I want 'em to win, but the relay is just too much of a lottery for me to get too serious about it.
I have to say i really love the relays, though i agree it is a bit of a lottery, especially the 4 x 100m. Two of my fave athletics moments ever are from the relays:
the GB men's 4 x 400m team in the 1991 world championship beating the US team, which was a massive upset....
and the GB men's 4 x 100m team at the 2004 games, which sweetened up what had been a pretty disappointing track and field display by GB (eta excepting Kelly Holmes of course)....
The GB win in 2004 was so exciting and I'm not even British. Poor Chris Thompson there in the 10k. Three Kenyans walked by him in the warm-up and you could see him thinking 'there go the medals.' Great steeplechase race, definitely the highest quality so far.
I was watching bowls yesterday and I literally had no idea what the hell was going on. First of all, both teams started using red balls, then midway through they both started using green balls?! Very confusing.
I noticed that too, there were balls in 5 different colours! It's improved slightly though, only red and orange was being used in the women's match today
I noticed that too, there were balls in 5 different colours! It's improved slightly though, only red and orange was being used in the women's match today
Yeah it has got nothing to do with the actual colour of the bowls - the competitors can use their own sets if they want (as long as they are legal) but the bowls should have either a red or a blue sticker on them to differentiate between the teams.:D
I have to say i really love the relays, though i agree it is a bit of a lottery, especially the 4 x 100m. Two of my fave athletics moments ever are from the relays:
the GB men's 4 x 400m team in the 1991 world championship beating the US team, which was a massive upset....
and the GB men's 4 x 100m team at the 2004 games, which sweetened up what had been a pretty disappointing track and field display by GB (eta excepting Kelly Holmes of course)....
Some great moments there. In 2004 I was coming back from work on a Saturday and I couldn't get home in time to see the race so I went into a pub , but the race was over. I asked a few people in the pub if they knew the result , but there was complete indifference, no-one knew who won. It was only when I got home to see the highlights that I saw the race. Similarly when Sally Gunnell won a gold there were just a handful of us in the pub cheering her on, no-one else could care.
You can be assured that the entire nation will be glued to the TV tonight when England take on the might of Montenegro, a game which will take up acres of newsprint and will be discussed for minutes to come. Rooney no doubt will score and will once again be described as the world's greatest player.
Great win for England in the rugby against Samoa. Just as I was saying how good England looked in their white strip , they come up with a horrible orange thing.
I know its only the commonweath games but im amazed at how many medals the Indians are winning. 23 ish golds so far, very good for a nation thats mainly just obsessed with cricket.
I know its only the commonweath games but im amazed at how many medals the Indians are winning. 23 ish golds so far, very good for a nation thats mainly just obsessed with cricket.
It's also interesting when you take into account India has a woeful Olympics record. I'm all for it though, i like the home nation doing well at an event. Hope England can pip them to 2nd overall though on the medals table.
However, on the other side of the argument, athletes or nationalities do work together to dope. Seven track and field Russian athletes were suspended just before Beijing because they submitted urine samples that came from the same person -
Again I miss a good afternoon of athletics... I hate working!
Delighted, and somewhat staggered by our 4x100m teams. I actually cheered when MLF crossed the line, which considering my fairly low opinion of his abilities is remarkable, but it's always nice to be proven wrong occasionally . I'm also very pleased for Laura Turner and Co. They were the class act.
iPlayer still hasn't got the final part of today's coverage up, but I saw that our 4x400 squads didn't do as well, but hey.
Well done to the Indian relay team. Denise's comment of oh I've seen the places they live I hope etc. Yeah, there's no need to sound patronising. :rolleyes: So prefer Michael Johnson.
Congrats to Tom Daly (he's grown!) and Max Brick along with the Indian hocket team, that penalty shootout was fun.
Again I miss a good afternoon of athletics... I hate working!
Delighted, and somewhat staggered by our 4x100m teams. I actually cheered when MLF crossed the line, which considering my fairly low opinion of his abilities is remarkable, but it's always nice to be proven wrong occasionally . I'm also very pleased for Laura Turner and Co. They were the class act.
iPlayer still hasn't got the final part of today's coverage up, but I saw that our 4x400 squads didn't do as well, but hey.
Anyone who can run 100m in a fraction over 10 seconds - as he has (and he might have beaten 10 seconds if his blocks hadn't slipped in the 100m final) has considerable ability.
Well done to the Indian relay team. Denise's comment of oh I've seen the places they live I hope etc. Yeah, there's no need to sound patronising. :rolleyes: So prefer Michael Johnson.
Congrats to Tom Daly (he's grown!) and Max Brick along with the Indian hocket team, that penalty shootout was fun.
Did she really say that? I can't remember her saying that.
I'm paraphrasing but do remember her referring to how women are treated as second class citizens in India and their win in the relay would propel them into super-stardom so to speak.
I thought Michael Johnson was spot on with his comments on the games. As usual.
I thought Michael Johnson was spot on with his comments on the games. As usual.
I do wonder if he was British would he be so highly rated (see ian Thorpe as well).
Michael actually made one or two errors in his assesments during these Games - including yesterday when he implied the the England 4x100m men's team that took gold was pretty much the UK one.
I do wonder if he was British would he be so highly rated (see ian Thorpe as well).
Michael actually made one or two errors in his assesments during these Games - including yesterday when he implied the the England 4x100m men's team that took gold was pretty much the UK one.
Half of it at best.
Yes I noticed that too, however I was referring to his opinion on how the Commonwealth Games overall. I like him, but I also like Denise and Colin too. They're all prone to mistakes really and all of them know their stuff. As they should do!
Comments
I have to say i really love the relays, though i agree it is a bit of a lottery, especially the 4 x 100m. Two of my fave athletics moments ever are from the relays:
the GB men's 4 x 400m team in the 1991 world championship beating the US team, which was a massive upset....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFSUpLFO2ZU
and the GB men's 4 x 100m team at the 2004 games, which sweetened up what had been a pretty disappointing track and field display by GB (eta excepting Kelly Holmes of course)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhiVdReN6uw&feature=related
I noticed that too, there were balls in 5 different colours! It's improved slightly though, only red and orange was being used in the women's match today
Yeah it has got nothing to do with the actual colour of the bowls - the competitors can use their own sets if they want (as long as they are legal) but the bowls should have either a red or a blue sticker on them to differentiate between the teams.:D
It was hilarious but really cute
Some great moments there. In 2004 I was coming back from work on a Saturday and I couldn't get home in time to see the race so I went into a pub , but the race was over. I asked a few people in the pub if they knew the result , but there was complete indifference, no-one knew who won. It was only when I got home to see the highlights that I saw the race. Similarly when Sally Gunnell won a gold there were just a handful of us in the pub cheering her on, no-one else could care.
You can be assured that the entire nation will be glued to the TV tonight when England take on the might of Montenegro, a game which will take up acres of newsprint and will be discussed for minutes to come. Rooney no doubt will score and will once again be described as the world's greatest player.
"Fennell said: "We are concerned with the number of incidents that are coming up with the same substance.
"At this stage I cannot speak very definitively as to where it's coming from but it appears that it may be coming from the use of supplements."
It's very common to hear 'it was the supplements'.
However, on the other side of the argument, athletes or nationalities do work together to dope. Seven track and field Russian athletes were suspended just before Beijing because they submitted urine samples that came from the same person - "DNA convergence". (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/russia-hit-by-doping-suspensions-882064.html)
With there only being four pairs entered i feel rather bad for the 4th place team...:o
It's also interesting when you take into account India has a woeful Olympics record. I'm all for it though, i like the home nation doing well at an event. Hope England can pip them to 2nd overall though on the medals table.
Just be grateful you don't have that job.
Delighted, and somewhat staggered by our 4x100m teams. I actually cheered when MLF crossed the line, which considering my fairly low opinion of his abilities is remarkable, but it's always nice to be proven wrong occasionally
iPlayer still hasn't got the final part of today's coverage up, but I saw that our 4x400 squads didn't do as well, but hey.
Congrats to Tom Daly (he's grown!) and Max Brick along with the Indian hocket team, that penalty shootout was fun.
Anyone who can run 100m in a fraction over 10 seconds - as he has (and he might have beaten 10 seconds if his blocks hadn't slipped in the 100m final) has considerable ability.
The mens 4x400m squad was a 'C' team at best.
Did she really say that? I can't remember her saying that.
I'm paraphrasing but do remember her referring to how women are treated as second class citizens in India and their win in the relay would propel them into super-stardom so to speak.
I thought Michael Johnson was spot on with his comments on the games. As usual.
I do wonder if he was British would he be so highly rated (see ian Thorpe as well).
Michael actually made one or two errors in his assesments during these Games - including yesterday when he implied the the England 4x100m men's team that took gold was pretty much the UK one.
Half of it at best.
Yes I noticed that too, however I was referring to his opinion on how the Commonwealth Games overall. I like him, but I also like Denise and Colin too. They're all prone to mistakes really and all of them know their stuff. As they should do!
Congrats to Tom Daly in the diving!