2012 London Olympics

[ljbab728]

I think it's time to start an Olympics thread since it's drawing near.

I would first like to congratulate Olympians with Oklahoma ties.

http://newsok.com/2012-olympics-ou-t...lahoma-sooners

Of couse we don't have official word yet on the makeup of the basketball team but we know we will be represented there.

[Snowman]

Quick congrats to the rowers that moved to OKC to train and made it. http://okc-nhpc.org/news/okc-rowers-...ames-in-london

[ljbab728]

I just finished watching the men's gymnastics Olympics trials. OU's Jonathan Horton and Jake Dalton finished in the top 5 but that doesn't guarantee a spot. It's likely but not guaranteed

I haven't heard much about Olympic wrestling but given Oklahoma's rich history there we seem to have fallen off greatly in that area.

[Snowman]

Men's collegiate wrestling took quite a hit across the country from Title IX, it is hard to balance rosters sizes between men's and women's team sizes when football teams have 85 scholarships plus walk-ons. For OU and OSU still to have wrestling programs it is doing better here than in a lot of states.

[ljbab728]

Men's collegiate wrestling took quite a hit across the country from Title IX, it is hard to balance rosters sizes between men's and women's team sizes when football teams have 85 scholarships plus walk-ons.

I understand that but it has nothing to do with the lack of Oklahomans or those with Oklahoma ties in the Olympics. We just aren't as dominant in that area as we used to be.

[ljbab728]

Of course this will be taking place in one of my favorite cities in the world with the perfect blend of history and modern culture.

[onthestrip]

I just finished watching the men's gymnastics Olympics trials. OU's Jonathan Horton and Jake Dalton finished in the top 5 but that doesn't guarantee a spot. It's likely but not guaranteed

I haven't heard much about Olympic wrestling but given Oklahoma's rich history there we seem to have fallen off greatly in that area.

There is at least one former OSU wrestler that is going. He won his Olympic trials which was held outdoors in the middle of time square. Was a pretty cool setting for a wrestling match.

And I wouldn't count wrestling out just yet. MMA has brought many jr high and high school kids to the sport. I've heard there are record numbers for wrestlers in Texas high schools.

[BlackmoreRulz]

There are three wrestlers with Oklahoma ties of the seven member freestyle wrestling team that is going to London. Former OSU Cowboy and national champ Coleman Scott at 60kg, current OU Assistant Coach and former OU All-American Jared Frayer at 66kg, and former 4x OU All-American Sam Hazewinkel who spent his early years wrestling in Edmond at 55kg.

[dankrutka]

Dwyane Wade pulling out of the Olympics means there's a chance that Harden could join KD and Russ on the Olympic team.

[Bellaboo]

Dwyane Wade pulling out of the Olympics means there's a chance that Harden could join KD and Russ on the Olympic team.

Bosh pulled out too.

[ljbab728]

Three past Sooners have been named as alternates for the men's gymastics team.

Former Sooners Chris Brooks, Steven Legendre and Alex Naddour are the alternates.

I'm glad to hear that we will have a presence in wrestling. There has been little, if any, publicity here about that.

[betts]

Of course this will be taking place in one of my favorite cities in the world with the perfect blend of history and modern culture.

Mine too. I never get tired of London, and it's always the first place I think of when I start to think about a new trip.

[ljbab728]

OU senior, Brittany Borman, won the women's javelin throw in the track trials and will be going to London.

[Stan Silliman]

The USOC pi$$ed off the knitting community. I wrote a story about, below:

Silliman on Sports
By Stan Silliman

USOC CEASE & DESIST LETTER HAVE KNITTERS IN UPROAR


The United States Olympic Committee says “No!” to the Ravelympics. Make that “Nooooo!! No Way! No Freakin’ Way, You Knit-Crazy Geezers!!”

You might have guessed, the knitters didn’t take it too well. Sure they were told to drop the name “Ravelympics” from their knitting event. But it was the way they were told which ruffled a few afghans. Here’s the cease and desist letter: “We believe using the name ‘Ravelympics’ for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tend to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games. It is disrespectful to our country’s finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work.”

Okay, we can see the Committee’s need to protect its trademark. But they didn’t need to dis the knitting community in the process. The USOC may have forgotten all these knitters come armed with those sharp pointy things plus… there are lots of them, two-million in the on-line Ravelry group alone; enough prickly ones to shut down the USOC’s Facebook site with angry responses.
Thousands of letters flooded USOC’s site, like these:

“Nobody puts knitting in a corner.”

“We will boycott your games, sir. You, sir, who claim to be about amateurism are, in the end, all about money.”

“Do you think we will still be fans? I’m a frayed-knot.”

“I’m joining the boycott. Knit-picking over Ravelympics, which was created to support our athletes? You may as well be needling over hand-knits.”

“I had no idea these knitters presented such a monumental threat to your organization you felt this letter was appropriate. Don’t trip over the yarn.”

“You’re a posse of stuck up bureaucrats. May Zeus shower down on you lightning bolts in the shape of knitting needles.”

“I’m recommending Greece sue the USOC for trademark infringement. Maybe they’ll collect enough to wiggle out of their financial troubles.”

“Right now, I’m knitting handcuffs made of chunky alpaca yarn for YOU.”

You get it? The above is a tiny sampling of the letters received by the USOC from mad knitters. The USOC twice apologized for their original C & D letter by first saying they would welcome any items from the Raveling community. Yeah, that’s smart. First insult them, then ask for free stuff. On-line site “Yarn Harlot” received so many tweets and emails over this issue it was forced to devote three days to the “Olympics slight.” The “Ravelympics” was an event where knitters made Olympic type products and then gave them away or used them to raise money for the Special Olympics. That now sounds unlikely.

In the interest of recapturing this group we think the USOC should allow the “Ravelympics” to go forward under that name. The Olympics should be about peace or as the late Rodney King once said “Can’t we all get a yarn?” Or was it “Can’t we all get a long… cardigan?” Or better yet, as the late gravely-voiced knitting singer Janis “Purl” Joplin once sang “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a purse and these pins?” Or she might sing to the Olympic committee “Try just a little bit harder”… or something like that.


To see the full article with the cartoon, go HERE

[Snowman]

With the modern Olympics taking the name from a thousands of years old similar concept that trademark always seemed a little questionable to me.

On top of that trademarks are meant to protect consumers, not insure companies/organizations get payed for naming rights. Unless there is some way that you are reporting the quality of your product's quality to have value because it was made by or endorsed by them it is not trademark infringement.

They probably are not worried about knitters pointy things since the pointy things they have are swords, javelins, arrows & bullets.

[ljbab728]

Good luck with that argument against them. They are ferocious in protecting the word Olympic and will sue anyone they haven't authorized.

[BlackmoreRulz]

A few of these are great.

15 Biggest Tearjerkers in Olympic History

[ljbab728]

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are now confirmed as Olympic team members. There are 3 spots still open. Blake Griffin and James Harden will be among the six players still up for those spots.

[Cocaine]

I like Blake but I'm not sure how he'll do against international competition. I'm pretty sure if it's a close game they'll do a hack a Griffin if he's in the game near the end.

[Snowman]

I know it has been a few weeks but wasn't he playing injured by the end of the Lakers playoff games.

[Cocaine]

I know it has been a few weeks but wasn't he playing injured by the end of the Lakers playoff games.

Yeah I'm thinking he was but he hasn't withdrawn his name from the list yet so I don't if he will play or not. Well that is if he makes the team which he might looking at all the big men who have withdrawn their names.

[BlackmoreRulz]

According to this Blake is a lock for the team

ESPN

[ljbab728]

Yes, both Blake Griffin and James Harden are on the team.

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2...ketball-roster

It's going to be OKC versus the world. LOL

[ljbab728]

I mentioned earlier that I thought that Oklahoma representation in Olympic wrestling seems to have fallen off. I just hadn't heard about everything.

http://newsok.com/ou-olympians-frees.../1722600808001

http://www.news9.com/story/18908521/...ch-in-olympics

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blog...scott-bio.html

[ljbab728]

Blake Griffin's status on the team is now in question.

http://newsok.com/griffin-hurts-knee...le/feed/403051