HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: paul@svl.cdc.com (Paul Kohlmiller)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: World and Olympic Records
Date: 12 Aug 92 20:43:15 GMT

leino@rat.vtt.fi (Tapio Leino) writes:
>The triple jump was won by Powell(?) of US with a result which exceeds
>the world record but could not be accepted to be a new world record
>because there was too much wind from behind. So the olympic record is
>now better than the world record and someone can really jump more than
>the world record in Atlanta and not do a new olympic record.
Is this true? Certainly someone from Finland probably knows more about
track and field than an American but I thought the same rules applied to
Olympic records. In particular, I thought that Powell did not set an
Olympic record because of the wind. Instead he did a "best this year"
or some weasel words like that. If I'm wrong, are there any other
Olympic records that are > World Records?
--
     // Paul H. Kohlmiller             //  "Cybers, Macs and Mips"    //
     // Control Data Systems, Inc.    // Internet: paul@svl.cdc.com  //
     // Acronym under construction.  // America Online: Paul CDC    //
     // All comments are strictly my own. I won't lie but my       //
     // perception of reality is at best a personal hunch.        //
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: htr@world.std.com (Helena T Robinson)
Subject: Re: Kim Zmeskal
Summary: Planning to retire
Keywords: gymnastics
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 11:30:46 GMT

In article <1992Aug6.215823.25759@midway.uchicago.edu> airn@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>Does anybody know whether Kim Zmeskal is really retiring for absolute sure? I  have been a fan of hers for a while and would be saddened to see her end her   career on a sour note like this. I thought I heard one of the NBC commentators make some remark about her possibly coming back for Atlanta?

Kim's parents told Katie Couric on NBC's morning program that Kim would retire 
from competition after the Games and go back to high school for her last year.  
She's been completing her studies this year via correspondence courses.

Helena Robinson
htr@world.std.com

Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics,rec.bicycles
From: sery@crunch.unm.edu (sery)
Subject: Re: Atlanta '96 : Pro cyclists in ?
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 23:06:55 GMT
Organization: /usr/local/lib/rn/organization

Thomas H. Kunich wirtes:
>Harry Phinney writes:
>>neil@alpha.ma.adfa.oz.au (Neil Viney) writes:
>>: Doesn't Danny Clark already have an Olympic silver medal?
>>
>>Yes.  1972 1000 m Time Trial.  His countryman, John Nicolson,
>>also won a silver in the match sprints that year.
>
>Please note that this was 20 !!! years ago and that Danny is
>still going strong as strong can get. Old timers of the world
>unit.

He raced at Super Week in July.  I saw in Velo News that he had at least
one top ten.  Not bad for a guy who must be at least 40 and broke his hip
(or something major) a few years ago during a Six-day.

Paul Sery 
Albuquerque, NM

Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: yiannis@wam.umd.edu (IOANNIS VELISSARAKOS  ATHINA-HELLAS)
Subject: Re: Whatiz whatizit (pc in action)
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 08:10:55 GMT

In article <92224.123659LSMITH@auvm.american.edu> <LSMITH@auvm.american.edu> writes:
>Obviously, Atlanta MUST have some trace of culture, it was selected to be the
>home of the '96 Olympics over all the other cities that campaigned for it in
>the world.  And besides, who says Atlanta has to put on a display about its own
>coulture?  I thought the point was to get some type of regional or national fla
>vor from the closing ceremonies (unlike the '84 Olympics, with that philanderer
>Lionel Richie and a few dozen dancers running around in red, white, and blue
>sequinned outfits.) I think that both the Southeast and the USA ingeneral have
> plenty of "culture" we can tap into, people just have to be creative enough to
>try.

  Of course, Atlanta has it's own culture. The name of which:
		Coca-cola Co.
	The IOC didn't select Atlanta because of its culture. Everybody
knows, I hope, the reason. If it was a reason of culture or history or
respect they would have given the Games to Greece... But as you know 
Greece doesn't have that economic power that the US has... And, of course,
Greece doesn't have any Coca-Cola Co. And having a company like Cola
is much bigger advantage than having a great history and culture. Also,
giving the birth to these Games doesn't count towards any decision of 
the IOC. Unfortunately, there is Olympic Idea, as the ancient Greeks
had it, in today's world. There is only Money's Idea. What a shame...


	Finally, I have here some funny quotes from the coverage of NBC.
   The opening ceremony and the teams parading. Cyprus parades and Bob
Costas, although he is a Greek-American, says:
  	"... and this is Cyprus. A small island in Medittarenean. There
is civil war that takes place in that island these days...!!!!" Actually,
there isn't any war that takes place in Cyprus. The island is occupied
by the Turks, who say that the half of the island belongs to them.

	Some other night in the "Club Barcelona":
	  "... and this is the mount that the Greeks light up the Olympic
Flame every four years. It's called Mt. Olympus and it's close to Athens..."
	The Olympic Flame lights up in Olympia. The place where the 
Original Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece and it's in Pelopponnese.
The Mt. Olympus is the mount where the Greek God used to "live"... and 
it's not close to Athens...


Yiannis Velissarakos

  September 19, 1990. Italian newspaper "Republica":  "Dear Pierre De
    Coubertin drink some Coke. The Coca-Cola company brought the history
    of a whole nation."
  September 19, 1990. Italian newspaper "Coriere della Sierra":  "Athens
    didn't lose, Atlanta won. The circles of the Olympic Flag have to be
    replaced by five covers of Coca-Cola." (The title of the article was:
    "No more Olympics").
From: jan@dcs.qmw.ac.uk (Jan Wysocki)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics,rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: All that fat
Keywords: Speaking of fat
Date: 14 Aug 92 13:29:41 GMT
Reply-To: jan@dcs.qmw.ac.uk
Organization: Vision Laboratory, Queen Mary & Westfield College.

In article <1992Aug13.214014.17344@rtsg.mot.com>, brand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert W. Brand) wrote:
|> In article <1992Aug12.230545.24254@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> canderso@nyx.UUCP (Chuck Anderson) writes:
|> >I don't remember where I saw this (newspaper, I believe), but guess what?
|> >They've found that people with low cholesterol (they mean LOW, like 160)
|> >are as likely to die at a younger age as people with high cholesterol.
|> >
|> >
|> >The list of causes was,... interesting.  It included suicide, homicide, and
|> >then normal things, like cancer, etc.  How do you suppose low blood serum
|> >cholesterol makes one more susceptible to homicide?
|> >
|> >What'll they prove with staistics next?
|> >
|> 
|> I just had some tests done and my total cholesterol was 135 -- one of 
|> the only things that seems to be right with me.  How depressing to hear
|> this.  I think I'll go kill myself.
|> 
|> -- 
|> Bob Brand

Before this discussion gets out of hand, can somebody who's seen the report
confirm or deny my recollection (from second hand, therefore the request).
Wasn't the study done on people who had been given drug or dietary
treatment to reduce their cholesterol levels?  Is this study in
any way related to people with naturally low cholesterol levels?

-- 

          Jan Wysocki                 |  Computer Science Department,
                                      |  Queen Mary and Westfield College,
 email:    jan@dcs.qmw.ac.uk          |  Mile End Road,
'phone:   +44 (0)71 975 5230          |  London.  E1 4NS
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Re: Rythmic gymnastics
Keywords: gymnastics
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 06:21:17 GMT

In article <1992Aug10.190026.3374@athena.mit.edu> raek@athena.mit.edu (Robyn A E Kozierok) writes:
>In article <claypool.713450183@myria> claypool@myria.cs.umn.edu (Mark Claypool) writes:
>>Continuing the comment on the rhythmic gymnastics ... after watching a lot
>>of (traditional?) gymnastics, I too, am curious:
>>
>>   Do traditional gymnasts look down on rhythmic gymnasts?  
>
>Yes, I think they do, for the most part.  Not necessarily because they
>think it does not require a lot of talent, but because, as I have mentioned
>in a previous posting, rhythmic gymnastics seems, at least to a lot of 
>traditional gymnasts, to be a lot more like a dance form than a gymnastic
>form.  I think if it were called something else, it would cause less
>resentment from traditional gymnasts, and they (we) would be able to 
>appreciate it for what it is.

In my other post I did equate rhythmic gymnastics too closely with
"artistic" gymnastics (the quotes are because I think that sort
of gymnastics should be called "athletic" gymnastics, and rhythmic
gymnastics should be called artistic. Confusing...) but the skills
needed for both are very high.

I equate rhythmic gymnastics with Ice Dancing. I wonder if Ice Dancing
was originally called "Skate Dancing" or something like that. "Figure
Skating" and "Ice Dancing" have become their own sports and are not
very often confused by the casual viewer anymore.

Just blabbling...

Vickie
 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: europa@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (r.j.capik)
Subject: Re: Gymnastics: Instant Replay for Judging
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 17:21:01 GMT


From article <1992Aug13.172728.26204@ms.uky.edu>, by morgan@ms.uky.edu (Wes Morgan):
> europa@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (r.j.capik) writes:
>>>   - The judges should have access to instant replay before scoring.
>>
>>...and the eliminations take 4 days, the finals take 14 hours, and
>>there is no one in the stands, all the sponsors have fled, but the
>>commentators just keep talking and talking and talking... like an
>>energizer bunny.
> 
> Well, perhaps we could do something like this:
> 
> 	- Gymnast completes routine.
> 	- Judge may, if he/she wishes, score immediately.
> 	- Judge has three buttons on a TV monitor, which will provide
> 	  a front, side, and back replay.
> 	- Judge has 30 seconds to request a replay; if one is not requested,
> 	  the judge must go ahead and score.
> --Wes

I keep thinking about my typical day of judging, and just can't
imagine any way this could work. 
My typical judging day is something like this:
- arrive at the mountain at 7:45am 
-check in with the jury.
-check with chief of course for conditions and logistics.
-gather my judges for a quick review
-get dressed for sitting around outside (judging) at about ten
 below zero (F) (and I won't even talk about wind chill)
-On the judges stand by 9:15, first fore run 9:30, first
 competitor 10:00,,,,,, last competitor (run 2) ~3:45
- check with jury
- certify the scores
- drive home (about 7 hours)

Some how I just don't see how I can add 45~60 sec to the
judging time and still finish the meet in the same day.

So what's a typical day for a gymnastics judge look like?
Maybe I should think about changing sports.......     :-)

Ron Capik

[looks like now that the Olympics are over this news group
has gone off to never never land.  I wonder if any one is
actually raeding this stuff.... :-)   ]
From: tjones@harriett.ncsa.uiuc.edu (Resa Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: Olympia 2000
Date: 12 Aug 92 22:19:36 GMT
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp. Appl.

My preferences are:   Rome, Italy ...  New Orleans, Louisiana ... and 
Tokyo, Japan. 

I love the cultures of each of the cities having lived in Italy for four 
years, New Orleans for three years, and Japan for six years. 

Theresa
From: blowfish@carina.unm.edu (rON.)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: Arrogance and the Olympics
Date: 14 Aug 92 05:17:39 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <133218@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV> ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi) writes:
>Does anybody remember a single thing about the gymnastics competition
>in Mexico City in 1968?

Nope, but then again, I was three at the time :)
r.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: fielden@spot.Colorado.EDU (j.a. fielden)
Subject: Re: Chinese women swimmers
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:12:40 GMT

In article <1992Aug11.195003.28900@nynexst.com> clare@nynexst.com (Clare Chu) writes:
>In article <ktlie.713505867@mars> ktlie@mars (Lie Kok Tjoan) writes:
>>masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki Masuda) writes:
>>
>>>In article <1992Aug5.080219.11965@colorado.edu> manu@tigger.cs.Colorado.EDU (Njan) writes:
>>
>>>>supreme courts in different countries? The one in US should suffice...
>>
>>>   I don't know about the influence of the US supreme court, but IOC does 
>>>seem to change its rules and regulations if the pressure is strong enough.
>>>   
>>>   If my memory serves me correctly, a Japanese breast swimmer Taguchi
>>>won a gold medal in the Munich Olympic Games in 1972. He modified and 
>>>improved his swimming method in order to make up for his physical 
>>>disadvantages (i.e., short arms and short legs which are typical of Japanese).
>>>So, his swimming was said to be somewhat different from the orthodox one 
>>>though it was compatible with the rule at that time. Shortly after Taguchi 
>>>had won a gold, the international rule was changed so that his swimming 
>>>method was practically banned.
>>
>>>  In Seoul, 1988, another Japanese swimmer Suzuki won a gold medal for
>>>backstroke. His swimming was charcterized by very long Basaro (sp?) start,
>>>the start going under the water with a dolphin kick, which pushed him 
>>>up to #1 in the world. After the Seoul Olympic, the international rule was 
>>>changed so that the Basaro start was allowed to use only for a limited 
>>>distance, which made Suzuki less competitive.
>>
>>>  In the Olympic Games, perhaps, it is something very unnatural for a 
>>>Japanese swimmer to win a gold, and someone might start to say, "There must
>>>be something wrong with the rule. Otherwise, there is no reason for a 
>>>Japanese to win."
>>
>>Agree ! In fact in almost every branch of sport, there are
>>changes that made to favour let's say western country like
>>Europe and USA. For example in Badminton, China invented a
>>spinning serve which was banned after they dominated almost
>>every tournament. Just what is wrong with it ? I believe
>>creativity in any sporting event. If you can invent something
>>new use it ! 
>
>  Like they didn't ban the Fosbury Flop because it was invented
>  by an American.  I don't see why they should ban new techniques
>  either.  I suppose one could ban the slam-dunk in basketball
>  too, while they're at it.

 I heard the alley-oop is banned in international basketball because
the americans arethe only ones who can do it. Any truth to this?

Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: europa@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (r.j.capik)
Subject: Re: Gymnastics: Instant Replay for Judging
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 19:30:17 GMT

From article <8316@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM>, by mwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Mark Wilson):
>>So, you could have more judges.  Maybe two sets of judges for each
>>apparatus.  That way, the "at bat" judges could watch the current
>>gymnast while the "on deck" judges could score the previous gymnast
>>using the replay.
> 
> 
> I suspect that if you were to set up two panels in parallel, judging the
> same performance, a significant fraction of the time, the composit scores
> of the two panels will be different.

BUT, you will probably find that with few exceptions both panels will
rank the competitors in the same order.
Problem is, due to psycology or what ever, during the event people
just care about the score. It's not until the event is over that people
start thinking about who placed where. Thus a low scoring panel will
get dumped on even though all the right people win!
Another thing that skews scores that people don't think about much
is the (quasi-statistical) practice of throwing out the high and low
scores. If a judge is running low, but consistently low, his scores
will (statisticly) be thrown out more frequently, but a less consistent
scorer will count (and be wrong) more frequently. The converse can also
lead [Wes] to creeping score inflation.

The bottom line is that the two panel system won't work, and that
there are other insidious flaws hidden in the judging system.

Another point is that the athletes have earned the spotlight, but
if you hide the judges and the score protocols you can never fix
the flaws in the system.

NBC-- We have john, sue and dave judging this event... john is usually solid 
but has been known to be erratic at times; sue tends to  be harsh
on the artistic content...  dave gets a little nationalistic at times...
should be an interesting meet...  NOW BACK TO THE STUDIO

Ron Capik



> 
> In addition to everything else, now the competitors will have to worry about
> the luck of the draw.  Did they get the high scoring panel, or the low
> scoring panel.
> 
> -- 
> --Mark
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: stanm@comm.mot.com (Stan Macasieb)
Subject: Re: OUCH!!! Another memorable quote (though
Reply-To: stanm@comm.mot.com
Organization: Motorola
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 13:39:08 GMT

In article 2479@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM, mwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Mark Wilson) writes:
>
>Does anybody remeber the name of the guy who did the reporting for the
>tennis competition.
>
>Talk about living life in the fast lane. ;^)
>
>After one report, in which this gentleman was in an even faster mode than
>normal, after returning to the studio, Bob Costas, just sat there for
>a second, with a stuned look on his face, he then said.
>
>"Next time try the de-caf."

If it weren't for Bud Collins, tennis coverage would be pretty dry.

--Stan Macasieb (stanm@comm.mot.com)
From: sgauch@ccs.northeastern.edu (Susan Gauch)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: More favorite/!favorite moments..
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:07:04 GMT
Organization: Comp. Sci. @ NU

In article <Aug.11.12.33.32.1992.10371@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) writes:
>Considering how many more people get involved in the
>other sports as compared to synchronized swimming, this must be the
>case.  Where'd you get your information?
>-- 

I've seen many posts like "no one does synchronized swimming".  Well,
I don't think it's going to beat out baseball for popularity, but
in Toronto (population ~3,000,000) I believe that every high school has 
a swimming pool.  I suspect that every high school in Ontario, and mosthe
around the country, have pools.  Gym (including swimming) was compulsory until
grade 11 (i.e. for 3 years), for me at least.  The swimming program includes
synchronized swimming (for the girls).  So, it's a safe bet that
most Conadian women under the age of 40 (many pools were built
in 1967 as part of the countries centennial celebration) has
done synchronized swimming.  

This doesn't address how popular a sport is around the world, a requirement
for Olympic inclusion, but does explain why Canadians do so well in the
event.  As a side note, curling (a demonstration sport in the winter
Olympics) is also very popular.  A few years ago, I heard that there were 
2 million curlers around the world, and 1 million of them were Canadian.
And yes, I curled for several years, too.
-- 
Susan Gauch
sgauch@flora.ccs.northeastern.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: baarniy@IASTATE.EDU (Scott A Coon)
Subject: Re: The SILTS list: Sports I'd Like To See!!!
Followup-To: rec.sport.olympics
Keywords: chess
Reply-To: baarniy@IASTATE.EDU (Scott A Coon)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 07:17:19 GMT

excerpted from Rod Swift's marvelous SILTS list
>. Speed Chess - Chess with a 24 second "Shot clock" for more excitment!

Just thought I'd mention (ok, it really doesn't have much to do
with the olympics) that there is Speed Chess (aka Blitz Chess),
where each side has five minutes to play all their moves.  Hence,
no game lasts more than 10 minutes, tops.  Usually a lot less.
	I've also played chess "with a shot clock," if you mean
a time limit on each move.  Rapid Tranist Chess gives you exactly
10 seconds to make each move (technically, you're supposed to move
right on the ten second buzzer, but this doesn't always happen.)
	Then, of course, there is my personal favorite, One-Minute
Speed Chess.  Just like Speed, but only one minute for each person
to play the entire game.  You would not believe how FAST some folks
can play this.  Definitely produces more adrenaline, sweat and excite-
ment (for me) than synchronized swimming.  This could be a blast as
an olympic event.
	Apologies for the long-windedness to those who knew all this
already.
Scott C.

Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
From: billw@regal.cisco.com (William )
Subject: Re: GYMNASTICS: responses to various items...
X-Disclaimer: The views expressed in this message are those of an
	      individual at SRI International, and do not necessarily
	      reflect those of the company.
Organization: cisco Systems, Inc.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 07:56:22 GMT


    Also, although I do not know about this, perhaps the men do not have
    enough difficulty to be judged from a ten.  Perhaps their Code of
    Points (the rulebook) is more appropriate.

I don't know whether this is still true, but as of 1981, a perfect men's
gymnastics routine was worth less than a 10.  (I think it was worth 9.4 or
so...)  To score a 10, you also had to show "risk, originality, and
virtuosity".  Risk is self-explanotory - triple backs off high bar are
risky.  Originality is more obscure - things original today are not so next
year.  Tricks named after gymnasts are examples of originality (from that
time - Thomas flairs aren't original anymore. (but I think Magayar spindles
still are)) I think you can get originality points for things that not many
people do yet, like a triple back on floor (gets you risk too.)  Virtuosity
is doing things better than anyone else - being higher, opening up before
you hit the ground, not cowboying the tuck (eg keeping your knees together),
and stuff like that.

Note that ROV is pretty subjective, and what you need to do to get it
will depend on the level of the competition and such.  I don't recall
whether women had a similar item in their code of points...

BillW
From: ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: Sydney? (was Re: Olympia 2000
Date: 14 Aug 92 15:19:15 GMT
Organization: UC Davis Dept of Applied Science at LLNL

In article <Bsy9Cr.D9s@chinet.chi.il.us> katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago) writes:
>I think Australia would be a wonderful place to have the Olympics, but
>it would be strange for those in the Northern Hemisphere, mainly because
>the Games would be televised in the *winter*!
>
>When has this happened before?

The Summer Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia in 1956.  They
were held in October, I believe, which is spring in Australia and a 
time with nice weather, supposedly.  I never heard that this caused
any sort of problem.

>btw, I missed the Closing ceremonies. I thought they were supposed to
>announce the 2000 city then. Wrong?

Wrong.  Until recently, Olympic cities were annonced six years in 
advance.  But lately, to give the cities a little extra time to prepare,
they've been announced seven years in advance.  The 2000 city will
be announced in September, 1993.

Ed
ed@wente.llnl.gov
From: eabg011@orion.oac.uci.edu (Rene Franz Chun)
Subject: fan mail
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 17 Aug 92 07:48:47 GMT
Distribution: usa

I was just wondering, how does one go about sending fan mail to
their favorite olympic athlete?


Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics