Beijing: 08-08-2008

[epchick]

Ok, so I was happy to see the Men's volleyball team singing. At the end, you could hear them belting it out! YAY!!!

And you could see audience members, hands to their heart & singing. I'm glad I got to witness that, since I was feeling left out cause y'all saw them. lol

Originally Posted by epchick

Ok, so I was happy to see the Men's volleyball team singing. At the end, you could hear them belting it out! YAY!!!

And you could see audience members, hands to their heart & singing. I'm glad I got to witness that, since I was feeling left out cause y'all saw them. lol

I haven't seen it in TV yet, but I was very happy to hear about the Men's Volleyball team's Gold Medal.

I was one of the Clay Stanley groupies while I was a student at Hawaii and had intro History classes with him (when he showed up, anyway). He looks hotter than ever!

[AGDLynn]

Hate to say this but the people climbing up that "memory tower" reminded me of cockroaches.

[epchick]

I never knew that Britian's "God save the Queen" or whatever it's called has the same melody as "America" (aka "My Country, Tis of Thee")

Originally Posted by epchick

Ok, so I was happy to see the Men's volleyball team singing. At the end, you could hear them belting it out! YAY!!!

And you could see audience members, hands to their heart & singing. I'm glad I got to witness that, since I was feeling left out cause y'all saw them. lol

I just saw the win and the ceremony. God bless Hugh McCutcheon. I can only imagine how he feels right now -- losing your father in law, almost losing your mother in law, and now winning the Gold.

[srmom]

what are we going to watch on tv now???? Still a few weeks before the fall season premieres. Thank goodness it was an Olympic year because the writers' strike made tv really stink and there weren't even good re-runs to watch because the seasons were so short and disappointing

I know I was thinking the same thing. I actually teared up thinking - 4 more years (not counting the winter olympics, which I don't care for as much). So many things change in 4 years. I will totally be an "empty nester" because my baby will be off at school, my oldest will be married (he's engaged and planning a June wedding), my middle will hopefully be done with college - WOW, many changes.

BOO HOO!!!

[Benzgirl]

Hmmm, Chicago 2016....







....................................ROAD TRIP!!!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Everyone needs to come to VANCOUVER in 2010! C'mon, the skiing events are going to be at Whistler!

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by sunnyhibiscus

I've read that in Athens, most of the Olympic facilities are not utilized. In fact, there were some graffiti (sp) on one of the buildings. That's sad.

If Chicago, doesn't get the games for 2016, I will save my money and go to the London games.

I was in Athens and 2006 and everything looked great still - the public transportation they'd built for the games, the original Olympic stadium - all of it still looked gorgeous. Granted, I did not go to the 2004 Olympic stadium, just the 1896 one.

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Everyone needs to come to VANCOUVER in 2010! C'mon, the skiing events are going to be at Whistler!

LOL - you know I have already started a thread on this. I am OBSESSED with getting tickets to the Vancouver games.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Everyone needs to come to VANCOUVER in 2010! C'mon, the skiing events are going to be at Whistler!

I love Whistler. Damn cold though.
If you rent out the hostel, I'll be there

[AznSAE]

overall i enjoyed this years olympics. they really need to get rid of the equestrian event. horses are not athletes.

[tinydancer16]

My sisters' old babysitter/Woodlands (where my dad lives) hometown hero Laura Wilkinson is competing in her third (and according to her, final ) Olympics in women's platform diving -so pumped for her!!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Pepperdine has 12 alumni participating as athletes or coaches, so here's who I'll be cheering on:

Athletes

Simon Aspelin, Tennis (Sweden) ... Appearing in his first Olympics ... Will play doubles with fellow Swede Thomas Johannson ... Currently ranked #11 in the world in doubles by the ITF ... Won the 2007 U.S. Open doubles title ... Earned All-American honors at Pepperdine all four years (1994-97).

Merrill Moses, Water Polo (USA) ... Appearing in his first Olympics ... First played for the senior National Team in 2001 ... Led Pepperdine to the NCAA championship as a junior in 1997 ... Earned three-time All-American honors for the Waves.

Ryan Radmanovich, Baseball (Canada) ... Appearing in his second Olympics ... Canada took fourth place in 2004 ... Reached the Major Leagues in 1998 with the Seattle Mariners ... Currently plays in the independent Northern League ... Played one season for the Waves (1993) after transferring from Hancock Junior College ... Hit .305 with a team-high 13 home runs ... Was a fourth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins following the 1993 season and turned pro.

Sean Rooney, Volleyball (USA) ... Appearing in his first Olympics ... Joined the AVP Tour in 2004 and also played in the Korean League ... Made the USA National Team in 2007 ... A four-time All-American (2002-05) for the Waves ... Was the 2005 National Player of the Year and the MVP of the NCAA Championships as Pepperdine captured the national title.

Jesse Smith, Water Polo (USA) ... Appearing in his second Olympics ... The USA took seventh place in 2004 as Smith was one of the top scorers ... Made his senior National Team debut in 2001 ... A three-time All-American at Pepperdine (2001-03).

Coaches

Marv Dunphy, consultant coach for USA Men’s Volleyball ... Heading to his fifth Olympics as a coach ... Was the head coach of the USA in 1988 when they won the gold medal ... Was also an assistant coach in 2000 and a consultant coach in 1996 and 2004 ... Heading into his 26th season as the head coach at Pepperdine and has won four NCAA championships ... Played volleyball for Pepperdine in the 1970s.

Brian Goorjian, head coach for Australia Men’s Basketball ... Heading to his second Olympics as a coach ... Led Australia to a ninth-place finish in 2004 ... Has coached five Australian League championship teams in his 20-plus years as a coach there ... Played three seasons on the varsity at Pepperdine (1974-76) ... The Waves made the NCAA Tournament his senior year.

Terry Schroeder, head coach for USA Men’s Water Polo ... Heading to his first Olympics as a coach ... Participated in three Olympics as a player, winning silver medals in 1984 and 1988 and finishing in fourth place in 1992 ... Was Pepperdine’s head coach for 20 years before stepping aside to join the USA coaching staff in 2006, and has plans to return some time after the Olympics ... A three-time All-American at Pepperdine (1977, ’78 and ’80) and still the school’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Troy Tanner, coach for USA beach volleyball duo Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh ... Heading to his first Olympics as a coach ... Won a gold medal playing for the USA men in 1988 ... A three-time All-American at Pepperdine.

Other Roles

Kevin Barnett, NBC Sports commentator for volleyball ... A two-time Olympian for the USA ... His volleyball squads finished 11th in 2000 and fourth in 2004 ... Earned two-time All-American honors at Pepperdine in 1996 and 1997.

Bob Ctvrtlik, U.S. Olympic Committee Vice President and member of the International Olympic Committee ... A three-time Olympic volleyball player for the U.S. who won a gold medal in 1988 and a bronze medal in 1992 ... Earned NCAA Player of the Year honors and won a national championship in 1985, his only season at Pepperdine.

Gary Moy, Global Sports Partners operations ... Associate Director of Athletics at Pepperdine ... Will be working at his ninth Olympic Games and servicing 32 National Olympic Committees at the Casa Americas in Beijing ... Team Manager for Marv Dunphy’s 1988 Olympic Gold Medal squad ... Served as the USA Olympic Team Delegation Director at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics.


There are also around 40 athletes that are from or train in the Seattle area. We've got a lot of rowers and swimmers!

^^^

Pep, I'm surprised there aren't more Pepperdine alums on the Water Polo and Volleyball teams! We lose a lot of local kids to you guys every year!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by OTW

^^^

Pep, I'm surprised there aren't more Pepperdine alums on the Water Polo and Volleyball teams! We lose a lot of local kids to you guys every year!

Yeah, I am too, especially volleyball. I knew both Merrill and Kevin when I was there, though. I suspect there are plenty of Hawaiians on the volleyball team?