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Friday, June 24, 2016

OLYMPIC FEVER 98.9


OLYMPIC FEVER 98.9


A cranky opinion for

CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with little knowledge of the topic opined.  Opposing opinions are welcome, but they are wrong.  As always, please, no name calling, and that means you, you big stupid head!



Apparently the 906th Olympic Games start this summer in Rio De Janeiro which is a little south of New Jersey.  I know about this event because in the news I read all about a Zika virus that is scary as shit.  Seems a lot of it is going around in Rio.  I also read about the pollution (air and water) that is scary as shit, and rampant crime which is…that’s right, scary as shit.

Today I hear Rory McElroy one of the best golfers in the world is not going to participate in the Olympics basically because among other things, the venue is scary as shit.

Years ago, when the Olympics were first telecast worldwide, the Olympics were a huge thing.  To win a gold medal was to be a superstar.  No one would ever think to avoid the Olympics when even a medal in fencing, sailing or hop scotch would put you on a Wheaties box…today not so much. 

What has changed?

First of all the Olympic athletes of old were all amateurs,  people who made the supreme sacrifice of postponing life for the chance to win a medal.  If a participant twisted his ankle in his first heat it was a tragic story as he would never have another chance.  Jim Thorpe had all his medals taken away when it was found he played “Professional” baseball and earned $1.35 before the Olympic Games…these people were serious.

Today these “amateurs” are supported and paid to train and participate.  They don’t postpone their life for sport; sport is their life and their occupation.  Maybe not the fencers, sailors and hop scotchers, but the athletes for any sport anyone really cares about.

So when a great golfer like McElroy refuses to represent his country, who really cares.  He represents his country in every tournament he plays.  Golf is now international.  Every big tournament is worldwide.  Soccer is worldwide.  Basketball has players from many nations in the NBA.  Track and field athletes from all over the world are on scholarships and represent US Colleges in NCAA competition.

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but I don’t care anymore. 

There is no Al Oerter who after working all day spent hours training and lifting weights so he could try and win the discus throw five times over a 20 years period of time; all without support from anyone except his family.

It is no longer politically correct to root exclusively for your own countrymen.  The chant of USA, USA, USA is a little annoying when you know your guy is taking the same steroids as their guy and is just as professional as their guy and though he may be American, he is quite possibly an American Dick!

I can’t get excited when a swimmer wins his 73rd gold medal in his fourteenth Olympics.  He is not making sacrifices, it is his job.  He doesn’t have to hope to be Tarzan in the movies, he is already rich. And besides, he is a swimmer…big whoop.

Does anyone watch swimming between the Olympics?  How about sailing? Fencing anyone? Track and Field? Olympic style Wrestling? Anyone?  Hell these events are not even broadcast on ESPN 6.

So to all you medal winners, congratulations, enjoy, but I will not be watching.  Oh…and that medal is only gold plated.

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.  

16 comments:

  1. I think as an athlete I myself might be sitting out the upcoming Olympics. I heard several women newscasters were not going to be there to do telecasts because they were pregnant and they were concerned about the Zika virus and I don't blame them for their concern.

    I do think there should be some sort of age limit that includes those that can participate. Otherwise, like you said, it is a career for some, especially when you consider the endorsements that could come out of their performance.

    I will probably be sitting out a lot of watching the games this year too.

    betty

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  2. Sadly, The Olympics have definitely lost a bit of their luster over the past 20 years or so...makes me miss the 80s and 90s.

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  3. Hi Cranky Man,

    I went to Brazil last year and while crime there is high, it isn't the worst place I've been to. Also, we had the "Soccer" World Cup there two years ago and, again, it went without a hitch. You can read about Zika but isn't that potentially a problem in the southern US too?

    I can't get too excited about the Olympics. I was when it was in London in 2012 but only because the country as a whole embraced it. When it's on the other side of the world it's appeal diminishes.

    I may take a vague interest but probably not.

    :o)

    Cheers

    PM

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  4. I've not watched the Olympics in years. Won't be watching this one either. I don't care. There are other more interesting things to do. Like the laundry, mowing the lawn, watching the grass grow. Important stuff.

    Have a fabulous weekend. ☺

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  5. i hope those who participate will be safe.

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  6. Yep... I agree.
    It's all about the money.
    Should be spelled $port$

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  7. Olympics these days are crooked as shit! One city offers a bigger bribe than the next city and is awarded the games. Like you say, the athletes train 24/7 and are paid handsomely to do so. If not paid outright, their endorsements make them rich. And watching bicyclists or runners go round and round...meh.

    I do enjoy the Winter Olympics, not because I know anything about the events, but because I enjoy seeing scenes of snow and mountains...pretty impressive to a flatlander from Texas.

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  8. I think the last time I REALLY watched the Olympics was in 1972 when Mark Spitz won all those medals in swimming. I was going to be the future Mrs. Mark Spitz... And as we all know, those events were marred by the Munich massacre when Israeli hostages were killed.

    I feel about sports as a whole as you feel about the Olympic Games.

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  9. It's sad what "amateur" sports has come to.

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  10. I use to so look forward to the Olympics but that was about 20 years ago. Corruption has taken over or at least we now know about it. Cities buy the event and the athletes are rarely amateurs or drug free. Tis a shame.

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  11. What you say is true, but I'd still like to have a gold medal, but unfortunately they don't hand them out to bullshit artists like me.

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  12. What good are gold medals anyway?

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  13. My husband will be going to Brazil within the next year. I hope he doesn't get pregnant while he's there!

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  14. I think it's time the Olympics was discontinued. The amount of drug-taking cheating going on is ridiculous.

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  15. Remember the old saying 'money is the route of all evil'? I haven't watched the Olympics for years. Sports have become tainted.

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  16. I still enjoy watching many of the Olympic sports, but my heart isn't in my throat the way it was all those years ago when the competitors were true amateurs. And I think there should be a handful of host cities and the games should rotate among them, re-using existing facilities.

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