The Olympics and its narratives

[22lcidw]

The Olympics are broken - Beijing 2022 only served to confirm chronic problem

THE Olympics are broken. Of that, there can be little doubt. Prior to Beijing 2022, many had suspicions there was a chronic problem within the Olympic movement; these Winter Games have served only to confirm it beyond all dispute.

uk.yahoo.com

Came across this article from someone who competed in the 2012 Olympics. It shows a general opinion about the Olympics that shows that people think the Olympics is, or was, something great, and also that the Olympics gets used for political narratives.

"Whereas some sports thrive on being flashy or glamorous, the Olympics survive on being an embodiment of their principles."

She claims the Olympics is based on "principles". Which is a bit weird. I mean, 1980 and 1984 the Olympics were massively political, in the USSR and the US. The two biggest problems in the world at that time. Invasion of Afghanistan from the USSR, the meddling in foreign affairs from both sides, Vietnam, Korea, loads of places in Africa and Latin America.

Really the Olympic committee will give the games to anyone with enough money to bribe them whatever they call it. LA got the 2028 Olympics. The US has done far more harm in the world than China at this point, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya.

Russia got the the 2014 Winter Olympics. They're the second worst.

Then there's the buying of Olympic medals. It's pretty obvious China has done this. From one Olympic medal last time, to 9 this time. China had more Golds than Bronze and Silver put together. Which is weird, as every country that got more than 3 medals, got more bronze and silver together than they got gold.

But the UK, US and Russia have been buying medals for a while. Nothing new. The East Germans were prolific with drugging up their athletes to win in the past, for nationalistic reasons, of course.

"But the Olympic spirit is slowly being eroded, something that has been plain to see at Beijing 2022."

Which brings us to this "Olympic spirit". No, it's not vodka. It's more like some kind of performance enhancing drug. Russia get kicked out of the Olympics, and yet finished 9th in this winter Olympics. Huh? How do you get kicked out, and still perform? Not only that, they had an athlete who tested positive and was still allowed to compete.

The "Olympic spirit" is spelled "Money, money, money and more money". They don't care about any spirit. It's all about professionals out running, out performing the amateurs in most sports, except boxing, which they're getting rid of because.... it doesn't bring in money????

The Olympics and sports in general are not worth the prices we pay for seeing them anymore. But there are plenty of people who want to go to games and pay for them. And most peons who are forced to pay for them to watch TV. I did not watch 5 minutes of the Olympics that hopefully ended.

 

[Burgermeister]

Then there's this - International Olympic Committee issues new guidelines on transgender athletes

Now The IOC is recommending that men can compete in women's Olympic competitions without any alteration other than their declared gender. Principle 5 is No Presumption Of Advantage. Ridiculous. This seems to be the beginning of womens' Olympic sports. Lovely.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Here's the deal:

We are not her physicians.

We have no idea what underlying health conditions she may be dealing with, or how heroic her actions may be in relation to them.

There is no indication of any underlying health conditions, there were none claimed by the Russians.

What we do know is that a group of hysterical adults took it upon themselves to bully, shame and attack a 15 year old girl with wild and repulsive narratives based on nothing more than ginned up hatred of Russia and its alleged wickedness.

Most people did not blame the girl at all, I did not see anyone attack her at all, other than her coach after her long program.

The worst anyone said about her was that she should not be allowed to compete with a positive test.

And why you choose to ignore Russia's long history of doping and doing things like this I cannot understand.

But if our country is seeking scandals to wag it's collective finger at, and evils to excoriate, the absolutely horrendous history of US women's gymnastics fit the bill to perfection.

Easily the greatest and most tragic scandal in the history of modern sport, it is by infinite magnitudes more repugnant, tragic and shameful than what MAY have occurred with this young Russian skater.

I do not disagree with this.

 

[maybelooking]

I don't watch golf, it's a snob man's game

I might have agreed with you, before John Daily came along!!!

 

[maybelooking]

Then there's this - International Olympic Committee issues new guidelines on transgender athletes

Now The IOC is recommending that men can compete in women's Olympic competitions without any alteration other than their declared gender. Principle 5 is No Presumption Of Advantage. Ridiculous. This seems to be the beginning of womens' Olympic sports. Lovely.

womens sports in general are in big trouble if they dont get a handle on this problem.

and it appears right now that no one has an intention of getting a handle on it.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

I don't watch golf, it's a snob man's game. I don't watch NASCAR. That's a brain dead kind of something. I don't watch the Olympics. So I don't ascribe to those US customs

I watch a little golf, admittedly it gets boring after a bit. Far more fun to golf than to watch golf. We are having a two day 60 degree spell before it snows again....hitting the links today!

 

[Burgermeister]

I don't watch golf, it's a snob man's game. I don't watch NASCAR. That's a brain dead kind of something. I don't watch the Olympics. So I don't ascribe to those US customs

You sound like a peasant.

 

[initforme]

Middle classes are peasants.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

The Olympics have been used for the Political nonsense since Hitler days, so let remember that.

Protesting in the Olympics have been going on long before most of you were born and just Google 1968 Olympic Protests or the Black September Attacks, and let remember the games have been used for Political purposes many times.

What do the Games mean to the Athletes is much more than what it mean to you and I.

The usually unpaid Athlete need these games and medals for endorsements and for future contracts that will yield the money along with possible schools they will open to train future Olympic Athletes…

What does it mean to the Politicians that taint the games?

Simple, if you can prevent countries like China, Russia or even the U.S. from gaining the win in the Medal Count then it is a black eye on those countries and believe it or not those like Putin and Xi care a lot about those medals…

It bring in revenue also and can be shown on a political scale their country produces better athletes…

Oh well…

 

[Devils_Advocate]

I don't watch golf, it's a snob man's game. I don't watch NASCAR. That's a brain dead kind of something. I don't watch the Olympics. So I don't ascribe to those US customs

Snob!

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The usually unpaid Athlete need these games and medals for endorsements and for future contracts that will yield the money along with possible schools they will open to train future Olympic Athletes…

It is about so much more than the medals to most of the Athletes. Most go in knowing they have basically no chance of seeing the podium, but they do it for the love of their sport. The Olympics are the pinnacle of their sport and watching those that are there purely for the love of what they do is the best part of the games.

 

[22lcidw]

It is about so much more than the medals to most of the Athletes. Most go in knowing they have basically no chance of seeing the podium, but they do it for the love of their sport. The Olympics are the pinnacle of their sport and watching those that are there purely for the love of what they do is the best part of the games.

Really? It does not matter anymore.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

It is about so much more than the medals to most of the Athletes. Most go in knowing they have basically no chance of seeing the podium, but they do it for the love of their sport. The Olympics are the pinnacle of their sport and watching those that are there purely for the love of what they do is the best part of the games.

It has a lot to do with possible medaling and possible contracts and endorsements and book deals, tv deals and possible movie rights if the story is truly special…

So it has a lot to do with this one thing called Money…

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Really? It does not matter anymore.

To you it does not.

But I am not like you, thank Odin.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

It has a lot to do with possible medaling and possible contracts and endorsements and book deals, tv deals and possible movie rights if the story is truly special…

So it has a lot to do with this one thing called Money…

For about 10% of the athletes does does. The other 90% know they will not medal, and they are there for the love of their sport.

There were 30 males in the snowboard halfpipe....how many could you name?

 

[Resnic]

“The good news is the Games are salvageable, and that’s because people still care. The moment people stop caring is the time it becomes critical but, for now at least, there is still a love for the Olympics that is unmatched by anything else in the sporting world.” ibid

You wouldn’t know it from this thread.

Wouldn't know it from where I live and work as no one I know in my personal life or work life even mentioned the Olympics one time.

I can't name one person at them or even who won a single medal because I honestly don't care really anymore because there is too much bullshit tied to the Olympics anymore. I tuned out years ago the instant I saw news stories tying social justice to the Olympics. I saw it once and never paid attention to them again. Just like I did with the NFL, I didn't even know who the Bengals were playing in the Superbowl and I only knew the Bengals were playing because they are the local team around here.

Movies, sports, video games, anytime politics get involved I tune out.

 

[candycorn]

The Olympics are broken - Beijing 2022 only served to confirm chronic problem

THE Olympics are broken. Of that, there can be little doubt. Prior to Beijing 2022, many had suspicions there was a chronic problem within the Olympic movement; these Winter Games have served only to confirm it beyond all dispute.

uk.yahoo.com

Came across this article from someone who competed in the 2012 Olympics. It shows a general opinion about the Olympics that shows that people think the Olympics is, or was, something great, and also that the Olympics gets used for political narratives.

Sports is the best campfire we have that unites us at this point. Friendly athletic competition with other nations expands that campfire exponentially. That, in and of itself, is a great reason to embrace the Olympic ideals.

The IOC, however, is almost comically greedy in the way they mis-manage the games and grift the competing nations for every penny. For example, NBC has chunked in about $8B to buy the Games through 2032. This is one broadcaster in one nation of 180-200 that send teams. Similar figures are sure to exist in China, Japan, France, England, Russia, Indonesia, Australia, Brazil etc... Where does all that money go? The host nation often builds the venues. The IOC does contribute some monies--don't get me wrong--but not to the tune of (conservatively estimating) $20B made from broadcast rights alone. On top of that, host nations bid for the games. Tokyo bid $75B for the 2020 games.

I always thought that the OG were ripe for the picking. After all, it is just a bunch of athletic competitions happening at the same time, every 4 years. It can't be that expensive to hold these events in a city that already has swimming pools, athletic tracks, hotel rooms/dorm rooms, oceanfront, etc... You may have to cut back on the portfolio a bit (holding a marathon may run you into some permitting difficulties) but someone like Apple, Coke, McDonalds, Budweiser, etc... could put on a similar event; do it every 4 years to coincide with the Winter Games and go from there. Invite nations that want to send a delegation....if they don't...oh well. I guess we'll have to get by without a team from Argentina or whatever. The start-up costs would be pretty substantial but if it makes a profit the first time...the subsequent games would be comparatively easy to hold in a place like LA, Chicago, NY, or over in Europe.

 

[candycorn]

For about 10% of the athletes does does. The other 90% know they will not medal, and they are there for the love of their sport.

There were 30 males in the snowboard halfpipe....how many could you name?

1

 

[Harpy Eagle]

I always thought that the OG were ripe for the picking. After all, it is just a bunch of athletic competitions happening at the same time, every 4 years. It can't be that expensive to hold these events in a city that already has swimming pools, athletic tracks, hotel rooms/dorm rooms, oceanfront, etc... You may have to cut back on the portfolio a bit (holding a marathon may run you into some permitting difficulties) but someone like Apple, Coke, McDonalds, Budweiser, etc... could put on a similar event; do it every 4 years to coincide with the Winter Games and go from there. Invite nations that want to send a delegation....if they don't...oh well. I guess we'll have to get by without a team from Argentina or whatever. The start-up costs would be pretty substantial but if it makes a profit the first time...the subsequent games would be comparatively easy to hold in a place like LA, Chicago, NY, or over in Europe.

No athlete with any hope of getting an Olympic medal would ever skip them for something like this. This would be akin to the USFL or such. You would not get the big name athletes, which means nobody would watch for the most part.

 

[candycorn]

I am an Olympics junkie, I always look forward to them and watch more than most people.

But the article in the OP is on to something. This years Olympics was just "off". From the opening ceremony on it just never had the feel and the buzz of past Olympics.

But I did watch a ton of it and most of the competition was still amazing. The American getting silver in the 30k cross county ski was so cool. Slovenia taking the mixed ski jump event by more than 100 points was so fun to watch.

But from the whole figure skating debacle to the very suspicious DQs in speed skating that gave China places in the finals there was just more outside noise than normal.

I hope Paris can turn this around.

I don't know if it is just me. I work a bizarre shift where I seldom have consecutive weeks of working the same evenings so I'm often asleep during the days on weekends--I don't see a lot of Olympic sports in non-Olympic years.... But the venues for the skating/hockey at the 2022 games seemed like they were put together by the same company that makes a tractor or mining equipment.

I'm guessing they don't have many international figure skating events in China...you're sitting what, 40 feet from the ice if you're on the first row?

Here is Hockey...its even worse:

I didn't watch much coverage on the NBC network. I caught a huge amount on Peacock overnights while "working" LOL.... So I don't know if it happened or not but when ABC hosted the games, a guy named Jack Whitaker used to come on like on the Saturday evening before the closing ceremonies and tell you what he really thought of the host city and it's efforts. I bet that doesn't happen much.

Anyway...you're right, the vibe one got while watching the games on TV was an odd one. This isn't the fault of NBC or anything but it sure seems like someone from the IOC could have checked in with BOCOG and ask them... "Have you ever seen a hockey game before? This won't do.