What''s so good about the Olympics anyway?

Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:06 am by Esquilax

As you should be aware (hopefully), the Olympics are about to commence. There has been so much excitement of late, and I honestly can't understand why. To me, the Olympics seems to boil down to one simple phrase; "my country is better than your country". It seems as if the event is nothing more than an exercise in national pride, but in an arrogant and self-serving way. If you think about it, you have a bunch of people who are being paid millions in endorsements to play sport. This is not to demean their preparation and training, but a number of these people are put up on pedestals and are venerated despite rumours of drug-taking and general improprieties. Added to this, we have money-poor countries sponsoring teams instead of fixing social problems. Well, I'm stepping into forbidden territory, but to reiterate, I do not see the Olympics as a glamorous and honourable competition. Instead, instead I see it an excuse for countries to spend millions in an attempt to upstage all of the other countries. Well, I could go on, but I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on my provocative assertions

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Note: Try not to get this thread locked

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Edited by - esquilax on 8/11/2004 5:45:15 AM

Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:40 am by H.Q. Victor

The summer ones, only the gymnastics interest me. Nothing else. The winter ones, sking, bobsleading only.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:42 am by Esquilax

Thanks for that Final. Don't you have else to add?

Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:10 am by ssjgarretjax

Unfortunately IMHO the actual "competition" part of the O's will be greatly over shadowed this year because of terrorism (at least in the US I am thinking) but It will probably be the highest rated olympics because of that. I like the competition I like an underdog story. I like alot of the events some because i did them (not well mind

) others because well i like em

...I dont have a prob with them.

"I could smell your words
a reek of hate disturbed
consumed by your own phrase of
go to hell.....ya said"
Carfax Abbey Love/hate Kind

Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:18 am by Indy11

Underdogs. If something like Cool Runnings actually were to happen, I'd be watching it every chance I could get.

The problem for me is that the O's is no less professional now days than the pro games.

And the patriotic stuff is a turn off... the medal count, by nation is a turn off. It takes away from the athletes and their individual efforts. Even though many if not most always say how proud they are to represent their countries, I think too much emphasis is placed on which country got the most medals and not enough on how the athletes themselves actually got there.

The Kenyan distance runners, for example, are an incredible story but the way they get played here is that they just have an advantage because they are born at higher altitudes and have more efficient lungs.... blah blah blah.

How about the fact that these guys got to where they got with very little money backing them?

Edited by - Indy11 on 8/11/2004 6:25:36 AM

Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:39 am by Esquilax

That's exactly the point, Comrade! It's the shallow "medal haul" that it important these days. *Shakes head* That's modern society for you.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 6:07 am by Indy11

Who're you calling tovarich, Tovarich

Wed Aug 11, 2004 6:09 am by Esquilax

Who's post is directly above mine, Indynski?

Wed Aug 11, 2004 7:26 am by RILMS

I think the Olympics are great.

The orignal Olympics were played by the Greek city-states every four years despite any war or disagreement between the city-states. It was kind of a thing of National pride, even though Greece hadn't been united.

But durring those games, everyone was at peace. And you wen't just an Athenien or a Spartan. You were a Greek, united with everyone else.

In the modern day Olympics, we're all not Greek (for better or worse

) but we're all human.

The Games are to show that we can put our petty differences aside and go for the purity of the games.

There is the Nationlist side to the games, we all want our country to win. Canada was the place to be when we got Gold in both the Women's and Men's Hockey and beat the Americans.

There will always be competion, but thats not such a bad thing. There is competion inbetween Scout Troops in my area, but we're all united under BP.

Anyway, I think thats about it.

Life: No one gets out alive.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:54 am by H.Q. Victor

Well, Esq, my other comments Were the positive side. The negative side, is I oppose any compititions. I see no good coming from them. In the US, there is a strong increase in dopeing of the atheletes to be faster, stronger and they are getting caught. They want to WIN so bad the will take steroids anr anything else to run, play faster. Then you get the Pro players wanting to get in. I thopught the olimpics were for the amatures, not pros. I just see all of it as a big waist of time and money. People spend thousands of $'s training. They learn only the sport, they miss out on education that will help them with the real world. They get hurt, thier out and all that money lost as well as the time. Then you get the judges being bought like the last olipics invoving the skaters.

Sorry, no spellchecker available here.

Edited by - Finalday on 8/11/2004 9:55:58 AM

Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:32 am by sycho warrior

I want to see the opening and the hockey.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 12:59 pm by parabolix

Hockey is the best part of the Olympics...

Yes Esquilax you are correct though, it is just a contest between who's country is better. I have heard rumors that the U.S. athletes wont be allowed to wave the flag...terrorist stuff i suppose. Anyone else besides me think that Athens is not ready to host the Olympics?

Wed Aug 11, 2004 2:05 pm by nottheslacker

Ahhh relax guy! I can change I can change......

Sorry been watching too much South Park. Nations will always compete with each other. The Olympics give them the ability to do it without having to kill each other. Yes it is rather meaningless and boring, but at least it is peaceful and not competition at gun point.

One last thing. Cool runnings did happen the Jamacia bob sled team does exist and as far as I know it's the only team from a county that does not get any snow. The movie was based on facts just exaggerated.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 2:20 pm by Recusant

I love it, all the minority sports get to come to the fore for once. About the only sport I can regularly see on TV in the UK that I actually take an interest in is rugby.
I'll be watching the kayaking (both flatwater and slalom whitewater), judo, freestyle wrestling, mountain biking and some of the swimming.

Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:06 pm by H.Q. Victor

Athens ISN'T ready. The pool is now an outdoor one due to the roof not being ready.

Michael

Edited by - Finalday on 8/11/2004 7:21:00 PM

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