<p>My comment about the Corn Flakes box was NOT a dig against Gabby. It was simply an observation of how quickly the for world of marketing spins.</p>
<p>She seems like an amazing young woman with a good work ethic.</p>
<p>Yay to our guys and girls! Way to go, Missy and Michael!!!</p>
<p>Sorry, Kajon, I misinterpreted your comment since it came around the same time as some digs at Gabby.</p>
<p>I agree, the ads are amazingly quick…especially AT&T.</p>
<p>Wow, it looks like 2 guys tied for 2nd and 2 guys tied for 4th in the 100 fly. :eek: Unfortunately, there will be no bronze.</p>
<p>Watched amazing tennis this morning and then Serena’s pummeling of her opponent! WOW! Now more great tennis, Djokovic and Murray! </p>
<p>Watching on line swimming. Missy Franklin winning in WR time. Michael Phelps winning again and now watching women’s 800m free. Ledecky is looking great!</p>
<p>Looks like I’m not the only one watching. Great meet for the American’s.</p>
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<p>Totally agree, ihs. I’m sure Gabby Douglas is far from the first Olympic athlete from the U.S. or anywhere else in the world to rise out of financially challenged circumstances and win Olympic gold, and I’m sure she won’t be the last. Yet we don’t hear these sorts of questions and insinuations about other athletes; everyone just assumes the financial decisions they, their families, their coaches, and others made along the way were their business, not ours. Why, then, would anyone start throwing this stuff around in Gabby’s case.? Could it possibly be because she’s black?</p>
<p>I, for one, am just darned proud of this kid, and the grit and determination and hard work and grace under pressure it took for her to achieve what she’s achieved, overcoming enormous odds, financial challenges not least among them, to make it to the mountaintop. It’s an inspiring story, and a genuine American success story, because our athletes need to do most of this on their own, without a government agency to recruit and train and support them. If the family took some financial risks or got a helping hand along the way from a coach who was willing to extend them credit, well, bully for them! But that’s really none of our business. </p>
<p>And frankly, I hope Gabby’s story is an inspiration to hundreds or thousands of other little girls in financially challenged circumstances–including, yes, children of color–to follow their own special talents, whatever they may be, and ride them as far as they can go. Maybe even to the mountaintop.</p>
<p>Yay for Ledecky, but I’m super happy for Belmonte Garcia. Her second race, not given a chance in either and just won her 2nd silver. Only the third medal for Spain in these Olympics.</p>
<p>There’s a NY Times article about Gabby – a family with 4 kids hosted her in Iowa because she couldn’t afford to pay her lodging. She also had to deal with considerable culture shock, living in Iowa. <a href=“Gabby Douglas’s Long Journey to Gymnastics Gold - The New York Times”>Gabby Douglas’s Long Journey to Gymnastics Gold - The New York Times;
<p>I think her story is remarkable, and I’m thrilled she took the gold. I wish John Orozco, whose story is also pretty amazing, had done as well.</p>
<p>Men’s 50 free… Come on, guys, get off those blocks like there is fire under your feet!!! Go USA!</p>
<p>fireandrain,</p>
<p>I hope Orozco doesn’t quit. I think he is only 19 and male gymnasts often can go well into their 20’s.</p>
<p>“Watched amazing tennis this morning and then Serena’s pummeling of her opponent! WOW! Now more great tennis, Djokovic and Murray!”</p>
<p>Unbelievable match between Roger and JMDP. I was exhausted from just watching it. Gutted for Juany, so close yet so far. Hope he takes the bronze.</p>
<p>Now go for the gold, Roger! Hopp Hopp!!</p>
<p>My live feed froze. Who won the 50?</p>
<p>French guy, Cullen Jones, silver</p>
<p>NVM, I see it was the young Frenchman, another unheralded swimmer (over here). His first big race!</p>
<p>Does anyone know whether/when the the tennis semifinal between Federer and Del Potro will be rebroadcast? We drove home today after taking S back to school, and left after the second set. I was a bit miffed that DH insisted on leaving then instead of waiting for the last set–who knew the third set would take almost 3 hours? We got home just as the Djokovic/Murray match was starting.</p>
<p>"*a family with 4 kids hosted her in Iowa… She also had to deal with considerable culture shock, living in Iowa…"</p>
<p>That’s what I was thinking. I bet it was hard to get a "touch up " there!</p>
<p>Maybe after today’s tennis from CC is over on Bravo they’ll have the replay online. </p>
<p>[Live</a> Olympic Video - Full Schedule | NBC Olympics](<a href=“http://www.nbcolympics.com/online-listings/day=august-3/index.html]Live”>http://www.nbcolympics.com/online-listings/day=august-3/index.html)</p>
<p>Read in USAToday that Gabby is getting criticism about her hair. Sounded like it was mostly from black women. Give me a break!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/sports/olympics/lia-neal-wins-olympic-bronze-in-4x100-freestyle-relay.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/sports/olympics/lia-neal-wins-olympic-bronze-in-4x100-freestyle-relay.html</a></p>
<p>This young woman got a “Swim for the Future” need-based scholarship from Asphalt Green, a wonderful athletic and social complex here in NYC. 5 kids from Asphalt made it to the Olympic trials–3 of the 5 were Swim for the Future recipients. </p>
<p>Ft. Greene, Brooklyn is a great neighborhood–very diverse. It’s not exactly where you’d expect an Olympic swimmer to grow up, though!</p>
<p>All of these earlier comments about Gabby Douglas really turned my stomach. Can someone please explain to me why her personal finances became the center of attention rather than her years of hard work and training to win Olympic gold in the most coveted event in women’s gymnastics?! I’m honestly curious! I see so many other comments CONGRATULATING and ROOTING the swimmers that have won gold, silver, bronze, but far too many negative remarks about a two-time gold winning 16-year-old!</p>
<p>And regarding her mother being attention hungry: What absolute nonsense - I’ve watched just about EVERY interview thus far that her mom has participated in. Can the people who made this comment please tell me where they got this idea because I honestly don’t see it?! I’m not trying to call other athletes and their families out, but for the sake of comparison, I’ve read numerous articles where Missy Franklin’s parents admitted to encouraging her to take all of the endorsement deals for the money. Also, Michael Phelps’ mom has been the main proponent behind Phelps participating in Rio 2012 - even after he announced he didn’t want to do it! Where are these comments?! Yet here we are attacking a family that just wants to celebrate their child’s Olympic success, never mentioning money or any other selfish advancement. If anything, all Gabby ever talks about in interviews is how hard she has worked to get to where she is now - all the hours in the gym and the sweat and blood and tears it took.</p>
<p>Get a life people.</p>