Almost an Olympian

Practicing for the Synchronized Cats event

I have been a bit quiet for the last few days as Cate has been away in Beirut and I have been catching up on some chores – and watching a bit of the Olympics.

I have not been able to come to grips with most of what has been happening but I have watched a little bit of the Sailing, Swimming, Cycling and Fencing.

I don’t understand Badminton. They hammer the shit out of that little feathery thing and it goes about two inches. I would bring some technology to bear on that problem – get rid of the feathers to start with.

It is a little known fact about the Badger that he is a former Fencer and was – many moons ago – President of the Sydney Fencing Club - and junior club champion.

My potential Olympic career was stymied by shoulder problems and I always like to kid myself that without these I would have been picked for the 1964 Olympic Fencing Team.

So I retain an interest in this sport – but so little of it is shown on regular Olympic coverage in Australia that it is pointless even trying to catch it.

However – this time we have 24 Olympic channels on BBC so we get to see everything – and without advertisements. Bliss.

It is especially good being away from Channel 9 in Sydney which has a long and sordid history of completely massacring major sporting events with an overwhelming amount of advertising – and brain dead commentators.

The British have not being going to well so far and – as expected – are starting to turn on the unfortunates who have missed out on medals.  They are renowned for eating their young.

The athletes are apparently not trying hard enough – despite the crowds giving them 100% support. “We are trying our best – why aren’t you?”

An interesting incident was a young man who sent offensive tweets to British diver Tom Daley – who failed to live up to expectations.  

The Twitterer was arrested and released with a harassment warning but was bailed to return pending investigations.

Is this a bit weird? How many offensive tweets are posted each day – perhaps a million? How interested would the police be if it was an average Joe who complained?

This is a slippery slope indeed.