http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/home Recent olympics Posts en-us One of the most inane controversies of the London Olympics was about Gabby Douglas' hair. While the 16-year-old was busy competing for gold medals, she was being trashed on social media by some for what they perceived to be an embarrassing hairstyle. Now those critics no longer have ammunition. Douglas, her agent, and manager got together with celebrity stylist Ted Gibson and asked him to give the gymnast a hair makeover. Gibson, who charges $950 per haircut, happily obliged. He also lashed out at Douglas' critics. “I couldn’t believe it and still can’t,’’ Gibson said of the criticism, according to The Daily Beast. “You have this young girl doing amazing things, and the conversation becomes about her hair? It was ridiculous and shameful.” Gibson said he wanted to create a hairstyle for Douglas that wouldn't make her look older than her age. "I hope we can create something that’s easy and looks great no matter what she’s doing or where she is. I hope to create something Thu, 16 Aug 2012 19:50:47 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/gabby_douglas_gets_hair_makeover_from_celebrity_stylist/11476582 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/gabby_douglas_gets_hair_makeover_from_celebrity_stylist/11476582 Gabby Douglas gets hair makeover from celebrity stylist http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/gabby_douglas_gets_hair_makeover_from_celebrity_stylist/11476582 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png FIBA is making a push to have three-on-three basketball part of the Olympics' menu of events as early as the 2016 Games, according to a report by USA Today. Basketball's international governing body believes that three-on-three being adopted into the Games would help build the sport's brand across the globe and create more opportunities for those who aspire to be Olympians. "We've chosen three-on-three as being one way of bringing that community into the Games," FIBA's secretary-general Patrick Baumann told USA Today. "For us, this is also really about growing the mass of players on a grass-roots basis. We want them to be part of the family and hopefully have new talents for the game." Although it doesn't get the recognition five-on-five ball does, organized three-on-three games do exist away from driveways and schoolyards. Three-on-three has many big-time, competitive annual tournaments, such as Hoop It Up and Gus Macker, that exist domestically, as well as Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:59:15 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/3_on_3_basketball_coming_to_the_olympics/11460136 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/3_on_3_basketball_coming_to_the_olympics/11460136 3-on-3 basketball coming to the Olympics? http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/3_on_3_basketball_coming_to_the_olympics/11460136 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png A young Newfoundland boy sent a sweet letter of support and medal to his country's relay runners after they were disqualified from a race at the London Olympics. Canada's 4x100 men's relay team finished third at the London Games, but they were disqualified and missed out on a bronze medal after judges noticed that sprinter Jared Connaughton, who was running the third leg, stepped on the lane line. 10-year-old Elijah Porter felt badly for the team, so he sent them a letter and Timbits medal he earned by participating in a Canadian youth sports program, to lift their spirits. His letter says: Dear Justyn, Gavin, Jarred [sic], and Oluseyi, I'm Elijah Porter. I'm ten and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. When I heard what happened on Aug. 11, I knew it was wrong. The rules were not right. But, at last, I realized how good you were. We're Canadians. We persevere. We create better lives for each other. The cold didn't stop us from living in the North. We didn't lose the War of 1 Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:41:30 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/young_boy_sends_disqualified_canadian_relay_team_letter_medal/11459026 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/young_boy_sends_disqualified_canadian_relay_team_letter_medal/11459026 Young boy sends disqualified Canadian relay team letter, medal http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/young_boy_sends_disqualified_canadian_relay_team_letter_medal/11459026 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Throughout the 16 days of the London Olympics, roughly 150 million tweets were sent. That is an astronomical number for slightly over a two-week stretch. In fact, so many users were on Twitter at the start of the Olympics that the network even crashed for a short period. No single person was the topic of discussion in more of those 150 million tweets than Usain Bolt. According to Reuters, Bolt was mentioned in 80,000 tweets per minute during his 200-meter race and 74,000 during his 100-meter race. Andy Murray finished second with 57,000 tweets per minute as he was going for gold against Roger Federer in men’s singles tennis. Bolt was among nine Olympians who were mentioned more than 1 million times during the Games. Some of the other notable athletes who hit the million mark were Michael Phelps, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tom Daley and Gabby Douglas. Bolt’s mentions were probably helped by people like this NFL running back and this college quarterback, who claimed they could beat him in a race Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:02:07 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/usain_bolt_had_the_most_twitter_mentions_of_any_athlete_during_the_london_olympics/11452888 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/usain_bolt_had_the_most_twitter_mentions_of_any_athlete_during_the_london_olympics/11452888 Usain Bolt had the most Twitter mentions of any athlete during the London Olympics http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/usain_bolt_had_the_most_twitter_mentions_of_any_athlete_during_the_london_olympics/11452888 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Olympics may have come to an end but the International Olympic Committee is still hard at work on looking through drug test results for athletes with banned substances in their systems. Nadzeya Ostapchuk became the first athlete to lose her medal following the 2012 Summer Games in London, according to DPA. Ostapchuk won a gold in the women's shotput with a throw of 21.36 meters after three attempts. She also won a bronze medal in the same event in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China. The athlete gave testers two urine samples during the games before and after she was scheduled to compete on Monday, Aug. 6. Both tests revealed the presence of metenolone, an "anabolic agent under the 2012 prohibited list." The National Olympic Committee of Belarus vowed to conduct an investigation into the matter. The IOC ruled that she must surrender her medal and other winnings. Her team doesn't have an explanation for how the substances were in the sample, but conceided its presence in her sys Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:41:09 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/belarus_will_lose_a_gold_medal_because_of_shot_putters_anabolic_steroids_test/11449318 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/belarus_will_lose_a_gold_medal_because_of_shot_putters_anabolic_steroids_test/11449318 Belarus will lose a gold medal because of shot putter's anabolic steroids test http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/belarus_will_lose_a_gold_medal_because_of_shot_putters_anabolic_steroids_test/11449318 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Boris Johnson is a bit familiar around these parts. You may remember the colorful London mayor hilariously getting caught on a zipline during the first week of the Olympics. He also bizarrely likened beach volleyball players at the games to "glistening wet otters." Johnson amusingly popped up in an Olympic setting again on Sunday during the Closing Ceremony when he could be seen enjoying the Spice Girls reunion perhaps a little too much (that's him second from the right in the above video). As Sporty, Scary, Baby, Ginger and Posh made their way around Olympic Stadium performing on top of taxi cabs, London's leader could be seen shamelessly showing off some regrettable gawky dance moves. (Get another look at Johnson's filthy dancing here.) Those moves. That hair! The overall goofiness. How is Boris Johnson not the best politician ever? Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:06:07 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/boris_johnson_caught_rocking_out_to_the_spice_girls_during_closing_ceremony_video/11447956 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/boris_johnson_caught_rocking_out_to_the_spice_girls_during_closing_ceremony_video/11447956 Boris Johnson caught rocking out to the Spice Girls during Closing Ceremony (Video) http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/boris_johnson_caught_rocking_out_to_the_spice_girls_during_closing_ceremony_video/11447956 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The London Olympics came to an end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday night, but not all members of the Olympic teams are accounted for. According to the Guardian, four members of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Olympic delegation have been missing in London since the weekend. Among the missing are Cedric Mandembo, a judoka who lost his match in the 100kg category in 49 seconds, and his coach Ibula Masengo, Congo boxing trainer Blaise Bekwa and national technical director of athletics Guy Nkita. The Congolese Olympic Committee says Mandembo disappeared on Sunday evening and has not been answering his cell phone. All four members of the team reportedly left their luggage in the Olympic Village. Seven Cameroonian athletes including five boxers, a swimmer and a soccer player also went missing during the Olympics. It is believed they are attempting to stay in London for economic reasons, but no details about the four members of the Congolese delegation have been released at this time. While police Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:03:50 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/four_members_of_the_democratic_republic_of_congo_team_missing_in_london_after_olympics/11446441 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/four_members_of_the_democratic_republic_of_congo_team_missing_in_london_after_olympics/11446441 Four members of the Democratic Republic of Congo team missing in London after Olympics http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/four_members_of_the_democratic_republic_of_congo_team_missing_in_london_after_olympics/11446441 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Since he is widely considered to be the fastest man on earth, it’s easy to understand why Usain Bolt is such an appealing figure for endorsement deals. Instead of using the Road Runner cartoon to advertise how fast your company is capable of doing something, why not use a six-time Olympic gold medalist who can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds? A startup company based in the United Kingdom is trying to do just that. Shutl Ltd. is an online corporation that specializes in speedy delivery for online orders. They allow shoppers to choose to receive their orders either within 90 minutes of placing them or by selecting a one-hour delivery window on the day of their choice. As Black Sports Online pointed out, Shutl recently wrote Bolt the following letter. For those of you who cannot read it, the fifth paragraph offers Bolt a 1% stake in the company and “all the McNuggets you need.” Bolt improved upon his own world record in the 100-meter race in Beijing back in 2008 with a time of 9.69 seconds, Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:54:06 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/startup_company_offers_usain_bolt_unlimited_mcnuggets_in_exchange_for_his_time/11445823 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/startup_company_offers_usain_bolt_unlimited_mcnuggets_in_exchange_for_his_time/11445823 Startup company offers Usain Bolt unlimited McNuggets in exchange for his time http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/startup_company_offers_usain_bolt_unlimited_mcnuggets_in_exchange_for_his_time/11445823 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Another day, another football player who thinks he is faster than Usain Bolt. With the Olympics having just ended, Bolt’s speed has been a popular topic of discussion among athletes in non-Olympic sports. Everyone wants to be the fastest guy on the team. But being faster than the fastest man in the world would give you serious bragging rights. Even if it’s only in the 40-yard dash, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson thinks he could take Bolt down. “I’ve watched him run, and I’m pretty sure I can beat him in a 40-yard dash,” Robinson said Sunday according to Fox Sports Detroit. “I’d get a better start, and I could take him. At 60 yards, I’d be in trouble, and at 100 meters, he’d be gone, but I could get him in a 40.” That sounds quite similar to what a certain NFL running back recently had to say about being faster than Usain. Michigan backup quarterback Devin Gardner is the one who raised the subject, calling Robinson the “fastest man in the world.” We all know what Dena Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:06:58 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/michigan_qb_denard_robinson_i_could_probably_beat_usain_bolt_in_the_40_yard_dash/11445190 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/michigan_qb_denard_robinson_i_could_probably_beat_usain_bolt_in_the_40_yard_dash/11445190 Michigan QB Denard Robinson: I could probably beat Usain Bolt in the 40-yard dash http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/michigan_qb_denard_robinson_i_could_probably_beat_usain_bolt_in_the_40_yard_dash/11445190 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Earlier in the week, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge claimed Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt needed to dominate more than just two Olympics to be referred to as a "living legend." Well, now Rogge has thought better of those comments and changed his mind. Rogge originally claimed that sustained success over several Olympics was the key to attaining legendary status, but has now reclassified Bolt as an "active" legend and the best sprinter of all-time.  After winning three gold medals at back-to-back Olympics it's pretty hard to dispute the fact that Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all-time. He holds world records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay, and he hasn't even had a close race on the biggest stage of them all at the Olympics.  What Bolt has done is nothing short of amazing. His performances have captivated the world and his dominance of the sprinting world has been incredible. There is no question he's the greatest sprinter th Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:52:05 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/ioc_president_changes_mind_says_bolt_is_best_sprinter_ever/11441740 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/ioc_president_changes_mind_says_bolt_is_best_sprinter_ever/11441740 IOC President changes mind, says Bolt is best sprinter ever http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/ioc_president_changes_mind_says_bolt_is_best_sprinter_ever/11441740 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The United States conquered the 2012 Olympics, as the team will leave London atop the medals table. The U.S. led all countries with 104 medals and 46 golds, China came in second with 87 medals and 38 golds. It was a phenomenal showing for the Americans, who many believed would be in a tight competition with China for the top spot. Instead, in the second week the U.S. turned it into a blowout. In 2008, the United States finished with 110 medals to China's 100, but the Chinese wrapped up the Beijing Games with 51 golds compared to 36 for the U.S. This time around, it wasn't that close. This was the ninth time in Olympic history that a country has surpassed 100 medals at the Games. But the U.S. had a long way to go to surpass it's 173 total medals from the 1984, or its ridiculous total of 239 medals from the St. Louis Olympics in 1904. The Americans led the way in medals (101) and golds (35) at the 2004 Athens Games, and accomplished the same feat in 2000 in Sydney with 94 medals and 37 golds. Sun, 12 Aug 2012 21:53:27 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_finishes_atop_medal_table_again/11440909 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_finishes_atop_medal_table_again/11440909 United States finishes atop medal table again http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_finishes_atop_medal_table_again/11440909 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In true NBC fashion, the Closing Ceremony of the London Games will be broadcast on tape delay later Sunday night. But the actual show got kicked off at Olympic Stadium around 4 p.m. ET. If you who missed out on watching the event live online (illegal streams or otherwise) as it unfolded and want to whet your appetite before it appears on TV, we've got your back. We're not going to rehash every single detail of what transpired, but we can share with you some of what you can expect: The stage is comprised of various London landmarks covered in newsprint. Sports Illustrated photographer Robert Beck shared on Instagram a more colorful look of the main stage: When all the athletes from different countries enter the stadium, they'll be doing so as one. It'll be easy to spot out the U.S. athletes. They'll be the ones shamelessly taking advantage of it not yet being Labor Day. Here's beach volleyball silver medalists April Ross and Jenn Kessy, with other members of the U.S. contingent Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:44:21 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/a_sneak_peek_at_the_closing_ceremony_photos/11440324 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/a_sneak_peek_at_the_closing_ceremony_photos/11440324 A sneak peek at the Closing Ceremony (Photos) http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/a_sneak_peek_at_the_closing_ceremony_photos/11440324 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The United States men's basketball team did it again on Sunday. They lived up to expectations and secured another gold medal for American basketball with a 107-100 win over Spain. But more important than earning Olympic gold in 2012, Team USA set an example for the next generation of players looking to represent their country. We know Kobe Bryant has played the final game in his Olympic career, but after three trips, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony may not return either. Both guys have redeemed themselves for being part of the bronze medal 2004 team by earning gold in Beijing and London. And if this was their last ride at the Olympics, it was a great one.  Anthony had one of the best offensive performances we've ever seen in the Olympics. He scored 122 points in just 121 minutes played over the eight game run. He shot 50 percent from 3-point range and 57.5 percent on 2-point field goals.  Meanwhile, James made the most of the tournament. Capping off a summer in which he finally won a champion Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:56:01 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_mens_basketball_gold_sets_tone_for_next_generation/11439313 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_mens_basketball_gold_sets_tone_for_next_generation/11439313 United States men's basketball gold sets tone for next generation http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/united_states_mens_basketball_gold_sets_tone_for_next_generation/11439313 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It's no secret that NBC's coverage of the Olympics has been less than stellar. They've cut entire chunks of the Games out of their coverage. They spoiled some key events before the public could get a chance to experience them. They even thought it was a good idea to turn some footage of female athletes into a not-so-subtle softporn compilation video. Now they may have reached a new low. One of the network's color commentators mistook actor Jesse Eisenberg for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, according to Deadspin. Eisenberg, the actor who played Zuckerberg in the Oscar-winning movie "The Social Network," was in London for the Games. NBC spotted him during Team USA's gold medal winning performance against Spain. The sight prompted the unidentified commentator to quip, "I know I'm gonna put that picture of Facebook." He could have left it there and gotten away with his mistake. Instead, he dug a deeper hole of embarrassment by adding, "We've got every e Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:26:18 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/nbc_mistakes_jesse_eisenberg_for_the_real_mark_zuckerberg_at_the_usa_spain_basketball_game/11439160 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/nbc_mistakes_jesse_eisenberg_for_the_real_mark_zuckerberg_at_the_usa_spain_basketball_game/11439160 NBC mistakes Jesse Eisenberg for the real Mark Zuckerberg at the USA-Spain basketball game http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/nbc_mistakes_jesse_eisenberg_for_the_real_mark_zuckerberg_at_the_usa_spain_basketball_game/11439160 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/0/b02253f32744f4550ebdefd19c4777527fb35c82/mini/eisen.jpg LeBron James had his 2012 get that much sweeter when he and Team USA captured the gold medal on Sunday. It's LeBron's second Olympic gold medal, and for him that might be good enough. LeBron is already hinting that he might not be willing to chase after Olympic gold for a third-straight time four years from now in Rio de Janeiro. "It’s been a great run honestly. I don’t know if I’m going to be part of the 2016 team," he said, per USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt. The London Games have already been LeBron's third Olympics. A lot of people might not realize he was part of that disastrous 2004 squad in Athens we're all trying to forget about. A third Olympic gold medal is unprecedented in men's basketball and begins to infringe on Lisa Leslie's record of four. If LeBron sits out, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony can always get there, should they return. LeBron will be 31 when the cauldron is lit in Rio. Not too old. But not so young where running court fo Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:23:25 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/lebron_james_unsure_if_hell_play_for_team_usa_in_2016/11439151 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/lebron_james_unsure_if_hell_play_for_team_usa_in_2016/11439151 LeBron James unsure if he'll play for Team USA in 2016 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/lebron_james_unsure_if_hell_play_for_team_usa_in_2016/11439151 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/d/ad0f86de34d013b1374dae819f828279728ad50b/mini/lbj.jpg