Another Olympic thread

[Headbanger]

[PrincessBandit]

If they didn't get paid for being atheletes, would every home comming be a pat on the back and celebration of their efforts?

I'm under the thought that it would - people would put them in the highest regard. I mean how would the public have felt if NZGovt had "commisioned" Sir Ed to climb Everest?
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Good point. Easy to think in terms of the "old days" when NZ athletes battled to get any financial assistance at all and held down full time jobs to pay their own way. Still, a lot of personal sacrifice goes into making the grade - I know I couldn't be bothered!! (Quite happy to forgo the public adulation which might come with it )

Queen Bea has had the adulation of the NZ public for over a decade. She is one of the least gracious losers I've seen in a long time. If she'd squared up and said it's a shame I wasn't in contentiion, but this is the Olympics and I'm proud to be here supporting my country she would still have some public favour. She blew it. Whether she likes it or not the small (around $50k I think) amount of public cash thrown her way means she owes at least a dignified exit.

Not ranting at reporters and then demanding an early flight home. Sour grapes because it's Ms Vili's turn in the spotlight.

I don't care how much money we give Olympic athletes so long as they remember they represent NZ ahead of themselves.

Yes, there is that too. Even in today's age of sport worship and adoring those "go get 'em" idols, I think most of us still prefer the quiet humble hero who still knows how to be gracious when things go pearshaped.

[slowpoke]

a lot of us are as bad as the FIGJAM types parading around the field/track/pool, all this "second is first loser", "we're useless" talk is crap. No wonder our kids don't want to get off the couch, they've been trained from a young age that unless you win it's not worth playing.

[Owl]

Queen Bea has had the adulation of the NZ public for over a decade. She is one of the least gracious losers I've seen in a long time. If she'd squared up and said it's a shame I wasn't in contentiion, but this is the Olympics and I'm proud to be here supporting my country she would still have some public favour. She blew it. Whether she likes it or not the small (around $50k I think) amount of public cash thrown her way means she owes at least a dignified exit.

Not ranting at reporters and then demanding an early flight home. Sour grapes because it's Ms Vili's turn in the spotlight.

I don't care how much money we give Olympic athletes so long as they remember they represent NZ ahead of themselves.

Fair enough!