Summer Olympics

[Lasher]

Knowing in my heart that I can jump very far and run very fast, that's what motivates me.

I just read that quote in an article about the US Olympic trials that have been going on this weekend (Did anyone know they were going on this weekend??). You can only imagine how I've been inspired to greatness of my own after reading such heart-felt words. Someone should put that on a T-Shirt....

Anyways, my question is, other than the usual nationalistic chest-thumping that accompanies international athletic competition, does anyone really care about the Olympics??

It seems to me that the soul went out of these events not too long after someone as unathletic looking as Bruce Jenner was proclaimed the world's greatest athlete, although it may have remained long enough to provide the juxtapostion between The Miracle on Ice and The Dream Team...

But, really, does anyone care now??

 

[Nicole]

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

You did this on purpose didn't you Lasher???

If I hear one more fucking thing about the Fucking Olympics I WILL run from the room screaming.

I am sick and tired of hearing how great the Olympics are. We happen to be hosting the next Olympics, as you are all probably aware.

Our hospitals are going down the drain, our education is going down the drain. All our money seems to be going into the Olympics, now don't get me wrong, I know full well that these athlete's have every right to show off their power and ability, but why should a Nation go down the drain for a sports event. Basically that is all the Olympics are, "A Sports Event" Okay it's a big event but an event all the same.

Anyway that is just my point of view.

So Lasher NO I don't care at all.

[Edited by Nicole on 07-16-2000 at 05:04 PM]

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Yes.... esp if Australia beats the US in the swimming this year..... and any chance to see Penny Heynes is good.

Having said that I am in OZ and not going, but I will be sitting in my beanbag on the couch for those two weeks watching avidly.


Da chef

 

[RavenCat]

Personally, I could care less about the Olympics. I don't get the whole nationalistic chest-thumping thing that Lasher mentions nor do I really care about who wins. I never have.

Give me a good race for the Triple Crown. Now *that* I can get into.

To each his or her own.

 

[Oliver Clozoff]

I can't speak for anyone else on this subject, but I thought the TV coverage of the Atlanta games was unbearably bad. Instead of showing us the actual competitions, we were treated to hours of sappy human interest pieces on every single athlete who "overcame adversity" to win the gold, take home a medal, finish the race, etc.

I don't mean to diminish the efforts of these athletes. Kerri Strug's famous perfect vault on an injured leg is truly one of the most remarkable and inspiring moments I've witnessed in sports. But does it need to be made into one sickenly maudlin John Tesh story after another?

And I know the coverage was directed at Americans, and thus we'd want to see our own athletes compete, but from watching TV I don't remember seeing athletes from any other countries shown unless they were leading in some event.

Like with so many other things, I think the root of all these problems is money: ratings, ratings, ratings.

 

[Jade]

Go Michael go Michael go! (sorry but the guy really does rock...)


Okay, anyway... about Atlanta, I just wanted to let everyone know that a close friend of mine lived there at the time and that in preparation for the games, they kicked out literally hundreds of homeless people from the streets b/c they didn't want anyone to get a bad impression of the city. These people had been living there most of their lives (some of them anyway) and suddenly were kicked out b/c they were an embarrassment.

Just thought I would point that out... (no offense to the um.. "Georgians" on the BB.

 

[Mensa]

This I gotta see

Most everyone gets fed up with the Olympics, but when they start, most of us will watch. I just hope their opening and closing ceremonies are an improvement over what we've had to endure of late.

Should also be interesting to see if the visiting athletes act as strange as the rest of the Aussies after spending so much time upside down! LOL

 

[Bigdog]

Since you asked...

I knew the US Olympic Track and Field Trials started this weekend because my city (Sacramento) is hosting them. Having always enjoyed the Summer Olympic events, this has been a bit of a kick in the ass. Too bad the TV coverage is so shitty.

I have to agree with Lasher on the lack of soul. I remember as a kid being enthralled with the decathalon and the ultimate victory of Bruce Jenner. Back then the coverage was almost round-the-clock, an event was televised when it was run and not prime-time only. Now we get an edited, sanitized version which is mostly comprised of American success stories and flashy soundbites worthy of a Nike commercial. While the media is the main culprit in the decline of the Olympic spirit, other sports competitions gaining prestige certainly has also had an effect. Most of the current world records in track and field were set at competitions other than the Olympics. The same can be said for many other sports as well.

My enjoyment of the Olympics is less about patriotism and "go USA", more about the chance for someone to realize a dream by representing their country and showing the world for just a moment how good they are at what they do. It's a chance for just one person to be "best of the best", a showcase for (usually) young talent. Frankly, a man running the length of a football field in under 10 seconds amazes me every time!

 

[SeXy ReDHeD]

Honestly, I could care less about the Olympics, and am actually dreading the network coverage...

"<<ENTER STATION NAME HERE>> interrupts this regularly scheduled program to bring you our EXCLUSIVE coverage of the Olympic games. NOBODY ELSE brings you the Olympic games like
<<ENTER STATION NAME HERE>>. Only <<ENTER STATION NAME HERE>>'s SPECIAL, EXCLUSIVE technology brings you the Olympic games like <<ENTER STATION NAME HERE>>."

 

[Lasher]

It's a chance for just one person to be "best of the best", a showcase for (usually) young talent.

You brought up another point I meant to address, Bigdog.

Does it bother anyone else that in certain events, particularly women's gymnastics and figure skating, that young girls are exploited simply because their lack of physical development allows them to excel in these events. Should it be any child's dream to give up their youth in pursuit of an Olympic medal - and perhaps a chance to perform in IceCapades?? And what about the parents that encourage, and even force this kind of lifestyle upon their children? Is anyone else sickened by this?

 

[SeXy ReDHeD]

To answer you, Lasher,

I am not disgusted at all.
When I was young, I was a ballerina. I practiced ballet from the ages of 3 to 12 years old. All I wanted to do was ballet... practice, practice, practice...all day every day. I wanted to be the best. It only ended because my mom lost her job and we couldn't afford it anymore, otherwise I'm sure I would still be doing it today.

And I think that that's how these young girls are. They love what they do, and are ambitious. They want to be the best.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the parents' role in these girls's successes, though. I'm sure some are a bit too pushy or whatever, but I think for the most part they just want their children to be happy.

 

[DeLaine]

I love the Olympics! I prefer the Winter Olympics but I'll take whatever I can get. I even love the goofy opening and closing ceremonies--the more outlandish and overdone, the better.

My favorite is the women's gymnastics, but I think they're adding ballroom dancing this year. Yay! The next best thing to figure skating. I'll be in my glory.

 

[Sonora]

"Does it bother anyone else that in certain events, particularly women's gymnastics and figure skating, that young girls are exploited simply because their lack of physical development allows them to excel in these events. Should it be any child's dream to give up their youth in pursuit of an Olympic medal - and perhaps a chance to perform in IceCapades?? And what about the parents that encourage, and even force this kind of lifestyle upon their children? Is anyone else sickened by this?"

I doubt that this is no different than the parents that drag their little boy outside in the rain and snow to field grounders, etc. The only thing is that we see the girls perform at their peak (16-17) before we see the boys perform at their peak (20-28).

I enjoy the Olympics (well most of them-can do w/o the 'dream team'). Most of the athletes that participate are not everyday names, nor are thier sports. I love watching the competitions that I don't see on TV every weekend. (Which probably accounts for my dislike of the 'dream team'. To me the Olympics are for amature/unknown athletes, not the everyday pros.) I love the boating events, the bicycle persuit races, the rifle/archery competitions, softball, even the weightlifting and wrestling.

I don't think that Bruce Jenner has spoiled the Olympics as much as the fact that there are sports on TV everyday. WE've just had two weeks of the Tour de France. How many people want to watch bicycling again so soon?

I remember staying up way past my bedtime to watch Dorothy Hammel win the gold. I agree that the Olympics used to be 'more special' than they seem today. I think that they were a 'once-every-four-years-chance'. Now there are competions every other weekend, but I still love the ideal that the Olympics represents.

 

[Jade]

It's a chance for just one person to be "best of the best", a showcase for (usually) young talent.

You brought up another point I meant to address, Bigdog.

Does it bother anyone else that in certain events, particularly women's gymnastics and figure skating, that young girls are exploited simply because their lack of physical development allows them to excel in these events. Should it be any child's dream to give up their youth in pursuit of an Olympic medal - and perhaps a chance to perform in IceCapades?? And what about the parents that encourage, and even force this kind of lifestyle upon their children? Is anyone else sickened by this?

Lasher,

It bothers the hell out of me!

Sonora, you are right, parents do that with their kids in a lot of sports and then the kids are "heros".

Yep, the price for fame....

 

[Expertise]

The Olympics blow. However they aren't as infuriating as they used to be when the Eastern Bloc countries sent their "amatuer" athletes.

Yes I am sure comrade Gretzkyanov is a Colonel of infantry and only plays hockey for fun when he gets leave from Afghanistan.

The thing that pisses me off most besides the for the most part boring sports in the summer olympiad is the doping aspect. Either lets let athletes deystroy the long term health of their bodies while creating unequaled performance and horse testicles or lets ban them for life and their counties from an olympiad or two.

And don't even get me started on the whole IOC scandal. Samaranh should have been hung by his scrotum from a torch
bearer using piano wire.

 

[Expertise]

And before anyone starts in on the Ben Johnson thing. I think he should have been "Samaranched" (see above post) too.

 

[chert]

who gets to play?

During the national competition mentality with the East, I thought it was a good idea to let our pro's in. Now, I think their participation has really lessened the excitement. And ya, I think the Olympics could be exciting if we got to see all of the events instead of what some TV produce thinks we ought to see. Sometimes, the jumping from event to event makes me feel even more drifty than I am.

 

[*Eve*]

Re: Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

You did this on purpose didn't you Lasher???

If I hear one more fucking thing about the Fucking Olympics I WILL run from the room screaming.

Ummm....but tell us how you really feel.

 

[Nicole]

LMAO @ *Eve*

Umm... Was that not clear enough babe???

 

[*Eve*]

LOL

I just got the sense that you were holding back.

 

[Nicole]

*Eve* as your personal PR girl I would never hold back on you. LOL

It's just that it's really all we hear at the moment and it's driving me insane.

INSANE I TELL YOU *Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*

*looking round room* "Now where did I put that straight Jacket"?

 

[Sonora]

For Nicole

Thought that you might enjoy this: http://www.watchersweb.com/f0530.htm

 

[Nicole]

OH MY GOD

Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you.

That just made me laugh so much, Thank-you.

 

[Sonora]

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[RonG]

No doubt, The Olympics on American TV suck. However, if you are lucky enough to go to some of the events in person, your whole attitude changes. I hit the Atlanta games and made it a point to go to small crowd events that never make it on TV and had a blast. Team Handball, in person, has the most outrageous crowds (I got seats in the Croatian section during a game and all we did was drink the whole time). My brother and I sat in the Pakistani section during a Pakistan-India field hockey game and have never felt that kind of enthusiasm at any other sporting event. We even got to learn a Pakistani cheer - Pakistan Zindabad!, or something close to that - which we were told meant God is with Pakistan, but could have meant Pakistan Rocks for all we know.

So, you folks in Sydney, my advice would be to go where the tickets are cheapest and the athletes are closest to being amateurs and enjoy the multiculturalism aspects with an open mind and it can be fun.