winter olympics

Tuitert wins gold in 1,500 speedskating; Ohno skates into history

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So where are the "short track" results ? Where exactly can I go to prop my homie Apolo Ohno who has set a new American record for medals won by an American Winter Olympic Athlete ! watching his duel with the South Koreans has been pure entertainment. Granted he hasn't won them all- but what fun ! This is what the Olympics is all about- competition. I love how the American media continues to embrace those that finish 2nd or 3rd- nothing like the Asian countries that emphasis winning at all costs. For those of you frustrated with Japan's coverage- this is the heart of the problem I think. The Americans have figured it out- winning gold isn't the only thing- simply medaling is where it's at !

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"came around the final turn with his mouth open and arms swinging"

What is it with the Americans swinging their arms all over the place?! This is a specialty Ohno move when he wants the Koreans, who are always ahead of him, to wipe out having made 'contact' via his flailing.

It's pretty clear who dominates the short track, at least, and pretty much all of Ohno's medals can be attributed to Korean wipe-outs. As Burakumin pointed out earlier, part of the 'talent' of the sport is in being able to stay up, and in that respect Ohno is a good athlete, but the fact still remains that he openly said to the media after previous races that he was 'hoping the Koreans would wipe out so (he) could win'; that's not skill, that's just plain old bad sportsmanship.

In the end, though, I'm glad that they don't seem to hold any animosity towards each other. I've no doubt the Koreans still do, regardless of them saying otherwise, but the fact that they got both gold AND silver this time probably helped.

Awesome work by Tuitert and the Dutch... big victory.

Branded: "The Americans have figured it out- winning gold isn't the only thing- simply medaling is where it's at !"

Sour grapes, my friend. If you really felt the way you imply you should have just stated that simply 'doing your best' is where it's at. If that includes a medal, all the better. But just in case you think that Asians actually only believe in 'getting the top prize' (even though the Koreans have and did in this case as well) then perhaps you ought to watch the repeated repeated repeated repeated footage of Takahashi getting bronze, which they think is amazing, or the silver and bronze in speed-skating, etc. ALL countries emphasize winning gold above all else, and when they don't some are better sports about it than others; don't pretend it's any other way when the proof is directly in front of you.

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"I love how the American media continues to embrace those that finish 2nd or 3rd- nothing like the Asian countries that emphasis winning at all costs. For those of you frustrated with Japan's coverage- this is the heart of the problem I think. The Americans have figured it out- winning gold isn't the only thing- simply medaling is where it's at !"

Some five days ago this poster said that silver and bronze medals are tarnished, because.......they are not gold!!! Oh wait, that silver and bronze was for Japan. If it's for Japan they have no worth. Seems like the silver and bronze medals for America are a different story......according to the pro-America propaganda of this poster.

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The Americans have figured it out- winning gold isn't the only thing- simply medaling is where it's at !

No wonder the medal tables are ranked according to total number of medals, and not gold medals in North America. The rest of the world goes by the latter.

Another common excuse used by some American posters on JT during the Beijing Olympics was to belittle the events where judges decided the winners, like gymnastics and diving (in which China excelled). I hope these posters haven't forgotten about great athletes like Mary Lou Retton, Greg Louganis, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, and.... oh yes, Evan Lysacek. Double standards.

It seems that everytime Ohno wins, there are disqualifications and people falling down. And Koreans are not the only ones losing out. Wasn't Ohno and a fellow countryman once accused of not skating their best to let another American qualify for the Olympics in a national meet? I heard another American who lost out on a place on the Olympic team because of this was furious.

he openly said to the media after previous races that he was 'hoping the Koreans would wipe out so (he) could win'

I read, that after his first silver medal at Vancouver, he said he was hoping for the Korean gold medalist to be disqualified. After the death threats he previously received from Koreans, hasn't he learnt his lesson?

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I love how the American media continues to embrace those that finish 2nd or 3rd

Oh for crying out loud, will you stop with the racial bashing already. So it's alright when Americans place second or third, but not Japanese? We get it already, you hate Japan and anything Japanese and will twist it around in anyway to get your point across. I agree that the media coverage of the Olympics in the past had been shit in Japan. But so far in these Olympics, they have been much better. I've learned a lot more about sports like the biathlon, cross country pursuit, and curling due to their coverage of these games. I especially liked the piece they had on the Ethiopian cross-country skier who finished 93rd out of 95 participants. People and organizations (of all nationalities; not only people you like) should be given another chance. There was an article about Tiger Woods on this site that is along those similar lines. People from all walks of life have made mistakes (even horrible ones, like crimes) but people have forgiven them.

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roomtemperature: "Some five days ago this poster said that silver and bronze medals are tarnished, because.......they are not gold!!!"

Hahaha... hilarious that you would take me pointing out Branded's hypocrisy (ie. it's okay to get bronze and not gold when American, but you are #1 in the world and nothing else has meaning!) to try and indicate some inconsistency on my part. I said that the gold medal winner in the Japan silver/bronze case was the best. I am saying that the gold medal winner in this race is the best. How is that inconsistent? But if you really want to be dragged through the mud even more, look at all my links throughout the Olympics, including both on Japanese performances and American, and I have said that I love the attitude when people who may not rank say they are simply pleased to have taken part and did their best. That was my message to Branded -- but as usual you clearly missed it in your attempts to attack posters rather than bother to comment on the thread.

ZING!

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Roomtemperature, "Some five days ago this poster said that silver and bronze medals are tarnished, because.......they are not gold!!! Oh wait, that silver and bronze was for Japan. If it's for Japan they have no worth"

You are correct ! In Japan- you just watch how quickly Silver and Bronze medal winners are forgotten. In the US any and all medals are worthy of glory. Just look at how much press Ohno, Mancuso, Shani Davis, and especially Vonn are getting- even when they bring home something other than gold ! Mancuso ha turned into a celeb overnight ! Ohno ? I've never seen so much hype- photo ops, interviews, cover stories, and the guy hasn't won gold yet- neither has Bode Miller, but my how the US love this guy ! Yes roomtemperature, I feel your frustration. Japan is putting in another pitiful performance. But to make things worse they ignore those athletes that don't win the big one. No wonder their whole Olympic program continues on the downslide. This has nothing to do with "pro American propoganda"- they're just the simple facts. So you go on hatin'- I'll go on lovin' ! And right now I'm lovin' what the US team has produced so far- what a performance !

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"Branded-I love how the American media continues to embrace those that finish 2nd or 3rd"

hotbox08; "Oh for crying out loud, will you stop with the racial bashing already. So it's alright when Americans place second or third, but not Japanese?

Boy the Olympics really brings out the insecurities in the lot of you.

"Racial bashing" ? For saying something positive about the American media ? Whoa- that's a stretch ! But, if you want to discuss the details- let's have at it. I for one have already mentioned my surprise as to how positive the media has been to those, like Shani Davis and Apolo Ohno, for winning medals other than Gold. Nothing like the obsession with being number one that I found in Japan. Or the constant focus on the Gold medal tally that we witnessed during the Beijing Olympics, where the Chinese crowned themselves masters of the universe because they won the most golds- but not the most medals. It is truly refreshing to see the American viewpoint, where finishing in the top 3, to medal, to get on the podium ! That's what its all about ! Anyone out there trying to turn this into an anti Japan/Asian rant is way off base. Talk about "chasing ghosts" !

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smithinjapan-

"What is it with the Americans swinging their arms all over the place?"

Obviously it's approved, allowed, encouraged by the IOC short track comeittee as Ohno is rarely DQ'd.

Next !

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4smithinjapan;

"But just in case you think that Asians actually only believe in 'getting the top prize' (even though the Koreans have and did in this case as well) then perhaps you ought to watch the repeated repeated repeated repeated footage of Takahashi getting bronze, which they think is amazing, or the silver and bronze in speed-skating, etc."

Umm, what else are they going to "repeated repeated repeated repeated" show ? Japan has no highlight reel from these Olympics to my knowledge- which kind of throws water on your argument. By your contention the J media should be flooding the tube with those 8th, 16th, and 26th place finishers ! But no- you get "the medal winners"- temporarily that is. Here in the US I guarantee I'll be seeing Ohno's face on a box of wheaties or selling big macs for McDonalds in years to come. BTW whatever happened to Arakawa ? My how quickly Japan forgets it's heroes. "This" is why apan continues to go down the drain at the Olympics. Where's the love ?

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Branded, there's so much contradiction in all of your posts. If everyone says "A", you say "B". If everyone says "B", you say "no, it's A". As long as you can promote America, right? Or better.....as long as you find a chance to put Japan down.

"In Japan- you just watch how quickly Silver and Bronze medal winners are forgotten." Did you see you the interview with Nagashima and Kato, the silver and bronze medalists on the 500 today? They got those medals FIVE DAYS AGO!!!! And they only won "tarnished" medals!!

"In the US any and all medals are worthy of glory." But a medal (except gold) won by a Japanese is "tarnished", right?

"Just look at how much press Ohno, Mancuso, Shani Davis, and especially Vonn are getting- even when they bring home something other than gold !" But the Japanese press is overreacting when they do the SAME for Japanese athletes, right?Only the American media is sincere when they cheer for American silver and bronze medalists....that's what you mean? No pro-America propaganda...you say?

"But to make things worse they ignore those athletes that don't win the big one." Complete BS, Kato, Nagashima and Takahashi are carried on hands by both the media and the audience.

Branded, again and again.......for so many years.....your are just posting here to put a bad name on Japan and everything Japanese and to try to make America look so superior. That's you're only purpose.

"So you go on hatin'- I'll go on lovin' !" I'll spare you on this one

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"Branded, there's so much contradiction in all of your posts."

Thus is life roomtemperature ! That cup is either half full or half empty, both observations are correct. I prefer to discuss, you say promote, the positive things in life.

"your are just posting here to put a bad name on Japan and everything Japanese and to try to make America look so superior"

Wrong again, I've posted positive pieces on Japan-when warranted. I just got done writing about the great chances Japan's women have for winning a medal in Figure skating. I wrote how disappointed I was about the large hill results for Japans men. I've exposed my love of "Japan X, Chu Hi, gyudon, and Kyoto" !

1/2 full-1/2 empty ! It really is that simple.

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smithinjapan: As Burakumin pointed out earlier, part of the 'talent' of the sport is in being able to stay up, and in that respect Ohno is a good athlete, but the fact still remains that he openly said to the media after previous races that he was 'hoping the Koreans would wipe out so (he) could win'; that's not skill, that's just plain old bad sportsmanship.

This is one of those "toss up" moments where I can't really decide if you're ignorant about what you're talking about or just intentionally misleading people. Ohno did make the claim once that he hoped the Koreans would wipe out in one race because they were blocking, something not allowed in skating. His comment was they he hoped the would take each other out as a result of their illegal moves.

You're being a little too Canadian today...

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"Racial bashing" ?

My bad, Branded. I made the mistake of thinking that you are bashing the Japanese media, when all along you actually admire the coverage in Japan of the Olympics. Sorry about that.

I also agree with you that the coverage has been pretty good in Japan. I've gotten to know more about the nonmedalists like the speedskater Okazaki, who got married to a nonskater and had their wedding on the ice, even though he couldn't skate. Then there was the story about the 45 year-old skeleton athlete who does an awesome prerun routine before his run (making his final appearance in the Olympics). Then there were the several reports of non medalists in other countries. For example, the Ethiopian cross country skier Robel, who placed 93rd out of 95 competitors. He had very little time to train for these Olympics, but gave it his best shot. He was proud to carry the Ethiopian flag in the opening ceremonies. Then there is the story that was aired on Fuji about the Nepalese sherpa who was competing in cross-country skiing. He looked so thrilled just to be competing in these Olympics and wanted just to cross the finish line, much like the 15 year-old Japanese speedskater, Miho Takagi.

Yes, these games have been enjoyable to watch.

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This one race completly upset me. Yes I know that things happen in short track where you have no control and you don't advance. From my perspective, Celski's disqualification was undeserved. The youger Hamelin brother, Francois had grabbed onto Celski's waist, and then he fell. Which in my opinion is his own fault, people slip all the time in the sport, another thing, if he didn't grab Celski, Celski would have been in qualifying position. In Apolo Ohno's case, the slip that caused him to lose his spot was not his fault. This time you see the older Hamelin brother put his hands on Ohno cause him to lose his balance, which he lost his speed and ended up in last. Still with the outcome he won bronze, which is an amazing feat.

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"came around the final turn with his mouth open and arms swinging"

What is it with the Americans swinging their arms all over the place?! This is a specialty Ohno move when he wants the Koreans, who are always ahead of him, to wipe out having made 'contact' via his flailing.

I think you are confusing long-track speedskaing and short-track speedskating. "[Long-track speedskater Shani] Davis, the world record holder hoping to add to his gold in the 1,000, came around the final turn with his mouth open and arms swinging, trying desperately to make up the gap on Tuitert." That's no problem in long-track speedskating because only 2 skaters skate at a time and there's usually a nice gap between them. Apolo Anton Ohno, as all short-track speedskaters, keeps their hands on their backs except when making a move.

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