What are these judges thinking?

It doesn't matter if it's the UFC, HBO Boxing or Olympic Boxing, there is a clear problem that is happening universally with the way that judges are scoring fights.  Today in the Olympics, I watched two matches and just walked away shaking my head at the decision; not because who I wanted to win lost (I had no idea who any of these fighters were) but because to the TV viewer it was so painfully obvious who won the fight, only to see the judges give it to the other guy.  Did anyone catch the NBC announcer who said "This is why boxing has become a joke".  Imagine the fighters and what they go through for a minute.  The training camps, the injuries, the time and commitment, the life style that they have to live, only to see their dreams destroyed by poor some judging & refereeing.  What exactly they are looking at and how they are scoring it is just mind blowing to me, and it's a shame that Olympic Boxing is prone to this as well.  It's just sad.......




****Follow Up****
The boxing referee in one of the above mentioned bouts was just expelled from the Olympic Games and sent home.  The fight was overturned on appeal and the Japanese boxer was awarded the bout.  That's great and some justice has been served, but at the end of the day his initial Olympic moment was taken from him by some biased referee.

What is a Champion?

19 Olympic medals? Being on a winning sports team? How do the common define champion? For me, my gold medal has always been being in control of my own destiny, both professionally and personally. Most of us reading this will never know the glory of standing on any kind of podium or receiving that big sponsor payday. No matter what we do or where we work, in our own minds we can never forgot that we are champions to those close to us and perhaps to people not so close to us. For that reason alone, I stand on my own podium in my heart holding my gold medal close to me.

Congratulations to Team USA for all that you have accomplished. For those that may not win a medal during these games always remember...you don't need a medal to be a champion. Just getting there is champion enough.

A logistical nightmare for The London Olympics

I can only imagine the time, stress and planning that went into pulling off the 2012 Olympics in London.  But as I sit here and watch the games through week one, I watch baffled at some of the logistical failures that I have seen and can't help but think, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!!

1.  Who was the mystery woman that walked out with the Indian delegation during the opening ceremony?  Did you all see and here about this one?  One of the volunteers who performed in the opening show was so overwhelmed and excited with "Olympic Fever" decides, "Hey, I'm just gonna walk out with Team India."  Are you freaking kidding me?  You just performed in the most magical performance in the last 4 years, and you decide you need more of the spot light?  Hey lady.....go buy a freaking t-shirt and enjoy your memories.  End result will be tightened security over volunteers at future games.  Thanks again lady for ruining it for future generations of volunteers.


2.  The Olympic Cauldron. So in seven years worth of planning and agonizing over every blueprint, detail, costume, venue that needed built, blah blah blah.....no one looked at that blueprint and said, "Hmmm do you think we should build it higher than 25 feet and not put it in the middle of the stadium where it will burn alone and unseen for a week until track & field begins?" Or do you think it was more of this type of conversation, "Hey, let's go with this idea, BUT we'll just transfer a smaller flame into a lantern, extinguish the most recognizable, traditional symbol in the world for a day or so and just rebuild it while the world is watching gymnasts cry and guy's are diving off a platform in their banana hammocks." Well friends, we all know which choice they went with and I'm still shaking my head over this one.  You don't extinguish the Olympic Flame until the closing ceremony and the "Dying Flame" is played.  I hope Joe Farnsworth or whatever his name was got to keep his torch he used to re-light it or do you think he went with a zippo?


3.  Empty Seats. Well gee Danny Boy, whatever are we going to do with all these empty seats. How about review the waiting list and contact those people for the tickets? Oh wait, you probably didn't have one of those either.  Well, how about give them away or sell them at a reduced rate? You know, spend your money at the Official Restaurant of the Olympics (McDonald's) and instead of upselling them to a Cafe McMocha give them a freaking ticket to Equestrian or something.  Needless to say I am sure there were lots of groups like the volunteers, non-profits & public safety personnel that would have enjoyed getting some ticket swag. Or better yet..... The CHILDREN.
ps....I'm sure the lady that walked out with Team India would have been ecstatic to get a free ticket, just saying.


4.  Police lose keys to Olympic Venue. Wow...just wow.  So the London Police have lost the keys to Wembley Olympic Football Stadium days before the games begin.  Scotland Yard dispatched a crack team of detective to investigate and they found nothing and that no criminal activity has occurred.....they are just lost.  So $10,000 more (laser keys) on an already taxed British Economy and all is right in the Olympic Universe.  Oooops!!!!


Ok, I am done for now.  Make no mistake: I love the Olympics, what it represents and what it means for the athletes, the nations and the world.  I have laughed and cried from the opening ceremony until now. Thankfully nothing evil has happened, but seriously all of this embarrassment could have been avoided.