More Olympics thoughts on Day 13

In team competition, the USA had had its share of ups and downs. The USA Women had their sloppiest game yet at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium. Against Becky Hammon and the Russians, they eked out a 67-52 victory. In extra time, the USA women defeated Brazil thanks to Carli Lloyd's goal in the 96th minute.

There were a few letdowns, all of them big. Down at the Yingdong Natatorium, the USA lose a heartbreaker to the Netherlands, 9-8. And what the bloody hell just happened in Fengtai!? In what will go down as one of the biggest chokes in softball history as well as a day of infamy for softball in this country, the USA loses to Japan, 3-1. This USA side was undefeated before this game. For these ladies to lose the very last game in their Olympic campaign-THE VERY LAST GAME-is something that will never be erased from this proud American psyche for years, even after the sport is reinstated.

This softball picked the WRONG time to drop one. Let us have a moment of silence for their campaign gone south. See the obituary below.

===

More chokes. In taekwondo, Mark Lopez lost to Son Tae-Jin for the gold medal, while Diana Lopez salvaged a campaign gone south, defeating Veronica Calabrese for the bronze. Allyson Felix was outrun by Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica for the gold in the women's 200 meters. Just in case you had any doubt about the Havana Affair being put to rest, David Payne and David Oliver were not match for Dayron Robles of Cuba in the men's 100-meter hurdles.

===

There were some other good things that also happened. Lashawn Merritt, Jeremy Wariner and David Neville made it a 1-2-3 finish for the USA in the men's 400 meters.

===

More diving medals for the Chinese. Ruolin Chen and Wang Xin finish 1-3 in the women's 10-meter platform.

===

Konata's gonna need to crank up those sliders, because it IS Brazil that the USA will face in the women's volleyball gold medal game. They swept China 3-0. And it WILL be Australia in the gold medal game in women's hoops, with the Opals thumping China, 90-56.

======

Rest in peace, Gene Upshaw.

===

And just when you thought it couldn't get any more worse for the USA, it does. Both 4 x 100 meter relay teams dropped the baton. And suddenly, Chicago's prospects for 2016 have taken a serious about-face.

Mercy.

Obituary of the day

In Affectionate (or is it Disaffectionate?) Remembrance
of
USA SOFTBALL,
WHICH DIED AT THE FENGTAI FIELD
on
21st AUGUST, 2008
Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and family, despondent acquaintances, and despairing fans of the sport who also mourn the removal of it from the Olympic Program in 2012. (As well as deeply celebrated by weeaboos around the world.)
------
R.I.P.
------

N.B. - The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Japan.

Havana Affair on Day 13


The day started off rather nicely for us. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh got their payback over Tian Jia and Wang Jie, winning the gold medal in successive 21-18 set victories. Naturally, my senile parents made it known that they were living in a different, louder era.

Meanwhile, as the USA took out Guatemala 1-0 for their first-ever win in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier in Guatemala City, Wang Chen won her fourth-round match against Kim Kyung-Ah of South Korea, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9 and 11-9. Four games to three.

That Usain Bolt...does this guy have a future as an actor? He made it look as if it was something from a comedy worthy of a Razzie. Dat Jamaica mon...

===

Meanwhile, Wu Xue of the Dominican Republic (seriously, what the hell is it with these countries hiring these Chinese mercenaries to play for them? Do us all a favor and develop your OWN players, you lazy island merengue maniacs!), takes out our very own Gao Jun by the same score as Chen's win over Kim.

===

I am compelled to play the Ramones' "Havana Affair" over and over. We can't lift a middle finger to them in wrestling, and one of our grapplers quit. And you call yourself an Olympian, Daniel Cormier. By the blood of Rulon Gardner of Wyoming, you are a disgrace to your singlet.

===

Cuba's women's volleyball team should have known that karma is a female hound from hell that bites. They swept the USA 3-0 in their round robin match before they headed into the knockout stages. They must have thought, "Oh, we beat the USA, we can take care of them again."

If these ladies thought they were going to reprise their effort, they were in for a rude awakening. Jenny Lang Ping and her crew were playing the type of game Cuba had been doing to them. They reviewed the game tape, and figured out these ladies, routing them in a sweep of their own: 25-20, 25-16 and 25-17.

Performances can turn into flukes just like that. This USA women's team will get a medal. It's just a matter of which color it will be.