seke2 wrote:i doubt that bolt guy has ever played baseball, but he'd be more useful on the phils than taguchi

I heard this morning that his 100M time breaks down to something like a 3.5 40 yard dash.

stevelxa476 wrote:

seke2 wrote:i doubt that bolt guy has ever played baseball, but he'd be more useful on the phils than taguchi

I heard this morning that his 100M time breaks down to something like a 3.5 40 yard dash.

No chance

Especially considering he didn't pull away from everyone until about midway through the race, and they have to react to the gun

Saw this on the web about his last world record time:

When Usain Bolt set the world record in the 100 meters a few months ago, he ran the first 40 yards in 4.22 seconds. The fastest 40-yard start ever recorded in a sanctioned 100-meter dash is Maurice Greene's 4.18 in 1999. Those are fully automatic times, minus reaction time.

(but also keep in mind he's using starting blocks, an advantage you dont' get at any combine)

they must have been using his middle full speed split, which is stupid

Even if he doesn't have the quickest first step in the world, I don't think speed would keep Bolt out of the NFL or MLB.

Woody wrote:
they must have been using his middle full speed split, which is stupid

Nothing that scientific. 100 meters is about 110 yards. (9.69/110) x40= 3.52.

So the 3.5 is just figured using his average time over 100 meters (which means his middle full speed split is actually a good bit faster ).

Three not-quite-related points:

As a track fan, it's always annoyed me a bit how 40 times get tossed around with hundredths of a second added. Unless you're using FAT hundredths mean nothing, and this is rarely the case.

I'm happy that Bolt's build pretty much rules him out as football prospect. I'd much rather see him reach his full potential in track.

The 200 is going to be really exciting. I'm not sure how well Bolt runs the turn, but he's clearly at the top of his form. I watched Michael Johnson run 19.32 in Atlanta in 1996 and thought that might last for 20 years. It may only last a few more days.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTjk770KoR0[/youtube]

also his name is freaking BOLT

Lightening Bolt

So what is this gesture anyway? Shooting an arrow? Hurling a lightning bolt? Gesturing toward the presidential box to "pull my finger"?

swishnicholson wrote:I'm happy that Bolt's build pretty much rules him out as football prospect. I'd much rather see him reach his full potential in track.

How much does he actually weigh? His listed weight per nbcolympics.com is 198 at 6'5", but I'd say he looks more muscular than, say, Randy Moss.

9.69 is just unfathomably fast. I remember watching kids run 10.9s in high school and being so impressed. Just mind blowing.

And watching the replay, it's just unfreakingbelievable that he pulled up with 10-15 meters left. That is f'ing superhuman. Bolt is a more evolved being than the rest. And he's 6'5''. Makes no sense. Jesus.

Woody wrote:Sorry I'm late -- can someone explain the deal/controversy with the Chinese gymnasts?

8-year-olds, dude.

Isn't Bolt supposed to be even better in the 200?

mmmmmmmmmm, volleyball players. The Polish ladies are cute, especially Rosner.

why do these announcers know so much about the dating scene amongst asian badminton players?

1 wrote:why do these announcers know so much about the dating scene amongst asian badminton players?

A little birdie told them?



Baaahhhhaaaaahhhhaaaaaa

lin dan wins the badminton gold

and throws his sneakers into the crowd

TenuredVulture wrote:Isn't Bolt supposed to be even better in the 200?

He was a 200 man who just started running the 100 fairly recently. Swish knows when.

He should have some kind of awesome relay split if he cares to run as fast as he can the whole way. He cares about winning and not so much about time it seems. Interesting and maybe part of the reason for his success.

Swish probably remembers Steve Williams who was also tall and who also started as a 200 meter guy if I'm remembering correctly. Williams never quite put it all together even though he was about the most talented sprinter around for a while in the mid 70s.

smitty wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:Isn't Bolt supposed to be even better in the 200?

He was a 200 man who just started running the 100 fairly recently. Swish knows when.

He should have some kind of awesome relay split if he cares to run as fast as he can the whole way. He cares about winning and not so much about time it seems. Interesting and maybe part of the reason for his success.

Swish probably remembers Steve Williams who was also tall and who also started as a 200 meter guy if I'm remembering correctly. Williams never quite put it all together even though he was about the most talented sprinter around for a while in the mid 70s.

If I remember correctly, Bolt had less than a half dozen meets in the 100 before the Olympics. He's definitely been doing it for less than a year.

Sure, I remember Steve Williams. Williams had a nice career, but lousy timing. He was #1 in the world in both the 100 and 200 in 1973, and continued to rank highly in either or both events through 1980. but he managed to get injured before the Olympic trials in both 1972 and 1976 and in 1980, when he was top-ranked in the US in the 200, he was shut out due to the boycott. He hung up his spikes after that-there wasn't anywhere near the money in the sport then to keep going. You remember right, Smitty, he was 6' 3", and a real anomaly among sprinters. Even when Carl Lewis was at his best, it was agreed that he was too tall to get a good start in the 100 and would always have to rely on his closing speed, and he was 3" shorter than Bolt. Bolt really seems to be a, well, what's a more polite word for "freak".

Here's an interesting article on Williams when he was young:

To students of form in the 100-yd. dash, Sprinter Steven Williams comes on in races with all the grace of a commuter chasing the morning train. While his competitors jackrabbit away from the starting blocks, Williams usually lags behind, frantically trying to rev up the spidery legs on his 6-ft. 3-in. frame. Instead of pounding machine-like down the track, he jitterbugs unevenly, his shoulders performing a dance of their own. "One must understand track," marvels Fellow Sprinter Herb Washington, "to understand how one can make as many mistakes as Steve Williams and yet win."

Didn't Williams run in the 400 later in his career as well? I kinda remember him doing all sorts of things that were unusual for the time and now I remember his poor Olympic luck as you documented so well.

I'm watching the 10,000 meter run and I see the USA has a young kid running in the event. He did OK for a while. Maybe he'll be something in a few years.

I also noticed earlier in these games that women volleyball players are really good looking to me. (This comment really has nothing to do with the 10,000 meters but this race is pretty long and my mind wanders).