2012 London Olympics

[bawang]

this brings me to tears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zwf6xzXGxQ


real spirit of olympics

[GeneChing]

Posted at 03:25 PM ET, 07/23/2012
Olympics uniforms will be ‘Made in America’ starting in 2014, USOC and lawmakers say
By Ed O'Keefe


This image released by Ralph Lauren shows U.S. Olympic athletes donning the ceremonial uniforms to be worn at Friday’s Opening Ceremony in London. (AP) Uniforms worn by U.S. athletes during future opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games will be manufactured in the United States as part of an agreement announced Monday.

The office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) announced the agreement Monday, one week after Senate Democrats unveiled legislation that would force USOC to adopt “Made in America” uniform standards or face the prospect of losing its charter to oversee the U.S. Olympic program.

From now on, U.S. athletes will don ceremonial uniforms manufactured in the United States, but designers and manufacturers will be permitted to use materials from foreign sources if they are not manufactured in the U.S., or if obtaining American-made materials would cause a delay or high costs. The new agreement begins with uniforms worn during the opening and closing ceremony at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, according to Menendez’s office.

Manufacturers may also use foreign materials if for some reason using U.S.-made products would violate International Olympic Committee or local organizing committee policies. The USOC will have to explain in writing if it must use foreign-made products in the ceremonial uniforms.

Scott Blackmun, CEO of the USOC said he was “pleased” to work with Menendez and Senate Democrats to address concerns about Team USA’s parade uniforms. “After listening to feedback from members of Congress, we have committed, along with our partners at Ralph Lauren, to make future parade uniforms in the United States,” Blackmun said in a statement released by Menendez’s office.

The new deal does not apply to athletic uniforms worn during sporting events, because Senate aides said that several athletes may opt to use specific uniforms and products not manufactured in the United States in order to compete effectively.”

“At a minimum, the Senators believe it makes sense for the U.S. Olympic Committee to seek to procure the team’s ceremonial uniforms – the uniforms our American athletes proudly wear when they walk behind the US flag during the opening ceremony – from American manufacturers,” said Menendez spokeswoman Tricia Enright.

Senators met last Wednesday with USOC officials in Washington to discuss changing the uniform policy, which faced widespread criticism after news reports revealed that uniforms to be worn this Friday during the Opening Ceremony in London were designed by Ralph Lauren, but manufactured in China.

The reports sparked angry reactions from lawmakers, most notably Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who said the USOC “should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.”

Within hours, Menendez and several Democratic colleagues seized on the outrage — and the souring national mood toward China — and unveiled a bill that would force the USOC to adopt the stricter standards.

Worst US uniforms ever.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Double breasted suits and berets! LOL What could be more American than that?

[bawang]

Originally Posted by Hebrew Hammer

LOL What could be more American than that?

they can smear them with the blood of black people

[Hebrew Hammer]

Originally Posted by bawang

this brings me to tears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zwf6xzXGxQ


real spirit of olympics

Perhaps you are mistaken...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Ga0...eature=related

[JamesC]

I'm excited to watch the weightlifting, swimming, gymnastics(they are incredibly athletic), and i'd like to get a glimpse of the tae kwon do and judo.

The judo is usually kinda boring because they are just all so dang good, but I still like to watch it.

The TKD guys crack me up. I love watching people catch a foot to the face because their hands weren't up.

[GeneChing]

A schedule of for the martial sports....some of them, at least.

Live Olympics event schedules: archery, boxing, fencing, judo, shooting, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling

Nine of the 33 sports in the Olympic Games feature tests of strength and skill for human survival.

Monday, July 9, 2012 - London 2012 Summer Olympic Games by Gayle Falkenthal

SAN DIEGO, July 10, 2012 – Nine of the 33 sports in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games feature men and women participating in survival skills, whether with weapons created by people for protection like bows and firearms, or with their bare hands and physical strength. Whether they demand precision, strength, speed, or technique, they all demand excellence.

Below find the links to the full schedules, the history of medals awarded for each sport, and the dates and times of the gold medal contests for each sport.
ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN (U.S.) TIME

Archery Schedule
Medal Standings
July 28, 1 p.m.: Men’s team gold medal match
July 29, 1 p.m.: Women’s team gold medal match
August 2, 10:30 a.m.: Women’s individual gold medal match
August 3, 10:30 a.m.: Men’s individual gold medal match

Boxing Schedule
Medal standings
August 9, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Women’s gold medal bouts, three weight classes: flyweight, lightweight, middleweight
August 11, 3:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Men’s gold medal bouts: light flyweight, bantamweight, welterweight, middleweight, heavyweight
August 12, 8:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Men’s gold medal bouts: flyweight, lightweight, super welterweight, light heavyweight, super heavyweight

Fencing Schedule
Medal standings
July 28, 2:40 p.m. Womens’ individual foil
July 29, 2:10 p.m. Mens’ individual sabre
July 30, 2:40 p.m. Womens’ individual epee
July 31, 2:40 p.m. Mens;’ individual foil
August 1, 3 p.m. Mens’ individual epee; and 3:30 p.m. womens’ individual sabre
August 2, 2:15 p.m. Womens’ team foil
August 3, 1:45 p.m. Mens’ team sabre
August 4, 2:15 p.m. Womens’ team epee
August 5, 2:15 p.m. Mens’ team foil

Judo Schedule
Medal standings
July 28, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens’ extra lightweight finals
July 29, 11 a.m. Women’s and mens’ half lightweight finals
July 30, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens lightweight finals
July 31, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens’ half middleweight finals
August 1, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens’ middleweight finals
August 2, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens’ half heavyweight finals
August 3, 11 a.m. Womens’ and mens’ heavyweight finals

Modern Pentathlon Schedule
Medal standings
August 11, 1:45 p.m. Mens’ final
August 12, 1 p.m. Womens’ final

Shooting Schedule
Medal standings
July 28, 6 a.m. Women's 10m Air Rifle – Final; 10:30 a.m., Men's 10m Air Pistol – Final
July 29, 6:45 a.m., Women's 10m Air Pistol – Final; 9 a.m., Women's Skeet – Final
July 30, 7:15 a.m. Men's 10m Air Rifle – Final
July 31, 9 a.m., Men's Skeet – Final
August 1, 9:30 a.m., Women's 25m Pistol - Final
August 2, 9 a.m., Men's Double Trap – Final
August 3, 7 a.m., Men's 50m Rifle, Prone – Final; 9:30 a.m., Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol – Final
August 4: 7:45 a.m., Women's 50m Rifle, 3 Pos. – Final; 10 a.m., Women’s Trap – Final
August 5, 7:30 a.m., Men's 50m Pistol – Final
August 6, 8:45 a.m., Men's 50m Rifle, 3 Pos. – Final; 11 a.m., Men’s Trap – Final

Taekwando Schedule
Medal standings
August 8, 5:15 p.m.: Women's 49kg - Gold Medal Final; 5:30 p.m., Men's 58kg - Gold Medal Final
August 9, 5:15 p.m.: Women's 57kg - Gold Medal Final; 5:30 p.m., Men’s 68kg – Gold Medal Final
August 10, 5:15 p.m.: Women's 67kg - Gold Medal Final; 5:30 p.m., Men’s 80kg – Gold Medal Final
August 11, 5:15 p.m.: Women's +67kg - Gold Medal Final; 5:30 p.m., Men’s +80kg – Gold Medal Final

Weightlifting Schedule
Medal standings
July 28, 10:30 a.m.: Women's 48kg/106 lbs
July 29, 10:30 a.m. Women's 53kg/117 lbs.; 2 p.m., Men's 56kg/123 lbs
July 30, 10:30 a.m.: Women's 58kg/128 lbs; 2 p.m., Men's 62kg/137 lbs
July 31, 10:30 a.m.: Women's 63kg/139 lbs; 2 p.m., Men's 69kg/152 lbs
August 1, 10:30 a.m.: Women's 69kg/152 lbs, 2 p.m., Men's 77kg/170 lbs
August 3, 10:30 a.m.: Women's 75kg/165 lbs, 2 p.m., Men's 85kg/187 lbs
August 4, 2 p.m., Men's 94kg/207 lbs
August 5, 10:30 a.m., Women's +75kg/+165 lbs
August 6, 2 p.m., Men's 105kg/231 lbs
August 7, 2 p.m.: Men's +105kg/+231 lbs

Wrestling Schedule
Medal standing
August 5, 1:25 p.m.: Men's Greco-Roman 55kg - Gold Final; Men's Greco-Roman 74kg - Gold Fina
August 6, 1:25 p.m.: Men's Greco-Roman 60kg - Gold Final; Men's Greco-Roman 84kg - Gold Final; Men's Greco-Roman 120kg - Gold Final
August 7, 1:25 p.m.: Men's Greco-Roman 66kg - Gold Final; Men's Greco-Roman 96kg - Gold Final
August 8, 1:15 p.m.: Women's Freestyle 48kg - Gold Final; Women's Freestyle 63kg - Gold Final
August 9, 1:15 p.m.: Women's Freestyle 55kg - Gold Final Women's Freestyle 72kg - Gold Final
August 10, 1:25 p.m.: Men's Freestyle 55kg - Gold Final; Men's Freestyle 74kg - Gold Final
August 11, 1:25 p.m.: Men's Freestyle 60kg - Gold Final; Men's Freestyle 84kg - Gold Final; Men's Freestyle 120kg - Gold Final
August 12, 8:25 a.m.: Men's Freestyle 66kg Gold Final; Men's Freestyle 96kg - Gold Final

[GeneChing]

Taekwondo president gets a kick out of tech changes
Peter Rutherford Reuters
10:40 a.m. CDT, July 25, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - While technology's place in soccer continues to divide the game's powerbrokers, the president of the World Taekwondo Federation believes a new high-tech scoring system will cement his sport's place on the Olympic Program.

After debuting as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Games in Seoul, taekwondo became a full medal sport 12 years later in Sydney. The Korean martial arts spectacular spinning, jumping, flying kicks could captivate the crowd, but it suffered from inconsistent judging and a complex scoring system.

Despite its global popularity, with an estimated 70 million practitioners worldwide, the knives were out for taekwondo and its place on the Olympic Program seemed to be in jeopardy.

However, WTF President Choue Chung-won told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday the sport had undergone a major overhaul ahead of the London Games aimed at securing its Olympic place.

The introduction of the Protector and Scoring System (PSS), which will automatically measure the strength of a kick to the body and score it, as well as an instant video replay system would ensure the fairest and most transparent taekwondo competition possible.

"I think taekwondo will really benefit from the technology because it will ensure the medals go to the best athletes, not to someone else because of a mistake from a referee or a judge," Choue said.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for us to remain in the Olympics. Not many sports have this kind of technology ... it will help eliminate human error in taekwondo.

"We will have six video cameras watching the games and if there are any human errors by the judges or referees we will correct them immediately."

KOREA'S GIFT

The system, which had been trialed and tested in competition over the last two years, was demonstrated to reporters on Wednesday by members of Britain's junior taekwondo team on the rooftop of a carpark near the Olympic Stadium.

Whirling, lashing kicks landed, points registered on the computer, President Choue smiled.

"Things must change with the times, and sport is no different, it must follow the new generation," he said.

"This is what the Olympics is all about - transparency and fair competition."

Choue, who received his taekwondo black belt in the Korean army in the 1960's, said any of the 63 countries taking part in the taekwondo competition could win a medal and he would not be upset even if his native South Korea failed to win a gold.

"I'm president of the WTF, so that means I don't have any nationality," he added. "I'm happy that taekwondo started in Korea but now it's a truly global sport.

"Taekwondo is Korea's gift to the world."

Here I've been thinking Korea's gift to the world was kimchee. The WTF should really change it's acronym...

[Hebrew Hammer]

Most of the fighting sports have been defanged, turned into two hand/foot touch...I can't stand to watch the boxing, the scoring system is terrible...although wrestling and judo are still fun to watch.

For the summer Olympics I enjoy just about all the events...they never have enough coverage of the events the USA isn't expected to medal in...like ping pong, judo, etc.

I do love rooting for the underdogs, seeing some country like Mongolia get its only bronze (or whatever medal) and seeing the country go nuts. The Olympic spirit.

I will miss the East German women's bikini contest! Vee Vill Conquer Zee Vorld!!!!

[GeneChing]

Although I'd argue that the electrification of Fencing scoring was a definite improvement on the sport. Anyone who has worked with live blades knows that they can cut very discreetly - sort of the paper cut principle, if you will - and that can be undetectable by the human eye. I'm not sure how that works with Taekwondo. I've seen the electric scoring vests, but I've never tried one.

Speaking of Fencing, I want to mention that the son of one of my old teammates will be representing the U.S. in Foil: Alex Massialas. He's just 18, but at age 16, he became the youngest ever to win a Men's Foil Division 1 National title. His dad is Greg Massialas, a 3-time Olympian, and a former member of the San Jose State University fencing team, which I was also a member. Greg was actually a generation ahead of me, so we never competed together, but he would come by to kick our asses and show us new kids what fencing was really about, and he coached at some of the clubs where I trained. I took a few lessons with him, back in the day. He was blindingly quick.

Most all of the events that interest me will be held in the ExCel Center: Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis (well, I'm not that interested in that although two of the U.S team are local- Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang), Taekwondo, Weightlifting (not so interested in that either), and Wrestling. Artistic Gymnastics and Trampoline will be held nearby in the North Greenwich Arena. I got to see the Womens' semis and finals a few weeks ago, which were held in San Jose. Rhythmic is across London at Wembley. Archery is a Lord's Cricket Ground. Pentathlon is spread out across the Aquatics Center, Copper Box and Greenwich Park. Shooting is at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Beach Volleyball will be at the Horse Guards Parade, but I just heard on the news today that the weather is getting foul and the competitors might have to don longjohns, which would totally spoil any enjoyment of that event.

[GeneChing]

...Laser guns? Seriously? What next? Light sabers?

Well, the running and shooting is kind of cool.

This year’s modern pentathlon involves laser guns, combines running and shooting
By Andrew Bucholtz | Eh Game – 8 hours ago


Donna Vakalis will be using a new laser pistol in this year's modern pentathlon.

The modern pentathlon will get a bit futuristic at this year's Olympics. London 2012 will be the first Games to replace the traditional air pistols with the laser guns brought into worldwide modern pentathlon events in 2011, and it will also be the first Olympics where the five-sport event is held under new rules implemented in 2009 that combine the running and shooting portions. Canadian competitor Donna Vakalis told The Toronto Star's Josh Tapper that amalgamating the running and shooting events in particular poses some new challenges for the athletes:

"It's very much a mental game, but it's also a physical game now," said Vakalis, who will be joined in London by Melanie McCann.

"Your heart is racing. You kind of want to heave and breathe and take in as much oxygen as you can. You can't allow yourself to do that. You just have to keep your breath on a steady rhythm and hold your breath with each shot."

Modern pentathlon hasn't always been the biggest draw for Olympic viewers, but the changes might help improve its popularity. Sure, laser guns are cool, but it's the combination of running and shooting that might make this event particularly fun to watch. Rather than holding those competitions separately, athletes will now shoot five targets, then run 1,000 metres, then shoot another five targets, then run another 1,000 metres, then shoot a final five targets, then run 1,000 metres further. It's not about hitting targets dead centre, but about hitting five in quick succession so you can start your run; however, despite the new, pricey laser guns (Vakalis' cost $2,725), the sport still requires the detailed reloading procedure used with the old air pistols, so it's not just blasting away.

The best shooters have the shoot and reload cycle down pat and can and hit all five targets in about 30 seconds, potentially giving them a 40-second advantage over the worst shooters in every shooting round (as athletes are allowed to start their run after 70 seconds if they haven't hit all the targets). The combination of running and shooting, which was a contentious move back in 2008, should make for a big finish. The other three events (épée fencing, a 200-metre swim, and show jumping with an unfamiliar horse) are held separately and scored on a points basis, which is used to determine when athletes start the final run-and-shoot competition, so the first athlete to cross the finish line will win. Combining running and shooting with the new guns should provide a remarkable, made-for-TV finish.

Interestingly enough, the future-focused changes to the modern pentathlon have perhaps brought the sport closer to its ancestral roots. The "modern" differentiates it from the original pentathlon used at the ancient Olympics in Greece, which comprised a stadion foot race (about 200 metres), wrestling, long jump, javelin, and discus, five events that were thought to show off abilities essential for soldiers of the day. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the modern Olympics, also came up with modern pentathlon (which was first contested at the 1912 Games), keeping the same focus on five skills officers of the day were thought to have needed; running, swimming, shooting, riding an unfamiliar horse and swordsmanship.

While there aren't huge roles for fencing or equestrian skills in today's armies, though, an ability to shoot accurately after running certainly is valuable. This also helps distinguish pentathlon amongst the pack of Olympic sports, as while the equestrian competitions, fencing and swimming all have their own Olympic events, nothing else combines running and shooting (unless you're talking about the offence famously used by the old Houston Oilers). The ancient Greeks didn't have laser guns, and they might even quibble with this being termed a pentathlon rather than a tetrathlon (as some feel the run-and-shoot combination is only one sport), but they might well appreciate the changes here. Television viewers likely will.

[sanjuro_ronin]

It's funny but if you added some form of H2H combat, then it would be the ideal MA testing venue !
LOL !
I would change it to ( in no particular order):
Sword fighting
Stick fighting
H2H (MMA/Sanda type)
Shooting
Archery

[Brule]

Is this the first of many.....

http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympi...,4843945.story

[GeneChing]

Here's more on flags and fencers.

Mariel Zagunis Selected as Flag Bearer for 2012 U.S. Olympic Team
July 25, 2012


(London) - Two-time Olympic Champion fencer Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) was today selected to lead the 529-member 2012 U.S. Olympic Team into the Opening Ceremony as flag bearer, as announced today by the United States Olympic Committee. Zagunis was chosen by a vote of fellow members of Team USA.

"I'm extremely humbled by this incredible privilege," said Zagunis. "As an athlete, I can't imagine a higher honor than to lead Team USA into the Olympic Games, which are the pinnacle of sport and a platform for world peace. I am tremendously proud to represent my sport, our team and, most importantly, the United States of America."

"I'd like to congratulate Mariel on this tremendous honor," said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. "It's especially fitting in the year of the 40th anniversary of Title IX, when Team USA for the first time in history has more women than men, that Mariel receive the extraordinary honor that is carrying our nation's flag into this celebration of humanity."

Since becoming the first U.S. fencer to win gold at an Olympic Games in a hundred years with her podium finish in 2004, Zagunis has been virtually unstoppable. The top-ranked women's saber fencer in the world, Zagunis won gold as a 19-year-old at the Athens Games in 2004 and went on to defend her title in Beijing before taking the individual Senior World Championship titles in 2009 and 2010. Zagunis closed out the 2011 season with a silver medal at the Senior Worlds to finish the season as the top-ranked fencer in the world for the third straight season. This year, Zagunis has held onto her position as the #1 fencer in the world after eight podium wins during the nine-event international season.

Zagunis is the third fencing athlete to serve as flag bearer. Norman Armitage carried the flag in both 1952 and 1956, and Janice Lee Romary held the honor in 1968.

Zagunis will compete in the individual saber competition on Aug. 1.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Zagunis will be available to the media during the USOC leadership press conference at the Main Press Center tomorrow (July 26) at 1 p.m.

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FLAG BEARERS
1908 Ralph Rose, Track & Field
1912 George V. Bonhag, Track & Field
1920 Patrick J. McDonald, Track & Field
1924 Patrick J. McDonald, Track & Field
1928 Lemuel (Bud) C. Houser, Track & Field
1932 F. Morgan Taylor, Track & Field
1936 Alfred A. Jochim, Gymnastics
1948 Ralph C. Craig, Yachting
1952 Norman C. Armitage, Fencing
1956 Norman C. Armitage, Fencing
Warren B. Wooford, Equestrian*
1960 Rafer L. Johnson, Track & Field
1964 William Parry O'Brien, Track & Field
1968 Janice Lee Romary, Fencing
1972 Olga Fikotova Connolly, Track & Field
1976 Gary W. Hall, Swimming
1980 U.S. did not attend
1984 Edward Burke, Track & Field
1988 Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field
1992 Francie Larrieu Smith, Track & Field
1996 Bruce Baumgartner, Wrestling
2000 Cliff Meidl, Canoe/Kayak
2004 Dawn Staley, Basketball
2008 Lopez Lomong, Track & Field
2012 Mariel Zagunis, Fencing

*Due to Australia's immigration laws for horses, the 1956 equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden.

[mickey]

Greetings,

Track and Field Competition is from August 3rd to August 11th.



mickey