12/21/24
May 05, 2004
100 days until the opening ceremonies, and the Guardian brings you 100 Things You Didn't Know About Athens 2004. Something to chew on while we're digesting the triple bombing in Athens earlier today
posted by Ufez Jones to other at 12:19 PM - 20 comments
76 The final event will be a historic men's marathon on the original course run by Phidippides in 490BC to bring news of victory over the Persians. Cool, I was hoping something like this would happen. (I hope no Persians take offense.)
posted by trox at 01:59 PM on May 05, 2004
58 More than 50 gypsy families in a northern part of Athens were evicted to make way for a media village. Screw them gypsies, eh?
posted by billsaysthis at 02:57 PM on May 05, 2004
Didn't Phidippides die at the end of that run? Sounds inauspicious to me.
posted by Jugwine at 03:17 PM on May 05, 2004
Speaking of Persians, there are plans underway to find triremes used in the Persian Wars. There was a cool article in nytimes on 4/20, huh huh, but it costs money now. Supposedly, there aren't any physical examples of triremes, mostly because they sank, with crew and treasures of weapons and armor, and the brass ram used to do just that, so finding and raising one would be tres cool. Athens will enforce special traffic restrictions Riiiiiight....if they could catch the rule breakers...though most locals are planning to leave Athens.
posted by garfield at 03:45 PM on May 05, 2004
I heard something on the TV or radio that the US (or British?) teams were going to be going with their own security detail. This Olympics is going to be a real nail-biter for more than the usual reasons.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:52 PM on May 05, 2004
From the bombing article:
The bombs were made from three sticks of dynamite triggered by alarm clocks.I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:53 PM on May 05, 2004
33 Michael Phelps, the US swimming phenomenon, will earn a $1m bonus from his sponsor if he equals Mark Spitz's record of seven golds. I don't believe that anyone will ever beat Spitz's record, and Phelps hasn't even figured out which events he'll swim. He's an amazing swimmer, though: 
posted by dusted at 05:00 PM on May 05, 2004
dusted's pic of Michael Phelps reminded me of this old public information film. I just wish I could find a picture of "Mike" so others than the older Brits could understand.
posted by squealy at 06:09 PM on May 05, 2004
Sorry for the total derail but it does involve swimming .. sort of . From another PIF "Rolf lies back in the water and waves with his foot. Then the action freezes, but you can hear the children shouting: "Get Him! Get Him!"" Excellent link, squealy .
posted by stuartmm at 07:57 PM on May 05, 2004
From squealy's link: Dave: I wish... I wish I didn't keep losing me birds! Fairy GM: Then learn to swim, young man, learn to swim! Kill the ladies by learning to swim... slightly unconvincing under Michael Phelphs' ugly mug.
posted by dusted at 12:30 AM on May 06, 2004
I love the olympics, and I really enjoy watching the swimming contests, but I never quite understood the purpose of the different styles. As far as I'm concerned, you should be able to swim in every style you desire, as long as you're the first one to get to the other side. I mean, it's not like we have the "100 meter backwards dash", or the "200 meters hopping on one foot" when it comes to track and field...
posted by CountZero at 01:24 AM on May 06, 2004
CountZero, the freestyle events are just that: a swimmer can choose any style. The fastest stroke is the front crawl and it's used so often that "front crawl" and "freestyle" have become interchangeable for most swimmers. I mean, it's not like we have the "100 meter backwards dash", or the "200 meters hopping on one foot" when it comes to track and field... People have always run and jumped basically the same way, but swimming has evolved through many radically different strokes. If you're interested, there's a good article on the history and evolution of the different strokes, called Development of Swimming Strokes.
posted by dusted at 02:19 AM on May 06, 2004
I mean, it's not like we have the "100 meter backwards dash", or the "200 meters hopping on one foot" when it comes to track and field... But they do have who can throw a stick the furthest, and who can throw a plate the furthest, and who can throw a ball the furthest, and who can throw a ball attached to a chain the furthest. And they also have who can do 20km and 50km the quickest without actually running.
posted by dng at 07:23 AM on May 06, 2004
they also have who can do 20km and 50km the quickest without actually running. That cracks me up - it's like being back at school. They should have people dressed as school masters standing by the side of the route beloowing "Walk! Don't run! And get your bag off your shoulder!"
posted by JJ at 07:58 AM on May 06, 2004
For the record, I would pay good money to watch Olympic athletes hop 200 metres on one foot.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:29 AM on May 06, 2004
81 International Paralympic Committee officials are pressing the organisers to meet deadlines for improving the city's poor accessibility. Poor accessibility for ghosts?
posted by Dick Paris at 05:44 AM on May 07, 2004
91 Health officials are looking for some 50,000 volunteers to donate blood for use during the games. Future doping scandal?
posted by Dick Paris at 05:47 AM on May 07, 2004
Future possible terrorist attack.
posted by worldcup2002 at 10:37 AM on May 07, 2004
For the record, I would pay good money to watch Olympic athletes hop 200 metres on one foot. Ever seen the Triple Jump? Not quite 200 meters, but... 
posted by dusted at 01:48 PM on May 07, 2004
15 Tammy Crow will compete in the US synchronised swimming team despite admitting manslaughter in a car crash that killed two people. A judge has postponed her three-month sentence. Wow. Just wow.