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AirGunEric · Site Admin

Let's suggest, just for a moment, that the Chinese government does not force anyone to be an "exceptional" athlete from a young age (ahem, err bullsh!t)- with a population exceeding 1 billion people, just by odds they are likely to have more chance of finding "natural" talents when compared to a country like the U.S. with a population of 300 million.

Personally, I think the whole Olympic structure is a bit odd in the modern world- athletes that are emmigrants from one country competing against their "home" country, events that have very little athletic merit and so on. Perhaps the IOC, which effectively "runs" the process should directly sponsor athletes, nationality irrelevant and bring out the best-of-the-best themselves. The IOC makes boatloads of cash from broadcast rights, doesn't pay for its travel and accommodation expenses and probably about a thousand other things I have no idea about. I'd love to know where the money they collect actually goes. Notice no one ever talks about the IOC's finance?

thepaladin · Senior Member

I lost most interest in the olympics when it stopped being an amature compition (OK I know the Soviet Union always finianced their athalets as did China and all of eastern Europe, but that made it that much better when our people beat them). The year we sent pros over I tuned out (but then I'm probably what most of you would call an "old guy".) Smile

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Corporate sponsorships are what pay the athletes now. From what I hear Michael Phelps will make so much money from Frosted Flakes alone that he can retire. And all that from a week long swim meet. Insane.

Slavia · Moderator

When I look at a $3,000.00 10 meter rifle, I have to remember that it is, indeed, big business. With training and travel expenses one would need to have a sponsor, and the cost of the rifle is miniscule.

I enjoy watching sports where "longer" or "faster" wins. Sports like figure skating or gymnastics with incomprehensible rules and inbred, mutant judges turn me off. Same with many of the sports journalists.

Now that bicycle BMX and beach volleyball are olympic sports, there is a chance for airsoft.

Old Pa · Member

It also doesn't hurt to have three times the population base of the U.S. conditioned from birth to autocratic contral control and virtually unlimited training budgets and schedules (especially in relation to average per capita income). Look at the old Soviet Union's olympic record as opposed to Russia's current performance.

yourdaddyjoe · Supporting Member

Go Jamaicans! Bouncing Smoker

Thanks,
Eric... now we need one for "Did you bump your head"

Slavia · Moderator

I saw a full sized cardboard image of Shawn Johnson in the grocery store today (pushing Coke). To get it there so quickly means that they had it ready (pending her victory) and that she had negotiated an endorsement contract even earlier (contingent on her winning).

I can't imagine the pressure that teenager has to face. When does she get to be a kid?

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Old Pa · Member

[quote="Rogerflat"]

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Why is it a bad choice? Just look at all the kids that it has worked out for:

Gary Coleman
Dana Plato
Corey Feldman
McCauly Culkin
Lindsey Lohan
Jamie Lynn Spears

The list goes on and on...

AirGunEric · Site Admin

thepaladin · Senior Member

Yep, dead like Dana Plato and then theres the drug problems..... But I guess that was your point.

Old Pa · Member

Selling your youth is a bad choice. If you can't just see that, I'm pretty sure no explanation would help. In fact, I'll go one step further. Monetarization, the invention of money, was a concept whose drawbacks are still being discovered. When you reduce everything of value down to physical "trading cards" which intrinsically have no real value, something is lost and everything is cheapened in real terms.

cw · Banned

Amen, Old Pa!

23ib0d0n · Moderator

Aaron Russo's 'take' on money . . . Idea