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Post by naill on Aug 5, 2012 9:26:02 GMT -5
What happened to armature sports? The latest installment of the Olympics is another example of how far armature athletics have departed from a true armature. While I applaud their accomplishments, who could not improve and benefit from doting parentage, wealth/support, personal coaches, and an opportunity to devote 24 hours a day to the pursuit of one thing? And, what's with all the hugging beach volley ball female stars? You would think they had discovered a cure for cancer after each point. What have they really accomplished that better the world and society? I know I am over the top, but in a time when it appears equality is a political focus, what about equality in something besides getting by? Have you ever wondered what would have happened to the Williams sisters or Missy Franklin if they had not had access to a tennis court or swimming pool. How many better athletes are there that never threw a baseball, tried to swim, competed in a foot race, etc? Thanks for the spot to rant.....
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Post by zenmaster on Aug 5, 2012 9:34:36 GMT -5
Sports brings people together and in a world that can get so divided over ego based attachments it is good to see people coming together in athletics.
The Olympics is about sending the best athletes to compete and often the best are professionals. It does take time, effort and financial support to train to become the best.
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Post by naill on Aug 5, 2012 12:23:41 GMT -5
Sports brings people together and in a world that can get so divided over ego based attachments it is good to see people coming together in athletics. Are you sure? The Olympics is about sending the best athletes to compete and often the best are professionals. It does take time, effort and financial support to train to become the best. It depends on what you want, to see the best out of those with the time, money, and opportunity, or something less out of real people. I prefer real people or athletes who are real and able to complete.
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Post by zenmaster on Aug 5, 2012 12:34:04 GMT -5
Sports brings people together and in a world that can get so divided over ego based attachments it is good to see people coming together in athletics. Are you sure? The Olympics is about sending the best athletes to compete and often the best are professionals. It does take time, effort and financial support to train to become the best. It depends on what you want, to see the best out of those with the time, money, and opportunity, or something less out of real people. I prefer real people or athletes who are real and able to complete. Professional athletes aren't real people?
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Post by geezerfiddle on Aug 5, 2012 13:04:08 GMT -5
The Olympics just aren't the same for me anymore since we (USA) started sending professional athletes. I wouldn't trade one "Miracle on Ice" team for a hundred "Dream Teams".
WTF ever happened to pure amateur competition? Oh, wait, it's alive and well in USGA events.
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Post by Holy Schist on Aug 6, 2012 8:36:03 GMT -5
I hear you but confess to thinking golf is closer to hobby needing some skill than sport.
The old school amateur spirit you probably like is there at lower levels and sports not so much in the mainstream.
Our ski club has produced a few Olympians over the decades. I'm now a board member and enjoy the tales from a 1968 team member (board member for life). They trained and got there on a shoestring budget compared to these days. In June we approved $13,000 for a tweak to our 60 meter jump in order to be competitive. Now we have to budget for the plastic and water to keep the jumps usable in summer. Those weren't needed for our Olympians who made it in the 1940s - 1960s.
We have a biathlon course and have clinics for those athletes and the Nordic Olympic hopefuls. I see many of them are living out of cars and far from the big sport pros in the Olympics.
Beth Heiden will still work out at our club when she's in town which is an inspiration to some of our young members and an entertaining fact for others.
My bike club hosts races and volunteers labor at events to make money. In that I see different levels of competition and growing popularity with our endurance mountain bike races where participants don't have to be worth $10,000 on the hoof which is nice.
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Post by blowtorch on Aug 6, 2012 9:59:32 GMT -5
I hear you but confess to thinking golf is closer to hobby needing some skill than sport. The old school amateur spirit you probably like is there at lower levels and sports not so much in the mainstream. Our ski club has produced a few Olympians over the decades. I'm now a board member and enjoy the tales from a 1968 team member (board member for life). They trained and got there on a shoestring budget compared to these days. In June we approved $13,000 for a tweak to our 60 meter jump in order to be competitive. Now we have to budget for the plastic and water to keep the jumps usable in summer. Those weren't needed for our Olympians who made it in the 1940s - 1960s. We have a biathlon course and have clinics for those athletes and the Nordic Olympic hopefuls. I see many of them are living out of cars and far from the big sport pros in the Olympics. Beth Heiden will still work out at our club when she's in town which is an inspiration to some of our young members and an entertaining fact for others. My bike club hosts races and volunteers labor at events to make money. In that I see different levels of competition and growing popularity with our endurance mountain bike races where participants don't have to be worth $10,000 on the hoof which is nice. You've never played golf, have you?
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Post by Holy Schist on Aug 6, 2012 10:47:29 GMT -5
I hear you but confess to thinking golf is closer to hobby needing some skill than sport. The old school amateur spirit you probably like is there at lower levels and sports not so much in the mainstream. Our ski club has produced a few Olympians over the decades. I'm now a board member and enjoy the tales from a 1968 team member (board member for life). They trained and got there on a shoestring budget compared to these days. In June we approved $13,000 for a tweak to our 60 meter jump in order to be competitive. Now we have to budget for the plastic and water to keep the jumps usable in summer. Those weren't needed for our Olympians who made it in the 1940s - 1960s. We have a biathlon course and have clinics for those athletes and the Nordic Olympic hopefuls. I see many of them are living out of cars and far from the big sport pros in the Olympics. Beth Heiden will still work out at our club when she's in town which is an inspiration to some of our young members and an entertaining fact for others. My bike club hosts races and volunteers labor at events to make money. In that I see different levels of competition and growing popularity with our endurance mountain bike races where participants don't have to be worth $10,000 on the hoof which is nice. You've never played golf, have you? Yes, and I thought if a sport it was one like fly fishing where some danger or adventure has to be involved to make it sporting. I mean no disrespect for it. I spend a lot of time supporting our city property with golf course, respect the skills. Maybe I'll take it up when I can't mountain bike.
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Post by caldermt on Aug 6, 2012 11:11:07 GMT -5
Yeah, those Williams sisters had it easy as they developed their skills.
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Post by blowtorch on Aug 6, 2012 11:13:49 GMT -5
It's a sport requiring precise physical skills and strong mental skills to play well. If you consider the pros play four straight days, it can be grueling both physically and mentally.
It used to be that the only people who could compete were amateurs because they were the only ones who could afford to not work and train. Those who were good but didn't have money had to become pros, and these people were usually working class stiffs. So to protect the amateurs from the lower class and maybe better pros, the powers that be keep a lot of sports amateur.
We see much better competition by not caring about amateur status anymore.
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Post by Holy Schist on Aug 6, 2012 13:08:59 GMT -5
It's a sport requiring precise physical skills and strong mental skills to play well. If you consider the pros play four straight days, it can be grueling both physically and mentally. Now I think you might have golf confused with sex. ;D
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Post by naill on Aug 6, 2012 13:09:19 GMT -5
Yeah, those Williams sisters had it easy as they developed their skills. Consider their plight had they had a job loading trucks for eight hours a day and also had to develop skills. Most of us could related to them better if they did. Also, how many 30 year olds still have their parents hanging around wringing their hands and hanging their heads when we loose a race?
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Post by naill on Aug 6, 2012 13:13:11 GMT -5
It's a sport requiring precise physical skills and strong mental skills to play well. If you consider the pros play four straight days, it can be grueling both physically and mentally. Now I think you might have golf confused with sex. ;D You have to pocess strong mential skills to have sex? Really?
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Post by zenmaster on Aug 6, 2012 13:22:56 GMT -5
To be your very best in a sport and to compete at the level that Olympic athletes compete at one has to dedicate their life and time to that sport.
If the US athletes do not practice to the level which other country's athletes do then the US will not be competitive in the Olympics at all.
The spirit of the Olympics is to have your best athletes compete. The best are usually those who give all their time and attention to the sport.
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Post by Holy Schist on Aug 6, 2012 13:44:20 GMT -5
Now I think you might have golf confused with sex. ;D You have to pocess strong mential skills to have sex? Really? The topics aren't sex by yourself, but sport and being the best.
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