Games (2 Viewers)

[KenHigg]

Is it just me - I thought the whole opening and closing ceramonies of the olmpics - well, um... tacky. I only watched about 10 minutes of each. So much money spent and so much effort. For one it was so wasteful it was almost arrogant. And it did so much harm (IMHO) to the games that will be very hard to reverse. What country in their right mind would want to try and duplicate the effort? I hope England tries for a more humble, civil approach. It shouldn't be the scale of the program but the content of the message that grabs our attention. The opening message should be welcome and the closing message should be thank you.

 

[Freya]

I'm sure England will go for a more "humble" approach. Stiff upper lipped and all that

Unfortunately I missed the closing ceremony and I think it would have been the best part of the games - Jimmy Page played - and I missed him. That is so bad! Of course my Dad seen him live way back in the 70s and keeps rubbing that in, so now he rubs it in that he seen the closing ceremony too!

 

[namliam]

"The games" are one big waste of time/money and effort anyway, so why save that on the opening or closing of the "grand" event?

If you are going to spend millions of dollars (or is it billions?) on plants, stadiums, water, housing etc for a one time event, why not spend another million (or two) on the opening or closing of such an event?
I am all for putting up some sort of "olympic theatre" where all i.e. World championships AND Olympics will be held.

Then not do all sports in one place like the olympics are now, but do it more like the european championships in Austria and Switserland, use whatever there is and be happy with it.

I.e. do Football in England, Swimming in Holland, Rugby in France, Baseball in the US, etc etc.

Then maybe rotate the sports or something, but this is rediculous propaganda aimed to please the masses and entertain the few, after which the population of the hosting country (ies) gets to pay the price for having had the Olympics.

I.e.
China now has IIRC 3 Baseball courts/stadiums which they are going to NEVER use again, because the Chinese dont play that sport (much).

Just look at the "Olympic Stadium" here in Amsterdam back from the games in I dont even remember when.
The stadium has stopped beeing usefull, is outdated and should be scrapped and replaced by housing. Instead people are trying to preserve the damn thing because of its so called "historical value" and are re-doing the interior to house shops and restaurants to try and earn money to pay for the upkeep.

NONSENSE

 

[Alisa]

Or better yet, just get rid of the olympics altogether. We already have world championships in every real sport, and preparation for the olympics just detracts from those. Plus it is all about money now anyway - with professional athletes, doping, lying, cheating, etc., it is not really about the sports anyway.

 

[namliam]

You have my vote Alisa....

Then again, why do these profesional athleets make millions of euro's at our expense?

Why does a movie theatre ticket cost 15 euro? Because (i.e.) Brad Pitt has to earn 15 million euros to make this one movie.
Or Will Smith thinks he is all that with his toy gun and thinks making Badman in space part 15 is fun for a measly 25 million...
Sure they are 'celebs' and may only have say 5 years to really earn a living for the rest of their lives (i.e. soccer players and alike) so sure they can earn a good living.
But why does a player have to earn 5 million a year?
If he is "somewhat" senseble earning 5 million in his carreer will have him set for live!
5 million means you can spend 250.000 each year without ever touching your 5 million.

250k a year is about 5 times as much as the average Joe gets for working 40 hours a day every weekday of his "working years" and you dont have to do anything for it.
Spoiled is what they are, as a result.... everything is going to hell in a handbasket.

All these big salaries eventually come out of OUR pockets, one way or the other.... YOU are paying (part of) Shack's, Bush', Obama's, Lenno's, Oprah's salaries.
The poor get porer (or stay poor) the rich get richer

 

[Alisa]

You are right about that mailman, but I have less of a problem with exorbitant salaries for celebrities - after all, they at least provide some (entertainment) value for the dollar spent, and on top of that, most of them are just a flash in the pan. What really infuriates me are the CEOs and CFOs that make millions of dollars, and get millions or billions more in stock options, what have you. Then they come in, cut costs by firing people or cutting their pay, run the company into the ground, and still walk away with golden parachutes. What value are they providing to anybody except themselves! Meanwhile, the rest of us can barely afford a gallon of milk or gas anymore!

 

[Alisa]

I know, what's that all about? The Olympics were supposed to be for amatures !

They were also supposed to be about world peace and unity. Of course, that was BEFORE we started holding the olympics in every country that abuses human rights.

 

[Rabbie]

The poor get porer (or stay poor) the rich get richer

As the old song puts it

It's the same the whole world over, ain't it all a bleeding shame.
It's the rich what gets the gravy, it's the poor what gets the blame

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Blighty???

 

[KenHigg]

You all didn't know we spell ceramonies with an 'a' in Alabama did you? Look at all the other spelling errors in there... See what happens when Col doesn't chime in -

 

[Rabbie]

Blighty???

1st world war slang for Britain.

 

[Rabbie]

You all didn't know we spell ceramonies with an 'a' in Alabama did you? Look at all the other spelling errors in there... See what happens when Col doesn't chime in -

But we do have our resident witch to keep us on the path of correct spelling. If you get it wrong she may turn you into a frog

 

[KenHigg]

Is it offensive? I'd hate to be banned for using it?

 

[statsman]

I am beginning to agree with the general positions expressed here.

The SUMMER Olympics are just too big. Dozens and dozens of sports, many of which don't have any interest at all except for the participants. Each one however requires its own unique venue.
Top that off with the cheating, lying and general propaganda of the games that just finished. China promised free expression (among other things) during the games...never happened. They issued false passports to their female gymnasts showing they were 16 when in fact some of them were about 12.
It wouldn't be so bad but China is not the only country doing it. It seems alls fair when theres a medal involved.
The London Games will have to be on a smaller scale since everyone in the UK has to be paid for their goods and services. This is not a problem in a Communist country.

I would like to see the number of events in the Summer Games halved with a provisio that no new sport can be added unless an existing one is removed.

 

[Alisa]

I am beginning to agree with the general positions expressed here.

The SUMMER Olympics are just too big. Dozens and dozens of sports, many of which don't have any interest at all except for the participants. Each one however requires its own unique venue.
Top that off with the cheating, lying and general propaganda of the games that just finished. China promised free expression (among other things) during the games...never happened. They issued false passports to their female gymnasts showing they were 16 when in fact some of them were about 12.
It wouldn't be so bad but China is not the only country doing it. It seems alls fair when theres a medal involved.
The London Games will have to be on a smaller scale since everyone in the UK has to be paid for their goods and services. This is not a problem in a Communist country.

I would like to see the number of events in the Summer Games halved with a provisio that no new sport can be added unless an existing one is removed.

And please, if there is a god, REMOVE BEACH VOLLEYBALL! It is not a sport, it is a beauty contest. I swear, Misty got at least 20 hours of primetime coverage and was personally visited by President Bush, all because she looks sexy in her skimpy bathing suit. Meanwhile, all hell was breaking loose in Georgia, and the pundits were complaining about how Obama should have cut is Hawaii vacation short to deal with the Georgia crisis, while saying nothing about Bush cavorting with the beach volleyball players.

 

[KenHigg]

And who cares who the fastest runner in the world is?

Now tell me who is the fastest fatburger cook in the world and you may catch my attention -

 

[puzzled]

And please, if there is a god, REMOVE BEACH VOLLEYBALL!

But what will Ken watch then?

 

[GaryPanic]

leave the girlie volley ball in - - great in the UK - where its gonna turn into a wet t-shirt competion as well ..(I will be praying for rain ) .

lol..

 

[Alisa]

Ok fine, leave it in, but must that be the only sport that NBC shows live? Oh, and NBC, 11pm is NOT primetime (that is the time they STARTED showing the PRERECORDED gymnastics competitions).

 

[KenHigg]

But what will Ken watch then?

They should have a little helper guy on the sidelines that help the girls when they fall and the sand needs a little dusting off.