The "Redeem Team" was taking on Germany this morning in a game that didn't really matter in the standings, but that didn't seem to let slow them down in the least. USA seemed to want to make a statement before elimination play gets underway on Wednesday, and that they did with a 105-57 win over Dirk and Germany.

Dwight Howard had about fifty dunks during the game but it was Lebron's jam in the third quarter that sent the loudest message (2:10 mark). Here's a little montage for everyone (Thanks to With Leather for the save after the vid was taken down)....

(Video Removed)

Team USA just plowed through the opening rounds by an average margin of victory of just over 30ppg, but the team who gave them the biggest challenge in warm up play waits in the Quarterfinals. Australia (who was missing Andrew Bogut at the time) had USA scared through most of their exhibition game in Shanghai two weeks ago, but the U.S. pulled out an eleven point win.

It should be an interesting game with the rematch coming early Wednesday morning (either 8 or 10:15am). I should be around to have videos from the game as it goes along.

Germany Capitulates To U.S. Assault (With Leather)

I think Michael Phelps owes Jason Lezak his career after the relay performances he put in for Team USA. Just an amazing performance by all four members of the team and with it, Michael Phelps sets the record for most gold medals in one Olympics with a grand total of eight. Let's relive the moment....

I really tried to hate Swimming about halfway through all of the events. People were setting records almost every single race and the events just seemed to drag on. But in the end, when you have competitors finishing within one one hundredth of each other, and a record that seemed impossible to match and surpass, it was just an awesome week or so for the Sport and the Olympics.

I'm happy to have witnessed history and the way the history went down is truly amazing. More videos to come.

(+1,000 to NBC for using the band Muse during the intro. I was ready to punch a wall when "Assassins" "Knights....." came on.)

It only took me a good seventeen hours to get the clip from last night, but I thought we could use it as an open thread for his record breaking attempt from last night. I had been complaining all last night that I was sick of swimming and sick of Phelps (I'm sure a lot of you felt the same), but I yelled in unison with everyone when he passed Cavic at the last second. The kid is like Tiger Woods, you just don't talk trash to him.

Here's the replay of last night's thrilling win in the 100 Meter Fly and I'll be sure to have tonight's video, win or lose, up much quicker....

I'm also looking for Usain Bolt's insane record of 9.69 secs in the 100 meter final, but in the meantime feel free to leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments. I'll see you early tomorrow morning with the result of the 4x100 Medley.

Frame By Frame Finish (Sports Illustrated)

(P.S.- If this, or any of the Olympic vids get taken down, be sure to let me know. There are ways around NBC's nazi-like approach to taking down vids.)

There was no way that NBC was passing up on a "Bela Freakout Moment" on the night of the Women's All Round, and neither was I. Here's your Karolyi clip from last night's awesome one-two finish from the American ladies....

That is just too much fun. "BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Again, I still don't understand all the flak that Bela is getting. The guy was an ex-USA Gymnastics Coach, he works for an American station and he's genuinely proud of his favorite Sport. I don't expect NBC's Olympic announcers to root against other countries, but getting excited when their own country does good? Give me a break.

I really thought there were going to be more "Friends of Bob" for the Olympics, but it turns out there's only two. There's the roving reporter, Cris Collinsworth, who is spending most nights with Michael Phelps' Mom. And then there's the ever-awesome Bela Karolyi.

Costas has been forcing Karolyi to stay with him in the studio for Gymnastics contests and you can tell it's just killing the guy. Here's a clip of him last night....

He's so amped you can barely hear what he's saying. I love it. On top of freaking out during Liukin's routine, he called out the Chinese, and at one point during the prelims he ran over to the NBC announcing booth to tell them about an injury. The guy is a machine, and I'm loving every minute of it. Forgot the people who think it's a conflict of interest because his wife is coaching. The guy just loves the Sport.

Costas really needs to let him spread his wings though. Just have Bela on camera every 15 minutes or so from the Gym during every event and you're set. I think his head might explode during the Women's All-around though, so you might want to watch out for that.

(Anyone have a guess on how quickly this vid is taken down?)

With all of the random channels NBC has in play, it's tough to even figure when things happened or even if they're live at the time. I think the general rule I'm going to use is that if I haven't seen the clip, I'm posting it.

Your Olympic Video Du Jour for Saturday (last night in China) is Kobe making his way into the Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium for the Women's game against the Czech Republic. It's already been documented that the USA Men's Team are being treated like rock stars, but this entrance is crazy....

Now that was pretty awesome, and a tad scary that there wasn't more security, but still awesome. I have yet to really get into the spirit of these Games (even though the Opening Ceremony was rather impressive), but come tomorrow morning when USA takes on Yao Ming and China, I think I'll be on board. That game is going to be intense.