Olympics - Political Thread

[JagFarlane]

Due to the fact that I've already seen a few political statements in the Olympics threads, I created this one for everyone whom wishes to make those statements. I don't know about some of you, but I for one, have grown quite tired of threads meant for fun, ruined with lots of political statements.
If you wish to make a statement in that regard, please post it here, and allow those of us whom merely wish to marvel at the skills [and outstanding looks, yum Kerri Walsh] of these athletes to enjoy such in a thread without having our fun interrupted with those views.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Anna_Malia75]

[and outstanding looks, yum Kerri Walsh]

Misty May

 

[rgraham666]

My opinion of the Olympics is summed up by my favorite writer.

The Greek games began in 776BC as a competition among amateur athletes from different city-states. The purpose was to bring the cities of the rival cities together in an apolitical gathering, which would reduce squabbling and develop a larger sense of community.

The rising merchant class in those cities subsequently inverted their purpose by introducing the idea of city rivalry into the games. The city-states then began subsidizing their athletes indirectly and often invisibly. The amateur athletes were soon living a parody of amateurism. They had careers and future income riding on the competition. Winners became heroes, that is political heroes. They were fed at the cost of the state for the rest of their lives.

Subtle corruption soon gave way to rank dishonesty. Athletes were eventually bribed to lose. In AD 394 the games were abolished because they had become a parody of the amateur idea, a focus of corruption and a source of political rivalry.

The Olympic Games were re-established in 1896 as a competition among amateur athletes. One of the purposes was to bring citizens of rival countries together in an apolitical gathering. What the Greeks managed to do in 1,170 years we have done in less than 100.

John Ralston Saul - The Doubter's Companion

 

[keeblercrumb]

Dreams of Polina

I appreciate this thread established for just this purpose....

I enjoy sports... I even enjoy cheering for the home team.... But I really grow weary already of all the "medal count" crap..... as if it proves anything about anything..... What possible significance can it have?

I love it when some small country has even one medal winner.... I would rather see THAT victory celebrated than seeing how the US vs. China vs. Russia works out.......

I would also really like seeing all the unusual and rarely displayed sports which make up the games... even if there is not an American competing in it.......

And thanks again for this thread!!!

-KC

 

[matriarch]

As far as I'm concerned, as long as any competitor performs better than they ever have before, even if they don't qualify for a medal, in my eyes, they're winners.

 

[matriarch]

I appreciate this thread established for just this purpose....

I enjoy sports... I even enjoy cheering for the home team.... But I really grow weary already of all the "medal count" crap..... as if it proves anything about anything..... What possible significance can it have?

I love it when some small country has even one medal winner.... I would rather see THAT victory celebrated than seeing how the US vs. China vs. Russia works out.......

I would also really like seeing all the unusual and rarely displayed sports which make up the games... even if there is not an American competing in it.......

And thanks again for this thread!!!

-KC

Indeed, which is why we're revelling in archery at the moment, but I'd love to see them all performing with a good old fashioned bow without all the weights and balances and viewers......that said, it makes a change from gymnastics and swimming, which is what we're being bombarded with at the moment.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

JAG

Back to your thesis....

I think youre right to create whatever thread you want, I think youre right to want whatever in hell you want, but you dont get to decide what others post. Your thesis presumes that YOU know what's going on.

 

[colddiesel]

Who remembers Anthony Newly winning gold for Surinam?

 

[only_more_so]

Alright, is anyone else getting sick of the political ads during the commercial breaks?

 

[rgraham666]

Alright, is anyone else getting sick of the political ads during the commercial breaks?

Not me because I'm not watching.

 

[Emperor_Nero]

Alright, is anyone else getting sick of the political ads during the commercial breaks?

Not so much politcal ads as a whole -- the problem is that (at least here) it seems to be the same John McCain ad over and over and over and ...

 

[desertslave]

Alright, is anyone else getting sick of the political ads during the commercial breaks?

YES!!!!

Thanks for creating this thread. I'm one of those silly people who believe the Olympics shouldn't be about politics in any way. I know it happens, I know why, but I still think it's wrong.

Back to watching the soggy beach volleyball. Yuck!

 

[R. Richard]

OK, perhaps the most successful Olympic track and field athlete in modern history [since 1896] was an American who won eight [or 10, depending on how you count] gold medals and never finished lower than first in any of his events. Who was this Olympian?

 

[only_more_so]

OK, perhaps the most successful Olympic track and field athlete in modern history [since 1896] was an American who won eight [or 10, depending on how you count] gold medals and never finished lower than first in any of his events. Who was this Olympian?

ray ewry

 

[R. Richard]

ray ewry

Outstanding!

 

[only_more_so]

What two olympians won gold medals in the same event in 4 consecutive olympics?

 

[R. Richard]

What two olympians won gold medals in the same event in 4 consecutive olympics?

Al Oerter and Ray Ewry.

 

[only_more_so]

Al Oerter and Ray Ewry.

Well, it depends on if you count the intercalced games (which I wasn't). Although the man who did it, was also for jumping, even though he was more famous for running.

 

[R. Richard]

Well, it depends on if you count the intercalced games (which I wasn't). Although the man who did it, was also for jumping, even though he was more famous for running.

OK then, Carl Lewis.

 

[only_more_so]

Speaking of politics at the olympics...

Last year I went on a cruise and participated in (and won) the belly flop contest. Anyway, the cruise director who was "counting" the score polled the crowd and yelled out the votes (1 to 5 fingers). The funny thing, and why it's appropriate here, was when he'd say, "and a two from the Russian Judge."

I remember when that was a common phrase. Although it has fallen out of usage. So I think the next time I get a mysterious "1" on an otherwise "Hot" story, instead of saying it was a troll, I will say it was from the Russian judge.

Damn communist trolls!

 

[colddiesel]

OK then, Carl Lewis.

To my mind Al Oerter stands alone because Carl Lewis failed 3 separate drugs tests before the 1988 Olympics and the US athletics authorities then let him off so that he could compete.
However the following athletes won gold at different events in at least 5 Olympics.

1 Aladar Gerevich the only man to do so at 6.
2 Steve Redgrave
3 Pal Kovacs
4 Reiner Klimke
5 Birgit Fischer

I suspect it is more difficult for many Americans to achieve this because the American trials in many events would be stronger than the Olympics. It irritates me slightly that the Olympic finals do not contain the best athletes but only the best 2 from each country.