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I said... And Great Britain didn't even medal. I really thought the taunting was unnecessary. Now that athlete doesn't have anything to show. Poor judgement on his part. You said... What are you on about? I answered... It's the anchor on the men's 4x400 taunting when he finished in the semifinals. You responded... What exactly is wrong with celebrating qualifying for an Olympic final when you've got a young, inexperienced team which nobody would realistically give a prayer to? Then I answered back... I'm sorry but he didn't just celebrate, [/b]he is taunting[/b] the teams behind him by shaking his baton towards the teams behind him. There's nothing wrong in celebrating if you have won, he didn't even won a medal, it's only a semifinal. So IMO, it's unnecessary. You responded back asking me if I believe it's intentional... Are you claiming it's deliberate, because if you are, I simply do not believe you. You might want to re-read my earlier comment on the matter. And I cleared it up with my response that it doesn't matter if it's deliberate or not... Even if it's not deliberate, it won't matter, it's wrong because that's the bottom line. He hasn't won anything, he hasn't proved anything. So, winning a semifinal gives them the right to taunt teams behind him even if it's not deliberate? By the way, Bahamas and Jamaica was trailing him, Bahamas won the silver, and he was fourth. And you responded... I honestly don't think you've got the point I was making at all and I don't intend to pursue the matter further. I clearly explained again why I believed that the taunting was unnecessary and the celebration was premature... I actually got you're point 100%. Nothing wrong with celebrating winning a semifinal, but to the extent of taunting runners who are behind you is a different thing, and he hasn't won anything at that time but qualify in the finals. I won't pursue the matter further because I don't think you understand the difference between celebrating and taunting. In which the British anchor runner did both. Anyway, it bit them in the butt because they didn't even medal. The celebration and taunting was may premature. And then you've incorrectly compared a winning team against a qualifying team, 2 different scenarios... I understand perfectly well thank you very much and I won't take lessons from you in it. Besides, I remember how the American relay teams behaved in Sydney. Probably the most pathetic cringeworthy display I have ever seen. Which prompted a response from me that it was 2 different situations and both will have different implications. And explaining again why the taunting was not right... That is a fundamental misrepresentation of what I have said. Nowhere have I stated it 'was not wrong' and I'm not going to start now. My point throughout this has been to seek to put this in its appropriate context and I will not take lessons in allegedly appropriate behaviour from you, particularly given the example given earlier and so many other similar cases. Your position seems to be that you can gloat if you've got something to gloat about and, in my mind, that is the position of a hypocrite. And I've explained why it's not hypocritical and even gave a more similar example than the example you've given, the Gold-medal winning relay team in Sydney. I'm sorry but in what context you want to put that taunting of the British runner? It's pretty clear that he didn't win anything at all but qualify to the finals, but he still taunted athletes behind him. So I don't think we need to interpret that action further. If you want to gloat if you've won something, go ahead. I don't care at all. But stop gloating or taunting someone when all you've done is qualify. It's like the French swimmers saying "we will crush them" (meaning the Americans) then losing in the end. It's the same thing. You can't gloat when you haven't proven anything, you have the right to do so if you've proven yourself and you're the winner. There's nothing hypocritical about that. But, as how you've responded to my posts, it's very clear that you really didn't understand that I think it was wrong for the British anchor runner to celebrate and taunt runners behind him. Celebrating only, is perfectly fine with me. But celebrating and taunting runners behind you when all you've done is qualify, I think it's unnecessary. That's what prompted my reaction specially after one of the teams behind them, Bahamas, won the silver, and the British runners fourth. There's nothing hypocritical about that. It's hypocritical if I tolerate a non-medal US relay team celebrating and taunting, then I wouldn't if it's a British team. You're comparing 2 different situations in which one won, and the other didn't and only qualified to have a chance to win, which in the end, they didn't. This will be my last post about this and we can't separate the fact that they did not just celebrate, but taunted as well. You cannot separate the two actions as that was what they did. If they've just celebrated and didn't taunt, we're not even going to talk about this because I would not react at all. They haven't won anything. And again, it bit their butts in the end. You might not have stated that it was or wasn't wrong, but the fact that you even called me a hypocrite proves to me that you didn't totally understand what happened to you haven't watched what they did at all. But if I misunderstood anything on your posts, I apologize. I'm clear on my points and I'll close it at that.

I have recorded the gold-medal game against Brazil and I've watched it 4 times now. It just doesn't get old. IMO, I'll put this the #1 achievement in all of team sports for the USA winning gold in Beijing. Yes, include the basketball and beach volleyball teams, this one I think tops all of them.

I'm sorry but in what context you want to put that taunting of the British runner? It's pretty clear that he didn't win anything at all but qualify to the finals, but he still taunted athletes behind him. So I don't think we need to interpret that action further. If you want to gloat if you've won something, go ahead. I don't care at all. But stop gloating or taunting someone when all you've done is qualify. It's like the French swimmers saying "we will crush them" (meaning the Americans) then losing in the end. It's the same thing. You can't gloat when you haven't proven anything, you have the right to do so if you've proven yourself and you're the winner. There's nothing hypocritical about that.

Honestly, I'm not. I actually just stated what they did was wrong and you reacted that it wasn't that's why I responded. Specially now that you've compared a gold-medal winning celebratory team to a non-medalist team who taunted.

The Chinese won 27 of it's 51 golds in judged events. Their total would definitely go down in London, IMO.

If you're talking about the American relay team that won the gold, then sure, they have won. You might not like it or I could've not liked it too, but the bottomline was they won and they have their right to do it because of winning. The British did this in the semifinals, they didn't win anything but qualify for the finals. That's different. I'm coming to the conclusion that you haven't seen the video at all. I don't think you would have thought this way if you have seen it fully. If Team USA did that in the semis, I will say the same thing that it is wrong they haven't proven anything yet so don't even think of taunting. Celebrate all you want, but taunting the eventual silver medalists and you didn't medal?

For me, the Top 3 Team Sports Gold Medalists were... 1. Men's Indoor Volleyball 2. Women's Soccer 3. Men's Basketball I was about to put in either Beach Volleyball teams but, with the way the Redeem Team played against Spain, with a lot of questionable calls and dirty plays, plus the changed attitude instilled by Colangelo, I would put them ahead of the beach volley teams. I've put the women's soccer team ahead of the Redeem Team because the Redeem Team is expected to win, the women's soccer are not after Wambach's injury. And to win it with redemption for their goalie, defensive plays and to beat the Best Offensive Soccer Team in the World, Brazil, it is extra special. Men's Indoor Volley, this could very well be a very different team next Olympics so it's now or never for them. Plus the tragedy before the games started. And the way they came back, game after game after game and went undefeated. It's just sad NBC didn't show them live most of their games, specially the Gold Medal Match. My top Team USA Golden moment was the 4x100 Men's Free Relay, hands down.

I think some sports, we are selectively developing athletes that has a lot of potential or that are competitive. Our sports programs are pretty much far-reaching to all sports compared to other countries who concentrate on their strongest sports. We're not like China and the former USSR who develop gold-medal winners from their childhood. And we do ours with mostly if not all-private funding. Which IMO, is way better and would get the best results for both the NOC and the athlete. Disappointments so far in Beijing are boxing, canoe/kayak, diving, and some athletics events. Some events could've done better like wrestling, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, but I like so far what they've done. In wrestling, Cejudo is only 21 yrs old and a promising future ahead of him. The Lopez siblings alone won a silver and 2 bronzes in taekwondo, they should do better in London if some of them still qualifies to participate there. We have Chinese-Americans that are playing table tennis for the USA, we are not a power in this sport but slowly IMO, we'll get there too. And I like our USA Track head's attitude about our performance in Beijing. We topped the golds and total medals but there's just no excuse in the relay races. Overall in athletics IMO, USA underperformed and USA Track and Field is pretty mad at what happened and promises it will never happen again so we should expect a better performance in London. We still have Phelps in swimming but he probably would not race in the same number of events in 2012. But our swimming programme continues to develop young talent and we have some here in Beijing that could easily medal in London too. Soni and Grevers for example. We've been rising again after our drop in Sydney. And with competition from China this year, the US did even better. So there's no reason not to be optimistic in London.

I actually got you're point 100%. Nothing wrong with celebrating winning a semifinal, but to the extent of taunting runners who are behind you is a different thing, and he hasn't won anything at that time but qualify in the finals. I won't pursue the matter further because I don't think you understand the difference between celebrating and taunting. In which the British anchor runner did both. Anyway, it bit them in the butt because they didn't even medal. The celebration and taunting was may premature.

Hopefully we will. It's been an up and down as what most have seen already with this Team. And with a lot of disappointments these games came a lot of great achievements, many to be mentioned. We still ended up tying our gold-medal haul in Athens, and got more total medals, which is the best since Barcelona and the best for a non-boycotted games.

They'll show the men's indoor volley game it tonight. It's a shame they haven't shown it live.

Even if it's not deliberate, it won't matter, it's wrong because that's the bottom line. He hasn't won anything, he hasn't proved anything. So, winning a semifinal gives them the right to taunt teams behind him even if it's not deliberate? By the way, Bahamas and Jamaica was trailing him, Bahamas won the silver, and he was fourth.

1st gold won today in Men's Indoor Volleyball. What a journey for this team! Did anyone watch this game on NBC or any of their networks? I've recorded it on my DVR but NBC showed cycling and table tennis of all sports, while the men's indoor volley team is playing the games of their lives! I'm hoping for more golds today.

This is Brazil's #2 Sport, Soccer being #1. The USA has already beaten them in Women's Soccer, Men's Beach and Indoor Volleyball. They've managed to salvage the Women's Indoor Volleyball as they're the favorites to win that side. It's been a disappointment for Brazil in soccer and beach volleyball.

Who are the favorites to win the marathon this year?