The Olympics

[Butts]

Why are so many people moaning about everything associated with the above?

Surely it is an honour to host such a presitgious event on our shores.

Yes perhaps the money could have been spent on something else but it would probably have been wasted on something silly.

It may be centred around London but that is the Capital City and rightly the focus of the whole event.

There are only a handful of the 200 odd countries in the world that are capable of hosting such a pageant and we should be proud to be part of that exclusive club.

 

[SwindonPkwy]

I couldn't agree more.

Also, people complaining that it's in London should understand that the UK previously put forward perfectly good bids for Manchester and Birmingham. It was the IOC and its voting members that have judged that only a London bid could win.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

It's the biggest waste of taxpayers money. Because of the Olympics, people are having to leave their homes because of the way prices are getting over inflated.

It shows that London can invest in new things like new trains yet the north has to cope with stuff built in the BREL days.

It's all one big vanity project for Coe et al.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yes perhaps the money could have been spent on something else but it would probably have been wasted on something silly.

I am amazed how the London bid-costings at the time of submission, which at the time had a built-in inflation index applied to them, have far exceeded the "carefully prepared accountancy moderated" figures now in the public domain.

With regard to what the monies could have been spent on (I see you refer to "something silly"), the Treasury would point you in the direction of an enormous British budgetary deficit that has to be repaid over the coming years. Perhaps if the Olympic Games monies were put to repaying their share of that unfortunate matter of fact, as many other parts of the British economy are being forced to do, it would seem that the onus for this debt repayment is being spread equally, rather that certain "prestige" events being allowed to be excluded from this responsibility.

 

[Minilad]

I dont hate it, I don't mon about it. I am just trying to ignore the whole shebang till it goes away

 

[LE Greys]

Well at least the BBC will have some sport to screen this summer.

 

[Butts]

Well at least the BBC will have some sport to screen this summer.

Don't forget Wimbledon and Euro 2012

It's ironic the BBC are losing all these sporting rights when the public seem to prefer them as the premier broadcaster.

Put any sporting event simultaneously on BBC and any other provider and the BBC always wins hands down

 

[junglejames]

I am amazed how the London bid-costings at the time of submission, which at the time had a built-in inflation index applied to them, have far exceeded the "carefully prepared accountancy moderated" figures now in the public domain.

With regard to what the monies could have been spent on (I see you refer to "something silly"), the Treasury would point you in the direction of an enormous British budgetary deficit that has to be repaid over the coming years. Perhaps if the Olympic Games monies were put to repaying their share of that unfortunate matter of fact, as many other parts of the British economy are being forced to do, it would seem that the onus for this debt repayment is being spread equally, rather that certain "prestige" events being allowed to be excluded from this responsibility.

We bid for the Olympics before the economy crashed.
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Why are so many people moaning about everything associated with the above?

Surely it is an honour to host such a presitgious event on our shores.

Yes perhaps the money could have been spent on something else but it would probably have been wasted on something silly.

It may be centred around London but that is the Capital City and rightly the focus of the whole event.

There are only a handful of the 200 odd countries in the world that are capable of hosting such a pageant and we should be proud to be part of that exclusive club.

Ditto 10000000000 times.
You may not like the Olympics, and may not want to go to any events, but at least be mildly proud.

 

[SS4]

It's the biggest waste of taxpayers money. Because of the Olympics, people are having to leave their homes because of the way prices are getting over inflated.

It shows that London can invest in new things like new trains yet the north has to cope with stuff built in the BREL days.

It's all one big vanity project for Coe et al.

Hear Hear.

London and the South East are already seen as being the only part of England worth bothering with and that's our government at home! What must Johnny Foreigner think if our own politicians don't give a rat's ass about us.

 

[Temple Meads]

I dont hate it, I don't mon about it. I am just trying to ignore the whole shebang till it goes away

Same here, I'll take no more interest in it than I do usually, which is watch some of it when it's the best thing on.

 

[Clip]

Hear Hear.

London and the South East are already seen as being the only part of England worth bothering with and that's our government at home! What must Johnny Foreigner think if our own politicians don't give a rat's ass about us.

As has been outlined above the IOC have deemed London the only place capable of hosting their event. I doubt anywhere else in this country could have hosted it given the transport infrastructure that would be need to be built and then left to rot through people not using it afterwards. And that would've added more to the cost then I dare to imagine.

 

[Greenback]

One of the reasons that I have no interest in the Olympic Games is that they have moved so far from their original ideal. It is now just a way of making of money for various international mega companies.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

This thread may help:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=61454

 

[Yew]

Hopefully it will provide a boost to our economy, something that is needed at the minuite

 

[WestCoast]

We bid for the Olympics before the economy crashed.

Indeed, I remember the announcement that London had been chosen, sadly the day before the 7/7 attacks. Paris was one of the major competitors. The Olympics must also be a security headache at the top.

 

[90019]

Why are so many people moaning about everything associated with the above?

Because people keep telling us we should be really happy and excited about it?

Frankly, I really couldn't care less about it, but I'm getting bored of being told I should be excited.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You may not like the Olympics, and may not want to go to any events, but at least be mildly proud.

Like that, for example.

 

[LE Greys]

Because people keep telling us we should be really happy and excited about it?

Frankly, I really couldn't care less about it, but I'm getting bored of being told I should be excited.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Like that, for example.

Reverse psychology.

Me, I'm going to see what happens. As I said in the other thread, the chances of me liking it depend on how many medals Team GB win. Yes, with some sports I'm a mercenary (unlike cricket, where I support Yorkshire and England no matter what).

 

[Butts]

One of the reasons that I have no interest in the Olympic Games is that they have moved so far from their original ideal. It is now just a way of making of money for various international mega companies.

True but the same could be said of Football and your favourite game in Llanelli
Rugby

 

[Greenback]

True but the same could be said of Football and your favourite game in Llanelli
Rugby

You're right, and it worries me! Sometimes I think it's more enjoyable to see a local amateur game...then Wales/Scarlets win a couple of hames and I get drawn in again...

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

I'm representing the Olympics when the torch passes through Preston doing a comedy streetdance with my drama crew. Expect to see me on TV!
I can't wait for the Olympics, I'm sure TfGM, TfL, T&W and all the other local operators and police do a fantastic job!

 

[43167]

Im glad to have seen an Olympics in the UK in my life. Managed to get tickets for some of the football, but abit dissapointed nothing else was available, but one of the games is a Great Britain match, so that will be a rare event, as i doubt there will be a GB football team at the next olympics.

 

[SS4]

Why I don't like the Olympics:

• Too much stress and much needed money is diverted from more important things
• I despise the commercial aspect where it's rammed down your throat, the implication you won't be happy if you don't take part
• I hate the implied Scrooge that comes with not wanting to partake no matter how sound one's reasoning is. By partake I mean pretty much everything the media says you should be doing.
• What gets me is the fact that I am expected to partake in everyone else's mania and that I am some sort of Untermensch if I choose not to join in and allow myself to get into debt.
• 365 days a year I am told that rain is bad (during a drought - go figure :roll, snow is bad, cold is bad, sun is good. I am told that if I do not celebrate the Olympics - defined as spend, spend, spend - then I am an antisocial, miserly Scrooge who deserves to be alone (nothing I'd like more) and unloved. The Olympics have been hijacked by capitalism as much as Christianity hijacked Christmas off of Pagans.
• Additionally, there is no escaping it. At work there are decorations, in town there are lights, shops have stuff out and my freezer is not large enough to stock up and hibernate even if I wanted to. Office party is something very difficult to turn down without losing face and/or standing.

edit: the more observant of you will notice I've lifted my opinions from this thread

 

[Schnellzug]

How can anyone not love the olympic 2012 Event when faced with, for example, this truckload of drivel from the local Council:

Mr Sumner said: “There is nothing bigger than this.

“It’s like hosting 26 World Championships at the same time in the same place with crowds of which you will not believe.

For Weymouth, Portland and Dorset you’re looking at half a million spectators enjoying themselves, watching the sailors and having the time of their lives.

“However, it does mean that Weymouth and Portland and Dorset is going to be very, very busy with 60,000-plus people a day at peak times.

“It will be life as unusual.”

From the paper today.

Note the lie in the above; the "60,000 people a day" which the Council keep quoting. What that figure actually is is the estmated (or rather hoped for) total figure for the whole thing based on total ticket sales. The Council would never possibly lie, would they?

"Mr Miles said South West Trains will be doubling its capacity to 7,500 passengers a day for the Olympics."
Really? Does anyone have any idea as to how they will envisage doing that, since I doubt that they'd be able to spare 2 x 444 for every train, even if that was possible, which I don't think it is.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Reverse psychology.

Me, I'm going to see what happens. As I said in the other thread, the chances of me liking it depend on how many medals Team GB win. Yes, with some sports I'm a mercenary (unlike cricket, where I support Yorkshire and England no matter what).

Whatever happened to the Olympic ideal of "It is not the winning that counts, but the taking part"....:roll:

 

[SS4]

Whatever happened to the Olympic ideal of "It is not the winning that counts, but the taking part"....:roll:

Which would be the case of the Olympics was about sport. Instead it's part sport part commercialism. The latter isn't necessarily bad because at least it saves us some money but I'd be interested to see if we get a Wembley situation where a lot of the best seats are reserved for corporate sponsors instead of families.

 

[Schnellzug]

I'd be perfectly happy with it if it was entirely commercial and self-financing. As it is, with the way that a large proportion of lottery money has been diverted into it, I think if everything it's counterproductive for an awful lot of other things all around the country.

 

[LE Greys]

Whatever happened to the Olympic ideal of "It is not the winning that counts, but the taking part"....:roll:

That's only said by people who don't want you to feel bad for losing. When I used to race Toppers, I didn't mind coming last, but I certainly didn't want to be patronised afterwards.

In other words, I'm a hyper-competitive glory-hunter.

 

[Butts]

Which would be the case of the Olympics was about sport. Instead it's part sport part commercialism. The latter isn't necessarily bad because at least it saves us some money but I'd be interested to see if we get a Wembley situation where a lot of the best seats are reserved for corporate sponsors instead of families.

I think the best seats, or a great deal of them, will be reserved for corporate sponsors as they are at any major sporting event.

 

[junglejames]

Because people keep telling us we should be really happy and excited about it?

Frankly, I really couldn't care less about it, but I'm getting bored of being told I should be excited.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Like that, for example.

I never once said anybody should get excited. I said we should be mildly proud that we are hosting such an event.
Excited is if you intend to go round London flag waving and singing and going to watch any events etc etc. What i said is so far removed from that.
You only get excited if you love the Olympics. Some people dont. I never tell anybody they should love the Olympics, so I have never told anybody they should get excited.

Also, where have people been told they should be getting excited? I havent seen this anywhere. Not on TV or anywhere. What i have seen is the Olympics being promoted, but that is natural. Everything is promoted. I see Tesco and Asda promoting themselves (sometimes in an excitable manner), but i never see it as them telling me to get excited about their stores.

 

[Deerfold]

I'm representing the Olympics when the torch passes through Preston doing a comedy streetdance with my drama crew. Expect to see me on TV!
I can't wait for the Olympics, I'm sure TfGM, TfL, T&W and all the other local operators and police do a fantastic job!

I was disappointed with the torch route - looked from initial information as if it'd go past my house but it seems it'll spend most of its time on a lorry - in Keighley there's only about a mile of actual running - it arrives from Bradford "in convoy" and then departs for Skipton the same way.

I thought about volunteering for the Olympics until I found out I'd have to carry around a McDonalds logo.

McDonalds and Coca Cola seem very odd organisations for the world of sport to want to be associated with.