Olympics

[NickyG]

Can I set aside my cynicism just for one moment and say that watching the Olympics on TV yesterday was brilliant? Practically every event you thought 'what's going to top that?' and then something else did just that - rowing, cycling (of course ), long jump, heptathalon and 10,000m...  you could even forgive the penalty shootout in the football! There were times when it felt like you were watching a festival of all your all-time favourite bands with each set better than the last one.... and to top it off, all headed up by a mixed race girl and a Somali-born muslim... truly, something British to be proud of! 

[Frank]

I agree Nicky,

At the start of the Olympics I was cynical about the size and corporate nature of it all but in spirit, at least, there have been some great moments - for all nations.  I also watched the opening ceremony and was really impressed - quirky and in parts unexpected, and to top it all (and show their archaic mentality) some tories called it 'left wing nonsense'..........Muppets!

 

[Berko_kev]

Totally Agree  - I am a sports mad fan anyway so was always looking forward to it, despite being pissed off about the way which and the price of, the tickets were made available.  Last night was brilliant and as you say Nicky showed up the best of British - guts, determination and a wide range of athletes from all sorts of backgrounds and ethnicities. Fantastic  !  and they even had Frank Turner as part of the pre opening ceremony.

[Guy]

[Guy]

Ok, but aside from the clear double standards of the tabloids I have been enjoying the games far more than I thought. Not least because the modern camera technology is now so amazing you almost feel like you are there. Did anyone see the shooting? Where the camera actually caught the pellets destroying the clay pigeons close up?

Also back in January I spent a week with some Olympic hopefuls and they were just the most inspiring people I've met in a long time:

http://www.baag.org.uk/blog/against-all-odds

[ldopas]

Yes it was impressive Guy.

But can I ask a question?

Do you view, watch, support, enjoy anything without reference to making a left of centre political point?

I mean did you watch Ice Age 4 and write a polemic on the have and have nots, the downtrodden female characters, how the yoof are not listened to and global warming? :-)

Sometimes mate, you just got to enjoy something because it just IS.

[Frank]

Idopas - fair point well made but I guess others see life politically and politics as life? Guy - the Daily Mail caption made me chuckle! You both have valid points!

Anyway back to the olympics - I find there is a real humble spirit about the games and having competed in various sports myself at a (much) younger age, it provides a real sense of achievement and freedom - not too far removed from being part of a great gig!

Or maybe I am just an old romantic......  

[Guy]

Yes it was impressive Guy..... But can I.... .....left of centre.... Ice Age 4.... polemic.... ect

I shared an Olympic joke from Newsthump, hardly a big point scoring excercise is it?

Anyway back to the subject. Has anyone else here found something that they haven't previously thought was worth watching? For me (so far) it was the canoeing. I started by being gobsmacked by the feat of aquatic engineering that is the man made rapids. But ended up watching the whole thing and the repeats. Really gripping how they gain and lose seconds (& medals) while hurtling down what is pretty much a waterfall. Anyone else make an Olympic discovery?

[NickyG]

Whether Jesse Owen, the Black Panther salutes, Zola Budd, the ancient Greeks or Boris Johnson, politics and sport have been intertwined throughout history. The tabloids, the government of the day (whoever that may be) will always use the successes of these events and the associated optimism to create a sense of one-ness to sell more papers and ride on the reflected glory. To make that point is no more a political act than to ignore it. 

Personally, when I say something British to be proud of, what I mean is proud of other individuals who have been determined enough to go out and achieve something and with whom some of us can identify because we were (broadly) raised in the same geographical area, culture, country if you like... which is different from being proud of every action and ideology of the state, government, press etc. I got the spoof Mail cover on The Poke on FB on Sunday morning, and thought it was pretty much as imaginative and articulate a way of illustrating such a distinction as you could come up with.

As for the Afghans, the taekwondo starts on Wednesday:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/sports/taekwondo

[Guy]

As for the Afghans, the taekwondo starts on Wednesday:

I'm going to be glued to the screen. Go Rohullah!

[Hughie]

Anyway back to the subject. Has anyone else here found something that they haven't previously thought was worth watching? For me (so far) it was the canoeing. Anyone else make an Olympic discovery?

I've been enjoying the Handball and also (though I've seen less of it), the Water Polo.   I've seen bits of both sports before but certainly watched more this time.

[Pim]

Only seen some of it yesterday, cos I was on vacation. But I was sitting at the tip of my chair watching gymnastics, with an amazing performance of Epke Zonderland on the horizontal bars, especially after he fell down in the finals in Bejing. It's the first individual gold medal in gymnastics for Holland. And the Keirin finals were fantastic, ofcourse an impressive Chris Hoy again and a double bronze was pretty cool.

[Hughie]

amazing performance of Epke Zonderland on the horizontal bars, especially after he fell down in the finals in Bejing. It's the first individual gold medal in gymnastics for Holland. And the Keirin finals were fantastic, ofcourse an impressive Chris Hoy again and a double bronze was pretty cool.

You may enjoy this snippet then.  Two UK newspapers today included a front page photograph of the gold winning GB dressage team....or thought they had.   The picture was actually of the Dutch dressage team!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19176660

[Pim]

Yeah I read it, but come on who can blame them, dancing horses. 

[Hughie]

Yeah I read it, but come on who can blame them, dancing horses. 

I imagine it is very very skilful and requires loads of practice etc, but I must admit it hasn't been one of the sports I have watched!