Good stories told from an outsiders view; that's the Games

Yes, I was quite glad to have the chance to see Michael Phelps swim last night – first swimming story I’ve done in maybe two Olympics – and it’s true that stars do attract the crowds.

Which is what the Games are about to guys like me.

You’ve got people there like, well, like me, who don’t know the front crawl from the dog paddle (there should be dog paddle races, seriously) but we do know a story when we see one.

It’s perhaps the most fun part of covering these things, getting out to see some history and some world famous athletes and trying to chronicle their exploits without knowing the intricacies of the sport.

It’s hard, and I don’t know that we do it particularly well all the time but it goes to the essence of sport. It’s about the athletes more than it’s about the athletics, good stories about people well told.

We could sit there and try to explain the specifics of the event, like how Phelps was between strokes when he hit the wall at the end of his 200 metre race to be edged out by Le Clos of France South Africa (I screwed up) but, really, that’s not the issue, is it?

I would presume, and tell me if I’m wrong, that you want to know about the moment and the athlete more than the game and, sometimes, the result.

Am I right?

Think so, which is why I really like coming to these events. And why I think readers are generally well served. It’s fresh eyes telling old stories from a different perspective. Fun for us and, I hope, fun for you.

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Coolest thing I saw yesterday?

We’re headed back to the hotel on the bus about 11 p.m. after Phelps-Hayden and pass this truck.

I kid you not, it’s

Eels On Wheels!

Yes, live and jellied, pick your poison and I wonder how many kids want to grow up and be an eel salesmen or delivery guy.

Not sure it’s a lucrative job, though, haven’t seen eel on a menu yet.

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All right, this isn’t about London but they play it at every single basketball game and urge a section of the fans to sing along and I can’t get it out of my head.

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So, you wonder what these mentally-strong, finely-tuned athletes are thinking about when they’re in the middle of competition.

Sometimes nothing, at least that’s what was going on with Phelps last night when he was anchoring the relay for his 19th medal.

“I started smiling with 20 metres to go, it’s the first time I think I’ve ever done that in a race.”

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I don’t know if it’s more boring or angering when the tired old Quebec-Canada thing comes up and, yes, I have some friends in the Francophone media who are great guys but some of the others …

Well, they’re dopes.

It wasn’t 10 minutes after the Bronze Bonanza yesterday when the first “hey, we have more medals than Canada” comment was made.

Yawn.

It’s what you get at the Games every now and then, some guy trying to stir up some kind of controversy or make a name for himself and it’s simply tiring.

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I don’t know about the basketball but those bile-green fluorescent shoes a couple of Aussies were wearing yesterday are quite off-putting.

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I’m not sure why but the name Loudy Wiggins (an Aussie diver I saw Tuesday) makes me giggle and smile.

Loudy Wiggins.

Sounds like someone from Harry Potter.

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No, I didn’t get to see Valanciunas yesterday because I was doing this and then had to get to the swimming.

Was told by various spies that he was better in Game 2 than Game 1; I’m going to get over there one day soon, I hope. But it may not be until the quarter-finals, lots of other things going on.

Did check in with Jose electronically when I saw him take a shot in the head.

And, yes, more stitches in the same eye he cut twice at the end of last season; that’s 12 total in the three cuts.

No, Spain will not “rest” him and tank the next couple of games.

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Dude across from me, speaking indeterminate language quite loudly, has to have some North American connections because he had his cell ring tone as the Popeye The Sailor Man theme and I don’t imagine that’s a globally known cartoon.

And thanks to him, I had that damn song in my head all day.

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Want to see where we do most of our work?

This is the MPC, media hub at Olympic Park. This is also in the morning, it’s usually pretty full and saw two things there yesterday for the first time, and will see them an awful lot as the Games go on.

There was one dude slumped over his computer sound asleep – it is a good spot to catch a nap at the end of the day – and there was a guy on the phone doing play-by-play in some indeterminate language of, I believe, judo.

It’s hilarious to see people screaming into their phones “covering” an event going on somewhere else. Not sure what the folks back home think but, really, what they don’t know won’t hurt them.

You get that a lot here, actually. Sometimes you don’t have time to get a bus from one venue to another in time to see something so you watch it on TV and talk about it. And sometimes if you’re trying to play catch-up on event you simply can’t staff for any logistical reason, writing off quotes that are on the information system has to do.

It’s not perfect but it’s how we roll.

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Dear Raptors.

Please, in The Name Of All That’s Good In The World, do not ever, ever, ever schedule a game in any time zone anywhere in the world that starts at NINE FREAKING O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

Kind regards,

Tired Grunt who doesn’t know enough to go to bed a reasonable hour.

Speaking of reasonable hours, go back after the Phelps thingy in time to catch last call at The Swan in the alley down the street.

And since they stop pouring at 11 p.m. weeknights (12:30 on Friday and Saturday and to that I say halleluiah) that was writing to a tight deadline.

Veteran move, indeed.

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Comments

[Tony]

Doug,
Gotta score from the game this morning (CAN/FRA women)?
Got no tv here.

Blogger's note: Down 5, 6 minutes to go; will tweet @smithraps final score

[Turk in TO]

Doug, Chad Le Clos is from RSA, not France.

Blogger's note: Damn. Sorry, huge reading error of results sheet

[Giuseppe]

You mean Popeye? Olivia? Spinachs? you're wrong dear Doug.
In Italy the cartoon - and obviously the song - was quite popular among kids in the 70es, we actually knew him as "Braccio di Ferro" ("Iron arm")

[Jonathan M]

If you're curious about trying the jellied eels (think of the blogging possibilities!), there's an old place called F. Cooke not far from Olympic Park (#9 Broadway Market) which is perhaps the most famous joint in London for jellied eels and eel pie. I haven't been there but a buddy has, and while he wasn't the biggest fan, said it is an eating experience, and the place has been open since the 1860's so it can't be all bad. Eels used to be cheap and heavily eaten by the working-class folks in the East End.

A short video about the place:

http://live.wsj.com/video/f-cooke-pie-and-mash-shop-hackney/D5F68B6C-C6EA-4095-8489-1EABA77EEB77.html

Or, you can watch Tony Bourdain scour London for various delicious foods, his visit to the eel place is from about 3:00. Cheers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHyZgkkzEIk

[Peter]

I think I've put my finger on it. There's a genuine enthusiasm to your Olympic blogs that can't be faked on a Salt Lake City to Sacramento back to back losing road trip. These blogs, and the Beijing blogs have been fun to read. Great work!

Blogger's note: Thanks; it's a long slog but it's new

[john]

Hey Doug, maybe the same Francophone media dopes should be reminded the also lead the rest of the country in transfer payments...

[S.R.]

Morning Doug... Chad Le Clos is from South Africa... not France.

That was a great race, a swimmer having the race of his life on the biggest stage to knock out the best ever (in the event Phelps calls "his baby")... truly epic!

Blogger's note: Yeah. Huge brain cramp

[Dave B]

On last night's news, a PQ politician also raised the issue of the medals coming from Quebec athletes. She used it has an example of how Quebec could compete on the world stage is they were separate. Quebec is getting close to an election so expect to hear a lot about separation again.

As mentioned by john, maybe they have more money to spend on training than other provinces have.

[Lorie]

Hey Doug!
Yes, there is such an effervescence (and I mean that in the sparkly sense, not the gaseous one) and enthusiasm to your Olympic blogs that it's as though we're transported there with you...watching the events, visiting the pubs, hearing the music, eating the eel. Ahhh, no...on second thought, you can do that eel thing on your own. :) Cheers! Now, carry on!

[doug]

to me this Canadian Women's b-ball team is a perfect argument for the Raps Barg's and why he is so valuable...you can play all the defense you want, hustle, play as a team etc..but you need scorers natural scorers who you as a coach/team can rely on each and every game...that's why some miss the boat on Barg's and why the Raps took Ross with this years pick, you can't teach natural scoring, yes you can improve a shot or make a player more serviceable on the offensive end but you can't teach volume.natural scoring....if this women's team had just one scorer game in and out they'd be 3-0 and a threat in the tourney...also i tend to like and agree with his columns but Cathal Kelly totally missed the boat on those badminton teams being eliminated in his article today.., the IOC did the right thing no matter how you try to spin it...also pics in your blog adds another dimension i like it, makes it more of a true travelogue....ok cheers..

[Josh G]

Hi Doug - Are you sure it wasn't a dive truck? Eels on Wheels is also a registered charity/therapy organization that helps people with physical handicaps to enjoy the sport of scuba diving - http://eelsonwheels.blogspot.com/

Either way, the truck was up to good

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Was in Dublin a few years ago and eel was on the appetizer menu so, hey, how many times does a guy live anyway? It was so good, I had it again the next night. (It definitely wasn't pickled, though – not sure about that one.) Great with a fine microbrew or three. Try the eel, Doug, live 'er up! Cheers and keep up the fine work. Any particular events you're really looking forward to taking in?

Blogger's note: 100 metre men's final is always great; I hope to see a table tennis final, too

[saatuk]

From a long-time Kinks fan, for a London song you've gotta love Muswell Hillbilly from the Muswell Hillbillies album

[LakeSimcoe]

Would you write something on tanking in women's Badminton?

I wish NBA can do something too....

[joeu]

Cathal presents an excellent argument - if you don't want slack games, don't schedule a round robin.

[Tim H.]

Hey Doug:

I have to agree with Peter and Lorie - although I'm not particularly interested in the Olympics themselves (too commercial for an old guy who used to love seeing the top amateurs compete every four years), I can't wait to read everything you write. As you state so well (as usual!): "you want to know about the moment and the athlete more than the game and, sometimes, the result." Well done in that regard! Keep them coming!
And, tanking in Olympic badminton! Who woulda thunk it! Just more ammo for the 'pro-tanking' group next season!

[J]

Eel is actually really yummy. =)