Hopes Dashed and Dreams Come True

Did 16 year-old swimmer Shiwen Ye dope or not? That is the question of the moment, until the next questionable time, world record or gold medal. Western bias or legitimate concern, we may not find out before the games are over. It took seven years for the American track star, five-time medalist of the 2000 Sydney games, Marion Jones, to fess up to doping.

Shiwen won the 400 IM on Saturday night, with a split time in freestyle that beat that of even gold medalist Ryan Lockte. Obvs this got the American coaches and Brit commentators questioning the results.

Phelps, WTF? I mean we weren't expecting a repeat of Bejing... but we kinda are. You have to come up with at least two golds this time around bro. And if you don't try and not be soooo bummed out on camera. Do you think his underperformance is due to nerves or lack of practice? He is slower than his world-record time in his main event 200 fly by four seconds, which is like seven years in dog time.

Much like ice-skating in the winter games, I watch gymnastics, though I know nothing about the sport. I'd also like to add I think there is something perverse about the narrow slip of time that these athletes have to be competitive before puberty finally catches up. It makes the upsets for these teens all the more dramatic, becuase there are no second chances, the next Olympics, like there are for athletes and um... ever other sport.

Never the less I'm so rooting for Gabrielle Douglas.

Anything, event, person, you following? And lastly, who is unhappy with the difficulty in watching the events in the U.S. #NBCFail ?