Hey, Prompted by the following, and not wishing to hijack the F1 forum, we can continue here; To which I replied; So, here we go..... Cheers, Ian
IMO, for the most part, the Olympics are pure, with the exception being a number of team sports. The last true amateur team the USA had was the 1980 hockey team, the miracle on ice guys. Nowadays, they're pro athletes who gripe that they're playing for free, which to me is wrong. The Olympics are about the purity of competition, you compete well and you are the best in the world at that moment. Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, etc., those guys prove year in and year out that they are the best of the best. The Olympics for the most part are great, where else are some lesser known athletes going to get international exposure? You would think most runners, triathloners, beach volleyballers would love having their 15 minutes of fame every 4 years.
My point was not that the Olympics were contrived but are commercialized. Other than that let Em rip.
when growing up to watch the olympics was an event, the family planned schedules around watching, rising individuals were known, countries backed thier teams....it was something of significance....now, it sadly just isn't
I think it's human nature to put logic aside and come up with excuses when one's preferred team isn't winning. I don't mean that towards anyone here specifically, just in general. I am closely following the NHL playoffs. I often go on the Hockeys Future forum to keep up with the commentary. Without fail, whenever a team loses... it was the refs who didn't call anything on the opposition, but did on all their guys. And on the flip side, the winning team overcame massive odds through bad calls to pull out a win. ...from the perspective of the biased fan. The only contrived series are those where the rules aren't the same for everyone. You could possibly add some where certain competitors are better equipped to win (like Ferrari having more tire data in F1 than a team like Marussia, who is starting from scratch). But if you're going to go there... you could say the NHL is contrived because skating and hockey is more prevalent in Canada. Personally, that's all crap. All that matters is that the playing field is even. If it is, and if the competition is fair and square, it ain't contrived.
Not so. If you limit one part of the package to such a great extent that other, legitimate, assets of a design can't be fully utilized you've disadvantaged one team over another. Lowering the bar isn't the way to improve results. Doesn't work in schools! doesn't work in racing.
By that rationale, any time a single rule is introduced, the series becomes contrived, if there is any variance in how the competitors respond to that rule. Is Tennis contrived because a taller player has an easier time hitting the ball closer to the net on the opponents side? Every competitive series has rules. In many, the rules are the same for everyone. When that's the case, the results are not contrived. Every competitor is free to compete within the rules any way they want. But, as I said, it's human nature to blame the rules when the results are not what one desires. That will never change, regardless of how black and white the issue.
No. There are rules that foster competition and rules that stiffle it. I'm very happy with today's results. I'm disappointed with the process.
Aha!.... you want a return to "the good old days" of shamauterism and under-the-table payments? "Gentlemen drivers" in F1?...... Get rid of all the sponsors and return to racing in your national colors? Commercialism/professionalism doesn't have to spoil sport - See the NFL and European football in addition to the Olympics - *Huge* money involved, yet they remain "pure" to their goals. [Apart from that damn Bulgarian ref!.....] Cheers, Ian
Serving red herrings for lunch today? Commercialism does not have to spoil a sport. But when it becomes the primary motivation any sport will suffer. In theory the FIA should be looking out for the sporting interests but are nothing but rubber stamps for the big money deals. They may nibble around the edges on a few issues but they sold their soul long ago.
