# 2021 Olympics



## SuperMatt

America’s best sprinter might not be going due to a positive marijuana test.









						Report: U.S. sprinter Richardson positive for pot
					

American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, sources told Reuters.




					www.espn.com
				




She should have known not to use marijuana since she had to be aware they test for it. However, why is marijuana something they test athletes for? Does it give them some kind of competitive advantage? Seems like an outdated inclusion in the drug test.


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## Pumbaa

SuperBillionaire said:


> America’s best sprinter might not be going due to a positive marijuana test.
> 
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> Report: U.S. sprinter Richardson positive for pot
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> American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, sources told Reuters.
> 
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> www.espn.com
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> She should have known not to use marijuana since she had to be aware they test for it. However, why is marijuana something they test athletes for? Does it give them some kind of competitive advantage? Seems like an outdated inclusion in the drug test.




Outlined here I think, “because of its ability to decrease anxiety and fear, and potentially to improve some types of oxygenation and concentration”. Still a bit dated.








						Olympics FYI: Why Is Cannabis Considered a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
					

On Monday, American judo competitor Nick Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympics for doping with cannabis. (He says he accidentally ate a pot brownie.) The key word here is "doping"--if the situation were different, Delpopolo might just have been "using." Cannabis is on the Prohibited List, a...




					www.popsci.com
				




Reminded me of this old story:








						The story of a Swedish Olympian in 1968 who had to forfeit his medal for drinking beer
					

Rattled nerves, a pistol, and one punched horse.




					www.sbnation.com


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## SuperMatt

Pumbaa said:


> Outlined here I think, “because of its ability to decrease anxiety and fear, and potentially to improve some types of oxygenation and concentration”. Still a bit dated.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Olympics FYI: Why Is Cannabis Considered a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
> 
> 
> On Monday, American judo competitor Nick Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympics for doping with cannabis. (He says he accidentally ate a pot brownie.) The key word here is "doping"--if the situation were different, Delpopolo might just have been "using." Cannabis is on the Prohibited List, a...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.popsci.com
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> Reminded me of this old story:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The story of a Swedish Olympian in 1968 who had to forfeit his medal for drinking beer
> 
> 
> Rattled nerves, a pistol, and one punched horse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.sbnation.com



I did read the anti-doping agency’s justification for banning marijuana, and it’s really absurd. There’s a worse story - somebody was banned for 5 years because they didn’t answer the door when the ADA came by - and it was because she just got an abortion.









						Five-year ban against Brianna McNeal upheld by Court of Arbitration for Sport
					

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a 5-year ban on hurdler Brianna McNeal for violating anti-doping rules, barring her from the Tokyo Olympics.



					www.usatoday.com
				






> "The AIU has not accused Brianna McNeal of ever using any banned substances, has not accused Brianna McNeal of evading doping control; and has not accused Brianna McNeal of tampering with any urine sample or blood sample."




Now THAT is some f-ed up stuff right there. We could have a thread just about the anti-doping agencies. Their job is important, but there’s no question they let the power get to their heads and ban people often for really petty offenses with little to no evidence. In this case, she never failed a single drug test, nor was there any evidence whatsoever that she ever used anything illegal. They destroy careers over their power trips.


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## SuperMatt

First female active-duty soldier to represent America in the Olympics. Go Army!









						Army staff sergeant will make history when she boxes for Team USA at Tokyo Olympics
					

Army Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham’s jab is the boxing equivalent of a Hellfire missile launched from attack helicopter at a distant opponent.




					www.stripes.com


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## User.45

SuperBillionaire said:


> America’s best sprinter might not be going due to a positive marijuana test.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Report: U.S. sprinter Richardson positive for pot
> 
> 
> American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, sources told Reuters.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.espn.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> She should have known not to use marijuana since she had to be aware they test for it. However, why is marijuana something they test athletes for? Does it give them some kind of competitive advantage? Seems like an outdated inclusion in the drug test.



I'll provide my perspective. Data is pouring in that the use of cannabis majorly reduced the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In cancer checkpoint inhibitor therapy, we rev up anticancer immunity and seek out inflammation. Turns out cannabinoids are _really_ good anti-inflammatories. Imagine going to the gym after a 6-month hiatus, do an 80%-of-max day, then imagine the muscle ache. Then imagine all that being gone. That's how it IS a performance enhancer. On an olympics level it does matter.

I feel for her though, and I hope we'll get much smarter on the future about cannabinoids. We aren't right now and it's a dirty shame.


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## SuperMatt

P_X said:


> I'll provide my perspective. Data is pouring in that the use of cannabis majorly reduced the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In cancer checkpoint inhibitor therapy, we rev up anticancer immunity and seek out inflammation. Turns out cannabinoids are _really_ good anti-inflammatories. Imagine going to the gym after a 6-month hiatus, do an 80%-of-max day, then imagine the muscle ache. Then imagine all that being gone. That's how it IS a performance enhancer. On an olympics level it does matter.
> 
> I feel for her though, and I hope we'll get much smarter on the future about cannabinoids. We aren't right now and it's a dirty shame.



A lot of things are good anti-inflammatories. Is ibuprofen banned by international doping agencies?


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## User.45

SuperBillionaire said:


> A lot of things are good anti-inflammatories. Is ibuprofen banned by international doping agencies?



It's a good point but I suspect cannabinoids are more potent (and safer, LOL). 
To answer your question corticosteroids are banned, and those are often given for trivial stuff.


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## Herdfan

It is a shame because she is fun to watch.  With a couple of Gold medals, she would have been an advertising star.

And she didn't make excuses.  She owned it and I hope she gets another chance in 3 years.


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## User.45

Herdfan said:


> It is a shame because she is fun to watch.  With a couple of Gold medals, she would have been an advertising star.
> 
> And she didn't make excuses.  She owned it and I hope she gets another chance in 3 years.



Agree. And hopefully in that time the WADA will re-evaluate the use of cannabinoids...though the latter will probably take a decade or more.


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## Herdfan

P_X said:


> Agree. And hopefully in that time the WADA will re-evaluate the use of cannabinoids...though the latter will probably take a decade or more.




So how is this still a thing?  The Canadian snowboarder (can't remember his name) lost his Gold medal for pot use but it was reinstated.  Was WADA not part of that?


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## User.45

Herdfan said:


> So how is this still a thing?  The Canadian snowboarder (can't remember his name) lost his Gold medal for pot use but it was reinstated.  Was WADA not part of that?



He knew how to fix the issue: he said it was "second-hand smoke", LOL.


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## Joe

It's weed. They just need to legalize it everywhere already.


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## User.45

JagRunner said:


> It's weed. They just need to legalize it everywhere already.



It's complex and very political issue though. 
1. Olympics and sports organizations have a PR/primary preventative role to promote healthy lifestyle and drug prevention (ironic...)
2. Cannabinoids are still mostly scheduled as illegal drugs around the world.
3. Cannabinoids (esp CBD) have some properties that can be considered performance enhancing.*
4. It's gonna remain illegal in many countries, meaning that countries where it is legal would have an unfair advantage.


*I've heard some historians claim the Zulus used CBD when they beat the Brits. And I've read some articles about NBA players talking about regular cannabis use to help deal with the chronic muscle and joint pain.


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## MEJHarrison

P_X said:


> It's complex and very political issue though.
> 1. Olympics and sports organizations have a PR/primary preventative role to promote healthy lifestyle and drug prevention (ironic...)
> 2. Cannabinoids are still mostly scheduled as illegal drugs around the world.
> 3. Cannabinoids (esp CBD) have some properties that can be considered performance enhancing.*
> 4. It's gonna remain illegal in many countries, meaning that countries where it is legal would have an unfair advantage.
> 
> 
> *I've heard some historians claim the Zulus used CBD when they beat the Brits. And I've read some articles about NBA players talking about regular cannabis use to help deal with the chronic muscle and joint pain.




I think another issue is just good old ignorance.  Most of the items I've seen high in CBD are low on THC. It's my understanding that the high CBD levels are good for medical reasons and the lack of THC keeps the user from getting "stoned".

And there's still too many people out there who think pot is as bad as meth or cocaine.

That said, I have no clue if these athletes are consuming medical or recreational products.


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## Herdfan

P_X said:


> 3. Cannabinoids (esp CBD) have some properties that can be considered performance enhancing.*




So is having a dick and competing against females, but that's is going to be allowed.


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## User.45

Herdfan said:


> So is having a dick and competing against females, but that's is going to be allowed.



That's not true on any level...


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## SuperMatt

Herdfan said:


> So is having a dick and competing against females, but that's is going to be allowed.



You’re gonna get your ass handed to you if you spew anti-transgender hate here. And no moderator is gonna ban the transgender members here when they put you in your place. Just consider that fair warning. I am not gonna bother pointing out how offensive that statement is to a transgender person, because I believe you already know it.


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## User.45

SuperMatt said:


> You’re gonna get your ass handed to you if you spew anti-transgender hate here. And no moderator is gonna ban the transgender members here when they put you in your place. Just consider that fair warning. I am not gonna bother pointing out how offensive that statement is to a transgender person, because I believe you already know it.



The other issue that 
1. A dick is not a a performance enhancer. 
2. For high level competitive sports where performance enhancers are tested there are clear testosterone/androstendion etc cutoffs

so really not one aspect of that statement holds


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## Herdfan

SuperMatt said:


> You’re gonna get your ass handed to you if you spew anti-transgender hate here. And no moderator is gonna ban the transgender members here when they put you in your place. Just consider that fair warning. I am not gonna bother pointing out how offensive that statement is to a transgender person, because I believe you already know it.




It's not meant to be anti-transgender.  We are simply talking about 2 different things.

On one hand there is the equity of transgenders being allowed to compete.  Then there is the equity of the competition.  Those are two separate issues whether the trans community wants to accept it or not.

Here is a report from Sports Scientists breaking it down.









						On Transgender athletes and performance advantages
					

Ok, here goes. I've been meaning to write this for a while, but time and energy have not allowed it. But I've just been involved in some lively Twitter




					sportsscientists.com
				




And I am sure it will be rebutted by another study showing the opposite.  Which means we simply don't know 100% one way or the other.

I do not mean to offend the trans community.  But I also have a daughter who was a fairly elite HS swimmer (would have swam in college had a case of scapular dyskinesis not sidelined her career) and I simply believe in fairness.  I simply do not believe the competition would be fair.  That does not make me anti-trans, that simply means I have an opinion that is1) different than some, and 2) one that is not clouded by emotion.  I realize some may disagree and some may actually hate me for it.


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## SuperMatt

Herdfan said:


> It's not meant to be anti-transgender.  We are simply talking about 2 different things.
> 
> On one hand there is the equity of transgenders being allowed to compete.  Then there is the equity of the competition.  Those are two separate issues whether the trans community wants to accept it or not.
> 
> Here is a report from Sports Scientists breaking it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Transgender athletes and performance advantages
> 
> 
> Ok, here goes. I've been meaning to write this for a while, but time and energy have not allowed it. But I've just been involved in some lively Twitter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sportsscientists.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I am sure it will be rebutted by another study showing the opposite.  Which means we simply don't know 100% one way or the other.
> 
> I do not mean to offend the trans community.  But I also have a daughter who was a fairly elite HS swimmer (would have swam in college had a case of scapular dyskinesis not sidelined her career) and I simply believe in fairness.  I simply do not believe the competition would be fair.  That does not make me anti-trans, that simply means I have an opinion that is1) different than some, and 2) one that is not clouded by emotion.  I realize some may disagree and some may actually hate me for it.



When you present it in this way, it becomes a discussion that might be difficult and controversial, but it can at least be discussed. When you say “having a dick and competing against females” you are being crass and insensitive towards transgender people, IMHO. Maybe others would disagree.

As for the rules, if the Olympics have rules on these issues that they consider fair, why do you oppose them? They have scientists who study these issues… they are more qualified than you or I.

Are you opposed to transgender people from competing in any sports at all?


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## User.45

Herdfan said:


> It's not meant to be anti-transgender.  We are simply talking about 2 different things.
> 
> On one hand there is the equity of transgenders being allowed to compete.  Then there is the equity of the competition.  Those are two separate issues whether the trans community wants to accept it or not.
> 
> Here is a report from Sports Scientists breaking it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Transgender athletes and performance advantages
> 
> 
> Ok, here goes. I've been meaning to write this for a while, but time and energy have not allowed it. But I've just been involved in some lively Twitter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sportsscientists.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I am sure it will be rebutted by another study showing the opposite.  Which means we simply don't know 100% one way or the other.
> 
> I do not mean to offend the trans community.  But I also have a daughter who was a fairly elite HS swimmer (would have swam in college had a case of scapular dyskinesis not sidelined her career) and I simply believe in fairness.  I simply do not believe the competition would be fair.  That does not make me anti-trans, that simply means I have an opinion that is1) different than some, and 2) one that is not clouded by emotion.  I realize some may disagree and some may actually hate me for it.



Finally an internet expert with a publication record that backs it up. I didn't like the article tho, it was quite verbose and redundant. 
IMHO it's a complex topic on many levels. For example I'm convinced that most pro sportspeople use illegal performance enhancers. There was an old (peer-reviewed) paper I've read many years ago that showed the power advantage of anabolic steroids can be shown even a year after their use. So let's say you boost your performance by 10% when you use them, then once the acute effect wears off the advantage drops back to 2% when the drugs are completely out of your system. So there's this ongoing issue of illegal performance enhancement. 

While I agree with the author that there are sports, like full contact martial arts where the skeletal differences (which may depend on the age the transition happened) may represent a safety issue. However, if a sport is at a level with not high enough stakes to test participants for performance enhancers, gender-identity questions have minimal relevance and since that's the majority of sports this is an overinflated issue. And the primary goal is to allow transgender athletes to participate in recreational sports safely. Exclusion does not serve this purpose. 

Your daughter's swim career was disrupted by injury and not trans athletes, just for fairness.


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## Herdfan

SuperMatt said:


> When you present it in this way, it becomes a discussion that might be difficult and controversial, but it can at least be discussed. When you say “having a dick and competing against females” you are being crass and insensitive towards transgender people, IMHO. Maybe others would disagree.



It was an attempt at humor that didn't work.  I apologize!


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## Herdfan

Is anyone going to be left in the tennis draw?

Lot's of Slam winners are skipping it.  I never really understood putting tennis in the Olympics.  I just don't see how a Gold medal can stack up against a Slam.

And USA Basketball got beat again.  Since the original Dream Team was formed in 1992, USA Basketball had lost 2 exhibition matches through 2020.  So far in 2021, they have tied that number.  Got a lot of stars sitting that out as well.  

On a side note, Go Suns!


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## User.45

Herdfan said:


> Is anyone going to be left in the tennis draw?
> 
> Lot's of Slam winners are skipping it.  I never really understood putting tennis in the Olympics.  I just don't see how a Gold medal can stack up against a Slam.
> 
> And USA Basketball got beat again.  Since the original Dream Team was formed in 1992, USA Basketball had lost 2 exhibition matches through 2020.  So far in 2021, they have tied that number.  Got a lot of stars sitting that out as well.
> 
> On a side note, Go Suns!



This is gonna be the weirdest Olympics of our lifetime given the extremely variable impact of 2020 on athletes. For example Euro2020 (soccer) just ended and it was the weakest tournament I've seen thus far. Which made it more interesting until the finals.


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## SuperMatt

COVID is surging in Japan, so there will be no spectators allowed at the Olympics. They don‘t have enough vaccines for everybody. Meanwhile in America, we have enough vaccines for everybody, but it’s starting to surge again here because millions of people simply refuse to get vaccinated.


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## Herdfan

Looks like Beal and Love are out.  Replaced by Keldon Johnson and JaVale McGee.

Love has been and Beal should get another shot, or two, so I'm good with this.


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## Herdfan

Two more positives: An American alternate on the gymnastics team and Coco Gauff.

Tennis is losing its biggest stars quickly.


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## Herdfan

This is not good.









						Olympic chief says Games could STILL be axed as Tokyo faces TRIPLE health threat
					

THE OLYMPIC Games could STILL be called off – as Tokyo faces a TRIPLE health threat. As Games-linked Covid cases continue to rise in a city rising in indignation at the Olympics taking place,…




					www.the-sun.com


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## Herdfan

On a more positive note, what event is everyone looking forward to watching?

For me, it is swimming.  It has been a part of my life since I was 6.  Wish I hadn't stopped, but I preferred baseball and was peer pressured into football.  Then my daughter started and I officiated and then coached so it is kind of ingrained in me.

Will also watch some T&F, but will be less of a draw without Richardson.  Will do my best to avoid gymnastics.


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## User.191

Herdfan said:


> On a more positive note, what event is everyone looking forward to watching?
> 
> For me, it is swimming.  It has been a part of my life since I was 6.  Wish I hadn't stopped, but I preferred baseball and was peer pressured into football.  Then my daughter started and I officiated and then coached so it is kind of ingrained in me.
> 
> Will also watch some T&F, but will be less of a draw without Richardson.  Will do my best to avoid gymnastics.



I’ll be honest and admit the Olympics hasn’t interested me since the 1990’s. Granted I did take time to watch a chunk of the 2012 Olympics, but that was more down to pride of being a Brit than it was owt else.

I’m having a hard time beleiving it’s still all about the sports when there’s so much political and monetry influence over the whole thing.


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## Thomas Veil

Herdfan said:


> Two more positives: An American alternate on the gymnastics team and Coco Gauff.
> 
> Tennis is losing its biggest stars quickly.






Herdfan said:


> This is not good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Olympic chief says Games could STILL be axed as Tokyo faces TRIPLE health threat
> 
> 
> THE OLYMPIC Games could STILL be called off – as Tokyo faces a TRIPLE health threat. As Games-linked Covid cases continue to rise in a city rising in indignation at the Olympics taking place,…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.the-sun.com



Fans not allowed at events, and it seems almost every day another athlete is getting Covid. 

No, this is _not_ looking good. 

I mean, I know they feel they had a 50/50 shot at pulling this off and they took it, but I have a feeling when we look back at this Olympics we're going to be thinking a lot about how results might have been different if ________ had been able to compete as planned.


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## Herdfan

MissNomer said:


> I’ll be honest and admit the Olympics hasn’t interested me since the 1990’s. Granted I did take time to watch a chunk of the 2012 Olympics, but that was more down to pride of being a Brit than it was owt else.
> 
> I’m having a hard time beleiving it’s still all about the sports when there’s so much political and monetry influence over the whole thing.




It's not about sports.  It is a money making TV show.


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## User.191

Herdfan said:


> It's not about sports.  It is a money making TV show.



Well, ain't that the truth these days...


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## B S Magnet

Herdfan said:


> So is having a dick and competing against females, but that's is going to be allowed.




Ah, you’re one of those cis people who thinks junk has magic superpowers.


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## B S Magnet

MissNomer said:


> I’ll be honest and admit the Olympics hasn’t interested me since the 1990’s. Granted I did take time to watch a chunk of the 2012 Olympics, but that was more down to pride of being a Brit than it was owt else.
> 
> I’m having a hard time beleiving it’s still all about the sports when there’s so much political and monetry influence over the whole thing.




The last Olympics I watched were the Calgary ’88 and Seoul ’88 games.


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## Herdfan

The USWNT, riding a 44 gam


B S Magnet said:


> Ah, you’re one of those cis people who thinks junk has magic superpowers.




Nope.  It is the testosterone that comes with it.


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## B S Magnet

Herdfan said:


> The USWNT, riding a 44 gam
> 
> 
> Nope.  It is the testosterone that comes with it.




I’ma let you look up “orchiectomy” on your own time.

I mean, I totally get that you_ think_ pee is stored in the balls and testosterone is stored in the penis, but I don’t think you have anything better than a grade five biology education under your belt, and you’re sitting here trying to debate this with someone who’s… been through all the schools, to put it gently. It’s kind of precious seeing you try.


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## B S Magnet

Herdfan said:


> It was an attempt at humor that didn't work.  I apologize!




Hmmmm… how about _fuck you_.

hahahahaha now *that* was funny


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## Herdfan

B S Magnet said:


> I’ma let you look up “orchiectomy” on your own time.



Actually knew what that was.  And also know that Hubbard has not had it.

You can say what you want, but when the average testosterone level for an adult female is .61 - 2.98 nmol/L (1) and Hubbard must be under 10 nmol/L, that is not a level playing field.  Especially in weightlifting.

And you know what, I may be wrong.  But I don't think the 62% of people who think people should play on teams that match their birth gender (2) are going to be impressed seeing Hubbard on TV.  That number may in fact rise.

I have seen first hand how this happens as kids age.  One swim team had an annual meet where boys and girls were combined in a heat by time, but scored separately.  Under 10 the girls would usually win, probably because they had better body control.  But once the boys started hitting puberty, they left the girls in the dust.  

I am not against trans people competing, I just am not convinced it is fair to the biological girls.


(1) https://account.allinahealth.org/library/content/49/150064

(2) https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx


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## Herdfan

B S Magnet said:


> Hmmmm… how about _fuck you_.
> 
> hahahahaha now *that* was funny




So I apologized and you simply say Fuck you!  Wow.  I think this is exactly what others were saying about you in the other thread.


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## SuperMatt

Herdfan said:


> So I apologized and you simply say Fuck you!  Wow.  I think this is exactly what others were saying about you in the other thread.



I did warn you after your very first anti-trans post. You’re free to speak your mind, but since you are attacking the transgender members of this forum simply for being transgender, don’t cry when they tell you to F off.


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## Herdfan

SuperMatt said:


> I did warn you after your very first anti-trans post. You’re free to speak your mind, but since you are attacking the transgender members of this forum simply for being transgender, don’t cry when they tell you to F off.




You did.  And I could have deleted my post.  But instead I put on my big boy pants and apologized.  It seems everyone else here was adult enough to accept it.


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## B S Magnet

Herdfan said:


> Actually knew what that was.  And also know that Hubbard has not had it.
> 
> You can say what you want, but when the average testosterone level for an adult female is .61 - 2.98 nmol/L (1) and Hubbard must be under 10 nmol/L, that is not a level playing field.  Especially in weightlifting.
> 
> And you know what, I may be wrong.  But I don't think the 62% of people who think people should play on teams that match their birth gender (2) are going to be impressed seeing Hubbard on TV.  That number may in fact rise.
> 
> I have seen first hand how this happens as kids age.  One swim team had an annual meet where boys and girls were combined in a heat by time, but scored separately.  Under 10 the girls would usually win, probably because they had better body control.  But once the boys started hitting puberty, they left the girls in the dust.
> 
> I am not against trans people competing, I just am not convinced it is fair to the biological girls.
> 
> 
> (1) https://account.allinahealth.org/library/content/49/150064
> 
> (2) https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx




I said this to you on the PRSI thread, and I will say so once more here:

Every time you throw around unscientific language like “biological _x_” and then continue to do so even _after_ you get steered toward peer-reviewed references and other juried papers (which not only dispel myths on the endocrinology of trans bodies, but also discourage language like “biological x”), this is telling me you actually don’t want to learn a damn thing about trans bodies or trans lives, but you sure _do_ want to make a lotta hot takes and hay about our bodies and lives anyway — as if you walk on moral-ethical high ground as some god fearin’, red-blooded cishet American with a giant truck.

You don’t.

And so, I watch you as you find new, contorted ways to rationalize your badly-veiled contempt for trans people who actually are able to do things on our own terms! That makes you not only a killjoy, but also (wincing at myself for using a word I virtually speak for anyone, ever), a basic bigot. You should want to be a better person than that.

At least, _I_ sure would.

Lauren Hubbard (for once, just once, try — _try_ — to eat your green eggs and ham: avoid the misgendering; the linguistic contortions of using only her surname; or dancing around the fact that Lauren is,_ ipso facto,_ a woman) *is* qualified to compete. Lauren’s T levels have not only remained lower and certified as such over an extended time — more than satisfying the IOC and her sporting body’s rules — but those highly scrutinized levels must remain lower than that which is a _nominal endogenous level_ for cis women (who, I might want to add, don’t have PCOS). Thus, she has more than satisfied the minimum requirements to complete in her sport, as herself, over this next fortnight. And the fact she’s able to do this just three years after breaking her elbow in previous competition and also as a possibility model for many trans kids who’ll learn about her is hecking gold in of itself.

Over and done. Let it die.

Susie the White Supremacist Soccer Mom will never read this, but maybe you will, idk.


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## Herdfan

Simone Biles did her Yurchenko double pike vault during practice today.

I am not a huge gymnastics fan, but will watch to see her be the first ever female to do it in competition.


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## JayMysteri0

Uh, ...what?
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1418529961128955906/


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## Ulenspiegel

Judo and swimming for me during this Olympics.


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## JamesMike

I had planned on attending the games, had it all setup with my former UN mates in Japan, but will have to watch from afar.  I like all the sporting events, even the ones I do not fully understand, I appreciate all their efforts, and sacrifice.


----------



## JayMysteri0

I understand the difference, but it's a strange take to take after who was suspended.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1418648772360515590/

At first look, it just seems to be a tad bit... off.

Cannabis is okay as long as you don't get caught, but -wink wink- we KNOW it's being used.


----------



## Herdfan

JayMysteri0 said:


> I understand the difference, but it's a strange take to take after who was suspended.
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1418648772360515590/
> 
> At first look, it just seems to be a tad bit... off.
> 
> Cannabis is okay as long as you don't get caught, but -wink wink- we KNOW it's being used.




WTF?

I WANT to watch Sha'Carri Richardson run.  Couldn't care less about soccer which shouldn't even be in the Olympics.

This is messed up.


----------



## JayMysteri0

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1418776180300333056/


----------



## Pumbaa

Olympics: Van Vleuten celebrates but mistakes silver for gold
					

Dutchwoman didn't know Kiesenhofer had already won the race




					www.cyclingnews.com


----------



## User.45

Herdfan said:


> You did.  And I could have deleted my post.  But instead I put on my big boy pants and apologized.  It seems everyone else here was adult enough to accept it.



This reminds me of my 3-year-old, who recently started wearing the same "big boy pants": she realized that apologizing gives her some extra wiggle-room and now regularly tries to use apologies to get away with intentionally being nasty to her sister.


----------



## Herdfan

P_X said:


> This reminds me of my 3-year-old, who recently started wearing the same "big boy pants": she realized that apologizing gives her some extra wiggle-room and now regularly tries to use apologies to get away with intentionally being nasty to her sister.




Well, if I do again .................................

On an Olympic note, Team USA got thumped by France.  The whole purpose of putting Kevin Love on the team in the first place was to counter France's 2 7-footers in Gobert and Poirier.


----------



## JayMysteri0

I've been hearing this more & more.  I don't know anything about gymnastics, but I thought this was an interesting explainer.



> Simone Biles deserves higher scores
> 
> 
> Simone Biles is performing the most complicated feats women’s gymnastics has ever seen — and not being fully rewarded for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.vox.com


----------



## Eric

Watching USA vs France basketball and it turns out France has 5 NBA players on their team as well. WTF? May as well be just watching another NBA game.


----------



## Herdfan

Eric said:


> Watching USA vs France basketball and it turns out France has 5 NBA players on their team as well. WTF? May as well be just watching another NBA game.




Yeah, I wish they would go back to true amateurs.


----------



## Eric

Herdfan said:


> Yeah, I wish they would go back to true amateurs.



Yeah, basically today's win was by an NBA team no matter how you look at it, IMO this was a joke to watch as an olympic match.


----------



## SuperMatt

Eric said:


> Watching USA vs France basketball and it turns out France has 5 NBA players on their team as well. WTF? May as well be just watching another NBA game.



Basketball has really become an international game in the past few decades. America is no longer head and shoulders above the rest of the world.


----------



## Eric

SuperMatt said:


> Basketball has really become an international game in the past few decades. America is no longer head and shoulders above the rest of the world.



The only reason France stood a chance is because a majority of their lineup was actual NBA players. If you flat out pit the best of the NBA vs the best any other country has to offer (without our players) it's a bloodbath, that's why they changed it up a while back.


----------



## thekev

SuperMatt said:


> I did read the anti-doping agency’s justification for banning marijuana, and it’s really absurd. There’s a worse story - somebody was banned for 5 years because they didn’t answer the door when the ADA came by - and it was because she just got an abortion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Five-year ban against Brianna McNeal upheld by Court of Arbitration for Sport
> 
> 
> The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a 5-year ban on hurdler Brianna McNeal for violating anti-doping rules, barring her from the Tokyo Olympics.
> 
> 
> 
> www.usatoday.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now THAT is some f-ed up stuff right there. We could have a thread just about the anti-doping agencies. Their job is important, but there’s no question they let the power get to their heads and ban people often for really petty offenses with little to no evidence. In this case, she never failed a single drug test, nor was there any evidence whatsoever that she ever used anything illegal. They destroy careers over their power trips.




Regardless of extenuating circumstances, they're unlikely to change that one. There might be some protocol for such cases.



> According to details of the case published Friday by the Athletics Integrity Unit, which is the anti-doping arm of World Athletics, McNeal missed a doping test in January 2020 after having an abortion,* then changed the date of the procedure on medical forms* because she mistakenly thought her doctor had gotten the date wrong.


----------



## SuperMatt

Eric said:


> The only reason France stood a chance is because a majority of their lineup was actual NBA players. If you flat out pit the best of the NBA vs the best any other country has to offer (without our players) it's a bloodbath, that's why they changed it up a while back.



The NBA has players from all over the world; it’s not just Americans anymore. This year’s NBA finals MVP was born in Greece to Nigerian parents.









						Giannis Antetokounmpo - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


----------



## Eric

SuperMatt said:


> The NBA has players from all over the world; it’s not just Americans anymore. This year’s NBA finals MVP was born in Greece to Nigerian parents.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Giannis Antetokounmpo - Wikipedia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> en.wikipedia.org



Right, so it's NBA vs NBA. I watched and it was like any other pro game you would watch here in the states, what a waste of time.


----------



## JayMysteri0

JayMysteri0 said:


> I've been hearing this more & more.  I don't know anything about gymnastics, but I thought this was an interesting explainer.



As I've said, it's a thing I can keep hearing / seeing.  I wonder if there is a solution to this, because it seems a bit lopsidedly unfair out of concern for the rest of gymnastics.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419446118195269638/

I keep reading how she does moves that even male gymnasts besides women will refuse to do some of her moves because they are too dangerous.






Doing it to "Tokyo Drift"


----------



## Thomas Veil

That woman is flat-out amazing.


----------



## Eric

Thomas Veil said:


> That woman is flat-out amazing.



We've never seen anything like her, both as an olympian and a person she's an inspiration. She once liked a tweet of mine and that was more bitching than being blocked by Donald Trump lol.

Watching her and the rest of the team will definitely be the highlight of the entire thing for me.


----------



## Pumbaa

Eric said:


> The only reason France stood a chance is because a majority of their lineup was actual NBA players. If you flat out pit the best of the NBA vs the best any other country has to offer (without our players) it's a bloodbath, that's why they changed it up a while back.



So, basically, Team USA would win if they were allowed to use their best players while their opponents were prohibited from using their best players? Marvelous! Not entirely sure what point your were trying to make there but it sure comes off as “sore loser”.

France didn’t buy a bunch of NBA players, NBA bought a bunch of french players. Playing in the NBA does not make one American.

It’s one thing to argue that NBA players shouldn’t be allowed in the Olympics at all or for something similar to what men’s association football is doing to keep pros out of it, that would make some sense. Arguing on the other hand that Team USA should be allowed to use NBA players while other countries should not, that’s pure rubbish.


----------



## SuperMatt

Eric said:


> Right, so it's NBA vs NBA. I watched and it was like any other pro game you would watch here in the states, what a waste of time.



It’s a lot more interesting than watching the USA “Dream Team” win by 50 points. When it was all amateurs, the US team did well, but they were not dominant.

And I think it’s great that we put the best athletes in the world into competition instead of limiting it to amateurs. It used to be that olympians could not earn money, so they worked their butts off for 4 years and got nothing? And they could “retire” after the olympics to get endorsement deals, which meant the best athletes were one-and-done with the Olympics. Nonsense. Meanwhile, the olympics machinery led to billions being earned by everybody else.

But let’s face it; I think they changed the rules because in communist countries, athletes who would have been pros in other countries (that had professional athletics) were demolishing the amateurs of other countries.


----------



## Herdfan

Thomas Veil said:


> That woman is flat-out amazing.



The G.O.A.T for sure.


----------



## Eric

Pumbaa said:


> So, basically, Team USA would win if they were allowed to use their best players while their opponents were prohibited from using their best players? Marvelous! Not entirely sure what point your were trying to make there but it sure comes off as “sore loser”.
> 
> France didn’t buy a bunch of NBA players, NBA bought a bunch of french players. Playing in the NBA does not make one American.
> 
> It’s one thing to argue that NBA players shouldn’t be allowed in the Olympics at all or for something similar to what men’s association football is doing to keep pros out of it, that would make some sense. Arguing on the other hand that Team USA should be allowed to use NBA players while other countries should not, that’s pure rubbish.



My point is this is the olympics and in reality it was nothing more than an all star game. It's hard for me to be a sore loser when both teams were stacked with NBA players. You have a single organization that drives the world's best players and it smacks more of a monopoly than anything.


----------



## Eric

JayMysteri0 said:


> As I've said, it's a thing I can keep hearing / seeing.  I wonder if there is a solution to this, because it seems a bit lopsidedly unfair out of concern for the rest of gymnastics.
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419446118195269638/
> 
> I keep reading how she does moves that even male gymnasts besides women will refuse to do some of her moves because they are too dangerous.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Doing it to "Tokyo Drift"



I think this puts judges in a tough position because they're witnessing a person with moves never seen before, on both the vault and the floor exercise she completely went (several steps) out of bounds yet still smoked all of her teammates. When you watch her you can see why, she's absolutely dynamic in every move she makes so a 3/10 deduction isn't enough to set her back.


----------



## JayMysteri0

Eric said:


> I think this puts judges in a tough position because they're witnessing a person with moves never seen before, on both the vault and the floor exercise she completely went (several steps) out of bounds yet still smoked all of her teammates. When you watch her you can see why, she's absolutely dynamic in every move she makes so a 3/10 deduction isn't enough to set her back.



Forget the judges.  To me it's about legacy.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419649790929948674/

It's selectively deciding that since sliding the scale back WON'T affect things for her, why not?  Is that the same argument that would be used for an athlete that could do one of Simone Biles moves successfully in a routine?  Would the judges feel compelled to give the full score then, because it's a unique occurrence & done by someone other than Biles?

Someone else is going to come along and hit scores like Biles', but the question will be is it for doing moves of the same complexity or difficulty or for it being such a well executed routine with less difficult moves safely performed?  We may never see anyone do the things Simone Biles does now again, but we will see scores like hers again.  The point is, is she being judged fairly in that regard?


----------



## Pumbaa

One of the charming things with the olympics is that odd sports nobody watches suddenly get some spotlight. For a brief moment people passionately care about sports they’d never even heard of before.

That said, I still want the best athletes from every participating country to compete even if I don’t know anything about the events they’re competing in.


----------



## Eric

Pumbaa said:


> One of the charming things with the olympics is that odd sports nobody watches suddenly get some spotlight. For a brief moment people passionately care about sports they’d never even heard of before.
> 
> That said, I still want the best athletes from every participating country to compete even if I don’t know anything about the events they’re competing in.



Right, you even got to watch the NBA play the NBA. Even in the Olympics American capitalists have their fingers in everything.


----------



## Herdfan

Pumbaa said:


> One of the charming things with the olympics is that odd sports nobody watches suddenly get some spotlight. For a brief moment people passionately care about sports they’d never even heard of before.
> 
> That said, I still want the best athletes from every participating country to compete even if I don’t know anything about the events they’re competing in.




Like the USA somehow managing to win the Gold in Curling.  Curling!

This is a sport most Americans have no clue about, yet we cheered that team like they were the 1980's Miracle on Ice team (Ok, maybe not that much )


----------



## Pumbaa

Eric said:


> Right, you even got to watch the NBA play the NBA. Even in the Olympics American capitalists have their fingers in everything.



As I see it the two options are to either allow the best athletes in an event or to ditch the event.

Men’s association football for example should absolutely be ditched. What’s the point of a sub-par competition?


----------



## Eric

Herdfan said:


> Like the USA somehow managing to win the Gold in Curling.  Curling!
> 
> This is a sport most Americans have no clue about, yet we cheered that team like they were the 1980's Miracle on Ice team (Ok, maybe not that much )



You get the feeling that any average Joe can get a feel for the game and join one of these teams lol. Seriously, outside of gymnastics this is my next favorite olympic event.


----------



## Herdfan

SuperMatt said:


> And I think it’s great that we put the best athletes in the world into competition instead of limiting it to amateurs.




See I disagree.  I would rather see amateurs playing their hearts out for their country than a bunch of multi-millionaires playing to increase their brand.   Would the competition be as good, no, but the emotion would be real.  

Also see no need for soccer, golf or tennis.  Basically any sport where there is something the athletes would rather have over a gold medal, shouldn't be in the Olympics.  For soccer its the World Cup, for Golf it is majors, for Tennis, Grand Slams.  Baseball & Hockey should also go back to amateurs.


----------



## Herdfan

Eric said:


> You get the feeling that any average Joe can get a feel for the game and join one of these teams lol. Seriously, outside of gymnastics this is my next favorite olympic event.




My college roommate lives in Chicago.  His neighborhood bar has curling leagues just like bars have dart leagues.  They also have a "travel" teams that compete against other bars.  Only in the north.  LOL.


----------



## Eric

Men do not have this requirement, why do women? Talk about a dated double standard. Props to Pink here, not only for helping them out but highlighting the actual "requirement".









						"Pink" Says She Will Pay the Fines for Norway's Female Handball Team for Not Wearing Bikini Bottoms – ScreenBinge
					

Norway’s female handball team has been fined for not wearing the official dress code demanded by the Beach Handball EURO 2021. The team has been fined




					www.screenbinge.com


----------



## tobefirst

Herdfan said:


> Also see no need for soccer, golf or tennis.  Basically any sport where there is something the athletes would rather have over a gold medal, shouldn't be in the Olympics.  For soccer its the World Cup, for Golf it is majors, for Tennis, Grand Slams.



100% agree with this.


----------



## Thomas Veil

LOL. Maybe you’ve already seen this…






Best Olympics-themed commercial ever.


----------



## JayMysteri0

Eric said:


> Men do not have this requirement, why do women? Talk about a dated double standard. Props to Pink here, not only for helping them out but highlighting the actual "requirement".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Pink" Says She Will Pay the Fines for Norway's Female Handball Team for Not Wearing Bikini Bottoms – ScreenBinge
> 
> 
> Norway’s female handball team has been fined for not wearing the official dress code demanded by the Beach Handball EURO 2021. The team has been fined
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.screenbinge.com



I mentioned the team being penalized elsewhere, but they weren't the first to make the decision to change up their outfits.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704820487839746/
I like them, they look like real life bad ass hero outfits.
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704825051336705/


----------



## SuperMatt

Herdfan said:


> See I disagree.  I would rather see amateurs playing their hearts out for their country than a bunch of multi-millionaires playing to increase their brand.   Would the competition be as good, no, but the emotion would be real.
> 
> Also see no need for soccer, golf or tennis.  Basically any sport where there is something the athletes would rather have over a gold medal, shouldn't be in the Olympics.  For soccer its the World Cup, for Golf it is majors, for Tennis, Grand Slams.  Baseball & Hockey should also go back to amateurs.



It might be more entertaining to watch amateurs perform. But it’s a completely shit deal for the athletes.

As for the 2nd paragraph: no need for those sports at the olympics at all.


----------



## JayMysteri0

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419988120255307781/

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419987613755314179/

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419989738971439106/

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420010486956019718/


----------



## Eric

JayMysteri0 said:


> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419988120255307781/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419987613755314179/



The pressure got to her, it's a shame but she has to do what's best for her.


----------



## Herdfan

Eric said:


> The pressure got to her, it's a shame but she has to do what's best for her.




She does, but she is still the G.O.A.T.

Moving to swimming, did anyone see the Women's 100M Breaststroke last night?  I was watching King battle Shoenmaker figuring it would come down to them.  Then King has a horrible turn basically taking her out of it and then out of nowhere comes 17 year old Lydia Jacoby to take the Gold.

I don't know if I can make people understand just how phenomenal her swim was.  She didn't set any records, but she is from Alaska and trains in a 25Y pool, not a 50M pool.  Doesn't sound like a big deal, but as someone who has swam, officiated or coached swimming for close to 50 years, this is a feat.  There is simply no good way to train for LC events in a SC pool.  Imagine trying to train for 100M dash in a gym where you have to stop and turn around.  Really was a great swim and the video of the watch party at her HS was really cool.


----------



## Huntn

P_X said:


> It's complex and very political issue though.
> 1. Olympics and sports organizations have a PR/primary preventative role to promote healthy lifestyle and drug prevention (ironic...)
> 2. Cannabinoids are still mostly scheduled as illegal drugs around the world.
> 3. Cannabinoids (esp CBD) have some properties that can be considered performance enhancing.*
> 4. It's gonna remain illegal in many countries, meaning that countries where it is legal would have an unfair advantage.
> 
> 
> *I've heard some historians claim the Zulus used CBD when they beat the Brits. And I've read some articles about NBA players talking about regular cannabis use to help deal with the chronic muscle and joint pain.



I view alcohol as more dangerous than weed. It seems unfair that because thc (or whatever) triggers a positive drug test stays in your system longer than alcohol does, it is unfair and you will be penalized for grass until they can come up with a better method to determine how long ago prior to an athletic event you imbibed.


----------



## JayMysteri0

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419884761091387392/


----------



## Huntn

Instead of continuing to derail the Olympics 2021 thread:
Thread 'Transgenders Participating In Sports'
https://talkedabout.com/threads/transgenders-participating-in-sports.1738/


----------



## User.45

JayMysteri0 said:


> I mentioned the team being penalized elsewhere, but they weren't the first to make the decision to change up their outfits.
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704820487839746/
> I like them, they look like real life bad ass hero outfits.
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704825051336705/



I liked this a lot.


----------



## User.45

JayMysteri0 said:


> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419988120255307781/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419987613755314179/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419989738971439106/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420010486956019718/



This is exactly what I was talking about. A delayed Olympics meant that these athletes had to push an extra year being on top of their game. It's absolutely brutal and them prioritizing their mental health is absolutely fine. Just like with Naomi Osaka, whom I like a lot. Not having to be on proton pump inhibitors to prevent getting an ulcer from BS like press conferences isn't insanity. They are definitely way overpaid but in exchange they are considered machines, even property. Not a great deal if you ask me.


----------



## Huntn

JayMysteri0 said:


> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419988120255307781/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419987613755314179/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419989738971439106/
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420010486956019718/



The thing is, she has proven herself, over and over, and if she is in constant pain, I can understand the decision. And fortunately she has her track record to ease any guilty conscious she may have about _letting the team down. You _can only do what you do if your head is in the game.


----------



## Huntn

JayMysteri0 said:


> I mentioned the team being penalized elsewhere, but they weren't the first to make the decision to change up their outfits.
> 
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704820487839746/
> I like them, they look like real life bad ass hero outfits.
> https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1419704825051336705/



I wonder if the full leg exposure in a gymnastics outfit  similar to a swimsuit was meant to sexualized the women or was it for practicality, freedom of movement or to even be cooler? I acknowledge that men wear full length pants in gym exercises, and have no issue with women doing the same if that is their preference.


----------



## Thomas Veil

Eric said:


> The pressure got to her, it's a shame but she has to do what's best for her.



I feel bad for her. She’s still very young and susceptible to that kind of pressure. Its not until we get older that many of us learn to overcome that and say to ourselves, “You know what? Fuck it. Whatever happens, happens.”


----------



## Eric

As she was waiting for her turn on the vault NBC kept playing all of her previous errors in slow motion and highlighting them, if that was also being shown on their monitors I would think it would've be really hard for her to watch. The whole thing is really too bad but I applaud her for making the decision she did and her honesty around it, she had enough and just backed away, no shame in that so good for her.


----------



## Herdfan

Eric said:


> As she was waiting for her turn on the vault NBC kept playing all of her previous errors in slow motion and highlighting them, if that was also being shown on their monitors I would think it would've be really hard for her to watch. The whole thing is really too bad but I applaud her for making the decision she did and her honesty around it, she had enough and just backed away, no shame in that so good for her.




I still think there is more.  Or at least a more in depth reason for it.  I can't imagine showing up at a competition and then being told that you are not going to be getting credit for the difficulty of your routine.  That would be hard to accept for sure.

When my daughter was young, she tried several sports just to see what would stick and I'm glad she went with swimming.  The clock doesn't care who you are, what color you are, what team you are on.  It just runs at the same pace until you touch the wall.


----------



## Thomas Veil

How dare this guy! 









						Simone Biles is a 'National Embarrassment' Texas Deputy AG Tweets
					

"Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles," tweeted Aaron Reitz in response to a post about 1996 Olympian Kerri Strug.




					www.newsweek.com
				






> Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz sparked outrage on social media Tuesday after tweeting that Simone Biles was a "national embarrassment" after she announced her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics....





> Reitz retweeted a video of 1996 gold medalist Kerri Strug, who won team USA gold with an ankle injury. On Tuesday, Reitz tweeted, "Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles."





> "You seriously need to apologize publicly to her," one user wrote. "Her health comes before competing. You clearly are heartless, but I guess I am not surprised by this."
> 
> One Twitter user referenced the deep freeze in the state of Texas in February, in which reports state at least 150 people died. "I'm pretty sure you meant to say ERCOT instead of Simone Biles. If you could harness her energy and integrity maybe people wouldn't have died in this state."




Ritz is scum. Maybe he should quit to examine his own mental health.

.......

(Nah. It's not mental. He's just an asshole.)


----------



## GermanSuplex

I love all the racists who wasted absolutely not one minute to be able to show their disgust at a young black female who - GASP - made the life-changing (our lives, not hers) to step away from Olympic competition.

Give me a damn break. It’s so apparent it has nothing to do with sports or patriotism and everything to do with having a chance to lay the beat down on a respected, talented young woman of color.

Eat shit, assholes. If they were smart, they’d see themselves in her and get help for them own mental turbulence, which in their case is a brain-eating disease known as racism.


----------



## Eric

GermanSuplex said:


> I love all the racists who wasted absolutely not one minute to be able to show their disgust at a young black female who - GASP - made the life-changing (our lives, not hers) to step away from Olympic competition.
> 
> Give me a damn break. It’s so apparent it has nothing to do with sports or patriotism and everything to do with having a chance to lay the beat down on a respected, talented young woman of color.
> 
> Eat shit, assholes. If they were smart, they’d see themselves in her and get help for them own mental turbulence, which in their case is a brain-eating disease known as racism.



Refuses to wear a mask... demands that Simone sacrifice for her country. They can all suck it.


----------



## Joe

GermanSuplex said:


> I love all the racists who wasted absolutely not one minute to be able to show their disgust at a young black female who - GASP - made the life-changing (our lives, not hers) to step away from Olympic competition.
> 
> Give me a damn break. It’s so apparent it has nothing to do with sports or patriotism and everything to do with having a chance to lay the beat down on a respected, talented young woman of color.
> 
> Eat shit, assholes. If they were smart, they’d see themselves in her and get help for them own mental turbulence, which in their case is a brain-eating disease known as racism.




All I see on social media are mediocre white men acting like they know what's best for Simone Biles. These racist tools never waste a chance to attack a black athlete. 

These same idiots were cheering against the "woke" US Women's soccer team when they lost to Sweden. Now they want to act like Patriotic Americans and attack Simone for not representing their country by "quitting" These people are straight trash.


----------



## Herdfan

I feel sorry for her.  I really do.  She got hosed.

I can't imagine how I would have felt if back when I was playing baseball I was told I was too good a hitter and my, and only my, strike zone was going to be 2" bigger on each side to make it fair.  I would have gone ballistic.  

No matter what, she is still the G.O.A.T. and nothing she has done will change that in my mind.

I figure some of it is NBC is pissed because the ratings are already in the toilet and she is one of the Top 5 draws.


----------



## Herdfan

At least we kept the Gold in the USA:

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/sunisa-lee-jade-carey-compete-080004367.html


----------



## SuperMatt

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420410946951032840/


----------



## JayMysteri0

Thomas Veil said:


> How dare this guy!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Simone Biles is a 'National Embarrassment' Texas Deputy AG Tweets
> 
> 
> "Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles," tweeted Aaron Reitz in response to a post about 1996 Olympian Kerri Strug.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.newsweek.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ritz is scum. Maybe he should quit to examine his own mental health.
> 
> .......
> 
> (Nah. It's not mental. He's just an asshole.)



Yeah, I was posting about this in the TFG thread, because the armchair right wing athletes ( men ) were out in full force condemning Biles.  Never one to pass up attacking someone appreciated by women, liberals, and PoC, they are all over trying to paint her as somehow *UN*patriotic.  When it's really just being selfish because they were denied some unearned chest thumping in taking pride in their country, and not really giving a shit about the American who did the work after years of sacrifice.

It's also a typical lack of creativity on the Texas pol's part, as they are just regurgitating what makes them feel good while criticizing someone else.  Only they don't really get into the details, for fear of what it says about them.



> Viral post thoughtfully reexamines Kerri Strug's iconic broken ankle vault at 1996 Olympics
> 
> 
> "Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug's famous one-leg vault...But for some reason I wasn't as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.upworthy.com





> Some people pointed to Kerri Strug, who landed on one foot after vaulting with a broken ankle in the 1996 Olympics to help the U.S. win gold, as an example of the kind of sacrifice an athlete should be willing to make for their country.
> 
> Byron Heath shared some thoughts about that fateful day in a viral Facebook post that has been shared more than 370,000 times in less than a day.
> 
> Heath wrote:
> 
> _"This realization I had about Simone Biles is gonna make some people mad, but oh well.
> 
> Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug's famous one-leg vault. It was a defining Olympic moment that I watched live as a kid, and my girls watched raptly as Strug fell, and then limped back to leap again.
> 
> But for some reason I wasn't as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick. Maybe being a father and teacher has made me soft, but all I could see was how Kerri Strug looked at her coach, Bela Karolyi, with pleading, terrified eyes, while he shouted back 'You can do it!' over and over again.
> 
> My daughters didn't cheer when Strug landed her second vault. Instead they frowned in concern as she collapsed in agony and frantic tears.
> 
> 'Why did she jump again if she was hurt?' one of my girls asked. I made some inane reply about the heart of a champion or Olympic spirit, but in the back of my mind a thought was festering: *She shouldn't have jumped again*_






> _The more the thought echoed, the stronger my realization became. Coach Karolyi should have gotten his visibly injured athlete medical help immediately! Now that I have two young daughters in gymnastics, I expect their safety to be the coach's number one priority. Instead, Bela Karolyi told Strug to vault again. And he got what he wanted; a gold medal that was more important to him than his athlete's health. I'm sure people will say 'Kerri Strug was a competitor--she WANTED to push through the injury.' That's probably true. But since the last Olympics we've also learned these athletes were put into positions where they could be systematically abused both emotionally and physically, all while being inundated with 'win at all costs' messaging. A teenager under those conditions should have been protected, and told 'No medal is worth the risk of permanent injury.' In fact, we now know that Strug's vault wasn't even necessary to clinch the gold; the U.S. already had an insurmountable lead. Nevertheless, Bela Karolyi told her to vault again according to his own recounting of their conversation:_






> _'I can't feel my leg,' Strug told Karolyi._
> 
> _'We got to go one more time,' Karolyi said. 'Shake it out.'
> 
> 'Do I have to do this again?' Strug asked. 'Can you, can you?' Karolyi wanted to know._
> 
> _'I don't know yet,' said Strug. 'I will do it. I will, I will.'_






> _*The injury forced Strug's retirement at 18 years old*. Dominique Moceanu, a generational talent, also retired from injuries shortly after. They were top gymnasts literally pushed to the breaking point, and then put out to pasture. Coach Karolyi and *Larry Nassar* (the serial sexual abuser) continued their long careers, while the athletes were treated as a disposable resource._






> _Today Simone Biles--the greatest gymnast of all time--chose to step back from the competition, citing concerns for mental and physical health. I've already seen comments and posts about how Biles 'failed her country', 'quit on us', or 'can't be the greatest if she can't handle the pressure.' Those statements are no different than Coach Karolyi telling an injured teen with wide, frightened eyes: 'We got to go one more time. Shake it out.'
> 
> The subtext here is: 'Our gold medal is more important than your well-being.'
> 
> Our athletes shouldn't have to destroy themselves to meet our standards. If giving empathetic, authentic support to our Olympians means we'll earn less gold medals, I'm happy to make that trade._




For shame Simone Biles decided her mental & physical health were important.  For shame Simone Biles will compete another day.

For shame she didn't risk her well being for others entertainment & pride.

Fuck those others.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420857933022248961/


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## Clix Pix

A lot of people don't seem to realize that if Simone HAD gone ahead and participated in the rest of the competition at that point with her head not really in the right place that it was more than likely that, yes, again mid-air she could have faltered and subsequently fallen, with the result being not a medal but instead permanent life-threatening and life-changing injuries.   Surely no one really wants Simone to have taken chances on dying or spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair because winning that gold medal for the US was just, so_, so _important?!!!!

This young woman has demonstrated a self-awareness, personal and internal strength and grace which reaches far, far beyond the physical ability for winning gold medals, and we in the US should be so very proud that she is an American athlete representing this country, as this goes so far beyond bringing home medals......    Through this she is also showing the US and the world that abuse of young female athletes will not and should not be tolerated any more, ever.   She is an asset to the world at large, actually, not just the US, in having the courage to stand up for what she knew she needed to do and going ahead with that.  I think many young athletes both in this current Tokyo Olympics and those at home aspiring to one day be an Olympian are looking at this, internalizing it and I hope learning from it.


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## Herdfan

Pivoting away from gymnastics, if anyone has any interest at all in swimming, you need to watch or DVR tonight.

For the first time ever in the Olympics there is going to be a Mixed 4x100 Medley Relay.  The only rules are a team must be comprised of 2 men and 2 women, but no rules on what strokes they swim.  So a team could send their 2 men out first and hope the women can hold on or send the 2 women out and hope the men can bring it home or some combination.  It is going to be chaos for sure.


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## shadow puppet

Herdfan said:


> Moving to swimming, did anyone see the Women's 100M Breaststroke last night?  I was watching King battle Shoenmaker figuring it would come down to them.  Then King has a horrible turn basically taking her out of it and then out of nowhere comes 17 year old Lydia Jacoby to take the Gold.



This has been one of my favorite Olympic moments so far. Seeing the look on 17 year old Lydia Jacoby from Alaska (which only has one proper, 50-meter, Olympic-sized pool), after winning gold & Lilly King, former breaststroke Queen, immediately congratulating her. #passingthetorch


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## shadow puppet

Clix Pix said:


> A lot of people don't seem to realize that if Simone HAD gone ahead and participated in the rest of the competition at that point with her head not really in the right place that it was more than likely that, yes, again mid-air she could have faltered and subsequently fallen, with the result being not a medal but instead permanent life-threatening and life-changing injuries.



Exactly.

Ever read _Little Girls in Pretty Boxes_?  It's about the elite level of competing in women's gymnastics and figure skating.  One young gymnast landed wrong in her vault and ended up paralyzed for life.  Her level of technical difficulty was no where near that of Biles.


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## Clix Pix

Yep, and that book was a real eye-opener......I also read a couple of other books as well, and the message came through loud and clear that while gymnastics is dazzling and amazing for onlookers, it is extraordinarily physically and emotionally difficult and challenging each and every time for a gymnast, and it can definitely be life-threatening.   Young gymnasts have died, young gymnasts have wound up in a wheelchair for life......   Eating disorders, ongoing physical and psychological distress, physical injuries...... And that is only touching on the issues of physical, psychological, verbal and sexual abusive behavior by the coaches, trainers and medical personnel who were supposed to be supporting these young athletes rather than allowing and pushing them to do more, more, more and to just go ahead and work through an injury with the sad results that some of them were indeed injured and emotionally destroyed for life just so that they could go to a competition and come home with medals......


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## JayMysteri0

> Simone Biles Got The 'Twisties' At The Tokyo Olympics. Here's What That Means
> 
> 
> When Simone Biles withdrew during the women's gymnastics team final following her vault on Sunday, she said she wasn't physically injured but suffered from a phenomenon called "the twisties."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.npr.org





> TOKYO — At Thursday's Summer Olympics, the women's all-around gymnastics winner was ... _not_ Simone Biles.
> 
> The title and gold medal went to Sunisa Lee of the U.S.
> 
> Biles' absence hung over one of the most anticipated events at the Games, an event she won at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. Biles withdrew after first dropping out of the women's team finals, while it was underway, earlier this week, citing mental health challenges.
> 
> She hasn't detailed much about what those challenges are.
> 
> But she has acknowledged suffering from a phenomenon known as "the twisties."





> Lost in air​In her one, and perhaps only finals performance of these Olympic Games, Biles launched herself into a vault that, once airborne, would require 2 1/2 twists of her body. As she recounted afterward, it didn't work.
> 
> "I was trying a 2 1/2," Biles said, "and I ended up doing a 1 1/2. Just got a little bit lost in the air."
> 
> An ocean away, in California, former competitive gymnast Catherine Burns watched and winced.
> 
> "I know that feeling so deeply in my body," Burns said, "of being, like, I'm lost, I came out [of the move] too early, where am I? And all of that is happening in the course of split seconds, that recognition of something's not right and I need to be able to complete the trick without injuring myself."
> 
> Burns competed through high school in gymnastics and diving. She was nowhere near the elite world Biles inhabits. But anyone who has honed their airborne skills in sport can experience the frightening sensation of suddenly being lost in air.
> 
> It's called the twisties.
> 
> "You can get it on twisting moves," Burns said, "but you can also get it on any kind of rotational move. [And] you can get lost in the air on a really simple trick that you've done a thousand times before."
> 
> Burns said gymnasts, especially elite ones, do so much work to be able to gain muscle memory and awareness of knowing where their body is in the air.
> 
> "Having that spatial recognition, being able to see yourself doing the trick, it becomes a point where it's like built into your body," Burns said, "and you do it sort of without thinking about it cognitively. And then sometimes you get these twisties [and] it's sort of like a mental block that some people refer to as if you're starting to cognitively think about [it] again."
> 
> Burns likened it to other things we do over and over, with their execution locked into our muscle memory. Similar to walking down a flight of stairs.
> 
> "If you think too hard about picking your feet up at the right rate going down the stairs," she said, "and you start to get overwhelmed and you're going to trip over yourself. That's sort of the feeling of, like, thinking too hard or being too aware of something that you shouldn't really have to think about anymore."


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## shadow puppet

Another amazing race for Tatjana Schoenmaker.  Love seeing her reaction and the support & good sportsmanship by the U.S. swimmers.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420928097927548929/


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## JayMysteri0

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420962797295476738/

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1420814900608348162/


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## JayMysteri0

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1421028145839296513/


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## Herdfan

Wow!  This is a wow!









						Thompson-Herah breaks FloJo's 100m record
					

Elaine Thompson-Herah broke Florence Griffith Joyner's 33-year-old Olympic record in the women's 100 meters, crossing the line in 10.61 seconds Saturday to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals.




					www.espn.com


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## SuperMatt

Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg as Olympics commentators….

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1421556163934658567/


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## Herdfan

Caleb Dressel won the 50 Free by .48.  That is crazy to beat the field by that margin in a 50.

On a side note, I do not understand the issue with the Soul Cap.  I think both sides are a bit stupid.  First, I don't understand why it's banned.  Bigger cap = more drag = slower or need to be stronger to overcome.  So it is not an advantage, if anything it is a disadvantage.  Second, if you are a swimmer at the upper levels of swimming (NCAA, USA Swimming > Zones),  and you are choosing your hair over your times, then that's on you.


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## User.45

JagRunner said:


> All I see on social media are mediocre white men acting like they know what's best for Simone Biles. These racist tools never waste a chance to attack a black athlete.
> 
> These same idiots were cheering against the "woke" US Women's soccer team when they lost to Sweden. Now they want to act like Patriotic Americans and attack Simone for not representing their country by "quitting" These people are straight trash.



The thing is, a Black Athlete's respect can be highly conditional to success. Most recently England's soccer team's Black players getting an extra layer of abuse after missing penalties.


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## SuperMatt

Some foreign names don’t translate well to English:



That was from Men’s Volleyball - Argentina actually won against the USA (pictured is a member of Argentinian team).


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## shadow puppet

This Chevy Olympics commercial featuring Walter-the-Cat is hilarious.  "Walter, go get some firewood."


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## Herdfan

shadow puppet said:


> This Chevy Olympics commercial featuring Walter-the-Cat is hilarious.  "Walter, go get firewood."



Wife showed me that last night.  Great ad.


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## lizkat

From the hurt feelings log of 2021 Olympics...

At the opening, China felt hurt that the official "China" map did not include Taiwan.






But later on, someone from the twitterati came to the rescue.


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## JayMysteri0




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## JayMysteri0

A look back


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## Eric

JayMysteri0 said:


> A look back



I would totally watch more of this than the olympics


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## SuperMatt

Canadian Soccer Player Quinn Becomes The First Out Trans And Nonbinary Gold Medalist
					

Quinn is one of a handful of athletes this year who became the first trans and nonbinary athletes to compete in the Olympics.




					www.npr.org


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## JayMysteri0

So we're done talking about US Basketball in the Olympics right?

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1424055964936851457/

Or we can complain about other Americans in the Olympics I imagine.

Or of course the Men's team should have won.

Or...


----------



## Eric

Dressage seems like the most elitist of them all but I guess the filthy rich need a "sport" too.


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## Thomas Veil

Woo-hoo! I know this is a moving target, but check out which country is leading for the first time in overall medals *and* gold!


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## Pumbaa

Thomas Veil said:


> Woo-hoo! I know this is a moving target, but check out which country is leading for the first time in overall medals *and* gold!
> 
> View attachment 7754​



Fake news! 









						Chinese netizens try to pad their Olympic stats with Taiwan's medals | Taiwan News | 2021-08-09 12:40:00
					

Chinese nationalists console themselves by including Taiwan's wins in fictitious medal table | 2021-08-09 12:40:00




					www.taiwannews.com.tw


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## User.45

Pumbaa said:


> Fake news!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chinese netizens try to pad their Olympic stats with Taiwan's medals | Taiwan News | 2021-08-09 12:40:00
> 
> 
> Chinese nationalists console themselves by including Taiwan's wins in fictitious medal table | 2021-08-09 12:40:00
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.taiwannews.com.tw



NYT coming up with their own medal tally by simply using the absolute number of medals was also really pathetic.


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## Thomas Veil

Oh why not? They think Taiwan is part of them, right? 

That’s so petty. But then their whole attitude toward Taiwan is petty.


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## Herdfan

While the Olympics for most folks are over, the Paralympics are just getting started.

A HS Classmate of mine's nephew is competing in them.  So if you aren't doing anything on Thursday evening, tune in a cheer for Noah.









						Indianapolis runner competing in Tokyo Paralympics
					

The Tokyo Paralympics began Tuesday, and there's a local runner from Indianapolis competing in the games. Noah Malone, 19, is one of the few legally blind Division 1 track athletes in the country.




					www.wrtv.com


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