RSSScared Monkeys Radio Daily Commentary - Monday, August 25, 2008 - The 2008 Summer Olympics Have Come And Gone
- Dana discusses how things have changed in the world of sports since the days when “Olympic heroes” were truly household names.
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Posted August 25, 2008 by Scared Monkeys Olympics, Podcast, Scared Monkeys Radio, Sports | 2 comments |
The Great Eight: Michael Phelps & the US Mens 4×100m Medley Relay Wins Gold
A Phelpsian Pheat …
Move over Mark Spitz there is a new sheriff in town and his name is Michael Phelps. This morning at the Beijing Olympics Phelps did what many thought was impossible. Phelps went 8 for 8 in during the Beijing Olympics to break Mark Spitz’s record that stood since the 1972 Olympics.
Phelps earned his unprecedented eighth Olympic gold medal of the 2008 Olympics as he swam the butterfly leg of the Americans’ world-record win in the 4×100m medley relay to close out the swimming competition at the Water Cube.
Jason Lezak held off Eamon Sullivan of Australia in the freestyle leg, with the Americans finishing in 3:29.34. Australia took the silver in 3:30.04 and Japan the bronze.
Mission accomplished: Phelps earns eighth gold in medley relay
Eight is enough: Phelps clinches record with relay gold
Lucky 7: Michael Phelps Ties Mark Spitz’s Olympic Record of 7 Gold Medals in One Olympics
Michael Phelps … skill … determination … dedication and a little divine intervention.
By on .01 seconds Michael Phelps won the 100 meter butterfly and has tied Mark Spitz record of 7 gold medals in one Olympic Games. It was the difference between the decision to take one final stroke or stride to the wall. When the race was over and Phelps had won that elusive 7th gold medal, he showed the passion of a champion.
After 3,200 meters and 16 races, Michael Phelps’s pursuit of Mark Spitz came down to a single stroke. With five meters to go in the 100-meter butterfly final Saturday morning, Phelps realized he had misjudged the finish.
He had two choices: glide to the wall, kicking like crazy, or take an extra, awkward half-stroke. To his left, Milorad Cavic was having the race of his life. Phelps, who was seventh at the turn, had no room for error.
The photo-finish that put Michael Phelps into Olympic lore.
In fact, Cavic had more than a half- body lead, but that soon evaporated. Phelps picked off one swimmer after another, until he caught Cavic at the wall. Phelps thought he had lost. “I actually did,” he said later. “When I did chop the last stroke, I thought that cost me the race, but it was actually the opposite. If I had glided, I would have been way too long. I took short, faster strokes to try to get my hand on the wall. I ended up making the right decision.
UPDATE I: Phelps’ golden touch: Did the big clock lie? ; Phelps’ 7th gold drips with controversy: Did he really beat Cavic to wall?
With any close race comes those that wish to create a conspiracy. However, anyone who has been watching these games knows that there is no bias for American athletes in the Olympics. If anything it is just the opposite. Ask the American female gymnasts, Nastia Liuken and Shawn Johnson, in the All Around competition who had to not only beat the Chinese gymnast and others, but also some extremely questionable scoring on behalf of the judges.
UPDATE II: FINA throws out protest against Phelps
Serbia protests finish stating their swimmer Milorad Cavic finished ahead of Michael Phelps; however, did not touch the wall hard enough to trigger the sensor. That’s a rather lame reason and FINA thought as well as they threw the protest out. The fact of the matter is, Cavic thought he was closer to the wall when he made his final stride and Phelps powered his was to the end.
Serbia lodged the protest, saying second-placed Milorad Cavic had actually finished first but had failed to touch the wall with enough force to trigger the timing sensor.
But at a press conference in Beijing, FINA said it was convinced that Phelps, who trailed Cavic until the touch, had hit the wall ahead of the Serb.
Milorad Cavic stated after the 100m butterfly that, “Is Michael Phelps the winner of the gold medal? I think if we got to do it again, I would win it.” Maybe these swimmers challenging Phelps should learn to keep their mouths shut as all they have done is further inspire Phelps to win.
Phelps said he was also inspired by some choice words by his long-time coach Bob Brown.
“Beforehand Bob said it would be good for the sport of swimming if I lost,” Phelps told Channel Seven.
“When Bob told me that I was pretty fired up, when someone says something it makes me more excited and more ready to go.”
Beijing Olympics: Swimmer Michael Phelps Has won the 200 Meter Individual Medley. … 6 Gold Medals Down, 2 to Go …
Michael Phelps is now 6 for 6 and is closing in on Mark Spitz record of 7 Olympic gold medals. Michael Phelps has once again won Olympic gold. Phelps won his 6th gold medal of the Beijing Olympics by breaking his own world record in the 200 meter individual medley with a time of 1 minute, 54.23 seconds. Once again, Phelps just made it look so easy.
Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics on Friday in record time, defeating rivals Laszlo Cseh and teammate Ryan Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley.
Phelps defended his title from four years ago in Athens, winning in 1 minute, 54.23 seconds and lowering his own world record of 1:54.80 set at last month’s U.S. trials. It was the American’s sixth world mark in Beijing.
For a man named Phelps, a quest like no other nears end
For Phelps, 6 races, 6 gold medals and 6 world records.
Beijing Olympics … Chinese Admit Fake Opening Ceremony Little Girl Singing Scandal (Lin Miaoke & Yang Peiyi) … Maybe they can Admit Female Gymnasts were not 16
China deceiving the world with imagery over substance. Why should anyone be surprised? As beautiful as the Opening Ceremony was of the Beijing Olympics, they were just a microcosm of the present one image to the world while something quite different goes on behind the scenes.
Lin Miaoke & Yang Peiy, a tale of two little Chinese girls and how their government deal with perception over reality.
By all accounts the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics were considered a great success of amazing and beautiful lights, sound and imagery. However, we have learned since that some of it was not real. We learned that parts of the spectacular fire work display during the Opening Ceremony was fake.
The dupe was revealed by China’s Beijing Times. Speaking to the paper, the man responsible for the animation said he was pleased with the result.
“Seeing how it worked out, it was still a bit too bright compared to the actual fireworks,” Gao Xiaolong told the newspaper.
“But most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished.”
If anyone ever wanted to know what China wanted out of these Olympics all they have to do is see the “perfect” imagery scam to follow.
Lin Miaoke – the pretty face
Yang Peiyi – the voice who was considered unsuited to the lead role because of her buck teeth
Posted August 14, 2008 by Scared Monkeys Bizarre, Child Welfare, Corruption, Government, Olympics, Sports, WTF, World | 23 comments |
Michael Phelps: 3 for 3 Gold Medals at Beijing Olympics and 3 World Records … I Wanna be Like Mike
I wanna be like Mike … Anyone think that Gatorade may be dusting off the old Michael Jordon marketing campaign and apply it to Michael Phelps? If the execs at Gatorade have not thought of it, maybe they should. Comparably, Michael Phelps may actually be a more dominating and greater swimmer than Jordan was to the NBA and basketball.
American swimming sensation Michael Phelps has done it again and is now 3 for 3 in Gold medals and world records. His latest conquest in Beijing was the 200 meter free style where Phelps overwhelmed the rest of the field and set a new world record at 1:42.96 seconds. With Michael Phelps 9th gold medal overall, he also becomes tied for the most ever gold medals in Olympic history. Not bad for a 23 year old lad with 5 races to go in Beijing and who has stated he wants to participate in the 2012 Olympics.
Phelps is now 3-for-3 in Beijing, and is on course to beat Spitz’s 36-year-old record of seven golds in a single Olympics.
Phelps’s ninth career gold tied him with Spitz, Lewis, Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi for the most in Olympic history. “To be tied for the most Olympic golds of all time, with those
names, in Olympic history …,” Phelps said, before pausing and letting out a slight chuckle. “The Olympics have been around for so many years, that’s a pretty amazing accomplishment.”
Michael Phelps made it look so easy in the 200m free style. The race was over in the first 25 meters as Phelps crushed the field. Three races and three world records, it just does not get any better than that. When one considers that Phelps is participating in 8 events and all of the preliminary swims prior to the event finals against specialist swimmers who one swim in one even, his accomplishments are just that much more amazing. Imagine what Michael Phelps would do to these records if he only had to concentrate on one event and not pace himself for the long haul?
Michael Phelps, 2 For 2 Gold Medals as US 4×100m Freestyle Relay Team Smash Record and Shut the French Up with World Record
“We’re going to smash them.” (Alain Bernard, French swimmer’s comments regarding America swimmers prior to race)
Oh “contraire mon aime”. Next time you may want to “fermez votre bouche” before an Olympic race when Michael Phelps and company are involved. The Americans teach the French a lesson in motivational chalk board material and make the French eat some major American humble pie.
American swimmer Michael Phelps won his second gold medal of the Beijing 
Olympics on his way to a potential 8 golds; however, this time it was Team America that provided the win. Michael Phelps may in fact win individual honors of becoming the first Olympian ever to win 8 gold medals at a single Olympics; however, this team relay will go down in history as the signature event of the Beijing Olympics in American sports history and one of the greatest team efforts ever.
It was one for the Ages. It has been called the greatest swimming relay race in history. If you saw it, it was. A Hollywood movie could not have been better scripted than how this event played out. The American 4×100 meter relay team, Michael Phelps, Garret Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak, swam one for the ages as they won Olympic gold and smashed the world record by nearly 4 seconds. Five of the teams that swam in the relay all finished ahead of the old record.
Video below, you have to watch it to believe it if you have not seen it yet. It was not quite Miracle on Ice of 1980 USA Olympic hockey fame, but it was damn close. This is what Olympic spirit of competition is all about and … NEVER SAY NEVER … It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.
Beijing Olympics: US Swimmer Michael Phelps Wins Gold and Breaks World Record … 1 Down 7 to Go
Michael Phelps wins first gold of Beijing Olympics … There is another Wheaties box in his very near future.
There have almost become three certainties in life … death, taxes and Michael 
Phelps winning Olympic gold in the pool. In Phelps’ first race of the Beijing Olympics, the 400 meter individual medley, he did not disappoint. In fact, Michael Phelps not only won gold but also set a new world record at 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds.
With President Bush cheering him on, Phelps dominated his first event of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday morning, crushing his own world record and all hopes of his challengers with a mark of 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds in the 400-meter individual medley.
What separates true champions from the rest? With all the pressure and expectations to win, Phelps made it look so relaxed and easy.
As Beijing Olympics Have Opening Ceremonies, An American Tourist (Relative of US Men’s Volleyball coach) is Killed at Beijing’s Drum Tower … Attacker Tang Yongming
As much as the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics were a fantastic and had spectators in awe, this 
story will most certainly put a dark cloud upon the games.
A knife wielding Chinese man stabbed to death an American man and injured two others who was attending the Olympic Games. With an unprecedented amount of police and military presence at the Beijing Olympics, it just goes to show even a totalitarian dictatorship like China that random acts of violence cannot be prevented.
BEIJING, China (CNN) — A Chinese attacker stabbed two Americans, killing the man and wounding the woman, who were attending the Olympic Games on Saturday, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The man also injured a female Chinese tour guide before leaping to his death around noon from the second floor of the Drum Tower, a popular Beijing tourist site, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
The USOC said the two Americans were family members of a coach for the U.S. men’s indoor volleyball team. No other information about them was released.
Drum Tower in Beijing Crime Scene
One American tourist has been murdered and another was injured in Beijing, China while sightseeing at Beijing’s Drum Tower at mid-day today. The two Americans who were attacked were relatives of a coach for the U.S. Olympic men’s volleyball team. The suspect has been identified as 47 year old Tang Yongming from Hangzhou. According to reports, after he attacked the two Americans with a knife, Tang Yongming committed suicide by jumping off the Drum Tower.
UPDATE I: American killed at Games was coach’s father-in-law
Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minnesota were attacked at the Drum Tower, an ancient monument in downtown Beijing, the IOC and Chinese authorities said.
Barbara Bachman’s injuries are “serious and life-threatening,” an IOC statement said. The tour guide’s condition was not immediately clear.
Todd Bachman was the father-in-law of U.S. Olympic men’s indoor volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon. McCutcheon’s wife, 2004 U.S. Olympic women’s indoor volleyball player Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon, was with her parents when they were attacked, but she was not hurt, the IOC said.
UPDATE II: Stabbing victim father of ‘04 U.S. Olympian, father-in-law of coach (ESPN)
Barbara, Elisabeth & Todd Bachman
UPDATE II: A Face brought to the Murder in Beijing, the Bachman’s
Father Todd Bachman was murdered and mother Barbara Bachmna is in critical condition. God bless this family and may Barbara have a safe ans speedy recovery.
Posted August 9, 2008 by Scared Monkeys Bizarre, Crime, Deceased, Murder, Olympics, Sports, World | 7 comments |
