The Great Big A2K Fantasy Olympics Game For 2012!

I'm a fan of 1 - 29, but I'm not the record-keeper.

My knowledge of accounting pretty much ends with cash is an asset.

I 'm fine with divisions (it was a new idea to me and I'm not against it) but I'm also fine with 1-29 if it's doable.

True enough, Markr, about the Games being so short that sub-games are not needed.
But, even though you or I may not do too well in the 1-29 game, we may do okay in our little league, perhaps even contributing to our league winning over another league. As a game huckster, that is important.
Which leads to the observation that the Games may have begun as contests to determine who was the fastest runner or whatever only to devolve into beach volleyball and which country brings home the most medals.
(in the 2nd grade, by the way, I was singled out by the nuns as "the best blackboard cleaner in the entire school." It was a proud moment for me.)

Divisions could be done in a couple of ways:
1) Adversaries: As with pro sports, division members are competing against each other.
2) Teammates: The divisions compete as groups against each other. We could use average scores since the sizes of the divisions may not all be equal.

OK, them's fightin' words: "only to devolve into beach volleyball"

Beach volleyball (especially 2 on 2) is a great sport. A number of years ago, I played regularly at lunch, and it was fun and challenging.

I'm just going on past experience (granted, there is little) with these Olympics contests. I recall just as much banter about/among the people at the bottom as at the top - maybe even more. There's probably more shame in being last than there is glory in being first...

I'm for 1-29, as in a 29 competitors triathlon.

Good luck to everyone.

I'm still waiting for corrections to entries from Rhys (needs to replace Netherlands in Group D) and Wheel Son#2 (needs two more Group C picks). Please try to get me your picks ASAP, but before Opening Ceremonies at the very latest.

Also, I'll be deciding about whether to do divisions sometime tonight. Support for groups seems to be lukewarm at best, so barring a sudden burst of interest, I'm inclined to stick with 1-29. The battle to stay out of the cellar has been just as dramatic as the battle for gold in some past contests, and the points about divisions being better for longer seasons with head-to-head competition were also well taken.

I wrote to Rhys. He selects Egypt instead of the Netherlands. Does that work?

I'm (the mighty sand dogs) are presently in the cellar (proud!) in fantasy baseball and George (er, Frozen Rope) keeps pushing my buttons to vacate it for him.

I just entered it. Thanks for checking with him.
Now we just need the two remaining Group C picks from Wheel Son#2.

Sorry, I didn't respond earlier -- I was busy the entire day yesterday, and this morning.

His other two Group C picks were:

North Korea and Turkey

Thanks for catching this mistake! I still need to put everyone's picks in my spreadsheet (will try do this tonight/this weekend).

Let the Olympics begin!

Two hours until opening ceremonies, and about 13 hours until the start of competition!

I'll just be doing a straight 1-29 ranking, although I expect plenty of smack talk about the race for best rookie, best Michigander, etc.

Everybody's picks are in, and I thought I'd share some stats about the distribution of picks:

Group A:
Russia - 14
Great Britain - 12
USA Men - 11
USA Women - 7
Australia - 4
China Women - 4
Germany - 4
China Men - 2

Group B:
France - 20
Japan - 18
South Korea - 13
Italy - 12
Canada - 10
Cuba - 4
Ukraine - 3
Belarus - 2
Netherlands - 2
Spain - 2
Hungary - 1

Group C:
Brazil - 22
Jamaica - 22
Kenya - 22
New Zealand - 14
Poland - 12
Czech Republic - 9
Kazakhstan - 9
Romania - 8
Turkey - 8
Denmark - 4
Sweden - 4
Norway - 3
Georgia - 2
Argentina - 2
Slovakia - 2
North Korea - 1
Thailand - 1

Group D:
Azerbaijan - 15
Ethiopia - 14
Greece - 12
Croatia - 10
Switzerland - 10
Iran - 9
Mexico - 9
South Africa - 8
Uzbekistan - 8
Bulgaria - 4
Indonesia - 4
Ireland - 4
Israel - 3
Belgium - 2
Egypt - 2
India - 2
Lithuania - 2
Mongolia - 2
Serbia - 2
Zimbabwe - 2
21 countries - 1 each

Good luck to everyone!

Good luck to include yourself too.
Of course, I'm going to win. (also know as The Mighty Dog Tails)

Skin Rip from Scotland, GB

Spectacular opening ceremonies - to be shown via tape delay in the US. Well worth watching. I liked the Queen and James Bond parachuting from a helicopter. She's a good egg.

Good luck to tgordon and everyone else.


Let's have fun!

George is in the lead with a perfect score of 9 points after one event.

Where's the cashier's window?

for the musicians and runners ....




and everyone who isn't George

can be viewed here.