 John the OFM  | 08 Jul 2021 9:55 a.m. PST |
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| Andrew Walters | 09 Jul 2021 9:45 a.m. PST |
Reminds me of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal – *it* is very safe. You on the other hand, could be sued because you got sick and then someone else got sick so it must have been your fault. The even will be very safe for *me* because I'll be here. If I watch any of it I'll wear a mask and wrap the TV in plastic. |
| Wolfhag | 09 Jul 2021 5:11 p.m. PST |
I'm going to tune in to see how they do the wrestling and boxing with the ref enforcing social distancing. Are the runners going to be wearing masks? Wolfhag |
| John the OFM | 09 Jul 2021 5:56 p.m. PST |
Ever since entitled "Poor little Mary Decker" had a hissy fit over Zola Budd depriving her of her God given right to a gold medal, Ive been leery of the Olympics. I have often thought that the whole "amateur status" is nothing but the Upper Class not wanting the Lower Orders (Irish, Negroes, working class, Italians…) to participate in "their" games.
"Egad, Sir! If they can actually make a living at FUN, what's the world coming to???" The Olympics suck. |
| Salad Man | 10 Jul 2021 1:26 p.m. PST |
Won't watch one second of the Olympics. Hope every "American" athlete meets tragedy |
| Last Hussar | 11 Jul 2021 6:21 a.m. PST |
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| Wolfhag | 11 Jul 2021 2:24 p.m. PST |
Salad Man,
Prepare to be disappointed. Wolfhag |
| JSchutt | 12 Jul 2021 8:18 p.m. PST |
Alas…. When they were a manifestation of harmless Cold War combat. |
 20thmaine | 18 Jul 2021 8:50 a.m. PST |
Ever since entitled "Poor little Mary Decker" had a hissy fit over Zola Budd depriving her of her God given right to a gold medal, Ive been leery of the Olympics. Not to mention ZB getting fast tracked through the immigration process so she could suddenly be British…. Olympics is politics by other means…. |
| Tumbleweed | 19 Jul 2021 6:23 a.m. PST |
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| Wolfhag | 19 Jul 2021 8:38 p.m. PST |
The Transition from Amateurism to Professionalism
link As the 20th century moved on, so did the perception of sport. The idea of the gentleman amateur gradually became out-dated and the line between amateur and professional became blurred. One of the main reasons for this lay not in the capitalist west but in the communist Eastern Bloc countries, such as Russia and East Germany. They pioneered the idea of the state sponsored ‘full time amateur athlete', which in turn, put those athletes who were forced to be self financing at a severe disadvantage. The IOC also gradually came to the realisation that allowing sponsorship, advertising, and other commercial interests could turn the Olympic Games into a goldmine that could attract the very best international professional athletes. The most iconic moment that defines the leap from amateurism to professionalism in the Olympic Games was the United States Basketball team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The team was made up of some of the most famous ever players to play in the NBA including Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Patrick Ewing and was described as the ‘Dream Team', as well as the greatest sports team ever to be assembled. Unsurprisingly, the team easily progressed through the Olympic competition and won the gold medal, beating Croatia 117-85 in the final. Wolfhag |
| USAFpilot | 22 Jul 2021 3:47 p.m. PST |
Does anyone even watch sports anymore with all their social justice protesting and politics and kneeing? No thanks. |
| Tumbleweed | 23 Jul 2021 6:15 a.m. PST |
Good point, USAFpilot. ESPN gave around-the-clock coverage of the Floyd trial and BLM "events" earlier this year. Not exactly my type of sports coverage. At the Olympics the other day most of the U.S. Women's soccer team refused to place their hands over their hearts during the playing of the anthem and mugged at the camera. No big thing in the scheme of things but enough to make me turn the channel. They can keep it. I'll watch college ball. |
| Cerdic | 24 Jul 2021 9:02 a.m. PST |
Hands on hearts? Wow, you take this sort of stuff very seriously! I've been at sporting events in Britain where they have played the British national anthem, and most people can't even be arsed to stand up… |
| Tumbleweed | 26 Jul 2021 5:29 a.m. PST |
Hands on hearts was perhaps a poor choice of words on my part. My point was simple; I don't want sports to be politicized. |
| Cerdic | 26 Jul 2021 10:01 a.m. PST |
Ha! Be nice if they weren't but I think it's too late for that… |
 etotheipi  | 27 Jul 2021 10:04 p.m. PST |
At the Olympics the other day most of the U.S. Women's soccer team refused to place their hands over their hearts during the playing of the anthem and mugged at the camera. If that's their opinion  , they live in a country where they're entitled to it. |
| Wolfhag | 30 Jul 2021 6:03 a.m. PST |
Free speech means you have the right to make an idiot out of yourself. Some people make a very profitable living out of doing it. Wolfhag |
