Summer Olympics 2012

Canada's women's basketball team got destroyed in the 1st quarter by Australia (their #14 is 6'8"); they held their own in the 2nd, even had an 8-point run, but they keep making very low-percentage shots, trying to force passes through crowds. Australia is ranked much higher but are actually not playing very well themselves (at least not in the 2nd). Mental mistakes are killing us.

Canada with a 12-2 run in the third quarter, with a free throw could get to within 4 points. Wow!

Canada within 5 after 3. They were within 3 at one point but a missed offensive foul (IMO) followed by a called defensive foul on the same play led to the Aussies getting 2 points back.

Come on, Canada! Just 5 points now!

Own worst enemies. They get down to 10 points back, then back to 2 back, now 6 points back. They need to win by 5 to avoid facing USA in the quarter finals.

I'm afraid that's not going to happen 2 minutes to go, 4 points back, need 9 to win by 5.

Over to NBC watching Murray with two aces to go up 40-15, serving for the match and the gold.

And a third ace for the gold!

Or should I have said "Murry"?

Remember when 9.79 was an unbelievable time? Bolt ran a 9.63.

Van Koeverden advances to the finals in the 1000m kayak. He was first in his semis and will be going for gold on Wednesday.

Canada's women's soccer team is going up against team USA in the semis at 2:45 today. They are very much the underdogs, but they've played better than their ranking, and they have beaten USA in the past (just not very often).

Despatie will go in the 3m platform preliminary rounds at 2PM.

Other Canadians today include the equestrian team (sorry, Ian Miller is 65 , the real athletes in this event are the horses - why do we have equestrian events and no rugby?); synchronized swimming (duets); and Mary Spencer (boxing)

wprager wrote:
Other Canadians today include the equestrian team (sorry, Ian Miller is 65 , the real athletes in this event are the horses - why do we have equestrian events and no rugby?); synchronized swimming (duets); and Mary Spencer (boxing)

yea, I don't really get the horse events either (and shooting for that matter)... On the upside though, Rugby and Golf are back for the Rio games...

Man, Canada is getting jobbed on the soccer pitch. Shades of Salt Lake City, again.

More bronze for Canada:

https://twitter.com/tsnjamesduthie/status/232922124245929984

CAN's Derek Drouin, who has never competed in a World Championship or Olympics, has won a surprise BRONZE medal in Men's High Jump.

wprager wrote:Man, Canada is getting jobbed on the soccer pitch. Shades of Salt Lake City, again.

Yeah, that was a pretty brutal series of calls by the ref. Heartbreaking loss for Team Canada. Hard to tell if the ref was just being stupid or if they were intentionally trying to help the USA win. Corruption and soccer tend to go hand in hand unfortunately. The Canadian women played their hearts out and it was a very entertaining game. FIFA is apparently looking into the comments made by the Canadian players and coach after and may levy sanctions against them. Which would add insult to injury. Hopefully they can put it behind them and take the bronze.

I'd like FIFA to investigate the referee's conduct. This was a Norwegian ref and Norway's soccer has had a recent problem with match fixing:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/08/05/2050.ap.soc.norway.match.fixing.0174/index.html

Another controversy. Boxing Canada says they will be appealing the decision in which Canadian boxer Custio Clayton lost 14-14 to hometown Freddie Evans, even though it appeared that Clayton had more than enough in the third round to overcome a slow first. The appeal will hinge on their contention that Evans was warned three times during the fight for pushing Clayton's head down with his forearms -- an AIBA rule stipulates that 3 warnings for the same infraction will result in an automatic warning penalty (2 points would then go to Clayton).

One decision has already been overturned on appeal at these games -- of course that was in favor of a US boxer. So, still keeping fingers crossed.

wprager wrote:I'd like FIFA to investigate the referee's conduct. This was a Norwegian ref and Norway's soccer has had a recent problem with match fixing:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/08/05/2050.ap.soc.norway.match.fixing.0174/index.html

Have they not already come out to say they won't investigate or was that the Olympic competition committee or whatever they call themselves?

Couple more medals -- a silver for Van Koeverden in the 1000 m kayak, and a bronze in the 1000 m canoe for Mark Aldershaw. Canada now with 13 medals (but still just that one gold in trampoline).

wprager wrote:I'd like FIFA to investigate the referee's conduct. This was a Norwegian ref and Norway's soccer has had a recent problem with match fixing:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/08/05/2050.ap.soc.norway.match.fixing.0174/index.html

FIFA in general has an issue with corruption and match fixing. So, it's laughable that FIFA are investigating this. I would not expect them to look at the ref or anything. No faith in that system at all. It's corrupt to the bone.

No suspensions for the Canadian girls at this time so they'll all be available for the Bronze game. Who knows what will happen after. What a joke.