Phelps!

[AcuraTech]

Congrats on that 8th gold medal! I was at the local bar where they were having a local brewery festival. They had a tent set up out back with about 200 people in the tent area plus another 100 in the bar. Around 9:45 they told everyone that the fest was ending and that they needed to go inside. So as everyone is working their way back inside, Phelps is getting ready to swim.

Literally 200-300 people standing around all the TV's in the bar. Phelps shows up on TV, pre-race. Loud cheering. Other countries get introduced. Loud booing. The race begins. Everytime the graphic shows up on the TV that USA is in the lead deafening cheers are heard. The race is surprisingly close. A chant of USA! USA! USA! begins. USA wins the race. The bar goes insane amidst a deafening roar!

Wow! It was a seriously intense experience. Standing around a TV in an overcrowded hot sweaty bar while 300 people are glued to the TV. It brought a tear to my eye. I've never seen anything like it. It made it all the sweeter! Good times.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Literally 200-300 people standing around all the TV's in the bar. Phelps shows up on TV, pre-race. Loud cheering. Other countries get introduced. Loud booing.


What a strange attitude you lot have.

Most of the Aussies that I know were on Phelps' side to see a great man achieve greatness.

 

[Silk]

It was the first time New Zealand had ever qualified for the relay,and we came in 5th.The boys were interviewed,and to them Phelps is a hero,everyone wanted him to get those medals.I too am puzzled why you would boo???

 

[AcuraTech]

No worries to the people down under, the boos for AUS and NZ were half hearted. I was telling one of my good friends at the time that I'm more than happy to see the Aussies do well, because they're our mates.

The loudest boos were for "Russian Federation" and China.

We've got no hate for the Aussies or their neighbors the Kiwis. It was just kind of a fake boo to show our unbridled support for US swimming.

It was just insane how everyone in the bar was glued to the TV, cheering at the top of their lungs.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Other countries get introduced. Loud booing.


Nice sportsmanship.

 

[AcuraTech]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Other countries get introduced. Loud booing.


Nice sportsmanship.


Hey, this was the general sentiment of the other 200 people at the bar. I agreed with them. We were all rooting for USA and USA only. This isn't the fricking swimming cube here, this is an awesome local bar in the heart of St Paul, MN. We all wanted the US to win. It's not like we were booing athletes standing in front of us.

The point is that Phelps achieved the impossible, and we were all right there behind him, rooting our hearts out. We cheered on our country and booed the others, because the other country winning would have meant no gold for Phelps. The 8 gold medal dream of Phelps himself and the country standing behind him would have been crushed. That's just how it goes.

It would show a real lack of class to boo Olympic athletes in person. But it wasn't in person. So we acted accordingly. Seriously, this is something close to the hearts of myself and others. It meant a lot to see him win that medal. So yes, there was emotion involved in it. But for that display of emotion I'm not going to apologize.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
It would show a real lack of class to boo Olympic athletes in person. But it wasn't in person.


That makes it really classy.

 

[AcuraTech]

It's not a matter of class. We knew who we were rooting for. This wasn't some PC made for network TV moment. It was just some real people rooting for "our team". And it felt good. I can't explain the psychology of crowds, but it was what it was.

 

[sprintman]

Total lack of class

 

[moribundman]

I don't know why booing the opponent may become part of rooting for the own team. I guess it's truly a matter of "class:" The plebs were also the "real people (Romans)." I go see a few baseball games every year. There is always a bunch of plebs in the crowd that constantly has to heckle and taunt the players. Luckily most people are above that.

 

[Silk]

Phelps went back and congratulated our team after the race....the mark of a true sportsman,and one of the reasons he is looked up to by all the swimmers.

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Other countries get introduced. Loud booing.


Nice sportsmanship.


We were all rooting for USA and USA only.

in australia that has a totally different meaning to what you meant it to say

btw i only root for fun, and fun only...

ojn a serious note, phelps was great.

 

[Turk]

I can chime in on what he's trying to explain.

Here in St. Paul, the booing is meant lighthearted; it's "Minnesota nice" here. They'll boo opponents, but only in the light spirit of competition. You can go to most other places in the States and you won't find much more of a kind bunch then right here.

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, no one boo'd in my house. The Oz's surely made us all nervous ..right up to the end.

I thought that the added "world record line" chasing them up the pool added to the anxiety/anticipation.


Grand time for all who participated.


One of the many amazing stories was the 41 year old, Dara Torres, breaking a 100 year old record for the oldest swimming medal winner.

I say keep bumping that age record up. It makes aging look younger all the time.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
It would show a real lack of class to boo Olympic athletes in person. But it wasn't in person.


That makes it really classy.

It's only real class to boo the USA.

 

[Turk]

Yep, love 'em all!

 

[Pablo]

I've never actually booed anyone, just like 100% of the Aussies. So there you go Aussies....!

 

[TooManyWheels]

I thought the best part of Phelps' win was his attitude afterward. Just totally trying to soak in the magnitude of the moment, not being able to, and indicating so in his interviews, all the while being totally appreciative of having the experience. I was happy for him.

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote:

This isn't the fricking swimming cube here, this is an awesome local bar in the heart of St Paul, MN


Probably a lot of spelling errors on the menu too.

 

[Cutehumor]

don't worry acuratech, I didn't watch it, but I would have booed all the countries except for us. Were #1, go phelps!