A Fine Run

     Today in London, the Canadian Women's Goalballteam ended their run in competition with a difficult, hard-fought loss to Finland, 2-1. 

     Those are the facts.

     Now:

     Congratulations and thanks so much to all of you for providing us with excitement, hope, fun, and for keeping our hearts pumping fast each time you played.  You may be far away, but we were there with you, in sprrit, all the way from Africa to Buffalo....right back to London.

     Thanks, Whitney Bogart, for your goal today, well played.

     Thanks, Amy Kneebone, for scoring multiple times, very well done.

    Thanks, Nancy Morin, for being a great teammate, and fine play in all these games.

    Thanks, Ashlie Andrews, for your efforts.  We are proud of you.

    Thanks, Jill MacSween you represent tea and country so well.

    Thanks, Cassie Orgeles you train and play with true heart and courage.  And, selfishly, for me, I get to say, "I know an Olympian!"  Can't wait to buy you some dim sum!

     Thanks coaches and attendants for your hours and hard work to bring this team so far.

      No head-hanging.  No sadness.  Be proud, you've certainly made us proud to know you.

      Well done, ladies.

The Quarters

   The quarterfinals in Women's Goalball begin tomorrow, and the game you are interested in is at 9:15 EST, and Canada's opponent is Finland, for Group C.  In their Group, Finland tied Great Britain, beat Denmark and Lost to Brazil, but scored four goals in the process.  It is lose and go home time now, so all the best of luck to the girls from Canada.

Moving On

    The cross-border contest has gone to Canada!  More stout defense by the girls netted a 1-0 victory at Copper Box on Tuesday.  Nancy Morin scored the only goal of the match, Canada has now gone two complete games, plus, without allowing their apponents a single score.  They finish at the top of Group D in pool play, and now move on to the Quarterfinals, when this Olympic tournament turns into a on-and-done format.  At this point, lose, and you go home.  On the other hand, win, and you're in the Final Four!

    The quarterfinal oponents are not yet announced, we'll post the matchups here when we know.

Great D!

    Yesterday at Copper Box, the Canadian Women's Goalball team took a big step forward by beating Japan 1-0.  Throwing a shutout in Goalball isn't entirely rare at this level, it happens, but given that Japan had scored 5 goals in their previous two games, shutting them out must be quite an accomplishment.

    So, the good news is that Canada sits at 2-1 with one game left in pool D play, the bad news is that the remaining game is today against the United States, who also have a 2-1 record and have scored 9 goals.  A win against the United States would guarantee a place in the medal round.  A loss would not necessarily mean they would not make it - but they would need help  The game is at 8:45AM, EST, Tuesday.

Kangaroo Who?

   great news from London today, the Canadian women's team has defeated Australia by a sore of 3-1.  Canada's Amy Kneebone scored twice to power the effort.  after the game one loss to Sweden, the women came out strong against Australia and played inspired defense, allowing only one goal
.  The woman continue play tommorow, the 3rd, at 2:45 EST, in a pivotal match against Japan.  you can see Cassie in training on You Tube on theparalympics channel.  There are videos of the  games from London on You Tube, but I have yet to find the CNadian women's matches.  If I dig them up, I will post a link.

Openers

   Saturday in London was not a good day for the Canadian women's Goalball team.   The women fell to Sweden in their opening group match, 2-1.  This tightly fought match showed just how difficult things will be for the defending World Champions.  All is not lost, however, this is only the beginning of pool play.  While the loss is not the best possible result, there are enough games remaining for Team Canada to score points to move on to the medal round.  Righting the ship quickly is important, though.  The opportunity to do just that comes Sunday, against Australia.  The match begins at 5:15 EST.  Let's Go, Girls!

Here Comes GoalBall

    GoalBall, as stated on this blog a few days back, is a paralympic competition featuring three person teams attempting to roll a ball into the opponents net at the oppositie end of a long court.

     Competitors are sight-imaired or sightless, all wear eye coverings to make the game fair.  The Canadian women's team plays tomorrow, Saturday, in their opening round game against Sweden, at 1:45pm, London time.  That means that you may be able to catch the game on the Paralympic You Tube channel, beginning at 8:45AM EST.  I'll do my best to post tomorrow if I find more particulars on the coverage, check back here for results, etc, tomorrow night.

    We're cheering hard (but silently) for Canada's Cassie Orgeles, daughter of former co-worker, and all around superwoman Jill Claus, who is watching from her home in Africa.  Jill posted pictures of the team from London on her Facebook page, evidently the girls are having a great time and are ready to play.  Canada is a power in this sport and has a great chance to medal.  brigid, megan and i will look forward to our next dim sum outing with Jill and Cassie when both are back home.

    Cassie was a gold medalist at the Under 19 Canadian National Championships in 2007 and has been playing the game for 11 years.  cassie is a tiger, with a great wit, we wish her great success in London.

     On Sunday, the girls play Australia, Monday, Japan, and Tuesday the U.S.  depending onhow they do in pool play, they could then move on to the medal round.

   We'll keep you posted.
 

It Isn't Over

   While you did, in fact, see "Closing Ceremonies" Sunday, the Games are not over.  On August 29, the Para Olympics begin, and CoubertinsRings has a special connection.
  
    Former M&Ter Jill Claus will be watching with particular excitement when the GoalBall competition begins on the 30th at Copper Box in the Olympic Park.  Jill's daughter Cassie Orgellis will compete for Team Canada.  GoalBall is played by three-member teams who roll a ball with bells inside toward the opposition's goal.  Each competitor wears darkened eyeshades so that, no matter the degree of sight impairmaent, every one is on an equal level.  Teams have ten seconds from the time at which they gain posession to send back a legal shot.  As you can imagine, it is a quick moving game. 

    Imagine rooting for your Olympian child -  silently.  Because GoalBall players need to hear the ball coming, there is no cheerring in the arena during play.  Personally, I would find this maddening.  I'l be keeping a close eye on the competition, and report on it here.

     Go Cassie, Go Team Canada!

10 for 1

    In case you missed it, American Ashton Eaton is tearing up the decathlon.  After setting a World Record for points in a decathlon at the Olympic Trials, Eaton started off yesterday's events by flying through his heat in the 100 yard dash in 10.35 seconds.  He scored 1011 points for his effort, and led the competition.

    Eaton gives a bit back to his competitors in the throwing events, he is not as strong as others in the shot put, discuss and javelin.  So, while his lead may shrink and grow, Eaton has a chance to bring home Gold in the big daddy of track and field events.

    The field did the 100 ysterday, followed by the Long Jump, the Shot Put and the High Jump, and then your day gets to close out with a 400 meter run.  If you're not completely exhausted, remember that you've got five more, different event on Day Two, beginning with the 110 meter hurdles, then the discus throw, hen the pole vault, then the javelin, and, if that's not enough, close out your two days by running a 1500 meter race.

    Eaton has an American rival, Trey Hardee who looks to be the more passionate guy, Eaton is a cool customer.  But my bet is that by the Thursday evening Eaton is going to have plenty to shout about, pehap even a new World record.

    Currently, the javelin is being contested, watch out for a spoiler here later in the day, if you planned to see the decathlon tonight on NBC.

Ring Notes

   -  For the first time ever, (with the exception of the Games we boycotted in 1980) the USA will have no medal in men's boxing.  (Women's boxing was added to the Games this year.  American boxer Claressa Sheilds still has a good chance to medal.)

     I thought I would avoid the sport of Boxing and the Olympics, but, after yesterday's fiasco, I just can't. 

     Last year, the BBC uncovered a plan in which officials from the country of Azerbaijan attempted to buytwo Gold medals at he London Games for $9 million.  It didn't work.  But, evidently, they were not finished.  Yesterday, despite the fact that Japanese fighter Satoshi Shiamizu knocked down Mogamed Abdulhamidou six times, the judges decision originally went against the Japanese fighter.  Ultimately, the decision was reversed.

    This is only the, oh....three hundredth time there's been a problem with men's boxing in the Olympics.  in the first London Games, in 1908, only one non-British boxer medaled.  When "Snowy" baker got silver, h complained that the ref was not on the up-and-up.  he probably had a point, because the referee was his opponent John Douglas' father.

   In '28, there were brawls in the stands to go along with the fights in the ring, the results were so controversial.  the list goes on, through '84, when Evander Holyfield was disqualified for alegedly throwing a punch on a break -  but if he did so, why did the Gold winner pull Holyfield up to the top step of the podium when awarded his medal?

   In 1988, American Roy Jones, Jr. was breezing through his matches, including the Gold medal dust-up, but the judges saw the one-sided bout differently, and awarded the win to Park Si-Hun.  how could this happen, you ask?  Well, the '88 Games were held in Seoul.

   I hope readers can understand why I initially chose not to cover the sport in the blog.

Play Misty for Me

     The torch burns in London, but the torch passes in Buffalo. 

     As stated before the Games opened, I toook from my father, or my father gave me, a love of the Olympic Games.  Yesterday, one of my daughters bemoaned the fact that a friend would be next to impossible to talk to at an upcoming social gathering because he would be "immersed in track and field."  The other daughter asked me for an update on beach volleyball.  Pretty cool stuff.  I get the feeling there will be another generation of family members who will share the love of the Games with their own progeny.

    Brigid's request was for news on the famous pair of beach volleyballers, Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh.  Until just a couple of days ago, the pair had not lost a set in Olympic play, and, to this day, remain unbeaten in match play.  The defending Gold medalists defeated Italy in 33 minutes.  They are 19-0 in Olympic matches, when the string began at the Athens Games.

   Misty and Kerri play China today in one of the semi-final matches.  The other USA women's pair of April Ross and Jen Kessy has also made it to the semis, they will play Brazil.

  

   

A Response To A Reader

    Several days ago, blog reader D. Hulser suggsted that I had the badminton controversy all wrong. 

    To reset, four teams of badminton playing pairs wwre sent home from the London games for "conduct unbecoming."  To cut to the chase, they had their shuttlecocks clipped for trying to throw their matches.  the video evidence of this is incontrovertible.  Even D. Hulser would not argue they were trying to tank.

    Where the astute reader and I differ is this:  Hulser feels the problem is wit hthe format of international badminton play, and that the players shouldn't be punished.  In his note to Coubertin's Rings, Hulser states, "

Is what they did so bad? How many times have we seen baseball players tank it in the bottom of the 9th down by 8 with a flight to the west coast looming in the distance?"

    I have little problem with, or recourse from a ballplayerr jogging out a ground ball in the ninth inning.  i get it.  That isn't what the badminton players did.  they were not cashing it in, saying, "We'll get 'em tomorrow."  The badminton players were attempting to manipulate the draw.  Since, at last check, there isn't round robin play in the American League, the comparison just does not work.

    When China's number two team lost, shockingly, to Denmark in their opening match, they understood that the only way to get two Chinese teams into the Gold Medal match would be to deliberately lose and get to the bottom half of the draw.

    Yes, the system is inherently flawed, and the Chinese, Koreans and Indonesians more or less colluded to get to the Medal round an paly the opponents they wanted to, when they wanted to, regardless of talent level, true ability or the 38th parallel.   

    Does the sytem need to be fixed?  absolutely.  Does the fact that the system is broken meanthat we condone absurdist behavior in an effort to stock up on Olympic medals?  No way.

    And by the way -  thanks, loads, to Mr. Hulser for contacting us and sharing his thoughts.  We may not agree, but we're thrilled to have gotten the feedback.  Thanks!

   

Wow, Day 10!

   If you had argued that the ninth day of this Summer Olympiad could be considered the best, it would have been easy to agree.  Bolt blazed through the final 50 meters of the dash, there was both indoor and beach volleyball, the Brits were beginning to take real advantage of home court.....
    But then, there was Monday.  Day Ten was, as the kids say, killer.  Jenn Suhr lined up for what may be her last shot at her rival, Isinbayeva. The men's hoop team had another challenge coming.  The women's 400 was on tap, and there was a serious semi-final in women's soccer between the United States and Canada.  This day started, for me, on the way to work, listening to Summer Games radio on Sirius.  The now omnipresent Missy Franklin gave a bubbly interview where she remained humble and impressive.
   I try to grab some results at work, but there are always events I want to see, whether that means on the web or on one of the NBC outlets.  The DVR has been working overtime.  Monday I watched while Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan blogged and tweeted from Olympic Stadium during the women's pole vault.  Yes, The local angle drove the story, but the competition itself was compelling.  Each vaulter has a specific plan in mind to follow, to conserve energy, to conserve misses, to keep the pressure on the other vaulters.  As the misses add up and the bar itself goes up, the best laid plans get blown up.  All the while, the vaulters wait.  And wait.  And wait.  During the qualifying round on Saturday, the vaulters actually complained of a cross-wind, which, in a one hundred fifty foot tall, 80000 seat stadium sounds absurd, but was true.  The vaulters got serious at 4.50 meters, then the bar went to 4.70, 4.75 and so on.  Try doing the conversion in your head, to feet and inches.  google is no help, by the way, it converts to feet and decimal fractions.  Wanna tell me what .634 of a foot is, in inches?
    Ultimately, Suhr won the Gold on fewer misses, in a war of attrition.  Her plan worked, she beat Isinbayeva and every other competitor, and richly deserves the win.
    What made this even more fun was that while the vault was going on, Abby, Carli and the girls of USA Soccer were doing their best to getto the Gold Medal game by beating Canada.  After Seventy minutes or so, the game was tied at 1.  In the twenty minutes it took me to drive home,  Canada scored, the US equalized, Canada scored again, and then the craziness ensued.  In the second of two fifteen minute overtimes The UnitedvStates earned a free kick when, I think, theCanada keeper held the ball for longer than the allowed six seconds, or for delay of game.  Regardless, the Canadians set up the requisite wall of defense in front of their own goal.  The free kick glanced off the elbow of a defender and then hit a Canadian player squarely in her hands.  And in soccer, you just can't do that.  The Americans were awarded a penalty kick, and won the game.  One Tweeter called it the "Tim Horton's - Dunkin Donuts" game.
   I ramble on.  It was a really full day, a really fun day.  And there are still six more to go.

When Third Is Fourth

    **  SPOILER ALERT -  WOMENS ALL AROUND FINAL INFO FOLLOWS  **

     Today I learned that 59.566 does not equal 59.566.

     In the women's gymnastics all-around competition, a tie for third does not necessarily earn you a bronze medal.  It does if your name is Aliya Mustafina of Russia, but it does not, if your name is Aly Raisman of the United States.

     FIG, or the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, determined some time ago that they did not like ties, and so, institiuted a tie-breaker system.  In the all-around competition, the women compete on four different aparatuses, (aparatae?) and the scores from each discipline are totaled to deterine a champion.

   When two competitiors complete the four events with exactly the same score, as did Mustafina and Raisman today, the tie is broken, thusly:

    Each competitor is allowed to drop their lowest score, and then the three highest remaining scores are totaled and the person with the new higher total wins.  Today, that winner was Mustafina.  What makes this especially galling is that fact that Mustafina was able to drop her horrific balance beam score -  she actually fell off the beam.  Her remaining three scores totaled, were just enough to edge out Raisman for the bronze.

   Our condolences, Aly Raisman.  In our book, you won bronze today.


  

The Villians

     I may be being a bit premature, but...
  
    I believe we have identified the villians of the London Games.  True, it is only Day 6, but I can't imagine anything happening the rest of the way that will make this situation seem even remotely OK.  So, here they are folks, the Forbidden Eight:

    Wang Xiaoli
    Yu Yang
    Jung Kyung Eun
    Kim Ha Na
    Ha Jung Eun
    Kim Min Jung
    Meilana Jauhari
    Greysia Polii

       In the sport of badminton, China, South Korea and Indonesia have dominated world play since the seventies.  The likelihood that the United States, Germany, Canada, were going to medal in this sport, or even compete at a high level is ludicrous.  It is more of a mismatch than the US women's basketball team against Angola -  I believe that one ended 90-38.

      In badminton, competition is structured in a round-robin format, where multiple (deliberate) losses in the early rounds would put a team into the bottom half of a knockout draw.  Simply put, if you set up your losses, you'd get weaker opponents to face later.

     The second seeded Chinese team lost, unexpectedly to Denmark, and so, would have, all things considered, met their countrymates in the semis, instead of the final.  It isn't good enough, eviently, to play for bronze, when you can lose and perhaps end up locked in a final, and take gold and silver - even if it means cheating to get there.  And yes, cheating includes playing to lose, which the Chinese, Koreans and Indonesians all did.

   Evidently, this has been going on for some time.  The Chinese have done it n International play before.  I'm only slightly sympathetic to the notion that the structure is to blame, that if play weren't round-robin, and the draw could not be manipulated this way, this would not happen.

    I know the Olympics have a sorry history of blood doping and performance enhancing drug use.  To me, the one thing that you simply cannot do at the Olympics is tank.  You just can't deliberately lose.  It's a bad thing to do anywhere, but, at the Games, where the sport is the thing, it is, as the IOC rightly stated, "not aceptable."

   And so, the eight were disqualified and sent home. Yu Yang blogged to her more than one million followers, "Farewell, my dear badminton..."

    Really, Yu?  You offer a fare thee well to the sport you just dishonored?  How exactly, do you think, the sport could fare with players like you in it?

    Good riddance.

  


   

What's Happening

     In what many consider the signature event of any Summer Games, the American women's gymnastics team captured Gold in their team competition yesterday in London.  Following the "disappointment" of Jordyn Wieber's inbility to reach the individual all-round fnals, the U.S. outpointed rivals from Russia, China, Romania and Japan, among others.
   The U.S. team was truly led by Gabby Douglas who performed in al four disciplines.  To me, the team needed to get off to a good start and did, when McKayla Maroney's flawless vault sealed a win in the opening round.  Maroney's score did reflect .267 points deductions, and, even in slow motion, this untrained observer could not see any mistakes.  On the all-important landing,Maroney simply did not move -  it was "stuck", as the jargon goes.  maroney made her single contributuon to the team really count.

   Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever, notching his 19th medal of any color.  He is now, if he was not already, in the discussion as "greatest Olymoian of all time."  Phelps may not be the dominant force he was in Beijing, but he does continueto perform at an extremely high level.  I had a conversation with a Lochte supporter, to my mind, the guy who is not living up to his blling is Lochte, not Phelps.  Lochte himself stated, "this is my time."  Both men still have several events yest to swim, we'll see where they both end up.

   If you haven't gotten to see any water polo, take the time.  It is an exciting, hard-fought high-scoring game.  The U.S. women's team beat Gold medal favorite Hungary in pool (!) play on Monday.  the game ended at 14-13, in favor of the Americans who were led by an amazing performance by Maggie Steffens, one of two sisters on the team, who scored 7 of those fourteen goals!  The 19 year old Stanford student took 8 shots, and scored 7 times.  That's .875, people.  Kobe doesn't shoot that, but then, Kobe doesn't have Hungarian women trying to drown him while he shoots, so that probably makes a bit of a difference.The women continue play against Spain today.

   I've been remiss in not mentioning Kimberly Rhode, who took Gold in women's skeet on Sunday.  Of 75 shots taken by Rhode, she hit 74.  She won her competition by eight points, which, in skeet is a huge margin.

   Rhode, another Californian, has now participated in the last five Summer Games.  She has medaled in skeet in all five.  Rhode has an interesting back-story, to include a degree in veterinary science from Cal State Poly, she says shooting has been in her family for several generations.  Her cometition shotgun was stolen in 2008, and the gun was recovered four months later.  Rhode's response was that she was happy to have "Old faithful" back, so that she could pass it on to her kids.  She will compete again beginning Saturday in women's trap.  Her teammate on the men's side, Vincent Hancock, alsowon gold in skeet.

   The stories keep on coming.....
     

  

Mainstream

    I am hearing lots of complaints about NBC's coverage, and what events show up in prime time.  It is virtually impossible to get to nine or ten pm EST without hearing or seeing results from somewhere.  But really, it is not NBCs fault that the planet is round.  NBC has bills to pay, too, huge ones, in fact, and when you add together all they are covering, I don't think the complaints are valid.
But.
   This afternoon I decided I would write about Missy Franklin, and be a part of the prime time party, experience her swim, no matter the outcome, asmillions of others do, and share that with the blogosphere.
   And what does the National Broadcasting Company do?  Not only will they feature Franklin's final in prime, but they run a lengthy feature on the Colorado girl, and in station breaks, they tease the swimmer's reunion with her parents on their morning broadcast.
    Well, they're not stopping me.
    We see athletes thank God, often.  It has become cliche.  "first I want to give thanks and praise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."  Far be it from me to question another's commitment to his or her faith.  Following Franklin's stirring win in the backstroke race tonight, she did bring God into her interview with NBC's Andrea Kreamer.  But she said she was happy about "what God had allowed," and seemed most pleased simply that her parents were able to attend the swim.  This is a great kid.  Humble, happy, hardworking, an example.  I hope that we get to see her swim in Rio in four years.  Congratulations gold medalist, Missy Franklin.

A Fast Start

If you knew the United States men's archery team was going to win silver - and lose Gold by one point on the final arrow of the competition, you're a championion, in my book. If you knew that the Spanish men would be eliminated from play in the opening round, you know a lot. If you told me that Jordyn Wieber would not be involved in the individual all around finals, my eyebrows would have been raised, to say the least. But, as my father used to say, that's why they play the games. Or, in this case, the Games. I just saw a fifteen year old obliterate the field in her heat of the women's hundred breast rose. Never heard of her before the moment she dove in the pool. Rita Meilutyte. This, to me, is the beauty of the Olympic Games. As of twenty minutes ago, I had no desire to see the women's hundred breaststroke final, but now, the DVR is set. I would like to think that sporting competition in the Olympics is above reproach, but I get the feeling that Abby Wambach would tell you differently. In Abby's game against Columbia, she was brutally founded by a woman named, ironically, Lady Andrade. Andrade evidently was frustrated enough by Wambach's play that she simply hauled off and belted her in the face. Andrade tried to do it again, later, but missed, and hit Wambach in the neck. the International Olympic Committee will review the incident, Wambach stated after the match that the team has the punch on tape. It will not be the last unsportsmanlike event you will hear about in the next two weeks. The point here is that there is a lot going on, a lot to see, read and hear. these Games have yet to establish their identity, but in the next couple of days, Phelps will swim several more times, as will Ryan Lochte. gymnastics will take over in prime time In mid week, and then ,for me, the real fun, track and field will start. In the meantime, we're going to get all the field hockey, badminton, cycling, rowing and soccer you can handle. Maybe tomorrow we'll meet another budding star. The Games are rolling, folks. 82 medals awarded already. Can't wait for tomorrow...

XXX

     Today is a day to celebrate youth.

     Today is a day to be hopeful about the future of the planet.  One thing the Olympics remind us is that we CAN get along, if only for two weeks, if only in a sporting setting.  But, it is a start.  One of Baron Coubertin's original aims was to bring together countries that had recently warred, in an effort to aid a healing process.

     People have every right to complain that the Olympics are a sham, that the billions of dollars spent hosting are a waste, that the nationalism shown by TV networks is jingoistic posturing.  I get it.  But we need the Olympic Games, as a reset, as a reminder, as a world party.  To me, it is vitally important that this tradition continue.

    I'm excited for these Games, I think they have great potential.  We are going to meet some amazing people in these next 17 days and nights.  It is a unique opportunity.  I'm thankful that both my Mother and my Father shared their enthusiasm for the Games with me.  I recently found a copy of a board we played at home when I was in high school called "Decathlon."  My father knew the track athletes so well he knew exactly who to choose, when -  Bob Mathias will win this event, Rafer Johnson will win that one.  I'd love to play that game with my Dad again, but I'll be very happy to share the London Games with the young.  It was suggested recently that the American youth don't carry the "buzz" for the Games that my generation did.  The thought is that their leisure hours are so devided, so full of choices that the Games don't count as much.  No disrespect, but I hope the thought is not true.

    I do know a subset of young people who are looking forward to the Games, and I hope they will carry the spirit and fun forward to their next generation.  From Dylan's euphoric tweet two months ago, "So psyched for London 2012!", to Brigid's joy at the slam poet in the Opening Cermonies in Vancouver, to Megan's collection of USA Todays during the Beijing Olympiad, to Razz's excitement with this summer's Trials......

   Welcome, young folks.  Thanks for showing us how really great a people we can be.

    Bring It!

SSILATO -  (Silly Stuff I Learned About The Olympics)

                 Every Olymipic badminton shuttlecock has 18 feathers, each plucked from the left wing of a goose.

No Competition?

    If you closely review your Olympic events schedule today, you will find no competition.  No games.  No sprints, walks, jumps, dives, rows, cycles....nothin'.  The only thing going on in London today is the  Opening Cermonies.

   But, if you think there is no competition to be found today....Au contraire, mon petite Coubertin!

   Out in the middle of Lake George, the Leontine games have begun!  Correspondents on the scene tell us that the Opening Ceremonies, including a torch lighting and athletes parade took place yesterday, and competition in several disciplines begins this morning.

   Medals will be awarded in sprint events, a longer "Island Run", multiple swimming categories, the long jump, and several non-medal events, including water skiing and tubing.

    Evidently, on Leontine, the motto is expanded:  "Faster, Higher, Stronger, Wetter!"

   Thanks for keeping the spirit alive, we'd love to see some pictures!

Edited, Friday  AM -  Mea culpa.  There IS archery competition today, in fact, a World record was set!

Alternatives

    Last night, we learned that Greek triple jumper Voula Papachristou was expelled from the London Games.  My thought was, "here comes the first doping story" - but it wasn't.  Simply put, Voula is a racist, and her counduct was deemed to be "not in the Olympic spirit."  No kidding.

    Interestingly, the vehicle Voula used to make public her bigoted stance, and the method by which I became aware of her expulsion are one and the same.

    Twitter

    140 characters a pop -  and you can get lifted from an Olympic team, spread the word, and move on to the next nano-second's news.

   I'm following several London Twitter accounts, and Coubertins Rings is also on Twitter.  I'll look forward to tweets from Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullvan at TBNSully.  I've also installed the Sports Illustrated and NBC "Olympics Live"  apps on my iPad.  I'm subscribed to several bloggers, including the excellent Olympic blog at espn.com that has entries from multiple writers.

    The New York Times coverage is extensive, following the paper on Twitter gives you links to a slew of free content.

    And, finally, there is tumblr.  I may be the oldest guy alive with a tumblr account, I'm at towerdude.tumblr.com.  This photo-heavy social site is great for a fun look at the Games.  You won't find results in the four-man-skull with no coxswain races, but you can see some outstanding photos of atheletes and spectators getting ready, gearing up.

    One More Day.  NBC's "plausibly live" coverage of the Opening Ceremonies begins tomorrow at 7:30pm, EST.

No Pressure

                I suppose Usain Bolt might be feeling some pressure, he’s only the “Fastest Man In The World.”  He set a world record in the 100 yard dash in Beijing, and the world will be watching to see if he can better his own feat in South London.

                Each Olympian likely feels pressure in one form or another.  It’s enough to think, “I’m going against the best in the world, I’m representing my country,”  but, um….how about a hemisphere?

                Say hello to Julie Zetlin, who just might have the largest single bag of expectations of any Olympic athlete.  Julie’s sport?  Rhythmic gymnastics.  I know, I know….

                Rhythmic gymnastics came to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, with an individual all-around competition.  Team competition was added in 1996 in Atlanta.  It should come as no great shock to readers that the champions have and do still come from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Ukraine, Bulgaria…..you get the idea.  There are more 17 year-old long-haired brunettes in this competition than at your average One Direction concert.

                I do not know enough yet as to why, I am still learning, but Zetlin’s position among gymnasts is unique in that she does not represent the Unities States, solely.  She represents North, Central and South America.  Evidently, the competition qualifiers come from areas of the globe, and we have one opening for us Westerners.  So Julie Zetlin, a 22 year-old from Silver Spring Maryland, might just have supporters from Buenos Aires through Manitoba.  Julie’s mother was a nationalchampion in rhythmic gymnastics in Hungary, so there is an Eastern European tie, there.  Julie is fluent in Hungarian.

                Individuals compete in four disciplines, ball, hoop, club and ribbon.  That ribbon, by the way is 7 meters long, and must stay in “perpetual, fluid motion throughout the routine.”

                The odds-on favorite to win the Individual all-around gold medal is Evgenia Kanaeva, the two-time defending champion, from Russia.  Events are scored out of a possible 30 points, she is the only person in history to score a 30 in international competition. 

                All the Americas wish good luck to Julie. 

               

Foot Start, Head Start

    Although the Opening Ceremonies of the London Games are not until Friday, competition actually begins Wednesday.  Soccer, or what the rest of the world calls football, kicks off (!) Wednesday, when the women from, fittingly, Great Britian and New Zealand play.  The U.S. Women play France an hour later.
  In the Olympics, soccer is set up similarly to the World Cup, where group play determines quarterfinal opponents.  In international tournaments, there are usually several down days between games, at least two days of rest.  After Wednesday's opener, group play continues on Saturday.  So, the schedule is built to allow rest, but soccer will run the length of the Games, wit hthe Bronze and Gold medal contests on the women's side happening August 9.
   You may remember that in Beijing, the U.S. Women beat Brazil to win Gold.  Carli Lloyd, at the time 26, took a pass from a teammate and buried a 19-yard chance to put the U.S. ahead of "the best team in the world" for good. It would be truly amazing if the U.S. Women could repeat their Gold medal performance in London.
   Lloyd is a midfielder who scored twice in Beijing.  A former Rutgers student, she plays now for the Atlanta Beat. 


 Their group includes France, Columbia, and the DPR (Democratic people's Republic) of Korea, or, more commonly, North Korea.  This is not an easy group to get out of, only the top two teams in group play will advance, so a win against France is almost crucial, given that Columbia might be considered one of the favorites to win Gold.
   Nothing's easy. The women have been playing well, defeating Canada 2-1 in their "send-off" game two weeks back in Utah, and beat Japan before that match.   But Canada and Japan are not Columbia and Brazil.  We'll be watching the women closely Wednesday, and throughout the competition.  Wednesday's game will be played in Glasgow.  Coubertin's Rings will follow several teams and individuals, not all American, and trying to find any reason why one athelete or sport is followed here is pointless.  At one time or another, we latched on, for one of many reasons, and hopefully, we'll be able to tell an interesting story.  This one is for Jen.

   

Tucked Underneath Her Arm

    For years at Lawrence family gatherings, we would beg my mother's brother Bob to sing "the song."  The ditty in question was "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm", written by two guys named Weston and Lee, in 1934.  The song tells the story of Anne Boleyn, one of King Henry's unfortunate wives, and her sad spooky perambulations around the Tower of London.

  "Along the draughty corridors,
   For miles and miles she goes
   She often catches cold, poor thing,
   It's cold there when it blows
   And its awfully awkward for the Queen
   To have to blow her nose
   With her head tucked underneath her arm.

   With her head tucked underneath her arm.
   She walks the bloody Tower
   With her head tucked underneath her arm.
   At the midnight hour."


   
    As an adult, after a few Guinness, or a martini, this was a hoot.  As a nine year old, seeing my uncle's sincere face and listening to his powerful Irish baritone, it was scary as hell.  But we begged for him to do it!  My mother and father laughed and laughed.  I remembering thinking, "How can you laugh?  She's dead and her head's chopped off, and now she's walking around!"  I was determined never to go to this Tower of London place, if it showed up on a field trip or family vacation.  At least, not at midnight.


   Well, it gives me great pleasure to report that Anne got some special company in the last few days.  As a part of the build up to London 2012, the Olympiad's medals are being stored, until the Games open, at the Tower of London.  Being carefully watched by those Beefeater guys, officially known as the Yeoman warders.  Yesterday, a Royal Marine rappelled out of a helicopter with the Olympic Torch to the Tower, as well.  Let the showmanship begin!

Aside to tebi, latefor and Laura: The Mickey Mouse Club show had a serial called "Spin and Marty." They sang the Anne Boleyn song, regularly....

 

100 Days Out

The Games of the Thirtieth Olympiad are one hundred days away.  Beginning July 27^th in London, people you’ve never heard of will become famous.  Hopefully, we’ll

escape these Games without the death of a competitor, a political uprising, terrorist activity, or doping reports.

            The French journalists have long since stated their concerns, when Paris lost out to London as host city more than seven years ago:  “Where will we eat?” they whined.  The assumption is, they’ll find something palatable somewhere.

            These Games have 26 sports, short of the full allotment of 28 – yes, there is a rule capping the number of sports.  There’s also a rule capping the number of competitors at 10,500, but we’re likely to go over that, because there are some “under-rules” for athletes that are pretty bendable.

            On Saturday, May 19^th the Olympic torch begins the relay to 1,019

communities before reaching Olympic Stadium in late July.  8,000 torch bearers have the opportunity to be applauded along the route.  An 18 year old named Tassy Swallow will carry the Torch on Day One, in the aptly-named Lands End, where the relay begins.  Tassy hopes to get surfing approved as an Olympic sport for the 2016 Games in Rio.  Torch bearers range in age from 11 through 99.

            This blogger will attempt to share his thoughts on Games both past and present, tell the stories of some American athletes like 52 year-old archer Butch Johnson, competing in his fifth Olympiad.  There will of course be stories of athletes from all over the world, and, we’ll cover those folks, too.

            You may have received notification of the blog through one form of social media or another.  You can tweet us @CoubertinsRings on Twitter, at least one blog post during the Games will be based on reactions we’re getting via the web.    

            If you would like us to cover a particular sport or topic related to the Games, please let us know.  Late July and early August will be a busy time, and we look forward to watching the Games, reading reports in print and electronic media, and sharing the excitement of the Olympiad with you.  Thanks for reading.