Olympic Games.. What a shame

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

In 1999-2000 I trained methodically, brutally and with the utmost determination to try and qualify for the Worlds Strongest Man contest. I sacrificed family time and holidays and had a steely one eye view of achieving my goal - it took every fiber of my being to cope both mentally and physically with the demanding build up.

Please bear in mind that you're reading the words of a World Championship Sloth winner here, but I am genuinely interested to know how, or perhaps when, you were filled with what clearly must have been a very strong impulse to dedicate yourself and sacrifice so much for this goal.

Is it a fair question to ask also, how much of your motivation was doing this for your country? (And should I just divide that figure by the population to obtain my own claim to your fame?)

I really appreciate the insights. All the best.
Brian.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

Please bear in mind that you're reading the words of a World Championship Sloth winner here, but I am genuinely interested to know how, or perhaps when, you were filled with what clearly must have been a very strong impulse to dedicate yourself and sacrifice so much for this goal.

Ever since I saw Bill Bixbi change into Lou Ferrigno in the Incredible Hulk I saw him lift and tip his car down the slope when he got mad.. and I thought "I wanna be able to do that"....and eventually, I was Becoming big and strong just became a goal, like wanting to climb a mountain, run fast, swim fast, cross the English Chanell etc etc...humans have a habbit of dreaming and many of us have a real shot at those dreams and a few reslise them, it's that simple to me doesn't make anyone better or have more worth or relevance than anyone else, it's really just a demonstration of humans doing all the strange and amazing things we do

Is it a fair question to ask also, how much of your motivation was doing this for your country?

No this had nothing to do with my initial motivation or influenced my direction, however, once I was wearing the green and gold and even became captain of the Aussie strongman team on three occassions, I was very proud and it was an extra motivator

(And should I just divide that figure by the population to obtain my own claim to your fame?)

Oh I dunno, no, just take it for what it is, perhaps a little different and interesting

I really appreciate the insights. All the best.
Brian.

I'm glad, only meant to be something a little unusual and as I say hopefully interesting and relevant to some of the discussion in this thread pertaining to the reasons behind some reactions of highly motivated athletes when they don't win

Mike

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Ever since I saw Bill Bixbi .....

It's a wonder you didn't become a magician instead.
Or maybe you did?
You pull off such magic with your scope.

Click here to load the video

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[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Octane

Read this:

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/20...urrentPage=all

If that doesn't make you mad, nothing will. The IOC is up there in the corruption stakes with FIFA.

I haven't, and, won't be watching a single event.

H

What about the DSLR event where its a race between Nikon and Canon and Nikon is the red hot favourite?????

Greg.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by RB

It's a wonder you didn't become a magician instead.
Or maybe you did?
You pull off such magic with your scope.

He he..

Actually, it was this very first Hulk Out that changed my life.....and I did eventually emulate the car roll

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

He he..

Actually, it was this very first Hulk Out that changed my life.....

Did you want to become a panel beater?

[Colin_Fraser]

Originally Posted by RB

Nah Marcus.... I know all there is to know.

Well that's just impossible because you are not a teenager.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

Well that's just impossible because you are not a teenager.

Yeah, but my wife says I'm still 17 at heart.

[Colin_Fraser]

After the badminton debacle, seems the Poms have topped it.
English cyclist deliberately crashed his bike because he had a bad start.
Seems that under the rules, a crash forces a restart.
So even though he was within the rules he playing outside the spirit of the games.
Oh yeah, he won after they restarted.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

English cyclist deliberately crashed his bike because he had a bad start.
Seems that under the rules, a crash forces a restart.
So even though he was within the rules he playing outside the spirit of the games.

I suppose, although in other endeavours this might just get labelled as clever strategy. If we don't like the rules, or how they're being applied, we should change them.

Now let's go and smash some windows... Ooo, I'm feeling a bit whoozy...

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

What about the DSLR event where its a race between Nikon and Canon and Nikon is the red hot favourite?????

Greg.

Oh, I don't know. Canon brought a big team…

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/07/31/...ndon-olympics/

Cheers
Steffen.

[yusufcam (Colin)]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

What has happened to the Olympic spirit?
There was a time when win or lose we were very proud of the effort they put in and the spirit in which they competed. Not any more I'm afraid.

Whats wrong with being humble in defeat. Why are they made to feel they have to apologise to anyone for not winning. Sure, they did not win, but hold your head up, stand up proud and say you gave it your best shot.

Why is an Olympic dream shattered because you only win a silver medal? So what if you are the second best in the world. What is so devastating about that?

A lot of athletes could learn a lot from Leisel Jones on the way she reacted to coming 5th. That is the sign of a real champion.

i suppose its ironic, or i missed something, but in fairness i am a bit puzzled why the question about "if dishonest people was the cause of the worlds current financial woes" previously posted was deemed pretty much instantaneously unsuitable for the iceinspace general chat forum by the moderators.

its alright you don't have to answer, i'm not worried, its meant to be a joke reponse to the question above.

regards
colin

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

I suppose, although in other endeavours this might just get labelled as clever strategy. If we don't like the rules, or how they're being applied, we should change them.

Now let's go and smash some windows... Ooo, I'm feeling a bit whoozy...

I like how his team mates commented to the media with statments like "we'll rally around him" and "he has our support" following his drunken antics. If I was his team mate I would distance myself from him and shame him - he is no team mate of mine. kind of like when AFL footballers are accused of rape/drunkenness/bad public behaviour etc, and their teammates, coaches and clubs jump to their defense with similar comments. In fact his whole team should be sent home - they are a "team" aren't they? make them all pay for his behaviour.

Oh, but then I hear the other comments made today on talkback radio: "they're under a lot of pressure" and "cut them some slack". Well a lot of us are under just as much pressure with our jobs, incomes, financial pressures, shiftwork, raising families, etc etc, without the financial backing of an elite Melbourne rowing club and it is no excuse to get drunk and damage property.

I'm over these trumped-up sports people who think they are God's gift to the country.

Time to wind down the Olympics or make them hold it in one permanent location - say Greece for example.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Originally Posted by stephenb

Time to wind down the Olympics or make them hold it in one permanent location - say Greece for example.

Don't you think the poor Greeks have got enough problems at the moment.
They certainly don't need to be hosting drunken yobs from the antipodes every 4 years...

A large part of the problems I think stems from the extremity of effort required to be competitive. Harking back to the original Olympics (circa 776 BC), a lot of what was being celebrated then was the balance of disciplines required to live a rich and fulfilling life (which admittedly back then did demand quite a few martial skills). Virtually everyone was a farmer soldier engineer actor singer carpenter. Specialization has its advantages, of course (cue Adam Smith in the pin factory), but the dedication required to be the absolute best in the world at any one thing now demands a deranging focus on a minuscule aspect of life, to the detriment of the civilizing whole. This "It's first or it's fked" mentality is just unhealthy, and of course it is largely the corrupting influence of money that pushes it to the extreme. All these elite athletes can see that it's the gold that sets in motion the gravy train of sponsorship deals.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Steffen

Oh, I don't know. Canon brought a big team…

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/07/31/...ndon-olympics/

Cheers
Steffen.

OMG - But I think they'll fail the doping tests!

Greg.

[Ric]

Firstly I must say that I am and alway do watching the olympics. It's great to see events that vitually get no coverage at any other time.

What does annoy me is also the bad attitude and bickery that has gone on, thankfully it is only a very very small part of the olympics and hasn't detracted from the sporting spectacle that it is.

The other annoying part will come after the games are finished when the usual 20 million dollar enquiry will be announced to find out why we didn't win more gold medals.

That's easy, we were beaten on the day by teams and competitor's that were better, more focussed and more determined than us, nothing more, nothing less. It happens all over the world everyday.

Cheers

PS. now with the money that has been saved by not having an enquiry, give a few million to Rob McNaught to fund his NEO program.

[Colin_Fraser]

Originally Posted by Ric

PS. now with the money that has been saved by not having an enquiry, give a few million to Rob McNaught to fund his NEO program.

No no! $20,000,000 shared by IIS members is roughly $2000 each

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

Don't you think the poor Greeks have got enough problems at the moment.
They certainly don't need to be hosting drunken yobs from the antipodes every 4 years.....

I bet the Greeks would be happy to host thousands of drunken yobs every four years if the IOC threw their billions at them. Let's face it, who needs the Olympics anyway. It wouldn't be any lose if they wound up now. Might save some money going into that black hole that is the AIS. I say if you want to compete in sports - fund yourself or get a real job - don't ask the taxpayer to support you. I didn't ask you to follow your "dream".

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

OMG - But I think they'll fail the doping tests!

Greg.

Hehe, to be fair, I heard Nikon brought a spare D4 as well, on the off-chance that one of the accredited photographers breaks theirs…

Cheers
Steffen.

[hotspur (Chris)]

The coverage has been pathetic,no shooting and hardly any archery on Australian news etc.

Sick of the swimming coverage and the 'sad sack' whinging by Australian commentators.

Congrats to all the sportsmen and women who have made the olympics,be a hard job just to get there.