Are You Planning to Watch the Olympics?

[Jeff Wrangler]

yeah and I always feel so BAD for the countries that have never won one...but they show up anyway..

That's the spirit of the Olympics! It's sort of what I like best about the opening ceremonies, when you watch all the athletes parade in, and you see a group that's maybe only half a dozen--or even fewer--representing some country that most geographically challenged Americans have never even heard of, and you know they have practically no chance of winning anything, but there they are, so brave and proud! 

[injest]

That's the spirit of the Olympics! It's sort of what I like best about the opening ceremonies, when you watch all the athletes parade in, and you see a group that's maybe only half a dozen--or even fewer--representing some country that most geographically challenged Americans have never even heard of, and you know they have practically no chance of winning anything, but there they are, so brave and proud! 

those are the stories I would like to watch but you have to wade thru so much crap that I just lose interest.

[delalluvia]

That's the spirit of the Olympics! It's sort of what I like best about the opening ceremonies, when you watch all the athletes parade in, and you see a group that's maybe only half a dozen--or even fewer--representing some country that most geographically challenged Americans have never even heard of, and you know they have practically no chance of winning anything, but there they are, so brave and proud! 

That's why I love to watch the Olympics, especially the opening ceremonies.  As one of the commentators said, "For some countries, this [the opening ceremonies] IS their Olympics."

They mentioned a couple of stories that bring tears to my eyes - the young African swimmer - can't recall his country- last Olympics or so who had just learned how to swim.  He wasn't an Olympic caliber swimmer, he was literally a beginning swimmer, yet there he was, dead last, struggling to finish, long after everyone else had packed up and gone home so to speak.  People stayed to watch and cheer him on.  Another person, from some island country coming in dead last in a race in the Mexico City Olympics I think.  Asked why he kept on, he remarked, "My country didn't send me 7000 miles to start the race, they sent me 7000 miles to finish the race."

Now that's the spirit.

I believe I read a story on the current Zimbabwe swimmer - the woman - who said her country was going through such turmoil, that she thought they weren't really concerned about sports and her win (in another meet).  But her family told her the opposite.  When people of her country heard she had won for them, they were dancing in the streets and cheering they were so proud.

You see the Iranian, Palestinian and Afghani athletes, read about Muslim women who keep training through all the death threats they get for daring to show their legs and their persons in front of strange men.  You know about sledders?lugers?  from Serbia/Croatia who literally ran through a war zone, dodging snipers to get to the games.

The enormous effort they make to be there, knowing they probably won't win a thing but yet they show and they should be proud and respected no matter their abilities.

[Jeff Wrangler]

They mentioned a couple of stories that bring tears to my eyes - the young African swimmer - can't recall his country- last Olympics or so who had just learned how to swim.  He wasn't an Olympic caliber swimmer, he was literally a beginning swimmer, yet there he was, dead last, struggling to finish, long after everyone else had packed up and gone home so to speak.  People stayed to watch and cheer him on.  Another person, from some island country coming in dead last in a race in the Mexico City Olympics I think.  Asked why he kept on, he remarked, "My country didn't send me 7000 miles to start the race, they sent me 7000 miles to finish the race."

Now that's the spirit.

I remember hearing the story about the runner, too. There is a person with more guts and grit than I will ever have! 

[Artiste]

When I was getting ready to go to bed last night, I turned on the TV News. I learned that China had won... but that it used kids to do so! The child was something like 13, instead of being the legal age of 16!

That reminded me of my thread in which it talks about China abusing children in order to get them to become Olympians! Did anyone see that or hear that?

[delalluvia]

Tell you what, that whole business of medal tally by country is another thing that pisses me off.

I realize it's unavoidable, and perhaps it's even human nature to do this sort of thing, so I can't even really blame the media for it, but I still think it's contrary to what I believe is supposed to be the spirit of the Olympics.

Like, what, Country A is better than Country B because Country A's athletes win more medals? Bullshit.

I think it's meant to imply that - or that's what people think it means - but it might just be a harmless tally.  Some people are just bean counters.  They like numbers, stats.  It's everywhere you go.  When we were on IMDb people were counting the money BBM made, how long it was showing, how many theaters.  Look here on this board.  We have 1000, 2000, 20000 post 'clubs'.  Stuff like that doesn't really matter to me, but other people like it.

[horo04]

Olympics?  I couldn't care less...that is if your American or Chinese.  Us Canadians can't even get 1 medal as of yet.

[Artiste]

Horo04, no medals are needed when you decently respect life, but  China does NOT respect humans!!

[horo04]

Actually scratch that...I guess we just won a couple of medals.  I guess I'll watch now....*jumps on bandwagon* !!GO CANADA GO!!

[Kelda]

Big baby. They should give it to the guy who came in 4th and erase his name from the records.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=reu-wrestling&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Compare that to the French gymnast who was so thrilled with his bronze. He was crying and looked like he was about to puke in excitement at one point.


I also love this guy – Meet Stany the Stingray – Good on him I say – an enthusiastic Olympian, and that’s what its all about at the end of the day. He went knowing he hadn't a prayer of winning his heat let alone the final but swam a personal best…. Sure it was 10 seconds slower than the winning time in the heat but hey – its still a PB for him!

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/olympics/article.html?in_article_id=266415&in_page_id=310

WARNING: What follows is not for the faint-hearted!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1044258/Pictured-The-horrific-moment-Olympic-weightlifter-turns-elbow-front.html

 
Did somebody seriously think this pic was a good idea?! I mean REALLY!?
 

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict;_ylt=Av4pruhlUdZ30XttWDwy2UjHKZt4?urn=oly,100152

 
Dancer paralysed  :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2551869/Beijing-Olympics-Chinese-dancer-injured-in-opening-ceremony-rehearsal-paralysed.html

and thank you thank you thank you for not posting the pics themselves!

{{Kelda}}

Oh and Jess. only the forst pic here is a bit yucky the others are fine - the warning was only for the first one but on reading my post agaion I see thats not very clear.


The brits have done well over the weekend, sailing, rowing gymnastics... we've done fab!