OK,

They are just about half over. What are you thoughts, surprises and disappointments of the games so far

I have been up late every night this week watching this stuff.

1) Michael Phelps - What can you say? He is achieving something that I thought was a long shot at best. He now has 7 golf medals during this Olympics and 13 career gold medals (the most by any Olympian ever). Lat night's race he won by 1/100th of a second, it was a length of a finger that he came back from behind on. He is in Tiger mode and has the luck that is needed also. Watch him pick up gold number 8 tonight.

2) Girls Gymnastics - Gold and silver in all around individual was very entertaining by the US girls. You have the two best girls, but we only end up winning silver as a team, go figure. That is a high pressure sport that I watch one week every four years.

3) Fencing - women win gold, silver and bronze. It was actually entertaining to watch that.

4) beach volleyball - Walsh and Treanor-May just keep winning, something like 104 straight matches won. Just amazing. Anything besides gold would be disappointing. IMO.

That is just some of the highlights for me that have had me on the edge of my sofa.

I think China has put on a wonderful Olympics and has a truly amazing Olympic village and venues. I guess 50 billion+ dollars spent on the Olympics will get you that.
With China you always get some kind of cheating and some human right stories that are mind boggling.
1) You have to be 16 years old to be an Olympian. I watched women gymnastics and was amazed that they think the world will believe that two of their girls are at least 16 years of age. This two are 12-13 years old at best.
2) Sequestered taxi drivers - Oh Geez!!! I briefly heard something to this nature. If a taxi driver did not meet the "new" image that they want their taxi drivers to present to the world during these Olympics, then these drivers will not be earning money during the Olympics or seen in public.

Are you guys watching the Olympics?

Hate to say it, but not really watching !! But,,,, following Phelps all the way. I sure hope he gets the 8th medal that would be great.

For some reason I just cant get the intrest in watching this anymore.

I went into it thinking I was not going to watch, but then I got hooked.
Part of the problem is you have professionals being in them. I liked amateur only, even though it was never TRULY amateur. I was never a big fan of the Olympic athlete having to give up growing up doing normal kid things to become an Olympic athlete, especially how kids are taken from familes at such a young age in other countries.

What about the little girl that sang in the opening? She wasn't "Pretty" enough so they had a cute kid lip synching. That's sick.
The Wrestler that walked off the podium and dropped his "Bronze" medal on the mat in protest of the scoring, what a statement.

I don't know why but every time I watch the olympics I think I'm going to see fair and impartial judging and it never seems to happen. And it's not just us, the USA, that it happens to. Subjectivity lends itself to corruption.

But, other than that I have been enjoying watching it. There is a lot of good stuff going on.
Torres holding up the start of the race so that the competitor who's suit tore could compete was priceless and said more about our country than any gold medal ever will.
Watching Michael Phelps and the US team stick it to the French team after they shot their mouths off.
The US trap shooter that wasn't even supposed to make the team take the bronze.

Seeing "Sports" that you never see on TV. Handball, badminton, water polo, archery etc. some are interesting to me and some are not but the dedication and level that the competitors take it to is awesome.

Later,

DNRS,

You brought up many good things that I forgot to mention.

How can I forget Bela Karolyi watching the US girls perform. That was priceless.

I find it kind of hard to watch when it is delayed so much. That takes the excitement out for me. Haven't even checked the Canadian station that has live broadcasts though.

Bela was a hoot to watch. I think he scored a 10 for the event. I know he scared Bob Kostis!! :-}

Later,

Getting hooked is very easy to do with something like that !!!!!

Very good point on the being a amateur, I agree with that 100%. And also on the kids. Great post and points you brought out.

Well, Swimming and Gymnastics is over and now we start the Track and Field portion of the program.
I think it slows down considerably from here.

Later,

I see where they banned Spain's syncro swimsuits !! They wanted to have small battery powered lights in them !!! To "Flashy" !! They stated they looked like Christmas lights.