Don't worry about tipping the result of the 800 free. I have been doing well staying "news clean" through the first week and it didn't kill me to (more or less) know the result of one event before watching it.

Yes, I guess it's fair to call that a suspicious time. Katie Ledecky didn't quite break Adington's world record but she did break what I believe was the longest standing American swim record, set by Janet Evans 23 years ago. That was 8 years before Ledecky was born. Evans was 16 or 17 herself when she set the record. Maybe Ledecky and He are not juicing at all, are just those rare talents who have it from a young age. IAC I am getting out of the speculation business until something is proven, if it is.

I am going to hate seeing the end of the swimming competition tonight. Track and field is just getting started, and that's always great, too, but there is a sense of the circus leaving town.

There weren't many saying this after the 400 IM a week ago, including me, but it has been terrific seeing Michael Phelps bounce back strong. Better yet, he has been enjoying himself and soaking it all in. The famously stoic and focused Phelps has actually seemed sentimental to be going through it all for the last time. And another big medal haul, including two gold "three-peats" after the 4th place finish in the 400. If the standard has become that anything less than his perfect 8 for 8 golds in Beijing is not good enough, lord help us all. I'm sure Ryan Lochte understands this very well, not only competing in the shadow of Phelps his entire career but enduring criticism that he has underachieved in these Olympics. Let's get a little perspective, folks. He has won 11 Olympic medals, including two golds, two silvers, and a bronze in London. That's not good enough?!

>I grew up in China and came here more than 20 years ago. I have a pretty good understanding how that system works and here as well.
>
>"blatant" and "on Olympic stage" are the keywords. You can search Olympic soccer match fixes, where there are group play format, the chances are pretty good someone will try it. But soccer matches can be done in a more subtle way. Again, I am not that naive to think everyone does it, nor do I think it's that rare that people will try to take advantage of the rules to gain the ultimate advantages or price. People are willing to risk cross over the rules, doping comes to mind. :-)
>I wish they crack it down earlier or change the format, so no one dare to try or make it go away.
>I cited NBA just for convenience, sorry if that makes one feel like apples and oranges. I understand, one is total commercialized, the other has a "Spirit" to uphold.
>
>btw, hold your breadth to hear anything suspicious about women's 800M Free today. The 15 year old was "unbelievable".
>But it happens, it's the beauty of this age. What Rebecca Adlington (former Gold medalist got beat) said afterwards is even better, very classy. That should be the Olympic Spirit, too sad sometimes it can be lost.
>
>-Jun
>
>>More food for thought.
>>
>>I did not know that throwing matches is not uncommon. Then again, I don't follow badminton or table tennis. (At least I know enough not to call it ping pong!)
>>
>>Can I ask whether you grew up in China or the U.S.? From your location I am guessing there might be a U of Michigan connection.
>>
>>Sure, bottom dwellers in the NBA don't try very hard to win at the end of the season to get better draft odds. (One of the reasons the draft lottery was implemented was so the team with the worst record is not guaranteed the first pick). It's called going in the tank. There are some distinctions, though. For one thing they are not representing their country, which IMO makes it worse. And they are at least a little subtle about it. I have never seen anything as blatant as the badminton event.
>>
>>>You are absolutely correct about China. It's team and coaches decision in their case.
>>>This has been happening in badminton and table tennis matches for as long as I can remember which is quite long, damn I hate to admit that :-).
>>>Nowadays it's for medal counts, in this particular instance, they would get Gold and Silver instead of Gold and Bronze by avoiding the tow top Chinese top pairs colliding each other. In the old times, there even can be political reasons, I recall there is one table tennis match, one of the Chinese top woman intentionally lose to a North Korean player so she can won a Gold Medal, well they were China's closest ally then, very disturbing? yes!
>>>
>>>On the other hand, The World Badminton Federation knew this all along and did nothing. This time they shocked Chinese and other country with a heavy hand. Why? It's best understood by one of the officials from the Federation, "We have to do this or risk losing badminton to Olympics". Well, nobody want see that, right?
>>>
>>>And not play to your full ability for the eventual goal of winning a Medal or gaining some advantage in the future, right or wrong are still debated by people across different countries, it's not new. Don't NBA teams throw away games at the end of the season in order to get better draft rank? Some argue the rule is at fault.
>>>
>>>Now I just read this "IOC clears British cyclist of deliberate crash", http://www.ajc.com/sports/ioc-clears-british-cyclist-1490307.html
>>>Well, that's part of the game as they say. So that's apples and oranges, or is it?
>>>
>>>-Jun
>>>
>>>>I feel sorry for the atheletes involved. You really don't want to lose - if you did, you wouldn't be at this level - but what happens if you go against your coach's instructions? Particularly if you're from China? Their #1 player has announced her retirement (she was on the team from China that got disqualified), so I guess that's one way to handle it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>The badminton match throwing was stunning. Did they really think it would not trigger a sanction? It was an insult to everyone who paid their money and made travel plans just to be there. For starters.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I know this won't be a popular sentiment but.................
>>>>>
>>>>>Imagine you're playing in a 1 on 1 basketball tournament. If you win your match you will qualify out of the round-robin section and go the the quarterfinals against Kobe. If you lose you still qualify out of the round-robin secion but your quarterfilans opponent will be Will Perdue.
>>>>>
>>>>>If your goal is to win each match you will be nobel and be out of medal contention.
>>>>>If your goal is the highest OVERALL placement you can attain.............
>>>>>
>>>>>Don't blame the atheletes. Blame the organizers who put them in a position where it is actually in the athlete's best interest to lose a particular match to enhance chances for a higher overall placement.