Norcal2's Blog

China's gymnastic team did look like they are soon to hit their teen years although one little anchor addition may have to wait longer than the others. The US team looked old by comparison. Perhaps not old but as if they would leave the arena and drive to a pub and relax with the help of the rowdy crowds and not get caught. Not that they would ever do that, just pointing out they could.  It made for an uncomfortable appearance of adults beating up little kids but the kids won. Look for that to be the next version of "Bad News Bears" with the old coach represented as the US Old Team who didn't lose but took it for the kids who end up winning.

The Chinese girls did seem "American" in their reactions and China may have a harder time undoing it than teaching it.  This was a good contest and both teams tried their hardest. There were glimmers of hope that either could catch up at several points but one team won.

As far as the passport "proof", it is what it is until the Olympics Committee says it isn't proof. Until then I suggest those teams who are of age put any illegal younger teams into a timeout or the naughty corner next time.

It is all-good in any case and it was a very good and close contest.

I say boycott them all.  In fact, I say, lets boycott everything for everything.  Why just pick on the only event based on the best international athletes around the world and the one single arena formulated to keep politics away from  those same athletes that compete.  No one knows their stories or how much each suffered and worked to get to the Olympics.  We couldn't know that.  Since every country has some ding on the human rights radar and since every country has something to boycott over it seems impossible for the great promise this event holds to ever be played out in the public arena.  More and more different countries and the public want to use this time for their own agenda and headline grabbing actions.  Armchair quarterbacks rush to destroy any chance of success because they can.  Boo the lady in a wheelchair carrying a torch, blow out hope by attempting to extinguish a torch, or, (how is this for a strange idea,) shut up, leave them alone and protest by boycotting your own country's government until they take a stand unrelated to the Olympics.  Nah...it is much easier to boycott a peaceful event that brings the world together behind athletes who are shining examples and have worked beyond anything we can even imagine.  It is easier to target the only event on this planet that has ever brought the best chance of developing handshakes and understanding . 

What else can we destroy once we mess this last chance up?  Truly we don't deserve the Olympic concept any more than we can pretend we care about resolving problems.  We don't know how to fix anything worth fixing so we strike out blindly.  The world population is too immature for the Olympic concept to ever succeed.  Go ahead and cancel it until a new generation that is a little brighter than this generation can make it flourish and respect the sacrifices these young people make that sets them apart from others.

Missed opportunity?

http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Pub
lic+Website/English/Compete/World_Games/2007_World_Summ
er_Games/default.htm

Whatever your answer is it is THE answer.

They have been focused on baseball which makes some (me) wonder why FOOTBALL is never in the discussion.

Seriously, did people actually believe that Bonds was the ONLY steroid user before this report was released? My question is how anyone expected any player NOT to use it when so much money is at stake for their careers and most others were using it?  If they ever get around to treating this seriously, few football players would be left standing.   I suspect it is even worse in that sport and obviously so.  Why no focus there?

The big question is how they can even clean it up with the way drugs change as they are detected.  The steroids can't make a mediocre player into a superstar but if individuals feel it gives them an edge and their teammates uses it, they'll likely use it.  Now what?

This was a real loss for many.  I was raised in the Bay Area and lived through the magic Bill Walsh 49'er era,  and his sophisticated class and style shined considering the coaching norm. of thtose days  He managed to tap into the anger of the Bay Area over the loss of the original Oakland Raiders and force fans to move on to a better version of football than the roguish team they lost across the Bay to LA.  Initially it was difficult to say you were a 49'er fan due to the football style that contrasted with the crushing machine of Oakland's team but at some point we were all hooked on Bill Walsh's winning style of quality play.  I never saw him lose his cool in a sport known for anything but cool mentalities.  He will be missed.  A good man has left us.