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Original poster

To be looking forward to the Olympics and wish people would stop moaning ?

31 replies

Sassybeast · 20/07/2012 13:15

Yes lots of it is crap, lots of huge cock ups, lots of corporate greed and inconvenience to folks living in London.

But is it a UK thing that most of the media coverage focuses on the negatives ? That online forums Wink focus on the negatives ?

My friends daughter is competing, and like thousands of other athletes, this is the culmination of years of sacrifice and devotion to her sport. It's about endurance and commitment and bloody hard work. It's about the achievement and the drive. It's about people who are at the top of their sports and who are an example to the sofa bound, gameboy playing grunting kids lying around in darkened rooms the length and breadth of this country.

Why aren't we celebrating ? Why are people moaning SO much ? Is it because the weather is improving and we can't whine about that quite so much ? Does every country which has ever hosted the games have a history of such negativity ?

OP posts:
Proudnscary · 20/07/2012 13:21

Do you actually live in London?

I'll moan all I want, thanks Wink

LtEveDallas · 20/07/2012 13:21

Why aren't we celebrating ? Why are people moaning SO much?

because: lots of it is crap, lots of huge cock ups, lots of corporate greed and inconvenience to folks living in London

and personally, the G4S debacle was the final straw. I was already pissed off about the amount being spent, the sponsorship, the sponsorship rules, the Olympic Lanes, the purple Enforcement Officers and so on.

GingerWrath · 20/07/2012 13:23

Oh, yes, I am looking forward to the summer hols without my DH, he is sooooo looking forward to having to get up at 0330 to work 12 hour shifts when the only hot meal he'll get all day is breakfast!

blackberryjam · 20/07/2012 13:24

Yeah I'm with you on this one 'sassy'. Sick of people being so negative. The Olympics are pretty amazing. A friend of mine competed in the Paralympics at Seoul many moons ago and I know how much effort the athletes put in.

I'm not a sporty type myself but I'm very much looking forward to watching the Opening Ceremony and all the different events. Sadly we can't afford the ticket prices so will be watching it on TV but my children are all very excited too. There's so much crap going on in the world I, for one, will relish the distraction.

Enjoy!

Original poster
Sassybeast · 20/07/2012 13:25

Point proven Grin

Gavel!

Ginger - he's working without pay presumably ?

OP posts:
germyrabbit · 20/07/2012 13:25

i think we are forgetting a bit about the people who are actually competing in the games.

i am sort of looking forward to it too, fed up of moaning

izzyizin · 20/07/2012 13:26

To say nothing of the fact that only London council tax payers have been required to pay a premium on their bills since 2006 to contribute to what is, allegedly, a national event with venues for certain disciplines having been created outside of the capital.

Sirzy · 20/07/2012 13:27

I can't wait, yes it's expensive yes there has been cock ups along the way but I would hope come next Friday all that will be forgotten and we can enjoy having one of the biggest sporting events in our country.

LtEveDallas · 20/07/2012 13:29

Sassy - point proven? What was your point?

izzyizin · 20/07/2012 13:29

Sadly we can't afford the ticket prices so will be watching it on TV

That says it all doesn't it, blackberry? As sadbloke said on another thread, Greece should be the permanent host of the Olympic Games.

The People's Games, my arse.

iusedtobefun2 · 20/07/2012 13:29

I'm really looking forward to the Olympics.
OK, I don't live in London so don't have to put up with the inconvenience.

I think once it all begins most people will begin to enjoy the games.

Mrsjay · 20/07/2012 13:30

I wouldnt want to live in London over the olympics it is the same as everything int his country they had big ideas but once it comes to organising the bloody thing there isnt enough security there have cut the opening ceremony It is all a bit of a shambles tbh I hope the olympians do well but the whole organising is a sham tbh and they are just saying on the news that they are threatening strikes

Kidsandpets · 20/07/2012 13:30

I was looking forward to it, but I'm still waiting to hear if my DH is going to have to go to do whatever they are getting the armed forces to do. That has killed my excitement.

theinets · 20/07/2012 13:31

I am sick of the carpers and whingers too but this is the UK, whining and moaning are national traits. I am a volunteer performer in the ceremony and am work in London and am so excited. Moaners can get stuffed.

GingerWrath · 20/07/2012 13:32

He is getting paid his normal wage, and they aren't allowed to use any of the food outlets at the venue, as 'the public aren't used to seeing military'.

drivinmecrazy · 20/07/2012 13:33

I'ts definitely not that we have a negative view of the athletes and the ideal of the games, but more that this is an opportunity where the rest of the world will be looking at us and our society as a whole. So far I really don't think we are being represented well at all. what are other countries seeing when they see headlines of our impending strikes, an almost police state mentality around the venues, and culturally we are trying to present the Spice Girls as 'best of British'

Mrsjay · 20/07/2012 13:33

I am a volunteer performer in the ceremony

OH i bet your excited Smile

cantthinkof1 · 20/07/2012 13:40

I can understand if you live in London or need to go anywhere near London why it will do your head in.

But surely it has kept a lot of people in work these last few years when there haven't been many jobs. All though I do wonder what happens now?

My DS(4) has seen the adverts on TV and was wondering what its about and I think he will enjoy watching some of it.

DancesWithWoolsEnPointe · 20/07/2012 13:47

I love watching the Olympics on telly - I get excited every time they are held.

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 20/07/2012 15:08

I hate the whinging too. I love the Olympics and have been known to take a fortnight off work during the games in the past, so I can watch the bulk of it Blush. Someone on my Faceache put a status recently about how she hated the Olympics and it was so dull and could people stop going on about it because she was so bored with it and why are we all going on about the torch relay, blah blah fucking blah. It's only once every four years FFS. And it's highly likely that this is the only time it'll take place in the UK in our lifetime, hence it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch it in our own country.

On the other hand, I fucking hate football. Yet I have to put up with it on TV at least weekly for about nine months of every year, not to mention the World Cup and that Euro thingy every other year taking over the TV and making decent programmes be rescheduled.

Some Olympics tickets are very expensive I grant you, however I paid £40 for mine and £6 for DS's (pay your age), so they're not all out of reach of the general population. Some cities are putting up big screens so people can watch it live outside in the rain sunshine, and Vue cinemas are screening lots of it live on massive screens. So there are lots of ways to watch it.

My only issue is the East Midlands train strike they're talking about, because that's how we're getting to London. Please don't strike, East Mids trains people .

Original poster
Sassybeast · 20/07/2012 16:01

Proudnscary - not any more but spending 4 days there with some non moany Londoners during the Games Grin

OP posts:
camdancer · 20/07/2012 16:08

YADNBU. Despite huge problems with my tickets and not being asked to be a volunteer I'm still so excited about it. I've bought a park pass as I couldn't get any other tickets for it. We'll be there enjoying the atmosphere, watching the sports on the big screens. I know there is so much that is wrong about it, but I just hope that once it starts everyone gets behind the athletes and cheers them on.

And I'm finding the Tour de France is a very good warm up for it. Grin

Viviennemary · 20/07/2012 16:12

Olympics. It's too much about money and big corporate profits. It's becoming more than a bit annoying. That is why people are moaning. I was looking forward to it but all this has certainly put a dampner on it.

QuenelleOJersey2012 · 20/07/2012 16:17

It's such a shame that the negative is currently outweighing the positive. There have been some real fuck ups.

But I am really looking forward to it getting started and then we can actually watch some sport. I love athletics, gymnastics, cycling (see namechange) and swimming.

I wish we could have afforded tickets to something but it wasn't to be. I will be watching as much as I can at work and then the highlights in the evenings at home.

I have one friend who is being one of the volunteers in the pink outfits, and another who has been selected to be an Athlete Escort. I am very Envy of her.