- Marta Karolyi, Bela's wife, is the US coach for the Rio gymnastics team -- her last. She has gotten controversial with her team order, set yesterday in podium training for the women. Even though Laurie Hernandez is younger and outscored both Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman in Trials this year in the all-around, Marta chose the latter two, known names and commodities, to join Simone Biles in the all-around. Biles is the prohibitive favorite for gold, but Marta, I can't think, didn't have at least some idea that a 1-2-3 sweep of Biles, Douglas, and Raisman would have all three literally laughing all the way to the bank. Ms. Hernandez, I'm sorry you don't make enough corporate money yet. (Yahoo!) Don't believe me? The moment these Games are over, a 36-city tour of champions is due to start.
- This, on the same day that US Gymnastics is fielding charges of sexual abuse. USA Gymnastics, as is all too familiar in a sports machine where The Show Must Go On, is accused in the Indianapolis Star as being lax to the point of illegality in numerous cases of accused sexual abuse by coaches. Over 50 coaches have dossiers on file with USA Gymnastics regarding complaints of sexual misconduct with athletes. The report details four cases USA Gymnastics ignored, and then states the coaches may have sexually abused 14 more underage parties afterward! It can be no secret, bluntly, that these little waifs are seen as sexualized, and, frankly, their sexuality (perverted though it might be) is a large part of their draw. Could we see ramifications in the judging of American athletes in Rio because of these stories? Time will tell.
- I need a palate cleanser after the shithead coaches of the gymnastics team here, and the final event of the Games, should we get that far (and I do not believe we will!) has provided one. Meet 30 year-old Michalis Kalomiris. He is a lawyer from Greece who runs marathons on an amateur basis, and is more than decent at it. In 2015, he ran the Rome Marathon, and did quite well -- 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 30 seconds. Now, you say: The Olympic qualifying standard is 2 hours and 19 minutes. You're right! But there's a catch. An athlete, under certain conditions, may qualify anyway if he or she reaches the top ten of a Gold Circle event. You guessed it, Rome Marathon is Gold Circle, and due to bad conditions, 2:29:30 finished in the top ten. So, imagine Kalomiris' shock when, as a sub-elite marathoner, he decided to check the start list for the Olympic marathon and found he had qualified!!! Some Greeks are unhappy (he finished only fifth in the Greek National Marathon in 2015), but some are also happy that a true amateur from a large-scale country has made it in such a marquee event. No word confirming he will compete. I hope he does. (Yahoo!)
- I don't know if too many teams had more of an adventure yesterday than the Nigerian Super Eagles -- their men's soccer team. At 7 AM yesterday morning, Eastern time, they were in the United States, stuck. The problem? They needed to be in Manaus, Brazil within about 12 hours for their first Olympic match against Japan!!! Somehow, they got there. Somehow, Japan's defense went completely AWOL and Nigeria won 5-4. (Seeing some of this match, I would not be shocked at a thrown match here, at least by the Japanese defenders! UGH!)
- The final disqualifications for Russian doping have come down from the IOC and other affiliated parties, and Alexander Zhukov has proclaimed the Russians who will compete will be the cleanest team at the Games. For everything bad about Russia, he may well be right. The scrutiny the IOC has allowed (and that which the Council for Arbitration of Sport won't -- those who have served their drug bans can compete!) has reduced over 100 Russians off the Games. Most were in the fully-disqualified track and field team (67) -- there are still a few to look at. About a third of the initial Russian Olympic Team has been tossed. (Inside the Games)
- Not the only news surrounding Russia on the last day before the Opening Ceremonies. A Russian vice-consul was in Rio, and he got attacked by two muggers. One of them is now dead due to a gunshot from the aforementioned vice-consul. He also apparently knows jiu-jitsu. (Inside the Games)
- So, Gary Player says the pro golfers not playing in Rio might endanger the sport's future in the Games, eh? No word on the same fate for tennis, eh???? Try again, Gary.
It is very refreshing to find a site outside of America which is willing to confront a lot of the controversies surrounding what will almost-assuredly be the most controversial Games ever. Especially with controversies already dogging one of the major big-money events just before Rio starts (which I think could result in decisions not unakin to when the referees ensured New England lost the 18-0 Super Bowl after Spygate went public), anyone watching these Games needs to get beyond all the flag-waving.
- Deadspin has a fantasy Olympics contest. You pick 10 countries with a total budget of $100. (Here's a hint: The favorites to win the most medals in the Olympics this year are worth $100. Take one guess. China is worth $85.) Only 78 of the 206 teams cost anything, and they missed 11 -- they did include the Refugee Team. The article predicts every one of the 306 gold medals. They have the US winning 47. They have China winning 33. A similar prediction by Sports Illustrated has the USA and China winning 45 golds apiece, with the USA winning more silvers and bronzes to top the table.
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