I don't disagree that it was always about winning. I would even guess that the idyllic view of days gone by are not so accurate and that the "gentlemanly", "queensbury rules" type chappies may have been willing to engage in foul play in order to achieve that first place. However I would expect that such foul play was the exception rahter than the rule. The difference is the spirit in which the sport is competed. Win at all costs or honourable effort?

The unstated prejudice of the day when the Modern Olympics were instituted was that those who competed from certain developed countries of course would win because of superior culture, economy, way of life and society and dare I say ... er ... origins?

It was proof of the superiority of the honorable amateurs who came from those advanced nations. As long as a winner was an amateur from that club of nations, things were fine. And if there were some freak of nature from an outsider country that thoroughly dominated a particular event, well, that's because he was a freak of nature ... nothing really to upset the general theory of who should be winning anyway.

Hitler, of course took that general sentiment over the top.

What is amatuerism? What of the superb high altitude distance runners from Kenya, for example? Are they amatuers or professionals? I could think of reasons why they should be classified as professionals. Is a professional one who makes millions for the sport he plays but not a professional if he only makes enough to live comfortably so that he can train to compete in sporting events?

I thought I stated in my first post that I watched the new RvB PSA. I did didn't I?

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I have six of my own ideas

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That's kind of what I was getting at, specifically.

Oh, sorry TET, I was just having one of those days when I made this. It does however say, in my original post that I did watch it. (And go back and check if you want, it hasn't been edited so there's no way I could have just added that.)



w00t! All your oil are belong to U.S.

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Return to the orignal format and have the contestants perform naked. Beach Volley ball and women's snooker would be a hoot!

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This thread started with such potential, what went wrong?

Sorry Chips, I have no idea.

@Chips: Akshly yer wrong there lad. The quote you cited was the second post on the thread yet there have been several weighty and serious posts since then so it did infact start in a Druidic sesspool of nudity and debauchery and elevated itself into the state of an intellectual conversation regarding the nature of human competitiveness and honour among gentlemen...still...I agree...it had such potential.

Oh well Chips, if it doesn't get back on track soon, feel free to close it down. This was just supposed to be a place for you guys to list some funny ways to improve the Olympics, not argue about how lame they are.

Have you actually seen the Top Gear Winter Olympics? (no, not that gear...) If you haven't, then may i strongly suggest you get yourself a cup of tea, take the phone off the hook - and sit down to watch it!!

Google video - Top Gear's Winter Olympics

Some people really hate Clarkson, but I think the shows are amusing

I quite liked his *Great Inventions* series, and I find him amusing in an arrogantly cynical way. It's the popular adulation given the man by the *girls'n'motors* boy-racer wannabee crowd that i don't like.

Okay...Killa, guys...what the hell's wrong with the Winter Olympics? Granted it's not as good as the regular Olympics but it's still impressive to see some of the world's best athletes doing what they do best. If you want to watch childish online cartoons (I assume by RvB you mean "Red vs Blue" ) then go ahead, but remember there are still plenty of people who disagree with you...

@Acushot; Now that's what I call bringing things back on topic.

@Killa; Indeed to be fair lad the site rules were created to avoid insulting somebody who happens to have a differnce of opinion on some of the more weighty issues;

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Do not discuss the following, as they are forbidden: Politics, Religion, Cloaks, Winter Olympics.

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This is a giming site and not the place to discuss the subject at hand. You should have known better than to undermine such a topic. Many of the avant W.O. believers shall be deeply hurt by your childishness, just as the constant picking on my Druidic Attire led to the 3rd objectionable subject mentioned above.

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I quite liked his *Great Inventions* series, and I find him amusing in an arrogantly cynical way

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Not really noticed any adulation from a boy racer crowd though... don't know em Live in country, tis for country people - we don't like no boy racers round here. We've even got a crossing for ducks from the duck pond - no boy racers i tells ya *shakes fist*

As for Winter Olympics - watch skiing events, that's it. Tis same with all sports, if you're interested in them, then you'll watch them. I tend not to watch any sport - no football, rugby, cricket or such stuff - not interesting to me. Guess it's the same for the rest of you... might have seen more winter olympics if I wasn't working so much I don't watch any of the main olympics though... not my thang. Used to watch martial arts when we had sky.

Edited by - Chips on 3/13/2006 10:54:55 AM