What struck in…

And y'know, she won, and smashed the competition out of the stadium, whereas he came third, in what wasn't an incredibly fast 1500m race.

Vili totally dominated the arena at her event with her presence and her performance. She threw a personal best of 20.56m to win with her first…

And if you remove the "She has broken barriers, both as a NZer and a woman" from Kyle's statement i agree with him too

(i was referring to your post :-P)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4663244a26500.html

another bollocks article. who the hell is in charge over there?

"Willis then spoke about being almost a missionary as he represented the "western" world against the might of the African distance runner. The man didn't just win a medal, he gave half the world hope."

Not entirely clear whose words are whose.

That is a bollocks article.

I heard Willis…

It starts off by talking about him taking on the African runners, presumably because the winner came from an Asian country.

Then there’s something along the lines of how he followed in the footsteps of Lovelock, Snell and Walker. What he’s actually done is followed in…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4662160a1823.html

Quote from the article:

"Willis then spoke about being almost a missionary as he represented the "western" world against the might of the African distance runner. The man didn't just win a medal, he gave half the world hope."

Not entirely clear whose words are…

Hinton scrapes some large barrels with his Willis article in Stuff today.

Link?

(this just in: Ireland beat the All Blacks – a victory for white people everywhere, says…

Not only racist, but inaccurate on several counts.

An appalling piece.

Is there any way to get a trasncript from TV one?

You should just be able to ask them for one. Sounds like a good paper

I mean: “You did great in the olympics you must be so proud of your self for winning a gold medal we feel proud of you too.”

And that’s one of the better ones.

And…

Which part of the TVNZ messageboard is carrying the (shocking) debate regarding Toni Street's "black men" gaffe?

Currently page 9. See from Tue Aug 19 – 12:30 am onwards.

He's a streetfighter, Bevan Docherty, he's a warrior, he knows how to go into the deep dark place.

My workmates are probably wondering why I'm grumbling and swearing at my computer.

another "defining moment".

drink.

Athlete grabs a flag from the crowd before the finish of the race: Scull

Congrats…

drink.

this is the defining moment!

How many defining moments can this race have?

During the Olympic mens' trialthlon – "Well Brendon, at this level, it's the Olympic Games"

He's a streetfighter, Bevan Docherty, he's a warrior, he knows how to go into the deep dark place.

they'll repeat it right?

endlessly

You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

they'll repeat it right?

During the Olympic mens' trialthlon – "Well Brendon, at this level, it's the Olympic Games"

The Saveloy could never be funny, at least not intentionally.

They didn't say it was funny.

You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

I assumed you were PVR'ing the whole thing.

You were right about pole vaulters, they're totally hot, in a muscley superhero kind of way.

Isinbayeva…

You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

Dude! It was just on TV one. You were right about pole vaulters, they're totally hot, in a muscley superhero kind of way.

Speaking of superheroes, it is now quite clear to me that Dmitriy Klokov is actually the incredible hulk.…

If you've got a spare eight minutes, check out gorgeous Russian pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva as she attempts to break her own world record, shortly after taking Gold in the event.

You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

Andrew Saville, I'd guess.

The Saveloy could never be funny, at least not intentionally.

No that can't have happened, surely not...

The TVNZ message board has a few responses which give some indication of how crass the questioning was (you have to shift through several pages from the primary school kids to get to them, around 1 a.m.).

The Irish runner handled it with…

"So what's it like being surrounded by real journalists? Do you know you're an inspiration for thick blondes everywhere..."

If you've got a spare eight minutes, check out gorgeous Russian pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva as she attempts to break her own world record, shortly after taking Gold in the event.

Am I alone in being a little befuddled at Keith Quinn's commentary during the shotput final?

Dave Moore in The Press goes into some detail about Quinn's shortcomings but doesn't mention that he called Valerie by her maiden name 'Adams' several times.

Another unnamed Kiwi journalist got noticed by…

'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

Well that’s a relief. I am in desperate need for more inspiration in my life.

rish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

Not to mention, 'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

No that can't have happened, surely not...still at least it wasn't, "how do you feel?"

Latest TVNZ jaw-dropper:

Irish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

Not to mention, 'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

Irish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

Words fail.

And as far as other bizarre moments are concerned: WTF were the TV directors thinking when they did a slow-mo' replay of Paula Radcliffe having her "pit-stop" during the women's marathon??

T.F.M!

Enthusiasm is fine, but at least be enthusiastic about what has happened rather than what is about to happen (and then doesn't).

Aw yeah, but he had help ;-)

Heh. I've always wondered a bit how his main partner Matthew Pinsett (only four consecutive golds, the slackarse) feels about it all. Despite his own Herculean feats, there will always be that implication that he's in second place.

I don't know if there's…

Gerevich's record was...
...and won Gold...

Holy crap.

Stuff gushingly noting that the Australian who won Gold in today’s triathlon has a father who was “originally from Masterton”

Link: Another proud day for NZ

*that's* a great athlete.

Seeing as we are nominating greatest Olympians, I'll put my bid in for fellow compatriot, the Hungarian fencer Aladár Gerevich with his team-mate Pál Kovács a close second.

Gerevich's record was...

1932 Los Angeles – Gold in team Sabre.
1936 Berlin – Gold

Then because of…

In his defence he actually does know stuff and unlike many is genuinely well informed......dare I say it a genuine enthusiast, fan, etc. etc.......

Don't forget "sleeping giant" and "she/he has a big engine" and "winding it up now"

That would make the game effectively lethal.
I have to say the guy did a much better job today though. Almost didn't spoil the event.

why have the likes of Saville (“So Michael, when are you coming to NZ next?”) only just cottoned onto this now?

I'd be surprised if the Savaloy knows what's going on right now.

Nooooooo... they're recyicling the cycling pursuit commentator for the triathlon.

That is the worst sports news I've heard all day.

Cue drinking game: you take a little sip every time the guy says protocol or physiology; the prize is a guaranteed trip to A&E.

Don't forget "sleeping giant" and "she/he…

But hey; we’re making up for lost time...…

Cue drinking game: you take a little sip every time the guy says protocol or physiology; the prize is a guaranteed trip to A&E.

Phelps also visited Dunedin in 2003 to train with Duncan Laing

"train".

be he actually just went on the shotover jet and jumped the bungy.

apparently we as the most glorious sporting nation on earth have a link to phelps.

he visited here once.

Hey, twice. Clearly, he owes it all to us:

Phelps, who yesterday won his eighth gold medal at the Olympic pool, visited Dunedin last year to test the LZR Racer, the…

perhaps we can take some remotely reflected glory there?

my favourite bit of reflected glory recently must be the snippet of report on radio nzl this morning.

apparently we as the most glorious sporting nation on earth have a link to phelps.

he visited here once.

I'm not sure that "modern" is still the right epithet for an event designed to mimick the skills required of a cavalry soldier, though.

If I was more of a nerd (or less) I'd be making some sort of joke about post-modernism here.

Or anyone who finishes the decathlon? Or the Modern Pentathlon? Now that requires a generallist!

You are entirely right. (I'm not sure that "modern" is still the right epithet for an event designed to mimick the skills required of a cavalry soldier, though.)

Also, I now know that one-hit epee…

They seem to glow with healthy young womanhood.

And even their commercial pimpage for red meat is done with a little more grace and dignity that your average sports endorsement. Still, I wonder how much disappointment there was in the press pack that Maehe Drysdale's chest didn't explode Alien-style... Seriously,…

Lasse Viren's 5k-10k double at two successive Olympics is another prodigious achievement.

The accusation of 'blood doping' always hung over Viren.

Blood doping is believed to have entered sport in the 1970s but was not made illegal until 1986. Before then it was in vogue among middle-and long-distance runners,…

Now, that's a great athlete.

Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia, won the marathon at the 1960 olympics with no shoes.

I suppose Carl Lewis is African in some sense.

nah, i meant one of those kenyan or ethiopian blokes. the name has completely escaped me, but i'm suspicious it was selasse?

And I meant that no such person existed :-)

Haile Gebrselassie won the 10,000m at the 1996 and 2000…

Try these:

Paavo_Nurmi

Fanny Blankers-Koen

But my favourite remains Daley Thompson 10 events, one gold, he managed it twice.....

Now, if you want a real Olympian, I vote for the female cyclist who went from a silver medal in rowing in the last Olympics to a gold in cycling at this one. That's real diversity of talent.

Diversity?

How about Christa Luding-Rothenburger – medallist in cycling and speed-skating.

Or…

RB, you didn’t reply to Stephen Jones’s Facebook invitation then?

I suppose Carl Lewis is African in some sense.

nah, i meant one of those kenyan or ethiopian blokes. the name has completely escaped me, but i'm suspicious it was selasse?

but yes. mr redgrave is also a top athlete. mr phelps is a great athlete who needs to keep…

Swimming at the Olympics needs a serious scythe taken to it. A ridiculous number of medals, and a ridiculous number of relays.

If Phelps was from NZ he would only win 5 Golds.

I do find it slightly ridiculous that _sixteen_ other people were involved in helping Phelps win three…

Five golds in five consecutive olympiads.

Now, that's a great athlete.

Aw yeah, but he had help ;-)

Lasse Viren's 5k-10k double at two successive Olympics is another prodigious achievement.

michael phelps? meh.

who was the african distance runner who won gold for 4 olympics straight? in a field where you could probably only win two medals in a games?

*that's* a great athlete.

Mr Tibby, Ladies and Gentlemen, for your pleasure and amazement, allow me to present to you,…

The chaps among you might be interested to know they are *gorgeous*, along with being really nice and good at rowing and that.

They seem to glow with healthy young womanhood. I remember a British backpacker once holding forth to me on New Zealand girls on the trail, to the…

Swimming at the Olympics needs a serious scythe taken to it. A ridiculous number of medals, and a ridiculous number of relays.

Yes, and what's with all the different styles? I'm sure that Bolt would probably win the 100 metres starjumping too, but he's not given that option.

I watched the All Blacks and had Valerie streaming live on the laptop. The frame-rate dropped markedly when the shot-put started, but it was viable, which is quite cool.

Although I've found the most reliable way to view TVNZ's…

BTW RB; you’re encouraging Stephen Jones by reading his articles again. You know he likes that.

I still haven't worked out whether the Stephen Jones who wanted to friend me on Facebook was for real ...

michael phelps? meh.

who was the african distance runner who won gold for 4 olympics straight?

It's usually hard to be better than someone non-existent :-)

Well, I suppose Carl Lewis is African in some sense. And the long jump involves distance, and you have to run too. Close enough!

If Phelps was from NZ he would only win 5 Golds.

BTW RB; you’re encouraging Stephen Jones by reading his articles again. You know he likes that.

who was the african distance runner who won gold for 4 olympics straight? in a field where you could probably only win two medals in a games?

*that's* a great athlete.

I think the discussion was about hyperbole in sports writng in general

When ever someone suggests that the All Blacks have played there finest performance ever (or that a particular All Black has) I always dispute this and ramble on about their great performance against Australia/The English/someone during some year…

if there were a few more sports hacks in the MSM like Hadyn (who in my not at all humble opinion is an enthusiast in the very best sense) I'd be a very happy chap indeed.

Hadyn begins to rewrite his CV...

And thanks Sue! Flattery is always accepted.

Although…

I think the discussion was about hyperbole in sports writng in general and Craig's point about it in the Peter Bills quote. Not anything from this fine post.

Um, yes... Sue, if there were a few more sports hacks in the MSM like Hadyn (who in my not at all…

not a critic not some educated scientist, but a fan

And these are exclusive contingencies ?

I know a few that might take issue with that.........

and it's brilliant and it's fun and you know what if it's not your cup of tea, why not say your peace and leave it at that.

I think the discussion was about hyperbole in sports writng in general and Craig's point about it in the Peter Bills quote. Not…

I'm printing T-shirts with the phrase: If only all our crises were like All Blacks crises.

I'll take one

and it's brilliant and it's fun and you know what…

In all sports you have to buy into the importance of it to care about it. If you don't care it does look a bit silly.

Sure, but I think the baseline of all good writing is that it communicates enthusiasm and knowledge, especially when the subject in hand isn't…

With timing Olympic swimming comes the problem that it is impossible to create a pool where each lane is exactly the same length!

Of course, it will also be impossible to create a pool where each lane is the same length as itself. Perhaps Cavic should have aimed for the…

can the All Blacks blanking the Springboks in South Africa

Does this mean the All Blacks quaxed the Springboks?

the odd decent flash of brilliance

Stephen? How can something be brilliance and decent at the same time?

With timing Olympic swimming comes the problem that it is impossible to create a pool where each lane is exactly the same length!

So was it the fact that Phelps' lane was .001seconds shorter?…

I had to look ‘coruscating’ up in the dictionary.

I had to buy one with laminated, wipe-clean pages. :)

I think that's a fair point Craig. In all sports you have to buy into the importance of it to care about it. If you don't care it does look a…

How about that Usain Bolt? He smashes the 100m record, cruising with his arms out wide from about 80m, all with one of his shoes untied (supposedly).

Michael Phelps, bah.

Yeah but when Phelps won his medals he wasn't even wearing shoes!

I had to look ‘coruscating’ up in the dictionary.

I had to buy one with laminated, wipe-clean pages. :)

Mike at the Dropkicks managed to unearth the Michael Phelps frame by frame.

Cool! Picture, thousand words, etc. It plays out like I thought I saw it live — all in the last reach of the arms.

Oh, and Stephen Jones, still a cock:

Peter Bills for the Independent does much better.

A towering mountain overlooks the beautiful Newlands ground in the Cape, and a towering rugby player graced it yesterday. Richie McCaw gave one of the greatest displays in rugby history to shatter the new world…

Michael Phelps, bah.

I liked the Guardian's mach report headline: All Blacks manage crisis.

I'm printing T-shirts with the phrase: If only all our crises were like All Blacks crises.

Only on a day where we win five Olympic medals can the All Blacks blanking the Springboks in South Africa (for the first time ever) be second page news. And that was a great game by the way, featuring Captain Tackles at his best.

I liked the Guardian's mach report…