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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

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. 

11 comments:

  1. The black cat seems to have the cushion askew, might need additional training. Big Daddy-least sports fan in the world-went to dinner with his boss and had to listen to archery trajectory all night.

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  2. Coverage here in the states has been abysmal...unless all you're interested in is swimming, diving and gymnastics (which we are, but not EVERY NIGHT). We were saying the other evening that we'd really like to see some fencing.

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  3. ah ha! I was a fencer in school for many years. Did the Rapier also...and so did my eldest..... look out next time we meet mate...lol!

    I am finding the olympics awful this time...

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  4. I did some fencing in my younger days. When I was around 13 years old I helped my father build a backyard wooden fence for some people a few blocks from my primary school. It was woven from 1x12 lumber and painted white. I found it 36 years later still in reaLLy good shape, and the owner let me photograph it. My father had forgot about it and it was one of the final things he saw before he passed away as he was going blind as well, probably from working outdoors in the sun.

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  5. I liked your use of the word "pointless" with the lack of fencing coverage.

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  6. We watch the Fencing every Sat when we pick up Felise from dancing. Jake is fascinated by it and knows that Grandad used to do it. You're certainly not missing out on the 9 commentary with people like Ray Rabbits Warren commentating on the swimming !

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  7. fmcgmccllc: Yes they are not medal prospects yet. Archery could be worse than badminton.

    Heather: They will only show what the majority want to watch - which is why you will see only short snippets of marginal sports. It's about generating money from advertising.

    Wanderlust: Too kind - you have overlooked some obvious flaws.

    Simon: I can't see either of us on the piste at the moment!

    esb: You should surely qualify for the Olympics with a background like that.

    KP: Perhaps Jake should be a fencer when he grows up. Give him a hug for me.

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  8. Are you kidding me? I fenced for years.

    The coverage here in the States is a steaming pile of putrid shit. I've grown to hate the Olympics over the years just because of our terrible coverage.

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  9. Smedette: I look forward to a bout.

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  10. a junior fencing champion eh. cool!

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