USA v CHINA by peacekeeper

The Olympics is corrupt and overrated. A coup for the advertisers more than the events. The athletes are often drugged up egomaniacs.

But 29 medals per 20 million would ahve to be a good score, eh ;) Our best ever effort was 2000 of course. Helps to have the crowd on your side.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 1:47 AM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:
The Olympics is corrupt and overrated.

Well, because of the corruption, it's become overrated. I still hold onto a grain of hope, that the belief in the true, pure spirit of honest competition can be seen as part of what's best in humanity.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 1:53 AM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by peacekeeper:

Unfortunately, you are now being beaten on both counts.

But, in order to put the story straight, neither US or China are anywhere near the Brits for sporting greatness. According to OUR totting up method, we are ahead by STREETS. The Chinese with 1300 million people and 90 medals, the US with 314 million and 80 medals and Britain with 65 million and 52 medals. DO THE MATH AND WEEP!!!!!

I suggest you do the math again.

US medals = 90 ( 39 gold)
China medals = 80 ( 37 gold )
GB medals = 53 ( 25 gold )

Great showing for the host country. Cheers!

@MD - I'd have thought the Auzzie swimmers would do a bit better. What happened ? And why do they wear green and yellow colored warm ups? They look like they're swimming for Brazil or some such. Didn't they wear similar warm ups in Beijing ? Just wonderin'.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 2:21 AM

Keeping order in every verse

Oops!!!Quite right, you are winning outright now.But my stats still put us top!!!

And WHY so cynical about corruption in The Olympics.There is corruption and politics and profit making the world over.Get used to it.It is the greatest event, sporting or otherwise that the world should EMBRACE every 4 years. It's an honour to host it and compete in it, and to just sit back and watch.

And frankly, the only nation that has ever really tarnishesd the Olympics,is you lot, when you boycotted 1980 in Moscow. You brought politics into it and didn't take it in the right spirit. The Russians then just got their own back 4 years later!!!!

With the grace of age, commander, we learn to accept.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 2:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

@MD - I'd have thought the Auzzie swimmers would do a bit better. What happened ? And why do they wear green and yellow colored warm ups? They look like they're swimming for Brazil or some such. Didn't they wear similar warm ups in Beijing ? Just wonderin'.

Yeah, the swim team was a huge disappointment, but they're the ones that seem to be the silly spoilt show ponies.

Green and gold is the colour that Australians wear at the Olympics...

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 2:36 AM

America loves a winner!

As a native to one host city to the Olympics, I can testify to both the pride felt at being a part of it all, as well as the corruption the IOC brings to town. Profit making, I got no problem with, but the corruption around the Olympics goes far deeper. But hey, it is what it is.

I'll not go so far as to say the US is the ONLY nation to have tarnished the Games, but the boycott in '80 was ridiculous, I agree.

Of course, the upside was that anyone who played the McDonald's Olympic game ended up raking in the goodies. Not so great for McDonald's though, giving away so much free stuff. LOL.

Quote:

Green and gold is the colour that Australians wear at the Olympics...

Yes, green and gold. Thanks for the clarification. So, what's the significance ? It was just something I noticed, and wondered as to why.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 5:18 PM

You are right, it is what it is. I am happy to watch it out of the corner of my eye and make cynical asides from time to time, at the same time occasionally getting some enjoyment from the events.

Don't know where the green and gold comes from, but they are our international sporting colours. I guess we can't use the same colours as UK, and our flags share the same colours. So basically, meh?

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 5:30 PM

JONGSSTRAW

The London Olympics has been awesome and amazing. I haven't watched so many hours of Olympics since Atlanta in 1996. They've done a magnificent job!

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 6:08 PM

America loves a winner!

@MD - I noticed those colors go back to Beijing, if not further, so I know it wasn't just to avoid looking like GB at their games. I'm curious as to the symbolism of the colors, since they're not of the official flag and all.

( And yes, I know it's suppose to be 'colours'.

)

@Jong - I've not followed terribly closely, as NBC sucks royally with its coverage. I had to watch Telemundo for the swimming, as NBC was showing badminton or some such, I kid you not.

Props to the Londoners for putting on a great show. Every Games has their 'issues' , of some sort. I'm sure some bad stories will leak out, about one thing or another. Always does. I've not seen their goofy mascot(s) all over the place... which I guess is a good thing. They still have one, right ? Those big cyclops things or what ever ? Worst thing since Izzy.

I wish cities would do away with them entirely. ( mascots, not cyclops )

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, August 10, 2012 6:33 PM

Here you go. I had to look it up. :o

The national colours of Australia are green and gold. They were formally proclaimed by the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Ninian Stephen, on 19 April 1984, on advice from the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke. The exact colours are specified as being Pantone Matching System numbers 348C and 116C, and always referred to as "green and gold", respectively.

Green and gold are the traditional team colours of Australian national sporting teams, and nearly every current Australian national sports team wears them, although the hues and proportions of the colours may vary between teams and across eras.

It is widely believed that the colours were chosen because they are the dominant colours of Australia's floral emblem, Acacia pycnantha (the Golden Wattle).

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, August 11, 2012 1:21 AM

JONGSSTRAW

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
@Jong - I've not followed terribly closely, as NBC sucks royally with its coverage. I had to watch Telemundo for the swimming, as NBC was showing badminton or some such, I kid you not.

If you say you have not followed closely, how can you then bash NBC on its' coverage? I don't know where you were, but I saw all the men's and women's swimming finals on NBC in prime time. In fact I saw every gold medal performance of all the most popular events, and was thankful to NBC for presenting it to us that way. I would have missed almost everything had they chose to air the events live. Weekend events were carried live, and MSNBC carried many of the lesser-known sports live which were great as well. And everything is on the web to watch. Others too have voiced their dislike for NBC's overall coverage, but for me it's been great. Also....

Note #1 - Really got sick of the song they attached as the theme to the US women's gymnastics team. Ok play it once, play it twice, but they played the stupid thing every day...for everything, even interviews. Wasn't that an American Idol song? Geez!

Note #2 - Supercuts is oh so desperately needed in China!

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, August 11, 2012 2:13 AM

MAL4PREZ

US v China. I have been thinking it's silly to just add up medals. Gold is definitely worth more than silver or bronze. Lordie, someone will eventually come up with a special model, like gold=3 pts, silver=2, bronze=1, but that's silly too. Let's just start some computer/coaches poll like college football to decide the winner. Sheesh!

I have really enjoyed these games. I don't know if that's because they are particularly good, or because the internet makes them more available in improved forms. (more on that below) But I've seen some great stuff. Women's soccer, fencing, gymnastics (except the huge push to make the US girls into pop culture icons - stop it already!), the British show-jumping team, all the diving, swimming, track, lots more. So many great athletes!

About the "improved forms": I've been watching various streams online to catch sports live, and have discovered the joy of avoiding the NBC announcers. There's one lovely European channel that shows the event with background sounds, slow-mo replay, etc, but no announcer at all. It's brilliant! OK, I wouldn't mind a little talk, just names and some brief assessment of the performance, but American announcers can't stop there. They have to interrupt the event with background life stories and do those immensely stupid post-event interviews. "So, describe your emotions after you won and you fell to your knees, crying..." Really? *facepalm* The poor athlete is always like - jesus, leave me alone so I can go enjoy this moment without having to say the obvious. How the fuck do you think I feel?

Another thing about US announcers is that they have to be talking ALL the time. That means they have to constantly say stupid shit like: "Japan needs to score a goal here..." Duh! Really? Can't they just allow silence, let the sport be the focus, not the talking heads?

Which is why I love the internet. Escape from NBC. No announcers, or British ones. I watched USA/Canada women's soccer with Brits, which was absolutely wonderful. None of the pandering overblown flabbiness of the US play-by-play/color commentary.

Edited to delete my last comment: I was confusing 80 and 84. Hey, I was really young then LOL!

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, August 11, 2012 2:17 AM

America loves a winner!

Quote:
If you say you have not followed closely, how can you then bash NBC on its' coverage?

Well, I meant LIVE coverage. Like Olympic trampolining ? ugh!

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, August 11, 2012 5:41 PM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

PK, I MISS YOU...wish you'd come around more often, dammit!

As to why the medal count is so important, it's that stupid "American exceptionalism" bullshit. We can't STAND not to be on top, so some people hang by their fingernails on every count. Me, I never could give a shit... I'm happy for those who win medals, given we know all that went into it, so I'm tickled for the PERSON, not the country. Nonetheless, I'm glad GB has made an excellent showing--it should always be that way for the home country.

I love OnDemand, 'cuz I can watch what I want to watch WHEN I want to watch it, and about the only thing I watch in the Summer Olympics is the gymnastics and equestrian stuff anyway. So I don't know about any of the other stuff, I'm not into watching.

The announcer thing, FER SHORE would drive me nuts, not to mention the commercials if I watched it on network tv. I don't know why commentators feel the need to fill every damned second with inane comments; saw "Best of Show" and laughed my head off at the piss-take they did on commentators, especially "color" commentators. Guess they figure they're earning their fee as long as they say SOMETHING?

All in all, it's a spectacularly expensive spectacle in which I have little interest. I'm glad all the competitors had something like this in their lives to drive them to excel, and I DEFINITELY appreciate the excellence of the parts I watch.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, August 11, 2012 6:02 PM

Keeping order in every verse

It's been a fantastic Olympics and to be fair, pretty much always is.Every city that hosts it, realises it's magnitude and plans diligently to do the Movement justice. It shouldn't be treated with cynicism and back biting.

It introduces sports to the world that are played by millions and seen by very few.It brings 203 countries together under one roof. The spirit in which it exists is thorougghly incredible and crys of " CORRUPTION" are just ridiculous shouts of cynicism.

Not every aspect of this world is conspiratorial and underhand, so stop looking for skeletons in every closet. It is sport, pure and simple. And it has been wonderful to watch.

Good luck to Brazil in 4 years time. Im sure they will put on a great job.

With the grace of age, commander, we learn to accept.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, August 12, 2012 6:15 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Amen to all of that.

However, sometimes "politics" DOES come into it:

Quote:
Seven athletes from Cameroon have "defected" in London where some were participating in the 2012 Olympics, Cameroon media reported Tuesday, citing an official.

The disappearance of the seven athletes was reported on the website of the state daily Cameroon Tribune.

According to the head of Cameroon's Olympics delegation, David Ojong, "28 (delegation members) returned to Cameroon, 24 are still in the (Olympic) village and seven have defected," the newspaper reported him telling the country's sports minister at a meeting on Sunday.

On Tuesday the sports ministry declined to comment on the situation and no explanation was given for the defections.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, August 12, 2012 6:41 AM

Keeping order in every verse

Thats not politics, thats individual opportunism.You cant legislate for that.No government or sporting body has caused that.The 1000's of Athletes that have competed have on the whole been there for just that.Competition.

With the grace of age, commander, we learn to accept.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, August 12, 2012 6:48 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Goodness, I didn't say any of that. I was just pointing out that sometimes more than "sports" goes on, nothing more. It doesn't in any diminish the things you wrote, it's just an aside.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, August 12, 2012 9:43 AM

OLDENGLANDDRY

Unfortunately, most Americans still believe the Olympics were held somewhere in the USA.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, August 12, 2012 3:40 PM