T i m wrote
Rod Speed wrote

I'd keep kicking myself for wasting any time at all at something like
that, looking at fools that had mostly spent a significant part of their
pathetically inadequate 'lives' qualifying to even show up there.

I wouldn't put it quite like that as I think it's up to each person to
decide and do what they want, what they have to, what they like or
what they are good at, even if that means just staring at the moon.

The trouble with that line is that when its something completely stupid like
whipping yourself etc, all I can do is sneer at fools that pathetically
inadequate.

And that goes for the fools that are actually stupid enough
to grovel to some damned god or other for the whole of
their pathetically inadequate 'lives' when the whole thing
is just some very comprehensive mind **** in the first place.

I think the whole thought of putting up something like the Olympics
is all a bit bizarre. What actually is it? It's a competition between a
tiny minority of the population who are interested in those particular
things and can be bothered (or get the opportunity) to do it

And who happen to have the genes that let them do better than others.

(and as you say, 'dedicate their lives to it' in many cases). So?

Fact, for every_single_sport, there *will* be
someone out there who could be better.

And when the difference between silver and gold can be just 1/100th of a
second.

And the result can be reversed the next day.

Wota packa terminal ****wits.

Then there are the fools like Adam that cream their jeans
when the one that flukes out with the best result happens
to currently be in the country that he is etc.

How ****ing pathetic can you get ?

And what is the difference between 'The Olympics' and
'Guinness World Records'? Why is running 100m any
more of a 'life achievement than throwing the most
ovens in one minute or rolling up the most frying pans?

Indeed.

There are those things of course that do relate to the real world.
Like if you can throw a spear a long way and keep it accurate
you are more likely to bring home the bacon than the next guy

Not anymore. What its now about is who can find what they need
on the net instead. Corse that doesn't make it to the olympics.

Even with something like chess, who actually gives a flying red
**** who can play something like that better than anyone else ?

but what if the next guy is 'better' at starting a fire to cook it on?
Do they also hold 'championships for that? Why shouldn't those
people also be recognised? How many of us could be 'champions'
at cutting in a metal back box into a brick wall? Why shouldn't
skills, honed over decades also be recognised thus?

I don't actually give a flying red **** about recognition myself.

I know that some of the time I can do a much better
job of something than anyone else I know, and that
at other times I'm completely ****ing hopeless like
at writing poetry or dancing the fandango etc.

Or even at being polite to fools like Adam |-)

And that brings me back to the fact that we seem to become
'fanatical' with our 'support' for these 'athletes' whilst (probably,
for many at least (but not here of course g)) completely
forgetting all those 'firelighters' not only just doing their
jobs every day but *actually* doing something that helps
others and is needed (and I guess that's why as abstract
as it was, mentioning the likes of the NHS in the opening
ceremony was a 'good thing'). Does it really bring people
together? Are community's going to unite after the games
and continue the 'Olympic spirit ... ?

I get it ... I get it in that I understand how and why we have come to
do what we do with the likes of the Olympics but I don't get it as in
the fundamental desire to. I guess I don't get the point or the hype.

I don't even see any point in any sport at all myself.

In spades with watching someone else do it.

Isn't watching someone row 100m like watching someone row
100 virtual m in a gym? I'm sure you can race these gym rowing
machines these days so shouldn't it be on telly?

Just watched a doco where the stupid south koreans do just that.
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2012/s3557618.htm

And why would you want to watch someone
doing that sort of thing in any case?

Because you have a pathetically inadequate 'life' presumably.

I love rowing but I have no interest watching someone else doing
it? But then I don't watch / follow any competitions at anything.

I don't ever compete at anything either.

I compete (so I get that bit),

I don't.

but I don't watch others competing. Ok, I guess it's also 'good' for
England that we gave done well, but who actually cares? What are
we (as in England) going to get now because of it ...[2] both the
country and the citizens? Or do you have to have this tribal / gang
thing within before you can have a 'side' and then support it? [1]

Maybe that's where we all obese these days,

I'm not. I'm right in the middle of the ideal BMI range.

we count watching someone else exercise
as exercising (when we say we are 'into sport')?

I think obesity is more about modern food being
much more calorie dense than traditional food was.

I don't even think its got that much to do with exercise either.

So, whilst I can see there can be some good come
out of such a spectacle, if it actually encourages
people to go out for a run, or get their bike out etc

I've seen no evidence that it does.

And hordes are out walking on the streets at all times
of night and day where I live, you have to be a bit careful
at sunup and sundown because they mostly do walk on
the roads because we have **** all in the way of footpaths.

but to have this 'dream' of being the best at 'hop, skip
and jump' ... "from when I was 7" ... really? Especially when
you will never know if you really were the best in any case ... ?

And all those who make it to the olympics are are the best
at ****ing their pathetic excuses for 'lives' against the wall
on something that completely pointless at anyway.

Oh well, it will soon all be over and I can turn the tell back on again.
;-)

I only watch stuff I've recorded and the only effect that the
olympics has is that a couple of free to air TV channels aren't
worth even bothering to check the EPG for the duration.

[1] I do 'get' fun / amateur competition.

I don't, and never have.

Jumpers for goalposts, a round of golf with your
mates or even a game of darts down the pub.

Never bothered with any of that.

I did manage to infect quite a few of those I knew with the
house building bug when I built my own from scratch tho.

I guess for me it's when people take that and turn
what is only / ever 'a game', 'a sport' and mutate it into
something bigger than it really should be (IMHO of course).

I'm not humble either |-)

[2] Personally, I would much rather they spent the same money they
spent The Olympics, opening up our existing waterways across the
country and providing facility's for *everyone* to actually go out and
do this stuff. Not just those who happen to stumble into it but give
everyone a chance to not just give it a go but to be able to carry on
doing so (free / cheap) if they so choose. We don't need one velodrome,
we need thousands of miles of cycle paths and good bikes to ride on them.

Not into that stuff myself. I prefer to walk and do that well out of
town, basically because I find walking in the burbs too boring.

We don't want a huge sports stadium
we want free gyms across the country.

We do have something like that. The ****ing great
multilevel mega oval has a heap of exercise machines
out in the open that you are free to use any time you like.

Don't use them myself.

With limited cash, we all need better facilitieS,

We don't. The facilitys are pretty decent and we have
just built some for the kids too, free for anyone to use.

not a great facilitY.

(Sorry about that. I feel better now). ;-)

Adam doesn't appear to have burst a blood vessel or anything |-)