Them There Olympics

[Helen]

One extreme to the other! The horses look lovely, so huge though.

[Ian, Former Moderator]

Horse dancing gold medal and then another for Yorkshire in the lady boxing. I loved the BMX - grown men on kids bikes.....perhaps the most dangerous sport out there lol

[Paul]

I feel so old - I didn't even know BMX was an Olympic sport.

[Catherine]

Hj wrote: "Catherine wrote: "I missed the dancing horses! :( when did they show them?!?!?!"

I think they mean the dressage. I think it's all over now, unfortunately. But you should be able to see it on iP..."

Irealised that after I was here! but Istill missed it! been working too much! :(

[Catherine]

how many Gold's does UK have now?

[Michael]

24 golds for Team GB...!

Still more medals to come as well, gold or not.

[Helen]

I can't seem to turn it off. I never watch sport. I feel so proud of our team, although, as was said on the other page, I did start expecting medals daily.

Waiting for Bolt now...

[Michael]

It's compelling stuff!

So then, Helen: which sport you going to be taking up, when this is all over?

Boxing, or taekwondo?

[Sue]

Typing very slowly after 5+ hours in the main stadium (brilliant) and the rest of the day in the park chatting to random strangers. Great atmosphere - just loved it.

[Catherine]

@ Sue...must be nice! wish I were there too!!! :)

[Sue]

Catherine wrote: "@ Sue...must be nice! wish I were there too!!! :)"
It was - never thought I'd be singing (+actions) to YMCA and Reach for the Sky in the stadium. Funny the French people behind didn't join in with Waterloo though! :)

[Helen]

How odd! I can't believe I'm jealous. I've really enjoyed these Olympics. I normally stay at mum's about the time they are on and moan at her to watch some proper tv!

Michael, I think I'm taking up running, watch out for me in Rio.

[Weenie]

Just seen Jade Jones pick up the taekwondo gold and I shed a little tear as she's from the town I grew up in, in Wales, which has fallen on hard times recently! This will be a great pick up for the place - utterly epic!

[Niall]

I never realised until today that Taekwondo was simply foreign for Kicking. don't get me wrong, I can see skill involved, but it's Kicking!

[Helen]

Hi fellow welsh person. As a teacher I've been telling children not to kick. All those future medals we could've had!

[Catherine]

Niall wrote: "I never realised until today that Taekwondo was simply foreign for Kicking. don't get me wrong, I can see skill involved, but it's Kicking!"

um Niall...better watch out! I'm a 3rd degree blackbelt in both Taekwon do and Ju jitsu!

[Catherine]

@ Helen & Niall...martial arts is only a last resort..for self defense..not to beat people up.

it does take skill to do it! I have worked hard(and still do)!

[Niall]

Catherine wrote: "Niall wrote: "I never realised until today that Taekwondo was simply foreign for Kicking. don't get me wrong, I can see skill involved, but it's Kicking!"

um Niall...better watch out! I'm a 3rd d..."

I'm Scottish with a big pair of boots. that's pretty much all that was needed to build and maintain the Empire :)

[Sue]

Catherine wrote: "@ Helen & Niall...martial arts is only a last resort..for self defense..not to beat people up.
"
but if it's only two people one must be the aggressor!

[Helen]

Go Niall!

[Ian, Former Moderator]

And only 8 days till the footy season starts.

[Helen]

Doubt I'll be there. Think I've done enough sport for four years!

[Sue]

Ian wrote: "And only 8 days till the footy season starts."
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Michael]

My interest in football has been on the wane for quite some time, now.

The Olympics has increased it.

The next time I see some multi-millionaire footballer rolling around on the floor like he's been shot, I'm going to turn the TV off/throw the newspaper away/close down the browser tab.

Compare that, with the effort that some of the GB rowers put into earning their gold medals, and it just disgusts me.

Different sports, different environments, etc. but there you go.

[Ian, Former Moderator]

Its bizarre that people think that footballers don't put as much effort into their sport as say rowers. The fact that they earn millions is just a function of the excitement, passion and popularity of the sport as an ongoing week by week spectacle. Let's be honest, unless GB are likely to win an Olympic medal, who finds rowing etc a long term passion in terms of a watchable sport. No doubt great to participate in, but dull as dishwater to watch.

[Michael]

I didn't say they didn't put as much effort in, I was just saying that the Olympics are another nail in the coffin for football, where my interest is concerned.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

Sue wrote: "Ian wrote: "And only 8 days till the footy season starts."
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

I ditto this!!!

[Niall]

Ian wrote: "And only 8 days till the footy season starts."

Never got football, 22 guys running around getting sweaty for 90 minutes, while trying to control who touches a ball, and score in an other guy's "end" as often as possible.
If you even hint about the homoerotic subtext of the game, you get a kicking. go figure

[Weenie]

Niall wrote:"22 guys running around getting sweaty for 90 minutes, while trying to control who touches a ball, and score in an other guy's "end" as often as possible. If you even hint about the homoerotic subtext of the game, you get a kicking. go figure "

Exactly and I don't know why more females aren't into football - young, fit men in shorts running around getting sweaty and getting all emotional. What's not to like about football? ;-)

The amounts the Premier League footballers earn do seem obscene but they're being paid really for 'entertaining' the masses, just as say a film star like Tom Cruise is paid millions for entertaining the masses but in a different way.

Cruise was paid c£48 million last year.

Only Lionel Messi, arguably the best footballer in the world came close and he earned c£27 million.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

@Weenie - you mean 22 overpaid, arrogent, prima donnas kicking a bag of wind around!

[Helen]

Ooooh 4 more medals. Some gorgeous guy is now jumping with a stick...

[Michael]

Helen wrote: "Ooooh 4 more medals. Some gorgeous guy is now jumping with a stick..."

That would be Steve Lewis. He came 5th.

Steve? Helen has a shoulder for you to cry on.

[Helen]

I do indeed!

[Angela]

Just got home from 2 weeks in Norfolk - catching up on this thread has been great:))
We had a great holiday, did lots of holiday-type things, but also watched lots of Olympics. Can't believe how much I've enjoyed it!!

[Michael]

I can't believe that it's almost over. Me so sad.

I didn't really give a toss when Princess Diana died, but I reckon I may shed a tear after the closing ceremony.

[Angela]

Mo the Great!! Have just had a scream at the T.V.:)))

[Michael]

It was a buttock-clenchingly tense race.

[Helen]

Kept thinking he was going to trip over someones feet. Just seen the 100m relay, Bolt is so good.

[Chris]

Ian wrote: "And only 8 days till the footy season starts."

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Ellie]

Helen wrote: "Kept thinking he was going to trip over someones feet. Just seen the 100m relay, Bolt is so good."

I feared the same thing...or that he'd get cramp.

Amazing couple of races!

[Weenie]

Angela wrote:"Mo the Great!!"

I shed a tear as he crossed the line. What a win!

Starting to feel Olympic withdrawal symptoms already but there's a lifeline:

Ian wrote: "And only 8 days till the footy season starts."

[Bill]

Amazing how quickly the time has gone by. Great race by Mo Farrah...

[Angela]

Bill wrote: "Amazing how quickly the time has gone by. Great race by Mo Farrah..."

Are you still over here, Bill? Hope you're enjoying your holiday - great time to be in England! I feel so proud of the way the Olympic events have been staged; it makes quite a change, I have to say!

[Bill]

They've done an excellent job, Angela. We're here for another week, heading back sough to spend some time with family down there.

[Sue]

Why have I spent a warm and sunny afternoon in front of the telly watching ........ boxing? I don't even like boxing! Big well done anyway to our olympians :)

[Helen]

You've been lucky with the sunshine Bill, we've been quite chilly until the last month. I get Radio Times and when I saw that BBC 1 & 3 were solid olympics for 16 days I was so cross. But then became a convert. This weeks star letter said the same thing and has received an amazing set of speakers!

[Michael]

Well, it's practically over. Hard to believe it was so good, considering all the doom and gloom that some sections of the press seemed so desperate to promote.

Some of the montages done by the BBC have been great. This is the one from yesterday - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics...

[Dave]

Enjoyed the diving last night.

Really looking forward to the closing ceremony tonight

[Ian, Former Moderator]

7 days to go lol

[Weenie]

Ian wrote:"7 days to go lol

6 days - it kicks off on Saturday!

Ooh, time to choose my fantasy football team!