Now it's Ryan Lochte, the skateboarding speedster, who has to race two finals. In the 200-m backstroke, he faces Aaron Peirsol. In the 200-meter individual medley, it's Michael Phelps. And in each of those races, he also faces six others who are just as competent.
Conventional wisdom (a logical female hound from hell) calls for a gold/silver in the backstroke, and a silver in the IM, for Lochte, with a 1-2 finish. Don't tell that to Ryan, though. There would be nothing better than for Lochte to stop his fellow countryman's gold-medal record hunt by taking it for himself.
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At last, the track and field events are underway. We start with some heptathlon and shot-put, followed by some qualifying heats for speed.
Delicious.
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Happy birthday, Kerri Walsh. Naturally, she celebrates her 30th year with Misty May as they polish off Belgium's Liesbeth Mouha and Liesbet van Breedam, but it wasn't easy. They were struggling in the first set, winning 24-22, before coming backt oform in the second, 21-10.
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Take that, Australia! Rebecca Soni of the USA sets a new world record in the women's 200-meter breastroke, defeating Leisel Jones. It's a 2:20:22 for Soni.
Now THAT's more like it. Next!
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It was Aaron Peirsol vs. Ryan Lochte vs. the rest of the competition in the men's 200-meter backstroke. Well, another record just had to tumble, right?
And that's exactly what happened. Phelps has to be thinking, "Awww damn." Or, "Okay, we got back a couple medals, next." It's a 1:53:94 for Lochte. And Peirsol finished second. For a few fleeting moments, we were up on China in total medals. Still 10 behind in the gold department.
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I got a bad feeling about Meagen Nay of AUstralia. She has a great opportunity to upstage Kirsty Coventry, Liz Beisel and Margaret Hoelzer in the women's 200-meter backstroke final. Nay finished between Coventry and Hoelzer in her semifinal today.
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Yang Yilin was the catalyst and culprit for China's victory. She's matched with Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson. Meanwhile, the likes of Anna Pavlova (not the ballerina, whose dessert is named in her honor) and Ksenia Semenova can only hope to redeem themselves for Russian decline in women's gymnastics.
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And Michael Phelps cuts the total gold deficit to 8, with another world record slaughtered. I have to despise Lazslo Cseh of Hungary. Bloody spoiler halted a 1-2 finish for the USA. Nonetheless, in the total medal count, we are up by four on China. For now.
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The spoiler at the pool today was Britta Steffen of Germany in the women's 100-meter freestyle. Lisbeth "Libby" Trickett should also thank China for false-starting in the semi. For now, we are 5 ahead in the medal count, but 8 behind in the gold count. Natalie Coughlin got the bronze. At least China was shut out at the pool, for once, today.
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COuld the USA medal in the men's shot-put? All three entries-Christian Cantwell, Resse Hoffa and Adam Nelson-qualified by right.
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I've also got a bad feeling about Milo Cavic of Serbia. His water polo brethren had our number. Could it happen again tomorrow? By the blood of Michael Phelps, I hope not!
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I sometimes don't get the hypocriticism from the commentators in gymnastics. First they say they don't know why, and then they say, "There are [number] areas," thus saying, that they actually DO.
Be honest, Tim. Which is it, pretentious hypocrite commentator?
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Hallelujah! Praise to God! We are gaining ground on the Chinese in the gold medal department (pending archery, badminton, judo, weightlifting and ther like). Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson make it a 1-2 for the USA in the women's all-around, while Yang Yilin gets the bronze. 43 medals so far: 14 gold, 12 silver, 17 bronze. And we will be chipping away at that deficit in the days to come.
Fancy being on a Wheaties box, both of you?
Lousy Day 6 for the USA
I suppose it does suck not to see Michael Phelps swim for any medals today. Kosuke Kitajima got his second gold in the 200-meter breaststroke, while China made it 1-2 in the women's 200-meter butterfly. The Americans were not a factor in either of these races, with 6th and 7th/8th finishes, respectively.
If China tears it up in the track & field events, we are in trouble when it comes to the gold medal haul. The USA-Soviet Union rivalry will be replaced with the USA-China rivalry in a hurry.
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As I watch the USA stand tall against a game German side (who would eventually come out on top), I have to say that even though we are not through with round-robin action, this team has improved in leaps and bounds. If Lee Bodimeade is given the ol' heave-ho after this is over, I will not be surprised.
I do hate Germany's coach here, though. He celebrated like Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski and the crew won the FIFA World Cup. Typical Deutsch schwagger. The schiesskopf.`
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In the battle between Eamon Sullivan of Australia and Alain Bernard of France in the men's 100-meter freestyle, the Frenchman edges the Aussie by .11 of a second, while Jason Lezak gets a bronze in the background. Pieter van den Hoogenband, the Dutchman who upstaged us in Athens, was not a factor in this race; "Hoagie Bun" finished fifth. Interesting to note that Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil finished tied with Lezak. Brazil DO have some competent swimmers, after all.
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This was a crappy day for our swimmers. All that work...and only two bronzes to show for it. AUstralia set a new world record, winning the women's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay.
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Outside of baseball, basketball and beach volleyball, there really hasn't been much to cheer about for the USA today. Actually, it has been rather lousy. Adding insult to defeat, the USA's men's water polo team were dealt their first defeat of these games...to Serbia. And the women's fencing team is consigned to fight for the bronze after the Ukraine stunned them in the team sabre semis.
It's mystifying to see the USA show up individually, but not as a team. Really mystifying.
Further, early on in softball, the USA is trailing Canada 1-0. This game would be postponed to tomorrow.
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China has to be the new Soviet Union in terms of athleticism. They will be facing the Ukraine in the women's team sabre final. While they ended up losing by one point to them, they already have surpassed us-for-today-in total medals, along with golds. They are off to a flying start.
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In anticipation of my interview, I decide to go ahead and take a long power nap.
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As expected, the Greeks were doused in men's hoops, 92-69. The baseball team bounced back with a 7-0 shutout of the Netherlands. And the men's volleyball team, after dropping the first set 29-27, roared back to win the next three, 25-21, 25-14 and 26-24, and win the match.
Aside from that, the day for the Americans was still lousy.
If China tears it up in the track & field events, we are in trouble when it comes to the gold medal haul. The USA-Soviet Union rivalry will be replaced with the USA-China rivalry in a hurry.
===
As I watch the USA stand tall against a game German side (who would eventually come out on top), I have to say that even though we are not through with round-robin action, this team has improved in leaps and bounds. If Lee Bodimeade is given the ol' heave-ho after this is over, I will not be surprised.
I do hate Germany's coach here, though. He celebrated like Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski and the crew won the FIFA World Cup. Typical Deutsch schwagger. The schiesskopf.`
===
In the battle between Eamon Sullivan of Australia and Alain Bernard of France in the men's 100-meter freestyle, the Frenchman edges the Aussie by .11 of a second, while Jason Lezak gets a bronze in the background. Pieter van den Hoogenband, the Dutchman who upstaged us in Athens, was not a factor in this race; "Hoagie Bun" finished fifth. Interesting to note that Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil finished tied with Lezak. Brazil DO have some competent swimmers, after all.
===
This was a crappy day for our swimmers. All that work...and only two bronzes to show for it. AUstralia set a new world record, winning the women's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay.
===
Outside of baseball, basketball and beach volleyball, there really hasn't been much to cheer about for the USA today. Actually, it has been rather lousy. Adding insult to defeat, the USA's men's water polo team were dealt their first defeat of these games...to Serbia. And the women's fencing team is consigned to fight for the bronze after the Ukraine stunned them in the team sabre semis.
It's mystifying to see the USA show up individually, but not as a team. Really mystifying.
Further, early on in softball, the USA is trailing Canada 1-0. This game would be postponed to tomorrow.
===
China has to be the new Soviet Union in terms of athleticism. They will be facing the Ukraine in the women's team sabre final. While they ended up losing by one point to them, they already have surpassed us-for-today-in total medals, along with golds. They are off to a flying start.
===
In anticipation of my interview, I decide to go ahead and take a long power nap.
===
As expected, the Greeks were doused in men's hoops, 92-69. The baseball team bounced back with a 7-0 shutout of the Netherlands. And the men's volleyball team, after dropping the first set 29-27, roared back to win the next three, 25-21, 25-14 and 26-24, and win the match.
Aside from that, the day for the Americans was still lousy.
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