Olympics 2012 - London

[boxy]

Ah, there ya go then

[Neferti]

Ah, there ya go then

Only girls play rounders (baseball). Yanks can't even play a decent footy game. They need padding. Wooses.

Anyway. Here is a great Aussie song to get us going to get more Gold.

[Neferti]

Aussies 1
POMS 0

Japan is beating us. My Japanese epal will be thrilled and so he should.

[Super Nova]

Medal standing:

Australia 10th
GB 20th

The most important thing for an expat aussie is that the Poms don't beat us.

China is beating the US... now that's got to hurt.

[Super Nova]

The whimps backed down.

Saudi Arabian athlete allowed to compete in judo wearing headscarf

London 2012: One of Saudi Arabia's two female Olympic team members will be allowed to compete in the judo while wearing a headscarf after a u-turn by the Olympic Committee.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... scarf.html

[AiA in Atlanta]

China, like the Soviet Union and East Germany of decades past, nurtures athletes almost from birth. Seems unfair somehow ...

[Black Orchid]

Nice to see Magnussen back in form. The poor guy carries a huge weight for a 21 year old

[Super Nova]

The Poms have no gold.... the whinging and self doubt is raging here.

I explain to them that in England your team has 2 status'
1. Win - you praise them
2. Lose - you beat the shit out of them even though they did their best

In Australia we have 3 status'
1. Win - we praise them - we expect to win... good on ya
2. Lose - we accept that we played our best and the other team was better on the day - well done
3. Beaten - we beat them up for not being at their best - get your shit together next time - OK

It's a simple of way of explaining a difference in attitude to our sports people.

[Neferti]

Nice to see Magnussen back in form. The poor guy carries a huge weight for a 21 year old

He's a kid who can swim fast and cries for Mummy when he loses. I blame the Media for giving him a sense of importance that he really doesn't have. Other 21 year olds are doing more important things than swimming for a living.

Why are we teaching our children that no matter what they do, they will WIN something. Why try hard when you know you will get a prize? Competitiveness then falls back on the parents and siblings. You know it is true.

[Black Orchid]

Why are we teaching our children that no matter what they do, they will WIN something.

I don't know about you but I teach my children just to do their best. That is their reward

Why try hard when you know you will get a prize?

Why not? Wouldn't you?

Competitiveness then falls back on the parents and siblings. You know it is true.

Sorry but I disagree. People are either inherently competitive or they aren't. Parents should be there to help and encourage their children achieve their goals, within reason. You are 21 and in another country competing for your own country and with the whole world looking on. Why shouldn't he be upset for supposedly not fulfilling his own expectations, let alone anyone elses?