My Olympic Complaint

So I may be conceived as being miserable and a spoilsport, but I'm going to raise an issue that's been bothering me.

What's with large proportions of the country suddenly pretending to like sports rhey've never even heard of before simply because we're apparently good at them? I'm not talking about the people that react happily to gold medals, but the ones that decide to became themselves experts on it. The people that are determined to tell you that this trap shooting South African has been amazing all season, when what they actually mean is they saw him win the qualifier and the commentator mentioned he was good. Or the people that get really excited when the swimming comes on but don't bat an eyelid whenever any other swimming event on tv. It's hipocritical and it's pretty insulting to the sport really.

'I hate dressage, it's really boring' I heard one of the people I study with say once. The other day 'Dressage is actually really good!'. Day after we won a gold medal, funny that.

to be honest - when olympics first started i couldnt give a monkeys tit about it etc... ias i only like the track/feild events and thats all i have watched... & the footie of course

but yeah i know where ya coming from my brother in law was the same flickin channels over when the roeing/canoeing etc was on and then when we won gold saying ooo we done well.. cmon team gb etc etc

Red614 wrote:So I may be conceived as being miserable and a spoilsport, but I'm going to raise an issue that's been bothering me.

What's with large proportions of the country suddenly pretending to like sports rhey've never even heard of before simply because we're apparently good at them? I'm not talking about the people that react happily to gold medals, but the ones that decide to became themselves experts on it. The people that are determined to tell you that this trap shooting South African has been amazing all season, when what they actually mean is they saw him win the qualifier and the commentator mentioned he was good. Or the people that get really excited when the swimming comes on but don't bat an eyelid whenever any other swimming event on tv. It's hipocritical and it's pretty insulting to the sport really.

'I hate dressage, it's really boring' I heard one of the people I study with say once. The other day 'Dressage is actually really good!'. Day after we won a gold medal, funny that.

I'm enjoying watching GB and cheering them on... I was off the sofa Malky fist pumping watching the canoeing... Not cos I love canoeing (never seen it before) but cos I want GB to do well... Most people I talk to feel the same.... I was surprised to read Judge Dredd's post that he was enjoying the art and aesthetics of synchronised swimming... Closet expert IMO

Watching the diving now... Why do they go into a plunge pool after their dive... Is it to have a wee?

I support Team GB In everything too and that's not my complaint. If we're doing well in something I shall watch it, but I'm not going to hide the fact I don't have a clue what's going on half the time or who's any good.

Which brings me to my other issue actually, the accidental racists. The people that go 'oh we should be able to beat Nigeria shouldn't we?' when watching a sport they've never seen in their lives. Nigeria could be the world champions, they don't know. What they're actually saying is because the other team is African and we are British that makes us automatically better. I was shopping in St Davids in Cardiff right near the start and I stood and watched some of the men's individual archery from the sky tent. It was a Brit playing someone from Honduras if I remember and my partner asked me who I think will win, and I said 'I don't know, I don't know how good the other guy is'. This stuck up old woman just in front also watching gave me the dirtiest look imaginable at the mere mention of the idea Honduras could beat us. He did, by the way.

Until lately I was the opposite in that I thought a plucky Brit would always be beaten a competitor from any other country... Pessimist rather than reverse racist... I am quite enjoying being optimistic and a tad proud at the moment but totally understand and accept your points.. I guess my circle of friends have grown up accepting that we were never very good at much at all... Apart from teenage pregnancies and heart / liver disease which were never medal categories

To prove the point it was kayaking NOT canoeing that we won the gold medal in therefore proving beyond questionable doubt that I am bereft of any sporting expertise But I am still enjoying it

Valley Trash wrote:Watching the diving now... Why do they go into a plunge pool after their dive... Is it to have a wee?

They jump into cold water to help avoid any ‘semi-lob’ embarrassment in those skimpy trunks.

(As a self-proclaimed diving expert, they immerse themselves in warm water after each dive to keep their core temperature stable and avoid muscle cramps.)

G-ster wrote:

Valley Trash wrote:Watching the diving now... Why do they go into a plunge pool after their dive... Is it to have a wee?

They jump into cold water to help avoid any ‘semi-lob’ embarrassment in those skimpy trunks.

(As a self-proclaimed diving expert, they immerse themselves in warm water after each dive to keep their core temperature stable and avoid muscle cramps.)

Thank you,

As a self proclaimed, but widely accepted, imbecile, the muscle cramps answer makes sense...

I am adjusting to the diving jargon and can see 'helicopter legs'... I also thought I noticed 'windmill winkey' on a few dives but no points have been deducted... this would have been supported by your initial suggestion of a warm down lazy lob pool...

Vinnie Tans Tache wrote:to be honest - when olympics first started i couldnt give a monkeys tit about it etc... ias i only like the track/feild events and thats all i have watched... & the footie of course

but yeah i know where ya coming from my brother in law was the same flickin channels over when the roeing/canoeing etc was on and then when we won gold saying ooo we done well.. cmon team gb etc etc

Only events I cared about was the heptathlon and cycling.

I like Jessica Ennis as a person and wanted her to do well. She's down to Earth and what every sportsperson should be like. So glad she won.