'Plunging New Depths' - Swimming

[bardtoob]

Rooting for the Diamond Grill this time around, one gold medal down

[Theatregirl1122]

Yes I meant obviously considering it was the race of the women relay

In 2008 it worked with Cullen Jones the storyline and puting him on the relay but back then he also was behind the french when Jason Lezak pulled that epic win

But today I dont want to point her but I think she lost if not the gold a big chance for it, and therefore even the silver, Missy Franklin did her best swam a good 53.50 something opening the relay and the girls keep it with the australians until he relay got to Neil

No, that was not obvious at all since you didn't specify women.

No one gave a crap that Cullen was the first African American relay swimmer. I didn't even know he was and I've watched that race 700 times. Whatever the reason for leaving Nathalie off the relay, I'm sure it's not "because she's black". Ridiculous.

[Braulio]

My comment was never on the manner you are pointing of her 'being black' I said african american and how USA media and NBC loves to take this kind of aspects as a storyline and fluff stuff for their coverage and show, so for me the decision of including her was based on making a story, but they would have it with Coughlin wining her record making medal in swimming, leting her swim in the final, I just don get it.

[AYS]

Maritza Correia was the first US African American relay swimmer (and medalist) in the Olympics, not Cullen Jones.

Actually, based on this morning, Coughlin should have gone instead of Allison Schmitt, and though we'll never know, I suspect she'd have hung in better on the anchor than Schmitt did. Schmitt has a lot of swimming to do yet in these games, I really don't understand that choice of the coaches.

ETA: Natalie also gets a bronze medal for swimming the prelims, so she makes history anyway, from that standpoint.

[allezfred]

Whatever the reason for leaving Nathalie off the relay, I'm sure it's not "because she's black". Ridiculous.

Nathalie Coughlin is black?

[sweetsparky]

Without Coughlin as a choice I doubt anyone would have been surprised with Neil in the team. IMO it´s Coughlin not swimming what is surprising not that Neil did.

[Theatregirl1122]

My comment was never on the manner you are pointing of her 'being black' I said african american and how USA media and NBC loves to take this kind of aspects as a storyline and fluff stuff for their coverage and show, so for me the decision of including her was based on making a story, but they would have it with Coughlin wining her record making medal in swimming, leting her swim in the final, I just don get it.

Saying "African American" doesn't change the sentiment and the sentiment was that they chose her because of the color of her skin. Saying something disgusting is still saying something disgusting even if you use the most PC language you can think of. And there's absolutely no chance in hell that the US would sacrifice a medal so NBC could "have a story".

And, for the record, Coughlin still gets the medal.

Maritza Correia was the first US African American relay swimmer (and medalist) in the Olympics, not Cullen Jones.

And your facts aren't even right. Not to mention that Neil would be a relay swimmer and medalist either way.

[Braulio]

Saying "African American" doesn't change the sentiment and the sentiment was that they chose her because of the color of her skin. Saying something disgusting is still saying something disgusting even if you use the most PC language you can think of. And there's absolutely no chance in hell that the US would sacrifice a medal so NBC could "have a story".

And, for the record, Coughlin still gets the medal.

And your facts aren't even right. Not to mention that Neil would be a relay swimmer and medalist either way.

Well then I apologize if it was taken in that way, but that wasnt my intention. Still and like AYS said, we will never know about that inclusion on the relay, they were very lucky to held off the chinese for the bronze.

Overall this first day wasnt as expected for the americans, Phelps out of the medals, the breaststroke guys underperforming (and puting a question mark on that leg in the 4x100 medley relay) the chinese beating Beisel. The only good marks were Lochte and Vanderkaay bronze.

[AYS]

And your facts aren't even right. Not to mention that Neil would be a relay swimmer and medalist either way.

What fact are you referring to?

ETA: Not sure if you were referring to Maritza, but, although of Puerto Rican descent, she is indeed in the record books as the first African American Olympian for the US and it was widely recognized at the time.

http://www.biography.com/people/maritza-correia-345204

Edited also to add: a swimmer is approximately 0.7 sec faster with a relay start (give or take a couple of tenths at the very much), so if you were talking about that, although Neal was officially slower than Schmitt, because she led off, she really had a better swim. If that's what you are referring to. It's common knowledge in the sport.

[Theatregirl1122]

What fact are you referring to?

ETA: Not sure if you were referring to Maritza, but, although of Puerto Rican descent, she is indeed in the record books as the first African American Olympian for the US and it was widely recognized at the time.

http://www.biography.com/people/maritza-correia-345204

I didn't mean your facts weren't right, AYS. I meant that, based on what you said, Braulio's facts weren't right. Sorry, I guess that wasn't clear.

[AYS]

OK, thanks for clarifying.

[liv]

Great day at the pool today! Some real upsets and entertaining stories...I'm liking the outcomes today!!!

[DaveRocks]

Tweet from Phelps:

"Congrats to @ryanlochte ... Way to keep that title in the country where it belongs!!"

[A.H.Black]

Nice tweet.

It sounds like the American women need to stop making youtube videos and get to work. Happy for the Aussies.

[Angelskates]

Best. Race. So. Far!!!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!!

Totally worth interrupting sleep for!

[duane]

Ryan is sexy!

[canbelto]

I kind of loved the bitchy faces Phelps was making during the "why'd you lose?" interview. Ryan is cute.

[Matryeshka]

They said Lia Neil was put on the team because she had the fastest start time in the prelims. Perfectly reasonable. And after watching the race, it was not Lia that "lost" the silver medal. None of those girls "lost" it. And even if you had to point your finger, it was the last girl that techinically lost position.

That Dutch girl was on FIYAH and no one was stopping her, and she deserves The Americans didn't lose the silver; the Dutch girl earned it. We weren't even expected to medal. In addition to that bronze medal, they earned the best American time ever in that race; sounds like Lea being on the team was absolutely the right decision.

[chipso1]

They said Lia Neil was put on the team because she had the fastest start time in the prelims. Perfectly reasonable. And after watching the race, it was not Lia that "lost" the silver medal. None of those girls "lost" it. And even if you had to point your finger, it was the last girl that techinically lost position.

That Dutch girl was on FIYAH and no one was stopping her, and she deserves The Americans didn't lose the silver; the Dutch girl earned it. We weren't even expected to medal. In addition to that bronze medal, they earned the best American time ever in that race; sounds like Lea being on the team was absolutely the right decision.

Exactly! Thank you!

I would have liked to see Natalie Coughlin race in the finals too, but in the end I don't think it would have changed the outcome for team USA. Still, they should be proud of the bronze and their new American record.

Congrats to Australia and The Netherlands as well! It was a great race!

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

I'm surprised to see that Australia only has one medal so far.

Are they just weaker this time?