[Crocodile JD]

I'm sure this will have been discussed around the time the games were awarded to London but I'm interested to know what the take is now given the build up to the forth comming games, the on going drugs issues and the economic state we are in in the UK with all the extra demands on the tax payer.

Are you exited about the forth comming games?
Has the build up to Beijing altered your fealings towards London 2012?
Are you bothered about the 2012 games?
Do you dread the final cost to the tax payer?
Do you support the legacey idea?

Maybe a simple poll "Support London 2012 Olympics Yes or No" would be interesting.

Croc

[Steven]

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

Are you exited about the forth coming games?

Interesting BBC advert aside, no

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

Has the build up to Beijing altered your feelings towards London 2012?

Well I applaud the Beijing authorities for going to the traffic calming lengths they have gone to... but to answer the question, no

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

Are you bothered about the 2012 games?

Isn't this just the same question?

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

Do you dread the final cost to the tax payer?

I actually still do not believe they will build everything and have all the sites running in time and at the current budget level

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

Do you support the legacy idea?

Of course but unless I read "free swimming for all", Coe pulled off the biggest con job in the world

[Crocodile JD]

Well to answer my own questions then........

I've come to realise as the Beijing Olympics looms nearer that I'm not bothered in the slightest about them. I used to be quite excited by the Olympics but no longer.

On the news today, several Russian athletes suspended due to doping related issues.

In the name of British sport bucket loads of tax payers money is shelled out for elite sports acadamies and sports grants etc etc and all they seem to churn out are drug taking elitest pre madonas or recreational drug taking party going stop outs (thinking of some of the young British Tennis players antics quite recently).

And now truckloads on the London games and every dirty finger getting stuck into the huge pie. I don't trust this Government (nor do i have much faith in any future Government) to keep a lid on it in fact I think there is more chance that lots of them will end up as "executive directors/business advisors for some of the larger building companies and the like that win the big contracts. Or they'll find some other way to getting their fat brown envelopes. They'll also be milking it like crazy seeing it as a way to keep the mob amused, firtively leaking out bad news on the back of every British medal success etc etc

I wouldn't mind so much if I saw the Government making more effort to regulate and control utility companies, fuel supplies/prices, Banking, Legal system, Insurance Companies, Estate Agents, Imigration, Pensions, Local Authorities etc etc etc

My only hope is that there is some decent legacy and not just loads of Millenium Dome scale follies all over the place.

Of course but unless I read "free swimming for all", Coe pulled off the biggest con job in the world

Free swimming for all....what. they'd better start talking to their Local Authorities. Mine, Tamworth sold our swimming pool off to private sector after it was closed for a year. Our next nearest, Windley Leasure Centre and Baths has been closed for 2 years ever since they found asbestos and couldn't decide whether to referb or close it down. tamworth has recently sold off its municipal golf course and is even trying to sell its 11th century castle for God's sake I'm more excersised over 35% increase to my gas bill than if one drug cheat can run 100th of a second faster than another, so soding what. It's all a load of who's got the biggest togger anyway. No amount of Olympic hype and Government spin is going to make me lose sight of the mess this country is in while all the MPs are all doing very nicely thank you.

These were some of my thoughts when I posed the questions. Sorry that this post is not more eloquent but.........

Croc

[Wild Weasel]

I was gutted that they awarded it to us back in 2005. I see no reason to change my mind now.

[lostinspace]

I'm another who no longer gives a stuff about the Olympics. When i was younger, I seemed to watch loads of it: even weightlifting and lesser sports. Now the Olympics are something to be tolerated while the TV schedules get screwed up. And for many, it's only about the athletics bit anyway. There are too many non sports in it anyway. Anything which requires a judgement as to who's won is not a sport.
I'm not convinced the olympics will be held in London in 2012. I see it as a terrorist's wet dream. And for that reason, I don't want it here.
As for how much it will cost...funny how expensive an amateur games costs. Lord Coe (why is he a lord anyway?) and his bandwagon cronies should personally guarantee the cost. Let them keep any profit, but there is no way this or any government should be putting public money into a shindig for the few.

[durera]

Still happy? I was never happy about it. Complete waste of tax payers money. I wouldn't be happy if we won the fight to host the World Cup (a tournament I do care about) if it was being done on the back of public funding.

This country's got so many problems that need fixing, yet we the government "invest" billions into running a sporting event that I suspect a majority of this country couldn't care less about if they tried. I'd rather have my bins emptied weekly than see London host the Olimpics.

I can't remember the last time I watched an Olympics ... but it was back when we had athletes like Sally Gunnell, Linford Christie & Chris Ebuso (something like that anyway). I couldn't name a single British athlete competing at these Olimpics. Assuming that Redgravehas retired by now the only British althlete I could name is banned from competing because he's a drug cheat .. says it all really

[Sonic67]

Never happy with it. Billions of pounds spent for two weeks of people leaping into sand pits etc. A swimming pool near me closed and currently the space is being used as a car park (West Bromwich). I think it's worthwhile if you live in London. How's it going to affect me or people in my area? There's fewer playing fields at schools and unless you have a car you aren't going to be swimming. France should have it. Getting to Paris would have been no harder than getting to London for me if I wanted to watch.

The World Cup is a different matter. Usually matches are played around the host country. With this the only thing I know of is an Olympic football match hosted at Villa Park.

[wormvortex]

Only thing I care about at the Olympics is the tennis and we have Wimbledon anyways.

[dennis]

waste of money,and as for the chinese farce

what about some money for these people?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7544927.stm

[jonneymendoza]

definetly agree with some of your comments. its gunna eb a complete nightmare when 2012 comes along. this country and our governmant is messed up. with the credit crunch in full swing, the governmant shoud be spending money on resolving teh credit crunch issue not hosting this sports event. come on what has teh world become of? all people care about is entertainment. governmant are happy to put billions of punds of our tax money on sports but not our safety of our streets where peple getting stabbed every day.

we suck at sports anyway. football, tennis,cricket, everything.

[Crocodile JD]

Victoria Derbyshire is having this very debate on her phone in programme on Radio 5 Live as I type, actually her question is more Olympics generally not just either London or Beijing. Sounds quite emotive and quite split on opinions

Croc

[Wild Weasel]

A good cause like Children in Need doesn't even raise £20 million and they're going to spend over £11 BILLION for 2 weeks of a self indulgent drugfest. It's morally indefensible.

Why does a modern nation like Britain need to build brand new facilities anyway? We have all the stadia, velodromes, swimming pools etc. already.

[jonneymendoza]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

A good cause like Children in Need doesn't even raise £20 million and they're going to spend over £11 BILLION for 2 weeks of a self indulgent drugfest. It's morally indefensible.

Why does a modern nation like Britain need to build brand new facilities anyway? We have all the stadia, velodromes, swimming pools etc. already.

because nowadays its about bling bling and in general bigger means better.

if a venue doesnt have fancy lights and wallpapers its not good enough to host a olympics event

has olympics always costs billions to host or is this a recent thing now? for example in barca olymics, did they spend billions of pounds on that two week event?

[huwg]

After seeing the 08 opening ceremony I bet all the guys planning 2012 are feeling a bit down.

I think they should just hold their hands up and say "We cannot possibly beat that, lets build a few hospitals and schools instead"

By all means have a bloke letting off a few fireworks (carefully stored in a Family Circle/Peak Freans Family Assortment biscuit tin), maybe even the odd London bus and taxi, but please don't go OTT

[Crocodile JD]

Originally Posted by huwg

After seeing the 08 opening ceremony I bet all the guys planning 2012 are feeling a bit down.

I think they should just hold their hands up and say "We cannot possibly beat that, lets build a few hospitals and schools instead"

By all means have a bloke letting off a few fireworks (carefully stored in a Family Circle/Peak Freans Family Assortment biscuit tin), maybe even the odd London bus and taxi, but please don't go OTT

The hypocracy of it all, them trying to illustrate their commitment to the environment, "the Green Games" it has been labelled. You can see the smog on the TV. I've been there and believe me you can taste it in the air. It definately affects my breathing while I'm there so god knows what it must be like if you are trying to rum a marathon. Mind you it's our fault as much as anyone's as UK is one of the larger importers of all the inferior quality cheep Chinese rubbish.

I loved the part where they had the Globe and the theme "One world One dream" and it turned completely red at the end A not so hidden message if you ask me, one that we would do well to heed.

After seeing that if I were an organiser for 2012 I really would go for a Green games. As huwg said, it can't be topped anyway so best not to try. I think the climate (no pun intended) is right for a completely new approach. You can ditch all fireworks for me that alone would be nearly enough to fund a new hospital, there needs to be a really humanitarian feel and a complete down salling for the sake of global warming. It would take something very creative to get it right without UK looking like mere cheap skates but that's the challenge.

Croc

[Frostytouch]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

I was gutted that they awarded it to us back in 2005. I see no reason to change my mind now.

Why were you "gutted"?

[Wild Weasel]

Originally Posted by Frostytouch

Why were you "gutted"?

Because I knew it would be a colossal waste of money and that the initial projected cost of £2.4bn was a blatent lie.

It was always going to be a huge junket for all the same parasites and 'advisors' that brought us the millennium dome. Plus Seb Coe is a nob IMHO.

[Frostytouch]

Good constructive argument that!

I think the main parasites that everyone forgets about are the hard core dole scroungers who cost us more every month than the entire bill for the olympics and will continue to do so for the next 100 years and more.

[Mendes]

Originally Posted by Frostytouch

Good constructive argument that!

I think the main parasites that everyone forgets about are the hard core dole scroungers who cost us more every month than the entire bill for the olympics and will continue to do so for the next 100 years and more.

Well said!

I for one can't wait for 2012 and am currently watching as much of the Bejing Olympics as I can. I think its great that the Tv schedules are messed up due to this. Beats Cookery, soaps and reality shows any day of the week. Nice to see an array of sports being shown and not just the usual suspects Football etc....

We have numerous WORLD CHAMPIONS in various sports and no one gets to hear about it. Hopefully 2012 might help change that and show the next generation that there is more to sports than just Football!

[jonneymendoza]

Originally Posted by Mendes

Well said!

I for one can't wait for 2012 and am currently watching as much of the Bejing Olympics as I can. I think its great that the Tv schedules are messed up due to this. Beats Cookery, soaps and reality shows any day of the week. Nice to see an array of sports being shown and not just the usual suspects Football etc....

We have numerous WORLD CHAMPIONS in various sports and no one gets to hear about it. Hopefully 2012 might help change that and show the next generation that there is more to sports than just Football!

but football is the best sport

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by jonneymendoza

but football is the best sport

Nahh! might of been once.Rubbish now! Rugby is much better.


I too am looking for ward to 2012

[Mendes]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

Nahh! might of been once.Rubbish now! Rugby is much better.


I too am looking for ward to 2012

Ice Hockey is even better.

Agree with the might have been once about Footy tho.

[Mullet94]

Rugby Union is the best sport, footie is just a farce for chavs obessed with celebrity culture.

I can't wait for the 2012 Olympics, I'm proud that my city and country have the honour of hosting this great event. The Olympics are fantastic, you can't tell me you weren't bursting with pride seeing the Brit's perform on Saturday morning. This country would be a very dull and boring place if all our taxes, went solely to the NHS, transport or education we also have to do stuff that gives us some pride and shows us off to the world.

[jonneymendoza]

Originally Posted by Mullet94

Rugby Union is the best sport, footie is just a farce for chavs obessed with celebrity culture.

I can't wait for the 2012 Olympics, I'm proud that my city and country have the honour of hosting this great event. The Olympics are fantastic, you can't tell me you weren't bursting with pride seeing the Brit's perform on Saturday morning. This country would be a very dull and boring place if all our taxes, went solely to the NHS, transport or education we also have to do stuff that gives us some pride and shows us off to the world.

LOL more like rugby is a chavvy sports. there are hardly any chavs who can play footy mate.

How would it be dull and boring if all our tax was for beter things? i guess you dont care about the state of our NHS, the downfall of our education, the so called brillient reliable transport service o and the daily stabbing of youngsters. right you rather have some two week sports event rather then trying to resolve the issues we have. You must fully support our governmant

[IAN P]

Happy to have the olympics here,just a shame the logo sucks,it is craptacular

[DJT75]

As long as everything is in place it'll be a great Olympics. The majority of it will be in London itself & includes many familiar London landmarks.

The only sport that I feel unnecessarily uses outside venues is football (incidentally my favourite sport & one I have no interest in when it comes to the Olympics, haven't seen a single minute of it from Beijing).

London 2012 has these venues: Wembley Stadium, Old Trafford, Millennium Stadium, St James’s Park, Hampden Park, Villa Park.
What's wrong with just using what's in London? This isn't the Glasgow & Manchester Olympics? The Emirates, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, Upton Park etc...could even talk the eggchasers into letting us use Twickers.


We're currently 3rd in the medals table so no-one can continue to say we don't have the athletes. Track & Field needs a kick up the arse but that's about it.

[jonneymendoza]

Originally Posted by DJT75

As long as everything is in place it'll be a great Olympics. The majority of it will be in London itself & includes many familiar London landmarks.

The only sport that I feel unnecessarily uses outside venues is football (incidentally my favourite sport & one I have no interest in when it comes to the Olympics, haven't seen a single minute of it from Beijing).

London 2012 has these venues: Wembley Stadium, Old Trafford, Millennium Stadium, St James’s Park, Hampden Park, Villa Park.
What's wrong with just using what's in London? This isn't the Glasgow & Manchester Olympics? The Emirates, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, Upton Park etc...could even talk the eggchasers into letting us use Twickers.


We're currently 3rd in the medals table so no-one can continue to say we don't have the athletes. Track & Field needs a kick up the arse but that's about it.

where 4th actualy and i always wonder why they dont use the emirates stadium

[IAN P]

No,we're 3rd again

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by jonneymendoza

where 4th actualy and i always wonder why they dont use the emirates stadium

Yeah, 5 Live told me we were 3rd again just as I typed 4th so I quickly changed it

[CAS FAN]

Can't wait for 2012 and have always loved watching the Olympics. Have also really enjoyed watching the Bejing Olympics so far.

I'd like to see this country put more into sport personally, from grass roots up. It gives people (who maybe will not excel in other areas of life) something to strive for and sport is superb for both the physical and mental development of people. If we had more people interested in and participating in sport then i'm sure that we would have a healthier nation and less of an NHS bill. If more people had something to believe in and strive for then i'm sure we'd see less crime and anti social behaviour.

To much at the moment sport is not a factor for some parts of our society and only some people from certain socioeconomic groups ever get the opportunities. I love sport and would love to see us become more of a sporting nation than we are now.