The Commonwealth Games

I just put a hunj on England to win the most golds at 2.40 and a lobster on them winning the most medals at 6s!

Crikey, that's very generous!!

On the wireless on the way home in the car it was reported that Usain Bolt was overheard saying (quote) "the Commonwealth Games are a bit shit compared to the Olympics".

I chuckled but it's hardly an Earth-shattering revelation.

The Jamaican guy who won the 100m wouldn't even make the Jamaican relay team in the Olympics.

The swimming and athletics are particularly devalued

skully wrote:On the wireless on the way home in the car it was reported that Usain Bolt was overheard saying (quote) "the Commonwealth Games are a bit shit compared to the Olympics".

I chuckled but it's hardly an Earth-shattering revelation.

WTF is he doing there anyway if he's not going to run?

He's in the relay team.

Isn't Bolt's complaint more about the fact there any any Scandinavian chicks competing?

PeterCS wrote:Which one? The Saf racist one?

Nothing that sinister, Petey.

The self gratifying charade I was referring to was, quite simply, the Commonwealth Games themselves.

What exactly does the word "commonwealth" actually mean in this day and age, when a vast majority of the countries participating couldn't really GAF about the word's connotation!!

Waste of space, time and much needed financial resources.

That's a pity. There's some good stuff on display.

And even if you look at it from a purely pragmatic viewpoint, many UK competitors say retrospectively that coming though the CG (whether for a medal or just reaching a final) was a vital springboard to success for them in Europeans, World Champs and Olympics.

Whose money is being wasted? (An innocent question, not a pointed one.)

PeterCS wrote:That's a pity. There's some good stuff on display.

And even if you look at it from a purely pragmatic viewpoint, many UK competitors say retrospectively that coming though the CG (whether for a medal or just reaching a final) was a vital springboard to success for them in Europeans, World Cups and Olympics.

Whose money is being wasted? (An innocent question, not a pointed one.)

I used to think that way, but when you consider the waste of time and space it's been when held in other
"Commonwealth" countries ...the lack of enthusiasm and the lethargic and lacklustre responses.

The financial resources I feel that are being wasted are those obtained from Sport England and the Lottery Fund - and indeed Glasgow Borough Council - who've spent millions creating housing for athletes, stadia and the like.

Look at London post Olympics 2012.

Housing only 30 percent occupied... the rest just lying there empty.
The "Cycledrone" only used 5 times a year.... and only half filled when events do take place!
Other stadia and venues even less.
The only two showing some sort of return is the "Swimodrome" and Dorney Lake - the latter being eventually taken over by Eton college.
Even the transportation is barely used to its maximum capacity .... there being "nowhere to go" once the crowds departed.

Oh well, like I said ... my opinion ...
Whatever turns people, on I guess ... and whatever the politicians dictate to the populace.

Fair enough point on the larger economic/infrastructural grounds.

Though I think each "building project" has to be assessed in its own right. The Athens Olympics seems to have been the worst fiasco of "Potemkin's Coach" build - the London Olympics was vastly overhyped and (thus?) badly mismanaged in part. I'm not sure if Glasgow will be left with ghost stadia, and the like.

Merls - it seems the world's fastest man agrees with you:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/commonwealth-games/article4161518.ece

Though by the looks, he was mainly huffing that the facilities (and freebies?) were not blingy enough!




EDIT:

Or not .....

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/bolt-call-commonwealth-games-bit-sh-t-080221170.html

Yeah, I'd say his gripe was, in whole, because of the lack of freebies and bling in Glasgea.

PS - Can you even picture a Glaswegian donned in bling?

.....unless it were a brass knuckle duster....

Brianne Theisen-Eaton? Shucks, yes!

....meanwhile, an (un-named) Australian athlete has been arrested over an altercation at the games village and the brother of an Australian boxer has also been arrested for throwing a plastic bottle which hit a kiddie after his brother was Controversially TKO'd early in the fight.

All this on top of Australia's Athletics head coach being suspended for slagging off about Sally Pearson. Not a bunch of happy little Vegimites at the moment.

The larrikins.

I can't say I have much time for the boxing, or lawn bowls.

Maybe they could save time and money by combining them.

And some sports I can respect, but find dull. Weightlifting. Floor gymnastics.

Fairfax Media understands the athlete is Francois Etoundi who won a bronze medal in the 77kg class weightlifting

PeterCS wrote:I can't say I have much time for the boxing, or lawn bowls.

Maybe they could save time and money by combining them.

And some sports I can respect, but find dull. Weightlifting. Floor gymnastics.

How are you on Badminton & Table Tennis?

Ner. Table tennis for 5 minutes, badminton 12. Squash 3.

PeterCS wrote:Ner. Table tennis for 5 minutes, badminton 12. Squash 3.

 
Yeah, i find them a bit ho hum as well.

JGK wrote:I just put a hunj on England to win the most golds at 2.40 and a lobster on them winning the most medals at 6s!

It's all coming up JGK!

What's still to come that could upset that? Rowing, sailing?

Farnarkling?