Tanya Harding takes a bat to Japan, hee, hee

[Taro Toporific]

Japan takes bronze after losing to Aussies
The Japan Times, Aug 24
ATHENS (Kyodo)---Tanya Harding threw a four-hit shutout as Japan suffered a 3-0 defeat to Australia on Sunday and was forced to settle for a bronze medal in in softball at the Athens Olympics.
The Japanese, who were hoping to go one better than their silver medal finish at the Sydney Games in 2000 ....

[Taro Toporific]

I'm sure Tanya had a hard time when that Tonya Harding story was around. Odly, they've named those jpg files "Tonya" but I hope the infamous Tonya Hardingnever sees another medal in her life

Tanya can get as many as she likes.

AFP/Getty Images, Athens, GREECE: Australian shortstop Tanya Harding (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the third run for Australia during the fifth inning of the bronze medal game against Japan, 22 August 2004, at the softball stadium in the Helliniko Sport Complex, during the 2004 Olympic Games. Australia won 3-0 qualifiyng for the gold medal game, and Japan got the bronze medal.

[bolt_krank]

Looks like the Aussies got them for baseball as well.
Still - Japan's been getting a heap of gold this year.

[kurohinge1]

Looks like the Aussies got them for baseball as well...

Thanks again to the Hanshin Tigers' Williams-san

... Still - Japan's been getting a heap of gold this year.

Which reminded me of this, from "The Dream" with "Roy & HG" - a sports comedy team from Oz who do an hour on the olympics each night from the Sparta Club in Athens ... (for Ramchop-san and any other Kiwis) ...



And then there was this ...

[same]

Looks like the Aussies got them for baseball as well.
Still - Japan's been getting a heap of gold this year.

In womens judo and wrestling. The rest of the world hasn't realised those sports exist yet. Like every other niche sport Japan gets into (eg. volleyball) once other countries realise there are easy medals to be won, it'll be a different story.

[Mulboyne]

In womens judo and wrestling. The rest of the world hasn't realised those sports exist yet. Like every other niche sport Japan gets into (eg. volleyball) once other countries realise there are easy medals to be won, it'll be a different story.

If anything, the Cold War gave more incentive for countries to claim supremacy through Olympic medal count. China's medal chase has been pretty intense too over the years (where are those famous Chinese middle distance runners and swimmers now?)
I don't think there are "easy medals" to be won. A niche sport attracts little funding so it takes a fairly special character to plough ahead and develop an expertise that few outsiders appreciate. Wait a minute. Am I talking about the Olympics or learning Japanese?

[Blah Pete]

My prediction is that China will take over the lead from the US by the 2012 Olympics. Why? Because of the attitude in the US.
Kids are not allowed to play real games at school anymore. No tag, dog ball, some schools will not even allow kids to run on the play ground during recess.
Kids sports are turning into a touchy-feely sport where score is not kept and everyone is made to feel like a winner. Maybe this is OK for real young kids (under 8?). When kids get older teaching basic strategy depending on the score is crucial.

Basically the US is becoming pussified and this will affect the athletes of the future.
China is stil using the Soviet method of scouring the nursery schools to find the right physic for sports and shipping the kids off to a specialty school.
I suspect Japan will get beeter too as athletes are finding out that the Japanese Gambarimasu training methods do not work and are using more realistic training methods.

[Andocrates]

Basically the US is becoming pussified and this will affect the athletes of the future.

Maybe, but we will always have the biggest guns. And soon we'll send robots to shoot the enemy while the soldiers watch CNN

I wonder how American Robot soldiers would play in Iraq?

[Skankster]

Basically the US is becoming pussified and this will affect the athletes of the future.



I suspect Japan will get beeter too as athletes are finding out that the Japanese Gambarimasu training methods do not work and are using more realistic training methods.

Haaaahahaaha. Too true about Japan.




This sport is likely to be cancelled in the olympics due to the fact USA allways wins.