The opening was just spectacular.

What did you see in the Olympic events that you really appreciate and can say "wow, that was something"

Watching Pearl TV (TVB?) and loving it. The road race today was awesome, those poor bastards. I was a bit worried that I'd be wading through the Games listening to Mandarin or (god forbid) Cantonese, but not only does Pearl have English, it's Australian English!

The guy doing the rings tonight that landed on his head!

RagDoll, I'm guessing you had the wonderful voice of Phil Liggit?

No it wasn't Indo, it is some other bloke who seems to be providing comments for just about everything. It's as if he is sitting in the media centre and watching the same Tv feed that the rest of us get. Doing an ok job though.

I'd have to add Steph Rice's gold this morning as another highlight. For all the media attention she gets you can't help thinking it must be a bit of a distraction, but she well and trully kicked some butt today, new world record as well.

And she doesn't look to shabby in her swimmers!

I hope Hacket can hold off Park in the 1500m.

Go the Hack!

That swimmer bloke is quite good at swimming, I must say.

The columbian weightlifter who could not keep his right hand on the bar

One of the Oz commentators, talking about Michael Phelps, said ...
"Is there nothing this man cannot do?"

My response ...
"Probably run a 10 second 100 metres, ride a showjumping round and row a single scull, for starters." And, he probably cannot write a BASIC program that works, either!

What I would like to see is a Highlights and Bloopers show. One that gives you the ups ..the very extraordinary wins, and the downs - the stacks, crashes and falls. NOW that would be a programme to TIVO!

I wonder if he can program in Cobol?

Mr Bolt. Very impressive. And he slowed down to mock the opposition!!

Incredible.
I wonder how fast he can go if he tries for 100 rather than just 90.

The marathon of swimming (except the new 10k race) is on in 2 hours. Australia's Grant Hackett is going for his 3rd gold medal in this event. He stamped his authority all over it in the heats and will be hard to beat.

This will be the highlight of the games for me.

I hope he can back it up Mantas - it was a powerful effort in the prelim's - I hope he left something in the tank for the final...especially as he has been ill.

I like Hackett. I think he is as Papabear would say a 'stout lad', and in years gone past did not get the same accolades as the shorter distance notables. He deserves to claim another big win today. IMHO.

Tamsyn Lewis, boo hoo.

Phelps. Magnificent.

Hacks didn't get gold but he was clearly buggered.
That guy snuck away from the outside lane.. I wander when he would have noticed him?
Good effort though.

It sure was a shame for Hackett - he was shattered (emotionally AND physically), and even more disappointing that he swam faster than the winner of the final in his heat...it is very hard to back up a distance heat and final. And he did say in his post race interview he wished he had been in the lane next to the Tunisian swimmer - he might have been able to keep pace with him better if they were side by side.

He is still a hero in my eyes - it was a great swim. It just was not quite the winning swim on the day. All credit to the Tunisian - now wont HE be a hero at home!!

what difference does lane choice make in swimming anyway? Is it like in running when runners prefer not to be on the very inside or outside lane or does it not matter one jot in swimming?