Olympic & Paralympic Games London 2012

[IAceI]

110m Hurdle final to go soon. Looks likely to be between Americans Merritt and Richardson. Dayron Robles has the fastest time of all of them but has yet to show it this season. Clarke of Great Britain runs as well.

[Quom]

Fuck Australia bottling it and being all stiff and nervous when playing Team USA. We could actually be winning if we were playing with soft hands. Too many shots thrown too hard, then over compensating..

[Meacon Keaton]

This one gave the illusion it was gonna be close. Our boys are just having fun now.

[Plubby]

Gulf in talent with Patty Mills being the only one close to NBA level, but not in heart. Still proud of the Boomers either way.

[Quom]

Serious? Ingles is easily our man of the tournament. Mills stood up to hit that three but has cost us just as much as he helped us through the tournament by refusing to play through the team and either driving or jacking up contested shots. He's the new Andrew Gaze/Shane Heal. David Anderson also had a really shit tournament and is done. When you can no longer jump and have no mid range game and refuse to box out then you are worthless. I'd rank it Ingles> Dellavedova > Mills > Newley > Neilsen.

[phatman]

Well Australia held tough for 3/4 of the game... Too bad they just seemed to give up in that fourth... Strong game by USA and I think they'll easily win Gold this time... Got too many good scorers but I think if a team catches them off guard early, they'll crumble... They have some of the worst transition defense I have seen at the olympics this year... One thing that frustrated me with this game was the amount of whinging the US did when they drove to the basket especially LeBron... Man, just breathe on the guy and they'd call you for blocking...

Right now out of the four teams left, I think I'm rooting for Russia though, just something different I think and I like some of their players... Shved is someone I'm looking forward to checking out in the NBA next season but I think he is very immature as a player and might cause problems for that Timberwolves outfit if he can't keep his mouth closed...

I completely agree with Quom's remarks about Mills... I was so frustrated with his play throughout the tournament, I was literally yelling at the TV at points for him to pass the ball...

Dellavedova surprised the hell out of me with his play... I just think he is way too slow on defense to be a big factor...

Ingles was definitely Australia's man of the tournament though... He stepped up big and played very consistent throughout the entire tournament...

David Anderson had a mixed tournament... Shot the ball way too much for my liking but was strong down low on defense at times... Needed to see more from him...

For me though the biggest waste of space on the Aussie team was Marics... For his size he just has no athletic ability... He is slow... Has no mobility... Couldn't believe how long he was actually in some games for... Sure he was a big body and he liked to muscle people but c'mon... Aron Baynes was much better at the spot and had some great chemistry with Dellavedova throughout the entire tournament...

My top five of the aussies was Ingles>Dellavedova>Mills>Newley>Baynes

[Plubby]

Serious? Ingles is easily our man of the tournament. Mills stood up to hit that three but has cost us just as much as he helped us through the tournament by refusing to play through the team and either driving or jacking up contested shots. He's the new Andrew Gaze/Shane Heal. David Anderson also had a really shit tournament and is done. When you can no longer jump and have no mid range game and refuse to box out then you are worthless. I'd rank it Ingles> Dellavedova > Mills > Newley > Neilsen.

None of that has anything to do with what I said. I talked about talent, not performance. I was outlining that when Mills is our only player who is currently of NBA level talent, then there's a gulf in talent.

I was specifically referring to the play of Ingles and co when I talked about the heart we showed in this game and throughout. I wasn't quite as fond of Della as you two but I did quite like Newley.

[phatman]

Serious? Ingles is easily our man of the tournament. Mills stood up to hit that three but has cost us just as much as he helped us through the tournament by refusing to play through the team and either driving or jacking up contested shots. He's the new Andrew Gaze/Shane Heal. David Anderson also had a really shit tournament and is done. When you can no longer jump and have no mid range game and refuse to box out then you are worthless. I'd rank it Ingles> Dellavedova > Mills > Newley > Neilsen.

None of that has anything to do with what I said. I talked about talent, not performance. I was outlining that when Mills is our only player who is currently of NBA level talent, then there's a gulf in talent.

I was specifically referring to the play of Ingles and co when I talked about the heart we showed in this game and throughout. I wasn't quite as fond of Della as you two but I did quite like Newley.

I think it's only because of the play of Dellavedova I've seen in college and I thought he'd be pretty shit at the international level but I thought he was a pretty solid point guard just slow in my eyes... but he wasn't as sloppy with the ball and on execution as I've seen in the past... I think that was the thing that surprised me the most...

[Quom]

Serious? Ingles is easily our man of the tournament. Mills stood up to hit that three but has cost us just as much as he helped us through the tournament by refusing to play through the team and either driving or jacking up contested shots. He's the new Andrew Gaze/Shane Heal. David Anderson also had a really shit tournament and is done. When you can no longer jump and have no mid range game and refuse to box out then you are worthless. I'd rank it Ingles> Dellavedova > Mills > Newley > Neilsen.

None of that has anything to do with what I said. I talked about talent, not performance. I was outlining that when Mills is our only player who is currently of NBA level talent, then there's a gulf in talent.

I was specifically referring to the play of Ingles and co when I talked about the heart we showed in this game and throughout. I wasn't quite as fond of Della as you two but I did quite like Newley.

I don't really get what you're saying since my list was specifically in regards to talent. It's impossible to compare players in different leagues, or to dismiss a player or their potential just because they aren't in the NBA, so it's necessary to go by their performance. I mean how do players get into the NBA if you don't judge their performance outside of it?

To me Ingles should be on an NBA team next season and getting at least 15 solid minutes a game since he contributes in every area and would make any team better (I'd happily take him in the Wolves as a very handy backup 2/3). He might struggle due to his athleticism, but is tall enough and clever enough to still find his shots and knows his strengths and weaknesses and plays around them.

Mills deserves the role he's in in the NBA since he wants to be Allen Iverson yet totally lacks the athletic ability or the handle to be him. So instead you end up riding his form. If the defence is slow to rotate or slacks off he may hit a shot and might get on a role and ruin your night, but if you play tight on him he more often than not throws the ball away or jacks up a stupid shot. He might be an NBA talent, but he has shit team based basketball IQ which isn't going to cut it when you can't dunk (most NBA level PG's are going to block his path or he's getting blocked under the rim).

So yes, what I am saying is that Mills is far from our most talented player. He's talented in the same way Shane Heal was. If you give them an open look they will punish you, but at the same time if they have an off game they are more than happy to bury your team since they want to own the team.

[Lineker]

In lieu of a goal of the month competition (UK users only)

[Lineker]

Wales' Jade Jones is thrashing her Serbian opponent in the Taekwondo 12-1!

EDIT: She wins via points gap stoppage! 15-1.

EDIT 2: GB win in the men's prelim against Mexico too. Martin Stamper wins on points despite a few kicks to the bollocks.

[Lineker]

GB men's 4x400m relay team are easily through their heat. We should have won but Rooney eased up at the end and Trinidad & Tobago nicked it! Anyway, we're through irregardless.

Shame Pistorius didn't get to run though, his teammate pulled up with an injury.

[Quom]

irregardless!

[TCO]

So first there's this in The Telegraph

Then there's this from some ignorant Australian twat.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/olympics-2012/irish-news/ireland-a-joke-for-not-joining-team-gb-pundit-sparks-fury-3195120.html

[Lineker]

South Africa's 4x400m men's relay team have been reinstated for the final after an appeal was upheld. Double-amputee runner Oscar Pistorius didn't get the chance to run in the heats after his team-mate Ofentse Mogawane collided with Kenyan runner Vincent Kilu.

Hooray!

[Lineker]

Keri-Anne Payne can get a medal here in this final stretch!!!

[Summers]

COME ONN

[Quom]

Oh good, I was hoping that would happen. Did anything happen about the Polish lad laying in front of the Kenyan? Oh I guess there wouldn't be much point if they got DQ'd or in trouble for tripping the S.A. bloke. Was he okay? He seemed quite shaken up, or was it just for show? Like he came off carrying his shoulder/collar bone.

Also Spain deserve kicking out of international basketball for the shit they pulled against France. I'm glad Batum punched someone in the nuts, I would have killed them. Fucking pack of diving arsewipes, Keep that shit on the soccer pitch where it belongs.

[Lineker]

4th for Keri-Anne. Feel so sorry for her, after doing so well, swimming all that way.

[Summers]

booo