Recently in Olympics Category

Watch the huge Chinese women swimmers who suddenly out of nowhere are setting world records and placing in positions that are nowhere near their historic performances (200 fly tonight -- 1 and 2 both under world record; 100 free #1 but DQ'd for false start).

None looked in the least fatigued at the end of their races... look at their faces compared to those just behind them.

None of them appeared in international meets, where they would have been drug tested, during the two year run-up to the Olympics.

Why?

Because they would have been on the doping test grid.

Instead they train with whatever supplements while off the grid, then are weaned far enough ahead of the Olympics that the regime doesn't show up during the Games themselves.

Remember the East European women swimmers in the '70s?

Remember the fake firework footprints on opening night?

The 9 year-old lip syncher?

Add it all up....

Sally Jenkins has a strong column at the WaPo on all this, we'll see how long they let her stay in Beijing;

The slow strangling death of the Olympics at the hands of the Chinese officials continues. Their Olympic motto of "One World, One Dream" is beginning to take on an ominous tone, what with the gagging of athletes, and the censorship of the press, and the basic all-around stamping out of Olympic spirit. The only vision of the world that's permitted is their own, judging by the fact that gold medalist Joey Cheek was denied admittance to these Summer Games for the following offense: He spoke.Darfur. That's the word that so alarmed Chinese officials that they revoked Cheek's visa, a day before he was to fly to Beijing. We'll see how quickly the Chinese surveillance blocks the word from the Internet, or whether the cops show up and invite me to the departure lounge at the airport for writing it. The Olympics are supposed to be apolitical, Chinese officials continually bray; they will not allow any signs, or protests. And now it seems they've issued another edict: no humanitarians.

...Cheek is just one athlete from Team Darfur who has been denied a visa. Synchronized swimmer Kendra Zanotto, a 2004 bronze medalist, planned to attend the Beijing Games as a freelance journalist, but was denied a visa. Most disturbing, a number of athletes from other countries who belong to Team Darfur have quietly called to drop out of the group in the run-up to these Games, because they were pressured by their Olympic committees to disassociate from the group.

Would you have the courage to speak out on these issues if you were involved in the Olympics?

How about if you were a superstar gabillionaire NBA player?

Apropos of not much, Sally's pop Dan Jenkins (Semi-tough; Dead Solid Perfect) has another hilarious novel out that is about a reverse triple flip with a double twist in political incorrectness compared to the above... The Franchise Babe... say no more...

Those Jenkins are a tough impressive crew....