2012 Olympics

Congratulations to the UK for a marvelous Olympic Games! Even your weather seemed to behave itself (mostly). (And apologies for that idiot American who tried to tell you that you weren't prepared.)

I'm sorry they're over -- though I'm sure there are many Londoners who are very happy that it's over and done with.

Ah but they aren't. And I don't mean the legacy stuff; there is another set of games about to begin in which we will see not just remarkable stories of triumphant rises but truly amazing ones. And as the article says, if we lost our British "reserve" in the past couple of weeks, just think what we'll all be like this next time.

The Games may be over but Let the Games begin

Ah, yes. Forgot about the ParaOlympics. Let them begin, indeed! It probably won't attract quite the crowd (or TV coverage), though.

Is the Special Olympics in London, too?

Yes, the Olympics are always an unforgettable moment in sports : the sportsmen are all disinterested, it brings nations closer in an atmosphere of friendship, no chauvinism in the press or insults at whole foreign nations, and above all, the olympic spirit of fair-play. I'm thinking of the badminton team that were excluded for 'attempting to throw matches', which is totally against this spirit.

Fortunately, such heroes like Philip Hindes put the sporting spirit a bit higher. Or did he?...

A bit of a critique, though: the ArcelorMittal orbit that I saw in March is really ugly. It cost £19.1 million (about €24.3 million). at the same time, they're closing plants all over Europe, putting thousands of people on the dole because outsourcing is cheaper. Perhaps the workers will be given a tin medal, just before they have to sell they house.

But perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned that: politics are excluded from this great moment of fraternity, even on Judo tatami. Sleep well, good people, panum (for those who can still afford a loaf) et circenses...

For Alain K.
"A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing" - Oscar Wilde.
Now if only the French had won a few more medals............................

<LOL>

Cynism is when you applaud at people throwing millions to please their ego, and the mob drools over the number of medals that a country won while others starve.

Just what I said: this must be the true olympic spirit. Insulting a whole nation because of what one said. Pitiful. I'm interested in sport, not the number of medals a clan or a nation wins.

PS: Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde exiled himself because the narrow-mindedness of his British fellow citizens, and died in Paris.

I'll stop here. I really don't care a fig if one Briton I don't know among all those I personally know don't share my views. I'm just saying what I think, I'm not painting everybody with the same brush.

I'd still take the Olympics over the arrogant, macho, posturing loutish imbeciles that strut their stuff on the professional soccer pitches of the UK every week.

Aye!

I watched parts of the feminine football matches, there was much more action, and emotion, than in the men's world cup, fewer foul tricks, more dedication, and much less money at stake.

Synchronized diving was also a great moment, and boxing too

Au moins nous avons les bonsais! Nous deux.

AlainK wrote:Aye!

I watched parts of the feminine football matches, there was much more action, and emotion, than in the men's world cup, fewer foul tricks, more dedication, and much less money at stake.

Synchronized diving was also a great moment, and boxing too

Trouble with men's soccer is that all the above happens.

Rick36 wrote:Au moins nous avons les bonsais! Nous deux.

Yep.

fiona wrote:

AlainK wrote:Aye!

I watched parts of the feminine football matches, there was much more action, and emotion, than in the men's world cup, fewer foul tricks, more dedication, and much less money at stake.

Synchronized diving was also a great moment, and boxing too

Trouble with men's soccer is that all the above happens.

ROFLMAO!!!

Dario - I've never seen them do that at Chelsea. ROF yes definitely! Cheers.