Fuck the Olympics... Fuck the Committee and fuck the Russian organization of this fucked up event.

[NYC_SKP]

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2014, 08:24 PM - Edit history (1)

The Olympics has always pissed me off for it's commercial corporate bullshit, it doesn't really celebrate the common man or woman- one largely has to come from an entitled family or be in a favorable position to participate.

And it seems to get worse every year and here we have a year where we could stand on principal and boycott, we aren't. Too much money at stake.

This year just fuck it all. Let it be a commercial failure and let them all learn a lesson. In fact, if the Olympics dies off altogether I don't think I'll miss them.

There's a better organization:

There's a hell of a lot more good will and humanity in the Special Olympics.





The next Special Olympics World Summer Games are coming to Los Angeles, California.
The 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games will feature world-class competitions in aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, football (soccer) and many other summer sports.

Find and support a Local Special Olympics Event Near You!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Olympics

[Mnemosyne]

1. Yes! nt

[uppityperson]

2. k&r.

[earthside]

3. I'm with you.

Ever since the Reagan Olympics and "USA! USA! USA!" I have refused to watch or be supportive.

Now I know that nationalism has always been a part of the Olympics, but I thought the 'ideal' was that athletes from all nations got together to compete to help lessen the divisions between nations.

And ... of course, the corporatism and commercialism has tainted the Olympics more and more and more with each passing event. Furthermore, the waste of money in moving theses games around -- especially the summer games -- borders on the immoral and unconscionable to me.

Indeed, even the obsession of some of the athletes and the athletes' families and the athletes' country makes me wonder how healthful and ethical is this extravaganza. The notion of twelve and thirteen year old gymnasts and/or ice skaters, etc. strikes me as weird.

Then there is the dictatorial nature of the governing body of the Olympics ...

I am boycotting and I would like to see some major reform in the Olympic institution -- but we know that is not going to happen -- there are too many hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars to be made by the elites on the backs of week-meaning athletes.

[skepticscott]

15. Why does the notion

of 12 or 13 year old gymnasts or ice skaters strike you as weird? The Olympics don't allow competitors that young.

[Demenace]

17. I think DU is fast becoming a place for desenters to society...

It seems there is a mindset here that everything in the world must meet and fit in with the mindset of some around here. The Olympic (Winter or like I call it, the Real Olympic games otherwise known as the Summer Olympics) should not be a political thing. We should take our politics out of this game in Sochi as well.

[KoKo]

60. Agree...although we know it's the "Professional Sponsored Olympics for Professionals"

I still think that we should still try to look at the athletes and just take a break from the Partisan/Political and enjoy it as spectacle.

I don't hear any folks railing much against the Professional Sports like NFL who are pretty much corrupt with the money and even the College Sports with Pedophile Coaches and Corruption in all other ways...with the Colleges raking in money for Sports while so many of the athletes are also corrupted in so many ways (and many just used and abused).

So it's hypocritical to go on about the Big Money in Olympics when the Corruption and Big Money is here and everywhere in Sports and we all just LOVE OUR SPORTS (Gladiator Games)...don't we.

But...Olympics doesn't come round as much...so, every country that Hosts has political and corruption problems...but, to single out one country over the other and to make a big deal about how Olympics is corrupted...is just railing against what many of us hope would change and be better....but, it's a Break and Diversified Sports...so for that...we should just make the best of viewing and work on the whole Sports Industry for Change...rather than trashing an individual "years apart" Event...Like the Olympics for politics and corrupt practices.

[progressoid]

4. Yeah,

except it probably won't be a commercial failure. And if is, they will just ramp up the commercialism even more.

[RKP5637]

5. K&R!!! The Olympics now is just another corporate event. The fun is gone IMO. I'm not

alone in this, many are just tired of it all.

[maindawg]

6. Agreed with good reason.

The IOC is as corrupt as the BCS. They are a few old white men who have made a career out of this racket they call the Olympics. I guess they own the name. How dumb are we?
We cant have a world championship ,oh wait we do that too. So why do we need these old con artists? Who the hell are they ? Ar they like Grover Norquist who never worked a day in his life but has this unexplainable power over millions of people?
They ruined the olympics when the allowed professional athletes because the Russians were using them. Instead of enforcing the rules, they said fuck it.
So I said fuck it too. And now I see the whole thing as a joke. I would like to thank Russia for proving me right,again.

[Raine1967]

7. I always thought that the Special Olympics followed the Olympic games.

I did a very quick search -- and it seems to me as tho there are no special winter olympics this year.

Can someone please explain why?

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. You are thinking Paralympics, and they are happening this year.

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/paralympic

[Raine1967]

12. Thanks. Much appreciated. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Last winter, in Korea. Special Olympics World Summer Games Los Angeles 2015

nt

[NYC_SKP]

10. The Special Olympics alternates summer and winter games every two years.

According to the Wikipedia page.

Other events are held in several other countries, and there are local and regional events ongoing.

Our World Games

Alternating between summer and winter, the Special Olympics World Games are one of the world's largest sporting events, drawing as many, if not more, athletes than the Olympics. Every two years since 1968, athletes from more than 100 million nations have gathered to celebrate sport and showcase the abilities of people with intellectual disabilites. This prominent world stage brings attention to the Special Olympics movement and helps create positive, sometimes lifesaving policy change for people with intellectual disabilities in countries around the world.

2013 World Winter Games, PyeongChang
2011 Summer World Games, Athens

http://www.specialolympics.org/Games/World_and_Regional_Games_Center.aspx

Their own pages says that there will be USA games in New Jersey this summer, 2014, and no mention of summer or winter, though they clearly have some of each in the events they conduct.

The 2015 World Summer Games will be in Los Angeles.

Be sure to look into any local events you can attend or support.

http://www.specialolympics.org/program_locator.aspx

[quakerboy]

19. "athletes from more than 100 million nations"

Either they have a typo, or my knowledge of geography is seriously lacking.

[NYC_SKP]

26. Oops! They meant to say "from 170 nations".

Los Angeles is set to welcome more than 7,000 Special Olympics athletes from 170 nations to compete in 21 Olympic-type sports. Visit the official LA2015 website.

I'm not sure what 100 million might refer to, the games involve about 4 million athletes per year, since 1968 the entire number of participants and staff and volunteers might comprise as many.

It's certainly an error as presented!

[KoKo]

46. I hear you...and Olympics these days are so Manipulated...

Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2014, 11:11 AM - Edit history (2)

BUT...I had a daughter who was a figure skater from 8 years old...She worked hard and but out when she knew she couldn't make it.

But...in Our House we LOVE THE FIGURE SKATING ...and Miss so much Dick Button who did the best coverage of the "Old School" figure Skating before the Corporatists Took it Over.

But...that said...I still like watching the WINTER Olympics because of my daughter (as that little aspiring kid) and my memories of that somewhat "Golden Age" for Figure Skating that Amazing Dick Button managed to TEACH US when ABC had the Franchise on the Olympics before NBC took over.

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS....WARTS AND ALL and COUNTRIES (who are enemies of USA) AND ALL!

I LOVE THE SPIRIT...and My Daughter's Ambition and the years we spent vying with Hockey Players for ICE TIME!

[NYC_SKP]

47. I wish there was, or hope there is, a way to enjoy the games without the crap...

...our kids deserve better, but I'm afraid that, like everything else, it's a commercial mess.

[KoKo]

49. Here's a Ray of Hope...NBC is Not doing that "Teaser Stuff"

Cutting Back and forth and interupting the "Figure Skating" to cut in after 15 Minutes to Cross Country or Gymnastics or Snow Boarding or Mogul Running.

It's early on in my Watch...but they are no where near the disruptive "Cuts to This and That" that was their coverage since they Bought it from ABC.

This year has been the best watch for "Me" in YEARS.

I'm hoping NYC_SKP that this is a sign that the MSCorporate Media has LEARNED a BIT.

Don't know if this is just a TEST and they will start to go back to their "Bad Old Days" from years past....BUT....SO FAR...SO GOOD...!

It's the better coverage I've seen in MANY YEARS...since ABC lost the Franchise.

It's been "FAIR" so far...but...who knows how it goes for the rest of the it...

[go west young man]

62. I too love the Olympics..

and I don't get why people miss the whole idea of the olympics (nations who normally don't see eye to eye coming together to compete in sport in the grandest of competitions). Nations that are at war, nations that deceive each other, nations with outrageous unfair laws, nations who are friends and enemies). That is the reason for the Olympics. We in the US look like petulant children in the eyes of the world at the moment.

As far as US coverage goes...we have one channel (MSNBC) this year that bids on the Olympics and gets exclusive rights to make a fortune off it while showing very little coverage.

Russia on the other hand has the Olympics on 8 HD channels with multiple sports each day covered in every way. If you were an alien arriving new on this planet which country would look more free to you. I'm thinking the one with the "choice" of 8 HD channels for half the price.

[go west young man]

63. Oh...

and all their citizens can stream the Olympics for free on the internet with no blocking as takes place here in the states.

[Agony]

11. commercial corporate bullshit for sure

Former Olympic athlete Samantha Retrosi joins us to discuss her recent Nation article, "Why the Olympics are a Lot Like 'The Hunger Games.'"

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/5/an_olympic_snowden_us_athlete_on

SAMANTHA RETROSI: Well, in the United States, corporate sponsorship is of paramount necessity. There’s no government support for luge or any other Olympic sport. Essentially, the system is entirely privatized. You have the budget of the U.S. Luge Association and many other national governing bodies being entirely subsidized by corporate sponsors. When that’s their only lifeline to even operate, their entire operational budget is based upon corporate sponsorship, you have a very interesting situation where that relationship of dependency really—there’s a lot of vulnerability that the organization has to face, which shapes its activity and the way it treats athletes, and athletes themselves are entirely dependent upon the corporate sponsorship, as well. So, essentially, you become a spokesperson for a corporation as an athlete in the current context.

AMY GOODMAN: In what way? Explain what were the rules when you went to compete in Italy in the Winter Olympics around what you could say and what you couldn’t.

SAMANTHA RETROSI: Well, as a U.S. national team athlete, I signed a contract every year with the U.S. Luge Association, and that contract stipulated what I could and couldn’t say, how I should use my media time. Essentially, I was being trained to be a spokesperson for Verizon.

AMY GOODMAN: What would you say about Verizon? They give great phone service?

SAMANTHA RETROSI: No, I would say, "Thanks, Verizon, for making all my Olympic dreams come true. The realization of my American Olympic dream is enabled by Verizon." So, that’s kind of the line, kind of defines how an athlete talks about their relationship to Verizon. Of course, it’s not always that specific line. But during the Olympics, of course, you take on a whole ’nother range of sponsors, you know, the sponsors of the U.S. team, in general, USOC sponsors. And—

AMY GOODMAN: The Olympic Committee sponsors.

SAMANTHA RETROSI: Yeah, U.S. Olympic Committee sponsors. And so, then you become a spokesperson for those sponsors, as well. So, you know, the sponsorship relationship and, like, the sponsors themselves are contingent upon the actual event. World Cup settings, Verizon was the main sponsor. The Olympics, you had the full range of U.S. corporate—U.S. team corporate sponsorship.

NERMEEN SHAIKH: And yet, despite the fact that corporate sponsorship plays such a big role, you also point out that individual athletes, in fact, often have to take on other jobs just in order to support themselves, because they see very little of that sponsorship money.

There is more...

[MannyGoldstein]

13. It's become quite a different thing than it was years ago

And not for the better.

[KoKo]

48. Indeed...they dropped the "School of Figures" Requirement and went to Triple Jumps

and Now QUAD JUMPS as to what you had to do to compete. Tripple and Quads are not Quality of Whole Performance...but what it WAS to get to the GOLD.

Threw out the old rules and went for the FLUFF...sort of like our Wall Street Folks...

GO FOR THE GOLD...and DO IT...whatever way you can crook the folks who brung ya!

I know this is harsh. I could do better...if I had more time...but...

YES ...those of us who had kids in US Figure Skating saw and watched that Change!

[CFLDem]

14. Thanks for the invite

but no thanks. Special Olympics are not my cup of tea but good luck to them all 🍀

I'm enjoying the snowboarding events and counting down to the USA vs Russia hockey game.

[aquart]

16. If you don't have one, you won't have the other.

And I actually find the way you dismissed the world's Olympic athletes in favor of a charity event offensive. Re both sets of athletes.

[NYC_SKP]

18. That assertion needs a little proof. I believe that the two events are unrelated.

And as regards the athletes in the "official" corporate Olympics, fine people, every one of them.

I don't have to honor their skill or their sport if I don't care to.

I dismiss many musical artists and authors and I suppose I can do the same with athletes.

If they chose to, they could boycott the Olympics themselves and collaborate to create a more honorable series of events.

Participants in the Special Olympics are every bit the athletes as those in professional sports or the Olympics.

To see them participate and to support one another is it's own reward.

[go west young man]

20. The schadenfreude has backfired.

The Sochi Olympics are being praised as a success the world over. Only the Western media are criticizing the games. Primarily the US and GB which isn't surprising. What people need to understand is that the gay issue in Russia really isn't what's driving the narrative here.
Do you think Britain, or America, or anywhere else, really cares about some vague law that's potentially troublesome (though in practise hasn't exactly caused a massive change) to gay people in Russia.
Get this into your heads people: Western governments don't care one iota about this issue.
We're locked in a very serious, very bitter, geopolitical struggle with Russia on a number of fronts. We're causing the downfall of a democratically elected government in Ukraine because they were getting too close to Russia. We very, very, nearly went to war with Russia's ally Syria. There were Russia Warships lining up to greet those of the western powers.
Russia and China are holding large-scale joint military operations.

The worst part is, the people of Britain, America, and other western nations are intentionally kept in the dark about the seriousness of the situation. Why? Because we'd be outraged by the prospect of a return to the Cold War, which we're edging closer to. Which is what our government really wants as terrorism will only get the MIC so far as a ruse.
But why bother to tell us? Instead they can drum up outrage about an anti-gay law that look positively liberal compared to the laws of many countries with when we're very friendly. Or the plight of Pussy Riot, who occupied the front-pages while scores of miners died in South Africa, and became an absolutely ubiquitous presence in our media. What, were we all absolutely outraged that it's illegal to run into a church and shout obscenities in Russia? Cause, y'know, it's illegal here too. ...
Look, I don't want to get into defending Putin. Pussy Riot should never have been jailed, of course. The 'gay propaganda' law is ludicrous and should never have been created, of course. But these are hardly humanitarian outrages. They're, at worst, backwards.
The question must be asked, why are we constantly informed of these relatively trifling issues (in a global context) in Russia? Why is the public in the US and Britain suddenly so aware of Russia's attitude to gay people?
It's not because our leaders care, it's because they want us to be as hostile to the Russian state as they are.

Do consider also that in the Middle East, our allies actually kill people for being gay. Yet not a peep in the press about them. Ever. The Saudi Royal family never even gets a mention in the press. All these people who are boycotting Russia's chance for an Olympics after those poor people suffered 80 years of communism and the loss of 25 million people in WW2 I certainly hope you have stopped putting gasoline in your cars as those Saudis might be much more deserving of your faux backfiring boycott. Don't fall for the bullshit. And I write this as a bisexual man who has been to Russia 7 times. It's not the place the American media portrays it to be. Travel and see for yourselves instead of relying on crap propaganda. The irony in all this is astonishing.

[NYC_SKP]

21. Are you saying our government meant to "drum up outrage about an anti-gay law..."???

I haven't heard much of a peep from our government and only a few peeps from any media outlets.

My disgust with the Olympics in general and the Sochi games in particular doesn't end with the country's laws toward the LGBT community.

I've become sicker and sicker with the whole thing with each passing series of games.

This year I'm done.

What is so fucking great about Russia getting the Olympics?

It's all pomp and commercial exchange, investment and profit, then everyone leaves town...

Nobody in Russia is helped in a meaningful way, it's just more bread and circuses for the masses while the rich get richer.

Fuck that shit.

[go west young man]

30. I'm saying the US media takes a Putin or a Saddam Hussein

or any choice of bad guys... and they build and build that image in the media until 10 years later every US citizen goes along with the propagated myth and eventually war is rationalized and condoned. And all along everyone was being used in order to fuel the profits of the war machine and some special interests. Back in 2006 was when the true demonization of Putin started in the US press...when he kissed a boy on the stomach. Since then we've had Pussy Riot for a year. Do you seriously think these stories aren't chosen by the press in the UK and the US to push. Do you seriously think what goes on in countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar when it comes to homosexuals (where they have no rights at all, except to be killed) is less important than discrimination in Russia? What I'm saying is the government here uses everyone to their ends not much different than the old Soviet Union did. Homosexuality is a divisive hot button issue that our press pushed hard. Granted Putin created the law and it is unjust, but our own governments are pushing this meme in the media and exploiting (using) the gay issue to keep us all hating Russia and thereby provide the reasoning for building more weapons and making more money for the MIC and continuation of the Cold War. We actually could of pulled Russia in close after the fall of the Soviet Union, but instead opted to try to get Yeltsin to sign over the oil fields. We chose to try to use them instead of help them. Putin saw through this and America has been pissed ever since. It's quite pathetic really, considering the fact that everyone is pretty much getting used and exploited and it's our government that's implementing and still doing it.

[alarimer]

43. Putin really is a bad guy. Bad mostly in an exceedingly corrupt, anti-gay bigoted sort of way.

Russia sucks. It is one of the most corrupt nations on earth, in terms of getting anything done.

I'm glad that Obama chose not to go or to send high officials there. I think it sends the right message to Russia. And by including out gay people with the delegation, even more so.

[KoKo]

54. What are your references for saying that Russia is the "Most Corrupt Nation on Earth?"

Would like to see you give some examples and comparisons to others on your "Scale of Corruption."

[go west young man]

61. It's amazing reading all these posters

hating on Russia with no first hand experience. They are continuing the cold war without the MIC having to lift a finger. The paradox is they all have a vibe that feels quite fascist and totalitarian themselves. In the last few weeks it's been pure Russia hate. One thing these folks might not even think about is Russia's role in WW2. For example, if Hitler's army had not turned to fight the Russians who lost 26 million lives (half of total war dead) and had instead decided to fully apply his military might to the UK there would have been a very good chance that all of us in the US would be speaking German these days. Russia and their brutal winter broke the German army. Of course none of these xenophobic Russia haters will even consider that.

[Demenace]

64. Besides, these same folks are the one who will turn around tomorrow and say...

Putin is their hero for keeping Snowden in Russia. These folks act like kids who will throw a major league fit if they do not get their way on anything. One minute Russia is great and the champion of human rights, the next Russia is evil!

It is like folks have bipolar around here!

[uhnope]

70. Russia is in "zone of shame" down at #127 in transparency

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russia-places-127th-in-world-transparency-rankings/490786.html

ZONE OF SHAME http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/corruption-index-keeps-russia-in-zone-of-shame/472591.html

[MattSh]

34. Yep, the American public is being manipulated like a puppet

over Putin and Russia. And people who should know better are enjoying the ride.

[go west young man]

65. Here's something else for them to chew on from the Guardian today.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/sochi-olympics-anti-gay-laws-mayak-bar-sochi

Excerpt:It was the early hours of Sunday morning and business was brisk in Sochi's only gay nightclub. Suddenly the lights went out and a policeman burst into the room, interrupting the drag queens' cabaret and shining a torch at the customers.

But as the lights came back up the man began to strip off until he was wearing nothing but the skimpiest of thongs. Soon he was thrusting his pelvis to the strains of "I like the way you move", and the revelry resumed.

The Mayak cabaret has an exclusive clientele. Its presence is announced by a small, discreet sign and patrons have to ring the bell to be let into the club, which this Saturday was packed with gay, lesbian and a few straight couples. Rainbow flags flutter on the bar, a drag queen in a peroxide wig runs the cloakroom, and the waiters wear leather shoulder pads over naked torsos. On stage, the absurdly camp acts are given an Olympic twist – one drag act is introduced as "gold medallist for blow jobs".

The regulars at Mayak say they have no trouble from police or skinheads in Sochi, a relatively tolerant city by Russian standards. Indeed, the only unwelcome visitors these days are foreign camera crews, nightly visitors thrusting their cameras into the face of punters and demanding to hear their horror stories.

[alarimer]

42. A success? 50 billion dollars siphoned off by Putin's cronies and you call that a success?

Hotels and venues unfinished. Anti-gay bigotry well in place.

I hope it's a total disaster.

[KoKo]

56. Sorry...but, your post reads like something from US MS Corporate Media...

and it would give you more creds if you could give links and more information as to how you came to your beliefs...so that some of us can understand where you are coming from.

We DU'ers like to have more info than something you post...where we have no frame of reference to even engage in dialogue with you about.

[KoKo]

45. Well Said! You bring up the History that get's forgotten in our MSCorporate Media Age!

And I appreciate your post for the "CounterPoint" which should Lead to Discussion...but, in our Partisan Divide here in USA with Dems vs. Republicans...the issues you raise go to HISTORY...and so few of us have time to delve into that...

BUT...those of us who do have the time appreciate you posing thoughts that challenge us to THINK and hopefully to engage in further discussion.

[L0oniX]

22. trashing Olympics ...that is all.

[RoverSuswade]

23. I'm sour on it this year for the first time.

Didn't watch the opening. Don't plan on watching any of it. It' s just over-hyped. I repel being conned into nationalistic feelings over Olympic competition between POLITICAL STATES.

[NYC_SKP]

24. That's quite the other repulsive aspect of it, the sheer nationalism.

I suppose national identity is fine and all that, but the sense of competing to find out which race/er, I mean which populace is superior is kind of dated and disturbing.

And then there's the awful fashions that come out of it.

[KoKo]

52. Hey...they are seeming to do it better than years past...

And I don't do MSM...but I did see an "effort" from NBC to do "Full Segments rather than jumping and cutting since they bought it from ABC years ago...to now concentrating on the different sports until the key aspirations are met...and then move on to the next sport with their cuts.

Remember...there's a huge Time Zone Change and so most on the Internet already know Who Won What...so they are really compromised with Old Media and New (I know "F**ck Em) but....they are doing much better than their last time reporting of Olympics...and I'm watching it more because I think they got message of "changing times." But, then, I always know the MS Corporate Media is not to be "taken for granted" and that it's only an "experiment." STILL this Olympics has been MUCH better from them...imho...

[Rex]

25. I won't be watching any Winter Olympics.

FUCK THE DICTATOR OF RUSSIA.

[Exultant Democracy]

27. You can denigrate the organizations, but not the athletes they are exceptional

it isn't and event for celebrating the common man it is for the elite. I know a lot of Olympic athlete and very few of them came from rich backgrounds, for the most part they are all just crazy.

[Vashta Nerada]

28. Weren't the Olympics supposed to feature amateur athletes?

Last I checked, the athletes in the Olympics make it their full - time jobs to practice and get ready for the event(s).

[NYC_SKP]

29. Yes, it used to focus on pure amateurism but changed over time.

The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has caused several changes to the Olympic Games. Among these adjustments are creating the Winter Games for ice and winter sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability, and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The IOC has adapted to economic, political, and technological advancements, shifting the Olympics from pure amateurism, as envisioned by Coubertin, to allow participation of professional athletes. The growing importance of mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercializing the Games. World wars caused the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games' cancellings. Large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games

[KoKo]

50. Definitely the switch to Professional from Amateur...was Devastating........

I was going back and think it was under "Bush I" that happened..but maybe it was "late Reagan."

Anyway...that is why some of us "Old School Purists" have problems with the "New Olympics" and remember the "Mitt Romney Olympics" which to us was a Bail Out of the Olympics where Corruption was Exposed. 2002...I think it was.. and that's what Doomed the Amateur Part of the Olympics.

Still ...I'm liking watching the Figure Skating and Snow Boarding part of this Olympics and some other stuff.

I think they are doing "better" with this one...but, it's not over 'til it's over...and they might RELAPSE!

[gerogie2]

31. Do you feel better now?

[NYC_SKP]

32. Yes, the Special Olympics, founded by a Kennedy in 1968, uplifts me.

And it redeems the Olympic tradition.

The new official olympics may as well be a Monsanto product.

Thanks for asking!

[hrmjustin]

33. Amen! I am getting sick of people here telling us to be quiet and that we are buzz kills!

[dilby]

35. Sorry.

But I think this years Olympics are fantastic.

[mokawanis]

36. Yeah, but I wanna win a gold medal!

If I win a gold medal I might be able to rake in the cash doing product endorsements, maybe even appear on a couple of crappy sitcoms and talk-shows.

I'd watch more of the Olympics if the commentary wasn't so fucking annoying. The smarmy "up close and personal" narratives are unbearable. The only way I can stand to watch is to have the remote handy so I can hit the mute button.

[Bluenorthwest]

37. The 'up close' materials are key to branding and making the athletes into devices

for the marketing and sales of cereals, yogurts and soda pops. So smarmy is the word for it, but it is also the entire objective and agenda of the Olympics, it's a marketing tool. They need those segments in order to make deals for the athlete/spokespeople.

[NYC_SKP]

38. And don't dare infringe on any of their branding materials, logo, etc.

They've threatened lawsuits against bakers for using the logo on baked goods and threatened, but then backed off, the makers of a youtube video supporting the Tibetans because the logos appear briefly in the video:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10018234-38.html

Screw 'em.

[KoKo]

59. Oh...there's definitely that. Like Disney wanting to Brand the Logo and

pump themselves up and pretend that "Professional Athletes" compare to what we (some of us grew up with) as the striving young folks whose parents had to take out loans and try to fund their talented kids through years with expensive lessons and locating to find the best coaches...and sacrifice to rest of the family.. It changed when the Sports Companies started to do sponsorships and make money off them an then they changed the Olympic Rules and brought the Corporations into it. It helped out the Parents...but, ruined the amateur in favor of the Privatized/Professional Young Athlete.

Still ....it's an event. I never watched "Walking Dead" or "MadMen" but those were events and other MSM stuff that "shapes our culture" these days.

But, one of the few indulgences for Corporate Media I make...is the Olympics to follow the Winter Sports because I just like watching it...just as many of the rest watch things I wouldn't bother with.

We need to understand "Different Strokes for Different Folks"...and even though all of it is Corporate...we can't totally ignore what's going on in Corporate Media or we wouldn't know how to IMPROVE IT going forward. Just take it in the doses we can stand and not give up the fight to know how false much of it is and tell them when they are wrong on the "new" (corporate Facebook/Twitter) media we now have the ability to vocalize against the established media on...and know that THEY TOO will eventually become Corporate...but we still have a great opportunity NOW to express our anger and what we find OTT and keep working for Change CONSTANTLY!

Can't give it all up and become a Hermit.. At least for some of us who just have to keep into everything and desperately want to work for change...but, need to know what we are talking about to be able to discuss.

Just Saying.......

[zappaman]

58. Yeah, God forbid someone tries to make a living

At something they are good at.
How dare they!

[mokawanis]

67. I love to watch them ski and skate

They are very good athletes, but doing commercials for lip balm or vapor rub or soda? Those ads are annoying, as most ads tend to be.

[swishyfeet]

39. Sad

When I watch the games, all I see are the greatest athletes in the world in these disciplines, fighting and giving it their all. Commercialism doesn't take any of that away for me; I've got more important things to be outraged about.

There's nothing worse than hearing people who don't like sports, complaining about sports. If you don't like some aspects of the games or the coverage just DVR it all and skip to the action.

[zappaman]

55. I agree.

[truebluegreen]

40. The Olympics have been a corporate cesspool for decades,

a disaster for local residents, taxpayers and the environment. My home state of Colorado booted them out in 1976 and they were right.

[alarimer]

41. I want THESE Olympics to fail and I want Russia to be completely embarrassed by them.

They need to throw Putin out of office (in fact, he needs to be in jail, along with hundreds of his cronies) and do something about the massive corruption in their government.

While we're at it, fuck NBC and their horrible, censored coverage of the opening ceremonies. Can't we get rid of the stupid talking heads anyway? And I'm so, so sick of the "touchy, feely" stories they feel they have to show instead of showing the competitions. Now, I don't care so much about the time delay. That's a factor when they are 9 hours ahead of us. I just hate how it's all chopped up. And that they only seem to show Americans.

[DrDan]

44. not true at all - lots of coverage of the Dutch speedskaters,

Canadian figure skaters, etc etc etc

For someone who wants the Olympics to fail, you seem to be quite tuned in

I do agree about the "touchy, feely" stories - have always hated those. But - they are not restricted to the Olympics. Any major event seems to bring these to the forefront.

[KoKo]

51. So True! what you say.....! eom

[arthritisR_US]

53. I echo your sentiments! nt

[Warren DeMontague]

57. Ah, the Fucking Olympics

not to be confused with The Fucking Olympics.

[Rex]

66. Or the Laff-A-Lympics

[Warren DeMontague]

69. See, I hated the Olympics growing up.

Because there were only, what, 3 channels... so you couldn't escape the thing. Unless.... you dared to venture down onto that weird UHF dial.

Laff-a-lympics was far preferable, but even better was Johnny Sokko and his mother**$^%in' Flying Robot.

[butterfly77]

68. K&R..