Looking for today's Off-Season Reads? Click here! And in case you missed it, here is a possible commercial showing off Nebraska's "Techfit" alternative uniform. (Update: the old youtube video was taken down by adidas, but while it's available, here's a copy that was saved by the internet.)
Tonight at 8pm GMT (3pm CDT), the Opening Ceremony of the 30th Olympiad will set off in London. (Note: It won't be viewable in the US until 6:30 CDT so that you can have all the BOB COSTAS you can handle.) If you're not aware, the Olympiad is basically the biggest playoff series on the face of the Earth.
Over the next two weeks, this incredible competition will pit nations against each other in peaceful pursuits of incredible feats of athleticism and skill. And I suspect many of us will watch with all the awe and agony we typically reserve for the Cornhuskers. And while you like myself will tend to cheer on our fellow Americans, like all good Cornhuskers we will also applaud the athleticism, professionalism and skills of all the athletes competing. (Because we're the "Greatest Fans of the Olympic Games", you see.)
Schedules, athlete profiles, and results after the jump.
**Editted July 28th to bring Nebraska content to front -SCS**
A couple of weeks ago, we discussed our favorite Olympic moments. In two weeks, I suspect we'll have many more to add to the list. Will someone unseat Usain Bolt? How will the Olympics' first double-amputee competitor, Oscar Pistorius, fare? What kind of success will Michael Phelps enjoy at this year's Olympics? Will China catch up to the United States? Can Alabama find a way to claim the most gold medals? Will Jim Delany be exploring ways to fire Team USA coaches if they're also Big Ten coaches?
Because this is a Nebraska hangout (allegedly), in addition to general Olympic news (like who won today's table tennis gold medal), I'll also be keeping tabs and reporting back on the efforts of our fellow Cornhuskers at the Games. Thankfully, our Athletic Department is incredibly internet-savvy and has set up a section of their site which will make that so much easier:
2012 Olympic Central - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
And to start with today's Olympics coverage, let's have the Ath. Dept. introduce the Cornhuskers who will be participating in London:
Huskers Well Represented In the Olympic Games - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
The University of Nebraska will be well represented in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games, as 17 athletes or coaches with Husker ties will be in London beginning this week. Huskers will represent eight countries and cover eight events.
I have replicated their list below.
(SCS: Editted to not push Jon's story about "Hail Varsity", the new Nebraska-centric magazine off the front page.)
Huskers Well Represented In the Olympic Games - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
Former Student-Athletes |
||||
Country |
Name |
Sport |
Olympics |
Competed at Nebraska |
Australia |
Aleks Maric |
Men's Basketball |
1st |
2005-06-07-08 |
Canada |
Chelsea Aubry |
Women's Basketball |
1st |
2004-05-06-07 |
Canada |
Karina Leblanc |
Women's Soccer |
2nd |
1997-98-99-00 |
Canada |
Brittany Timko |
Women's Soccer |
2nd |
2003-04-05-06 |
Great Britain |
Carl Myerscough |
Men's Track & Field |
1st |
2000-01-02-03-04 |
Hungary |
Gyorgyi Farkas |
Women's Track & Field |
2nd |
2007 |
Latvia |
Ineta Radevica |
Women's Track & Field |
3rd |
2003-04 |
Nigeria |
Ade Dagunduro |
Men's Basketball |
1st |
2008-09 |
South Africa | Lehann Fourie | Men's Track & Field | 1st | 2008-09-10 |
Sweden |
Therese Alshammar |
Women's Swimming |
5th |
1998-99 |
United States |
Jordan Burroughs |
Men's Wrestling |
1st |
2007-08-09-11 |
United States |
Amber Neben |
Women's Cycling |
2nd |
1994 |
United States |
Jordan Larson |
Women's Volleyball |
1st |
2005-06-07-08 |
United States |
Chante McMillan |
Women's Track & Field |
1st |
2007-08-09-10-11 |
Incoming Student-Athlete |
||||
Country |
Name |
Sport |
Olympics |
|
Latvia |
Janis Leitis |
Men's Track & Field |
1st |
Coaches with Nebraska Ties Country Name Sport Position at NU (Athlete) At NU (Coach) Australia Peggy Liddick Women's Gymnastics Head Coach 1977-78-79 1989 Canada Jan Bidrman Swimming Assistant Coach 1990 1992-96 United States Mark Manning Wrestling Assistant Coach - 2000-present
I'm kind of sad that we don't have athletes representing some of the...ahem..."smaller" sports at the Olympics but I guess we'll take what we've been given. Congrats to these athletes and I wish them the very best of luck on their way to Olympic glory!
Schedules, primers and athlete profiles.
Schedule and Primers
2012 Summer Olympics: Complete TV Schedule For London Games - SBNation.com
From Wednesday's (July 25) women's soccer group play to Friday night's Opening Ceremony to the Closing Ceremony on August 12, and all the sports in between, here's the complete TV schedule for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
I'm really glad I'll be packing up over the majority of the next two weeks. Lots of free time.
Opening Ceremony Will Not Be Streamed Online - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Still mad.
Technology Behind 2012 Summer Olympics Photo Finishes - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Truly impressive technology. As a swimmer, the pool timing systems are REALLY cool. Except when two swimmers tap each other out. Or the system fails.
Previewing The Venues Of The 2012 Summer Olympics - SBNation.com
I posted this before in the Reads, but I felt it belonged here as well. The striking features of these Olympics is the focus on sustainability. The use of existing structures as much as possible and the construction of environmentally-friendly buildings is a nice change from the relocation and cost-overrides of the previous Olympics.
London Aquatics Centre - Architecture - Zaha Hadid Architects
I like the current trend of innovative designs for the Aquatics Centers. Swimming is an awesome sport and every country should have a JerryWorld for competing in.
Summer Olympic medal predictions for every London event - Brian Cazeneuve - SI.com
Team USA is predicted to be challenged by China this year with a closer medal count than we saw in Beijing. If that happens, do you think the United States will start programs intended to improve our Olympic performance?
Beijing's greatest show on Earth set the bar for Olympic Opening Ceremony standards - Yahoo! Sports
What do you think? Does London's show have to be better than Beijing? Or just good?
Athlete Profiles
London Olympics 2012: U.S. Athletes To Watch - SBNation.com
ANOTHER WATCHLIST. Rex Burkhead is not on this one, which really is a crime.
London Olympics 2012: International Athletes To Watch - SBNation.com
There are 10,490 athletes from 204 countries competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Most will come to London, compete and leave without gaining national or international attention.
Considering that Americans can barely understand that there is more to offenses than a QB chucking the ball downfield, I wouldn't say it is unsurprising that a majority of the10,490 athletes competing in 26 (?) different sports and an avalanche of events will go unnoticed.
Interesting question: Is this against the spirit of the Olympics? Are the Olympics limited by the natural human condition? Or should they be a celebration of human endeavors to push limits?
Oops. (Chondrokoukis is the current world record holder for the high jump.)
Missy Franklin dedicates Olympic races to Colo. - 2012 Olympics - SI.com
Really looking forward to seeing how her Games go. She'll be the first woman to attempt seven events at the same Games. And she's only a high school junior. When I was a high school junior, I got excited about breaking 6 minutes in my 500-yard freestyle. She could probably toast that.
Bolt blames bad back for struggles, says it's fixed - 2012 Olympics - SI.com
Excited to see if Bolt can outrun them again. Want to see him break the theoretical 9.4 second mark.
Phelps says he's having more fun at final Games - 2012 Olympics - SI.com
I think he'll change his mind. I just hope he doesn't drag it out like Favre. In any case, if NBC is any sort of friend to US swimming, they'll try to sell Lochte and Franklin and the other swimmers.
Results
USWNT's Wild Win Was Predictable, But Unexpected - SBNation.com
Keep up the good work, ladies! Go for gold!
Japan beats Spain 1-0 in Olympic soccer - Yahoo! Sports
Hey, if the USMNT can beat Spain, surely the teams that qualify for the Olympics can.
And of course...
VIDEO: Team USA Swimming Does 'Call Me Maybe' - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Well, it was only a matter of time. I look forward to this year's SUPER BOWL SHUFFLE being a rendition of 'Call Me Maybe'.
***
That's all for today. Enjoy the show tonight and keep an eye on Corn Nation. We'll try to keep you updated on our fellow Cornhuskers as well as Team USA and anything else we find interesting.
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-Salt Creek and Stadium