So Bettman sold us a bill of goods with his ‘everything is alright, ignore the man behind the curtain’ routine? Great. So what is everyone planning on doing during the next lockout?

I was kind of bummed out that Brent Hayden didn’t do better. I was reading this article on tsn.ca, and this part really bummed me out:

Fencer Sherraine Schalm, ranked fifth in the world, was less diplomatic with her emotions after a first round exit. She was devastated, saying, “I feel like I disappointed myself, my coach, my family, my country, everybody.”

She hoped Canadans would understand that she and the other athletes are giving it their best effort.

“I know no Canadian taxpayer wants to hear that I really did try my best and I really did give everything I have,” she said. “But I swear to all of you that I really did and I’m very sorry that I didn’t bring home a medal, but you train and you take your chances.

“Nobody made me sign a contract that I would guarantee to win, I just signed a contract that I would do my best and train my best and give it everything I can, but I’m sorry unfortunately it wasn’t enough today.”

I’m kind of mad that she has to apologize like that. It seems very upsetting that this is the result of the bashing by the media and the goons who regularly post in the comment sections of websites. Not a single one of the many olympic critics could come anywhere near her in fencing skills, I’d wager..

I am an aging swimmer so I take it none of you realize that there are really not that many different “styles” of swimming for different distances. Freestyle, Breast Stroke, Back Stroke, and Fly are the only ones really covered competitively.

How is that different from the Hurdles vs. Straight up running? both are done at a variety of distances. You could then also mention the long jump, the standing long jump, and the triple jump… which again are just variations on jumping far.

Or weight lifting which has clean and jerk, and the snatch.

Or skiing which has downhill, slalom, giant slalom, etc.

Or diving which as different heights, and then tosses in “synchro”

Or speed skating, which has both long and short track variations, and the relays.

Or rowing/kayaking/canoeing, which is basically three different “styles” of paddling a freaking boat down the water over various distances.

I mean it’s really not THAT unique. But I suppose we’re bitter right now that no Canadians won any medals? I don’t recall anyone from Canada offering to give back Baumann and Davis’ medals when we won a bunch in 1984… just saying.

Or wanting to return our sprinting medals when Bailey and crew won the 100m and the 4×100 m… etc etc.

Phelps has won more Olympic gold medals than anyone in the history of the games… summer or winter.

He isn’t beating the records by a small amount, he’s absolutely destroying them, and they’re HIS records to begin with. A lot of it likely has to do with the suit he’s wearing, but he’s better than Ian Thorpe would be, especially considering age etc.

If you can’t sit back and admire what the kid is doing just for the sake of the fact that he’s actually doing it (assuming he’s drug free that is), then I’m not sure if you realize the magnitude of what he’s doing. I mean the only person to come CLOSE to what he’s doing is Mark Spitz, and that was in 1976… so we’re talking 32 years ago? and before him? who? What Phelps is doing is like a once in a generation thing… he deserves some respect for that methinks.

I should have said 1972… which makes it 36 years… oops

Not to get all braggartish and crap but… I’m going to throw some simple compressible fluid flow and fluid dynamics at youse guys:

The depth of the pool would have an impact in terms of turbulent flow reflecting back and causing problems for the swimmers… but it would have virtually ZERO impact on the guy in the lead.

The guy out in front is basically attacking “calm” water as he swims… thus the turbulence he’s encountering should be virtually nil. I assume there’s some remnants if the race is more than one length, but the difference that would be occurring between depths of 2 meters and 3 meters would be negligible. The amount of “reflection” required to seriously slow a swimmer down would have to be pretty large… and I don’t think it’s enough to explain Phelps beating records by over a second. The pool depth probably isn’t the major culprit… the suit has a lot more to do with it.

As for the doping allegations… very possible, but it’s not just him that’s shattering personal records… they’re all doing it. Almost every swimmer at the games is beating their personal bests, and I doubt they’re ALL doping.