Olympics Thread

[melioris]

'cause in every country in the world (including the US) that kid plays soccer.

[MAYHEM45]

Every single football team I've ever played on our kicker was also the star of the soccer team, one even got a full ride soccer scholarship. Why be a nobody (lol kickers) when you can be ghey like ronaldo and bang any chick you want?

[sjay2k]

Must be posted -- this is the final of the mens 100m

[GTDawg]

I mean...damn...

You don't win the 100m that easily. It just doesn't happen.

As for the kicker thing, it has already been touched on. A kicker with that ability is going to play soccer in every country on the planet, except the US. And, even in the US, it would be a toss-up and he'd probably go to college and do both.

Also, Sebastian Janikowski is probably the closest thing to that freak that I can remember in recent years(and he never looked like a healthy sports figure). I seem to remember video of him at an FSU practice nailing kickoffs through the uprights consistently. [obviously, the NFL moves you back, so it isn't a great comparison]

[Invigilator]

If Phelps were a country, he'd be tied for 5th place in medals as of this morning.

[Reel Deal]

Bullshit.

[MAYHEM45]

[Kurn]

Actually, it has nothing to do with the ability of the kicker. A field goal is too complex; a bang-bang play where 3 people have to coordinate complex skills *and* a bunch of people are charging at the ball like the steroid-crazed felons they are.

If the snappers, holders and kickers had 2 more seconds of peace, 70-yarders would be common.

[PShabi]

What does everyone think about this ?

While it's not the worst thing anyone's ever done, I think Kaman is an idiot. I'm glad his father is pissed at him. His attitude in the piece pisses me off. It's a slap in the face to both countries and the olympic spirit in general.

[melioris]

we (the US) do it for a lot of athletes in other sports- gymnastics, track (distances), field events, and shooting off the top of my head so meh, it is pretty much a pot and kettle thing.

But props to his Pops for sure.

[PShabi]

Kaman has never set foot in Germany. He doesn't speak the language. He's 3 generations removed. He said he won't play for Germany again unless Dirk does. He's treating it like Free Agency basically because "it beats summer league with the rookies."

I copy/pasted the follwing passage from a post on espn.com. It basically sums up my feelings and I didn't have to type it out:

1) Someone who was born and/or spent some/all childhood in one country, but has lived in another since. To me, these people deserve every right to choose which country to represent.

2) Someone like JR Holden or Hakeem Olajuwon or even Becky Hammond who has an established presence living and working in a country other than the one they were born and raised in. I've got no problem with this one either. In fact, Andrei Kirilenko made a good point - Holden has probably spent more time in Russia than he has over the last seven years.

3) Someone who emigrates from one country to another with one of the major motivators being the ability to represent the "new" country. This one is sort of questionable, but so long as that person is spending a good deal of time training/living there, I can be OK with that too.

4) Stuff like the Kaman deal. Come on, he had never been to Germany before joining the team - didn't really train there and definitely has never lived there, just sort of hitched to the wagon in time for the last-minute qualifier in Athens earlier in the summer. I don't see how being three generations removed from actual German citizens and never even visiting the country makes you immediately qualified to represent said country.

[MAYHEM45]

lots of anger itt.

[MAYHEM45]

[Reel Deal]

Getting the thread back on the right track... ++rep fo shizzle!!!