Another gold medal chance for GB in the next, the Men's Lightweight Fours. 4-5 GB 4-1 Aust. 5-1 Denmark. 5-1 S.A.
What about the Men's 100 free today? Magnussun the missile exploded on the launch pad when he led out the Australian team in the 4x 100 free. The world champion could only post a 48 second split to finish second in the lead off. We all know that Agnel powered home to give the French the gold, his semi time for this though as a bit on the slow side and questions need to be asked about his speed here against the best. Both American Nathan Adrian and Brazilian Cesar Cielo get out fast and will try to steal it. Agnel and Magnussen will be the late chargers. Magnussun is a slow starter and will be lining them a serious start, but if he fires, he'll finish like a train in the last 20m. I'll forgive him the bad run. Magnussun.
The rules were stupid though Cyc - if you change it to a round robin then people are going to do what they need to to have the best chance of going as far as they can. I'm not necessarily condoning it as they were not exactly subtle but the organisers made a rod for their own backs. I know it will upset all the corinthians on here (not being sarcastic as i know there are a few on here who really believe in the concept of fair play and giving it your all no matter what the circumstance - and i respect that) but if a British team had done that because they knew they'd have an easier route in the knock out stages I would have said they were doing the right thing.
Know what you mean Dan. In the State of Origin (rugby league) we Queenslanders got some really lucky calls. We were happy to take them. If the shoe had been on the other foot though, we'd have yelled blue murder. As for the games, it true, the power's that be did indeed make a rod for their own backs, but I think they had no option other than to show them the door.
Oh I quite agree - it's the 11th commandment all over again though. I do find it quite funny - apparently Jacques Rogge was in the audience - how's your luck?!
Someone asked on here what exactly is the Olympic spirit. Well I'm not sure exactly but those badminton folk haven't got it.
Dan: God no, never! We would have excused ourselves from the tournament, and asked for understanding for a lapse of judgement, you know that's right!........<run like hell>...
When I typed that I had you, Ron, Tamerlo, Rainer and sir Barney in mind actually! I do still believe in the notion of fair play and the whole corinthian spirit thing but sometimes I think some British teams have used it as a fall back for failure - "yes I know we were bowled out for 71 and Simpkins recorded figures of 0-72 in 4 overs but we all shook hands and were terribly polite to the umpire". I would like us to win fairly and with style of course but I have to say that winning is the one i want first - if it comes by way of cheating then I'd pretend to be outraged by it but deep down I wouldn't care. If you loook at incidents like Schumacher in the 82 world cup semi, Campese in the 91 RWC and the hand of God in 86 and Henry in 09 I sometimes get the impression that there's people in this country who would actively refuse to support the team if we had done the same thing. A bit too much navel gazing sometimes I fear.
