Community Chat

[abbeythe 8th]

On 2/10/2014 chumlee_ said: Not watching at all. In the past, I didn't miss them; now I have no interest.

If you watched in the past, is there a reason you are no longer interested?

[SuesCat]

I do try and watch and still enjoy so much of it, but it's just not the same for me. Why, oh why did the IOC do away with amateur requirements and begin to allow professional athletes to compete? Well, this article does a pretty good job of explaining it.

"Beginning in the 1970s, amateurism requirements were gradually phased out of the Olympic Charter. After the 1988 Games, the IOC decided to make all professional athletes eligible for the Olympics," with few exceptions. Quoted from: (source)

It's like the difference between watching college football -vs- the NFL. I feel like the original intent of the Olympics was to feature athletes more along the lines of college ball, if that makes sense to anyone. I feel like the purity, love of competition for competition's sake, and the sense of global village and camaraderie of the early Olympics has been sold out for the marketing and the money. Oh well, jmo.

[chumlee_]

On 2/10/2014 abbeythe8th said:

On 2/10/2014 chumlee_ said: Not watching at all. In the past, I didn't miss them; now I have no interest.

If you watched in the past, is there a reason you are no longer interested?

I don't know why. It has nothing to do with where they are held, I just don't find them interesting anymore. I hope we win the most medals though!

[SuesCat]

sidsmom ~ i like what you had to say in your posts, btw.

[abbeythe 8th]

On 2/10/2014 chumlee_ said:

On 2/10/2014 abbeythe8th said:

On 2/10/2014 chumlee_ said: Not watching at all. In the past, I didn't miss them; now I have no interest.

If you watched in the past, is there a reason you are no longer interested?

I don't know why. It has nothing to do with where they are held, I just don't find them interesting anymore. I hope we win the most medals though!

I'm sorry to read this. I've enjoyed not only the competitions, but also the interest pieces.

[QueenDanceALot]

On 2/10/2014 RedHeadedWench said:

On 2/10/2014 KittyLouWhoToo said:

I was smacked here when I said I didn't want to watch. Some even went so far as to say it was un-American to not watch and that the athletes would suffer if I didn't. They kept waving their flags at me as though they were good Americans and I was a subversive or something.

Well, I DID end up watching last nite as I really love snowboarding and downhill skiing. I don't really care that much what country wins, though, I just like to watch great athletes do their thing.

So I guess I'm still un-American.

I don't think you're un-American at all. Some people (like me) are just not interested or have better things to do with their time.

When I heard that some of the countries actually pay their athletes if the score a medal...that just ticked me off a little. I thought these athletes were doing this for "their country" and not a cash reward?!

BTW, the United States is one of them that pays their athletes.

I'm so glad that some people have better things to do with their time.

I have no illusions that the Olympics isn't all about money. I don't really care. I just enjoy watching some great athletes do what they do best. I think people are very naive to think that athletes put in so many hours of their lives at a sport "for their country". And I wouldn't want to live somewhere where people have to devote so much time on sport "for their country" in order to be admired.

They do it for the personal satisfaction. I see nothing wrong with that!

[KathyPet]

I read a story on the internet a month or so ago giving some financials on the Olympic Games and I was shocked to see the long list of Olympic venues that have lost millions and millions of dollars hosting the Olympics it really turned me off to the entire idea. All these various locations setting up committees peopled by Local businesses who love the idea of hosting the Olympics because it will line their pockets and they are willing to spend whatever they need to of public money to build the venue sites and infrastructure. Later the local populace is left holding the bills. I was shocked when we went to Athens two years after they hosted and our city tour took us by the Olympic facilities. Acres and acres of empty parking lots. Building after Building sitting empty and unused. Our tour leader said none of the locations have ever been used again except for a occasional use of the soccer stadium. Someone asked him what he would tell residents of a city trying to land the Olympic Games and he said ""Don't believe what they tell you about the money the games will bring in. The only people that make money are the businesses directly involved. the rest of us are just stuck with the bill."" That really stuck with me. It's all nothing but business now. Athens lost millions and stuck their residents will the cost.

[sylviahomeatlast]

We are very Olympic-ed here. the national headquarters is here. there are sports governing bodies here too. there are world bicycling events here. The Olympic training center is here---wow I used to like all of this but....I like to watch skiing, snowboarding etc. Not figure skating... In Colorado we are very sports oriented and we try to stay fit but no I'm not watching the whole thing

[abbeythe 8th]

On 2/10/2014 KathyPet said: I read a story on the internet a month or so ago giving some financials on the Olympic Games and I was shocked to see the long list of Olympic venues that have lost millions and millions of dollars hosting the Olympics it really turned me off to the entire idea. All these various locations setting up committees peopled by Local businesses who love the idea of hosting the Olympics because it will line their pockets and they are willing to spend whatever they need to of public money to build the venue sites and infrastructure. Later the local populace is left holding the bills. I was shocked when we went to Athens two years after they hosted and our city tour took us by the Olympic facilities. Acres and acres of empty parking lots. Building after Building sitting empty and unused. Our tour leader said none of the locations have ever been used again except for a occasional use of the soccer stadium. Someone asked him what he would tell residents of a city trying to land the Olympic Games and he said ""Don't believe what they tell you about the money the games will bring in. The only people that make money are the businesses directly involved. the rest of us are just stuck with the bill."" That really stuck with me. It's all nothing but business now. Athens lost millions and stuck their residents will the cost.

I read yesterday Montreal just paid off the 1976 Olympics.

[this is my nic]

I could not care less about the Olympics. I won't be watching.