Olympics 2008 - Page 21

Morrigoon · 08-11-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I'm sorry, but I find this ridiculous. Isn't the Olympics about bringing the best of the world together and seeing who wins? Honestly, if the french (just singling this out as one example) have bad will toward America because they lost the 4x100, that's their problem, not ours.

I'm not suggesting it as a strategy, but the reality of it is, such things DO have an impact on international relations and on the sentiment one country holds toward another. That's kind of the point. Using sports as a way to compete and yet cooperate with other countries and generate goodwill.

Kevy Baby · 08-11-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

That's kind of the point. Using sports as a way to compete and yet cooperate with other countries and generate goodwill.

Or perpetuate ill will

scaeagles · 08-11-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I'm not suggesting it as a strategy, but the reality of it is, such things DO have an impact on international relations and on the sentiment one country holds toward another. That's kind of the point. Using sports as a way to compete and yet cooperate with other countries and generate goodwill.

OK....makes more sense (and not ridiculous), but I suppose it is a sad thing that anyone would have to worry about someone disliking them because they win. I will always reagrd that as an issue of the loser having a problem, not the winner. Of course, there is such a thing as being a bad winner, though the initial exuberance of winning doesn't fall into that.

What makes one better in any competitive endeavor is going against those who are better than you and forcing you to find a better way to do things. I don't hate my main basketball rival, but I want to beat them desperately. A couple of years ago I lost to them by 23. Four days later we beat them in overtime because I was forced to try some different things to beat them. Made me a better coach, made my players better, too. And it was one of the most satisfying moments of any athletic moment of my life.

innerSpaceman · 08-11-2008, 10:02 AM

Alex pretty much answered it for me, scaeagles. Except that I'll go him one further and say that rooting for your city's home team, while admittedly fun, is pathetic ... to the exent most people refer to it as "my team" - as if they have some kind of ownership stake, or are, heaven forbid, PLAYING THE FRELLING GAME THEMSELVES.

Alex makes a good point about a team you are used to seeing play ... but they still HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU.

BTW, if 217 of the 640 Chinese Atheletes win gold medals, China will have won ZERO gold medals. Despite the tyrannical MACHINE the Chinese have to churn out Olympians ... the fact remains: Countries don't win medals, Individual Human Beings DO.

As such, I really feel somewhere between silly and shameful when I experience a tinge of nationalistic joy at Americans winning some competition. The competition itself is silly, my personal connection to American atheletes is non-existent, and the nationalism is, imo, contrary to the higher spirit of the Olympic Games.

I am happy for ANYONE who wins. I am happy for ANYONE who can even compete at this level.

And yeah the race was exciting. The Americans were overjoyed, the French were dispondent. Ugh, since - as Alex pointed out - the race was a freaking TIE.

BarTopDancer · 08-11-2008, 10:45 AM

Except it wasn't a tie. Have either of you swam competitively?

It's effort and technique coming into the wall. You can't just float on in and hit the wall. In a race that close you're finishing technique better be damn good.

Gemini Cricket · 08-11-2008, 10:50 AM

Yeah, it's not a tie. I swam on two swim teams in Hawai'i.

Morrigoon · 08-11-2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Yeah, it's not a tie. I swam on two swim teams in Hawai'i.

Yeah, it's not like the swimmers don't know where the finish line is. They either give it that last minute push or they don't.

Gemini Cricket · 08-11-2008, 10:57 AM

As for who to root for, I'm a sucker for the underdogs and the people with amazing comeback stories or athletes with hard luck stories, triumph over adversity and all that. I don't always root for the American. ie. I remember rooting for Nadia Comăneci when I was 5. She was an amazing athlete. I was 5 and even then I could see that.

cirquelover · 08-11-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

As for who to root for, I'm a sucker for the underdogs and the people with amazing comeback stories or athletes with hard luck stories, triumph over adversity and all that. I don't always root for the American. ie. I remember rooting for Nadia Comăneci when I was 5. She was an amazing athlete. I was 5 and even then I could see that.

You know we have a lot in common! I've also been known to root for the one with the cute smile.

Also I always feel bad for the person in fourth place, they did just as well but get nothing to show for it. I think they are all winners just because they made it to the Olympics in the first place!

I had Gary bring up a list of the countries last night because I couldn't figure some of them out. Wow there are a lot of listed countries, a lot of which I have no idea where they are!

innerSpaceman · 08-11-2008, 11:02 AM

I know it's technically not a tie. There was a 1 second difference. I am suggesting that difference is completely meaningless, though humans have ascribed the meaning of "winning" to it. It's absurd.

Yes, it's a race, and a win is a win even by a second. But it's why I simply don't care for races. How can it conceiveably matter to anything but the race itself whether one human is faster by one second at that particular moment of that particular day?

I admire the skill of the winners. I don't admire the skill of the so-called losers who came in second by one single second any less at all.

And Kudos to Gemini Cricket for rooting for the underdog. Root for whomever you please. It's fun.

08-11-2008, 10:02 AM	#4
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Alex pretty much answered it for me, scaeagles. Except that I'll go him one further and say that rooting for your city's home team, while admittedly fun, is pathetic ... to the exent most people refer to it as "my team" - as if they have some kind of ownership stake, or are, heaven forbid, PLAYING THE FRELLING GAME THEMSELVES. Alex makes a good point about a team you are used to seeing play ... but they still HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. BTW, if 217 of the 640 Chinese Atheletes win gold medals, China will have won ZERO gold medals. Despite the tyrannical MACHINE the Chinese have to churn out Olympians ... the fact remains: Countries don't win medals, Individual Human Beings DO. As such, I really feel somewhere between silly and shameful when I experience a tinge of nationalistic joy at Americans winning some competition. The competition itself is silly, my personal connection to American atheletes is non-existent, and the nationalism is, imo, contrary to the higher spirit of the Olympic Games. I am happy for ANYONE who wins. I am happy for ANYONE who can even compete at this level. And yeah the race was exciting. The Americans were overjoyed, the French were dispondent. Ugh, since - as Alex pointed out - the race was a freaking TIE.
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08-11-2008, 10:45 AM	#5
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Except it wasn't a tie. Have either of you swam competitively? It's effort and technique coming into the wall. You can't just float on in and hit the wall. In a race that close you're finishing technique better be damn good. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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08-11-2008, 10:50 AM	#6
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	Yeah, it's not a tie. I swam on two swim teams in Hawai'i.
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08-11-2008, 10:57 AM	#8
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	As for who to root for, I'm a sucker for the underdogs and the people with amazing comeback stories or athletes with hard luck stories, triumph over adversity and all that. I don't always root for the American. ie. I remember rooting for Nadia Comăneci when I was 5. She was an amazing athlete. I was 5 and even then I could see that.
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08-11-2008, 11:02 AM	#10
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I know it's technically not a tie. There was a 1 second difference. I am suggesting that difference is completely meaningless, though humans have ascribed the meaning of "winning" to it. It's absurd. Yes, it's a race, and a win is a win even by a second. But it's why I simply don't care for races. How can it conceiveably matter to anything but the race itself whether one human is faster by one second at that particular moment of that particular day? I admire the skill of the winners. I don't admire the skill of the so-called losers who came in second by one single second any less at all. And Kudos to Gemini Cricket for rooting for the underdog. Root for whomever you please. It's fun.
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