heywoodu

Also, I must say I really missed the 'Orange marches' Last time was probably 2012, since after that we had 2014 (too far away), 2016 and 2018 (not qualified), 2021 (too spread around to feel like a tournament) and 2022 (Qatar, so yeah).

Dutch TV had a piece on why the Netherlands is so godawful at penalty shootouts, losing 6 out of 8 in World Cups and European championships. The hit rate of penalties isn't that bad, but the stoppage rate is horrible, basically lower than any other top European country. However, we have Bart Verbruggen now, and the show called upon giving him an international reputation as a penalty killer (which he is, he stopped three of Ludogorets' penalties in European competition last year, in one shootout!) and made an English-language video with 10 Bart Verbruggen facts for all non-Dutch people to know and fear If you're bored, the English part starts at 7:00 or so.

Makes sense. Philipsen has shown he can definitely hold his own in a tough race, but mostly I think it's a matter of not wanting every single sailor on the ship being a captain, so to say Good luck getting people to work together if you've got Evenepoel, Van Aert and Philipsen, all three of whom can realistically claim to be the team leader, and then still have to choose between Stuyven or Benoot (if focussing on the harder parts), Merlier or De Lie (of focussing on trying to get it to a sprint), all of whom are also just a bit too good to only be there to carry water bottles. The problem of having too many good riders A lot easier for Ireland for example, where it should be all Ben Healy, with Archie Ryan as an excellent back-up.

For what it's worth: the Dutch golf federation today has announced only Anne van Dam will represent the Netherlands, the other three who met the international standards will not be sent to Paris due to not meeting national criteria. Dutch federation says they've had extensive talks with the Dutch NOC, but much to their disappointment did not manage to convince them to send the others.

Same for Tausaga-Collins last night, reigning world champion in the discus throw doesn't even make the trials final. Commentator talking about how this is the toughest team to make (a sentence they use tons of times of course, but alright) and how in every single other country she'd be basically assured of an Olympic spot, but I feel like they only saw her world championships result and not all of her other results, most of which were far, far, far below that world championships fluke... Just to clarify: I don't mean fluke negatively, I love surprise winners, but I think it's safe to say that Budapest result was an outlier if ever I've seen one Didn't see her first throw, but the second and third were....wild, way out onto the track even

Pretty sure it works like that, Ronaldo simply values the extra hundreds of millions more than an early retirement, but no way someone would have forced him to play if he said "nah, no thanks"

Pretty sure Lewandowski has earned plenty enough money to stop whenever he wants as well, as long as he doesn't need to break a contract

Not strange at all, he may simply not want it anymore It's not always a matter of not being able to.

Oh Flower of Scotland....let's go!

Apparent terror attack in Dagestan, with several police officers and a priest apparently being killed and quite a lot of churchgoers being held hostage. Makes one wonder if it's the same....let's say 'people' who attacked that passenger plane at the Makhachkala airport and hunted random passengers throughout the airport.

That's a shame.

These 200 fly heats yesterday Basically we got heats because two of the four Hungarians needed to be dropped (due to that utter bullshit '2 per country in the semis' rule, but alright) and because 1 unfortunate soul needed to be the reserve

Ah right, there was the recommendation by the IOC EB a while ago. I assume next month they will make it official and appoint those Games.

They're not in the running for 2030? Then who is, besides France? Wikipedia isn't that clear

I hope not, Switzerland 2030 would be so amazing.

That's definitely not on you, but on me drowning in the gazillion threads and therefore missing most of them

Time for a rest, most energetic half of the entire tournament so far

But for 95% of the time looking at slightly moving water it doesn't matter that much, at least

Belgian fans so far are clearly overpowering the Romanian fans, who seem to have come only to boo the opponent instead of supporting their own team

Switzerland, France, Sweden and USA are still all realistic candidates, no?

For the love of god don't let this be in Thialf. I mean, it's definitely the Mecca of speed skating, no doubt about it, but it'd be such a waste to have the Olympic events there, far far away from the Olympics.

Meanwhile in Sudan, the big city of El Fasher in Darfur is close to falling to the RSF rebels, which would likely lead to massive ethnic cleansing and thousands of deaths among non-Arab civilians. Hopefully the army can hold them off, but it doesn't look like it. Hundreds of people of the 'wrong ethnicity' (in the rebel eyes) have already been killed by the rebels, many more arrested. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO2406/S00266/nowhere-is-safe-for-civilians-as-sudan-war-descends-further-into-chaos.htm

I saw the same, but we have a new TV so I think there is still something wrong with the settings.

After she already missed Tokyo due to a foot injury At least she can call herself an Olympian due to competing in Rio, but yeah....that sucks badly.

Oh and a yellow for another Turkish player for protesting. That is fantastic, time for players to learn to shut up if they're not the captain.