# London Olympics



## Calliope (15 July 2012)

Sally Pearson, our greatest athlete beaten. Don't worry she is also our toughest athlete.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/l...e-meet-overnight/story-fn9dheyx-1226426321162






Kellie Wells is modest in victory.


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## Miss Hale (15 July 2012)

I am totally underwhelmed by the coming Olympics which is unusual as, being a sports fan, I usually look forward to them.  Maybe it's because our sportspeople seem to be performing so badly of late; Wimbledon, disastrous one day cricket series, Tour de France etc.  We are being told not to expect the usually amazing performance from our Olympians this time round and now Sally has been beaten .  Hopefully it will be better than I expect  (Yes, I noticed the show offy reaction by Kellie Wells too )


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## Tightwad (15 July 2012)

I'm bored with it already..  

It hasn't started yet and we're already hearing stories about who isnt quite in form, who's cornflakes arent cold enough/hot enough etc... come back when you have a medal.

I really lost interest wth the last ones, good luck to them but you end up with the usual trumped up nationalism and sports people shouting at you to buy things.

Besides who can think about olympics when the tour de france is still on.


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## Knobby22 (16 July 2012)

Not into the jingoism.

Love the marathon though, male or female.
The tactics, willpower and sheer epic feel of the event always has me interested.
No fancy equipment required to train. One of the true Olympic events.

Also good to see some of the more amateur team sports that don't normally get a look in.


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## Ruby (16 July 2012)

I must say I was over the Olymic Games about 25 years ago.  They are too big, too expensive, take far too much in the way of resources which should be directed to better use, and a lot of the athletes are too precious.   However, I will enjoy watching some selected events........


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## Gringotts Bank (20 July 2012)

Workin' it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cQIqinNYKw&feature=related


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## Miss Hale (20 July 2012)

All the drug controversies have taken some of the gloss off them for me a bit too.  Whenever someone breaks a record my first thought is, "Are they on drugs?".  I will get excited when we win an unexpected medal though


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## Calliope (21 July 2012)

One thing that inspires the Brits is beating Australia. The will certainly push Australia down the list in London.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/london-games/cruel-britannia/story-e6frgdg6-1226431157868


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## dutchie (23 July 2012)

Well we know Natalie Cook won't be the flag bearer after her carry on.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/l...g-bearer-protest/story-fn9dheyx-1226432267150


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## Calliope (23 July 2012)

dutchie said:


> Well we know Natalie Cook won't be the flag bearer after her carry on.




She is not keen on men. Cook currently resides in Tasmania and "married" fellow beach volleyballer Sarah Maxwell in New Zealand.


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## springhill (23 July 2012)

The free to air channel was the one that ruined the olympics for me.
Hours of talking heads, events sliced, diced and chopped so you never saw an entire event from start to finish.
Now I have Fox with 8 full time channels, I can't wait.

As a spectator event on Channel 7, no thanks.


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## dutchie (26 July 2012)

*The 2012 Olympics*

Let the games begin.

Good luck to all our competitors.


http://www.london2012.com/


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## dutchie (27 July 2012)

*Re: The 2012 Olympics*

Lauren Jackson is our flag bearer - why does it always have to be a women??


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## dutchie (27 July 2012)

*Re: The 2012 Olympics*

Just kidding - an excellent choice.

Congratulations Lauren!

She will do Australia proud.

She knows how to conduct herself.

She will inspire the Opal's to get the GOLD!!!


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## Calliope (27 July 2012)

*Re: The 2012 Olympics*



dutchie said:


> Let the games begin.
> 
> Good luck to all our competitors.




Surely one thread is enough.:headshake


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## dutchie (27 July 2012)

*Re: The 2012 Olympics*



Calliope said:


> Surely one thread is enough.:headshake




oops 
yes, more than enough.
happy to have them combined or cancel this one.


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## Calliope (27 July 2012)

Natalie Cook got her wish. The flag bearer is going to be Lauren Jackson who is also "married" to a woman.


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## Tink (27 July 2012)

I would like to see if they picked a man what they would have done.
All this whingeing has started this off on a good note.
What are they trying to do, even it out?
I am sure they have had women before.

Well, Congratulations to Lauren, and hope they all bring home medals : )


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## dutchie (29 July 2012)

Girls 4 x 100m freestyle relay our first gold. Well done girls!

Poms whinge about cycle road race - favourites who did not even get a look in.





Won't be long before future Olympic gold will be divided between only USA and China (money and population).


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## Tink (29 July 2012)

Yep, good on them.

Must say, I enjoy the swimming.


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## Miss Hale (29 July 2012)

Tink said:


> Yep, good on them.
> 
> Must say, I enjoy the swimming.




Yes me too.  Great to see a medal on the first day and a gold one at that!

Can't feel sorry about the Poms losing the cycling though, after they were so cocky and have made it plain that their objective this Olympics is to get a better medal tally than Australia.  Apparently Boris Johnson was seen in the lead up to the olympics wearing a t-shirt that says 'Beat Australia'


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## Agentm (29 July 2012)

cycling

cavendish is so dirty he didnt win a medal...

so he pays out bigtime on the aussie team.. claims we conspired to make sure the brits lost

different to how i saw it..

i saw a bunch of guys, 11 in all, with one aussie in that bunch keep out front,, and saw cavendish not ever once, not once, help his british team mates and take a turn in the front of the pelaton and try and catch the frontrunners.. only a few minutes infront

its where i saw our stuart ogrady rotate all day in the lead group and he finished 5th i think


so cavendish sits in the slipstream, does stuff all, then after 250 km's of doing nothing, he bitches and moans about the aussies..

just because a race goes another way, you praise the winner, commend your team mates and all competitors, and be sporting about it in the spirit of the games..

unless your a lazy bitchy sprinter, who has never taken a turn in front for anyone, and expect your team to deliver you to the line withour ever doing anything to help the group!!!

lol

the brits are sure a bunch of unsporting types and whingers..  very much against the code of the olympics imho..


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## bellenuit (29 July 2012)

Tink said:


> Yep, good on them.
> 
> Must say, I enjoy the swimming.




Me too. But I'm very disappointed that they have abandoned (except for some) Australia's signature gold cap in favour of a white cap with some indiscernible (from a distance) bits of green and gold on the back. It makes it very hard to pick out the Aussies.


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## Tink (30 July 2012)

Yep true bellenuit, agree.

Good on Leisel Jones, after the paper attacked her fitness, hope she gets a medal.


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## dutchie (30 July 2012)

Even though you have trained for hours and hours you still need to perform on the day (night).

Sometimes it just does not happen. Thats life (sport).

All you can do is try your best at the time.

Keep up your spirits boys there is always another day!

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...00m-breaststroke/story-fn9di2lk-1226438203453



(Trading is like this - you can do your analysis and place a trade but for some reason it goes bad. Get out and look for the next trade).


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## MrBurns (30 July 2012)

I'm finding it all a bit boring but the choice of flag bearer was excellent.

Unfortunately many competitors think they are some kind of movie star and seek attention especially those trading on their Aboriginality.


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## Calliope (30 July 2012)

dutchie said:


> http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...00m-breaststroke/story-fn9di2lk-1226438203453






> Australia's men's 4x100m freestyle team were the hottest of hot favourites to win the gold medal this morning but the team dubbed *"Weapons of Mass Destruction" - which included world champion James "The Missile" Magnussen - missed a medal*.




This just shows the stupidity of pinning tags to teams and swimmers. It makes the loss of face more humiliating.


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## bullet21 (30 July 2012)

Calliope said:


> This just shows the stupidity of pinning tags to teams and swimmers. It makes the loss of face more humiliating.




That Commonwealth Bank add is going to be alot more brutal now. I wonder if they'll stop airing it.


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## Julia (30 July 2012)

bullet21 said:


> That Commonwealth Bank add is going to be alot more brutal now. I wonder if they'll stop airing it.



No.  A representative from CBA was interviewed on ABC Radio today and he assured the reporter it was full steam ahead.
(Something perhaps Mr Magnussen lacked.)


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## dutchie (31 July 2012)

Do we spend too much on sports at the elite level? 
Should we spend more at the grass roots level?

It would appear that Australia's world ranking at the Olympics are at threat.
We will be lucky to be in the top 10 this year.
1992- 9th
1996- 7th
2000- 4th
2004- 4th
2008- 6th
2012 - ??     (early days but our dominance in the pool is fading) (currently 10th overall)

Does it matter?


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## MrBurns (31 July 2012)

Emily Seebohm broke down after getting silver saying she had let her family down ?

Did you see her mother and father ? it was like there was a death in the family, no wonder the poor kid is devastated, the parents are to blame for the pressure that goes on, I was sickened to see their reaction.


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## nomore4s (31 July 2012)

MrBurns said:


> Emily Seebohm broke down after getting silver saying she had let her family down ?
> 
> Did you see her mother and father ? it was like there was a death in the family, no wonder the poor kid is devastated, the parents are to blame for the pressure that goes on, I was sickened to see their reaction.




Don't underestimate the pressure the athletes put on themselves. They work pretty much their whole lives for that one moment one race. And her dreams and goals she's worked extremely hard for all evaporated in that moment.

I think you will find the parents have supported her throughout her career and were just disappointed for her more then anything else. Her parents have come out in support of her and I think Seebohm just wanted to repay her parents for all the sacrifices they have made for her career over the years.

If Sally Pearson doesn't win we could see one of the biggest meltdowns of all time, but hopefully that doesn't happen - she either wins or handles the loss with dignity and class.

I'm pretty disappointed in the way our athletes carry on atm, constant whinging and whining and poor sportsmanship, very few actually gain my respect nowadays.


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## Calliope (31 July 2012)

nomore4s said:


> I'm pretty disappointed in the way our athletes carry on atm, constant whinging and whining and poor sportsmanship, very few actually gain my respect nowadays.




Nick D'Arcy was a waste of space!




> The most polarising figure in swimming -  indeed one of the most controversial figures currently in Australian sport - D'Arcy will now be put on a plane and sent home from England early, at the end of the swimming meeting.





> D'Arcy received the coolest reception of any Australian to enter the pool deck, a murmer quieter than that for his unheralded teammate Chris Wright in lane one, who finished last behind D'Arcy.




Good riddance.:twak:

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/olympics/s...knocked-out-20120731-23b7j.html#ixzz22A4qR6p3


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## dutchie (31 July 2012)

Calliope said:


> Nick D'Arcy was a waste of space!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




   +1  (don't need his kind on our team)


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## Julia (31 July 2012)

Makes you consider whether there is actually some form of divine justice/karma or something.
Just what he deserves after the shabby way he has behaved toward Simon Cowley.


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## MrBurns (31 July 2012)

Julia said:


> Makes you consider whether there is actually some form of divine justice/karma or something.
> Just what he deserves after the shabby way he has behaved toward Simon Cowley.




It's even better then that, from here on everyone will point yelling "loser" just to rub it in.

He would have been better off not to go at all.


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## nomore4s (31 July 2012)

MrBurns said:


> It's even better then that, from here on everyone will point yelling "loser" just to rub it in.
> 
> He would have been better off not to go at all.




Bit over the top imo, he still achieved something the majority of athletes/people never achieve by competing at the olympics, so I would hardly call him a loser.

He made a mistake and paid his dues for it and in a way paid more of a price then most people who have been convicted of assault and has kept his nose clean since. 
In a way I admire the way he has comeback and never gave up, he served his bans and continued to do the hard work required to make the Olympics even though there was a chance he might not be accepted on the team no matter what times he was swimming. It was out of his control whether he would be allowed to compete at the Olympics but he still had a crack at it.
He made a bad mistake, suffered consequences, suffered multiple setbacks because of those consequences but continued to stick at it, he never gave up hope - I think there is something to admire in that even if I don't admire what he did to Simon Cowley or the whole bankruptcy thing.


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## bellenuit (31 July 2012)

nomore4s said:


> Bit over the top imo, he still achieved something the majority of athletes/people never achieve by competing at the olympics, so I would hardly call him a loser.
> 
> He made a mistake and paid his dues for it and in a way paid more of a price then most people who have been convicted of assault and has kept his nose clean since.
> In a way I admire the way he has comeback and never gave up, he served his bans and continued to do the hard work required to make the Olympics even though there was a chance he might not be accepted on the team no matter what times he was swimming. It was out of his control whether he would be allowed to compete at the Olympics but he still had a crack at it.
> He made a bad mistake, suffered consequences, suffered multiple setbacks because of those consequences but continued to stick at it, he never gave up hope - I think there is something to admire in that even if I don't admire what he did to Simon Cowley or the whole bankruptcy thing.




+1   .


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## dutchie (31 July 2012)

He will offend again, somewhere down the track.


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## Happy (31 July 2012)

By the look of it, many athletes can slowly start to prepare for the next Games, or fade into retirement.

By the way, not sure if Olympic swimming trials should be so many months ahead of games.
If it was closer to the Games, they could be fitter and some even could be slimmer too.

Allocating medals according to former results on paper is bit silly too.

Not to mention that humility could be nice, of course from my point of view.


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## waza1960 (31 July 2012)

> Emily Seebohm broke down after getting silver saying she had let her family down




She is my Olympics hero atm she won silver but wanted gold. A pity more athletes didn't have that drive.....
  Too many these days saying: at least I made the final or I'm happy with Bronze 
   or I did my best (anyone who says this very rarely does IMO)


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## MrBurns (31 July 2012)

nomore4s said:


> Bit over the top imo, he still achieved something the majority of athletes/people never achieve by competing at the olympics, so I would hardly call him a loser.




He lost his reputation and made no impact at the games, he shouldn't have been there at all after what he did.

Hitting someone like that is no mistake it's a criminal act that sometimes kills people.

Not only that he declared bankrupcy to avoid paying the civil settlement.

Thats a loser in my book.


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## bellenuit (31 July 2012)

waza1960 said:


> She is my Olympics hero atm she won silver but wanted gold. A pity more athletes didn't have that drive.....
> Too many these days saying: at least I made the final or I'm happy with Bronze
> or I did my best (anyone who says this very rarely does IMO)




I not sure I agree. Everyone wants a gold, but for many just getting there is enough and they have a right to be proud of that achievement. 

I remember last Olympics when some Australian girl (can't remember who) came second in the final achieving a personal best, which happened to be faster than the previous Olympic Record that was also obviously broken by the gold medalist, on exiting the pool area and being interviewed by the crass TV commentator she was first asked: "What went wrong?".  I think she was stunned by the stupidity of the question.


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## waza1960 (31 July 2012)

Well yes I should have added if you did or exceeded your personal best or get out of the pool wasted then just as much credit should be due.


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## MrBurns (31 July 2012)

The low life media has turned a bronze medal into a dirty word.
Great shame, too bad we can't vote them out.


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## waza1960 (31 July 2012)

Reminds me of Duncan Armstrongs Gold Medal swim, he took 5 seconds of his personal best .
 I guess these days he would be under suspicion


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## Gringotts Bank (31 July 2012)

Remember when USSR/Russia always figured in the medals?  No more.


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## Miss Hale (31 July 2012)

Phew! So pleased to see Roberts and  Magnussen through to the semis in their individual event.  I know they talked big and failed to deliver (especially Magnussen) but they all looked so gutted the other night that I wanted to see them redeem themselves somewhat.


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## Julia (31 July 2012)

nomore4s said:


> He made a mistake and paid his dues for it



How did he pay his dues?   He wriggled his way into bankruptcy in order to avoid paying damages to Cowley, whose face or life will never be the same.


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## DB008 (31 July 2012)

waza1960 said:


> Reminds me of Duncan Armstrongs Gold Medal swim, he took 5 seconds of his personal best .
> I guess these days he would be under suspicion




I am a little bit suspicious about the 16 year old Chinese swimmer - Yu Shiwen.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9440248/Ye-Shiwen-16-year-olds-Olympic-swim-impossible-says-coach-John-Leonard.html



> John Leonard, the executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, yesterday compared Ye’s winning performance in the women’s 400m individual medley to Irish swimmer Michelle Smith, who won gold in the same event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics but was banned from swimming for four years in 1998 for tampering with a urine sample. Smith, now De Bruin, always denied using performance enhancing drugs.
> 
> *Ye sent shock waves through her sport on Saturday when she set the first swimming world record of these Olympics, and in doing so swam the final 50m freestyle faster than American swimmer Ryan Lochte managed in his final leg when he won the same race in the men’s event*




Not saying it can't be done, but, l'll a little bit suss.....

Stem Cell cheating, can't be detected as it's your own cells. It's the new black.


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## Julia (31 July 2012)

> Emily Seebohm broke down after getting silver saying she had let her family down



When a young woman, in tears, declares herself a failure for missing the win by a tiny fraction of a second it's time to take a serious look at this whole sporting festival imo.

Some small advance would be served if reporters gave the contestants 20 seconds or so to recover themselves before thrusting a microphone in their faces with an inane question.


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## bellenuit (31 July 2012)

Julia said:


> When a young woman, in tears, declares herself a failure for missing the win by a tiny fraction of a second it's time to take a serious look at this whole sporting festival imo.
> 
> Some small advance would be served if reporters gave the contestants 20 seconds or so to recover themselves before thrusting a microphone in their faces with an inane question.




+1   .


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## MrBurns (31 July 2012)

Julia said:


> When a young woman, in tears, declares herself a failure for missing the win by a tiny fraction of a second it's time to take a serious look at this whole sporting festival imo.
> 
> Some small advance would be served if reporters gave the contestants 20 seconds or so to recover themselves before thrusting a microphone in their faces with an inane question.




+2

The scum media could hardly wait to replay it over and over.........:bad:


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## Logique (31 July 2012)

_It must be so hard for you after having worked so hard_..._you haven't let anyone down_...now we'll shove this camera in your face, 20 seconds after the biggest disappointment of your young life...hurry up I've got a piano to turn upside down later on...


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## Miss Hale (31 July 2012)

Post competing interviews are a bugbear of mine, and it has infiltrated all sports now; olympics, tennis, footy  - everything.  They either give pat answers that are meaningless or they are really intrusive and insensitive like some of the ones we've seen in the last couple of days.  Probably better to dispense with them IMO.  Maybe just a press conference a bit later if anything is needed at all. A little less conversation a little more action I say


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## Logique (31 July 2012)

Julia said:


> How did he pay his dues?   He wriggled his way into bankruptcy in order to avoid paying damages to Cowley, whose face or life will never be the same.



He's the type where Daddy always comes to the rescue. Take one look at him.


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## Tink (1 August 2012)

Yep agree with the media being insensitive, hard enough for them as it is, then having a camera shoved in their face. As one reporter said, their faces are so glassed over taking in what just happened, all abit much, imo

As for D'Arcy, you reap what you sow.


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## nomore4s (1 August 2012)

Julia said:


> How did he pay his dues?   He wriggled his way into bankruptcy in order to avoid paying damages to Cowley, whose face or life will never be the same.




Criminal conviction, missed an Olympics after making the team, missed a world championships, lost any chance at sponsors, which is more then most people pay when convicted of assault. Like it or not that is how our society punishes people for things like assault. By paying his dues I mean penalty, punishment whatever you want to call it.

I'm not saying I agree with what he did or the punishments handed out or the whole bankruptcy thing as I believe he should pay something, all I was saying was I admire that he put his head down and never gave up on his goals and continued to work hard - I don't admire what he did to put himself in the position in the first place.

In a way it probably would have been easier for him to go away and hide and give up on his sporting career or if the AOC had banned him for life. Considering the abuse he has received just on this board I'm sure he cops plenty where ever he goes so I again admire that he is willing to face all that, more then what most cowards who have done similar acts do.


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## tech/a (1 August 2012)

nomore4s said:


> Criminal conviction, missed an Olympics after making the team, missed a world championships, lost any chance at sponsors, which is more then most people pay when convicted of assault. Like it or not that is how our society punishes people for things like assault. By paying his dues I mean penalty, punishment whatever you want to call it.
> 
> I'm not saying I agree with what he did or the punishments handed out or the whole bankruptcy thing as I believe he should pay something, all I was saying was I admire that he put his head down and never gave up on his goals and continued to work hard - I don't admire what he did to put himself in the position in the first place.
> 
> In a way it probably would have been easier for him to go away and hide and give up on his sporting career or if the AOC had banned him for life. Considering the abuse he has received just on this board I'm sure he cops plenty where ever he goes so I again admire that he is willing to face all that, more then what most cowards who have done similar acts do.




4s
While a delicate topic I do agree with your sentiment.
Ive had many a biff and while copping a few and not
looking the prettiest Duck in town never had cause
to even up with the other guy. In fact most have a mutual 
respect for the position taken by each on the day.

What a champion Emily is.

Infact everyone who even strives to reach such levels WIN or Lose are champions
reegardless of field of endeavor.


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## Calliope (1 August 2012)

D'Arcy has a history of previous assaults here on the Sunshine Coast. His father's fat chequebook usually manages to stave off criminal charges. 



> A SECOND athlete has come forward with claims he was bashed by the embattled Olympic swimmer Nick D'Arcy.
> 
> The Queensland ironman Tim Peach told Channel 9 yesterday that he was left with a broken nose and two black eyes after an altercation with D'Arcy outside a bar in Mooloolaba 18 months ago, *but he refused to press charges*.
> 
> ...




http://forums.ski.com.au/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1671122


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## Calliope (1 August 2012)

Bronte Barratt. A bronze medal - but her smile is pure gold.


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## Julia (1 August 2012)

nomore4s said:


> Criminal conviction, missed an Olympics after making the team, missed a world championships, lost any chance at sponsors, which is more then most people pay when convicted of assault. Like it or not that is how our society punishes people for things like assault. By paying his dues I mean penalty, punishment whatever you want to call it.



Imo, those 'punishments' are trifling compared to the damage done to Simon Cowley in terms of pain, disfigurement and loss of work time etc.
The very least d'arcy could have done is pay those quite minimal damages.  What a slap in the face for Simon Cowley to go through what he has and will continue to endure to have D'arcy feign bankruptcy.  He would know it wasn't real.  Daddy's chequebook could have coped with it no problem.



> I'm not saying I agree with what he did or the punishments handed out or the whole bankruptcy thing as I believe he should pay something, all I was saying was I admire that he put his head down and never gave up on his goals and continued to work hard



All that was to further his own life.  Nothing to atone for the hurt he caused another person.
Easy enough to 'put your head down and never give up' when you see your very own shining star as the prize.

I despise Mr D'arcy absolutely.


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## nomore4s (2 August 2012)

Julia said:


> Imo, those 'punishments' are trifling compared to the damage done to Simon Cowley in terms of pain, disfigurement and loss of work time etc.




Julia, I'm not arguing that those punishments were sufficient for his crime, but like it or not that is the punishment our society hands out, and due to his "profession" he had added punishments that most in our society don't. Do I think that was enough? No probably not.



> The very least d'arcy could have done is pay those quite minimal damages.  What a slap in the face for Simon Cowley to go through what he has and will continue to endure to have D'arcy feign bankruptcy.  He would know it wasn't real.  Daddy's chequebook could have coped with it no problem.




I agree he should have paid out. Don't agree about his Dad having to foot the bill though.



> All that was to further his own life.  Nothing to atone for the hurt he caused another person.
> Easy enough to 'put your head down and never give up' when you see your very own shining star as the prize




You can hate people but still admire certain qualities, is all I'm saying.

On another note: What has happened to our swim team? Only 1 gold and no individual gold to date, looks like our golden era in the pool could be over. It is clear other nations have caught and surpassed us.


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## Gringotts Bank (2 August 2012)

What universe are the chinese living in?

*1. *
LONDON – Chinese diver Wu Minxia's celebrations at winning a third Olympic gold medal were cut short after her family revealed the details of a devastating secret they had kept for several years.

Wu's parents decided to withhold news of both the death of her grandparents and of her mother's long battle with breast cancer until after she won the 3-meter springboard in London so as to not interfere with her diving career.

"It was essential to tell this white lie," said her father Wu Yuming.


The story of Wu's family secret has generated huge discussion in China, where the pursuit of success has been chased by the government-backed sports national sports program with unshakeable zeal over the past two decades.

Now there seems to be a backlash against the win-at-all-costs mentality after the revelations about Wu followed fierce criticism from a national newspaper when a 17-year-old weightlifter failed to medal.

In China, athletes are often taken away from their families at a young age and placed in specialist training schools where they practice for hours every day. Wu began training daily at a diving camp at the age of 6. By the time she was 16, she had left home to be installed in a government aquatic sports institute.

She has become one of her sport's all-time greats, but her father says the success has come at a high price to her personal life.

"We accepted a long time ago that she doesn't belong entirely to us," Wu Yuming told the Shanghai Morning Post. "I don't even dare to think about things like enjoying family happiness."


Wu's mother defended the decision to keep her situation private and admitted she only broached the subject of her breast cancer at this point because she is now in remission. Both of Wu's grandparents died more than a year ago, but the diver knew nothing of their passing until this week.

The Chinese government's attitude towards the performances of its athletes is now coming under greater scrutiny than ever before. Messages of congratulations from the government to athletes through the state news agency have been sent only to gold medalists, not those winning silver or bronze.

"It is too narrow to look at the Olympics purely through the prism of medals," said an editorial in the China Business News publication. "It is also about sweat, tears, hardships … peace, freedom, and justice."

However, while China continues to dominate the medal table it is unlikely there will be any significant shift in a system that is regarded with pride within Chinese political circles. 

*2.*
Eight women badminton players have been disqualified from the London Olympics for not trying their hardest to win.

The women from China, Indonesia and South Korea had been charged with "throwing" group stage contests to secure an easier draw through the Olympic tournament.

The eight were charged by the Badminton World Federation for "not using one's best efforts to win a match" and have been disqualified following a disciplinary hearing.

The fiasco triggered the ire of the London Games organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but no player will be expelled from the Games despite the disqualification.

"This is not acceptable," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

"They (federation) have a clause in their rules that athletes have to make their best efforts.

"They are the ones with the expertise and we support them."

The players involved were China's world champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, Indonesia's Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari and two South Korean pairs - Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na, and Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung.

Spectators at the Wembley Arena shouted abuse and jeered at the players as badminton matches descended into farce, with the teams deliberately spraying shots and duffing serves into the net to concede points.

'Depressing'

Games chief Sebastian Coe called the incident "depressing".

"Who wants to sit through something like that?" he said.

"It is unacceptable."

Men's singles champion Lin Dan broke ranks with his Chinese compatriots, saying such tactics were not in the Olympic spirit.

Lin, the world number one and a national hero, also criticised the badminton federation for instituting a system that was ripe for manipulation.

"I think it will definitely bring a negative impact, because all of these fans came to watch this tournament," the 28-year-old said.

"This situation really is not in the Olympic sporting spirit."

*3.*

Then there's the 16 year old Chinese girl who swims faster than the World's best men swimmers.  **** that ****.  Cheats.


----------



## Logique (2 August 2012)

The Australian media coverage in killing the enjoyment of these games for me. 

It's just way over the top, very intrusive and places so much unnecessary pressure on the athletes. Commentators and networks - get off the athletes backs.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (2 August 2012)

Logique said:


> The Australian media coverage in killing the enjoyment of these games for me.
> 
> It's just way over the top, very intrusive and places so much unnecessary pressure on the athletes. Commentators and networks - get off the athletes backs.




If they'd been winning it wouldn't have been an issue.  It's just that there's been a lot of poor performances in the pool and elsewhere.  So it seems intrusive, but really the media just wants to know "what went wrong?".  I think that's ok to ask that question.  It makes good viewing to see Magnussen the Missile reduced to weeping wimp because he couldn't control his fear - he has learned from that, so it's all good.   What's obvious is that the coaches and sports psychs really have not prepared many of the athletes at all well... above the neck, that is.  Below the neck all was good.  There were no contingency plans.  They thought they were going to ride the wave of good vibes all the way to the podium.


----------



## Julia (2 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> So it seems intrusive, but really the media just wants to know "what went wrong?".



I will never be able to comprehend that someone failed because they were one hundredth of a second less fast than another person.  I cannot even imagine that tick of time.

The pursuit of excellence in life is imo largely a worthwhile endeavour.  But I cannot see how it's psychologically reasonable for people to be so judged on such a tiny difference.  Yes, I know someone has to win.  I'm questioning the whole concept of competing for such a fractional difference.  

I also wonder about the whole philosophy of encouraging competitiveness overall.  Obviously it's necessary in the business world, but outside of that, wouldn't we be better pursuing a collaborative approach?
Probably a silly thing to raise on the Olympics thread, but someone might have an idea of what I'm on about?


----------



## DB008 (3 August 2012)

North Korea's Key to Olympic Medals: Refrigerators For Winners, Labor Camps for Losers



> Upon returning home, gold medal athletes like Kim Un-Guk and An Gum-Ae would be rewarded with handsome prize money, an apartment, a car, and additional perks like refrigerators and television sets.
> 
> But most of all, they will be rewarded with a huge jump in social status with the title of "hero" or "people's athlete."
> 
> ...




http://abcnews.go.com/International/north-koreas-key-olympic-medals-rewards-winners-punishment/story?id=16907983#.UBrHa6kSQ5a


----------



## Aussiejeff (3 August 2012)

Is this what Olympic glory is all about? 

R.I.P. Olympic "games"...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...oung-boys-hang-bars.html?ICO=most_read_module

(caution - some may find images in the linked article disturbing) 

 :frown:


----------



## dutchie (3 August 2012)

Aussiejeff said:


> Is this what Olympic glory is all about?
> 
> R.I.P. Olympic "games"...
> 
> ...




+1



The USSR, East Germany, et al used to (still?) use these methods.

Its hard to get enthused about these type of winners. I personally think it detracts from the Olympic spirit and ideals.

One day China might win all the medals and we will all say "boring". Does not even go close to making them superior in fact the complete opposite.


----------



## bullet21 (3 August 2012)

DB008 said:


> North Korea's Key to Olympic Medals: Refrigerators For Winners, Labor Camps for Losers
> 
> 
> 
> http://abcnews.go.com/International/north-koreas-key-olympic-medals-rewards-winners-punishment/story?id=16907983#.UBrHa6kSQ5a




Not a single source in site.


The coverage of the games suck. You would think the only events were swimming and bloody horses. I want to see the Judo and the Weightlifting.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (3 August 2012)

Julia said:


> I also wonder about the whole philosophy of encouraging competitiveness overall.  Obviously it's necessary in the business world, but outside of that, wouldn't we be better pursuing a collaborative approach?
> Probably a silly thing to raise on the Olympics thread, but someone might have an idea of what I'm on about?




Sport could be played purely for the enjoyment, with no score kept.  But human nature demands winners and losers.  "I" have to be better, faster, richer, better looking, more powerful than "you".  That's what life is - "me" versus "you", trying to force other people to revere, admire, ohh-ahh my self.  You can't legislate against the insanity of human nature - no point.   If you don't think the rat race is worth your participation, you can opt out.  I don't mean opt out as in become a bag lady, but just stop trying to impress anyone, and be happy being a nobody.  Good to have a map and a plan for that.  It's not for wimps.

"You buy furniture.  You tell yourself, 'this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life'.  Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled.  Then the right set of dishes.  Then the perfect bed.  The drapes.  The rug.  Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you".  ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 5


----------



## Gringotts Bank (3 August 2012)

I have a go at the Chinese and Koreans, but really, all they are doing is showing us the ugliness that exists dormant in everyone.  You can smother that impulse to dominate, and follow all the rules... but that never seems to work.  All that happens is you feel repressed.  Or you can cheat your way through life, but then you might feel guilty... or worse, maybe there's some sort of karma that may come your way.

The only smart way to do sport is just have as much fun as possible.  Phelps gave a clue to that in his interview after winning his first London medal.


----------



## Julia (3 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> You can smother that impulse to dominate, and follow all the rules... but that never seems to work.  All that happens is you feel repressed.



Yes, and get trampled on.


----------



## Miss Hale (3 August 2012)

bullet21 said:


> The coverage of the games suck. You would think the only events were swimming and bloody horses. I want to see the Judo and the Weightlifting.




You should be in Bangkok.  Heard Zoe Daniel (ABC reporter) on the radio the other day and she is currently based there.  All she is able to see is Judo, Weightlifting and Badminton.


----------



## bullet21 (3 August 2012)

Miss Hale said:


> You should be in Bangkok.  Heard Zoe Daniel (ABC reporter) on the radio the other day and she is currently based there.  All she is able to see is Judo, Weightlifting and Badminton.




Sounds perfect, Badminton aint that grand but I'm sure it beats the crap out of horses running in circles.


----------



## MrBurns (4 August 2012)

Well we're being clean up byt the Kiwis now, all our highly paid sports coaches might have to have their positions reviewed.


----------



## Tink (5 August 2012)

Good on them 

*Golden memories outshine silver for Jones and Coutts*

http://www.theage.com.au/olympics/s...lver-for-jones-and-coutts-20120805-23n8l.html


----------



## Miss Hale (5 August 2012)

Some of the things Leisel Jones has said over the past few days have not sat well with me.  On more than one occasion she has sad that these games were just about having fun with the girls, relaxing and having a good time etc. I didn't expect her to come home with any individual gold medals but she did qualify so deserved her place in the team.  I think it's a bit tactless though to keep saying she just there for the fun of it and not worried about medals.  She also talked about being a mentor and facilitating the changeover to the next generation.  Her focus should have been doing the best she could first and thereby leading by example rather than just being there to have fun and show the younger girls how an Olympic village works. 

I think these games are jinxed for us, you would have thought a couple more of our gold meddle chances would have come off and we haven't had any of those surprise gold medals that you sometimes get either.  I watched Mitchell Watt last night in the Longjump and he too underperformed (by his own standards) and could easily have taken out the gold medal given the scores the other competitors achieved in the final. The whole thing is quite bizarre


----------



## joea (5 August 2012)

There are two articles about our swimmers in the Sunday mail.
One about Ken Woods who opened up his stable to train the Chinese.

Another where Stephanie Rice "urges media blackout".
The media had our swimmers not winning many medals a month out from the games.

In the lead up to the games there was Australian Story on Thorpe, Jones to fat, and Hackett's battle with pills.

Where were the stories on the up and coming swimmers. "NONE".

The media was more interested in talking about "our has been's", rather than the new swimmers
coming through.
It's a sad world all right.
joea


----------



## Tink (6 August 2012)

I say good on her for coming home with a medal, more than some of the others did. 
I think all go with the intention of winning medals, otherwise they woudnt train so hard, and thats what the olympics are about.

Yes, I think we have been jinxed, and I must say, I am surprised. 
Being such a sporting nation, I thought we would have done better.


----------



## MrBurns (6 August 2012)

Bolt
Shows a good big man will beat a good small man
Would be a bit more satisfying if he would at least look out of breath...


----------



## Calliope (6 August 2012)

Australians are still pre-eminent in the drinking stakes. Chad le Clos was lucky Nick D'Arcy wasn't there.



> AUSSIES TEACH SOUTH AFRICAN A LESSON
> 
> Chad le Clos may have taught the Australian swimmers a thing or two in the pool but the Aussies reciprocated with a lesson of their own - drinking.
> 
> ...




http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/l...s-prince-william/story-fn9dheyx-1226443613633


----------



## MrBurns (6 August 2012)




----------



## dutchie (6 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> View attachment 48422




LOL


----------



## Gringotts Bank (6 August 2012)

After a low medal count in Montreal, which I think was about 1974, the Govt increased resources and expenditure on sport in Australia.  From what I've heard, this expenditure increased regularly from that date and then peaked in 2000.  Thereafter expenditure has been in quite a decline, reflected in the medal count.  Not that it bothers me either way, but there's a huge correlation between resource expenditure and medal count.


----------



## Miss Hale (6 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> View attachment 48422




No, no, no,  you've got it all wrong Mr Burns, it's Tony Abbotts fault


----------



## dutchie (6 August 2012)

The number of medals we win is only important to the general public for two weeks every 4 years.


----------



## Calliope (6 August 2012)

Miss Hale said:


> No, no, no,  you've got it all wrong Mr Burns, it's Tony Abbotts fault




Labor's answer to our propensity to run second is to hold...you guessed it...a review. No doubt, the review will be conducted by an "independent panel."



> SPORTS Minister Kate Lundy says a post-Olympics review will examine how Australia can improve its performance in future Games after a less-than-impressive medal haul in London.
> 
> Senator Lundy today denied there was "a crisis in Australian sport" but agreed it was important for review and innovation to take place.




http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...ympic-medal-haul/story-e6frgdg6-1226443787985


----------



## MrBurns (6 August 2012)

Calliope said:


> Labor's answer to our propensity to run second is to hold...you guessed it...a review. No doubt, the review will be conducted by an "independent panel."




Ahh yes a review, the haven of the incompetent


----------



## Happy (6 August 2012)

Money would be better spent on the masses not the elite few.

As mentioned above, general public doesn’t care too much the other 200 or so weeks between Olympic Games.

Money could be better utilised on our bulging population, by trying to encourage all of us to some physical activity!

Not to mention that elite sport is not that healthy for the body anyway.


----------



## Tink (7 August 2012)

Gold! Tom Slingsby secures Australia's first individual gold
They did say this week we should get a few more -- its not over yet 
Good on him.

LOL Mr Burns at that chart


----------



## Logique (7 August 2012)

Ground-breaking research there Burnsie.

Similarly, we see Germany well down the medals list with just 5 golds. This is clearly the result of the country's decision to move away from nuclear power and go back to coal.


----------



## bullet21 (7 August 2012)

Just one more so we can beat New Zealand, isn't that what really matters?


----------



## Sdajii (7 August 2012)

Ah, every four years the world puts up delegates for the international pissing contest, AKA the Olympics. The delegates are a teensy few highly tuned, trained and often illicitly-drugged athletes who perform for the fat masses who use the contest as an excuse to spend even more time than usual sitting on the couch and get even fatter while living vicariously through their country's delegates, as though seeing someone physically elite who has the same (or often, pretends to have the same) nationality as themselves makes them somehow similar. The winners and losers are decided based on subtrivial differences in performance, and egos and economies respond tangibly. To add a bit more comedy, unhealthy fast food and confectionary companies target the morons and convince them to eat even more crap while this is happening! Eat the unhealthy food sold by foreign-owned countries to show your loyalty to Australia and her elite athletes! Wooo!

I watched a lot of one of the Olympic games on telly back in 1988 when I was a primary school kid, because at school they told us we should and I was somehow convinced that it was worth doing. At the end of it I remember realising what a stupid waste of my time it was, and never looked back.

I feel too young to be getting this old and cynical, but crikey, we are a stupid race.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (7 August 2012)

Google home page.

Click play, and post your times for the hurdles.

15.7 sec  I hit one hurdle tho.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (7 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Google home page.
> 
> Click play, and post your times for the hurdles.
> 
> 15.7 sec  I hit one hurdle tho.




If none of you guys compete, I win the ASF/Google hurdling championships by default.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (7 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> If none of you guys compete, I win the ASF/Google hurdling championships by default.




silver medal 13.2 sec


----------



## IFocus (7 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> View attachment 48422




LOL like your work Mr Burns


----------



## Miss Hale (7 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Google home page.
> 
> Click play, and post your times for the hurdles.
> 
> 15.7 sec  I hit one hurdle tho.




Umm, I can't get it  to work properly . How do you make him go faster and jump the hurdles


----------



## dutchie (7 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> silver medal 13.2 sec




Another bloody silver for an Aussie!


----------



## Tink (7 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Google home page.
> 
> Click play, and post your times for the hurdles.
> 
> 15.7 sec  I hit one hurdle tho.




I cant get it to work either. 
I never liked hurdles. long jump was my favourite : )


----------



## Boggo (7 August 2012)

The Irish adding some life to an otherwise potentially boring race 
http://thechive.com/2012/08/07/iris...ner/ZdSV+(theCHIVE)&utm_content=Google+Reader


----------



## Tink (8 August 2012)

More, more. more......

Sally Pearson and Anna Meares - Gold.
Well done to both : )


----------



## Gringotts Bank (8 August 2012)

Miss Hale said:


> Umm, I can't get it  to work properly . How do you make him go faster and jump the hurdles





lol, you had to tap left/right, then use SPACE bar as jump.

New one today, basketball.  

Show us your skills Miss and Tink!

24 - silver again


----------



## Miss Hale (8 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> lol, you had to tap left/right, then use SPACE bar as jump.
> 
> New one today, basketball.
> 
> ...




Oh, I see 

Today's is a bit easier   I got 18, a Bronze medal 

Well done to Anna Meares and Sally Pearson.  All hurdlers have my full respect, I couldn't make it over one hurdle!


----------



## Miss Hale (8 August 2012)

Sdajii said:


> I watched a lot of one of the Olympic games on telly back in 1988 when I was a primary school kid, because at school they told us we should and I was somehow convinced that it was worth doing. At the end of it I remember realising what a stupid waste of my time it was, and never looked back.




The first Olympics I really remember was the 1980 Moscow Olympics.  Have to say it had the opposite effect on me, I've looked forward to them every four years since 

Does anyone else remember that song they had for the Moscow Olympics? "Moscow, Moscow, la la la la la la la, la la la la la la la, oh oh oh ho ho, HEY!!!"


----------



## MrBurns (8 August 2012)

Dont you just love the McDonalds Olympic ad where the father stops the kid watching all the events but then he appears with a gutload of McDonalds poison for the kid and they watch the events together happily.

Good message, elite sports go well with junk food.

What brainless idiot thought of that.


----------



## Logique (8 August 2012)

9 should never again be awarded the broadcast rights. The Wide World of Sports, tabloid sex, lies and videotape. Dated, not to mention obnoxious, and clueless. 

I'm the first to stick the boot into the ABC, but local radio has been the salvation and only recourse for a sports fan. 

The interview with Sally after she won, ok great, but in the background a race flashed past. It was only the Olympic Games 1500m final. Heaven forbid we should see it in real-time.  

You know when I'm going to be heavily pregnant? When hosting the coverage of the once-in-4 years Olympic Games.


----------



## Julia (8 August 2012)

Logique said:


> I'm the first to stick the boot into the ABC, but local radio has been the salvation and only recourse for a sports fan.



While it has been a nightmare for those of us who are deprived of all the programs we usually enjoy.
I'm counting down the days until the whole stupid money wasting event is over.

How must the Brits feel:  the country is broke yet they have spent this massive amount on a two week event.


----------



## sptrawler (8 August 2012)

Logique said:


> 9 should never again be awarded the broadcast rights. The Wide World of Sports, tabloid sex, lies and videotape. Dated, not to mention obnoxious, and clueless.
> .




Well Logique, I think my wife agrees with you. 
I haven't watched much of the telecast, but my better half has recorded it and she isn't happy. She says it is the worst telecast she has watched, if an Australian athlete is knocked out of an event, you don't see the end of the event. Apparently there are endless re runs of Aussie victories, at the expense of current events.

No she is not happy, I have put the ear plugs in .


----------



## doctorj (9 August 2012)

sptrawler said:


> Well Logique, I think my wife agrees with you.
> I haven't watched much of the telecast, but my better half has recorded it and she isn't happy. She says it is the worst telecast she has watched, if an Australian athlete is knocked out of an event, you don't see the end of the event. Apparently there are endless re runs of Aussie victories, at the expense of current events.
> 
> No she is not happy, I have put the ear plugs in .




This is a disgrace and completely misses the point of the Olympics.  Yes, athletes represent their country, but the whole point of the event is that it’s a spectacle of athletic excellence and international peace/cooperation.

I’ve been lucky enough to attend a handful of events and the respect given to participants from all nations from all supporters has been phenomenal and the for me the defining feature of the Olympics.  

My hat goes off to the BBC – they are broadcasting every single event live and in high definition and with the exception of some of the basketball (where they have used a number of Aussies, including Andrew Gaze), the commentary has been about as unbiased as you could hope for.


----------



## Tink (9 August 2012)

Great post doctorj, and exactly what these world events are about, sadly, we arent getting the same coverage here.

Glad to hear you are enjoying them.


----------



## nomore4s (9 August 2012)

Tink said:


> Great post doctorj, and exactly what these world events are about, sadly, we arent getting the same coverage here.
> 
> Glad to hear you are enjoying them.




Foxtel's coverage has been awesome. Haven't had any other channel on (except Fox Footy) for nearly 2 weeks now. 8 channels covering every sport, commentary been good except for the 2 clowns doing the male pole vault qualifying who had absolutely no idea.

Been lots of great moments and stories so far, which I think what the Olympics is all about.


----------



## bullet21 (9 August 2012)

Julia said:


> While it has been a nightmare for those of us who are deprived of all the programs we usually enjoy.
> I'm counting down the days until the whole stupid money wasting event is over.
> 
> How must the Brits feel:  the country is broke yet they have spent this massive amount on a two week event.




This right after they threw the old crow a week long birthday bash. I wonder how long until the place looks like Robespierre's France.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (9 August 2012)

doctorj said:


> it’s a spectacle of athletic excellence and international peace/cooperation.




Exactomundo!  It's great viewing.  To me it's like watching a great dancer or stage performer.  Breath taking at times.  Someone wins, someone loses... big deal.  I mean it's nice for the winners and all, but the art of sport is mesmerizing at times and well worth me tuning in.


----------



## nomore4s (9 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Exactomundo!  It's great viewing.  To me it's like watching a great dancer or stage performer.  Breath taking at times.  Someone wins, someone loses... big deal.  I mean it's nice for the winners and all, but the art of sport is mesmerizing at times and well worth me tuning in.




Seeing heartbreak and joy, finding out the stories behind some of the competitors, seeing moments where athletes console/help/encourage each other, seeing so many countries come together and unite peacefully to compete with little or no political motivation or agenda, this is what the Olympics and sport in general is all about. Also what makes it compelling viewing, although I'm not sure I would have watched as much if I was condemned to only having Ch9 coverage.


----------



## nomore4s (9 August 2012)

Julia said:


> While it has been a nightmare for those of us who are deprived of all the programs we usually enjoy.
> I'm counting down the days until the whole stupid money wasting event is over.
> 
> How must the Brits feel:  the country is broke yet they have spent this massive amount on a two week event.




All well and good to say it's a "stupid money wasting event" because you don't like sport or the Olympics or whatever but imo it is actually one of the great things human kind part-takes in, considering the amount of work, logistics and co-operation from so many countries and cultures that go into putting an event like the Olympics on. With all the misery and wars etc that go on around the world it is good to see so many countries and cultures come together in a peaceful and respectable way, providing many inspirational stories.
You had an earlier post in this thread about "pursuing a collaborative approach", what better example is there of Human kind pursuing a collaborative approach then the Olympics?

I would imagine more Brits are enjoying the event and embracing the whole Olympic spirit and the benefits it brings to their country then moaning about the "stupid money wasting event".

While it costs plenty to put the Olympics on it also generates plenty in terms of tourism, publicity, improvements to infrastructure and national pride.

I find your post somewhat negative and a bit disappointing to tell the truth. The good news is next week it'll be all over and you'll be able to get back to your regular programs.


----------



## Miss Hale (9 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> Dont you just love the McDonalds Olympic ad where the father stops the kid watching all the events but then he appears with a gutload of McDonalds poison for the kid and they watch the events together happily.
> 
> Good message, elite sports go well with junk food.
> 
> What brainless idiot thought of that.




Well McDonalds is one of the team sponsors and there is a Maccas in the athlete's village so make of that what you will.


----------



## Julia (9 August 2012)

nomore4s said:


> All well and good to say it's a "stupid money wasting event" because you don't like sport or the Olympics or whatever but imo it is actually one of the great things human kind part-takes in, considering the amount of work, logistics and co-operation from so many countries and cultures that go into putting an event like the Olympics on. With all the misery and wars etc that go on around the world it is good to see so many countries and cultures come together in a peaceful and respectable way, providing many inspirational stories.
> You had an earlier post in this thread about "pursuing a collaborative approach", what better example is there of Human kind pursuing a collaborative approach then the Olympics?



I understand your point, but to suggest such a hugely competitive event is an example of a collaborative approach is not at all what I had in mind with my previous comment.

I don't especially see that it's collaboration mostly at work - more logistics and financial outlay by whomever is elected to do the organisation.  It's not as if every participating country sends a team of a few hundred workers, all of whom donate their efforts for free in building the infrastructure etc.  That would genuinely be collaboration imo.



> I would imagine more Brits are enjoying the event and embracing the whole Olympic spirit and the benefits it brings to their country then moaning about the "stupid money wasting event".



You might be right.  Neither of us knows. 



> I find your post somewhat negative and a bit disappointing to tell the truth.



That's OK.  I can live with your disappointment.  My sentiments are less about a temporary inconvenience to my own pursuits, and more about what I see as the craziness of people being considered a failure when they miss being the winner by one hundredth of a second.   I cannot even imagine such a measurement.
I'm all for physical fitness and would prefer to see the funds channelled into encouraging sport and phys ed in schools in the hope of establishing lifelong good exercise habits, than have that huge amount of money spent on a small group of impossibly elite athletes whose lives are entirely driven by their sense of competition.


----------



## Gringotts Bank (9 August 2012)

Julia said:


> I'm all for physical fitness and would prefer to see the funds channelled into encouraging sport and phys ed in schools in the hope of establishing lifelong good exercise habits, than have that huge amount of money spent on a small group of impossibly elite athletes whose lives are entirely driven by their sense of competition.




Julia, you're missing the point entirely.  Try watching the men's 200m heats, in particular Bolt.  Now if you can't see beauty in that - the ease of movement, the power - then you're in a bad place.  Kids will get more inspiration to exercise from watching that than they will having a sad government-sponsored exercise program instituted at their school.

You're making a huge assumption that every athlete is hell bent on gold.  Some just love the feel of the sport - the feel of the track beneath their feet, the feel of gliding through the water, the thrill of just exercising their talent.

I'd like to make a suggestion: Julia I want you to take up pole dancing classes, get the body moving, free the mind, let your hair down a bit and enjoy the feel of it!  Your perspective will change.


----------



## Miss Hale (9 August 2012)

Julia said:


> My sentiments are less about a temporary inconvenience to my own pursuits, and more about what I see as the craziness of people being considered a failure when they miss being the winner by one hundredth of a second.   I cannot even imagine such a measurement.




It's all about expectation though isn't it?  The people that missed by 1/100th of a second (and I assume you mean Seebohm and Magnassen) had an expectation to win Gold so of course they are going to be dissapointed and in some ways it's more cruel to be beaten by the tiniest of margins that be thrashed.  It's like the AFL Grand Final; you won't see any team that loses that by one point dancing around excitedly because they came second.  

On the other hand if you go into the Olympics just hoping to make the final and do a PB and snatch a Bronze medal you would be ecstatic! 

I was surprised to see Mitchell Watt have a crack at the media the other day, I thought he was one of the most underwhelmed Silver medal winners I'd ever seen.  This didn't surprise me though, he had a realistic expectation to win Gold and he didn't, and yet he then criticised the media for not being happy with Silver medals; methinks he doth protest too much 

Having said all that,  think the people who have been dissapointed with their results have been in the minority.  Most competitors I have seen have been stoked to even make a final, unfortunately the media focuses on the unhappy ones because it makes better copy.


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## Tink (9 August 2012)

If they didnt have the Olympics, who are they going to inspire to?
We used to have teams set up under their names.

No surprise, I love sports and events


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## joea (9 August 2012)

http://library.thinkquest.org/20622/olympic1.htm

First . To understand the Olympics you need to read the above.
Next I hear there is to be an inquiry into the bureaucracy  controlling of some of the sports and why 
we did not go so well in swimming. 

Well this is what I found.
When the Americans do their trials, they simply pick the team(swimming).
One week from the Games the swimmers are selected for their positions and events.

In Australia( where all the smart people control sport), we select our competitors at the trials,
and that's it. So if a swimmer swims him/herself out of form, they still have the spot they were 
originally picked for.
HELLO AUSTRALIA. Why try! You have got your swim.
Secondly I find that we have a new beaut intensive training scheme.
We do not do what we used to do to get results.
Australia has come up with a brand new scheme.

Sounds like Fair Work Australia and Williamson are running sports as well.
You just could not stuff up this bad accidentally, it has to be deliberate.

joea


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## numbercruncher (9 August 2012)

Go K4 !!


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## doctorj (9 August 2012)

nomore4s said:


> I would imagine more Brits are enjoying the event and embracing the whole Olympic spirit and the benefits it brings to their country then moaning about the "stupid money wasting event".



Absolutely.  The Brits are usually a dour lot, but this event has been fantastic for the country.  People have come together and for the first time that I’ve seen really been proud to be British and proud to put their country on exhibition to the world.  The experience has been amazing – Olympic fever has really taken hold!



Gringotts Bank said:


> You're making a huge assumption that every athlete is hell bent on gold. Some just love the feel of the sport - the feel of the track beneath their feet, the feel of gliding through the water, the thrill of just exercising their talent.




I was fortunate enough to sit amongst a group of athletes from all sorts of countries during the Boomers game last night. Many said that they were just proud to be there to represent their country/family/friends/coaches.

I wasn’t interested in the Olympics at all until a couple of days before it kicked off.  The vibe of the city is infectious!  I’ve met a number of people around the venues that save up to attend each Olympics (one old guy had attended 8 Olympics!!) just as a spectator so they can be part of it in their small way and my first thought they were crazy, but now I can really appreciate it.  It’s an unbelievable human achievement!


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## Julia (9 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Julia, you're missing the point entirely.  Try watching the men's 200m heats, in particular Bolt.  Now if you can't see beauty in that - the ease of movement, the power - then you're in a bad place.  Kids will get more inspiration to exercise from watching that than they will having a sad government-sponsored exercise program instituted at their school.



I'm happy for you to have that opinion, and yes of course watching someone like Bolt is inspiring.  Perhaps I'm cynical about humanity, however, because I don't believe all the fat Australians lounging on their couches watching in awe will actually be inspired to emulate him at all.  Yes, there's much rah rah while the Olympics are on, but as soon as it finishes people go back to thinking about their mortgages and the drabness of their marriages.




> You're making a huge assumption that every athlete is hell bent on gold.  Some just love the feel of the sport - the feel of the track beneath their feet, the feel of gliding through the water, the thrill of just exercising their talent.



So?   The whole thing is about competing, not about 'loving the feel of the water'.  I swim every day and love the feel of the water also but that's nothing to do with competing.



> I'd like to make a suggestion: Julia I want you to take up pole dancing classes, get the body moving, free the mind, let your hair down a bit and enjoy the feel of it!  Your perspective will change.



What an assumption you're making!  So presumptuous of you.    How do you know I don't already engage in pole dancing ?   I don't, as it happens, though I did do various forms of dance from childhood to quite recently.

I spend two to three hours daily swimming, jogging, walking and highly value the benefits of physical exercise whatever form it takes.  So get off your high horse and stop making assumptions about people you know little about.

I won't ask you what you actually do other than admire those elite specimens you refer to.

PS  I'm curious as to why I'm being attacked for my anti-Olympic views whilst others, much more caustic in their expression of distaste, have their posts ignored?

PPS  If I had a vote about the Olympics it would be that they would always be held in Greece.  This would mean just one bunch of infrastructure and an end to all the bribery and corruption that occurs in the process of competing for hosting the games.


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## sptrawler (9 August 2012)

doctorj said:


> This is a disgrace and completely misses the point of the Olympics.  Yes, athletes represent their country, but the whole point of the event is that it’s a spectacle of athletic excellence and international peace/cooperation.
> 
> I’ve been lucky enough to attend a handful of events and the respect given to participants from all nations from all supporters has been phenomenal and the for me the defining feature of the Olympics.
> 
> My hat goes off to the BBC – they are broadcasting every single event live and in high definition and with the exception of some of the basketball (where they have used a number of Aussies, including Andrew Gaze), the commentary has been about as unbiased as you could hope for.




Well doctor, the BBC mght be doing a fabulous job, but channel 9 aren't. So pull your head in.

Not everyone has the money to afford cable t.v let alone go and watch the events, as you obviously have had the opportunity to do.
The free to air coverage in Aus has been crap.
By the way were you in the multipod event?


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## doctorj (9 August 2012)

sptrawler said:


> Well doctor, the BBC mght be doing a fabulous job, but channel 9 aren't. So pull your head in.



The point was to demonstrate what was possible for a free-to-air network to achieve.


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## Sean K (9 August 2012)

sptrawler said:


> Well doctor, the BBC mght be doing a fabulous job, but channel 9 aren't. So pull your head in.
> 
> Not everyone has the money to afford cable t.v let alone go and watch the events, as you obviously have had the opportunity to do.
> The free to air coverage in Aus has been crap.
> By the way were you in the multipod event?



No need to go so defensive sptrawler. I've been listening to some great radio commentary recently. There are plenty of means to tune into these games. 

Wish I wish in London to take up some of those seats!!


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## sptrawler (9 August 2012)

kennas said:


> No need to go so defensive sptrawler. I've been listening to some great radio commentary recently. There are plenty of means to tune into these games.
> 
> Wish I wish in London to take up some of those seats!!





Yes, maybe I misinterpreted "that is a disgrace" as refering to my post. It might be possible my sensitive side was breaking through. The fact still remains chanel 9 coverage has been really average.

By the way kennas, wish I wish in London also.LOL


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## doctorj (9 August 2012)

sptrawler said:


> Yes, maybe I misinterpreted "that is a disgrace" as refering to my post. It might be possible my sensitive side was breaking through. The fact still remains chanel 9 coverage has been really average.
> 
> By the way kennas, wish I wish in London also.LOL



Twas in reference to Channel 9 and in support of your wife!

In other news, good to see Australia up to 6 golds with a good chance of another in the hockey and a slight hope for the Opals!


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## Logique (10 August 2012)

doctorj said:


> The point was to demonstrate what was possible for a free-to-air network to achieve.



Very envious of the superior fta coverage being enjoyed over there doctorj.  

Amazing athleticism and grace at the games, how impressive were runners like Bolt, Felix, and Rudisha. Then cut to the rhythmic gymnasts, they're tossing hoops 5m in the air and catching them perfectly, having performed a pirouette and double somersault in the meantime. It's breathtaking at times.  

That is, when you get to see it, "..coming up soon..",  "..not far away..".


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## Gringotts Bank (10 August 2012)

Julia said:


> I'm happy for you to have that opinion, and yes of course watching someone like Bolt is inspiring.  Perhaps I'm cynical about humanity, however, because I don't believe all the fat Australians lounging on their couches watching in awe will actually be inspired to emulate him at all.  Yes, there's much rah rah while the Olympics are on, but as soon as it finishes people go back to thinking about their mortgages and the drabness of their marriages.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Sorry Julia.    Your post sounded like you were missing an appreciation of what was happening at the Olympics.  If there was a high horse event I'd probably be quite good at it... something for _me_ to reign in, for sure.


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## Julia (10 August 2012)

Gringotts Bank said:


> Sorry Julia.    Your post sounded like you were missing an appreciation of what was happening at the Olympics.  If there was a high horse event I'd probably be quite good at it... something for _me_ to reign in, for sure.




 All good. GB.


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## Miss Hale (10 August 2012)

numbercruncher said:


> Go K4 !!




And we have our 'surpise' gold medal :jump:

Shame that the Kookaburras didn't win their semi-final though :crap:


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## Tink (10 August 2012)

Yes, great to see, 6 gold.

Have to agree, Logique, those gymnasts are wonderful to watch, bodies like an elastic band, just amazing, and so graceful.


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## ColB (10 August 2012)

Did anyone see the female athlete running in the heats of the 800metre event wearing a burqua and fully clothed??   I think she was the first female track and field athlete from Saudi Arabia to compete in the Olympics.  

It was disgusting to watch, not because of her burqua, but because of her s**t poor performance.  She ran something like 2 min 45 sec and should not even have been allowed to compete with such a pedestrian time.


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## Ferret (10 August 2012)

Another gold for the sailors.  Just awesome!


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## IFocus (10 August 2012)

Personally will be crushed when the Olympics end I have enjoyed these just like every other that I can remember.

Very little compares to the physical, mental, heights that the athletes achieve during the games.

At this level the emotion, passion and drama is just electric.


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## So_Cynical (11 August 2012)

Its time to move the Olympics to a once every 3 years format....the world is a smaller place in so many ways.


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## wayneL (11 August 2012)

joea said:


> http://library.thinkquest.org/20622/olympic1.htm
> 
> First . To understand the Olympics you need to read the above.
> Next I hear there is to be an inquiry into the bureaucracy  controlling of some of the sports and why
> ...




Yes something has gone amiss in Oz sports administration. I remember the schmozzle of the cycling a few years ago... and in the sports I'm interested in (equestrian), it is about as poisonous a scenario as you can imagine with wealth and/or political power being the first order selection criteria. 

Hence the appalling results in that group of sports.

Aussies are great sportspeople and great things happen when they are supported properly, but in parallel with wider society, bureaucracy is choking off performance (IMO)



doctorj said:


> Absolutely.  The Brits are usually a dour lot, but this event has been fantastic for the country.  People have come together and for the first time that I’ve seen really been proud to be British and proud to put their country on exhibition to the world.  The experience has been amazing – Olympic fever has really taken hold!




I have some thoughts on politics on the reason for British dourness (which I'll refrain from posting as it is OT), but what you are seeing is what Brits can be like in a positive environment, and how Britain could be sport-wise, if the over system was a bit different IMO.



ColB said:


> Did anyone see the female athlete running in the heats of the 800metre event wearing a burqua and fully clothed??   I think she was the first female track and field athlete from Saudi Arabia to compete in the Olympics.
> 
> It was disgusting to watch, not because of her burqua, but because of her s**t poor performance.  She ran something like 2 min 45 sec and should not even have been allowed to compete with such a pedestrian time.




Funny, I heard a lady on the radio who said she was reduced to tears with joy at the same spectacle. As for me, I can see some 'potential' positives.


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## Logique (11 August 2012)

'Unacceptable': coach blasts Nine's sailing snub
Date: August 11, 2012



> Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/news...ailing-snub-20120811-240jy.html#ixzz23BEhVqpT
> 
> Australian sailing's coach says it was "unacceptable" for Channel Nine to prematurely switch away from its live Olympic broadcast of the men's 470 class medal race before it was won by Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page..
> 
> ..Page voiced his disappointment, as did many Twitter users, after learning of Nine's decision to switch away from the sailing in the closing stages of the race and instead show a replay of the finish. And Kovalenko was also quick to make his views public.


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## MrBurns (11 August 2012)

So_Cynical said:


> Its time to move the Olympics to a once every 3 years format....the world is a smaller place in so many ways.




Yes 4 years is a long time, but the cost organisation etc etc...........


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## joea (11 August 2012)

If Sally does not wave the Australian flag on the closing of the games, I will be not be happy.
That is Australian grit, but Mears is an Australian icon.
But lest get it into perspective and go with the future.
History looks after the past!!

joea


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## bellenuit (11 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> Yes 4 years is a long time, but the cost organisation etc etc...........




..... and every 12 years it would be on the same year as the World Cup. Too much in one year.


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## joea (11 August 2012)

MrBurns said:


> Yes 4 years is a long time, but the cost organisation etc etc...........




The world championships integrate with the Olympics.
The Olympics are the "money" medals.
That is modern society.
Sports is media entertainment for billions.
joea


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## Tink (12 August 2012)

Malcolm Page has been named as Australia's flag bearer for the closing ceremony.


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## drsmith (12 August 2012)

I hope the coverage of the Marathon tonight isn't interrupted too much by other (cough) sports such as under 8's marbles.


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## So_Cynical (12 August 2012)

bellenuit said:


> ..... and every 12 years it would be on the same year as the World Cup. Too much in one year.



 World cup/s should switch to...Soccer, Rugby, Olympics, cricket.

Its not that hard to manage 2 major sporting events in one year.


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## doctorj (12 August 2012)

It's worth noting here that Australia's Michael Aylen has been selected to referee the Men's Basketball gold medal game.  It probably won't get too many headlines, but it is an absolutely fantastic achievement!

Few appreciate how competitive officiating at the top level is. Well done Michael for reaching the pinnacle of your profession!


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## JTLP (13 August 2012)

doctorj said:


> It's worth noting here that Australia's Michael Aylen has been selected to referee the Men's Basketball gold medal game.  It probably won't get too many headlines, but it is an absolutely fantastic achievement!
> 
> Few appreciate how competitive officiating at the top level is. Well done Michael for reaching the pinnacle of your profession!




Yes good on him - I was watching the game and that referee with the bald patch was just too over the top - calling every little foul and put the Spainards in real trouble early on.


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## wayneL (13 August 2012)

Perhaps I'm a bit of a dreamer, but got goose-bumps when they did Lennon's 'Imagine'.


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## doctorj (13 August 2012)

JTLP said:


> Yes good on him - I was watching the game and that referee with the bald patch was just too over the top - calling every little foul and put the Spainards in real trouble early on.




The Spanish played so well and the atmosphere was the best of the whole tournament.  The referees were very soft all tournament sadly, particularly with calling fouls off the ball that no one else on the entire planet could see.  A real shame, but at least they allowed the game to flow a little more than the Aus vs USA game on Wednesday which was a farce!  Well done to Spain for really pushing the yanks for a full four quarters!!


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## IFocus (13 August 2012)

doctorj said:


> It's worth noting here that Australia's Michael Aylen has been selected to referee the Men's Basketball gold medal game.  It probably won't get too many headlines, but it is an absolutely fantastic achievement!
> 
> Few appreciate how competitive officiating at the top level is. Well done Michael for reaching the pinnacle of your profession!





Got a mention a few times over here great achievement


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## Tink (13 August 2012)

Yes it is a great achievement, good on him.

Thoroughly enjoyed the opening and closing ceremony, absolutely beautiful, well done to the Brits : )


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## Logique (14 August 2012)

So it's off to Rio. First for the World Cup, mercifully I expect, to be covered by SBS, and afterwards the Olympics, please not Nine again, oh the humanity. 

Apparently Usain Bolt was the only track athlete in the program. Rudisha, who?, Felix, who? Farah, who?  We'll just have to wait for a British or US sourced highlights package.  And our best and most knowledgeable commentator  withering away at winter footy grounds, with the flu. I'd be feeling ill too Bruce.

Personally, I never want to see another platform diving or water polo event in my life. It kept interrupting the ads.


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## MrBurns (15 August 2012)

Was good to see the athletes plane pull into the hanger and them start to emerge to waiting families...........well it was until Gingerella lumbered up the stairs for the photo op.


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