Winter Olympics thread

[marinermick]

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/6764892/boxing-kangaroo-attack-ioc

 

[hasbeen]

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/6764892/boxing-kangaroo-attack-ioc

Quite right too ... Saudi Arabia aren't allowed the 'spitting camel', nor the Kiwis the 'shagged sheep' .... 

 

[FFC Mariner]

To someone not born here, the boxing kangaroo is v strange - if you are that ashamed of the national flag why not change it?

boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

 

[kevrenor]

To someone not born here, the boxing kangaroo is v strange - if you are that ashamed of the national flag why not change it?

boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

1954 blue ensign, boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

That better?

I liked Vancouver and BC generally, but Whistler without snow was horrid.

Anyway, if the trademark rests with the people flying it and it isn't for profit, wtf?

 

[Sym]

what's all this about then ?

 

[~Floss~]

To someone not born here, the boxing kangaroo is v strange - if you are that ashamed of the national flag why not change it?

boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

I guess the BK flag is more of a Sporting symbol. If i were to take a flag to a sporting event i'd probably go for the BK since it matches our sporting colours and also because is not our official flag.
Some people consider it offensive for the national flag to be handled disrespectfully - eg. touching the ground, being draped over one's body, used to wipe up spilled beer or vomit, etc.. Flags other than the official national flag are more appropriate for these types of uses IMO.

 

[curious]

To someone not born here, the boxing kangaroo is v strange - if you are that ashamed of the national flag why not change it?

boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

To use in the context of international sport, a flag of a boxing roo in our national sporting colours of green and gold, a flag that has grown in international recognition as an unmistakable Australian sporting symbol since the winning of the Americas Cup, isn't strange and doesn't conclude that we are "that ashamed of the national flag."

One of the many peculiarities of the Australian psych, significant in making us whom and what we are as a nation, one that isn't going away and one of many that Australians in general are proud of, rather than finding cringeworthy.

 

[Atomic]

To someone not born here, the boxing kangaroo is v strange - if you are that ashamed of the national flag why not change it?

boxing Kangaroo, fanatics, aussie aussie aussie = cringeworthy

I would love nothing more than to change our national flag and remove that damned Union Jack. To me that is cringeworthy. However, changing the flag is not simple, nor indeed possible in my opinion. The strongest argument against changing it is that old axiom "men fought and died under that flag". OK, I respect that and I respect that it's our national flag. I'm a proud Aussie and I do love the flag - the blue background and the white stars - it's just that annoying UJ in the corner... how I wish it wasn't there.

As for the BK flag. Does anyone remember 1983? If you experience that September morn when we one the Americas Cup and Hawkie said that if any boss sacks anyone today for having the day off is a bum, then you'll understand how much that flag is part of the national psyche. To me, that flag represents the national fighting spirit, not the fighting spirit of the battlefield, but the sporting fighting spirit. It's a symbol forged out of peaceful pursuits, not human tragedy or atrocity. I agree with Floss in that we can use this flag in ways that would be considered disrespectful of our national flag.

Boxing kangaroo - cringeworthy??? I DONT THINK SO! Watching England play and seeing something like "Fulham FC" scrawled across the middle of a large Union Jack - now that's cringeworthy.

 

[~Floss~]

Only thing cringeworthy about the BK would be if the animal rights groups started saying that it glorifies animal cruelty

 

[LFCMariners]

This whole notion of the "Aussie Spirit", that somehow we have more pride in representing our country than anyone else on earth, is a load of bollocks. Do you not think Usain Bolt is just as proud of his native Jamaica? Do you think the Barmy Army come over here in the numbers they do just because they feel like its' their job? Did Ayrton Senna wave the Brazilian flag from his car after all those wins because he thought it was a nice thing to do?

Australia ia a country with the right climate for our sportspeople to excel (think of other countries like Argentina, Brazil and the southern African nations in a similar temperate zone and notice their own sporting achievements). This whole "Aussie battler underdog" thing comes from the fact that we have a small population by world standards. One thing that disappoints me about Australia is how much we elevate sport compared to other, just as admirable past-times like the arts. I would actually say that America is probably the best in its' diversity as a major sporting nation but one that appreciates its' actors, musicians and artists as well.

On saying that, I do feel very lucky to be born and raised here, and thank the Lord frequently that I wasn't born as just another culturally-ignorant, loud mouthed Seppo!

 

[curious]

This whole notion of the "Aussie Spirit", that somehow we have more pride in representing our country than anyone else on earth, is a load of bollocks.

I for one certainly don't think or claim we are somehow superior in our national pride. In fact I think it's a very ignorant and insular notion. However, I do think that every nation has peculiarities in their methods of showing pride, with Australia's tending towards snubbing of the nose at the establishment against conformity for the sake of conformity. Which I believe has it's roots in the nature of our early history and remote isolation from Europe till air travel made the world a smaller place.

 

[FFC Mariner]

I'm not sure Curious - the whole cultural sporting cringe is really obvious every time an Olympics comes around.

Apart from Ch9, how many people really give a toss about the W Olympics? How many subscriptions have Fox sold I wonder?

 

[curious]

I'm not sure Curious - the whole cultural sporting cringe is really obvious every time an Olympics comes around.

Apart from Ch9, how many people really give a toss about the W Olympics? How many subscriptions have Fox sold I wonder?

You're not sure about what? What has who give a a toss about the winter olympics or how many subscriptions fox has sold, got to do with the boxing kangaroo flag being used at sporting events? Excuse my ignorance, but I'm honestly lost in the mire of wondering what the first sentence and two following questions have to do with the subject at hand or my own comments.

 

[Arabmariner]

True test of national pride is not supporting a country that wins at most things.

Try supporting Scotland.........we have two choices.......suffer and be miserable or get pissed and have a party regardless.......... ;D

 

[dru]

Personally I can't wait for them to start. More Torah Bright the better in my books.

As for the debate, I can kinda see both sides of it, but lets face it the atheletes need something out the front to find there way home after the pub

True test of national pride is not supporting a country that wins at most things.

Try supporting Scotland.........we have two choices.......suffer and be miserable or get pissed and have a party regardless.......... ;D

Should be our mantra as a club

 

[Atomic]

I'm not sure Curious - the whole cultural sporting cringe is really obvious every time an Olympics comes around.

Apart from Ch9, how many people really give a toss about the W Olympics? How many subscriptions have Fox sold I wonder?

You're not sure about what? What has who give a a toss about the winter olympics or how many subscriptions fox has sold, got to do with the boxing kangaroo flag being used at sporting events? Excuse my ignorance, but I'm honestly lost in the mire of wondering what the first sentence and two following questions have to do with the subject at hand or my own comments.

I cant speak on behalf of FFC but I think I understand where he's coming from. I have to admit that I cringe whenever I view the coverage of the Olympics, be they summer or winter. We are fed a diet of overt nationalism, bordering on jingoism, sometimes at the expense of viewing a genuine superb athletic performance from a non-Australian athlete.

I remember drinking in a pub in Sydney 2000 when Cathy Freeman won her race. The whole pub stood and cheered and sang the national anthem. Some Norwegans arrived after attending the handball to watch a replay of one of their 800m runners (the name escapes me but he used to be a famous Kenyan runner). We chatted as we waited and waited for a reply of his semi final. As we waited, we were treated to replays of the most inane and average performances put in by Aussie athletes. The broadcast finished at 11:30pm and as they were signing off, Channel 7 showed the last 50m of the race. I found it to be embarrassing.

Seriously, are we that wrapped up in ourselves that we must insist on seeing EVERY Australian compete, no matter how ordinary? (FFC - it is a rhetoric question... lol). I dread to think what Ch 9's coverage is going to be like this year. Will I be expected to rejoice in seeing a cross country skier do Australia proud by coming a remarkable and courageous 47th in a field of 50??? Quick, get me a pen so I can write down the "HEROfax" number so I can tell them how inspirational they all are.

WOW, sorry folks, I wasn't intending to typw out a cynical and sarcastic rant when I began typing. I'm just getting old I think. Now where did I put my medication

 

[Sym]

Personally I can't wait for them to start. More Torah Bright the better in my books.

The amount of times I have gone to the beach and forgotten my snowboard...it's ridiculous
she does look niice though.

 

[jiggles]

The thing I don't get...is the 'theme' song is "Haven't Met You Yet". I understand the spokesperson is Michael Buble, he's canadian, whatever. But aren't Olympic songs supposed to be Celine Dion-esque Power Ballads about "You can do it, Don't give up etc etc"?

Its just a bit odd thats all...

Apart from that, I'm just waiting for us to win another Gold by default

 

[dru]

Don't know if it will be by default (I take it you are talking about the Bradbury Gold medal?) but we do have a few good chances for medals this year. Granted one is really a Canadian, One (pictured in my previous post) has suffered a couple of concussions in recent times and well the arial skiers are always likely to bust something on a landing

 

[FFC Mariner]

BTW, the wankers have just cost us our viewers choice EPL for 5 weeks.

Must expect thousands and thousands of people to be tuned in to watch the WOlympics.