Tuesday, August 24, 2004

OLYMPICS WRAPUP POST DAY #13: Capsules. I just might be too beat to write too much tonight.

Table Tennis, Men's: The final table tennis medal was decided Monday morning--men's gold--and it was great to watch. The Korean guy looked to be losing it in his upset attempt over the Chinese guy (and I identify the two men by their ethnicities because I don't want to sound like I have any expertise with table tennis whatsoever) giving up a game after going up 3-1 and then taking it down to the wire. But he pulls it off in the end, and any non-Chinese winning a gold is an upset, I can tell you that. Afterwards the Korean guy and his coach exchange full-body humps and the world feeds takes pleasure in replaying that moment endlessly.

Soccer, Women's: My gloom and doom predictions continue to miss the mark, and we advance 2-1 over Germany. Maybe they really are going to put it all together one more time. We play stylish penalty-box-divers Brazil for the gold.

Basketball, Men's: I guess Yao really didn't want to wear that beard, because China beat suddenly craptacular Serbia on two Yao free throws to make the medal round, something he said was his whole goal this year. Spain and Lithuania are still undefeated and Angola still has no clue.

Track & Field: We sweep the 400 1-2-3. I missed the discus but a Hungarian won.

Gymnastics: What was once the big dramatic heart of these Olympics has become its most sordid sidestage, as the fans in Athens tonight decided they were sick of goofy judging so when Alexei Nemov got a low score on his high bar routine they decided to boo (whistle) inconsolably for ten minutes until Nemov politely told them to keep it down. It didn't reflect very well on them to stage this mass rebellion, but if I'm the Russian fanbase and I'm looking at only six gold medals with less than a week to go--well, maybe I throw a little fit, too. Not that it changed anything.

Wrestling, Women's: Our gals did not do as well as they wanted, taking a silver and a bronze. At least the Japanese, our and everybody's rivals in women's wrestling, didn't do as well as they wanted either, taking only two golds, a silver and a bronze.

Synchronized Swimming: Ah! The ice dancing of the summer. Something I don't have to Tivo.

Beach Volleyball: May & Walsh beat McPeak and Youngs as expected. Those goofy Swiss brothers who don't talk to each other during games lost at some point, so I won't have to hear about it anymore.

Handball, Women's: YES! On my tv! I'm going to watch what I taped (Korea-France) and get some sleep.

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