Five-Ringed Circus: Day Three. London isn't burning physically, but the Games are getting singed quite a bit!

So, as I tap-dance on at least part of the obligatory National Tour basically dying at the feet of the men's team, let's see what else has got London buzzing as Day Three comes to an end:

• CORRECTION:  The story earlier about the Irish athlete under investigation has now been clarified (and a hat-tip to Brian Tuohy for pointing this out in another article on the subject) that the event in which the anonymous athlete bet on an opponent was a pre-Olympic event.
• In London, at the end of three days of medal competition, China tops the medal count with nine golds.  China and the US are tied with 17 medals.
• A Swiss soccer player has been expelled from the Games for a racist tweet against South Korea after his team was beaten by the South Koreans.  Michael Morganella was sent home today, the second athlete to be tossed after an insensitive Tweet.  The entire message was not even put on this news report.
• Once again, a Korean angry with a decision by the judges creates a delay, and eventually loses a medal because of it.  And it appears as if the dispute was justified!  Shin A Lam was leading Britta Heidermann of Germany by one point in a match in which the winner would have advanced to the gold medal match.  Only one second (apparently) remained.  However, the timing mechanism attached to one of the swords was stuck, so Heidermann, in apparent extra given time, was allowed to score the point to tie the match and advance to the gold medal on the last touch.  The judges, without guidance from the rules, allowed the touch!  And the rules forced Shin to remain on the piste (the match surface) while the appeal was given.  When an official payment for the appeal was not received, the appeal was denied!  And, to put the final insult, the bronze medal match happened immediately after the protest, and Shin lost.
• Almost out of the book of Mike Tyson, a Greek judoka (a favorite for a medal in her event until this incident occurred) was eliminated by a Cuban, and the Greek believes the Cuban bit her on the hand during the match!  Ioulietta Boukouvala lost in the opening round of the 57-kg division to Yurileidys Cobas, and, after the match, Boukouvala was showing media where she said Cobas bit her during the match.  Given how much judo is about grappling and position, such an offense would be, to say the least, a match decider.
• Olympic officials may wish to reconsider making social media such a large part of the London Games, and the Olympic movement going forward.  In the second Twitter story of the day, Twitter has been told by NBC to suspend the account of a renowned critic of the network's coverage, and they have done so!  Guy Adams, who writes for Britain's Independent, but lives in Los Angeles, had his account yanked for numerous tweets critical (and, apparently, justifiably) of NBC's coverage, tape delays, and the arrogance and Amero-centrism of the US coverage.  (I have to wonder how many more days it will be before NBC and the USOC have this blog yanked!)
• There is a proposed major revolt going forward in which a number of American athletes may be expelled from the Games.  A number of the US track team members are protesting the IOC's Rule 40, under which no one may use any means to promote any company other than official Olympic sponsors.  Apparently, dozens of athletes have now taken to the campaign that, though they are proud to be Americans, they want the rights to promote whomever they want.

And the problem with a number of these stories is the same problem why I, in no way, shape, or form, can support the US Olympic Team:

The whole damn thing has become one corporate clusterfuck. I am remindant of my Salt Lake City trip in 2002 (a trip which aided in getting me through eight months of incarceration in 1998-99!), where the first several days of the trip were very fun and very educational.

As the trip went on, however, I was noticing more and more efforts being made to shove me aside, because I wasn't rich, good-looking, corporate, or Mormon enough for the Olympic ideal in Salt Lake City!

(Considering those Games were probably bribed to the Mormon city, can I say I'm shocked?)

But the problem is (and I think it's entering into some of the less-than-expected performances (many by US athletes, but not all!) which have pockmarked the first three days of the Games) that the whole thing has become not about country, but of personal, corporate, and political advancement.

The whole thing is catered to a very specific audience (certain official corporations on the advertising side, and a US populace with their flag in one hand and their dicks in the other)!  This is why I openly hope China kicks our asses in the medal count, and, given several disappointments (in the pool and on the mats and apparati), I begin to wonder if that's going to be the final result here.