I've decided NOT to watch the Olympics

[alexwhitmer]

Why? The ridiculous expulsion of an athlete over a stupid joke. I just don't see where there was any intent to foment hatred, but they handed that poor woman a life sentance for it. Really sickens me to death. They stated something along the lines that she didn't represent the spirit of the games. Okay, and with the complaints I have read about Phelps being a complete jerk and treating women like groupies, does he represent the spirit of the games?

I'm just so pissed off that I can't stomach to watch a single competition. None. Zero.


Trading her poor judgement for intolerance accomplished NOTHING!!!


ARG!!!!!

 

[David Collard]

I'm not privy to shite that went down, but it seems a shame you would not watch the games in protest.

 

[Jake Bastian]

Can't imagine this thread will be here for long, but isn't she associated with Golden Dawn (far-right Neo-Nazi party rising in Greece)? Kinda hard to claim that joke wasn't based on some kind of racist sentiment if it's true.

 

[AndrewThomas]

It was a pretty abhorrent comment.

 

[Mark Collins]

There was a similar case during the winter Olympics last time around where a Canadian athlete celebrated his win by drinking a beer in the streets. They wanted to take his medal away for being "unsportsmanlike".

Something I found hilarious considering how often athletes love to party.

I always feel the IOC is very out of touch with the athletes, and is way too worried about political correctness.

However, I will not be watching because Rugby will not be played until the 2016 Olympics, despite sports like table tennis and handball being included.

 

[alexwhitmer]

I kinda remember something about a snowboarder getting drunk on plane and peeing on a kid. I think that constitutes a toss.

I do admit I know nothing about her real sentiments. I don't excuse the joke (comment), I just hate the kneejerk reaction, as it brough back many a memory of tragic 80s corporate-culture hangings I either had to witness, or participate in. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive from the guilt. If more comes out later about her, then we'll see how I feel. Speaking of the Golden Dawn, anyone see that video about a guy smacking a woman around during a live television debate? Talk about an urgent need for anger-managment courses.

No, I'm going to spend my planned viewing time in the kitchen. A small script sale gave me enough to fix a faucet, and still some left over to cook a duck. I have three passions in life: writing, gardening, and the kitchen! Wait, 4! My pets of course.

Don't believe what they say about a crispy-skinned duck being the best. Hands down, a soft-skinned duck infused with balsamic-orange and a scratch or two of fresh ginger will win every time. Serve it with a bit of wild rice and maybe a steamed asparagus with sweet butter.

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[D Fuller]

I kinda remember something about a snowboarder getting drunk on plane and peeing on a kid. I think that constitutes a toss.

I do admit I know nothing about her real sentiments. I don't excuse the joke (comment), I just hate the kneejerk reaction, as it brough back many a memory of tragic 80s corporate-culture hangings I either had to witness, or participate in. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive from the guilt. If more comes out later about her, then we'll see how I feel. Speaking of the Golden Dawn, anyone see that video about a guy smacking a woman around during a live television debate? Talk about an urgent need for anger-managment courses.

No, I'm going to spend my planned viewing time in the kitchen. A small script sale gave me enough to fix a faucet, and still some left over to cook a duck. I have three passions in life: writing, gardening, and the kitchen! Wait, 4! My pets of course.

Don't believe what they say about a crispy-skinned duck being the best. Hands down, a soft-skinned duck infused with balsamic-orange and a scratch or two of fresh ginger will win every time. Serve it with a bit of wild rice and maybe a steamed asparagus with sweet butter.

a

Now that sounds like my kind of entertainment! I've been working up to cooking duck again for some time now. My current fascination is for rotisserie cooking of all sorts of things -- roasts of beef and pork, of course, and birds. But my next project will be duck, smoked with some applewood from my yard, and served with grilled corn and zucchini. (my asparagus is long gone). I'm really working up the courage to do a goose. But I hear so many stories about how difficult that is, that I'm a little intimidated. Pheasant might be in the queue too, if I can find one.

 

[Liam Hall]

There are many good reasons you could have chosen to give the games a miss, their flagrant commercialism, overt nationalism and everlasting support of cronyism are just three of many that neatly end with an "ism," yet you choose one where the Greek Olympic authorities chose to make a stand against racism and the rise of neo-nazi party Golden Dawn. They should be applauded. The only "knee-jerk" reaction here, is yours, and with that in mind I have decided to never read any of your posts again

 

[Jean Pierre Schoch]

good said Liam
People and specially famous people, should think before open their mouths... is easy after say it was a joke.

 

[Mark_Thorpe]

However, I will not be watching because Rugby will not be played until the 2016 Olympics, despite sports like table tennis and handball being included.

Ahhh, Rugby. A game played by gentlemen with funny shaped balls.

 

[Dominik Muench]

Why? They stated something along the lines that she didn't represent the spirit of the games.

As far as I'm concerned the Olympic games lost their spirit around the time when the ancient greeks stopped running around half naked in a plowed field, surrounded by olive trees competing against each other in friendship around 1500 years ago.

The olympic games, like the soccer world cup are nothing more but a pathetic excuse for a whole bunch of very old, greedy, arrogant and filthy rich people in fancy suits from the IOC and FIFA to make even more money while traveling from one country to the next like locusts and exploiting the countries resources and tax payers money for even bigger, more pompous stadiums which never get used properly again.

The old greeks would be throwing up in their graves if they knew what became of their games (anti air missiles stationed on skyscrapers! and more British troops in London keeping the peace than are currently stationed in Afghanistan)....which were a festival amongst friends, to compete in friendship that used to be about fun....not about 1/1000 fractions of a second and bullshit political wanking and one nation ONE Upping over another. Anyone been to Beijing recently and seen what happened to the olympic village ? Or to Munich in Germany where they have stadiums big enough to seat the population of a small country, that are now empty and unused and cost fortunes just to be maintained ?

Wanna do something good for the spirit of mankind and international friendship ? Build libraries and offer free, quality education and healthcare to everyone, scrape the games and spend the 14 BILLION $ which the 2012 games will cost on humanitarian things....this could be public health care for a lot of people in the US....cancer research....aids medicine for a lot of people in africa.....A palestinian and an israeli kid able to play together in peace would do more for international friendship than a bunch of highly trained professionals who dont talk to each other and just stick to their own kind in the olympic villages comparing dick sizes in the field.

What a farce......even if its broadcast in Ultra HD.

 

[egon touste]

I'm not privy to shite that went down, but it seems a shame you would not watch the games in protest.

why is it a shame?

the olympics is a private company that travels the world looking for the biggest bride?.. which is followed by a load of unneccessary competitiveness.. which is all sponsored by large "unhealthy" companies ie, mc donalds, heineken, union carbide etc .. f*** 'em, thats what i say .. this aint ancient Greece, its the same old shite.. he's missing nothing imo , sport is just another political device used to create division amongst rival fans .. it seems a shame to watch actually..

..the bonus will come when there are security problems which are used to justify new repressive security laws in the uk.. so that its easier to police the shite another time etc etc .. the more events that are policed by soldiers, the less happy i feel :banghead: ..im not sure it was any better in Greek times actually..

 

[Dominik Muench]

why is it a shame?

the olympics is a private company that travels the world looking for the biggest bride?.. which is followed by a load of unneccessary competitiveness.. which is all sponsored by large "unhealthy" companies ie, mc donalds, heineken, union carbide etc .. f*** 'em, thats what i say .. this aint ancient Greece, its the same old shite.. he's missing nothing imo , sport is just another political device used to create division amongst rival fans .. it seems a shame to watch actually..

..the bonus will come when there are security problems which are used to justify new repressive security laws in the uk.. so that its easier to police the shite another time etc etc .. the more events that are policed by soldiers, the less happy i feel :banghead: ..im not sure it was any better in Greek times actually..

couldn't agree more !

 

[Meryem Ersoz]

in my opinion, coaches should put a moratorium on athletes speaking out on twitter six months in advance of the Olympics...as part of a basic damage control program.

it was a really stupid, stupid and tasteless thing to say...

while we should all be free to exercise our right to be stupid, once you're in the public eye, it is best to pretend at least, that you're not stupid.

 

[PatrickFaith]

Can't imagine this thread will be here for long, but isn't she associated with Golden Dawn (far-right Neo-Nazi party rising in Greece)? Kinda hard to claim that joke wasn't based on some kind of racist sentiment if it's true.

Kind of cool movie would start off with a ignorant post (i.e. this one) ... then show footage of golden dawn attacks in tv stations and throwing blood ... then flash back to 1972 ... then flash back to 1936 ... where some of the athletes were used to "front" party lines ... then the actual movie would start in the round up of Romani before the 1936 Olympics ... all of which were eventually shot that did not leave Germany.

 

[alexwhitmer]

All I have seen concerning GD is that they came out in support of her, which really is not to her advantage. I'm sure they see a photo op here, as do folks on both sides. Another common human disease.

Yeah, okay it was a knee-jerk and ignorant post, but my real point is - does the punishment fit the crime? I think it's overkill, and it's forever. I would have liked an apology, and expulsion from the opening ceremony, but let her compete. Alas, as I have always said, we can have a thousand golden feathers in our hats, and a thousand good deeds done, but make one mistake, and the world will only remember that moment, and pretty much erase all that came before. It's a human thirst to watch our fellow man / woman crash and burn, and folks like Murdoch have built empires on that thirst.

Screw the Olympics. I'm hangin' in the kitchen. Got that duck to prepare, and working on some bisquit recipes.

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[Johnny Friday]

Ahhh, Rugby. A game played by gentlemen with funny shaped balls.

What do Rugby athletes' funny shaped testicles have to do with this post? I'm sure it's not the only sporting game that produces this type of medical predicament.

 

[alexwhitmer]

Now that sounds like my kind of entertainment! I've been working up to cooking duck again for some time now. My current fascination is for rotisserie cooking of all sorts of things -- roasts of beef and pork, of course, and birds. But my next project will be duck, smoked with some applewood from my yard, and served with grilled corn and zucchini. (my asparagus is long gone). I'm really working up the courage to do a goose. But I hear so many stories about how difficult that is, that I'm a little intimidated. Pheasant might be in the queue too, if I can find one.

I have never tried Goose, either. Like you, I hear it's a tough project.

Applewood! Dang, if I could get my hands on some of that!! I settle for saving the juices from when I am making apple pies, and use it to baste the meats. Picks up a nice subtle apple flavor. I want to build a brick oven in the yard someday, and do some smoke-cooked meats.

a

 

[M Most]

why is it a shame?

the olympics is a private company that travels the world looking for the biggest bribe?.. which is followed by a load of unneccessary competitiveness..

Sounds exactly like the film business to me.

 

[alexwhitmer]

So I just skimmed through the morning news looking for something positive. Just Olympic articles on who is offended by who, who isn't allowed to wear what, or who isn't doing this or that despite the team's participation, and what signs and uniforms angered who.

One good gaffe leads to another, and it won't be long before the mosquito comment will seem trivial, and forgotten.

Yeah, all great 'spirit of the games' stuff. Maybe they should add a pissing contest.

I'm off to buy a duck. See you next year.


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