2008 Olympic Games Beijing 8.8.08-8.24.08 (with spoilers)

[Salsero]

Raynell is the only one worth looking out for the USA team. I'm positive the Cuba will sweep the gold medals and the competition.
USA have a very weak team at this games The USA coaching staff are the reason for a weak team. What shame

[boxmel]

I HATE not being able to watch them live!!!! Will have to edit and put all together after and have a marathon session. I'm definitely watching the U.S. bouts and others that I can after getting home from work in the evenings.

Granted Prince Octapus wasn't much of an opponent - nonetheless, I was not terribly impressed with Cuba's Torriente. He seems pretty green and lacking in the polished skills and techniques generally associated with Cuban boxers. It will be interesting to see how he does - if he gets past Zoriqbaatar and then hits either Izoria or Imranov.

[boxmel]

Raynell is the only one worth looking out for the USA team.

I'm hoping he gets a bronze. Our best bets are Rau'Shee Warren and Demetrius Andrade, with Wilder a wild card.

I'm positive the Cuba will sweep the gold medals and the competition.

I disagree. Would you like to make a friendly bet?

[Kolya]

Raynell is the only one worth looking out for the USA team.

I'm hoping he gets a bronze. Our best bets are Rau'Shee Warren and Demetrius Andrade, with Wilder a wild card.

I'm positive the Cuba will sweep the gold medals and the competition.

I disagree. Would you like to make a friendly bet?

I want in on this bet, because Cuba isn't all that great this year.

[boxmel]

Kewl, Kolya - you're in!

[Kolya]

Ready for Rau'shee? If he gets by Lee I think he'll be ok, tough first match though. Really impressed with Raynell though. Very smooth boxer.

[Dennis]

Raynell is the only one worth looking out for the USA team.

I'm hoping he gets a bronze. Our best bets are Rau'Shee Warren and Demetrius Andrade, with Wilder a wild card.

I'm positive the Cuba will sweep the gold medals and the competition.

I disagree. Would you like to make a friendly bet?

I'm hoping Raynell does better than a bronze, but expect nothing less than a bronze. Warren and Andrade both will get medals, I'm just hoping for golds. I really think Wilder will get a medal, most likely a bronze. I would love to see Deontay get silver or gold. If Yanez or Estrada could medal, that would be amazing. I still wish for 5 medals, but it is becoming more improbable each day.

[Kolya]

It would be a miracle for Estrada to defeat Matvei Korobov. The guy is just that good; possibly the best amateur in the world.

[Dennis]

It would be a miracle for Estrada to defeat Matvei Korobov. The guy is just that good; possibly the best amateur in the world.

He has to beat Degale to get to Korobov which I don't think is going to be an easy feat.

[emile]

I think things are going just as expected for the US so far, apart from the disappointment of Gary Russell. We all would have liked to see more competitive efforts from Molina and Ali, but they were always long shots, especially with their draws. Estrada is going to be in tough every fight, and DeGale will be a big challenge.

Softball kicks off tonight, so that may crimp the coverage some.

[Dennis]

I think my original prediction was for 2 medals and a dream result was 5 medals. I think those numbers stand true right now.

[holeymoley99]

I dont know Mel,Torriente looked pretty composed to me. He wasnt scoring much on the inside so went outside and picked poor Octopus apart (Octopus was not 4'8 like listed both online and before he entered the ring,more like 5'8). It looked like he was on cruise control most of the bout. He is young 21 I believe but not what I would call green. As I said before and Teddy for all his flaws did point out during his bout, the easier your draw the less it takes out of you for the following rounds.

I coach high school Wrestling and we have seed meetings before all our tournamenst. Knowing enough stats to seed your athletes properly and giving them the path of least resistance pays off.

In a blind draw format you need lady luck on your side. Zorigbataatar and then likely Imranov isnt the hardest road to the semis and a medal for Idel. Raynall Williams should be waiting for him in that semis if thing go as I think they may. It will be a real good one.

[emile]

What did people think of Ugas? I thought he looked a little sloppy, although I think Kramou was probably pretty good. Ugas-Valentino might be one of the better second-round matchups. I also didn't think Tishchenko looked unbeatable, so perhaps a surprise winner at 60kg? After looking at the bracket, probably not. Looks pretty clear for Tishchenko to the final.

[holeymoley99]

I am interested in seeing if Jerome Thomas has anything left. Bronze in 2000,Silver in 2004 BUT went out early at the Worlds last year and Payano is no easy opening round bout. If Thomas struggles early it could be a bad sign with Picardi next round.

[holeymoley99]

Thomas looked very bad and slow. Clearly his best days are behind him.

[therealPunchDrunk]

Warren's out?

[Dennis]

Yes, Warren is out. He lost to Lee 9-8. I didn't see the bout so I can't comment on it. Now, the likelihood of the USA getting as many medals as I predicted is going down.

[boxmel]

I dont know Mel,Torriente looked pretty composed to me.

I didn't say he wasn't "composed." He just looked awkward and, to me, didn't seem to have the solid, confident boxing skills shown by boxers with more international experience. The Non-Stop Talking Head (NSTH) even mentioned his lack of same.

[therealPunchDrunk]

I dont know Mel,Torriente looked pretty composed to me.

I didn't say he wasn't "composed." He just looked awkward and, to me, didn't seem to have the solid, confident boxing skills shown by boxers with more international experience. The Non-Stop Talking Head (NSTH) even mentioned his lack of same.

I wasn't impressed with him either. He looked to skinny too get proper power and coordination in his punches. That will hurt him when he fights someone stronger, I think.

[emile]

I'm really gutted for Rau'Shee, although I haven't seen the fight yet. To show the patience, perseverance, and commitment to improving and then end up with the exact same result as 2004. I was hoping Lee had peaked in 2005, but it was a rough draw and a cruel end. I wish Shee all the luck going forward in whatever he chooses to do.

Wow, France had a terrible day. Thomas and Hallab both out.

[boxmel]

I wasn't impressed with him either. He looked to skinny too get proper power and coordination in his punches. That will hurt him when he fights someone stronger, I think.

My thought exactly. Nice to see that great minds think alike. Thanks for the support.

[Freiheit]

I saw some of the boxing on german tv. They have all their 4 qualified boxers out after the first round. There were really not happy and called the german amateur program very bad. This was their worst boxing olympics ever.

[kidscoach]

I am absolutely APPALLED that the US coaches let Molina box with a hole in his lung. That should never have happened. What happened to "safety of the boxer first"??? Let alone the International physician that passed him on his physical! And how on earth does a coaching staff let an athlete go to the biggest competition of his life OVERWEIGHT. Any coach knows that you make allowance for the possibility that the competition scales does not match yours. YOu bring the athlete iin just on weight or a lb under. What happened to all that Level 4 supreme knowledge about weight loss, dehydration, nutrition, conditioning, plyometrics, and DEHYDRATION. All the technology and resources at their fingertips, and with that special residency program, how can we be in this big mess? I saw on the men's gymnastics last night that other disciplines have ALTERNATES ready to step in if for some reason the "Olympic" athlete cannot compete. This certainly seems like a good thing all the way around. If Gary Russell or his coaches didn't have the for-with-all to be on weight, I GUARANTEE there is a line of athletes very close in ability (and maybe better, depending on the day, and I'm sure that if Gary had indeed cut all that weight, he would not have been at the top of his game for the bout) that would love to have that opportunity, and would have indeed been on weight, on time, ready to go. In fact, I know a number of FINE COACHES that would have gladly stepped in (notably the personal coaches of most of the athletes) and had that team on weight, on time and ready to go. I am personally embarassed at the way things are going in Beijing. BUT I ABSOLUTELY BACK THE TEAM AND AM ROOTING FOR THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. People criticize this forum for "airing our dirty laundry", but you know what, that is part of being an American. We have the right to free speech, and I'm sure that everyone on this forum just loves our sport and want to make it better. Who CARES if the Chinese, Russians, etc, know we are all discussing things? They have their own problems. GO GET 'EM TEAM USA!!!!!

[boxmel]

I am absolutely APPALLED that the US coaches let Molina box with a hole in his lung.

I am not a doctor so I have no clue why the team physician cleared Javi to compete.

Let alone the International physician that passed him on his physical!

IF the competition physician did not know about the problem, why would he not pass him?

And how on earth does a coaching staff let an athlete go to the biggest competition of his life OVERWEIGHT.

Totally agree. However, I have always had a problem with qualifying the team a year in advance. Luis Yanez has had weight problems, too. Kids tend to grow in their late teens.

I saw on the men's gymnastics last night that other disciplines have ALTERNATES ready to step in if for some reason the "Olympic" athlete cannot compete.

AIBA rules dicatate that named boxers qualify, not weight classes.

I know a number of FINE COACHES that would have gladly stepped in (notably the personal coaches of most of the athletes) and had that team on weight, on time and ready to go.

Stepped in where? Personal coaches did attend camps at the OTC, however on the world stage the IOC only allows a certain number in each sports delegation and in the case of boxing, there is the head coach and two assistant coaches - all of whom are credentialed before leaving the U.S.

[DCAmateurBoxing]

I am absolutely APPALLED that the US coaches let Molina box with a hole in his lung.

From what I read, this was not boxing related at all. This is NOT the same as a collapsed lung. He was diagnosed after feeling sluggish and weak. Dr. Bill Kuprevich, the team's chief physician, said the cause of the hole remained unclear, but that Molina's health was not in danger. The hole was too small, Kuprevich said, for radiologists to detect its exact location, though its effects were severe enough to prevent Molina from engaging in full workouts for the past two days.Molina was held out of training Friday after complaining of shortness of breath and a sore throat. He participated in the opening ceremony that evening, and Kuprevich said Molina told him Saturday morning that he had rested sporadically during the procession.After apparently feeling worse, Molina had an electrocardiogram, which came back normal, and a strep culture, which came back positive. Kuprevich said a chest X-ray revealed evidence of an air leak. Such leaks, which Kuprevich called "fairly common," are usually formed in two ways: by blunt trauma, which he ruled out, or by infection, though he considered it a leap to say that strep played a role. He also emphasized that Molina's lung did not collapse. "This should heal on its own," Kuprevich said. The condition, which Kuprevich described as subcutaneous emphysema, occurs when air trickles into tissues beneath the skin in the neck and/or chest, according to Dr. Peter Hamm, a Washington-based specialist in pulmonary diseases. In Molina's case, it settled by his neck and right shoulder."This can happen to otherwise healthy, young people," Hamm said in a telephone interview. "It's not an uncommon condition. But it's usually seen from people who are on ventilators or who are very sick. In and of itself, it is not dangerous. But it can become very severe as a cosmetic nightmare, blowing up your face and your body like a Michelin man."

If Gary Russell or his coaches didn't have the for-with-all to be on weight, I GUARANTEE there is a line of athletes very close in ability (and maybe better, depending on the day, and I'm sure that if Gary had indeed cut all that weight, he would not have been at the top of his game for the bout) that would love to have that opportunity, and would have indeed been on weight, on time, ready to go. In fact, I know a number of FINE COACHES that would have gladly stepped in (notably the personal coaches of most of the athletes) and had that team on weight, on time and ready to go. I am personally embarassed at the way things are going in Beijing.

You should read up before making assumptions. Let me ask you this, if you are a boxer that has used the same method for making weight during your medal-winning performance in World Championships, to win the National Golden Gloves, Olympic Trials, US Championships - and you go for a jog to lose 1lbs., which by most accounts should be relatively simple, only to pass out and awake to doctors treating you for dehydration, which in turn added 3 lbs. to your weight 20 minutes before the bus leaves for weight-in, would that be 100% your fault? Given that you are living with experts in nutrition and doctors who are supposed to be at your beck and call. Not to mention your team coaches were aware of your weight issues a week prior, but for whatever reason left it up to you alone to get the weight off the proper way . . .if your going to blame someone, there are plenty of individuals to bear the weight. Don't put it all on Gary Jr. It's funny how no one wants the boxers personal coaches involved or to get any credit or kudos for positive things, but when someone needs to be blamed, the boxers personal coaches names come up whether or not they were even present or involved in the issues.