FR LIVE EVENT-Olympic Scandal Press Conference..

MSNBC.com ^ | February 13, 2002 | Kelly O' Donnell

[Wphile]

I watched a little of it. The guy appears to be totally worthless to me.

[Amore]

Maybe this Italian guy is one of those from up around the Alps. Remember from Olympics past in skiing events they had some Italians who were really more German, or French, or Swiss?

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]

He says, "I am not a liar......"

He actually said, "I am not a lyre....." Check the transcripts!

[codebreaker]

Candian press conference at 5:00 PM EST to call for the appeal I presume..

[carton253]

Same thing happened. In ice dancing 4 judges fixed the results for a Russian couple to win. The problem is the Russians made a huge mistake. The 2nd place couple did not. Up until that time, the ice dancing was purely subjective. Now they put some required elements, etc. to prevent it.

[LenS]

True, but the main comparison here is with Sydney, the last Olympics, and all other Olympics, especially Winter ones. The opening night scoring just below the all-time high (Squaw Valley in 1960 when there were only three networks) was a big surprise. And the following nights have been doing well on that Olympic standard.

Of course, we could deduce that the other network's rerun decision is actually a sign that those networks believed that their new episodes would have done just as poorly and that the reruns are just an attempt at spin to minimize the damage. *g*

[NittanyLion]

Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

The refs gave the Soviets 3 chances to shoot the game winning basket. Finally, on the 3rd try the USSR made the basket and won. The US team was so disgusted they never accepted the silver medal - even to this day.

[bootless]

I think so - Sandra Bezic mentioned ice dancing and Nagano the other night.

My take on this? This is "just about skating" like Clinton's scandal was "just about sex." This is about dishonesty and corruption. If we brush it aside on the relatively unimportant issues, we won't be able to defend integrity on the bigger issues.

Besides, I think we need to do everything we can to stanch the future run towards cynicism by the "yoots" of today. It all hurts us.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

I'm so glad that someone will be investigating this that has no vested interest in the results. Ping HLL if you need the Guild to assist. Onward to SLC!

[breakem]

May I add

OLYMPIC HISTORY

From 1936 until 1972, basketball was about who could beat the United States - and no one did, in seven attempts. Then came the famous game between the US and the Soviet Union and the case of a British official, a US protest and a vault load of medals that some say still remain in a Munich bank to this day.

The game had gone basket for basket both ways until in the dying seconds of the game Doug Collins sank two free throws to put the US ahead 50-49. There appeared to be a second left on the clock as the US began celebrating. After debating a technical issue, William Jones, a British Fiba official, ruled that the clock be set to 3 seconds remaining. The Russians made the most of it, Alexander Belov ploughing through the field to sink a basket on the buzzer; 51-50 to the Soviet Union. US protests fell on deaf ears and the Americans refused to collect their medals, which are believed still to be in a Munich bank vault.

[codebreaker]

I am expecting Kato to burst out of the back curtain!

[bootless]

GROAN. It's the clumsy cheaters that make it harder for every one else. (Sarcasm OFF).

[Colonel_Flagg]

I am clueless (or maybe I was too young, maybe both). Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

In 1972's gold medal basketball game, the Soviets were awarded two tries to inbound the ball with a few seconds remaining on the clock and the Americans leading by a point. Their first try failed but the referees put time back on the clock and allowed them another chance. This time they scored and were awarded the gold medal. The Americans boycotted the award ceremony in protest and never claimed their medals.

Working from memory here ..

[ninachka]

A referee making an allegation and a judge denying the said allegation doesn't mean that it happened or did not happen. Accusations can be made but without concrete proof what can be done about it if it is true?

To ME it would seem that there had to be some sort of dealings since the Canadien skaters were better than the Russian pair in the long program on Monday night...but just because it seems that way doesn't make it so. It IS a very subjective thing. Please let me know, was it the artistic marks that put the Russians over the top? Or simply the ordinals? Does anyone know?

[SoCal Pubbie]

Before the game in '72 the U.S. Olympic basketball team had never lost a game, much less not won the gold medal. The game aganist the USSR was played and ended not once, not twice, but three times until the Soviets made a length of the court inbound pass and made the winning goal. I believe Doug Collins was on that team, I'm pretty sure Tom McMillian was.

[alisasny]

Referee PFENNING, Ronald USA

Assist. Referee LAKERNIK, Alexander RUSSIA

Humm the plot thickens.....

[Rebelbase]

USA/Soviet Basketball, 1972 Olympics

[DoughtyOne]

Wouldn't you think the IOC would have a review process in place so that events could be rejudged if necessary? I'll admit that close calls would have to be accepted, but blatant instances like this one could be correctly quickly. Their credibility is taking a severe beating on this one. They aren't doing themselves any favors by playing hard ball on judging that was as blatantly flawed as this was. You'd think they'd react if for no other reason than self-preservation.

[Chief Inspector Clouseau]

It was the referee who made the CHARGE!!!

Does ze referee have a license for HIS minkey? And does his dewg bite?

Yez, yez, NOW ve are getting zomewhere...

[MotleyGirl70]

I'm going home for lunch to check this situation out. I wonder if it will elevate to fisticuffs flyn'. LOL