Blame It On Rio. Or Lochte.

WTF is going on with these US swimmers in Rio?

Considering the early confusion about the Lochte story - Lochte apparently told his mother but not the US Olympic reps or the police, and mom told reporters - one does wonder whether the "we wuz robbed!" story was just a cover for something else.

But a cover-up for what, and why the desire to invent a story? Lochte and his teammates are adults who were done with their Olympic competition, so they shouldn't have been subject to any training rules.

The obvious guess is that they were off looking for illicit entertainment or controlled substances, which would still be a "So what?" unless Lochte's mom asked for a few hundred bucks for a shopping spree and her devoted son had to explain why he had no cash. But still, why let a little white lie escalate like that?

Baffling.

PILING ON: OK, now there is a report that Brazilian police are looking at a new video:

Video shows U.S. swimmer breaking gas station door, fighting guard, per authorities

Which leads to new questions - why say anything that calls attention to their night out if this is true?

And why did they display the calm and relaxed demeanor on the tape showing them re-entering the Olympic Village? That behavior struck a Brazilian judge as inconsistent with a recent robbery, but isn't it also inconsistent with a recent brawl? Of course, they seem in that tape to have wallets and cellphones, which does leave one wondering what the robber or robbers were after.

Well. These Olympians are more accustomed to handling adrenaline surges than I am.

UPDATED: The police version, per their recent press conference:

RIO DE JANEIRO - A Brazilian police official is telling The Associated Press that American swimmer Ryan Lochte fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro.

The official, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.

He said that around 6 a.m. on Sunday, Lochte, along with fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen , stopped at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca, a suburb of Rio where many Olympic venues are located. One of the swimmers tried to open the door of an outside bathroom. It was locked.

A few of the swimmers then pushed on the door and broke it. A security guard appeared and confronted them, the official said.

RELATED: Ryan Lochte back in US; 3 swimming teammates staying in Brazil to aid robbery investigation

The official says the guard was armed with a pistol, but he never took it out or pointed it at the swimmers.

According to the official, the gas station manager then arrived. Using a customer to translate, the manager asked the swimmers to pay for the broken door. After a discussion, they did pay him an unknown amount of money and then left.

The official says that swimmers Conger and Bentz, who were pulled off a plane going back to the United States late Wednesday, told police that the robbery story had been fabricated.

On the one hand, this sounds like a plausible drunken escapade. But to tell the police a different story later?!?

 

Comments

[Pee Soup]

Blame it on the lyin' algae.

[Underlength.]

heh, first gold metalled turd in the punchbowl.

[Shoulda been in Chicago, the fools.]

What happens in Rio, festers.

[Into the wild, blue and partly cloudy yonder.]

Oops, getting toxic. Shall I read instead about this entitled, endowed young thing and the twirling helimomma or blow it off and sniff the entrails of clouds?

Stevie Mac's had three devastating posts about the dread state of climate narrative.

[Captain Hate]

Who cares what a third world shithole and the IOC scum say.

[Captain Hate]

controlled substances

Got any evidence that one of the best athletes in the world is doing this or is this just blue state projection?

[Buckeye]

10 to 1, if anything happened to Lochte and his buddies, they got rolled by some "pros" and don't want to admit it.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Roid rage.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

As to daddy's Q last thread about any big name converts to another religion I always thought Sammy Davis Jr's supposed conversion to Judaism an odd thing.

Than there is Madonna's strange Kabbala obsession.

[buccaneer morgan]

The Uruguay detainee made it to Venezuela and wants to travel to turkey, I mean Syria.

[Threadkiller]

Something homo happened, IMO

[Matt]

I do believe the most popular dish in Rio right now is Lula kabob. He sure is getting fried.

I believe Terry Gilliam's film summed up Brazil pretty well. It should be shown in the Olympic Village every night. I think the athletes would get a huge kick out of it.

As to conversions Uma Thurman's dad's was interesting, but only because he is Uma Thurman's dad and she is hawt.

[Porchlight]

Who cares? Build the wall.

[squaredance]

Street crime in Rio? How interesting.

[Dave (in MA)]

Something homo happened, IMO

Oh, stop it!

[Captain Hate]

Something homo happened, IMO

The story that's making the online rounds is that Lochte got Moellered up at a club and started breaking things, bouncers told him to pay for the damage, he said fuck off, they pulled out heat and he paid. Who has a bigger less small boner over this story: Bob Costas or Matt Lauer?

[Threadkiller]

Looks like a pole vault challenge, CH.

[Texas Liberty Gal]

Rasmussen - 2 pt race!!!!!!

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2016/white_house_watch

[Porchlight]

Thanks, TLG!

Interestingly, although it may seem that enthusiasm is low because both candidates are disliked, that is not true per Rasmussen:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/august_2016/voters_are_much_more_eager_to_vote_this_year

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are more likely to vote this year than they have in past election years. Just eight percent (8%) say they are less likely to vote this year, while 23% say they are just as likely to vote this year as they were past years.

[Texas Liberty Gal]

Isn't that great Porch!!! The LA Times has it less then a point difference. They're both tracking polls too which shows movement to Trump!!!
http://www.latimes.com/politics/

[Marlene]

Fun fact: if Senator Ayotte and Rep. Guinta in
NH and Rep.Poliquin in Maine fail to win in the Nov. election,Susan Collins will be the only "Republican" left in New England in the Senate or House.

[Jack is Back!]

Porch,

Again, there is that word "likely" when I want to know what the campaign internal polling says about registered voters who haven't voted in the last two elections. I believe "likely" is defined as those who have voted in the last 2 or last general election.

For example, are those 2-4 million that didn't show up for Romney in 2012, are they "likely"? I doubt it.

Where is GMax? He like to dig up the internals and polling processes.

[Barbara]

There are two great posts 1) from Matt with an analysis of where we are in the race for president, and 2) from squaredance on what type of president Trump will be.

They're at the end of the last thread, and worth a read

[Thomas Collins]

The swimmers should have done something more wholesome such as visiting the "spa" the basketball players visited.

[Threadkiller]

HOW THE MEDIA WORK

Ann Coulter - August 17, 2016 - HOW THE MEDIA WORK
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2016-08-17.html

[Thomas Collins]

The ESPN story about breaking the gas station bathroom door, being confronted by a security guard and the station owner, and paying the owner cash for repairs, is plausible. After a night of drinking, they probably needed to relieve themselves immediately, and their judgment may not have been top notch in their inebriated state. Still, they paid for their sins, if the story is true, so I hope our embassy is able to get them out of Brazil soon. Lochte's leaving early looks like the only smart move involved in this incident.

[Dave (in MA)]

Someone may or may not have been stealing Trump signs in a Boston suburb. The comment section is about what you'd expect.

[Matt]

I would blame gastrointestinal trouble caused by the pool of green slime if they needed relief that quickly.

You can pee anywhere if necessary and desperate. At least we men can.

[Barbara]

WRT what is a "likely" voter, I believe that there are two new kinds of "likely" voters in this election. One is the person who voted for Obama in 2012, but is so concerned about the country that he/she will vote for Trump in 2016. The other is the person who never votes and is fed up with the government. With Trump, these voters have a reason to vote and they will.

[Threadkiller]

A gas station bathroom?

Sounds like Seabass and Loyd in a Dumb and Dumber scene.

[jimmyk]

Whoa, Dave, stolen Trump signs might make lower Trump's chances of winning MA from zero to negative.

[Porchlight]

Yes, JiB, it is very interesting. Unclear how they would be able to pick up disaffected non-regular voters in a likely voter screen.

[jimmyk]

Or maybe zero to ZERO. /gus

[Matt]

Just noticed that a female wrestler won India's first medal in the Olympics. I guess it's sort of the AYSO Olympics now. Everybody gets a trophy.

Not that she didn't perform a great accomplishment, but I think soon there will be Olympic basket weaving and transgender events.

Fiji will now keep their Union flag because they won the men's rugby 7's. Women's rugby as an Olympic sport? I thought that softball was the end of that line, but now there are women's boxing, wrestling, and all sorts of other Title IX sports.

I guess they will have skateboarding, baseball, softball and surfing in Tokyo in 4 years.

And to think that we had a conference on giantism in the Olympics 20 years ago. 10,000 athletes in the Village is bees in a jar as it is. Not sure how many are crammed in there now.

We are asked to have empathy for Caster Semenya but the reality is that he/she is blowing away the other women. That is simply not fair.

[Captain Hate]

Whatever Lochte did, it wasn't nearly as dumb as Brittney Griner saying she could beat Boogie Cousins one on one.

[Momto2]

Has a host country ever threatened to seize the passport of an Olympian before?

I'm adding this to my list of "things that shouldn't happen at the Olympics" which is getting quite long.

[Dave (in MA)]

I guess they will have skateboarding, baseball, softball and surfing in Tokyo in 4 years.

If it were left up to me, all of the judged crap would be gone.

[Porchlight]

Me too, Dave (in MA). As much as I like to watch gymnastics etc, it is lame.

[lyle]

Welp, I figure if I add up the time it takes to surf by a TV channel, my total time watching the Olympics still wouldn't crack 20 seconds.

[Porchlight]

Me too, lyle. As it happens I've watched almost none of this Olympics. I did happen to catch the pole vaulting finals because I was at a bar.

[sbw]

I did happen to catch the pole vaulting finals because I was at a bar.

Yeah. Sure.

[sbw]

Japanese guy made watching pole vaulting a bar activity. ;-)

[lyle]

http://americangg.net/family-becomes-firing-squad/

The phrase “wrong house” has never been more appropriate. An entire family participated in the shooting of an intruder who broke into a house less than a mile from his own residence. A mother, father, and adult son were awoken to the sound of the intruder breaking through their back door. By the time he reached the kitchen, the whole family was armed and ready to engage the threat.

Dayum.

[lyle]

Japanese guy made watching pole vaulting a bar activity.

See, this proves my non-watching bona fides: I have not the slightest idea what this means.

[glasater]

Who's Stevie Mac and clouds, kim. Have to go to work so will catch up later :-)

[BeenThereDoneThat]

I've formed my own opinion of Trump from reading and observing him in different settings and described by those who know him. I'm a quiet western gal and Trump's one of those New Yawk guys with a big attitude and a big voice, but his big personality doesn't fool me. He likes people from all strata of society, has no color biases, likes order, tradition, and very pretty women. :) His parents instilled a high energy work ethic in Trump and to this day, I suspect he still tries to please them.

It could be his bravado is a technique he learned to persuade others but also to keep rivals or threats away from him while he went about securing his business and life goals without interruption. He thinks big and he thinks success. For many years he has deplored the disintegration of America's cities and culture and has correctly identified corrupt political policies and politicians as the force most culpable in our national discontent.

He's old enough to have experienced America when she was run as a proud tight ship, with only a few barnacles here and there, and truly believes we *must* get back to that safe course nationally. His ego, thank goodness, is large enough to allow him to believe he is capable of leading us in that direction, and his inherited stamina will allow him to persevere.

So, I will continue to wonder if this is a God and Cyrus moment in history - and if it is, then I'm betting on Trump 100% and PRAYING for his success.

[glasater]

I found it..it's Climate Audit.

Apologies!

[Beasts of England]

Nuke Brazil!!

Perhaps they could best spend their limited resources harvesting extraneous sofas out of their harbors and leave our Olympic medalists the [redacted] alone. Sound good?

[Dave (in MA)]

I caught the Bronze medal girls' er, women's beach volleyball game last night. It was pretty intense.

[lyle]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/08/18/fbi-improperly-restricting-access-to-clinton-probe-files-senator-says.html

Yeah, that Comey guy is a stand-up, straight-shooter, huh?

[Beasts of England]

Boner fides, you say?

[sbw]

Lyle, google japanese pole vaulter.

Heroic and historic at the same time.

[henry]

So Zika creates zombies. Well causes damage to adult brains, but click bait will go for the zombie angle.

[Porchlight]

Japanese guy made watching pole vaulting a bar activity. ;-)

Honestly, I was at our weekly pub trivia thingy and there were screens everywhere and I was close enough to one I could see. Saw the guy knock over the bar, heard the reason the next day. Poor dude. As if losing isn't bad enough.

[Threadkiller]

Cashill:

http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/the-difference-between-pravda-and-n-y-times/

[lyle]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/flashback-obama-ripped-bushs-unconscionable-ineptitude-during-hurricane-katrina/article/2599641

Campaigning for president a few years later, he slammed Bush for flying Air Force One over the floods. "We can talk about what happened for two days in 2005 and we should. We can talk about levees that couldn't hold, a FEMA that seemed not just incompetent but paralyzed and powerless, about a president who only saw the people from the window of an airplane instead of down here on the ground."

Obama has received a briefing on the Louisiana flooding that has killed over a dozen and his Homeland Department secretary is visiting the area. But Obama hasn't broken from his long vacation to even make a flyover to the flooded state.

Preznit Shankitintothenextfairway can't pull hisself off the golf course.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Women's rugby as an Olympic sport?--

How else are we gonna get big sloppy lesbian smooches and proposals into the venue?

[Threadkiller]

Turns out the Japanese pole vaulter has had his passport confiscated as well.

Brazilian cops are savy enough to know Wang is Chinese.

[Truthbetold5]

BTDT

Are you suggesting that Trump is going to solve the Global Financial Crises?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

So he's officially changed his name from Shankopotamus?

[Frau Rutger Gefahrfeld]

matt - and men can urinate silently if they put one foot in the toilet and pee down that leg.
Or so I've been told.

How can Trump have such poll numbers when *no one* I know in Creepy 'Cleoville is going to vote for him beside us and two neighbors on my block?

Thanks for the latest reading tip, kim.

[Beasts of England]

And speaking of...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BIx1vDKCmuU

[squaredance]

Well, since this is an Olympics thread, I want to post a short video of the very opening of the London Olympics 4 years ago.

Those who did not see it will enjoy it, and those who did will find it a relief from Rio to see it again.

Here we open with 4 children's choirs singing songs from England, N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales; the some absolutely gorgeous UK draught horses bring out Kenneth Branaugh playing Isambard Kingdom Brunel into the area; there he recites from Kaliban's Speech from "King Lear" to the strains of the "Nimrod variation" from Elgar's "Enigma Variations".

Listen all the way to the end.

Only the British could pull something like that off.

This is how to do it.

[lyle]

Well, there's also Preznit Hookitintotheparkinglot, Topitoffthetee, Footwedge, Fifteenfootgimmieputt, and Sliceitintothepond, as well.

[Barbara]

So, I will continue to wonder if this is a God and Cyrus moment in history - and if it is, then I'm betting on Trump 100% and PRAYING for his success.

I agree, BeenThereDoneThat.

Excellent analysis of Trump, too.

[Porchlight]

Top-tier, lyle.

[lyle]

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/2016/08/17/dhs-secretary-not-pleasant-to-send-somebody-back-to-central-america/

The reason not to do that is we don't have open borders

Is there some sort of intra-admin challenge as to who can be a bigger POS?

[Porchlight]

Fantastic, squaredance.

I saw (against my will) some of the embarrassing opening ceremonies in Rio. Total trash.

[squaredance]

Porch: Isn't that great!

Direct, but subtle. So very British.

[Jack is Back!]

The Brazilian fans are probably the rudest little a**holes to ever host an Olympics or any sporting event for that matter. Not just how they jeered Hope Solo incessantly but also the way they treated the French pole vaulter who took silver to the Brazilian guy's gold He is the current world champion and considered the biggest threat to their guy.

So, everytime he made his approach and vault the stadium erupted in boos. Then when he was at the podium for the medal award they booed his medal presentation to the point that the guy was left tearing up from all the mass harassment.

USA women lose to Serbia and will play for Bronze. Defending gold medal winners from London. Big upset.

Brazil: Country of the Future and Always will be.

[Porchlight]

Direct, but subtle. So very British.

As a descendant of English settlers and an Anglophile since birth, I agree. :)

Have you ever seen this? Andrea Bocelli sings "Nessun Dorma" (one of Trump's favorites BTW) as tribute to Leicester City on the occasion of their Premier League victory.

The two principals are Italian, but the way it's all put together and filmed...so grand and moving. Almost makes me want to like soccer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BToNeL0SjVc

[Porchlight]

Brazil: Country of the Future and Always will be

Ha! I love it.

POS country. They have some great music though.

[jimmyk]

The Tempest, not King Lear /nitpick

See, this proves my non-watching bona fides: I have not the slightest idea what this means.

It does cast some doubt on your JOM bona fides, though. Lengthy laugh-fest yesterday or maybe the day before.

[Threadkiller]

"Lengthy" is relative.

[squaredance]

Right. The Tempest. Senior moment, sorry.

Porch that is great. You might like this this.

[lyle]

jimmyk:

Who is it that can tell me who I am?

;)

[James D]

JiB @ 2:05

So their guy won, and they STILL booed the rival? That's just scummy.

[Miss Marple 2]

home!

Squaredance, thank you so much for that lovely video of the English opening ceremonies. I had forgotten about it, but I did see it when it first aired.

BeenThereDoneThat,

I am much the same in my thinking about Trump, including the comparison to Cyrus.

I am praying for what squaredance so eloquently called restoration.

Yesterday, I was talking to my sister and granddaughter about the playground equipment we used to have such fun on, and now are no longer allowed. (Monkey bars, jumgle gyms, merry-go-rounds, maypoles, etc.)

The appliance guys who were working on hooking the washer up chimes in. The older guy said that there's nothing good on playgrounds any more and everyone is being trained to be scared of everything. I almost asked him if he was going to vote for Trump, but felt like it wasn't appropriate.

People are so afraid of any risk. Or lawsuits. Or both.

The country is in sad shape. I honestly do believe Trump can fix it.

You have to admit, there/s been an amazing transformation in Mike Pence. If he can accomplish THAT, I think he is well up to handling the Oval Office.

[Jack is Back!]

SD,

Not only the singing in the Children's Choir portion but always a thrill for me to see Jonny Wilkinson sink the Aussie's in the World Cup. Speical moment for all us England Test Team rugby fans. Thanks for sharing.

Porch,

The Foxes winning the BPL is one of the greatest moments ever in professional sports. I can't even think of an equivalent in our sports except maybe the Jaguars winning the Super Bowl this year after their performance last year. But that is not even good enough since they can build every year with draft choices but teams like Leicester have to either bring in Academy players or go out on the Transfer market which is tough for a team with limited funds.

Turandot and Nessum Dorma are my favorite opera and tenor aria also. Thanks for posting that.

[Appalled]

King Lear encapsulates much I have seen in comments here, both in fear of Hillary and in fear of Trump:

EDGAR O gods! Who is ’t can say “I am at the worst”?
I am worse than e'er I was.

And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
So long as we can say “This is the worst.”

[Jack is Back!]

Forgot to add, that the Bocelli rendition was at the last game of the season for Leicester against Everton after they had already claimed the title and were presented with their trophy and medals at that game.

I think Renieri picking Bocelli and Nessum Dorma has a lot to do with the choral end:

Vanish, o night!
Fade, you stars!
Fade, you stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win! I will win!

[lyle]

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/439119/security-officials-opposing-hillary-clinton-would-write-letter

VDH, again. Pull on your latex gloves and click.

[Porchlight]

You're welcome, JiB! Turandot is my favorite as well.

Vanish, o night!
Fade, you stars!
Fade, you stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win! I will win!

No wonder Trump loves it. :)

squaredance, that was a terrific Pavarotti rendition! The masters always make it look so easy.

[James D]

Via Insty:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/white-house-indian-education-official-accused-of-assaulting-native-american-over-redskins/article/2599660

Let's imagine how the story would have been reported if this had happened under a Republican President. If a Bush appointee had gotten into a physical altercation with an autistic Native American college student, it would have been front page news for days.

Hell, look at how the media covered the horrible scandal for the ages of Corey Lewandowski possibly squeezing the arm of a reporter for two seconds. It WAS front page news for days.

But here we have a Presidentially-appointed official, paid by taxpayers, getting into a fight so serious that the other party (again, an autistic Native American college student) had to have surgery afterwards. And you have to read it after the fact in the Washington Times, and nowhere else.

Why is THIS not the lead story on the network news tonight? Why wasn't it the lead story when it happened?

[Beasts of England]

A question for the 404 Crew: has anyone purchased eyeglasses or Rx sunglasses at Warby Parker? They have some great in-house designs and am considering an appointment if I ever get over that way...

[asw]

Thank you BeenThereDoneThat 1:07! I literally could not have summed up my thoughts better.

I cast my first presidential vote for Barry Goldwater and can't help thinking that if he had won we would be living in a much better county now.

"A Choice Not an Echo" resonated then as it does now. Trump seems to understand that. He is throwing everything he has into this race.

[Porchlight]

JiB,

I think the spirit of Richard III (whose bones were found and reburied there) was fueling Leicester City all the way.

It even says "King Power" on their jerseys. ;) I know, that's their sponsor, but come on, it's proof I'm right!

See? Richard III even wrote a book about it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E58VPIS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

[Porchlight]

I haven't, Beasts, but my friends have some great WP frames and seem to have no problem with them.

[Beasts of England]

Thanks, Porch! I'm overdue and would really like to swap it up a little bit from my Wayfarer ways. 😎 Although I may have to commission a custom emoji.

[Marlene]

So,Hillary is resting and will next be seen with Cher in Provincetown at a LGBTQ event.
After Labor Day,when the campaign becomes a daily,grueling grind we'll see how her health affects her campaigning. There is no time for rest between Labor Day and Election Day.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Wore Wayfarers for years Beasts.
Went to the Baloramas, which are sometimes hard to find, and they are so much more comfortable it is really hard to believe.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Hillary is resting and will next be seen with Cher in Provincetown at a LGBTQ event.--

It's still pre-lunch for some of us.

[Captain Hate]

I cast my first presidential vote for Barry Goldwater and can't help thinking that if he had won we would be living in a much better county now.

Damn skippy on this. Btw, the Romney pere wouldn't support AuH2O; some things never change.

I guess Lochte should say he short circuited and NBC will get off his case and tell the Brazilians to stop being h8ers.

[Porchlight]

Marlene, I think she will continue to take lots of time off from the trail and the media will continue to not mention it.

[Threadkiller]

No beating up on whites after labor day.

[Jack is Back!]

Porch,

One of the great ironies of the Leicester season was that their games like all the BPL are brought on NBCSN and a lot of times the announcer was Arlo White who himself is a native son. I had to admire his restraint and independence for those games. A true professional and one of the best sports broadcaster in the world.

I am a Chelsea supporter but had to applaud the Foxes and all their over achieving team.

[Captain Hate]

Maybe the geniuses who designed the ZippyCare website are working on a Rodham2D2 cyborg to have a Labor Day rollout.

[Threadkiller]

Went to the Baloramas

Dirty Ignatz

[Janet]

a reminder from 2014 - "...McCarthy said that federal officials chased her down for a “dinky” North Pole pin someone gave her at an event to which she said, “I threw the f–ing thing away.” She also said that a jar of moose meat she got from a little girl at a hearing in Alaska “could gag a maggot.”"

http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/17/epa-chief-under-fire-for-insulting-a-gift-from-native-alaskan-tribes/

[Porchlight]

I am a Chelsea supporter but had to applaud the Foxes and all their over achieving team.

My bro is a Liverpool supporter and he is the same. He turned me onto the video.