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.....