Bored with the Olympics already

[Just Katie]

[quote user="Cat"]

Faking the opening ceremony firework display, and now this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2545387/Beijing-Olympics-Faking-scandal-over-girl-who-sang-in-opening-ceremony.html

Oh the cheats!

 

[/quote]

How can these people be so cruel to a child? [:@]

[Panda]

[quote user="Just Katie"][quote user="Cat"]

Faking the opening ceremony firework display, and now this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2545387/Beijing-Olympics-Faking-scandal-over-girl-who-sang-in-opening-ceremony.html

Oh the cheats!

 

[/quote]

How can these people be so cruel to a child? [:@]

[/quote]

Totally agree, on the Ten Oclock news last night they showed an iitem on this quoting the chinese media epresentative as saying the child who was actually singing (but not shown) had too many imperfections, the one they chose was perfect, what a great message to send out!  She had a couple of teeth missing, she's 6 for god sake, that's what heppens when you're 6!

[Catalpa]

[quote user="Frederick"] Or do you want to see loads of money spent trying to outdo this lot ?

[/quote]

Won't be that expensive - the UK has lots of very good computer generated graphics companies and I'm sure King Boris and Lord Seb can negotiate a good price. [:P]

[Clair]

Fake opening ceremony firework display, fake singing and now fake "ethnic" children

'Ethnic' children exposed as fakes in opening ceremony

cheat, cheat, cheat...

[5-element]

To go back to the thread's title, I am not bored as much as exhausted.... getting up at 3.30 am in order to watch the events live, I can't carry on for much longer... cannot wait for the next Olympics in London, where the time difference will be so much more manageable...[geek]

 

As for the cheating Han Chinese, (thanks Claire) when seeing those ethnic minority children in the opening ceremony, I naively and fleetingly thought that therein might lie some hope... but now, no surprise... it is very much in keeping with the way the 17 million ethnic minority Chinese are being treated. 

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

But if you enjoyed the opening ceremony, who cares how it's done? Most opening ceremonies are very boring and often pointless, so a bit more imagination and the majority of people can actually enjoy it more.

I didn't see it myself, but heard it was amazing and people really enjoyed it, so surely that's good.

I'm still laughing at the daft Russian female weightlifter who stuffed her lift up, threw a tantrum and then walked into a wall![:)]

[Clair]

[quote user="LyndaandRichard"]But if you enjoyed the opening ceremony, who cares how it's done?[/quote]

I cannot disassociate the spectacle from the politics behind it.

[5-element]

The 1936 Olympic games in Berlin were also very grand, and have remained in everyone's memory, with an unforgettable 2-day long opening ceremony.

[Clair]

[quote user="5-element"]The 1936 Olympic games in Berlin were also very grand, and have remained in everyone's memory, with an unforgettable 2-day long opening ceremony.[/quote] I was going to post along these lines earlier...

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="LyndaandRichard"]But if you enjoyed the opening ceremony, who cares how it's done?[/quote]
I cannot disassociate the spectacle from the politics behind it.
[/quote]

In a country that recently had a policy of one child per family which resulted in thousands of baby girls being abandoned, and also actively encouraged children to dob in their parents I found the emphasis on family in the opening ceremony, sickening.

 

[Frenchie]

I totally agree, it s really OTT in my humble opinion..

 I 'm amazed at the athlete performances, but .. NO ..

 I can't..

I'm thinking of those students on Tyen an men,who were massacred ,  about those millions of baby girls abandonned or even killed, of millions of exploited workers, of political prisoners in sordid jails , of people who eat dogs , etc etc...

I couldn't enjoy the games without feeling sick..

 But hey, that s just me

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Politics and sport in my mind should be separate. These things would still exist wherever the games were held. And there is no country on this planet without blood on its hands, Britain has more than its fair share in its history.

And the west contributes greatly to those millions of exploited workers too. Slave labour still exists in the west, it has just moved it out of sight and out of mind, to countries like China.

But on the positive side, the fact the Olympics are in China is a good ting as it brings to peoples minds what is happening there and perhaps, just perhaps they can put pressure on their own governments to in turn put pressure on the Chinese government to change things. Perhaps.

But it is a sad world unfortunately, full of hypocrisy and lies.

[Polremy]

Someone's going to mention the French eating horses.

I just know it.

[5-element]

Wot? Is that a special breed of carnivorous horses who eat just the French, or do they eat anyone else as well?[:)]

Seriously, though. I just love sport, and seeing athletes perform is something that I find inspiring and very moving. I get pulled into the world of that athlete, and for a brief moment, feel as if inside their head and their body. They do what I can only ever do inside my head. For that brief moment, I feel outside myself, in someone else's world and someone else's life, and it is utterly thrilling.

Unfortunately, most sports these days, are practiced within very unsavoury contexts, and if I just go along to see a local rugby game, it just doesn't cut it like the performances that can be brought to me via TV representation.

Believe me, I never forget for one moment the Chinese context for the J.O. But I will not throw the baby out with the bathwater. When I watch an athlete perform, there are no more Chinese or other politics, it is just that person transcending themselves after years of sweat and tears and hard slog.  It gives me so much pleasure that I will continue to watch and to be enthralled. Of course, this does not preclude any involvement with organisations like Amnesty International or Free Tibet et al.

If I personally boycotted watching the JOs, I would be punishing myself most of all - and not achieve a great deal by way of  opposition to the present Chinese regime, it would do very little to show my support for any of the  56 ethnic minorities in China who are being victimised and ruthlessly suppressed. I will be dead long before the world is pure and perfect enough to be able to watch sport without second thoughts, so for the time being, I will watch, and be transported....

[Polremy]

No, I didn't say "French-eating horses"!!

So there!

[5-element]

Ooops, sorry Polremy, I did not see that absent tiret (sorry the English word escapes me!) - dash?

[Jonzjob]

For me the Olympics died when they turned professional. That is not what they are about and that is not why they were conceived and when c r a p like this starts to happen http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7558622.stm what a turn off. It is a method of enhansing performance and in my opinion is exactly the same as chemical, drug, methods! It's cheating![:@]

As for the politics, well what can I say. These 'games' have cost the Chineese people 12 billion dollars to set up. Who is gaining from that I wonder, the people? I think not. Big multi nationals, well decided for yourselves. When Speedo can offer 1,000,000$ to Phelpes if he gets 7 or more golds wearing their kit, well? The US swimming team coach said the suit was worth 2% enhancement? Cheating or what. The officials said that they were happy with it bacause all of the suits were on offer to all the teams. Some teams honnered their contracts to the other makers. Why don't they just say that all the competitore can take drugs, that evens out the field too!

Olympics, bah, humbug!!!

[5-element]

Yeah, it was a great race. Unfortunately, it is not Asafa who won it, but the other Jamaican, Usain Bolt.[:D] Poor Asafa did not get a look in, even though he is a great champion himself, but always second fiddle to another Jamaican who is better than him!

I did like the women's Heptathlon, and how friendly and fluffy they are with each other at the end of the race, all congratulating each other, hugging and kissing. It is a welcome change from the high-flying manic testosterone you see in the 100 meter men's.

[Jonzjob]

It's not the winning that counts, but the taking part!

Some hope of that, but if it were not for the 'little' people in the events the 'big' people would look a bit lonely wouldn't they?

[Polremy]

don't think you'd like to see the 100 metres men being all fluffy with each other though, would you?

[mint]

[quote user="5-element"]

Wot? Is that a special breed of carnivorous horses who eat just the French, or do they eat anyone else as well?[:)]

Seriously, though. I just love sport, and seeing athletes perform is something that I find inspiring and very moving. I get pulled into the world of that athlete, and for a brief moment, feel as if inside their head and their body. They do what I can only ever do inside my head. For that brief moment, I feel outside myself, in someone else's world and someone else's life, and it is utterly thrilling.

Unfortunately, most sports these days, are practiced within very unsavoury contexts, and if I just go along to see a local rugby game, it just doesn't cut it like the performances that can be brought to me via TV representation.

Believe me, I never forget for one moment the Chinese context for the J.O. But I will not throw the baby out with the bathwater. When I watch an athlete perform, there are no more Chinese or other politics, it is just that person transcending themselves after years of sweat and tears and hard slog.  It gives me so much pleasure that I will continue to watch and to be enthralled. Of course, this does not preclude any involvement with organisations like Amnesty International or Free Tibet et al.

If I personally boycotted watching the JOs, I would be punishing myself most of all - and not achieve a great deal by way of  opposition to the present Chinese regime, it would do very little to show my support for any of the  56 ethnic minorities in China who are being victimised and ruthlessly suppressed. I will be dead long before the world is pure and perfect enough to be able to watch sport without second thoughts, so for the time being, I will watch, and be transported....

[/quote]

5-e, I agree with everything you have said on this post.

Greatness is so humbling and watching the performance of people who strive for greatness is thrilling beyond any little niggles about faking or even politics.

Mind you, I feel the same way about musicians.  To hear Natalie Dessai singing an aria and hear her joyfully laughing and chatting like you and me...........I get reduced to jelly!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Jonzjob"]

For me the Olympics died when they turned professional.

[/quote]

As far as I'm aware, they mostly still are amateur. To my mind anyone who takes a salary from sport is a professional, and anyone who gets their money by sponsorship and or winnings is classed as amateur. From that logic, as an example, football should not be an olympic sport as all competitors receive a salary from their clubs. Tennis is amateur as no tennis player takes a salary, it's all winnings and sponsorship.

[5-element]

[quote user="Polremy"]don't think you'd like to see the 100 metres men being all fluffy with each other though, would you?[/quote]

[:D] Good point Polremy.  Although,it might be quite entertaining to see them try.

Sweet 17 - yes to music too!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Puzzled"][quote user="LyndaandRichard"][quote user="Jonzjob"]

For me the Olympics died when they turned professional.

[/quote]

As far as I'm aware, they mostly still are amateur. To my mind anyone who takes a salary from sport is a professional, and anyone who gets their money by sponsorship and or winnings is classed as amateur. From that logic, as an example, football should not be an olympic sport as all competitors receive a salary from their clubs. Tennis is amateur as no tennis player takes a salary, it's all winnings and sponsorship.

[/quote]

 

Chris Bosh US Basket ball earned over $12 million last year and then we have professional tennis players and footballers yet when Amir Khan UK (gold medal boxer 2004 turned professional) he could no longer fight in the Olympics - I don't understand why[8-)]

[/quote]

Basketballers are professional. They draw a salary from their clubs, so I agree, they shouldn't be eligible. Tennis players do not earn a salary as I stated above, so would be eligible. Professional footballers should not be allowed either because they draw a salary. It should be pub teams competing!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Good point re the boxing.

There probably isn't any logic with the olympics then. It's probably another face fitting exercise.