Olympics

[FatherVenom]

For those of you who don't know, the original Olympic games were more for political purposes than sport. Every four years the warring city states would take a break and people would flock to the site of the Olympic games while army men without athletic potential stayed home and rebuilt the country and built up arms. However during this time of peace attempts at lasting peace were sometimes made as politicians took working vacations and met with foreign dignitaries on neutral ground.

Do you think that the modern Olympics serves any of the same benefits as the old ones or have they just become comercial like every other sport besides curling. With the ability of terrorists to strike at the games does it tarnish the ability of the Olympic games to stand for a time of peace?

[RedSkunk]

At 8/18/04 04:04 AM, FatherVenom wrote: Do you think that the modern Olympics serves any of the same benefits as the old ones or have they just become comercial like every other sport besides curling.

No, I don't think the olympics serves any of those original goals. Today's Olympics, seem to be wholly focused on the actual competition between countries, in sports. And because of this, and because of the fact that people don't care/know of the original olympics and everything surrounding them, I don't see how teh terrorists could tarnish that image. Additionally, the Olympics have been golden opportunities for terrorists for quite awhile now...

[The-Bi99man]

You do know that this topic has been done multiple times, with this same name, don't you?

[Jemistad]

At 8/18/04 06:01 AM, The_Bi99man wrote: You do know that this topic has been done multiple times, with this same name, don't you?

How rude. You could just choose not to respond.

[RedSkunk]

At 8/18/04 06:01 AM, The_Bi99man wrote: You do know that this topic has been done multiple times, with this same name, don't you?

The original post was too long for you, huh? Oh well, that's ok. We have the kiddies table over here.

[FatherVenom]

At 8/18/04 06:01 AM, The_Bi99man wrote: You do know that this topic has been done multiple times, with this same name, don't you?

No it hasn't. I just checked and while there are Olympics threads, none of them has the same focus as mine and many are in the General forum whereas mine belongs solidly in the Politics forum. Thank you for getting me to check. I would feel like a huge hypocrit if I had done a repeat thread.

Ok there was a direction I wanted this thread to go in. Do you think the new Olympics should take their cue from the old Olympics and how would we establish that goal?

[mrpopenfresh]

Well it brings all the countries together, thast for sure. Also, you can have a bit of political stuff, like the Soviet Boycott.

[bumcheekcity]

At 8/18/04 12:11 PM, FatherVenom wrote: Ok there was a direction I wanted this thread to go in. Do you think the new Olympics should take their cue from the old Olympics and how would we establish that goal?

How much so do you mean? Should we all do it naked? I personally don't think we could, because we have hundreds and thousands of entries, and the ancient ways of the Greeks just wouldn't cut it in this day and age.

Besides, the Greeks didn't have stopwatches, so World Records and people saying "OGM I shaved 0.02s off the world record!" would be a thing of the past.

Bottom line: Not really. It pulls in some money for the country that manages to host it, and I don't mind. All sports sucks anyway.

One thing I WOULD like is purely ameteurs partici[pating. I believe there are a few sports in which professionals are allowed to play. I don't like that.

Oh, and one more thing. Anyone wishing to participate in the Olympics should have a drugs test every year. If he/she fails just one, they can fuck off. Drugs ruin the spirit. I do whole-heartedly support lifetime bans for anyone who is found to be cheating with drugs. This would stop people srugging up for the two years after the Olympics, then stopping and letting all the drugs get out of their system, and recording clean for the event.

[FatherVenom]

At 8/18/04 12:25 PM, bumcheekcity wrote: How much so do you mean?

As far as you want to take the idea in a rational direction. Obviously it wouldn't be done in the nude. That wouldn't stand in this day and age.

[TheWakingDeath]

Only because without clothes, the athletes corporate sponsors would have to tattoo their logos to the athletes backs.
BCC: Amen to that. The only problem is, you'd need some cut off point, like, five years, for people wishing to participate. You couldn't monitor anyone for their entire lives because not everyone knows they want to compete from the day they're born. I believe that there should be at least a five year waiting period where athletes are tested for drugs consistently, so they won't be able to cycle off in time for their next test, since they will also be conducted randomly. Any athlete caught doping should have it permanently recorded and be barred from ever competing.