. They've been talking about how fast the track is, and of the 16 teams in the 4x400, there were 10 Season Bests including one National record from Japan. It's going to be a fast one.
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No idea. Carl Lewis was jumping mad after the race. And it's not like this is a new issue. In the past several worlds/Olympics we've dropped the baton, passed too early, had bad exchanges, everything.
Because Lyles wasn't running the anchor, they reworked the lineup. Not that I believe this is an excuse, but it was a different order than run previously. No matter, they've been bad in every order.
He took off prob a full second early. On the turn, he practically passed the runner 2 lanes outside of him before slowing down. It's a 20 meter exchange zone, so to run OUT of it before touching the baton means he left really really early.
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They did the detailed review of the replay and I think the outcome was thathe left at the same time as other runners (and us was in first) but the first runner slowed too much for the timing
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Eh, not what I saw. He left early and accelerated fast. Lead guy never let up and still couldn't catch him. Hes starting at a stand still. And the other guy in coming in full steam. No way you can start at the right time and run out of the zone (20 meters) if you dont jump the gun so to speak.
When you don't run them and don't practice exchanges, it can go sideways quickly. And I'm not talking about an hour a day for 3 days before the meet. You have to get it.
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France vs Spain gold medal match in soccer has been a fun watch. France down 3-1 at halftime, gets an obvious PK in extra time to tie it up, and Spain still managed to juuuuuust miss the golden goal as time expired in regulation.
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Finish of the men's 4x400 was fantastic. Benjamin (400m hurdles gold) vs Tebogo (200m gold) w USA pulling it out. Rai had a near 43 second split for a new OR. Botswana sets the African continental record. And 16 year old Quincy gets his gold.
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone basically just said to the rest of the field "we'll see you guys at the finish line." That was unreal, the race was over about 2 seconds into the second runner.
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How Steph Curry isn't widely regarded as one of the best basketball players to ever play is beyond me. Few people in history have been able to absolutely take over a game like he has done time and time again.
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I think his issue is being viewed as a "weak" outside only player who specializes on offense. I remember the finals against lebron where they just bullied steph and he couldnt get going. In the olympics he had aome great shooting and offense but looked like a little kid out there on defense
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Well, playing for the US there are MVP candidates all over the floor. Opponents had to pick their poison, and Steph was able to take advantage of that especially over the last 2 games.
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Us womens bball looks like absolute dog shit. I am not sure I have even seen an offensive set yet. Close to 20 turnovers in the first half. 0 interest in rebounding leading to 4 shots per trip on some french possessions. By some miracle it is tied at half and hopefully we actually play team ball in the 2nd half rather than iso prayer shots with no rebounder underneath
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They've been playing to make highlights and it's not working. Couple that with horrific rebounding and not even trying to set plays and we get what we have right now.
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Somehow stuck it out and narrowly won gold! That closes the overall medal count with the US and China tied for golds but overall count heavily in the US favor for an American "win" of the olympics. I was shocked at how many medals china was able to win in sports nobody else cares about
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I dont usually watch the opening/closing ceremonies but my MIL is visotong and wanted to. The portion about LA with tom cruise and Dr Dre/Snoop got me excited for LA2028. I think it could be like the LA superbowl but on PEDs
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Even in serious events, there have always been people who looked ridiculous competing against top competition. And this isn't the first time one of them has garnered media attention. See Eddie the Eagle and Eric the Eel. There's even a movie about Eddie.
This is a big nothing burger that serves to amuse us all for a bit, and then we will move on.
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yeah, going 70mph down a snowy hill and jumping 100 ft in the air and landing without breaking your back - even finishing last- is a bit different than playground basketball, dancing, and jumping on a trampoline- which kids do every saturday. Let's be real. Sucking at a really difficult sport (eddie the eagle) is different than making the olympics in a bullshit sport.
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You are fucking right. Amen. But she is on par with Ali, Jordan, Bolt. It's the olympics afterall. LMFAO. Like I said they can stage fucking And1 basketball- and I can mock it and not take the olympics seriously any longer. Nobody should be shocked that breakdancing is a fucking clown show, not a sport, and should not be anywhere near where Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens competed.
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What are the criteria you would need to have met that would move the needle from a "bullshit" sport into the same class as a "real" sport? I get your overall point about some of the ridiculous stuff that has been included over the years, but I also think there is a legit argument that some bullshit sports get accepted and adopted into the realm of real sports. And I am wondering how you would make that distinction?
Also, who was the worst basketball player in the '92 Olympics? Or in this Olympics? Because that is the same class that RayGun is in, and not Jordan, Bolt, etc.
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Lets do the first part last. In 92 the "worst" player on the US 5x5 basketball team was arguably the greatest college basketball player ever that played a decade in the NBA and made all star teams- Christian Laettner. Yep- a hall of famer is better than the two bit break dancer (in my humble opinion) This olympics, that would be Tyrece Haliburton- age 24 btw- whose career includes: 2× NBA All-Star , NBA All-Rookie First Team , NBA assists leader and the 12th overall pick in the draft. So yes, a more elite athlete than the farce that break danced. I draw the line on elite, competitive sports played on the global stage by elite athletes. Competitive sports- such as 72 hole full course golf and real (5x5) basketball. I think that is reasonable. Everyone would mock 9 hole par 3 golf or disc golf and to me that is in the same category as 3x3 hoops. - Bastardized version of an already real olympic sport- ummm "basketball". Breakdancing and trampoline don't deserve the key strokes to argue- no brainer not olympic sports. In terms of "flag" football, well when the NFL did not want their all star game watched, competitive or compelling they went to that sport that little kids play on weekends instead. If you argue that, then you support tee ball in the olympics. Its what you play before your mom lets you play real baseball. Yes- the NFL- who is being sued for brain injuries - key point- has started a flag football league, etc. Doesn't make it any more elite or competitive than what kids play at the park. Zero top college or NFL players will compete in that sport in the olympics- thus doesn't meet my criteria. Like I said all along. They can put mixtape basketball in the olympics and I can mock it and point out the obvious.
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I should have been more clear. I was not speaking of the worst player on the US basketball team. I mean the worst player on any Olympic basketball team competing in a given year. That is apples to apples with the worst break dancer of any Olympic team.
I guess I am just saying that no matter the "sport" chosen, there is a very specific set of skills required that people practice. I would assume a similar level of practice and preparation goes in to 3v3 basketball as does the "real" basketball team. My point being that no matter the event, the athletes are vying to be the best in their respective field. That makes them all equal "Olympians" to me. If the US had wanted to win 3v3 basketball, they should have put better players in the event. Just like if we wanted to beat the Chinese at diving. Alternatively, our best needs to get better to beat other country's best.
I do understand the argument about "little brother" sports though. I guess the assumption is that unpopular events get dropped and other "fad" events will take their place. Long term sticking power is reflected in overall popularity and will keep coming back. So in that regard, I think breaking and 3v3 basketball are more likely to get the axe and rightfully so. I don't hold the athletes responsible for being representative of their country though. Its the IOC making decisions of what events are held. The athletes are just representing their county to the best of their abilities in those events, and in that regard I see any Olympian as equal to another, regardless of the event.
1. Dr. Dre wont sniff the US archery team. 2. the fact that the US didn't send it's best to play 3x3 tells you its not a major/elite sport. In terms of 3x3 - player coaches and 4 man rosters- 1 sub- also lends credence to my point. It's playground hoops, not the olympics. The bottom line is that - sure there are great trampoline bouncers, flag football players that could never make a college football team in D3, great break dancers. Personally, I will never agree that these are world wide elite sports that belong on the same stage as the traditional sports.
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any Olympian as equal to another, regardless of the event.
I think we need to qualify this statement a bit to include the possibility of corruption.
There are some interesting accusations being made about the qualifying of some individual(s) in this particular event. I'm not ready to claim any knowledge yet as the investigation still has some way to go.
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Comments
Solid first rotation from womens gymnastics... hopefully can continue to finally get another gold in our total
Happy for Biles. The putting yips are no joke.
Yep, and when I have the putting yips I don't risk traumatic spinal injury
You've clearly never seen me play golf. /s
I'd be okay with kicking the tires on Mitrovic for the senior squad. Aside from the second half VS France the team has looked solid. Better attacking tactics than I've seen from any US team
very interested in seeing how the US looks against Morocco tomorrow morning. This is the first US olympic team to win two group stage games and the first time they've advanced to the knockout stages since 2000 (where they finished 4th). Defeating Morocco will get them to the Semis where they will be playing for a chance to earn a medal for the first time ever*
*technically, the US has two olympic medals for men's soccer in 1904 when there were only 3 club teams, two of them based in the US and one in Canada. The Canadian team took gold while the other two US teams took silver and bronze, which are historically credited to the US.
A win tomorrow would be super exciting for the US
Haven't been following. How many over 23 exceptions is Morroco using? And which EPL teams are they on?
3.
Kajoui, keeper, 35, plays in the Moroccan league.
Rahimi, LW, 28, plays in the UAE league.
Hakimi, RB, 25, plays for PSG in Ligue 1.
This aged like warm milk
Have a day US women's rugby! First medal ever in walkoff fashion.
I'm catching up on the days dvr.
And not on an easy last play.
I wouldn't mind having Ilohna Maher in our RB room.
Both of our 3x3 basketball teams look terrible. Curious if we'd look better with Cam Brink or if we are really just this bad. Have not been impressed with HVL at all.
I am more than ready for fake, bullshit sports like 3 on 3 basketball to be cycled out of the olympics. Break dancing, skateboarding, tubing, etc. If you play it once a year at a cookout on memorial day it shouldn't be in the olympic games. In your lifetime, they will go full fake and make playing madden an olympic sport. Fucking ridiculous- "3 on 3 basketball" like fucking disc golf. Fake.
I agree that it is pretty stupid... but I still want the US to win everything.
Half heard the other day they waited to select the team until after the full teams. So they haven't had much time to play together at all. And let's face it, the "dream team" of NBA players hasn't really impressed either.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure none of the senior US national teams - men or women- are candidates or involved in the 3-3 bullshit program. USA basketball has its own feeder program for the fake game. And perhaps these athletes should pursue actual Olympic basketball instead? As opposed to the And 1 made up sport? There is basketball being played in these olympics. The actual game. Check NBC's listings to catch it.
Just FYI, from Reddit.
The selection committee is limited in who they can select. For the Olympic 4-person team (emphasis mine):
-2 players ranked within the top 10 of their country
-2 players ranked within the top 50 of their country, or have the minimum number of ranking points
-They must hold legal nationality of the represented country
-They must have presented a passport of the represented country issued by the competent authorities before a date to be announced.
-They cannot have played for the national team in basketball and/or 3x3 for another country in an Official Competition of FIBA.
-They must be at least 18 years old on July 26, 2024.
The list of players (Current Women's 3x3 U.S. Rank) that attended the Springfield training camp were Azana Bains (9), Cameron Brink (8), Cierra Burdick (3), Christina Dalce (12), Blake Dietrick (4), Allisha Gray (26), Dearica Hamby (18), Linnae Harper (6), Rhyne Howard (21), Lexie Hull (24), Kelsey Mitchell (29), Lucy Olsen (11), Katie Lou Samuelson (27), Madison Scott (7), Hailey Van Lith (5), Mikaylah Williams (33), and Camille Zimmerman (2).
Eight players were selected to participate in the Springfield Stop FIBA event following the training camp. USA Basketball ran two teams. Team USA included Burdick, HVL, Hull, and Howard. Team Springfield included Gray, Brink, Hamby, and Harper. The selection committee named Burdick, HVL, Howard, and Brink to the Olympic team. Howard was the only one that didn't have a FIBA ranking entering the Springfield Stop.
Jimmer is currently ranked #3 in the world (#1 U.S.) in FIBA 3x3. His skill set matches up fairly well to 3x3. As others haven't mentioned, the two games are different. Similarly with HVL (#31 OVR, #5 US).
The games are not different. The hoop is the same height, the ball is the same, point values are the same, the lane is the same, the fouling/walking rules are the same. It's only "different" in that its half court and "style"- no different than Mike Young playing Calipari- contrasting styles, same "game". It's basketball. It's a made up sport for guys like Ferdette that wouldn't sniff the real team. Ice Cube's league is a bunch of washed up NBA players in their 40's- Jacking up 3's. It's made up based on real basketball.
I'm just posting how the teams are selected...simmer down. Nobody is asking you to donate to the National 3v3 team
Point values aren't the same, champ
OK point values are different, and the ball is milimeters smaller apparently. Seems like made up shit to me. It's been an Olympic sport a whole 4 years. Maybe it will grow on me.
Does 3x3 use a different ball than traditional basketball?
Yes, 3x3 uses a slightly smaller ball that allows for better ball handling and complements the increased speed of the game.
How does the scoring work in 3x3 basketball games?
In 3x3, a field goal from beyond the arc is worth two points, and a field goal taken from inside the arc is worth one point. (In traditional basketball, these are worth three and two points, respectively.) Free throws are worth one point each — the same as in a traditional basketball game.
WTF are free throws the same? What is this, basketball?
If a player is fouled in the act of shooting, that player is granted one or two free throws (depending on whether or not the shooter was behind the two-point arc) if they miss the shot. If the player makes the shot, then the field goal counts and the player receives one free throw attempt.
Moral of the story, don't foul when they are shooting.
They can put a clearly bastardized game with lesser players and -slightly- different rules in the olympics and I can call it what it is. It's a bullshit made up (by evidence of the stupid rule caveats- like a playground make it take it) game. It is no different than if they added triples tennis with a smaller ball or a par 3 golf course where a greeny gets you a point. It is that fucking ridiculous to me. It's a joke.
I assume you're a fan of Rugby 7's too.
Oh yeah- the possibilities are endless. 2 ball soccer, short track swimming, mini javelin, stretch band weight lifting. Endless comparisons.
Don't forget rock/paper/scissors
She we tell him that Rugby 7's is a real thing?
How is it -slighty bastardized- different than real "rugby" ? do tell
Just looked it up- obviously 7 vs. 15 players - stupid... and even LESS nuance than the dumb 3x3 hoops... fields are the same size, just the time of the games is different. Summary- stupid made up shit. Just play "rugby" FFS
Well, I was playing Rugby 7's in 1990. So, it's certainly not a new variation of that sport. 30 plus years is more than a flash in the pan.
Since rugby is derived from soccer due to a fine disregard of the rules of the game. And American Football is derived from Rugby.
So, 7's I'm ok with.
Wrong absurd example, what would be the over 100 year real parent sport to rock/paper/scissors?
I'm with you on this.
I don't know what the parent sport would be but I don't think it has to have one. Look at curling in the winter olympics, or bmx or breakdancing in the summer.
Let's add hide n seek, tag, tic tac toe, frisbee and croquet while we're at it
I was telling my husband yesterday that if they want to get good 3x3 folks, they ought to go recruit on the inner city basketball courts. Skillset for the half court game seems rather different than the regular version so you might as well go find people that spend a lot of time playing half court.
Have Virginia Tech play team USA's 3x3 every olympic game - they would shoot 80% from the 3 point line.
Skateboarding is an extremely high skill + dexterity requiring sport.
So is bull riding, so is water skiing, so is jump rope. Doesn't mean they should be olympic sports- where the elite- Like Michael Phelps- not just some tool from your local pool- win medals. The elite- Kobe Bryant, Lebron James- not Jimmer Ferdette- unless we make up a sport to include him. Make a legitimate argument since break dancing and jumping on a trampoline are in the olympics that pub darts, futsol, tee-ball, hop skotch, corn hole, competition BBQ should not be included?
If only there was a committee to select the competitions to be held at the Olympic Games...
If only the committee used some kind of reasonable criteria based on years of competition as opposed to bribes and making up sports.
Agree completely. While we're at it we should get rid of fake swimming strokes like breast stroke and fly. Let's spend more energy to go slower. Makes perfect sense.
No unique or different skill applies to 3-3 vs. real basketball. None. It is by definition "made up". What makes it unique is the players suck (Jimmer Ferdette vs. Kevin Durant) it's uniqueness is a much lower quality of basketball.
Sure for 3x3 basketball. But breakdancing/darts/everything else you mentioned are unique skills. And I agree that they shouldn't be Olympic sports. Just like breast and fly shouldn't be. They are only there to pad swimming medals. This is a hill I am willing to die on.
Don't forget horseshoes.
There are some major exclusions right now. Wine Tasting, Poker, Frisbee, Fantasy Football. Seriously. They are on par with break dancing and fake basketball- no unique or different skill applies to 3-3 vs. real basketball. None. It is by definition "made up"
I'm waiting for olympic squash
Or shuffleboard
Not kidding (wish I were) Flag Football and Squash ARE in the 2028 games in LA. Fucking ridiculous. Olympic medals more meaningless by the year.
Eh, seems like there's always been some meaningless "sports" at the Olympics...
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240720-the-extinct-olympic-sport-that-was-the-dullest-of-all-time
You might not like it, but this is the ideal male form. Peak Performance right here.
/S
How did table tennis and badminton escape your anger? If I am honest, I would much rather watch skateboarding, BMX, 3x3 basketball, etc over those two. My apologies to the US table tennis guy who is in fact quite talented.
And what's your issue with Flag football?
Is this a serious question? This thread and the topic is about the olympic fucking games. The number of people on this board that ignore main points in threads is astonishing. The olympics- you know - the elite. The format where the United States had to send 10 of the 15 greatest basketball players to the olympics so we could win again- in basketball. The olympics- where swimming and gymnastics are so competitive in the United States it encompasses your life from age 10 until you compete- IF you get the chance. The olympics- Carl Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps. And you guys are on here fucking defending flag football- a kids game at picnics and made up And1 mix tape basketball played by bums. It is surreal honestly. Like I said- wine tasting, darts, competition BBQ, a par 3 contest, Drive Chip Putt. why the fuck not. Fucking flag football.
A. You were asked a direct question about flag football. You ignored the quesiton.
B. You have in NINE (9!!!!) different responses called competitions "made up." Hate to break it to you, but they are in the Olympics, competing for a gold medal. It's real.
C. If you don't care for any of the competitions, ignore them. This thread has been hijacked by the "made up" and you're inane complaining about various things that are, in fact, in the Olympics. Pick what you want to watch. Peacock has a ton of options for watching what you want. There's even an app that you can follow your specific comps that you want to follow.
D. People aren't "defending" the competitions, simply stating what is in it. These discussions aren't the "either you're with me or you're against me" type. Settle down. I don't see anyone running a campaign like you are to add or defend anything that you are so adamantly against. Take a breath. Ignore what you feel like shouldn't be there. Let the rest of the board discuss ALLLLLLLL of the Olympic competitions.
E. À votre santé!
Dude needs to go outside. No one is making him watch any Olympic sport yet he has an opinion on every one. Imagine stressing yourself out so much and complaining about it on the internet when you have complete control to just ignore it
My last post on this (other than sarcastic themes later) I will reiterate. The olympics can add rap battles, And1 mix tape, Drive Chip putt and other bullshit sports that don't belong in this format, and I can then mock it. Period. And if squash does "belong" in the olympics, it cheapens the "medals" that Bolt and Phelps won in a huge way. No reasonable person can deny that. Medals given for jumping on a trampoline or to Jimmer Ferdette sort of playing hoops cheapens the real ones. Fact.
Didn't realize Jimmy was running against Bolt. Or that Bolt was slowed down by Jimmy, or someone playing badminton. Guess we should send a certified letter to Usain telling him his world record and gold medal means less now. Even though he won the race and in fact set the world record at the time in 2008.
Michael Jordan has 2 gold medals in olympic basketball. Jimmer Ferdette may too. I can't help you beyond that. We will never agree. Muhammad Ali has a gold medal, so does trampoline and rock climbing guy. - We will never agree on this. Out. And lets not be hypocrites...nobody mocks UVA's fake nattys more than this board. nobody. You guys kill them for their rowing nattys saying they don't count, yet defend flag football medals. lol.
I thought previous post was "my last post on this"
If they are self-proclaimed, sure I mock. (See UCF football...) But if sanctioned, and held in a competition, and they won, no one can take that away from them. And I don't mock them, unless they bring it up to try to one-up. I laugh at them...them being the loluva f'tards, not the actual win. Plus they are our rivals. Anyone on here mocking Stanford's gazillion trophies????? They are loluva. Everyone mocks them. Again, settle down. Jimmer's medal (pst, he aint winning one...) in no way tarnishes Jordan's two medals. Not even close. Nothing takes those medals away from Mike.
Just wait for the Olympic Pickle Ball champion.
Olympic medals mean you won at the top of that respective sport. You are only cheapening a medal because you don't like the other sports. On a world scale, yes, a gold medal in trampoline is as impressive as a gold medal in the 100m. You just think trampoline is a lesser sport, probably because you've never done it.
UVA's rowing title totally on par with Bama's football Natty. Yep. If you disagree, you have never rowed a boat.
They are both national championships and I do respect them for being at the top of their sport in that classification. Certainly one gets more exposure than the other, but they both can call themselves National Champions
I respect you doubling down on UCONN's uber competitive one and done 6 game hoops gaunlet - vis a vi a lacrosse title win played by 15 schools that take it seriously at a regional level. I admire you sticking to your guns.
And I appreciate you being the almighty authority on what sports are worth competing in.
It's going to really piss you off when you see the money these athletes make off of endorsements and sponsorships
Nah- not at all- you can poll any number of sports fans on 3x3 vs. real hoops. lol. Poll anyone, don't take my word.
It's clear you know jack shit about flag football. Guess what girls flag we have girls in kindergarten playing 3 season a year, going to camps with NFL teams. I've got middle schoolers and high schoolers who spend 5-6 days a week practicing, playing and working out to get better, faster, stronger for flag football. I suggest you go watch some of the USA flag championship or NFL flag Championships that just occurred last month and stop your yapping about flag being a picnic game.
Like reading, I learned flag football when I was 6-7 years old. And I'm sorry, what girls are in NFL camps right now? thanks for providing the info. (nevermind, you are not talking about the actual National Football League- Mahomes, etc.) my bad
https://www.chiefs.com/news/chiefs-host-girls-flag-football-coaches-for-...
Yes those NFL teams.
My flag all girls teams kindergarten to 5th on 3 teams have the daughters of 3 former NFL players, 1 current NFL player, 1 current NFL front office lead scout, 5 former Division 1 football players daughters playing on them. But I guess your opinion about flag means more.
Did you not say there were girls from your program in NFL camps?
Take your pick.
https://nflflag.com/
https://playfootball.nfl.com/events/
https://playfootball.nfl.com/
sorry it read like nfl camps- as in nfl training camps... I get it now "flag" football camps. OK. I thought he was insinuating girls got NFL (not flag) camp invites.
I said "we" as in NFL flag. But yes girls from my teams have done camps with the Jags, Bucs and Browns.
https://www.jaguars.com/photos/photos-jaguars-host-2024-girls-flag-colle...
Here is one example.
Next thing you know, they'll be factoring in point differential for who gets to get to the knockout stages.
Nub nu, bud. ;^)
The IOC chair recently stated they are cycling through newer alternative games, usually unique to the host country, that appeal to the younger crowds.
Such as the discussion over adding esports to the main Olympic games.
Also read recently that they cap the number of participants. Single entrant contests (like skateboarding) or pairs don't burden the cap they've set around 10,000 Olympians. This is why Futsal is not in the Olympics as between that and "football" it would eat up over 10% of the contestants for only 4 gold medals. There's a lot of logistics involved w all of it, and they prefer to offer more and more diverse comps than just the basic 5 or 6 events.
All sports are, by definition, "made up"
No they are not. Basketball is a sport played internationally for 100 years by millions of people. It has been established in the olympics for over 100 years as a competitive game recognized internationally and played by the elite of the sport. 3x3 playground ball was literally made up by And1 15 years ago and shares 98% of the rules, etc. It is not played by near the elite of the sport. If they held 18 hole par 72 golf and 9 hole par 3 golf in the same olympics, the par 3 nonsense would be "made up." Or if Fat Perez competed in an influencer category- THAT would be made up- not real golf played for hundreds of years. That is my context. Yes, the cave men did not play basketball- I fucking get that.
But Baseketball has been around since 1998, invented by Joe "Coop" Cooper and Doug "Sir Swish" Remer. Maybe they should put that in the Olympics.
Good idea. Competition BBQ first though.
I want to see competitive hop scotch, jump rope, and tiddlywinks first.
Good time to bring up Memphis in May for all you BBQ lovers out there.
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest hosts 3 categories: Rib, Shoulder Whole Hog.
Other contests include Best Sauce (Tomato/Mustard/Vinegar), Frank's Red Hot Hot Wings, Kingsford Tour of Champions and Anything But (Exotic/Beef/Seafood/Poultry).
Though honestly, BBQ in the Olympics would be fire.
South Korea, USA, India, Turkey, Jamaica, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Philippines, Australia....Serious throwdown on the smoker.
FTFY.
My take is that if the Olympics aren't the pinnacle of the sport, then the sport shouldn't be included. So soccer, tennis, basketball, etc should all be axed.
I don't care if the sport is silly or made up - if it's the peak competition is the Olympics, I say do it.
I'd rather use this logic than including tubing. This makes "some" sense.
Disc golf is great
Anybody else feel like we are really struggling more than usual in Swimming? I have been pretty uninspired with what I have seen thusfar.
It does feel like there is a lack of a breakout youngster on the US team this year when we usually have one or two.
Give it a few years, Phelps son just took everyone too the woodshed in his first swim meet ever. We'll according to Phelps, I didn't watch video because 6 year olds races kind of suck.
Lots of other countries winning gold and then the commentary is "so and so trains in Texas with Michael Phelps old coach" or "McIntosh trains in Sarasota Florida and is an unstoppable "canadian"".
Most of the top Asian Women pro golfers live in Texas or Florida and have for years. Jon Rahm, David Puig, Ludvig Aberg, a host of other international golfers live in north scottsdale full time. The tiny island soccer nations that beat us regularly train in the US as well.
Yeah I had a swimmer I went to high school with that was from Austria and trained in NoVA. Ended up getting a scholarship to Stanford too
USA won gold in 200m Women's breaststroke this evening.
Simone absolutely crushed that "walk-off" floor routine! absolutely amazing. Suni represented well and a US gold and bronze
No over-rotations, stuck every landing. The confidence of knowing she won when she landed the first.
GOAT
(More proof that Americans will use anything but the metric system to measure things. /s)
Given she's 4'8", that's 2.5 times her height in the air!
meh, I've seen fleas do better than that.
Morocco displaying much more quality than the US so far. We've been a mess
Missed the first half, but it looks like we're playing decently now.
Edit: Well I had to open my big fucking mouth, didn't I.
Edit 2: Oof this is an embarrassment
Morocco is just completely outclassing the US right now. They've had better quality all game long. The US just hasn't been good in any phase. Morocco is clearly more talented. I think Mitrovic has done better in this tournament than I've ever seen from a Berhalter team. He's in a place where we dominate the teams we're supposed to dominate and we get destroyed by the teams that are more talented than us. France and Morocco both clearly had more quality and it showed in the scoreline. But at least we scored 7 goals against inferior teams. So there's that.
Only gotten worse- 3-0 in the 76th minute; they are outplaying the US team big time.
I need the US to score to win my parlay damn it- 1 goal!!
need two now - that was a pretty questionable call by the officials to award the Penalty. Not much you can do there
Tim Howard isn't hiding his opinion on the ref today...
"He's having a day."
the officiating wasn't great but it wasn't the reason the US lost. Morocco was better all over the pitch all day long. Better quality. More confidence. They were just faster, stronger, better in every position. These players will need to learn and grow a lot. It was a decent tournament for a team that hadn't been there in a while but it's a long way away from being what the US should expect. We have way too many resources to be getting bounced to the tune of 4-0 in the first knockout game of an olympic tournament. Hopefully these players learn and grow and some of them might even feature in the '26 WC squad in two years. I think Mitrovic's application for the USMNT Senior team's manager role is completed. I'd grade him a B+. We looked good against the teams we should beat. We looked dreadful against more talented sides. It was basically 2023 VT Football. We'll see where things go from here.
Agreed. And I HATE it when announcers bash refs. Maybe they aren't tip top, but saying it out loud on a broadcast makes it seem ok to do during the game and make excuses for performances.
And Mitro is about where he should be. I don't believe they'll move him up, but given past decisions, I'm not putting any money on anything (other than a dollar on the long shot they actually bring Gregg back.............)
The parlay was "both teams to score"... uggghh
well, now you have your pattern. The US men's team can't score when they are outclassed at every position. But they can score in droves against inferior competition. 4-1 over New Zealand and 3-0 over Guinea gave this false sense that the team had woken up after getting blanked by France, only to get blanked again by a well drilled team with more quality all over the pitch.
Much, much bigger pattern: US men not competitive internationally on any level the past 100 years.
Well, we did make the semifinals of the 1930 World Cup, so we've really only sucked for 94 years.
me regarding this thread right now....
I'm just saying, I'm glad the spiral wasn't over what I thought it was going to be.... So, yay?
True, and I am kind of glad about that.
I mean we know he wanted to though right.
I was VERY worried when I opened the thread
Especially with 20-30 new comments.
OK, Im lost, what are you referring to?
women's boxing. That's all I am saying.
Yeah, that could've been bad. The fact that it wasn't that is a testament to how awesome we TKPers are.
Big afternoon of swimming coming up to try and get some more golds and catch up to China. Glad to see the womens 3x3 finally get a win earlier
DC reading your last line after the spiraling that happened above
Marchand getting another gold medal for France.... his profile has him as American in all but flag...
USWNT just parking their own bus and forgetting we need to score
Simone crushed her way to another vault gold
FINALLY PLAYED A LONG BALL TO ATTACK AND GOT A 105 MINUTE GOAL
annnnd it looked offsides
glad to be wrong
Trinity Rodman is the best athlete in her family tree, there I said it 😜.
Final woman for netherlands was insane in the mixed 4x400... just beat every other woman by like 1.5 seconds to erase our lead
Femke is a badass. Sub 48 split in the 400!
Amazing swims by ledecky in the 800M and the whole team in the 4x100 mixed medley to pick up 2 more golds
Watching US vs France in the Foil Bronze Medal match and all I can think about is how morally torn all UVa fans must be watching this
Well this got ugly in a hurry, US completely smoked in the Bronze match. Apparently they came in saying this was their best chance to get gold, and they walk away with nothing. Oof
they were up on italy in the semis and imploded
France is good at 11 on 11 Soccer
absolutely insane day for a variety of americans.... the road cycling finish was epic, 1500m swim by finke was incredible, womens medley was bananas
I picked the right day to sit in front of the TV watching the Olympics!
Noah Lyles better get out of the blocks well if he wants to be on the podium. I don't buy into the "just enough to qualify" strategy for sprint races. Go out and prove it every chance you get.
Didn't age well, and I'm good with that. What a finish. 0.005 between gold and bronze.
Lol
Hell of a race
he was still slow out of the blocks... just fast af after that to catch up and pass everyone
Is it legal to carry two poles while polevaulting?
all the focus on the size of this guy's wang has me like:
which then makes me think
which of course leads to
The jokes and memes are hilarious but at some point I'm like:
Disappointing day today with mistakes in both gymnastics finals preventing any golds and then losing the skeet shooting gold to Italy... and losing to canada in beach volleyball with one of the top 3 favorite duos
Sad. We had that brief moment atop the medal chart and now the communists are back up by 2 golds...and no, I don't count silver or bronze. There's the best and the rest, dammit. This is America.
We have a great chance to pick up 2 golds in 5 on 5 basketball.
New World Record in Pole Vault!
Valarie Allman picked up a USA gold in the women's discus today. Lots more opportunities for gold still remaining in track and field, including:
Women's 200: Gabby Thomas is a decent favorite, and we could get more on the podium.
Men's 200: Noah Lyles is a solid favorite, and I'll be shocked if we don't get at least two medals (there's even a decent chance of a USA sweep in the men's 200).
Men's 400: Quincy Hall and Michael Norman are legitimate gold contenders, and Hall might even be a slight favorite.
Women's 400 hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin set the world record a few weeks ago, and she's the best of all time in the event. But Femke Bol from the Netherlands is so good, I'd say McLaughlin is only a slight favorite. US could squeeze in a bronze as well.
Men's 400 hurdles: USA's Rai Benjamin is the slightest of favorites over world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway and Alison Dos Santos of Brazil.
Men's 4x100: USA is a solid favorite
Men's 4x400: USA is a strong favorite
Women's 4x100: USA is a solid favorite
Women's 4x400: USA is a slight favorite
Women's soccer just advanced to the gold-medal match, guaranteeing at least a Silver
How about a Gold and Bronze in the men's 1500!!!! With a new OR.
I did NOT have that on my bingo card!!!
What an amazing race!!!
I don't think anyone did. But was worth tuning in for.
Man, that's why I love watching the track events.
GOLD and Bronze for Brown
Men's 400...Quincy Hall found something with 90 meters to go. 5th fastest ever for Gold.
First 4 across the line all set PB's in the final.
Understanding how to schedule a peak right there.
Anybody see the speed climber from the US break the WR this morning? It was unbelievable. It's like he jumped and the belay winched him up the wall.
Had heard that one of the Olympic team's runners had been training in Blacksburg leading up to Paris. Well, come to find out it was Cole Hocker, who just pulled off this huge upset to bring home Gold!
Amazing finish to that race.
WOW is right. That's a huge upset. What a finish.
Training at 2500' in elevation and then descending down to Paris elevation has to be an advantage.
Really exciting Men's volleyball semifinal going on right now between USA and the #1 ranked Poland.
let the 4th set get away from us.... 5th set here we come
Man really felt like we let that slip away. Poland really turned it on
Its so interesting to see these olympic level runners "struggle" like us real people. Watching the 400m a number of runners just completely ran out of gas and really highlight how insanely fast the other people go.
The way Hall gained ground the last 150m was incredible
What's wild is while running out of gas the top 4 all set PB's and the top 5 broke 44 seconds. Fastest 400m final ever.
I'd love to see some sort of analysis on the splits in that race. Given that (1) the top 3 seemed to be running out of gas at the end, (b) the top 4 all set PBs, and (iii) Hall seemed to be in pain at the
halfway pointthree-quarter mark, and was still able to run down the leaders, I'm guessing that the first100m200m was at an insanely fast pace that really wore out the front of the field, and that Hall was just able to keep pace while the others....weren't.(edit: forgot this was a 400m race, not a 200m race)
https://x.com/jgault13/status/1821270231710625900/photo/1
The first 100, by the leader, was 10.69 and 20.46 at the 200. (That's a 9.77 second 100!!!!!!) Second place at the 200m mark had a 9.81m second 100.)
Hall was in 5th at the 200 mark in 21.00 flat. His last 100m was 11.59.
So they gassed themselves in the second 100
Yup. Put it his way, the 20.46 in the first 200m would have qualified him for the semi-finals of the open 200m from the repechage round.
I think the telling point is the final 100m times of the top 5 as of 300m (along with 1st 3 100m splits, finish position, and delta between 3rd and 4th 100m split):
Hudson-Smith (GBR, 1st): 12.09s (1st 3: 10.81s, 9.81s, 10.73s; finished 2nd; delta +1.36s)
Richards (TTO, 2nd): 12.36s (1st 3: 10.69s, 9.77s, 10.96s; finished 4th; delta +1.40s)
James (GRN, 3rd): 12.37s (1st 3: 10.75s, 9.88s, 10.87s; finished 5th; delta +1.50s)
Hall (USA, 4th): 11.59s (1st 3: 11.01s, 9.99s, 10.81s; finished 1st; delta +0.78s)
Samukonga (SAM, 5th): 11.83s (1st 3: 10.87s, 10.08s, 10.96s; finished 3rd; delta +0.87s)
The first three at the 300m mark had about 1.5x-2x the dropoff from the third to fourth 100m split (1.42s average) as compared to the next two (0.825 average), who ended up finishing 1st and 3rd.
So the last 100m dropoff was a major factor in how Hall was able to make up that ground and finish 1st. But why did the top three fall off so much faster? Was it the fact that the 2nd split was like 100m dash times? Did they overcook themselves early? I don't know enough about 400m splits in general, or how those times compare to comparable 400m races specifically, to answer that conclusively, but it's still an interesting question.
Thanks for the data. That gave me a bit of smiles for something to work through during a boring all-hands teams meeting.
There are different schools of thought...go out fast and try to hold on, or be within striking range and use your kick to chase down and pass those that hit the wall. Different strokes for different folks.
Not sure what the grimace on Hall's face was about with 125m to go, but that's not normal...Well, maybe it is for him, but not for the majority of competitors. What's wild is he was in lane 7, so he only had 1 person to check himself on positioning the first 300m.
I think the first 200 in this race was insane. And given it was the fastest 400m ever for the field, it may have a rippling impact to how its run into the future. I can see coaches not asking their runners to hold back as much. And it showed going out fast can still lead to fast times. Even though they "gassed themselves" the other 3 behind Hall all ran PB's. I can see that being the approach.
The US is kinda like the UVa of international sports. We suck at the one sport the rest of the world actually cares about and we dominate everything else. Carrying that analogy further Concacaf is sorta like the ACC, where small teams that have no business beating the US but do so fairly frequently. UEFA/CONMEBOL are like SEC/B1G. France, Spain, Germany are like Texas, Bama, LSU, England is like Tennessee, Brazil is like OSU, Argentina is like Michigan
anyway, IDK, I thought it was kinda funny
Morocco understand that they don't get a second chance just because they scored 6 today right? Man, that's a beat down in a Bronze medal game.
Tebogo with the 5th fastest 200m of all time.
Kung Fu Bednarek with the silver.
Lyles with the Bronze, while having covid.
McLaughlin-Levrone with the WR Gold in the women's 400m hurdles!!!!!
Men's basketball down by 10 with less than 3 minutes to go in the first half. Someone tell me how to feel about this.
EDIT: down 11 at the break. Also, I was today years old when I learned there are two Nikola Jović on the Serbian team.
EDIT x2: Apparently the plan the whole time was to just outscore them by almost 20 in the 4th. Cool cool. coolcoolcool.
Grant Holloway just won Gold in the 110 Hurdles!
Not to be the guy that complains about the refs... but definitely feel like serbia is getting away with a lot more contact than we are and its affecting the turnover and foul margins
Hope Team USA has a fire lit under their asses for the final. They just squeaked by on that one.
And it's against France, so not sure the crowd will be rooting for them like they were today.
Regardless, that was a great basketball game. Serbia had an out of body shooting experience for the first 25 minutes, and a combo of cooling off plus a couple defensive adjustments was enough to slow their scoring down.
Men's relays, prelims....
4x100: Best time in the prelims by half a second. Were in 3rd after first leg, but was 3rd leg took the lead. Heck of an anchor leg split. I don't believe Lyles will be running anchor (or any leg) in the Final.
4x400: Quincy got his taste of the Olympics quick passing the baton after the opening leg in 7th. The next 3 on the team ran the 1st, 1st, and 2nd fastest splits in their respective legs to bring the US back to 3rd and qualifying. They've been talking about how fast the track is, and of the 16 teams in the 4x400, there were 10 Season Bests including one National record from Japan. It's going to be a fast one.
No medal in the men's 4x100 for 24 years!!!!!!
Second leg took off early and nearly had to STOP in the lane to get the baton.
smh, what the hell happened on that first handoff, why did he take off so early?
No idea. Carl Lewis was jumping mad after the race. And it's not like this is a new issue. In the past several worlds/Olympics we've dropped the baton, passed too early, had bad exchanges, everything.
Because Lyles wasn't running the anchor, they reworked the lineup. Not that I believe this is an excuse, but it was a different order than run previously. No matter, they've been bad in every order.
He took off prob a full second early. On the turn, he practically passed the runner 2 lanes outside of him before slowing down. It's a 20 meter exchange zone, so to run OUT of it before touching the baton means he left really really early.
They did the detailed review of the replay and I think the outcome was thathe left at the same time as other runners (and us was in first) but the first runner slowed too much for the timing
Eh, not what I saw. He left early and accelerated fast. Lead guy never let up and still couldn't catch him. Hes starting at a stand still. And the other guy in coming in full steam. No way you can start at the right time and run out of the zone (20 meters) if you dont jump the gun so to speak.
When you don't run them and don't practice exchanges, it can go sideways quickly. And I'm not talking about an hour a day for 3 days before the meet. You have to get it.
Women's 4x100 wins gold despite a few not-perfect exchanges. But Sha'Carri smoked the anchor legs.
France vs Spain gold medal match in soccer has been a fun watch. France down 3-1 at halftime, gets an obvious PK in extra time to tie it up, and Spain still managed to juuuuuust miss the golden goal as time expired in regulation.
Watching the womens 10k it was crazy to watch the leader just run off the track into the tunnel as if she missed the curve
There was almost a fight at the womens beach volleyball gold medal match... brazil went crazy
Finish of the men's 4x400 was fantastic. Benjamin (400m hurdles gold) vs Tebogo (200m gold) w USA pulling it out. Rai had a near 43 second split for a new OR. Botswana sets the African continental record. And 16 year old Quincy gets his gold.
And right on the heels of it, the US women just mollywhopped the field.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone basically just said to the rest of the field "we'll see you guys at the finish line." That was unreal, the race was over about 2 seconds into the second runner.
She ran a great leg, but also shows what great exchanges can do for the results. She took the baton and bolted. Awesome race for 2nd fastest ever.
How Steph Curry isn't widely regarded as one of the best basketball players to ever play is beyond me. Few people in history have been able to absolutely take over a game like he has done time and time again.
I think his issue is being viewed as a "weak" outside only player who specializes on offense. I remember the finals against lebron where they just bullied steph and he couldnt get going. In the olympics he had aome great shooting and offense but looked like a little kid out there on defense
Well, playing for the US there are MVP candidates all over the floor. Opponents had to pick their poison, and Steph was able to take advantage of that especially over the last 2 games.
Holy fuck, curry was absolutely ridiculous at the end of that game.
reallyinsanely sloppy start for the women's bb teamUs womens bball looks like absolute dog shit. I am not sure I have even seen an offensive set yet. Close to 20 turnovers in the first half. 0 interest in rebounding leading to 4 shots per trip on some french possessions. By some miracle it is tied at half and hopefully we actually play team ball in the 2nd half rather than iso prayer shots with no rebounder underneath
They've been playing to make highlights and it's not working. Couple that with horrific rebounding and not even trying to set plays and we get what we have right now.
And I would like to know why Ionescu hasn't left the bench
Oh my goodness we were about 2 inches away from disaster at the end.
Somehow stuck it out and narrowly won gold! That closes the overall medal count with the US and China tied for golds but overall count heavily in the US favor for an American "win" of the olympics. I was shocked at how many medals china was able to win in sports nobody else cares about
I dont usually watch the opening/closing ceremonies but my MIL is visotong and wanted to. The portion about LA with tom cruise and Dr Dre/Snoop got me excited for LA2028. I think it could be like the LA superbowl but on PEDs
my new hero
Host ridiculous events, get ridiculous entries
Even in serious events, there have always been people who looked ridiculous competing against top competition. And this isn't the first time one of them has garnered media attention. See Eddie the Eagle and Eric the Eel. There's even a movie about Eddie.
This is a big nothing burger that serves to amuse us all for a bit, and then we will move on.
Until they bring breakdancing back for Brisbane 2032, and she's representing Australia again. ;^)
yeah, going 70mph down a snowy hill and jumping 100 ft in the air and landing without breaking your back - even finishing last- is a bit different than playground basketball, dancing, and jumping on a trampoline- which kids do every saturday. Let's be real. Sucking at a really difficult sport (eddie the eagle) is different than making the olympics in a bullshit sport.
You are fucking right. Amen. But she is on par with Ali, Jordan, Bolt. It's the olympics afterall. LMFAO. Like I said they can stage fucking And1 basketball- and I can mock it and not take the olympics seriously any longer. Nobody should be shocked that breakdancing is a fucking clown show, not a sport, and should not be anywhere near where Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens competed.
What are the criteria you would need to have met that would move the needle from a "bullshit" sport into the same class as a "real" sport? I get your overall point about some of the ridiculous stuff that has been included over the years, but I also think there is a legit argument that some bullshit sports get accepted and adopted into the realm of real sports. And I am wondering how you would make that distinction?
Also, who was the worst basketball player in the '92 Olympics? Or in this Olympics? Because that is the same class that RayGun is in, and not Jordan, Bolt, etc.
Lets do the first part last. In 92 the "worst" player on the US 5x5 basketball team was arguably the greatest college basketball player ever that played a decade in the NBA and made all star teams- Christian Laettner. Yep- a hall of famer is better than the two bit break dancer (in my humble opinion) This olympics, that would be Tyrece Haliburton- age 24 btw- whose career includes: 2× NBA All-Star , NBA All-Rookie First Team , NBA assists leader and the 12th overall pick in the draft. So yes, a more elite athlete than the farce that break danced. I draw the line on elite, competitive sports played on the global stage by elite athletes. Competitive sports- such as 72 hole full course golf and real (5x5) basketball. I think that is reasonable. Everyone would mock 9 hole par 3 golf or disc golf and to me that is in the same category as 3x3 hoops. - Bastardized version of an already real olympic sport- ummm "basketball". Breakdancing and trampoline don't deserve the key strokes to argue- no brainer not olympic sports. In terms of "flag" football, well when the NFL did not want their all star game watched, competitive or compelling they went to that sport that little kids play on weekends instead. If you argue that, then you support tee ball in the olympics. Its what you play before your mom lets you play real baseball. Yes- the NFL- who is being sued for brain injuries - key point- has started a flag football league, etc. Doesn't make it any more elite or competitive than what kids play at the park. Zero top college or NFL players will compete in that sport in the olympics- thus doesn't meet my criteria. Like I said all along. They can put mixtape basketball in the olympics and I can mock it and point out the obvious.
I should have been more clear. I was not speaking of the worst player on the US basketball team. I mean the worst player on any Olympic basketball team competing in a given year. That is apples to apples with the worst break dancer of any Olympic team.
I guess I am just saying that no matter the "sport" chosen, there is a very specific set of skills required that people practice. I would assume a similar level of practice and preparation goes in to 3v3 basketball as does the "real" basketball team. My point being that no matter the event, the athletes are vying to be the best in their respective field. That makes them all equal "Olympians" to me. If the US had wanted to win 3v3 basketball, they should have put better players in the event. Just like if we wanted to beat the Chinese at diving. Alternatively, our best needs to get better to beat other country's best.
I do understand the argument about "little brother" sports though. I guess the assumption is that unpopular events get dropped and other "fad" events will take their place. Long term sticking power is reflected in overall popularity and will keep coming back. So in that regard, I think breaking and 3v3 basketball are more likely to get the axe and rightfully so. I don't hold the athletes responsible for being representative of their country though. Its the IOC making decisions of what events are held. The athletes are just representing their county to the best of their abilities in those events, and in that regard I see any Olympian as equal to another, regardless of the event.
Also Dr. Dre wants to compete in archery so there's that...
He's a shoe-in for gold in ransom denial and child rescue once those are added for LA. Everyone else is just gonna be competing for silver.
1. Dr. Dre wont sniff the US archery team. 2. the fact that the US didn't send it's best to play 3x3 tells you its not a major/elite sport. In terms of 3x3 - player coaches and 4 man rosters- 1 sub- also lends credence to my point. It's playground hoops, not the olympics. The bottom line is that - sure there are great trampoline bouncers, flag football players that could never make a college football team in D3, great break dancers. Personally, I will never agree that these are world wide elite sports that belong on the same stage as the traditional sports.
I think we need to qualify this statement a bit to include the possibility of corruption.
There are some interesting accusations being made about the qualifying of some individual(s) in this particular event. I'm not ready to claim any knowledge yet as the investigation still has some way to go.
She's the new poster child for the Ministry of Silly Walks.