London Olympics

[Gringotts Bank]

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]

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.

 

[Tink]

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

 

[joea]

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

 

[numbercruncher]

Go K4 !!

 

[doctorj]

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!

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!

 

[Julia]

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.

 

[sptrawler]

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?

 

[doctorj]

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.

 

[Sean K]

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!!

 

[sptrawler]

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

 

[doctorj]

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!

 

[Logique]

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..".

 

[Gringotts Bank]

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.



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.


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.

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.

 

[Julia]

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.

 

[Miss Hale]

Go K4 !!

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

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

 

[Tink]

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.

 

[ColB]

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.

 

[Ferret]

Another gold for the sailors. Just awesome!

 

[IFocus]

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.