Braff Zacklin

Curry sure shut me the fuck up. Thank you, Steph. And though Joel played much better today, I still don't see how someone that big finishes a game with only four rebounds. Most of his performances this Olympics has been like that. Dude is afraid to ball for a board.

Agreed. Very strong side. Impressed with their play throughout the tournament.

He's gonna bog down and bitch.

This is kind of an empty observation. Letsile was the faster man today, but he usually can't come close to Noah. Case in point: he's run below 19.71 only twice in his life--one of which was today. By comparison, Lyles has 10 performances at 19.61 or faster and several more between 19.61 and 19.70. Something was definitely off with him. It was apparent in the heats, his semifinal and today. Still Letsile's gold, but no need for spurious comparisons. Bol is an amazing talent, but she is not in Sydney's league. No one is. She's 1 of 1. I believe she could break the flat 400m record--which is nearly 40 years old--if she focused on it. So happy for Grant! He's been the Edwin Moses of the 110mH ... sans Olympic gold. Now no one can use that against him any longer.

Yeah, they had an attack of USA-itis on their exchanges, particularly the final handoff to Kishane.

The first Olympics? Yes. And agreed--it's been a net positive. Also gives the non-medal contenders another day in the sun. Regarding the relays, those baton exchanges make me nervous as hell.

And here's the rest of the American-centric summary for Aug. 8: EVENING SESSION Women's Long Jump final. All three Team USA entries (Monae Nichols, Jasmine Moore, and Longhorn Legend Tara Davis-Woodhall) reached the final. Davis-Woodhall is the current indoor champ and was runner-up at the World Championships a year ago. She also posted the best qualifying jump, but Italy's Larissa Iapichino is probably the odds-on favorite. #teamtara4life Men's Javelin final. No Americans reached the final. Instead, I'll be rooting for Grenada's Anderson Peters and TnT's Keshorn Walcott. Women's 1500m semifinal. This is Faith Kipyegon's event to lose until someone proves otherwise. All three Americans--Nikki HIltz, Elle Purrier St. Pierre and Emily Mackay--advanced from the prelims. St. Pierre and Hiltz are in the shape of their lives and could surprise--it's been that sort of Games for the US and A. Great Britain's Laura Muir is excellent, and Ethiopians Gudaf Tsegay and Diribe Welteji will be out for blood after the 5K drama. Men's 200m final. Few sprinters attempt the double these days. Three of those who did will feature in this race--Americans Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek and Botswanan Letsile Tebogo. Kenny is on a mission, and I'd be shocked if he didn't at least come away with bronze. Noah has only lost twice in the 200m since turning pro, but his performances in the prelims and semis were not confidence inspiring. Was he merely rope-a-doping the field? That's not his m.o. A sweep is a genuine possibility: fellow American Erriyon Knighton has medaled at every world final since finishing fourth at the Tokyo Games as a 17-year-old. Tebogo has the best chance to disrupt that dream; he's a legit threat to win gold if the Yanks underperform. Women's 400m Hurdles final. This is it. Syd vs. Bol. Everyone else is just running for bronze. It's incredible how consistent these two athletes are. They never disappoint. Truly, I've never seen either run a bad race. However, Femke has never beaten McLaughlin-Levrone, and I'm hoping that statement remains true after tomorrow. If Syd wins, don't be surprised if it's another Olympic and world record, a la Tokyo 2020(21). Men's 110m Hurdles final. Grant Holloway has won everything ... but Olympic gold. If The Big Flamingo accomplishes this, he'll go down in history as one of the greatest, most dominant sprint hurdlers in history. Fellow Americans Freddie Crittenden and Daniel Roberts are genuine threats to medal. And if all three throw down the times they did at the Trials, they could very well sweep the podium. Reigning Olympic champ Hansle Parchment of Jamaica won't make it easy for them, but he hasn't looked as sharp leading up to the final.

Yet another American-centric summary for what's on tap in track & field tomorrow, Aug. 8: MORNING SESSION Women's Heptathlon Day 1 (100m, High Jump, Shot Put, 200m). American Anna Hall is a medal favorite. She took bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and upgraded that to silver a year later in Budapest. Naturally, gold in Paris must be next. Taliyah Brooks and Chari Hawkins of Rexburg, Idaho (holla!), will also represent the Red, White & Blue. Women's Shot Put qualification. The US boasts a couple of heavy hitters (🤪) here. Okie Light product Chase Jackson has won back-to-back world championships and also possesses some indoor championship hardware. Raven "Hulk" Saunders is a character and fun to watch. She also nabbed silver at the Tokyo Games, so this moment shouldn't be too big for her. Jaida Ross rounds out the entry list for Team USA. Women's 100m Hurdles repechage. There is an American in this event but she competes for Liberia. Women's 4x100m Relay qualification. Once the relays make an appearance, you know the Games are near the end. The US is the clear favorite, but passing the baton around the track has been Team USA's downfall on many occasions. Do that, and a berth in the finals is assured. Do it well in the finals, and Olympic and world records are a very real possibility, if not probability. In the finals, expect either TT Terry and Melissa Jefferson to run the first and second legs before handing off to America's newest sweetheart Gabby Thomas for the final curve and Dallas native Sha'Carri Richardson for the homestretch. Good chance we'll see Aleia Hobbs and/or Tamari Davis fill their spots for the prelims. Men's 4x100m Relay qualification. Again, Uncle Same's Army has the deepest and fastest roster. Come the finals, you're likely looking at Christian Coleman on leadoff, Fred Kerley on the backstretch, Kung-Fu Kenny on the final bend, and Noah Lyles bringing it home. As stated for the women, if they do this well, Olympic and world records are a very real possibility, if not probability. With Bednarek and Lyles focused on the individual 200m, look for alternates Kyree King and Courtney Lindsey in their stead for the prelim. Men's 800m repechage. Second chance for aggy Brandon Miller to punch his ticket to the semis. He looked terrible in the prelims but ya never know. Good luck and hook 'em, Brandon!

Based on those thighs, I am willing to assist her recovery. Can't stress how traumatic injuries like that can be--she might require many, many sessions of therapy.

This is a little long but worth watching. Fan of all three. Hudson-Smith should post on Surly (check around 4:30 mark and you'll see what I mean).

Wasn't Tuchel partly responsible for Pulisic's lack of playing time at Chelsea? I know Christian was on-again, off-again hurt, but I thought Tuchel didn't favor him. If true, then he's too stupid for the job. If that's been blown out of proportion and they have respect for one another, then by all means, interview away ...

Well, if you're going to play that card: From now on and for the rest of your life, no complaining or criticizing anything that doesn't directly impact you. After all, you're free to not watch/partake. Since that's your argument here, you must apply it broadly and evenly to all things, else the advice you just gave would seem thoughtless and possibly, ahem, hypocritical.

Nobody likes an "I told you so," but I literally did tell y'all so ... I know I've made similar posts, but that was just from yesterday. Shame on y'all. I expect much pos-rep as tribute and penance. OK, I've got that out of my system. In all seriousness, that was just an incredible final. I knew Quincy was gonna claw his way back to a medal, but the way he kept his speed up and passed everyone is immediately one of the best moments in T&F history. The only other sprinters I've seen run with that much heart are Wayde Van Niekerk and Karsten Warholm. Sponsors:

Finally done with work and caught up on the day's events. Ladies and gentlemen, y'all just witnessed the greatest 400m final in history. Not the fastest, mind you, but the greatest. FIVE athletes finishing under 44 seconds is NUTS. Quincy Motherfucking Hall. Put some respect on his name. I've more to say about this but will do so in another post. Can't believe we got silver in men's steeplechase. That little Mormon can cook! Very concerned for Girma, though. That spill looked deadly.

Haha I love that movie, too, but they definitely have a few misses, beginning and ending with The Ladykillers remake.

Morning events went relatively routinely for U.S. athletes. All American hurdlers made it through their 100mH prelims. In the Men's 1500m, two of the three Americans moved on. Abdihamid Nur took a spill coming off the final bend. In the Men's 800m, only aggy Brandon Miller failed to advance. He looked awful and finished next-to-last. He is either hurting or he really effed up his cycle/taper. Off to work. Y'all enjoy the day and that evening session--it's going to be a banger!

This is pure balderdash. They voted; they were ignored. As you wrote yourself, it is up to them to finish it, but they won't. Ergo, they've failed themselves. Latin American countries gained their independence from imperialism through revolution. They will have to do the same if they want freedom from dictators and despots. Bad leaders hold on to power the same everywhere--through violence and intimidation. And, yes, nobody wants to die. "Better to live on one's feet than die on one's knees," or something like that -- The Old Man from Catch 22.

The people have failed themselves.

And here's the rest of the American-centric summary for Aug. 7: EVENING SESSION Women's Pole Vault final. Originally, only 11 qualified for the final, which was fewer than the required 12, so nine others who couldn't clear above 4.40m were added back. Katie Moon is the prohibitive favorite--she's won the last three major outdoor championships (Tokyo 2020[21], Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023). She's also the only American who will be jumping in this event. Men's Triple Jump final. The three Americans to watch are Donald Scott (reigning Olympic champ but not in top form), Salif Mane and Russell Robinson. Men's 110m Hurdles semifinal. Hurdles make me nervous. You're only as good as the last obstack-ull in yo' path. If all goes to plan, Grant Holloway (aka the Big Flamingo and second-fastest-ever in this event), Freddie Crittenden and Daniel Roberts should advance to the finals. The Jamaicans also have a couple of heavy hitters, including defending Olympic champ Hansle Parchment. This is definitely a potential multiple-medal event for the US. Men's 400m Hurdles semifinal. I've already written a lot on this event, so not much to add. This promises to be one of the epic finals of the entire Games. Rai Benjamin is on a mission, but Warholm and dos Santos won't make it easy for him. It's a blessed time to be a hurdles fan. Men's 200m semifinal. Potential U.S. sweep in a couple of days, but they have to make it through to the finals first. Noah Lyles, Kung-Fu Kenny Bednarek, and youth phenom Erriyon Knighton shouldn't have too much trouble. I genuinely think the 100m gold was the best thing that could've happened for Noah and we might see him throw down a 19.2 in the finals if he gets an uncharacteristically good start (and the wind cooperates, which it did not today for Gabby). Men's Discus final. No American made the final. Don't cry for me, Al Oerter. Women's 400m semifinal. I genuinely believe the two fastest women in the world in this event are running the hurdles. Instead, let's hope Alexis Holmes, Aailyah Butler and Kendall Ellis can move on to the finals. Kendall did well to battle back through the repechage. I'll also be rooting for Longhorn Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland and Lieke Klaver of my depraved dreams. Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek and Dominican Marileida Paulino are favorites for gold. Men's 400m final. I don't think Chris Bailey has much of a chance. Michael Norman should, but he looked questionable in the semis. Quincy Hall gives America's best odds. Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith looked strong and is in great form, and Grenadan Kirani James posted the world-leading time in today's semis (just four-hundredths of his PB from 10 years ago). He has an Olympic medal of each color in this event and is already a legend. Will he cement that status even further, or can Quincy or Norman lay the foundation for their own? This should be an outstanding event. Men's 3000m Steeplechase final. One American reached the final--BYU alum Kenneth Rooks. I admit I follow the steeplechase about as closely as I do the javelin. I'm an awful person.

Here's another American-centric summary for what's on tap tomorrow, Aug. 7, in track & field: MORNING SESSION Men's High Jump qualification. JuVaughn Harrison probably represents the Yanks' best chance at a medal. He took silver at the last year's World Championships in Budapest. Vernon Turner and Shelby McEwen (silver at World Indoor Championships earlier this year) also represent the Red, White & Blue. Women's Javelin qualification. Looks like only one American (Maggie Malone-Hardin) achieved the qualifying standard. And that's all I "know" about this event. Women's 100m Hurdles heats. Super deep field across the board. Three fresh faces for the U.S.: Alaysha Johnson, Masai Russell and Grace Stark. More on this event before the semis. Men's 5000m heats. Grant Fisher is the U.S.'s best hope. If that name seems familiar, it's because he nabbed bronze in the 10K a few days ago. Dude is in the shape of his life. Graham Blanks and Abdihamid Nur round out the starting list for Team USA. Men's 800m heats. Best trio the U.S. has ever entered for this event. Representing the US are former Athing Mu flame and aggy Brandon Miller, Hobbs Kessler (fifth in today's 1500m), and Bryce Hoppel of Midland. Bryce probably has the best shot at the podium but after what Hobbs did today, I wouldn't count him out once his legs have recovered. More on this event before the semis. Women's 1500m repechage. Believe all U.S. athletes have already advanced to the semis. I'll write up the evening session in a separate post.

For a sprinter, Gabby has skinny legs. But she's hauling a trailer, so you gentlemen are remiss. She is well aware of her qualities.