Now well into the London Olympics, the world is learning a lot more about Olympic sports - and their specific rules - than it knew before the Games began late last month.  Take badminton for example.  While the rules say you have to win every match, in point of fact, Olympic athletes and coaches are looking for any available advantage, including throwing a match to save energy or to face an easier opponent in the next round.  "It's perfectly legal, but morally indefensible", said... Read full post

This Iron Man triathlon is insane.  Here it is right from the site:

About Norseman Xtreme Triathlon

Norseman is the world’s toughest long-distance distance triathlon. It is also the most northern, taking place at the same latitude as Anchorage in Alaska. The race is a travel through some of the most beautiful parts of Norway. It is not a normal circuit-race as it starts in a fjord and finishes at mountain Gaustatoppen at 1,850 meters above sea level. Total ascent is 5,000... Read full post

The issue of host country residents not getting access to Olympic Games tickets and then seeing lots of empty seats in the stadium during the events is really a vexing issue!  Last night there were rows and rows of seats occupied by British Armed Forces - and I commented on that to my wife - to watch the gymnastics program.  Today I read in the Reuter's feed that those troops were actually security personnel (remember the scandal about the contractor who was unable to meet the... Read full post

In an article on the NY Times from July 22nd I found out that while women athletes still lag far behind men when it comes to endorsements, with very few exceptions, the Olympics celebrates and showcases the athleticism of women almost as much as it does for men (I guess we'll soon find out whether this is true or not!).
One interesting fact, is that this year, for the first time, the American contingent of athletes comprises more women (269) than men (261). 
So keep en eye on Hope Solo... Read full post

Interesting Tech Crunch report on London Olympics and the IOC re its "draconian" ways...http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/25/no-wi-fi-please-were-british-olympics-will-ban-personal-hotspots/ . The IOC is on track for another $4-5 billion for the next Olympic cycle, so one doesn't have to look very far to see how protective they are of every square inch of the Games... 

Interesting article in the Sunday Times sport section on monetizing memorabilia that museums have been holding for athletes.  I am a strong believer in seeing former pro athletes posting their boxes and boxes of personal memorabilia (that are currently gathering dust in basements or garages around the world) here in their own pages of lifedotsport.  There are just so many things that players keep and that fans would love to see and talk about... If only the players would photograph... Read full post

 
Whinging is not my new sport of the day, rather it has been defined as: persistent low-grade grousing that is the default mechanism to life’s challenges for Briton’s; part of the national condition. The word is familiar.  In fact, I have experienced it firsthand on those occasions when I have been in England, but I find it surprising that even dour Brits would not – at least try – to celebrate their hosting of the Olympic Games…  But five weeks... Read full post

Great article in the main section of the NY Times today about how years ago the Dutch farmers crossed canals dividing their fields by vaulting over them with a pole, since bridges were few and far between.  Recently, in Linschoten, Holland, Jaco de Groot won the competition by vaulting 67 feet!  As the article points out, it is more about distance than height, so the vaulters plant their pole in the muddy bed of the canal near the bank and take a running start before leaping on to the... Read full post

Ombra just added a new photo album about our week-long trek through the Dolomite mountains in Italy, in late May 2004.  The photos are really awesome and show just how inhospitable these extraordinary mountains are - really rugged countryside! 
Check it out!

I didn't believe that there is really such a sport, but my friend Keith confirmed it with this link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wife_carrying   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Estonian_Carry_style.jpg