Beijing 2008

[Matthew]

Didn't DrGonzo say never mind?

[benji]

But didn't he respond to a question posed to Qballer initially? And isn't this a public discussion forum, not a series of private messages, in which any questions and any answers are open to anyone limited not by the names listed in the posts? And isn't it possible for discussion to transcend the originators of it into...

You know what. Never mind.

I'm not doing that. Again.

[Matthew]

God you love to bitch.

[Matthew]

I just watched the China / Spain game, and I think Spain is the team most likely to beat the USA. Gasol, in my opinion, is the best player in this international game. I hope they play the Americans in the final. That would be epic.

[Jing]

They barely got past China, and it took a 4th quarter meltdown and boneheaded turnovers by Liu Wei for Spain to win, otherwise they'd be looking at 1-1.

Seems like all the teams that are suppose to give USA a run for the gold have stumbled somewhat early, with Argentina going down to Lithuania and Spain needing OT and to beat China.

[Oznogrd]

Are you still competing at all?

Nah, my shoulders are shot to shit so im retired for a little while at least. I'm ok with it, I'm still gonna play some basketball maybe swim a bit, but track is just hell on my shoulders so my reason for getting up in the morning for the past few years is going by the wayside.

As for the question from benji, you have a point there that perhaps all play be it game or sport is used to escape the real world but then again, what about the people whose real world job (pro athletes coaches, officials etc). Is it stil la pointless endeavor or not because you're getting paid? I took a whole class on all this and actually basically in research learned that the more you try to define play and sport the less you really can draw distinctive lines about it.

[benji]

Something can be pointless and still be a passion or a job. (Look at all of us here, no?) Isn't the point of a sport though to be enjoyable? Once it's more of a hassle and obsession, doesn't it lose the reason for pursuing it?

My original point was just snark to Qballer's ascertation that there are pointless events. For those who don't live in states where losers are killed when they get back, does any of the Olympics really matter? Isn't it all pointless? And as I said, isn't that the point? Because it isn't really important, we can enjoy it, just like with all sports. Is airgun shooting really any more pointless than basketball? As long as the people doing it are enjoying themselves and those who do like to watch it also are? (As you explored in your original post.)

Anyway, to stop whining and respond to an allowed post in the thread:

That's not to say that issues like those should be ignored as such but I don't think having a quarrel with some of the political activities of the host nation should prevent you from cheering on your own country's athletes.

What about having a quarrel with the idea that the Olympics are supposed to "bring us together" and "put things aside" but then divide us along national lines because the French wanted to beat the Germans at something back in the day?

I'd only care about the host nation if it was my own wasting money on putting on the games.

[Matthew]

They barely got past China, and it took a 4th quarter meltdown and boneheaded turnovers by Liu Wei for Spain to win, otherwise they'd be looking at 1-1.

Seems like all the teams that are suppose to give USA a run for the gold have stumbled somewhat early, with Argentina going down to Lithuania and Spain needing OT and to beat China.

I don't think it was a meltdown by China as much as it was Spain just taking their game to another level. Spain will learn alot more from this game then America will from their win against China.

[cyanide]

Spanish basketball team being ethnist?

[buzzy]

Brilliant.

[Jing]

[Andrew]

What about having a quarrel with the idea that the Olympics are supposed to "bring us together" and "put things aside" but then divide us along national lines because the French wanted to beat the Germans at something back in the day?

I'd say you can, in all fairness you can approach the situation however you like. My point was that simply watching the Beijing Games doesn't mean you condone China's political activities. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but watching the Games isn't declaring support for what they're doing since you could just be watching because you enjoy sport and want to see your country's athletes compete, most likely with the hope that they'll win.

[Drex]

I don't think it was a meltdown by China as much as it was Spain just taking their game to another level. Spain will learn alot more from this game then America will from their win against China.

That chinese ball handler was shitting his pants. He was being pressured a lot, but made a couple mistakes and gave Spain a chance to win, and they did.

Jing, what's wrong with the pic? I think it's funny.

[Matthew]

I don't think it was a meltdown by China as much as it was Spain just taking their game to another level. Spain will learn alot more from this game then America will from their win against China.

That chinese ball handler was shitting his pants. He was being pressured a lot, but made a couple mistakes and gave Spain a chance to win, and they did.

If Spain plays the entire game against the Americans the way they played the 4th quarter and OT against China, they'll have a great shot of winning.

[Drex]

Oh yeah, definitely. But if China had a better shot selection in the last minute and that guy didn't lost the ball, then Spain would be 1-1.

[Drex]

Sucks that the dude got a little hurt, but it's funny.

[Andrew]

What exactly happened there, did he just slip or did he trip over his own feet on the takeoff?

[Abctest123]

I didn't watch the game, but I'm guessing the guy was running full speed, tried to gather to jump with both feet, but his momentum was too much, as the top half of his body kept going and yanked him off his feet.

[The X]

it looks to me like he must have slipped whilst trying to take off for the block....

[Jing]

Is the ref trying to call a foul there at the end or something?

[cyanide]

Is the ref trying to call a foul there at the end or something?

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Did the guy who went for the layup called for an offensive foul?

[Andrew]

I think he might have just been stopping play, surely you can't call a foul on either player on that play.

[shadowgrin]

Jing, what's wrong with the pic? I think it's funny

Oh noes, Drex is racist.

What exactly happened there, did he just slip or did he trip over his own feet on the takeoff?

I think he was trying to flop, and failed miserably.

[Drex]

What exactly happened there, did he just slip or did he trip over his own feet on the takeoff?

Your guess is as good as mine, I have no idea.

Oh noes, Drex is racist.

Nah, the rest of the world is over sensitive. Actually, just the people from the US. I read somewhere that the Chinese didn't care about that pic, it was Asian-Americans that got upset and started this whole thing.

[Andrew]

Jason Kidd has suggested the whole thing is a double standard.