The Gold, Silver and Bronze pro-Olympics Thread

[amateur51]

Clare Balding has been consistently one of the most well informed and informative of the presenters, drawing many plaudits. I have seen and heard plenty of her commentary and don't recall any such "lectures", but if you mean she is an advocate for women in sport, then I can wholeheartedly agree.

She's a cracking broadcaster imho, and would be a candidate that I would heartily support as & when this country grows up, becomes a republic and votes of a ceremonial Head of State

[scottycelt]

I know that scotty, give us a break eh?!

It's like being in a nursing home with Alf Garnett

No that's you and Mr GG, amsey ... your the ones forever complaining about others' opinions here ...

[Don Petter]

She's a cracking broadcaster imho, and would be a candidate that I would heartily support as & when this country grows up, becomes a republic and votes of a ceremonial Head of State

Agreed (about her broadcasting). No constant sprinkling of 'er's, unlike so many other commentators and presenters. Though I've always heard her pronounced Balding?

[Northender]

Her long 'lecture' was repeated several times daily at least during the first week of the event. It wasn't a 'commentary' but a special feature on previous discrimination against women competing in certain sporting events as long as a century ago. I can only assume this was considered appropriate because countries like Saudi Arabia were including women for the first time.

One of the highlights of the game for me was to see that brave Saudi girl happily come in last in her race just to be the first female athlete in her country to compete. A genuinely inspiring and heart-warming moment. This lass is a true heroine as far as I'm conerned (or hero, if you prefer)

I confess that the garrulous Ms Balding is not my favourite presenter and I continue to be deeply uncomfortable about women competing in 'sports' like boxing.

Nevertheless, some women clearly do wish to become as physically aggressive as the men, and, if that is their and Ms Balding's wish, so be it!

Perhaps, in honour of a former PM, handbagging could be accorded Olympic status?

[amateur51]

...I continue to be deeply uncomfortable about women competing in 'sports' like boxing.

It's unlike you to have such insights scotty but jolly decent of you to acknowledge the locus of your problem

[Flosshilde]

Nevertheless, some women clearly do wish to become as physically aggressive as the men, and, if that is their and Ms Balding's wish, so be it!

Girls, Scotty; Girls.

[Anna]

Clare Balding has been the best commentator by far and luckily we've been spared too much exposure to the loveable muppet from Durham (except for the gymnastics) Michael Johnson, the American sprinter, has also been excellent.
Lizzie Armitstead (cyclist) spoke out about sexism in sport the day after she won silver, for example only 66 places were open to women in the road race compared to the 145 places open to men (womens' races normally have the same number of competitors as men) There is today an article in The Guardian about women and sexism in sport. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...d-sexism-world
Meanwhile, a gold for GB in the kayaking (only seen a small amount of this, seems pretty tough and you expect Hiawatha to be standing in the prow!)

[Lateralthinking1]

I confess that the garrulous Ms Balding is not my favourite presenter

But you must be delighted scottycelt that the BBC have absolutely trounced Sky and in the process transformed the sports broadcasting landscape. If there is one good thing about the fortnight, it is that the BBC have the best claim on quality grounds to top sports events for the first time in a decade. For the viewers that is tremendous news vis a vis access and price.

You will no doubt also be pleased with the dramatic shift in opinion about the meaning of efficiency when it comes to staff numbers. A majority of people have been under the impression for 33 years that efficiency means reducing every workforce to one man and a dog.

Now it is being said that there has never been a place that has seemed as well run as the Olympics site. The reason? People are saying it is because there have been five members of staff for every person attending. Far easier for the people working there and easier for the public.

Let's forget about the Tories being consistently wrong about this is the past. Assuming this isn't a Lib Dem policy, and how on earth could it be in the real world, it's time to congratulate their astonishing lead here and start to over staff everywhere now.

[amateur51]

But you must be delighted scottycelt that the BBC have absolutely trounced Sky and in the process transformed the sports broadcasting landscape. If there is one good thing about the fortnight, it is that the BBC have the best claim on quality grounds to top sports events for the first time in a decade. For the viewers that is tremendous news vis a vis access and price.

You will no doubt also be pleased with the dramatic shift in opinion about the meaning of efficiency when it comes to staff numbers. A majority of people have been under the impression for 33 years that efficiency means reducing every workforce to one man and a dog.

Now it is being said that there has never been a place that has seemed as well run as the Olympics site. The reason? People are saying it is because there have been five members of staff for every person attending. Far easier for the people working there and easier for the public.

Let's forget about the Tories being consistently wrong about this is the past. Assuming this isn't a Lib Dem policy, and how on earth could it be in the real world, it's time to congratulate their astonishing lead here and start to over staff everywhere now.

You got my vote, Lat

Vote For Over-Staffing! Vote Lat!

[amateur51]

Clare Balding has been the best commentator by far and luckily we've been spared too much exposure to the loveable muppet from Durham (except for the gymnastics) Michael Johnson, the American sprinter, has also been excellent.
Lizzie Armitstead (cyclist) spoke out about sexism in sport the day after she won silver, for example only 66 places were open to women in the road race compared to the 145 places open to men (womens' races normally have the same number of competitors as men) There is today an article in The Guardian about women and sexism in sport. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...d-sexism-world
Meanwhile, a gold for GB in the kayaking (only seen a small amount of this, seems pretty tough and you expect Hiawatha to be standing in the prow!)

Interesting article, Anna - thanks for the link

[scottycelt]

Interesting article, Anna - thanks for the link

There are other interesting articles and links, amsey ... are you going to thank me as well?

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidhughes/100173648/the-olympics-witch-hunt-started-by-clare-balding-is-over/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9141545/Clare-Balding-apologises-over-mouth-smashing-rival-in-school-lacrosse-match.html

Oops, sorry these are not from the Guardian ...

[amateur51]

There are other interesting articles and links, amsey ... are you going to thank me as well?

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidhughes/100173648/the-olympics-witch-hunt-started-by-clare-balding-is-over/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9141545/Clare-Balding-apologises-over-mouth-smashing-rival-in-school-lacrosse-match.html

Oops, sorry these are not from the Guardian ...

Very thoughtful, scotty.

Of the former all I can is it's clearly August

The latter article could be used as the basis of a question in GCSE Media Studies: "Examine this article carefully and identify those points which would not have been written had the subject been of the male gender"

[mangerton]

Now it is being said that there has never been a place that has seemed as well run as the Olympics site. The reason? People are saying it is because there have been five members of staff for every person attending. Far easier for the people working there and easier for the public.

How many of these "members of staff" are being paid? I have read reports of thousands of volunteers who don't even get expenses.

[Anna]

How many of these "members of staff" are being paid? I have read reports of thousands of volunteers who don't even get expenses.

Not sure about Beijing but for some years the Olympics have relied on volunteers. I will have to dig it out of my recycling box but I was reading an article about the volunteer Games Makers (the ones in the purple uniforms) who do get paid and fed whilst on their shifts. The volunteers for Danny Boyle certainly were unpaid. As to other volunteers at the Olympic Park, well if they're not getting paid then they are doing it for love or to add to their CV. There has been nothing but praise for them as far as I've read.

Meanwhile, why can't men run and carry a stick at the same time? (answers on a postcard please) The men's 4x100m relay team of Christian Malcolm, Dwain Chambers, Danny Talbot and Adam Gemili were disqualified, yet again, for a sloppy changeover. Gemili set off too quickly was out of the changeover box when he took the baton. That blunder is the latest in a long line re the mens 4x100. The men made a similar mess of it at the 2010 and 2012 European championships, as well as the 2011 world championships.

[mangerton]

Thanks for the info, Anna.

Meanwhile, why can't men run and carry a stick at the same time? (answers on a postcard please)

Don't have any postcards, sorry..... Anyway, I'm surprised you're even asking this question. This comes under the heading of multi-tasking, which is beyond most men. Getting the left-right-left-right thing going is enough for us.