Olympic Quick Hits, Day 15

OMan, I just don't get these Russians. There is a player on their men's volleyball team by the name of Semen. I don't about you, but the next thing you know, some fresh new set of parents in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, or insert [country of kinky names here] who lack even the slightest of decency is gonna name their daughter Cum.

God save that family. Domine salvum farc!

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God save Ato Boldon, too. He is an ass. He just had to correlate the missing bibs with the USA 4x100m relay team's failure to hold on to the baton.

Douchebag.

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At least the USA got their revenge on Japan. In baseball, they took home a bronze in an 8-4 rout. Meanwhile, China makes Cuba pay for their victory over them in pool play, winning 3 games to 1.

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Some news.

FIG requests evidence from China
BEIJING - THE International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) told China on Saturday to provide more evidence to support its claims that five of its Olympic gymnasts are old enough to be competing.

Allegations have been rife that China broke the rules by fielding gymnasts who will not turn 16 this year as required under the sport's rules introduced in 1997 to protect the wellbeing of young athletes.

'The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) is seeking to clarify the claims made in the media regarding the age of Chinese female gymnasts He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan, Li Shanshan, Deng Linlin and Yang Yilin,' it said in a statement.

'The FIG provided documentary evidence, including copies of the athletes' passports, when questions were raised in online media earlier this year.'

But more evidence focusing on the age of gold medal winner He Kexin has surfaced in recent days prompting the International Olympic Committee to demand the FIG check again.

The FIG said that 'in the interests of laying the matter to rest ... the FIG has now asked the Chinese Gymnastic Association to submit further documents testifying to the birthdates of the gymnasts'.

'On receipt of these documents, the FIG will forward its conclusions to the International Olympic Committee. It is in the interests of all concerned, not least the athletes themselves, to resolve this issue once and for all.'

BOCOG executive vice president Wang Wei insisted on Friday that the gymnasts would not have competed if they were under-age, while He told reporters during the competition that she was 16.

USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny on Friday said he had long believed the issue needed addressing by the FIG and IOC.

'An investigation would help bring closure to the issue and remove any cloud of speculation from this competition,' he said. -- AFP

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China, we can get through this faster if you cooperate. Failure to do so will result in your medals being taken away. Xie Xie.

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Argentina took out Nigeria in the gold medal game in soccer, 1-0, as Wang Hao and Ma Lin clashed it out later in the day for the gold in men's table tennis.

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We have four legit chances at getting some gold back (aside from China's cooperation regarding the real age of those young brats). The ladies have to outhit the Brazilians and outshoot the Aussies, while they along with their guy counterparts have to outrun everyone else-BUT NOT DROP THE F***ING BATON-in the 4 x 400 meter relay. Four chances.

Let's get it done.

More Olympics thoughts on Day 14

The Serbs were roughhoused by the USA, doubled up in a 10-5 win. The gusy wrap up their games against the always-intimidating Hungarian team, led by the likes of Gergely Kiss and Norbert Madaras.

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Man, this has been nothing but a crap Olympics for USA Baseball, as well as USA Softball. I'm putting my money on both sports returning in 2016. The USA gets a shot at payback against Japan in the bronze medal game.

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JUst like the women, it will be Brazil vs. the USA in the gold-medal game, A 3-1 victory over Italy makes it a Clash of thr Americas at Beijing.

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This time, the men did NOT drop the baton in the 4 x 400 m relay, finishing first in their heat. Meanwhile, Bryan Clay gives the USA another gold in the decathlon.

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The modern pentathlon, a.k.a. The Search for Eastern Europe's Greatest All-Around Athlete to Come Home Later In Life In A Box, concluded. Lena Schoenborn led the way for Germany's women (Heather Fell got silver for the Brits and Victoria Tereshuk won the Bronze for the Ukraine), while Andrey Moiseev took homne another gold for the Russians. A couple of Lithuanians in Edvinas Krungolcas and Andrejus Zadneprovskis took home silver and bronze.

I really think they should scrap this event. It's just plain antiquated. The IOC, in their next meeting, should do this:

* Scap the Modern Pentathlon.
* Bring back baseball and softball.
* Bring in rugby sevens and karate.

If it sounds hard to do, it's because the countries who vote against it suck.

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Bring on Spain and the Gasol brothers. A 101-81 victory lands the USA in the gold medal match, while Pau and Marc busted the Lithuanians 91-86.

Riders, Angels and Galaxy fail miserable...again on Day 14

A quick Q and A.

Question: Who is Maris Strombergs?

Answer: He is a Latvian who upstaged the likes of Mike Day and DOnny Robinson to take the first-ever Men's BMX gold at the Beijing Games. HE was also heading into this run as the world champion, so, it was fair enough.

Question: Who is Jill KIntner?

Answer: She represented the only medal hope for the USA in women's BMX, delivering bronze behind a 1-2 combination for France.


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And the Philippines in not going to medal at these Games. Mary Antoinette Rivero lost to Sandra Saric in taekwondo, 4-1. Nice going, mother country.

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As Steven Lopez does his own taekwondo business, I am surprised that this match went south in a hurry for Marcio Araujo and Fabio Luiz Magalhaes in the third set against Phil and Todd. Mr. Dalhausser and Mr. Rogers take the Brazilians out of their neighborhood to win, 2 sets to 1.

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While Phil and Todd's Beijing Beachvolley Adventure culminated in a gold sweep for the USA, their indoor counterparts were frustrated at the grittiness of the Russians, namely Maxim Mikhaylov, Alexander Volkov and Sergey Tetyukhin in Set 3 after they were up 2 games to none. You gotta give to credit to these three guys for keeping them in the game with a 27-25 victory in the set. In volleyball, there are times where getting that final set can be difficult, especially if you are up two games to none. A lack of focus, combined with an uncanny penchant for complacency, will do you in when a match goes the distance.

The best teams in volleyball will shut down their opponents early when they are up by two sets. But those same teams also inherit the ability to rally back when they are down to their last set. This Russian side's performance was a clear example of what great teams in volleyball do when everything is on the line. Actually, the guys nearly gave the match away altogether to the Russians. THank god for David Lee. See, this is why I am proud to be from Long Beach State. It's these types of alums that are clutch when it come to these types of situations. It took them 220 rally points, but David finally got it done, blocking Maxim Mikhaylov, and taking it, 25-22, 25-21, 25-27, 22-25, and 15-13.

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Time-out to vent some steam.

What the hell is going on with my Roughriders and Galaxy? Saskatchewan is now on a 2-game losing streak. We probably need to get some calcium pills stat over to Regina because our guys are getting their bones broken faster than old hags with osteoporosis. And even with Bruce Arena at the helm we can't figure out how to win games. 1-0 defeat to Chicago. I'm more keen to follow the likes of the Chelsea, the Melbourne Victory and AFC wimbledon now. I don't think my G's will stand a chance against even the Wombles.

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And as if things haven't been bad enough for my local team today, they do. Angels fall to the Twins, 2-1. Suddenly, the phrase "consistency" comes into play. Should they have enough to win the division, the last thing Scioscia needs to come into October on a losing note. Wake the bats up boys, the regular season isn't over yet. Only good thing locally is that the Armada won. The bad things about it is that...the Armada won on a day that the Angels lost.