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BMX: This Could Catch On

August 21st, 2008 · No Comments · Beijing Olympics

It’s interesting how the so-called extreme sports bleed back over into the Olympic movement. Thinking snowboarding, short-track speedskating, in the Winter. Triathlon, open-water swimming and, now, BMX, in Summer. BMX is short for “bicycle moto-cross” … the pedaling version of motorcycle motocross. Riding over rough terrain. Basically, we’ve got 16 men and 16 women out […]

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You Know It’s Time to Go When …

August 21st, 2008 · 2 Comments · Beijing Olympics

You oversleep by 20 minutes and still wake up jittery, from lack of sleep. I don’t think I’ve had five hours any of the last three nights. I’m too tired to sit and think about it. OK, I’ll try …

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The American Relay Guys Speak

August 21st, 2008 · No Comments · Beijing Olympics

Here are some quotes collected by the Olympic New Service from the members of the U.S. men’s prelim 4×100 team. The one that dropped the baton on the handoff from Darvis Patton to anchor man Tyson Gay. Rodney Martin and Travis Padgett ran the first two legs.

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Journalism Carnage Hits Home at Beijing

August 21st, 2008 · 14 Comments · Beijing Olympics, Sports Journalism

It’s been an awful year for print journalism. Something like 8,000 journalists have lost their jobs this year, and it’s not even September yet. It’s a big number, but it’s hard to get your mind around. It reminds me of that Stalin quote, something about “one death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a […]

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This Is Classic: U.S. Women Throw Baton, Too

August 21st, 2008 · 1 Comment · Beijing Olympics

If you’re up early in the U.S., maybe you saw this on one of NBC’s platforms, if it’s available … Stop me if you’re heard this one: A U.S. relay team dropped the baton. Oh, yeah. You have heard it before.  Like five minutes ago.

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Another U.S. Relay Team Drops the Ball … Baton

August 21st, 2008 · 1 Comment · Beijing Olympics

This is ridiculous. An embarrassment. And it happens at every Olympics, seemingly. A U.S. relay team throws the baton. It just went down in the men’s 4×100 qualifying.  Certain to qualify, the Yanks couldn’t get the baton around the track. Dog bites man. I’m not sure I’ve been to a big track meet (world championships […]

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More Links to Stories in Print

August 21st, 2008 · No Comments · Beijing Olympics

To read stories that have appeared in newspapers and their websites … here you go. The most recent is one that appeared in L.A. Daily News, on Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh winning the gold in a rain-drenched beach volleyball final. The day before, tiny teen Charlotte Craig lost a semi-controversial match and fell out […]

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