I couldn’t care less about the Olympics. I can’t remember a time when that wasn’t so. Hell, they played soccer 90 miles south of my house in the ’96 Olympics, and I couldn’t be bothered even then. I’m pretty sure the vaunted Games are never coming to Huntsville, so that was almost certainly the best shot I’ll ever have.
I think there is a germ of a good idea in the Olympics. Competition and sportsmanship between and among the amateur athletes of the world sounds good. Alas, it was long ago overshadowed by the massive and numerous Olympics-associated bureaucracies, which mostly spend (and coordinate the spending of) a near-unbelievable amount of money, with rampant corruption and inefficiency as the primary dividends.
Additionally, it would be preferable if they weren’t so politically charged, but with 200-some odd governments and big piles of cash involved, we might as well wish for chocolate rain.
That said, I thought it appalling that China got one, so I’m rather enjoying all of the flame-snuffing that’s going on. I hope it gets bad. It needs to.
How about Taiwan declaring independence 30 seconds before the opening ceremonies begin?
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I thought Taiwan already did that?
I am on a little bit different wavelength. I keep thinking about the olympics long, long ago; competition for competition’s sake. All this boycott talk bugs me. If an athlete wants to boycott fine, but don’t force them to.
Chocolate rain sounds like a great idea.
I’m of two minds about the thing. I understand that activists will – and should – use any event that brings their cause to a greater audience. In that respect, I don’t really have a problem with boycotting and demonstrating and torch-snuffing. There are some serious issues at stake, and while I’m not a “by any means necessary” kind of girl, I DO understand the need to shout and fuss when the cameras are rolling.
That being said, I agree with Seester, too. Politicizing the event seems inappropriate and spoiled-babyish, especially given the history of the Olympics, but the games are not – and haven’t been for a long while now – about pure sportsmanship anymore. Bo’s right, and for as much as I wish it were otherwise, I’m not sure that I believe in the spirit of the games enough to make a stink about the people who are protesting.
Right, I don’t care if groups protest. I don’t care if nations protest. I just wish the individual athletes could compete or not compete as they see fit.
Where’s my lens cover?
Happy Birthday Bo! You must be about to turn 37.
Thanks, Lee! Good to “see” you. And excellent work.
I’ve always had a deep-seated suspicion that everyone who preaches the value of athletics (builds leaders, blah, blah), were just trying to legitimize making more of fun and games than just, well, fun and games.
I see no social, intellectual, philosophical, humanistic or other higher value in running, kicking balls, etc.
Here’s a little anecdote, I hope you see how it fits this discussion. Once, years ago, I told someone that I played guitar. This person replied, “I guess that’s probably good therapy.” ??????????? No, I just like to do it.
If everyone let things be simply what they are (I guess that would fall under the general rubric of honesty), the world would be a better place.
From Forrest Gump:
Newsman: Sir, why are you running?
1st Reporter: Why are you running?
2nd Reporter: Are you doing this for world peace?
3rd Reporter: Are you doing this for women’s right?
Newsman: Or for the environment?
Reporter: Or for animals?
3rd Reporter: Or for nuclear arms?
Forrest: (voice-over) They just couldn’t believe that somebody would do all that running for no particular reason.
2nd Reporter: Why are you doing this?
Forrest: I just felt like running.
I just realized, like, two years ago that the actor who played Bear Bryant in Forrest Gump is Sonny Shroyer, the same guy who played Enos on The Dukes of Hazzard.
I don’t care what anyone says. Forrest Gump should have won the Heisman.
[...] I blogged about the Olympics once already. Don’t think much of them. I find them a sprawling manifestation of hypocrisy and corruption, and I think they have the entertainment value of an insurance seminar. As far as I’m concerned, the best thing about them is that they’ll end a few days before the college football season starts, thereby eliminating the potential for knuckleheaded programming decisions. [...]