I wanted to make this a poll but couldn't figure out how to do it!
Do people think that the swimming finals should be moved ot the mornig so that they will be on during the evening prime time here inthe States? Many different swimming sites from other countries think that it is a lot of us in hteStates blowing & whinning.
Former Member
I'm just as sure the Chinese women have been taking drugs around the clock like they did in the 90s. And keeping their young kids out of international competitions so they're not caught.
Your claim is very unfair to those innocent Chinese women swimmers. Not every Chinese female champion is winning her titles by using drugs,for instance the breaststroker, Luo Xuejuan. I am not ,even the slightest,trying to defend for those Chinese women using drugs to win, which were and are always a big shame to me and my country. But you are just way too far by attacking every Chinese swimmer.
Well, that's the problem, George. We don't really know who is and who isn't. So, because we prefer our heros to be clean, we are disappointed (you and Ben Johnson) when they are not. I think the swimmer who got screwed over the most, I remember watching it so clearly, was Shirley Babashoff. It was her and the roid monsters. She should have got gold instead of silver in every event. (I do remember she got gold in one relay.)
Here are some more opinions from around the world about this decision.
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../12296.asp
Everyone hates change. I really think people are making a mountain out of a molehill with this one. If I were Australian I'm sure I'd be a little pissed that the IOC is catering to NBC and the U.S., but is it really a big deal for Australian viewers? Sydney is two hours ahead of Beijing so it's not like finals are going to be at some oddball time for them. As far as the swimmers; I maintain it really isn't going to affect them. People swim faster in finals because they're finals--not become of the time of day they are contested.
The East German and Chinese women swimmers have been villified. our heros to be clean
If we only knew the real truth there may not be any Olympic events or maybe only a few finalists that would qualify to compete.
In the 50's doctors were handing out anabolic steroids like candy and when I heard how they were manufactured from body parts of a bull I did not want them. In 1945 they started using Pinkies (benzadrine) the little pills the pilots took during the war they kept you awake up to four hours, then Dexadrine long lasting effects, and so on. Later liquid dexadrine all you had to tell the doctor was I wet my bed and you had an endless supply. Dr please excuse the spelling errors.
Some will complete clean but some will not.
I love their coverage of the 1500. They usually show about the first 200 meters then cut away and come back to show the final 100. They can't show a 15 minute race in its entirety? Geez, they show the entire marathon. Sure, they cut away for commercials periodically, but still...
NBC will still delay races to fit around commercials and profiles; 'plausibly live' has always been their mantra. Heck, if this had ever been about the athletes, we wouldn't have had boycotted olympics.
Kirk- to the rest of the world, it appears that the decision to pander to NBC is just a case of giving in the Americans while they don't realize that when money talks the IOC listens really well. Of course, living in Seattle you wouldn't think it would make any difference where they have 24 hr a day caffeine blowers throughout the city ensuring that everyone has enough 'edge' to face the I5 for one more morning.
Hey, it's that or heroin. Take your pick! ;)
No, I agree about the pandering, but a lot of the responses are acting like this is such an egregious thing to do to the swimmers. My point is it ain't going to matter for the swimmers.
Kirk- to the rest of the world, it appears that the decision to pander to NBC is just a case of giving in the Americans while they don't realize that when money talks the IOC listens really well. Of course, living in Seattle you wouldn't think it would make any difference where they have 24 hr a day caffeine blowers throughout the city ensuring that everyone has enough 'edge' to face the I5 for one more morning.
Good to see you on this site while usaswimming.org is 'rebuilding' the smoking ruin that is their forum.
USA Swimming statement regarding change in Olympic swimming schedule (10/26/2006)
Statement from USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus regarding the IOC decision to change the swimming schedule in Beijing:
“This is a great opportunity for our sport to be showcased to the nearly one billion people in the potential television audience of the Americas during the first nine days of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The live prime time exposure is something that can only benefit the sport of swimming, and enhance the public profile of our sport’s top athletes.
The IOC’s decision to announce this nearly two years prior to the Olympic Games ensures a level playing field for all athletes. No matter what the schedule, our athletes will be ready to swim their best when their best is needed.”
-------
I am using your quote here only because it truly shows how wein the States simply have no idea about the world and how they feel about us. Is this the US being a bully again?
And Now This for George,
I have been talking to veterinarians in Canada for my job. It is great to try to guess wha tlanuage the person picking up the telephone in Canada is goinig to speak. On Friday, I had a women start talking to me in somehting I've never heard before. I asked if she spoke English or French. She started to yell at me over thetelephone. I hung up. It is great when some one speaking French won't let me speak with them in French. They keep changing to English.
