123 replies to this topic

[Cuppiediva]

Yay for our girls for getting silver [in synchronized diving]—and now I know what Masuka does when Dexter is off the air! He coaches! Anyone else notice this?!

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jul 29, 2012 @ 8:46 PM.
Edited thread title

[w_wellington]

and now I know what Masuka does when Dexter is off the air! He coaches! Anyone else notice this?!

I thought I was the only one!

[TWoP Howard]

Just so you know—I retitled the thread to cover all of diving, rather than just Women’s Synchronized Diving. We have threads for entire Olympic sports, rather than have a thread for every event. Thanks.

[legaleagle44]

Nice title, TWOPHoward. I would have made a reference to Matthew Mitcham and kicking Chinese ass again, but my snark superpower isn't what it used to be.

Ahem -- topic. How HAS the US been faring in women synchronized diving, anyway? Was it the US that got silver?

[SnideAsides]

In honour of the "Eight Golds Or The Terrorists Win" thread title mooted for Beijing's swimming thread, and the fact there's only eight medals on offer in diving, why not "Eight Gold Or The Tibetans Win"?

[sienna gold]

:) Canada won its first medal in this event.
Now we can breath easily. And Emilie Heymans did a little history making. (first Woman to win 4 medals in 4 olympics in diving, first canadian to do it too).

[kenyaj]

I'm so excited for my fellow Dukie, Abby Johnston! She and Kelci were great today. Kelci's tearful reaction to winning the silver was awesome.

[superior olive]

And Emilie Heymans did a little history making. (first Woman to win 4 medals in 4 olympics in diving, first canadian to do it too).

That was so amazing! I was nervous when they fell to 5th, but I figured their consistency would take over. What's so amazing about Heymans for me is that she's won three synchro medals with 3 different partners! Anne Montminy, then Blythe Hartley, and now Jennifer Abel. And Heymans and Abel have such different styles, it's a wonder any of their dives are in synch! I've already seen a VISA ad congratulating Emilie on making history--I wonder if there's a different congratulating the US women on getting a medal after such a long drought in the US?

I'm surprised that the US had such a long drought in diving. I can't remember what the NBC announcer said, but good for them for breaking the streak and getting the silver.

[Kel Varnsen]

I'm so excited for my fellow Dukie, Abby Johnston! She and Kelci were great today. Kelci's tearful reaction to winning the silver was awesome.

They mentioned during one of the channels showing the medal ceremony for that event (it might have been CTV) that one of the US women who won the silver was in Med School. I honestly can't figure out how you can find the time to train to be a world class athlete and still have the time to go to medical school.

[3 is enough]

They mentioned during one of the channels showing the medal ceremony for that event (it might have been CTV) that one of the US women who won the silver was in Med School. I honestly can't figure out how you can find the time to train to be a world class athlete and still have the time to go to medical school.

Actually, I believe she's in pre-med. There's no way one could simultaneously be in medical school and train for the Olympics. I am the mother of a second year med student. Most of the time, she can't even get to the gym for a regular work out.

[kittykat]

I'm surprised that the US had such a long drought in diving. I can't remember what the NBC announcer said, but good for them for breaking the streak and getting the silver.

Laura Wilkinson's gold in Sydney was the last medal won by the US in diving so it's been 12 yrs.

[kenyaj]

Actually, I believe she's in pre-med. There's no way one could simultaneously be in medical school and train for the Olympics. I am the mother of a second year med student. Most of the time, she can't even get to the gym for a regular work out.

Yep, she's pre-med. She graduates undergrad next May.

And I'm so excited that I get to congratulate the other Dukie, Nick McCrory for the bronze medal he won with David Boudia! After such a long drought, it's really nice to see Team USA having such a great Olympics this year. I'm sad that the Brits didn't make it on the medal podium, though. It was so exciting when they were briefly leading the competition. I heard that some jackass was tweeting Tom Daley that he let his (deceased) father down by failing to medal. People suck so hard sometimes.

[big chicken]

What is the purpose of the pool the divers jump in after they dive? Is it to wash off the chlorine? To keep their muscles warm?

[PartlyCloudy]

I Googled it and apparently it's to keep their muscles warmed up.

[legaleagle44]

Which is probably also why they take a quick dip in the hot tub.

[FrogsRule]

I liked seeing Mexico do so well. Not a fan of synchro-anything, but those two guys made it look fun.

[tuco6]

My sympathies to Tom Daley. But I'm glad Britain is cracking down on social media abuse.

[Demian]

I'm glad Britain is cracking down on social media abuse.

That's ridiculous. The British police have nothing better to do than chase down idiot teenage trash-talkers on Twitter?

[tuco6]

I doubt this guy will even be tried, even though some of his language was threatening - saying he'd "drown" Daley. And I hope that relatively private (nonthreatening) Tweets between friends will be left alone (like the British woman who got accused of bullying West End star Sofia Escobar, which Escobar herself escalated). But directly Twittering (Tweeting?) verbal abuse to public figures wanders into legal territory of intimidation or malice (or something like that), which is prosecutable in the States as well. It just largely gets overlooked.

[Demian]

God, someone just needs to ban Twitter already. (Though, given the fact that Twitter is bleeding funds because it can't monetize its traffic, it might just go away on its own.)

Anyway, diving: NBC gave the men's finals about 20 minutes of coverage last night, and I'm assuming we won't be seeing any of the women's synchronized platform finals tonight. Am I missing anything spectacular?

[Runningwild]

Wow. People can be so disgustingly cruel. My sympathies to Tom.

[blubld43]

I liked seeing Mexico do so well.

I did too! Who knew Mexico has a diving program??!!

Edited by blubld43, Jul 31, 2012 @ 12:17 PM.

[bodielovesbetty]

Do the judges see the slo-mo of the synchronized dives before giving their scores? Anyone know?

[superior olive]

No, they don't see replays, slo-mo or otherwise. They just go by their real-time view.

I saw part of the men's diving the other day (yesterday? uh-oh, Olympic days are already starting to meld together!) just the last couple of dives, on NBC. Good God, who is the female commentator for NBC? She is such an asshole. I think it was Great Britain on their last dive, some team that could have knocked the US out of their spot, and as soon as they hit the water, she was all "No. That will not be good enough to score above the Americans." Blythe Hartley is loads better as a commentator. Cripes.

I'm pleasantly surprised that Canada got bronze in the 10m platform. Was not expecting that, and apparently neither was anyone else, They were considered a long shot to medal.

[Demian]

Good God, who is the female commentator for NBC? She is such an asshole. I think it was Great Britain on their last dive, some team that could have knocked the US out of their spot, and as soon as they hit the water, she was all "No. That will not be good enough to score above the Americans."

Thing is, even I could see they were out of sync with each other on that last dive, and I only watch this stuff once every four years. She's been annoying and dismissive with other, better dives, though, so yeah: She could do a little more shutting the hell up.

[FrogsRule]

I was saying, "no that's not good enough" too, and I know zero about diving. It was so clear they hadn't hit the dive properly.

I actually like her commentator work, because she explains the sport, and she also is quiet while they are diving. That allows the opportunity to watch it without noise, try to figure out whether it was good or bad, and then incorporate her expertise into watching the replay. She seems to know what she's talking about.

I also get the feeling that she genuinely likes the sports and does *not* approach it as USA! USA!, but appreciates the talents of the divers from other countries.

[SophiaD]

I must commend NBC - they're showing synchronized women's diving and the US doesn't have a pair in the hunt. Plus, the commentary is interesting, informed and balanced and it includes cute reaction shots from the coaches.

[corvus13]

Who knew Mexico has a diving program??!!

Mexico has long been a power in diving. I'm just guessing, but it may have to do with the Acapulco cliff diving.

[legaleagle44]

Who knew Mexico has a diving program??!!

Mexico has long been a power in diving. I'm just guessing, but it may have to do with the Acapulco cliff diving.

Which, interestingly enough, I have a vague memory of seeing featured during one of the cultural segments for the Mexico City Games way back in 1968.

I'm really impressed, though, with the performance level I'm seeing here. I honestly can't ever remember seeing Mexico so strong in anything, let alone diving. ¡Que viva México!

Edited by legaleagle44, Aug 1, 2012 @ 2:16 AM.

[FrogsRule]

And Mexico did it again today! Way to go, neighbors!