Anyone else secretly enjoying the Olympics?

[Lloyd Barnes]

Sport is commercialised, I'd have thought the Olympics is as far as its possible to get away from that. I guess the ideal is no corporations involved but then we'd pay for it all so you pays your money etc...

The thing that has really given me a warm feeling about the last two games, is watching our sometimes stumbling uncertain country, get a grip, and finally take a very long hard look at how we plan to win. After hearing for years suggestions about how competition is harmful for kids (gimme strength) we finally seem to have the confidence to set out to over perform as a nation. Schemes like Sporting Giants supported by the government etc gives me hope that we're remembering how to lead the world.

Will it mean nothing in September? Maybe to some, but if just one child picks Ennis over Jordan and her ilk as a role model, as far as I'm concerned we've all won. all just my humble

[FatBoy]

Absolutely agree Lloyd. However, I believe (or at the very least, hope) that the Olympics will have a real lasting legacy for Great Britain. London 2012 and Beijing 2008 have shown that we know how to not only win again, but to do so with good grace and style. Team GB are soundly beating all those countries that have previously been held up as sporting giants e.g. Australia, Russia, Germany (East & West) etc.
It is my experience that the "recession" is nowhere near as bad as the media would have us believe and that all we really need is to feel good about ourselves again and to regain our confidence. If the Olympics help in any small way towards that, then they have been worth every penny in my view.

Paul

[KevinW]

Sport is commercialised, I'd have thought the Olympics is as far as its possible to get away from that. I guess the ideal is no corporations involved but then we'd pay for it all so you pays your money etc...

The thing that has really given me a warm feeling about the last two games, is watching our sometimes stumbling uncertain country, get a grip, and finally take a very long hard look at how we plan to win. After hearing for years suggestions about how competition is harmful for kids (gimme strength) we finally seem to have the confidence to set out to over perform as a nation. Schemes like Sporting Giants supported by the government etc gives me hope that we're remembering how to lead the world.

Will it mean nothing in September? Maybe to some, but if just one child picks Ennis over Jordan and her ilk as a role model, as far as I'm concerned we've all won. all just my humble

spot on.
stand for parliament - I'll vote for you.

..... all we really need is to feel good about ourselves again and to regain our confidence. If the Olympics help in any small way towards that, then they have been worth every penny in my view.

Paul

Yep.

[hifihedgehog]

I'm enjoying the Olympics, particularly watching sports I previously knew nothing about (handball, anyone?). I went to see table tennis last week which was very entertaining and was at Eton Dorney on Monday to watch Dr Brabants, again all very inspiring stuff.

What I can't quite understand however is why people can no longer achieve anything without having a good old cry about it. I smashed my PB on my cycle to work last week, not a tear was shed. Even rough and tumble boxer Antony Ogogu (of Subway advert fame, "I've got a sensitive mouth, alright?") was fighting back the tears but said "I'm a tough boxer so I'm going to try not to cry".

I wonder how long the increased popularity of some sports will last though. I was surprised the other day to see Team Sky on their bikes training round my way last week, and every day since. I'm thinking of making a sign to hang off the back of my bike saying something along the lines of "I've been doing this for a while, you know, not just since its been on the telly" The same happened when that Panorama programme was last month saying how a lot of sports products are useless and trainers are completely and utterly stupid for running in. I've been into barefoot running (maybe this isn't the best forum to admit that?!) for a good while before it was on TV, now everyone will think I'm just hopping on the latest fad!

Dave

[FatBoy]

I suspect the tears are simply an indication of just how much hard work and commitment has gone into achieving the result. There will have been so much pressure building up that when they finally stand on the podium, the presure releases and the tears flow. After all, it isn't just a Team GB phenomenon, athletes from all over the work have been sobbing, it's just that Team GB have been winning more than most.

[coffindodger]

I'm enjoying the Olympics, particularly watching sports I previously knew nothing about (handball, anyone?). I went to see table tennis last week which was very entertaining and was at Eton Dorney on Monday to watch Dr Brabants, again all very inspiring stuff.

What I can't quite understand however is why people can no longer achieve anything without having a good old cry about it. I smashed my PB on my cycle to work last week, not a tear was shed. Even rough and tumble boxer Antony Ogogu (of Subway advert fame, "I've got a sensitive mouth, alright?") was fighting back the tears but said "I'm a tough boxer so I'm going to try not to cry".

I wonder how long the increased popularity of some sports will last though. I was surprised the other day to see Team Sky on their bikes training round my way last week, and every day since. I'm thinking of making a sign to hang off the back of my bike saying something along the lines of "I've been doing this for a while, you know, not just since its been on the telly" The same happened when that Panorama programme was last month saying how a lot of sports products are useless and trainers are completely and utterly stupid for running in. I've been into barefoot running (maybe this isn't the best forum to admit that?!) for a good while before it was on TV, now everyone will think I'm just hopping on the latest fad!

Dave

I'm into bareback riding !!

[Warren]

7 athletes from Cameroon have gone missing from the Olympic Village! No Surprise there then!! Wonder how many more we will be supporting by the end of next week?

About 7 I reckon, lol

[shadow]

Men's hurdles. What's going through their minds?.

..... Can't be arsed... Nope sod it.... Oh I missed one.... Nope can't be arsed.... Who put that there....oooh jump.... Nope still can't be arsed....

[Warren]

OK, now I admit to being fully converted the closing is quite simply the dogs bollocks even if it has cost us an arm and a leg and what stunner JJ is, lol

W

[Warren]

Daltrey! Brill, lol, how sad am I?I'm responding to my own text