induction ceremony also featured longtime? from corse178's blog
THE 8 EVENTSMen (4): 3m springboard, 10m platform, synchronised 3m springboard, synchronised 10m platformWomen (4): 3m springboard, 10m platform, synchronised 3m springboard, synchronised 10m platformTHE FORMATIndividual springboard and platform eventsQualifying round to determine 18 semi-finalists, and then 12 competitors advance to the final. Cheap Swingman 76ers Jerseys . In each round there are 6 dives for men and 5 for women. Marks are never carried over to the next round.Synchronised events8 pairs of divers, with no qualifying round. 6 dives for men and 5 for women.MILESTONES17th centuryDuring the summer, gymnasts in Germany and Sweden travel to the beach to practise their acrobatic feats over the water.1904Diving makes its Olympic debut in St. Louis, although only the mens platform event features.1908Introduction of the mens 3m springboard event at the London Games.1912Women make their Olympic debut in the platform event in Stockholm.1920The womens springboard completes the Olympic diving programme in Antwerp. It will remain unchanged for the next 80 years.2000Introduction of synchronised springboard and platform events, for both men and women, in Sydney.STARSPatricia McCormick (United States)4-time Olympic champion. Double gold medallist in springboard and platform events at the 1952 Games in Helsinki. Pulled off the same feat four years later in Melbourne. The only woman, along with Chinese diver Fu Mingxia, to have won four Olympic gold medals in the sport.Klaus Dibiasi (Italy)One of the sports high-flyers. Olympic platform champion in 1968, 1972 and 1976, making him the only diver, male or female, to have won 3 consecutive titles in the same discipline. Also won two Olympic silver medals (platform in 1964 and springboard in 1968). Two-time platform world champion (1973 and 1975).Greg Louganis (United States)The successor. Like McCormick, he won the springboard and platform titles at consecutive Games in 1984 and 1988. With his silver medal in the platform in 1976, he equalled the great Dibiasi, who also won five Olympic medals. Five-time world champion (3 in platform, 2 in springboard). Cheap 76ers Jerseys Authentic . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Cheap 76ers Jerseys China . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.cheap76ersjerseys.com/ . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Only Allen Iverson could deliver a Hall of Fame speech that name-checked 90s rappers, referenced Chappelles Show and thanked just about every person he met along his basketball journey. Only Shaquille ONeal could follow that act with what amounted to a half-hour comedy routine that needled former coaches and teammates and included a soap-opera shout-out.The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fames Class of 2016 lived up to its lofty billing with an epic three-hour induction ceremony Friday night at Springfields Symphony Hall, with Iverson and ONeal stealing the show.Iverson delivered a captivating 31-minute speech in which he overcame initial jitters during a memorable address that featured multiple standing ovations. Fans with No. 3 Iverson jerseys in the balcony cheered throughout.Dressed in a black suit with a black shirt and tie, Iverson paused repeatedly to collect himself at the start of his speech while thanking his three presenters -- Larry Brown, Julius Erving and John Thompson -- as well as members of his family.Fighting tears throughout, Iverson thanked former Georgetown coach Thompson for saving my life.[After] the incident happened in high school and all that was taken away ... no other schools would recruit me anymore, Iverson recalled, referencing a racial brawl at a bowling alley that landed him in jail. His conviction in the case was later overturned. My mom went to Georgetown and begged [Thompson] to give me a chance. And he did.He said he later left Georgetown only as an OK basketball player.But once I started to listen to Larry Brown and take constructive criticism, I learned how much of a great, great coach that he really is. ... Thats when I became an MVP, Iverson said.In maybe the most memorable moment of his address, Iverson recalled his first time playing against his idol, Michael Jordan.Man, I wanted to be like Mike, Iverson said. I remember the first time I played against him. I walked out on the court and I looked at him. And, for the first time in my life, a human being didnt really look real to me. You know what I mean? I dont know if you all watch the Chappelle Show, but he talked about a certain incident where somebodys seeing Rick James. Like I literally seen his aura. It looked like he was glowing.Im sitting there, and Im saying, Man, thats Michael. And Im looking at him. I cant stop looking at him. Im looking at his shoes, and Im like, man, hes got on the Jordans! It was my Mike. It was my idol, my hero.After the Jordan story, Iverson seemed to settle in. Nervously rocking at the start of his speech, he confidently thanked a Rolodex of coaches, owners, teammates and rappers.I want to thank Biggie Smalls, Redman, Jadakiss, Tupac and Michael Jackson for being my theme music throughout my career, Iverson said.Twenty-two minutes into his speech, Iverson said, The Philly fans, and that elicited a monster reaction from the balcony, which immediately engaged in an MVP chant.Added Iverson: My relationship with the fans in Philadelphia is like no other. I thank you all for the support over the years. ... You never jumped off the bandwagon, continued to support me like true fans are supposed to.Iverson also paid tribute to the ones that stuck by me throughout my journey. He cited all the barbershop talk that my family had and all the arguments my friends had with people in the barbershop and hair salon.Now you can say: Well, look, my man is solidified.Iverson closed his speech with a nod to the guys who are not my friends anymore.Im glad that you blew your cover for me to recognize that you [werent] any good to my family or me. And I appreciate yall for that. So if I make any more new friends, I know the signs, he said.Not to be outdone, ONeal took the stage for a punchline-filled speech as the final inductee of the night.ONeal referenced Luke and Laura from General Hospital and joked about his commercial endeavors, including how he sat in a Buick I knew I couldnt fit in. Drawing laughter, ONeal added, Hey, they paid me $3 million. What did you want me to say, no?His speech had serious moments, like when he thanked his parents, Phil Harrison and Lucille ONeal, for giving him the discipline and drive that drove his NBA dream. Wholesale 76ers Jerseys. If I know my father, hes up there arguing with Wilt [Chamberlain] that his son is the best big man in the game, ONeal said.One day when some father quizzes his sons on the greats of the game, I hope Shaquille ONeal will be the answer, he later added.Maybe ONeals most memorable line came when he thanked former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant.Kobe Bryant, a guy that would push me and help me win three titles in a row, said ONeal. He would also help me get pushed off the team and traded to?Miami.After detailing his on-court chess matches with Iverson, ONeal turned his attention to fellow inductee Yao Ming.For years, I never spoke to Yao. I thought there was a language barrier there, ONeal said. Then one game he hit me with a Hakeem Olajuwon bang-bang fadeaway. I said, Hey, Yao, nice move. He said, Thanks, my brother. I said, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You speak English? He was like, Shaq, you never talk to me. Of course I speak English.And ONeal didnt miss an opportunity to make a free throw joke.Id like to thank Nick Anderson for missing those four free throws in a row in my first NBA Finals, ONeal said. Im just playing, Nick. But when I was writing this speech, I was like, You know what? Itd be pretty funny if a terrible free throw shooter criticized a bad one. Then I said to myself, Damn, I should have listened to [underhanded free throw shooter] Rick Barry. Then I also said to myself, You know what? Id rather be a terrible free throw shooter that, in about 15 minutes, will be in the Hall of Fame. So, Rick, thanks, but no thanks.Yao won the opening tip and delivered a heartfelt speech that showcased his own sense of humor.When I heard that I was speaking first tonight, I thought that someone made a mistake, he said. I think this spot belongs to the great Allen Iverson. You want to know why? Because I need practice more than him.Flanked by presenters Bill Russell, Dikembe Mutombo and Bill Walton, Yao joked about being confused when Cuttino Mobley invited him over for soul food (I thought he meant salty food) and thanked Rockets fans for sticking by him through injuries (I am a Texan and a Houston Rocket for life). He also referenced his battles with fellow inductee ONeal by noting, Every game we played reminded me of the old saying, What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.In his speech, Michigan State?coach Tom Izzo made special mention of his players in attendance, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who heard some boos on the red carpet on his way into the event but was cheered by the crowd when referenced by Izzo.Izzo thanked his parents, Carl and Dorothy, for being his first mentors. The 90-year-old Dorothy was in attendance; Carl passed away in December.Izzo briefly got choked up as he spoke of his father, who he said instilled in him a work ethic that remains with him today.The seven Final Fours and championship are just frosting on the cake, Izzo said.The induction ceremony also featured longtime?Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes.Reinsdorf chronicled what led him to purchase the Bulls in 1984. It was a move he said legendary New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner panned, telling him he would never make any money.He enjoyed proving him wrong.Its been a great life, Reinsdorf said. I know its the fourth quarter, but Im hoping for overtime.Two of the themes on the night were family and journeys. That was the essence of Swoopes speech. She said she was thankful for her path from tiny Brownfield, Texas, and that her cancer-stricken mother, Louise, was able to see it.What a ride its been, she said.Videotaped acceptance speeches aired on behalf of Darell Garretson (27-year NBA referee), Cumberland Posey (early African-American pioneer), John McLendon (coach) and Zelmo Beaty (member of ABA all-time team).Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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