Beijing Olympics

[TooFarTampa]

I'm curious -- how interested are you in the Olympics, which start Friday?

I have way less interest this year, which is startling, because I am a longtime Olympics geek. As a teen I went to the L.A. Games in '84 (where I caught gymnast Kathy Johnson's silver medal podium bouquet & shook hands with Nadia Comaneci). I've been to a couple Trials and over the years I have met many many Olympic athletes.

But for some reason these Olympics are non-compelling to me, and I can't figure out if it is because I am jaded and busy, or because there is so much else in the world to think about, or maybe because I am uncomfortable with China as an Olympic site. Or maybe it's because we no longer have to wait for Bob Costas to tell us what happened, or because there are so many athletes who have been caught doping, or because everything seems like a big marketing dog-and-pony show.

And then Jim McKay died. That didn't help.

The magic is gone for me. Is it gone for you? What's different?

Will I ever get that magic back? It's kind of sad, I used to really love the Olympics.

Your thoughts please.

 

[Mermaid]

I have always loved the Olympics, too, but I am of mixed feelings about it being held in China. On the one hand, it is a positive thing for the Chinese to have the world at its doorsteps. There's much to be learned by exposure to different cultures--if only for so short a time as the duration of the Olympics--and god knows the Chinese could only benefit by it. But on the other hand, too much of what the Chinese do runs contrary to the spirit of the Olympic tradition and it strikes me as a sell-out that they were awarded the games. Though I shouldn't be disappointed on that account. The Olympics have become less and less pure through the decades, so it is perhaps just business as usual.

I don't understand the rules about who competes now, either, and this is something I'm going to have to look up. We watched the Tour de France this year, as always, and the British cyclist Mark Cavendish withdrew after winning a stage or two because he needed to prepare for the Olympics. I thought the Tour de France competitors were all professionals, so how is it that they can be in the Olympics? TTF, will you explain how it works?

Having said this, we will watch the Olympics! Track and field, kayak racing, cycling, and fencing are favorites in our house.

 

[TooFarTampa]

I have always loved the Olympics, too, but I am of mixed feelings about it being held in China. On the one hand, it is a positive thing for the Chinese to have the world at its doorsteps. There's much to be learned by exposure to different cultures--if only for so short a time as the duration of the Olympics--and god knows the Chinese could only benefit by it. But on the other hand, too much of what the Chinese do runs contrary to the spirit of the Olympic tradition and it strikes me as a sell-out that they were awarded the games. Though I shouldn't be disappointed on that account. The Olympics have become less and less pure through the decades, so it is perhaps just business as usual.

I don't understand the rules about who competes now, either, and this is something I'm going to have to look up. We watched the Tour de France this year, as always, and the British cyclist Mark Cavendish withdrew after winning a stage or two because he needed to prepare for the Olympics. I thought the Tour de France competitors were all professionals, so how is it that they can be in the Olympics? TTF, will you explain how it works?

Thanks Mermy.

Good question about the pros v. amateurs. I seemed to recall that every sport is different, and it is true. I found this at encarta.msn.com:

By 1983 a majority of IOC members acknowledged that most Olympic athletes compete professionally in the sense that sports are their main activity. The IOC then asked each ISF to determine eligibility in its own sport, and over the next decade nearly all the ISFs abolished the distinction between amateurs and professionals, accepting so-called open Games.

The most famous example is the 1992 men's basketball Dream Team. Remember? The U.S. got its butt kicked and then all of a sudden Michael Jordan showed up.

What was really interesting to me though was this explanation at encarta.msn about why the amateur rule was in place in the first place:

Coubertin and the IOC intended from the start for the Olympics to be open only to amateurs. Amateurism was determined by adherence to the amateur rule, which was originally devised in the 19th century to prevent working-class athletes from participating in sports such as rowing and tennis. Because the amateur rule prevented athletes from earning any pay from activities in any way related to sports, working-class athletes could not afford to make a living and train for competition at the same time.

 

[Miss Kitty]

For me, it is the China thing. and the pollution thing. and the drug thing. and the mandates to the Chinese people to fake it. i could go on. i will try to watch and hope i get the spirit back.

 

[Mango]

The Olympics lost quite a bit of appeal for me when I saw how some Chinese were being forced from their homes to make way for Olympic construction, in addition to some of the reasons you posted above. But that was the clincher for me. The Olympics are about athleticism, representing your country, and hard work. To athletes, it doesn't matter where they are held, just as long as one can compete. That's what it is all about really. The commercialism of it all is has taken away something from the Olympics.

 

[audie]

i usually don't watch the summer olympics, but this year will be watching michael phelps swim (if i'm off work) and may watch some of the gymnastics.

we like the winter olympics better here at the audies.

and the winter x games.

 

[DD]

i usually don't watch the summer olympics, but this year will be watching michael phelps swim (if i'm off work) and may watch some of the gymnastics.

we like the winter olympics better here at the audies.

and the winter x games.

Figures. :roll:

 

[audie]

:nono1: you're being naughty

 

[DD]

:nono1: you're being naughty

 

[DCFinSCB]

Men's Soccer Result: USA 1 - 0 Japan

That's 3 points in the Group Stage so far. However, will not be easy getting to the quarterfinals, with matches remaining against The Super Eagles (Nigeria) and The Oranje (Netherlands).

USA! USA! USA!