Athens Olympics 2004

[FSPilot 0]

I just watched women's beach volleyball.

I didn't have a lot of time to watch the olympics in the first place. But if they were on I'd watch them.

[Guest]

Once again the Olympics have totally failed to interest me. Every time it comes around I do my best to convince myself that there will be something to catch my eye and every time I'm disappointed.

I do believe that its good that people turn up compete and see who's the best in the world at their sport, but its oh so boring. Plus the coverage kicked Fresh Prince off BBC 2.  

I suspect if you find the Fresh Prince entertaining than the Olympics are probably just a little bit too intellectual for you

[billybob2002 0]

You got to be kidding me!!!!!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004401679,00.html

Quote[/b] ]

EU claims it won Olympics

By TREVOR KAVANAGH

Political Editor

EURO chief Romano Prodi last night hailed Britain’s haul of Olympic gold as a triumph — for the European Union.

And he warned our athletes will have to fly the EU flag as well as the Union Jack at Beijing in 2008.

That would mean 800m and 1500m champion Kelly Holmes and boxing sensation Amir Khan would be battling for Brussels as much as Britain.

Medal table

(As Brussels sees it)

Europe:       82 golds

USA:                      35

China:                    32

Russia:                   27

Australia:               17

Great Britain:          0*

*See contribution to EU

Mr Prodi turned the Athens games into a political football, boasting that our bag of 30 medals helped the EU trounce America and China.

He said: “The Games were a huge success thanks to their unique spirit and smooth organisation but also because EU athletes did so well.

“In 2008 I hope to see the teams in Beijing carry the flag of the European Union alongside their own national flag as a symbol of our unity.

“The European Union’s sportsmen and women performed outstandingly at Athens, winning 82 gold medals and more than 280 medals in total.â€

Mr Prodi a failed Italian politician, is about to step down after a dismal term as EU president.

He has infuriated critics by spelling out his vision for an EU superstate, dubbed the “Holy Romano Empireâ€.

Mr Prodi’s grandiose plan for a Euro Olympic squad was backed by other Eurocrats.

Commission spokesman Reijo Kemppinen claimed: “The EU swept the floor at the Olympic Games.â€

German Ingo Friedrich, vice-president of the Euro Parliament, insisted medals must be listed under the EU to “foster a European identityâ€.

But ex-sports minister Kate Hoey blasted the Prodi plan.

“Athletes feel very strong emotions when they represent their own country at the Olympics.

“We saw Amir Khan and other medal-winners kissing or crying into the Union Jack and Kelly Holmes was proud to be picked to parade the flag in the closing ceremony.

“Can anyone imagine them feeling that way about the EU banner?â€

Damn this EU crap!!!!!! (sacrasm)

[Placebo 29]

I left England cos I was sick of being in the EU

[Balschoiw 0]

Quote[/b] ]I left England cos I was sick of being in the EU

too bad the czech went EU too Where will you run to now placebo ?

[Placebo 29]

Hehehe it was my little joke

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

What a load of crap. Just shows how big Prodi's (and EU's) inferiority complex is.

[4 IN 1 0]

orthrough i am a chiness, i need to say:

THE ENDING IS GAY!!! (or les. )

[SpongeBob 0]

E.U

4346 athletes sent to the games

82 GOLD medals

286 TOTAL medals

U.S.A

614 athletes sent to the games

35 GOLD medals

103 TOTAL medals

The EU needed 7 times the number of athletes that the US sent to win 2.3 times the number of GOLD and only 3 times the number of TOTAL medals.

[denoir 0]

What a load of crap. Just shows how big Prodi's (and EU's) inferiority complex is.  

Actually, it's not. The olympics always favours larger countries. As a Swede, I get tired of watching the endless parade of Americans, Chinese, Russians etc .. the large countries.

Ultimately it results in me never watching the Olympics. If we on the other hand started looking at it from a common EU perspective, it will at least for me be more interesting. It really extends the number of people that I can root for. So I'm with Prodi.

Hey, Speedy Donkey, how many gold medals did Finland take?

SpongeBob:

Quote[/b] ]E.U

4346 athletes sent to the games

82 GOLD medals

286 TOTAL medals

U.S.A

614 athletes sent to the games

35 GOLD medals

103 TOTAL medals

The EU needed 7 times the number of athletes that the US sent to win 2.3 times the number of GOLD and only 3 times the number of TOTAL medals.

That's a fair point, but in that case you have to take it further. Compare how many medals Japan or German got with how many they sent. The ratio is far higher than the US one.

The second point is that you don't "send" people to the olympics. They qualify. In short, you can say that 7 times more Europeans qualifed than Americans...

So it's not the way to count. That's why all the tables look something like like this:

Quote[/b] ]

G S B

1 United States 35 39 29

2 China 32 17 14

3 Russia 27 27 38

4 Australia 17 16 16

5 Japan 16 9 12

6 Germany 14 16 18

7 France 11 9 13

8 Italy 10 11 11

9 South Korea 9 12 9

10 Great Britain 9 9 12

Had the medal/athlete been a criterion then we would have had such tables.

Having said that, calling it a victory for the EU is perhaps a bit premature. I can bet money though that by the next olympics in 2008, it won't be.

---

And, by the way Prodi was most likely joking anyway. Well, the episode only enforces my belief that the UK and Speedy Donkey should be kicked out of the EU

[Shashman 0]

What a load of crap. Just shows how big Prodi's (and EU's) inferiority complex is.  

Get your facts straight before you start EU-bashing please

[ran 0]

Denoir, I reiterate my statement concerning Swedish women wrestling :

Ida-Theres Karlsson is just sooooooooooooooooooooooo cute

[denoir 0]

Denoir, I reiterate my statement concerning Swedish women wrestling :

Ida-Theres Karlsson is just sooooooooooooooooooooooo cute

Nah, we have better. She has this healthy-farm-girl-look going on - not my type at all.

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

EU is not a country. Counting how many combined medals it got is ridiculous, which explains that it was a joke. There’s no reason to get depressed for not winning shitloads of medals in crap sports (excuse the choice of words ;-) Finland only got two measly silver medals. But should I care when Räikkönen is winning the races, and the ice hockey team whopping some Czech ass with 4-0? The answer is obviously no.

Oh and Ran, yeah she's alright. Reminds me of a girl that was the host of a TV show called "Silicone" (just a random anecdote..) Btw here's her fan site

[denoir 0]

EU is not a country. Counting how many combined medals it got is ridiculous, which explains that it was a joke.

Neither is the US - it's a federation of nation states. The EU is a confederation of nation states. Russia is also by the way not a nation state - it's also a federation.

So if they're allowed to count it all together, why shouldn't we?

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

So if they're allowed to count it all together, why shouldn't we?

Well I consider the 50 combined states as a country. I do not consider the 25 European countries as one country. We (EU) have nothing that ties us together. We speak different languages, we have different currencies, we have different (or should I say no) religion. The cultures are very different; Shy Swedes, naughty Germans, snobbish Britt’s and emotional Spaniards. (Ok, ok, I may have gone too far)

Let’s face it. I don't watch the world cups in ice hockey because I have this enormous fetish for seeing a piece of rubber going inside a goal. No, I watch it because it gives me an opportunity to root for my county. I can accociate with my Finnish friends, and tease my Swedish ones. That is fundamentally what sports are about (for the viewer). Not stashing all counties into one Über county and just see people jumping up a certain height, just for the heck of it.

Edit: Speaking of hockey: Sweden vs. Germany is on now  

[ran 0]

Denoir, I reiterate my statement concerning Swedish women wrestling :

Ida-Theres Karlsson is just sooooooooooooooooooooooo cute

Nah, we have better. She has this healthy-farm-girl-look going on - not my type at all.

yet it's one of those I like

-edit-:

I like the "jolis petits chevaux", just like my father

[denoir 0]

So if they're allowed to count it all together, why shouldn't we?

Well I consider the 52 combined states as a country. I do not consider the 25 European countries as one country.

.

The 50 US states are in a federation. The 25 EU states are in a confederation. Check your passport, it says

"Europeiska Unionen"

"Sverige"

"Pass"

Quote[/b] ]We (EU) have nothing that ties us together.

Well, except for a common parliament, common laws, common market, common borders and work in progress - a common currency. The differences between the EU countries are actually minor compared to some other federations. Compare people from New York to people from Texas. Compare California to Utah. Completely different worlds. Compare the different provinces in China - own languages, completely different cultures etc

If you think One Culture, One People, One Country, then you're stuck in the 19th century nation state model that is not valid today at all.

Quote[/b] ]Let’s face it. I don't watch the world cups in ice hockey because I have this enormous fetish for seeing a piece of rubber going inside a goal. No, I watch it because it gives me an opportunity to root for my county. I can accociate with my Finnish friends, and tease my Swedish ones. That is fundamentally what sports are about (for the viewer). Not stashing all counties into one Über county and just see people jumping up a certain height, just for the heck of it

You will always root most for what is closest to you. If somebody you know competes, then you will root much more than if it is any Finn.

Let me give you an example. You thinking that the US has 52 statements is:

1. An embarrassment for you

2. An embarrassment for the ones who know you.

3. An embarrassment for Finns.

4. An embarrassment for Europeans.

etc

Of course it is much more an embarrassment to you. The same way goes for sports. You will always root more for a Finn than for any European. But you will root more for a European than for say a Japanese.

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

TEXT

1) Ever seen a typo before? (I was counting the EU member countires, came up to 25 and wrote 52) I'm no geographical expert, but I do no that it is 50 states. Thanks for pointing it out though. 

2) My passport doesn't say any of that.

Quote[/b] ]Well, except for a common parliament, common laws, common market, common borders and work in progress - a common currency. The differences between the EU countries are actually minor compared to some other federations

3) That does not make me feel more for those 24 other countries. If a Britt wins I'm happy for him because I like Britt’s, not because we have common laws. I assume that you understand this and what I wrote in my previous post, but you seem to disregard it and slip away into technicalities. ;o)

Lets conclude this with following:

Prodi's comment was a joke - fact

Prodi has this "inferiority complex" -  fact

Prodi is a slut - fact

Now, let me get back to Rooting for the Germans

Edit: Rephrased stuff

[denoir 0]

2) My passport doesn't say any of that.

Yeah, it says EU/Suomi.. etc

Quote[/b] ]3) That does not make me feel more for those 24 other countries. If a Britt wins I'm happy for him because I like Britt’s, not because we have common laws. I assume that you understand this and what I wrote in my previous post, but you seem to disregard it and slip away into technicalities. ;o)

While you are of course entiteled to your close-minded nationalism, I think you'll be disappointed in the end. Of course, as an EU-phobe, you won't 'feel' more for any other EU country. You are however in minority and the current trends are not in your nationalistic direction. Unless something very drastic happens, integration is going to continue and nationalistic flag-waving morons are going to be converted to flag-waving morons on a European level.

Quote[/b] ]

Lets conclude this with following:

Prodi's comment was a joke - fact

Prodi has this "inferiority complex" - fact

Prodi is a slut - fact

All three nonsense statements. Trying out for the annual FSPilot awards?

Quote[/b] ]Now, let me get back to Rooting for the Germans

In the good old days, you would have gotten your hed cut off for high treason. But today, without all the nationalism we accept foreigners in our country and accept their opposing point of view even in sporting events. You are in luck that more people are not like you

[Akira 0]

All three nonsense statements. Trying out for the annual FSPilot awards?

Why the hell don't we have those? Similiar to the VIP awards, only given to the most un-informed, assinine, double-talk post of the year?

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

Quote[/b] ]Lets conclude this with following:

Prodi's comment was a joke - fact

Prodi has this "inferiority complex" -  fact

Prodi is a slut - fact

See that as my bizarre humour, trying to lighten up a peculiar debate about the Olympics. So no need for name calling other forum members.

Please tell my why I would be disappointed of not rooting on, say Belgium. And I might change my mind. – This is called a constructive and open-minded way of discussing. (This “phenomenon†is unfortunately rather rare here )

“nationalistic flag-waving morons are going to be converted to flag-waving morons on a European level.â€

Bear in mind that we are discussing sports. Not politics. I have a feeling that most Swedes will continue rooting for Sweden in the Olympics, and continue “not giving a rat’s ass about the EU medal count†You on the other hand are perfectly entitled to root for EU, Zimbabwe or whatever you want.

There’s a lot to be said about the popularity of EU and the Euro. But that would probably be better suited in another topic. Period.

[denoir 0]

Please tell my why I would be disappointed of not rooting on, say Belgium.

I said that you would be disappointed with your fellow Finns in the future being more open minded than you are now. That it is inevitable with integration. And integration is inevitable ultimately because of the economic and political advantages. A common identity will follow - it always has. Basically no European country has been a homogenous monolitic block through its history. And yet we have the national identities in sports etc People from Skĺne generally root for Sweden, not Denmark. Scots root for Britain. Bavarians root for Germany etc. The EU is just yet another level.

Quote[/b] ]Not politics. I have a feeling that most Swedes will continue rooting for Sweden in the Olympics, and continue “not giving a rat’s ass about the EU medal countâ€

And this is from your non-Swedish expert opinion? It will take some time, especially in countries with EU-phobic tendencies, such as Britain, Sweden etc It is however inevitable. Of course Finns will still be prouder if (hypothetical example, bear with me) one day a Finn would win a gold medal than if some other European would. It's the same way Texans are more proud if a Texan wins a medal than if some other American wins one. It is however probable that a Texan will root for an American before rooting for a European. The same way a Finn is/will be more likely to root for a European than for an American. Nothing strange about it.

Today it is premature to expect sport loyalty across Europe (mostly due the fact that we compete against each other on a regular basis on the same level that we compete against other non-European country). In time, it will however evolve naturally. You'll see 2008, I can guarantee you that in the parade they'll carry both EU and national flags. In 2012, I would not be surprised if there was a main-stream trend in Europe to start really rooting for the European athletes.

It has already started. While I'm more EU-positive than the average person in Sweden, I'm fairly representative for a pretty large minority (30-40%). And while my enthusiasm falls short of actively rooting for another EU state in sports, I was pleased with the fact that European countries grabbed most medals. Although nothing dramatic, it did mean something to me.

[Yagyu Retsudo 0]

Scots root for Britain.

OT: sorry :P

Except in the world cup and other events where its England, Scotland, Wales etc, where quite a few Scots will root for whoever is playing against the English.

I don't personally... I don't like watching kickball.

Agree with your other points denoir.

[Balschoiw 0]

I don´t know how some others think...but I do actually feel european and I like it. There is a lot of exchange among young people and the internet is a great tool therefore. I travel a lot in europe and it´s nice that the attitude of the youth changes to european and a bit away from national thinking. Noone has to give up his culture, but everyone has the chance to learn about others. Just go into former eastern countries and you´ll know what I´m saying. The youth is growing up european. That´s nice

Just my 2 cents.