First we? from our lounge chairs?
Yes bit of trash talk crept in and just a few did far worse than their personal best but did we do ok?
Well our athletes did, for years and years they bought home far more medals than a country our size appeared to be expected to.
It is about time they did not live up to media expectations
Again and again media shouted about swimming/running competing for gold.
While a quick look showed the person needed a ten percent over personal best performance to even win bronze.

Dear Belly,

There will undoubtedly be lots of media coverage
on this topic and blame will undoubtedly be given.
Former head swim coach Don Talbot has already said
it would take 4 to 8 years for Australia to
reverse its plunge to what he described as a
"mediocre swimming nation," blaming a lack of
individual drive and unity in the team.

I guess we didn't reach the heights that we did in
Sydney, Athens, and Beijing - with five gold in 2000,
seven in 2004, and six in 2008.

And of course some will question the amount of money
spent on the Institute of Sport. However, I personally
feel that silver is now the "new gold." And I'm sure
that the athletes did their level best. We have nothing
to be ashamed of.

Some of our people are past it.
Some are still coming, & may still be champions.
Some were beaten by the occasion.
Some were beaten by better athletes.
Some were probably beaten by our officious officials.

Still they are all Olympians, & as such are winners. What more can we ask than their best on the day.

Yes Lexi, the institute of sport is far too costly, & now has become far too bureaucratic. Time to clear it out, & start again.

The same goes for sports federations. Any one who wants to dictate to an athlete where they will sleep should be swept out with the trash.

I had an acquaintance who was a top motor bike racer. One Easter his wife was considering not going to Bathurst with him for the races. After he reminded her that he never could sleep, if he was sleeping alone, on practice night, she decided to go after all.

Another mate, with experience, reckons that the main reason for the less than expected performance of many, was the loss of their sleeping pills. Many poor performances may be down to the do gooders & bleeding hearts, making our lot "clearer" that all others. Cleaner but not well rested by many reports.

I know I could never sleep before a major race with out some form of help.

Not just a life time working habit that has me up this morning.
Like a lot I am watching the games.
Story's in on line news papers seem to support my view, we ask too much.
News papers ALWAYS put too much expectation on our sportsmen, and quite often those doing so know little of the sport they report on.
Every athlete getting to a final is said to be going for gold.
We over achieved for 50 years.
WE? yes there I go again, we revel in the good and protest at the bad.
I am concerned at those who did far worse than personal best.
And sport in general in this country, not amateur but any sport tainted by betting.
Over night, yet again, a phone link with life time NRL supporters asked the question, based on years of the worse possible referees actions, is the game fixed?
answer? YES!
Back on subject I am taking the Brits bagging us in good heart, we do it to them often.
Love the barmy army.
We will not stay on the bottom and I am proud of our folk who give up so much to compete.
Let us however, just a few, stop the trash talk, we do not need to copy another culture.

I don't know how we haven't won every event in the Olympics, I've been watching the TV and we're the only country there.

Apparently the other countries...

Don't use Facebook.
Are allowed the use of Stilnox
Weren't nervous
Got a proper sleep
Weren't distracted by people yelling out encouragement just before the beep to enter the pool.
Decided to shave for that .01 second less drag.

One thing we do win is the competition for the most excuses and the most wallowing tears from our athletes. Grace and humility and class are sportsmanship are sorely missing. We win the Olympics for the worst losers in world sport.

What ever happened to acknowledging other competitor's efforts and accepting they were better on the day. What happened to cheering on your team mates when the relay race is still going rather than sitting in a chair making sure the world knows you're upset you didn't do as well as you wanted to.

And what's with the leading questions about 'silver is good too', the back handed compliment from the interviewers after such an achievement.

HB bit harsh? I have seen every country competing and even caught news on SBS channels from other country's, but only of their athletes.
Sullivan twice breaking his personal best, to get in to the 400 final is out standing.
And considering the claims of racism around his selection, from both within the team, and Australia's most racist athlete out side the team, is telling.
I watched Coots words, then the reporting of them, and see great differences.
Australia's history of over achieving was always driven by the best and the few, who came via school athletics.