Comments on: Inspired By The Olympic Games?

By: evilcyber

evilcyber — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:24:36 +0000

In reply to Dr. J. You make a good point. In my contempt for the Olympics, it's one I should not have forgotten.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:48:02 +0000

I’ve been fortunate to have known several Olympic athletes over the years. One was the only gold medal winner when his home country sponsored the games. He definitely drove a better car after that, lol
One was a world record holder in his event. He went snow skiing for the first time and just went off the black diamond slope without fear! That said a lot about why he was so accomplished. One didn’t get to represent his country in the games because of a useless political boycott that year. The list goes on, but my point is that it isn’t the games that have ever inspired me, but it has been the individual athletes that have 🙂

Thank you for your educational comment on my column!

By: evilcyber

evilcyber — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:34:07 +0000

In reply to Band3. As a child, I was fascinated by them. Today, not so much.

By: Band3

Band3 — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:19:57 +0000

It makes even less sense when you consider that in ancient Greece the athletes were pros by today standards. Not that I give half a rat’s arse about the Olympics anyway…

By: Asbjorn

Asbjorn — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:09:13 +0000

In reply to Simo. I'm just glad they went under here in Iceland ^^ No chance I'll accidentally eat there again.

By: evilcyber

evilcyber — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:07:49 +0000

In reply to Asbjorn. I'm sure! :D

By: evilcyber

evilcyber — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:07:34 +0000

In reply to Corey.

Corey, that is a valid point. Some of the best athletes are professionals – they would be stupid not to be. However, the whole issue probably wasn’t as pressing when Coubertin made the distinction as it is now.

Today, for example, the US track and field athletes are by definition amateurs, yet they get very little governmental support. Therefore they have to rely on sponsoring contracts, which you usually only score if you devote your career to your sport. Where is then the difference to, say, a Lakers point guard, who does nothing but play basketball?

It’s an issue the IOC has problems with for years. Eg., tennis, that is Olympic and *does* allows professionals. I vividly remember Steffi Graf playing at Seoul ’88, despite her already having a six digit income from her career. That simply makes no sense.

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:07:03 +0000

I should also add, lest I sounded like the arrogant American, that the rise of international basketball is great. Now there are teams (especially Spain) who are putting up excellent competition.

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:06:38 +0000

Good article. What struck me most about the original revival was the ban on professional athletes. I can’t understand that. Here in the USA it’s a big issue, because for years our best athletes in our major sports didn’t participate (hockey, baseball, and basketball – there is no olympic game for american football). In 1992 this all changed with the inclusion of the “Dream Team”, USA Basketball who went on to destroy every team it faced by 40+ points. Hockey now has professionals as well. We still don’t send our professional baseball players to the Games, which is absurd because we invented the damn sport! To me, the olympics should be represented by the best athletes from each country. Otherwise it’s second rate, Olympics-Lite. 😉

By: Simo

Simo — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:05:22 +0000

In reply to Asbjorn. I like some of their food. During that same weekend I had four plus-sized BicMac meals with 6 steaks on each burger :P