Zaz

1. Football Manager 2008 (PC) - This game (or it's predecessors anyway) pretty much got me into soccer. The amount of hours I've spent on it is ridiculous.

2. Mass Effect (360) - Was really fun the first time through. It's generally a great RPG, with the dialogue/interaction top class.

3. GTA: San Andreas (PS2) - I found this much more enjoyable than GTA IV. The storyline was great, whereas I found GTA IV a bit superficial and the storyline was very disjointed.

4. Knights of the Old Republic (PC) - Another great RPG that was absolutely killer the first time through.

5. Goldeneye 007 (N64) - This game was awesome! My Dad even played quite a bit of it. The multiplayer was incredibly enjoyable and you could spend ages playing it with mates.

6. Guild Wars (PC) - Perhaps cos I'm only playing it now, but this is a pretty damn fun MMORPG (no online fees!). Haven't actually finished, I get to a point, forget about it then start a new character

7. Grand Prix 2 (PC) - Man, this game was awesome. Me, my bro and my Dad used to do 3 player championships, where each person had their own driver and the computer alternated it for us, so when we weren't playing, the PC drove for us so we kept on wishing they wouldn't fuck up. Great, great fun. Mostly because it wasn't the type where you'd finish first every race (points finishes were good results) and we played it on a difficulty which made it more realistic in that it was harder to make a mistake and go off, but when you did it could cost you a bit (unlike a lot of racing games nowadays when you spend half the race off the track). I only wished it worked on Vista

8. Condition Zero (PC) - I spent so many hours playing this online with a pretty good group of guys, which made it all the more fun. Some of my best gaming moments come from this game.

9. FIFA 08 (360) - Hardly a week goes by where me and my bro don't try and kick each other's ass in this game. It's great multiplayer fun, thought it can be a bit frustrating at times.

10. Rome: Total War (PC) - Fun game, though when I had it my PC was shit so I never got to play it to it's potential. I might have to pick it up (or Medieval: TW 2) for my new laptop.

Honourable mention to Goof Troop on the SNES. That was some brilliant co-op fun.

I need a really good central defender who would want to come to Carlisle (in League 1) in 09/10 (to partner Seyfo Soley), on loan or an actual signing I don't mind. I can't get Mikel San Jose on loan anymore, Peter Murphy isn't a great tackler and Martin Canning, although he seems to have good stats, has not put in a good performance for me yet =/

Also, someone who can play right mid and elsewhere in the midfield.

If there can be at least 100 swimming and running events, you can have two different versions of baseball. What the hell is BMX racing doing in the Olympics?

Why not? If you can have all those cycling events you can have BMX. To an extent it's just the sprint version of mountain bike riding. At least it's better than synchronised swimming.

Don't judge the Olympics from the Logo. =/

Judge it from 2012 when builders are using the sand from the pit to mix cement with to help build the rest of the stadium.

Look at the subtle colour changes >_>

Looking forward to London 2012:

:lol:

100m Womens Hurdle

Spoiler: Click here to view

Shit Lolo Jones clips the second last hurdle and finishes outside the medals. Although I think she still beat the Brit

Heartbreaking for Lolo. I was hoping she would win, she was absolutely dominating for the last few hurdles, pulling away with ease and clips the second last hurdle. I feel so sorry for her because I'd have put money on her to win, glad I didn't.

Wonder how it feels to know that the obvious best hurdler clipped a hurdle with a massive lead and you only win because they make an error. I know its part of the sport, but still, Lolo was fantastic. Was running a perfect race until then and shame she lost to a very butch looking team mate.

Lolo

Cycling

Womens 100m

I hype the cycling because I'm a realist - we're the best in the world at one SOLITARY sport and it's track cycling. It's just fantastic that we're topping the sailing and rowing medal tables too at the moment.

Slovakia are the best in the world at the canoeing and they're going crazy for it.

Japan have the best Judokan and EVERYTHING over here is Judo (and swimming).

Australia have historically always gotten off to a stormer at Olympics because of the swimming. Aus produces magnificent swimmers and has done for years...And they've also got a tiny population and always have a good medals per population count.

So Zazzy-pants - I celebrate our victories and don't involve myself in discussion of events where we suck dismally (like Taewkondo, baseball, handball, gymnastics....)

Actually we had a guy win a bronze on the individual pommel horse today and it's our FOURTH gymnastics medal for EVER.

And also, Australia LOVE beating England too. We never hear the end of it every time you thrash us in the cricket, so it's far from one way. There's great competition between the two countries. I kinda like Australia and generally cheer for them in most events but I always love it when we beat you at SOMETHING.

Don't get me wrong, I like it when people come in here celebrating their victories as it adds a lot to the thread and adds to the general interest in the Olympics. I just find it slightly annoying when some people come in and go 'Ok, we're definitely gonna win this, this and this' or 'So-and-so is the best athlete ever and no one will come close' as it kinda takes away the enjoyment.

And yeah, the Aussie-England (cheats, stop living off the Scottish and Welsh talent >_>) rivalry is great, but we'll still try and claim victory by either total medal count or golds, depending how it finishes up . And if you beat us in both of those, per capita

TBF, the Brits have won gold in Swimming, Rowing, Sailing and Cycling.

Yeah, but you guys were only really hyping up the cycling (to be fair, it was mainly Hamster and he's been doing it for ages now >_>), so I didn't mind you guys winning in all the rest (I actually cheered for you lost in one or two of the events Australia wasn't in ).

No offence Zaz...but you're pissing me off in here.

We get it, Australia are fucking awesome.

Same as how the Americans (with their Michael Phelps, yay!) and UKers (cycling, we're beating Australia!) are annoying me at times too

Wha? My post wasn't a shot at you at all

What else will Great Britain have after the cycling and rowing have finished? I think they're in pole position for the gold in the women's sailing (unless they've already won that), but what else? Not much in the volleyballs, basketballs, water polos and hockeys (where Australia could realistically have 3 or 4 gold). Athletics? We don't have a great track team this year but I think we can still get a few medals in the walking and pentathlon and such.

We're still ahead in the overall count though, and of course everything America does is the right way, yeah? >_>

And the per population count! (Which I'll go through and figure out now for the firsts ten or so).

Ok, actual medal count by gold:

1. China (29)

2. United States (18)

3. Great Britain (11)

4. Germany (9)

5. Australia (8)

6. Japan (8)

7. South Korea (7)

8. Russia (6)

9. Italy (6)

10. Ukraine (5)

These ten by total medals won:

1. USA (60)

2. China (52)

3. Australia (29)

4. Russia (25)

5. Great Britain (21)

6. Germany (20)

7. South Korea (20)

8. Japan (19)

9. Italy (17)

10. Ukraine (14)

And the top ten by total medals per capita:

1. Australia (736,897)

2. South Korea (2,452,240)

3. Great Britain (2,761,905)

4. Italy (3,507,017)

5. Ukraine (3,657,130)

6. Germany (4,110,890)

7. USA (5,248,825)

8. Russia (6,174,297)

9. Japan (6,707,026)

10. China (25,420,229)

Cycling:

Spoiler: Click here to view

Pendleton qualifies for women's sprint with the fastest time - a new Olympic record at that.

Hoy qualifies fastest for men's sprint with new Olympic record and Jason Kenny from Britain qualifies second after setting an Olympic record too (which was then beaten by Hoy).

Our men's pursuit team also qualified comfortably fastest.

If you took away Phelp's medal tally from USA's total then USA and Britain have the same number of gold medals

If your aunty had balls she'd be your uncle

Man, just lost the Johnstone Paint Trophy to Wycombe on penalties

Still, in third with only a few games left, so hopefully I get promoted this year.

4x100m Medley

Spoiler: Click here to view

So... predictions as to who's carrying America's flag at the closing ceremony?

Spoiler: Click here to view

I doubt he'll still be around Beijing. He's got to starting training for London you know!

That being said...

Michael Phucking Phelps! You want history accomplished, get a Michigan man to do the job.

AmericaMichael Phelps, FUCK YEAH!

Spoiler: Click here to view

.. Phelps is from Maryland.

And he is simply a fucking beast. I doubt anyone else will ever come close to 8 Gold Medals in an Olympics.

So when do Russia start winning their medals? >_>

1500m Freestyle

Spoiler: Click here to view

He tested positive for adderall. He was a college student, and students often take it to help them study for exams. It's not performance enhancing from a physical standpoint. Why use that as an excuse for the fact that Hackett got beat by a guy that swam the race of his life?

Spoiler: Click here to view

Well, if Tunisia had actually abided by the rules, he shouldn't have been there in the first place. However, if he's clean, all credit to him on a great race. He took the risk to go ahead and it paid off. However, if he isn't, well fuck him for robbing Hackett of that last gold.

Spoiler: Click here to view

He tested out of competition for a banned substance that isn't performance enhancing. Don't you think it would be the strict enforcement of that rule that would cheapen what would have been Hackett's win moreso than a modified penalty for someone who clearly wasn't trying to cheat would cheapen Mellouli's? And if he's not clean? Hackett will get the gold anyway.

Mens medley spoilers

1500m Freestyle

Spoiler: Click here to view

He tested positive for adderall. He was a college student, and students often take it to help them study for exams. It's not performance enhancing from a physical standpoint. Why use that as an excuse for the fact that Hackett got beat by a guy that swam the race of his life?

Female 4x100m medley relay

1500m spoilers

Oh well, medley relay on now!

1500m swimming

Swimming spoilers

Spoiler: Click here to view

We've got a couple of medal opportunities today and Cate Campbell (who's only 16!) starts it off with a bronze and Trickett gets a (surprise, another) 4th. We should get a medal through Hackett in the 1500m, if nothing shocking happens. But you never knows as there's a Chinese in lane 1

Okay, so I just watched this walking, and I can't even believe this is an Olympic event. Not sure what the rules on spoilers are, but I will spoiler just in case.

Spoiler: Click here to view

That was lame as fuck, but I guess I will give them some credit, because walking for that distance does have to be tough. I was hoping for the dude who finished in second (the guy who won gold in 1996, ATLANTA!!!) to end up winning it, but I guess that Russian guy was just too good.

Might I say that I fucking love the summer Olympics? I am actually contemplating going to the 2012 games in London as I will be 21 and on summer vacation from college. This shit is fucking awesome. Never really followed the Olympics, but being 17 now, I was kind of excited for it, and it hasn't disappointed yet. While some of these events may be cheesy as hell, its still something special to watch.

Some questions are being asked of the Chinese over doping allegations, especially after two unknowns scooped first and second in the 200m butterfly.

Coach: Unknown Chinese swimming medalists clean

By Yu Yilei

China Daily staff Writer

Updated: 2008-08-15 08:59

A Chinese swimming coach dismissed allegations of doping after unknown national swimmers Liu Zige and Jiao Liuyang made a surprising one-two finish in the women's 200m butterfly Thursday.

"Look at how many times our swimmers have been tested, I assure you that this is a clean team," Chinese coach Pan Jiazhang said. "Why do they accuse us every time we are doing well?" he asked. "Why don't they look at those times when we are not good?"

Chinese swimmers have had a difficult time since the 2004 Athens Games, where women's breaststroker Luo Xuejuan won China's only gold.

China's Liu Zige swims in the women's 200m butterfly swimming final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 14, 2008. Liu Zige set a new world record in the women's 200 metres butterfly with a time of two minutes 04.18 seconds in the final at the Beijing Olympics. [Agencies]

As the rest of world progressed at amazing speeds over the next four years, Chinese swimmers fell far behind.

When the last Chinese swimmer was knocked out of the world record books a few years ago, China's swimming medal hopes in Beijing seemed dead in the water.

Chinese swimmers could not win a single gold medal at the last two World Championships, as media around the world questioned their sluggish performances.

But the Chinese coach said it was just a strategy to pave the way for success in Beijing.

"We put our focus only on the Olympics," Pan said. "We've been improving fast and consistently in the last few years and I am very surprised by the achievements we've made."

Chinese coaches have been careful not to talk about medal hopeful events so their swimmers would not be distracted by expectations.

It's clear now which events the coaches had in mind.

"Yes, we regarded the women's 200m butterfly as our gold-favorite event. Our swimmers have reached a very high level during training and we did expect some good results from Liu and Jiao."

The 17-year-old Jiao proved her ability with a fourth-place finish at the 2007 World Championships.

"We invited many foreign coaches to do lectures in China and sent our athletes to train overseas. We are moving in the right direction."

So far, China has won five medals at the Water Cube - a gold, three silvers and one bronze - its best showing since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. But Pan says the team has not reached its full potential.

"We did not improve that much. Others think we improved so much just because we were so bad in the past few years.

"But I am glad that most Chinese swimmers are able to beat their best."

Both Liu and Jiao knocked more than two seconds off their personal best times. Pan attributed such a great performance to the right suit, right time and right place.

"First, I think the swimming suits help," Pan said, referring to the Speedo LZR Racer, which is believed to be behind many of the world-record-breaking performances over the past two years.

"Second, we are competing at home and our swimmers feel very comfortable. And also, just check out the crowd. They definitely help the swimmers a lot."

The Chinese duo agreed.

"I felt very powerful while I was cheered on by the spectators," Jiao said. "I was expecting a medal coming into the final."

And from SportsScientists.com:

Chinese performances: Scepticism or systems producing results?

However, doping remains a real possibility. I'm intrigued as to the sudden rise of the Chinese WOMEN swimmers, for example. In this morning's 200m Women's Butterfly final, China took gold and silver, and the world record by an enormous margin of 1.22 seconds. What is more telling is that the gold medallist, Liu Zige, has improved by 10 seconds this year - her winning time in the Chinese trials was 2:14, today she swam 2:04. That magnitude of improvement is extra-ordinary.

I'm also intrigued as to the absence of Chinese MEN from the swimming races - we've seen a number of women, but no men. The same will happen in the mountain biking event, and also the track and field competitions. Are the Chinese men just that much weaker? Is the overall standard of competition higher in the men's events? Or are we seeing the results of the Chinese sporting system? And why might it be more effective in women than men...? I can think of a reason, but I'm trying to remain hopeful (naive might be a better word) that it's not a function of steroid hormones having a greater impact on females than males...