The 'top story" (now that's a phrase I loathe) on GMTV (at the top of my TV channel hate list, as you know) this morning, was that a British woman who we'd never heard of had won a gold medal for swimming. Good for her of course, but is this really headline news? I know that any sporting achievements on the international stage by Britain/England/Scotland/Wales/UK, etc, are met with equal measures of surprise and disbelief in Britain, but really...
I've always been at a loss as to why the Olympics are such a Big Deal. I know the world gets together to compete for sporting gold, but still - why is this so important? Am I being naive and not twigging that it's largely political? Was Helsinki 1952 political? Or Melbourne, whenever? I doubt it.
Can anyone tell me, because the fussage that's being made in London about the forthcoming Olympics that are still four years away is unbelievable. All that money being spent on an Olympic park which I don't doubt will fall swiftly into disrepair once the Games are over. It's only for three weeks of the year! Every four years! The planet doesn't get this excited about the World Cup (only TV adverts do that), though I concede that it is only one sport. Okay, I suppose then, it's because all sports are here, we can all compete against each other and win medals. Have I answered my own question?
But let's remember, it is only sport. There's nothing made more of a fuss over than sport. I'm not a huge fan.
On another Olympics note, that 14-year-old diver looks like a cocky little shite to me, or am I being unfair?
On another, unrelated note, I hate it when people call Madonna 'Madge'. Is it meant to reduce the superstar to 'just like us, married to a cockney, lives in London' status. Because it doesn't. It just grates.
Welcome to the working week, everyone.
8 comments:
Actually, I quite enjoy the jolly parochialism of the Olympics. The whole mighty-nations-clashing aspect does nothing for me, but the giving of national airtime to some plucky British person, who's apparently loads better at some fairly pointless activity than anyone else is, seems quite appealingly quaint.
I entirely agree. As I've pointed out on my blog on more than one occasion, the Olympics are like a glorified school sports day, and one that's morphed into a tiresome profile raising PR stunt at that.
And if you think that GMTV is bad, make sure that you never, ever go to Australia during the Olympics. It is truly hell on earth.
2012 is going to be a frigging nightmare. If the London Olympic park ever gets finished in time, five minutes after it's all over the little East End oicks will have sprayed graffiti over everything.
The Olympics should have a game where the worst, self-centred "celebrities" are hosed down with barbecue sauce and given a ten minute head start before the dogs are let loose.
Hopefully people call Madonna "Madge" to deflate the scrawny tart's massive ego.
Give the lad a break! He's no cockier than any other 14 year old who gets to compete in the Olympics.
And if we are to believe the media* he is the only 14 year old in the land who's not spending his summer holidays waiting for someone to look at him funny so he can stab them.
(*I don't think we should)
That's all a bit mardy, isn't it?
Believe it or not, some people do actually enjoy watching sport.
I find it comforting to be reminded once every four years that there are sports out there unrelated to Messers Rooney, Wilkinson, Pietersen and Hamilton.
A lot off those athletes work damn hard to make it to the Olympics and show the world what they're capable of. Take the lass who won the gold for GB in the swimming today for example. People will probably have more or less forgotten about her in ten years time, but let her bask in glory for the next couple of days at least.
As for the Tom Daley (the 14 year-old diver), at least give the lad a chance. If he wins gold than perhaps he deserves to be a bit cocky.
The Olympics isn't the great ideal it makes out it is (do we need an official mobile phone for the Games, for instance?) but it makes for excellent sporting veiwing. I'll never forget feeling pleased for Kelly Holmes in 2004, especially after all the setbacks she had, plus everyone had written her off.
And who could deny that Steve Redgrave's achievements bordered on the super-human?
I never feel as though there's any need for tennis and football to be included. A tennis players' biggest prize is winning a Grand Slam event (besides, I hate tennis), and there are at least three football trophies any footballer would rather win than an Olympic gold medal.
By that token, have a pop at Andy Murray over Tom Daley, he's made no secret of the fact he has no respect for the UNITED Kingdom.
"It's only for three weeks of the year! Every four years!"
That's what makes it so special. So I suggest that a)in 2012 you go on holiday for a few weeks at the end of July/beginning of August and b) you stop watching GMTV (which you sould do anyway because it's bilge)
As you were...
FC, you disappoint me...
Alright, perhaps I was a bit harsh on Tom Daley. I take it back. He is what other kids should aim for, I agree.
BA - you're accusing me of being mardy? Hah!
Matt - I'm a constant disappointment.
I was very moved by the recent BBC1 series on athletes preparing for the Olympics (Tom Daley's relationship with his dad was especially lovely), but for me, that's where the interest lies; the human background stories. About the actual sport, I care not a jot. Which makes me weird, I know, but hey.
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