OLYMPICS WRAPUP POST DAY #14: Capsules. I didn't get to see much today.

Wrestling, Men's: But I did see Rulon Garder's loss and his win for the bronze. In the loss he just got taken down in the overtime and wrestling is such the sport of seeking perfection: one mistake and you're done, unless you pull the flash pin. Which means in these heavyweight bouts the guys end up looking like they're just leaning against each other for the first couple minutes. After the bronze win Gardner left his shows in the ring, which--the announcers helpfully explained--is a traditional signal that a wrestler is retiring. He couldn't quite hold back the tears afterwards, and I wonder if we'll get a million stories about that like we did about Sara McCann's bawling. Probably not.

Volleyball, Men's: We pulled off the victory over HEL-LAS! and reach the semifinals. My mom wants those mean old Greeks to stop whistling at us.

Track & Field: Marion Jones--should we love her or hate her? She clearly believes she's innocent. She's certainly not blowing people out of the water. Well, whatever, she's on the relay team even though most people think that's just looking for trouble.

One of our ladies won the 200. A Russian lady won the hammer throw until they test her pee later. I can't tell all these -athalons apart, by the way.

Weightlifting, Men's: The guy from Iran who is some kind of weightlifting legend won the superheavyweight lift and is officially the world's strongest man. Just to show you how important the Olympics are in creating local sports interest: the announcers just said there is a pro weightlifting league in Iran, and Rezazadeh is a captain of one of the teams. I mean, pro weightlifting leagues. That's wild.

Boxing: I didn't see this but--holy crap! An American beat a Cuban in incomprehensible Olympic boxing. I think he's our last chance for a medal.

Field Hockey, Men's: "In a highly anticipated classification showdown, Pakistan won its sixth game in six meetings with India this year." COME ON, India--a billion people and you're getting trounced in the one sport you're supposed to be good at by your arch freaking rival? That's HORrible.

Beach Volleyball, Men's: Men play beach volleyball?

Oh, that's right, they do. But they don't expose their navels denying us all the sweet beefcake. But I guess the ladies can watching swimming for that. Phelps is FIIIINE.

I think the Brazilians won.

Sailing: An Israeli took the first gold for his nation ever? In windsurfing. I would've thought they had more golds than none--maybe they're one of those traditionally underperforming nations (relative to others of the same population with a similar economy) but they probably have other stuff to worry about.

By they way--I am pleased to see many of this guy's predictions destroyed by these Olympics, who is an economics professor who says he can predict medal counts based on GDPs and population and other stuff. Japan has already completely destroyed his predicted gold total of 6 with their actual total of 15. The 16th--which will tie their all-time total--will be the hardest, methinks. Asian people can't run. Strangely enough, they can work taekwando matches. I have no idea why.

Check the medal tracker--China was neck and neck with us until the start of this week, when--again--track and field started. Russia has crept ahead of them in the overall but they're below three different nations in terms of golds. Australia is--pound for pound--the second greatest summer sporting nation on Earth, behind--naturally--the US of A.

Baseball: Australia could not pull off the upset. There was one blatantly blown call where a Cuban trapped the ball on the wall and they ruled it a catch when it was so not a catch. But--whatever. This is all your fault, Selig.

Basketball: Team USA rolls on as we whoop up on Hel-las. Our women's team sports have been quite the juggernauts, at least here and in softball. Soccer will be a juggernaut if they manage to beat Brazil tomorrow.

Meanwhile our men's teams forgot to show up in soccer and baseball, and Team USA basketball plays Spain tomorrow in a game where no outcome would surprise me.

Diving, Women's: We crash and burn in the diving this year. It seems like there was a lot more diving on from Sydney--maybe the ratings were not what they wanted that time? I dunno. Could be my imagination.

Olympics....winding down. Must....keep....watching.....but it's no trouble really. It's the Olympics and I love it dearly.