8/27    Gymnastics jusges ask Paul Hamm to clean up their own mess for them.
        USOC tells them to shove it.
        http://tinyurl.com/6omhj
        \_ Can anybody explain the error the judges made?
           \_ "The 0.100 points deducted from Yang's start value in parallel
               bars-- the difficulty of the routine-- was the difference
               between third and first. Without the mistake, Yang would have
               won gold, Hamm silver and Kim bronze."
              In other words, the judges mistakenly thought that Yang's routine
              on the parallel bars was in less difficult points category and
              docked his starting score to reflect that. This is a kind of
              handicapping system that encourages gymnasts to try harder
              routines in exchange for more possible points.
              \_ Exactly.  Hamm has offered to give up the medal if they
                 fix their mistake and award the Gold officially to Yang.
                 They say he should save them the embarrasment and just
                 hand it over himself unofficially.
                 \_ Can you provide a URL where he says that?  His line
                    officially now is he won't give it back unless ordered.
                    \_ That means the same thing.  When the conterversy first
                       occured, Hamm said he would return the medal if ordered
                       to.  ie, He's willing to return the medal, but the FIG
                       must fix their mistake, not rely on the good will of the

                       players.
                 \_ I think in this case Hamm does the right thing.  "If you
                    guys insist that my official score is higher than Yang's,
                    why are you asking me to give the gold medal to Yang!!??"
                    But Hamm should make it very clear that his intent is to
                    force them to fix the score, rather than to keep the gold
                    medal to himself.
                    guys insist that Yang's score is lower than mine, why are
                    you asking me to give the gold medal to Yang!!??"  But Hamm
                    should make it very clear that his intent is to force them
                    to fix Yang's score, rather than to keep the gold medal to
                    himself.  He can even team up with Yang to achieve this,
                    like having a joint press conference.
        \_ I should point out as a side note that this is particularly irksome
           to the Koreas because they always fall just short of gold in
           gymnastics (Or at least, so says my wife)  So to get screwed out of
           a gold like this is really pissing off some Koreans.  As a side
           note, I haven't heard this, but I'm willign to bet theres a lot of
           "Those cheating americans!" type yelling in Korea. -jrleek
           \_ Were any of the judges American?  It sounds like the only thing
              he did 'wrong' was refuse to take responsibility for someone
              else's mistake.
              \_ I don't know where the judges were from.  That's kind of the
                 default cry for some people for anything America is involved
                 in where Korea didn't win.  Hamm, hence, the problem must be
                 America's fault.  QED.
           \_ My understanding was they *also* screwed up on the Korean because
              he made an illegal hold and should have lost *more* points.  My
              opinion is that Hamm should send the medal back to the committee
              and tell them he doesn't want his name to be sullied by
              association with olympic judging.
        \_ If the gymanstics jusges were American, they are OBVIOUSLY
           Kerry supporters.  Flip-flop, flip-flop!1$!  You can't have it both
           ways!
           \_ or Bush administration - find someone to take responsibilities
              of their own mistakes.