Olympic crisis
Sport - - Posted on August, 17 at 8:47 pm by Ken L
Great Britain has more gold medals than us. And I suspect this catastrophe can only get worse now our gallant swimmers have finished their heroic struggle against the drug cheats. John Coates, just name the amount you need to restore our national pride and we’ll sign the cheque gladly. None of this millions nonsense, this is no time for restraint and after all we have a record surplus to get rid of somehow.
I open the bidding with a billion dollar Sporting Excellence Endowment. Anyone care to raise me?
Meanwhile the Williams sisters have issued a cover version of The Andrews Sisters ‘Rum ‘n’ Coca Cola’ won a gold medal in tennis. Can anyone explain why this event happened, or who cares? (Apart perhaps from the Williams sisters and I seriously doubt that they do either.)
There’s a softball contest too. And baseball. Sigh.
Posted in Sport |
August 17th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
For all the hoo har about our fellas, its the girls who are winning the medals.
August 18th, 2008 at 12:52 am
If JWH was still Prime Minister, this would never have happened. It’s a disgrace.
Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates believes Australia is lagging its major competitors in funding of elite athletes and coaches.
“My sense is that we are being left behind,” Coates told reporters.
He noted that the British Olympic team is receiving STG500 million ($A1.05 billion) ahead of the London Games and that Britain is on course to surpass Australia as an Olympic nation.
“My sense of pride says we shouldn’t allow that.”
Onya John, maaaate!
Anything else about the state of the nation that outrages your sense of pride?
Tosser!
August 18th, 2008 at 5:41 am
It must be the soap that those Pommies are using that enables to ride faster, swim faster and run faster. (Coates is the very same person who made some asinine comment about a certain nationalities not bathing.)
August 18th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I’ve been thinking about it. If throwing more money at various coaches, institutes and parasites means we’ve got less for joining illegal, needless wars… then I’m for it.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Why does it matter how many gold (or other colour) medals Australia gets? Why should tax payer money go towards it?
August 18th, 2008 at 11:42 am
The Olympic spirit has been buried a long time ago. The athletes everyone is cheering today are most likely full of dope, some may not be detectable yet. Each Olympice they say they “WILL” catch drug cheats, but, as in the case of Marion Jones it wasn’t the dope tests that caught her. How many others are getting away with this. The Chinese female swimmers are the size of our weightlifters, and they are Drug free? Lets put this all in perspective with the olympic ethic and it doesn’t fit. The fair play doesn’t exist, we have multi million basketballers playng against players who can’t make a living out of the game, we have nations pouring Billions into sport at the expense of the poor and denying basic human rights. We have an Olympic federation who choose the Olympic venues on how much they can get out of a country in kickbacks, and are without doubt politically motivated. The whole thing is rotten to the bone. Why China, the federation thought they would actually keep their promise on Human rights, freedom of speech and the press and make it a games for the people. This just goes to show how foolish Coates and his team of fools are.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Eric Bogle wrote about the Sydney Olympics, that each Gold medal cost about $50m or so. He also quite rightly says the word pride is quite incorrect. We share in their success, we share a great deal of admiration for thier efforts but pride? We share in their celebrations but as Eric says we can’t share their sponsors cheques.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Fair enough, david wilson.
But in today’s world, if you take away sport, what DO we have to be proud bout?
August 18th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
If there is a case for left behind,there must be a case for right behind!
August 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Mars, if sport is all we can be proud of we live in a poor world. What about the Life savers who patrol our beaches and save lives as volunteers, the RFS who save properties and lives, the police when they bust drug dealers and keep death off our streets, the nurses and doctors who save lives.
August 18th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Yes…. but pound-for-pound are out volunteers and nurses the BEST in the world? And do they have gold medals to prove it?
August 19th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Mars me thinks you put too much value on material things. Surely life is more important than gold…pond for pound, or not
August 19th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
It’s sarcasm. Seriously.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Mars, as a long term member of the RFS I didn’t take offence. I could see you were taking the mickey and I agree with your sentiments entirely.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:42 am
“Why does it matter how many gold (or other colour) medals Australia gets? Why should tax payer money go towards it?”
Sylvia Else brings up a good point. Perhaps any individual who receives a grant should sign a contract w/ the government that ensures they receive a certain percentage of any future profits over a specified time. And don’t say they already do…tax. That’s just BS.
I’m also tired of watching governments hand out tax dollars & building infrastructure for these corporations that can’t even be bothered providing affordable shelter for their workers when there is a shortage…BHP Billiton giving 15 lousy million dollars to the Port Hedland council is a bloody joke. BHP B just announced a 15+ billion dollar profit (based on Four Corners episode last night…it just blew me away…sending young Aboriginals into that kind of situation would be reprehensible)
C’MON Labor, stick it to these tight-arsed ripoff merchants. That Port Hedland situation is outrageous. All these corporates talk about free trade & deregulation & need for small government…well, it’s about time they walked the walk & paid their way.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:37 am
sorry mars, I took it too seriously. Obviously we’re on the same page. Regards Tom from RFS you guys deserve the medals.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Hamish and Andy suggested Mega Diving (Diving from Kilometre) and Pool Parties as potential new Olympic Sports. Mega Diving for all Olympic administrators and the pool party for us all to celebrate the rebirth of the Olympic spirit.
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
The word ‘pride’ is ok in this context, though I wouldn’t use it. ‘Credit’ would be wrong.
Think about it. We are ‘ashamed’ about our forbears failings (to Indigenous Australia) but ‘guilt’ is the wrong word for it.