RugbyRebels

Numbers wrote:

Big D wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:
Hell yes, cracking performance.

Eddie will be on the phone at the end of next week.

I've only seen the highlights of his first bout but he certainly looks like he has the tools for the job.

Still a bit raw yet, but that wont stop EH from calling

Big D wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Jessica Ennis-Hill and KJT get started today. If all goes well that should be two more medals, one of which could/should be a gold.

Don't count out Brianne Theisen-Eaton. She and her husband could be the 1st wife/husband to hold the heptathlon and Decathlon golds at the same time.

I'm not. Without her it'd just be 'should be gold'.

Athletic stadium is virtually empty. I know it's not prime time but you'd expect a far larger crowd than this.

Mellsblue wrote:Athletic stadium is virtually empty. I know it's not prime time but you'd expect a far larger crowd than this.

Rain and only a token roof won't help either. Nor will the lack of any real local interest (yet).
Of course, attendence everywhere at these games has been poor. Overpriced; with no transportation help.

Of course, we also can't help but compare it to London; but I think that was an outlier in terms of attendence.

Crowds have been a bit disappointing. Perhaps I'm looking back with rosey retrospective spectacles but can't recall London like this...I may be wrong though.

Silver for the O'Donovan bros

Up Skib!

BBD wrote:Silver for the O'Donovan bros

Up Skib!

My godfather is an O'Donovan from Cork - I'll have to ask him the obvious question.

Usually the obvious question you ask a Corkman is "can you repeat that please?"

2 more golds!!! Rowing, mens 4 and ladies 2. Fantastic friday is underway!! Murrays 1/4 final.delayed by rain

Rowers are going well. Fingers crossed the mens 8 join the party.

WaspInWales wrote:Crowds have been a bit disappointing. Perhaps I'm looking back with rosey retrospective spectacles but can't recall London like this...I may be wrong though.

London wasn't like this, but this is quite normal for the Olympics. London was exceptional in having pretty much every seat sold and occupied across the vast majority of sports.

It just makes the IOC's demands on stadia look even more ridiculous.

Mellsblue wrote:It just makes the IOC's demands on stadia look even more ridiculous.

I'm not sure they make particularly difficult demands. In any event stadia will be fuller in evening sessions and full for finals. Not many cities can guarantee full stadia. You might get it in Tokyo if the big companies give everyone the day off, or even more likely buy up spare seats and make employees take them.

The Heptathlon is heating up nicely.

KJT with a British record in the High Jump.

Mellsblue wrote:

Big D wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Jessica Ennis-Hill and KJT get started today. If all goes well that should be two more medals, one of which could/should be a gold.

Don't count out Brianne Theisen-Eaton. She and her husband could be the 1st wife/husband to hold the heptathlon and Decathlon golds at the same time.

I'm not. Without her it'd just be 'should be gold'.

Apparently she wrote an article in the NY Times admitting she gets starstruck around JEH. That can't be a good thing.

Am just being a cynical old scrote or does 14 seconds off a world record that hadn't been approached in 20 years and which itself was under suspicion just seem a bit too good to be true?

Big D wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Big D wrote:
Don't count out Brianne Theisen-Eaton. She and her husband could be the 1st wife/husband to hold the heptathlon and Decathlon golds at the same time.

I'm not. Without her it'd just be 'should be gold'.

Apparently she wrote an article in the NY Times admitting she gets starstruck around JEH. That can't be a good thing.

JEH will go down as an all time great but, as you say, that can't be a good thing. All looking good at half time even with KJT having a slight wobble.

Yesterday was amazing. We even got silver in the trampoline. Today could be even better.

BBD wrote:Am just being a cynical old scrote or does 14 seconds off a world record that hadn't been approached in 20 years and which itself was under suspicion just seem a bit too good to be true?

I thought the same but I was on such a high that I just celebrated the achievement. Now that I've woken up with a hangover I'm a bit more dubious but I'll stick with innocent until proven guilty.

I'm glad that Ireland's first ever rowing gold was won by the most Irish people ever.

BBD wrote:Am just being a cynical old scrote or does 14 seconds off a world record that hadn't been approached in 20 years and which itself was under suspicion just seem a bit too good to be true?

Don't think you're being cynical. Old scrote perhaps...

BBD wrote:Am just being a cynical old scrote or does 14 seconds off a world record that hadn't been approached in 20 years and which itself was under suspicion just seem a bit too good to be true?

No... well, yes to the old scrote bit; but it's a pretty popular club around here.

I would always look at the Athlete's record beforehand though - so I'm not too cynical about Bolt as he's been winning since he was 12 or so; for example.

Apparently, Ayana has also been winning since turning pro, and has been gradually increasing the distances that she runs; going from 3K => 5K and smashing records in both of them. This seems to be her first competitive 10K, and she's basically run it the same way as she runs shorter distances, just going further. Of course, it may well be a source protesting too much.
It really helps to make her just look like a physical freak, rather than a doper who's come out of nowhere.
Always cynical (especially of the Ethiopians, amongst others), but with some mitigation. In this case, I'd consider whether she'd been doping before turning senior.

ETA: I'm now reading that there were 18 PBs during that race; and speculation is suggesting that the track is actually a touch short than it should be. When you get that many people doing that much better than they ever have before, you have to look at external factors; not factors different for each individual.

Couple of days of great sport.

The rowers and cyclists delivered some fantastic performances.

Delighted by the trampolining silver. Its great to win any medal, but to get one when it wasn't expected is somehow even more of a treat.

Super Saturday II has been cancelled owing to lack of co-operation. Feckers.

Eugene Wrayburn wrote:Super Saturday II has been cancelled owing to lack of co-operation. Feckers.

It shows how far we've come as a track and field nation when a session providing a gold, silver and bronze is disappointing.

I'm gutted for JEH. Coming back after a having a baby to retain her gold would've been a fitting and extraordinary achievement.