For the Cynics: were you won over?

[Julian]

I enjoyed the opening ceremony (still not seen the closing one) and I enjoyed most of the bits I saw.  I didn't go out of my way to watch anything but the cycling though.  I did enjoy seeing the canoe slalom - that looked like fun - and some of the other bits like the judo which I wouldn't usually watch.  I also liked seeing women's sports in the newspapers!  And watching the women from countries which haven't previously sent female athletes was touching in a political way rather than a sport way, and both the Somali athletes were amazing given that they trained in a warzone. 

Still hate McD's and Visa and G4S etc though.  The level of corporate involvement has been staggering.

[bikenrrd]

I stuck resolutely to my "ignore the bullshit and enjoy the sport" line.  I also enjoyed seeing women from all countries competing - especially the 8 month pregnant lady from Malaysia.  There was some ho-hah about her competing while we were there on holiday a week before the Olympics, so it was good to see her compete!

The amount of money it cost is peanuts compared to how much we spend on the military each year or bailing out another failing bank.  It even cost less than a mothballed aircraft carrier!  I'd rather money was spent on anything but the military so it was ironic that the forces saved the day when another private company couldn't keep their end of a deal.

[Notsototalnewbie]

I wasn't a cynic so much as unconvinced. But I loved the opening ceremony (haven't see the closing) and I really really loved watching both the road races, and the bits that I happened to see on TV. And I loved the 'people' bits like Le Clos' father going mad over his 'beautiful boy', and like Julian I liked seeing the women from countries who wouldn't have sent any previously. It was indeed nice to see women's sports in the papers. There was a lovely atmosphere in central London where I work and the roads were nice and quiet for the most part. (So were the pavements for that matter, I didn't have to negotiate any long crocodiles of schoolkids as I usually do).

Still annoyed that my friend got 3 sets of cheap tickets to the track cycling while I got none; it was an exceedingly unfair ticketing system. And yes all the corporate bollix was crap.

[Dibdib]

Complete cynic, here.

Was I won over? By the sports, yes. To be honest I generally only watched the sports I knew a little about anyway, but I really enjoyed all of the coverage I watched - even if I wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

I didn't watch either of the opening or closing ceremonies though. I'm sure they were great, but I couldn't help but think how much benefit all that money could have brought to people's lives if, for example, it'd been invested in the NHS rather than paying dancers and celebrities to shout about it.

[Jurek]

I wouldn't say I was a cynic - that would suggest interest and thinking it would all go wrong. I wasn't interested, I think it is a stupid waste of time and money. I don't like sport. I don't like competition. I would say that the positive things that will come of it are few - mainly the chance to push for more sport and that once the paralympics are out of the way, we should be shot of the whole ridiculous performance for another 66 years or so (yay!). What is the point?

Might I suggest that your high performance CF framed Trek and the Ti VN you currently enjoy, would not have reached their level of development without the intervention of competitive events such as this, as well as others.
Just sayin' like.... 

[Biggsy]

Nonetheless, the cynicism will remain at least until Bolt gets done for doping (plus quite a few other competitors). For the naive, just check the link between BALCO and Bolt. In comparison, the men's long jump and women's pentathlon look as clean as a whistle.

How can I check for a link that doesn't stem from unreliable rumours?

[Valiant]

I'm still a cynic. It didn't need the corporate wank fest that went on, or the civil liberties infringed upon. I'm an avid fan of sports and in that regard it was always going to be great.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Biggsy, you won't. Let me know when you work out that dope testing only picks up stupid athletes. The smart ones are ahead of the game. Nobody got a positive from BALCO and the anti-doping folk had to have a syringe full of 'the clear' given to them before they knew what to look for.

[mattc]

Nonetheless, the cynicism will remain at least until Bolt gets done for doping (plus quite a few other competitors). For the naive, just check the link between BALCO and Bolt. In comparison, the men's long jump and women's pentathlon look as clean as a whistle.

How can I check for a link that doesn't stem from unreliable rumours?

Pleeeeeeeze don't prod the bear! 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

mattc, perhaps we can have a chat this weekend about the real world, rather than that pleasant little fantasy world where nobody dopes.

[Mike J]

I was a total cynic and having no interest in sport really didn't help.

I watched the opening ceremony and it was really good and I thought that was probably going to be all I was going to see.

I think it was after Wiggo won his gold that I became hooked by it, watched most of the sports including swimming/sailing/cycling/boxing and many more.

I was completely in awe of the dedication of our sportsmen and women, goes to show that you don't need to pay people millions a day for them to be winners.

[Biggsy]

I'm not naive enough to think dope tests stop doping, but feel it's unfair to mention individual athletes when you don't have anything firm on individuals mentioned.  A lot of the rumours that spark more rumours don't even get basic facts right.


On the Olympics in general, half of me thought the expense was an unjustifiable gross extravagance, but all of me enjoyed the Games very much.  I reckon there will be some real legacy after all.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I was slightly cynical to begin with, put off slightly by what seemed to be somewhat heavy-handed branding and the usual political shenanigans in the run-up to it all. Ticket prices seemed, to me, to be in general pretty high in relation to incomes. I also grew, during the run-up, to be more aware of the distortions and misrepresentations rife in much of the media, the relentless focus on and repetition of groundless non-issues, almost wilfully trying to stoke up resentment and anger.
But I was totally won over, even during the run-up, as I became aware of the effort and work that was being put in. Kicking off with the cycling sucked me in straight away. I was also won over by the humility of most of our athletes, a welcome relief from the stupidity of what goes on in fupball. Once it became clear to the media that the failure-fest that they were hoping for was not going to arise, more positive stories started to do the rounds, and as well as reading about them I could see the army of genuine, helpful volunteers that I have no doubt helped countless thousands of people to have a hassle-free visit.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Good luck with that approach Biggsy. It has taken over 15 years for Armstrong and he hasn't been nailed yet. Bolt and cohort are producing performances that are 'extraterrestrial'. It'll be a while before the explanations are laid out for everybody to see.

Here is an obvious poser. The USA have a huge population and a big-money system developing sprinters. They were comprehensively beaten (in depth) by a tiny country with no dope testing. Just put a couple more dots in place and a picture starts to form. Ages ago Conte hinted that his former business partner was working in the region. Wait a while and other dots will come into view.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Here is an obvious poser. The USA have a huge population and a big-money system developing sprinters. They were comprehensively beaten (in depth) by a tiny country

I think that's the issue. They don't like to lose.

[clarion]

I wouldn't say I was a cynic - that would suggest interest and thinking it would all go wrong. I wasn't interested, I think it is a stupid waste of time and money. I don't like sport. I don't like competition. I would say that the positive things that will come of it are few - mainly the chance to push for more sport and that once the paralympics are out of the way, we should be shot of the whole ridiculous performance for another 66 years or so (yay!). What is the point?

Might I suggest that your high performance CF framed Trek and the Ti VN you currently enjoy, would not have reached their level of development without the intervention of competitive events such as this, as well as others.
Just sayin' like.... 

And when did they last use steel frames?

I don't like organised sport.  It's utterly tedious.  School sport was bad for all the reasons that Cameron wants to intensify, so that's not a good legacy.

I do, however, like to see people doing things skilfully.  And, by pure chance, I happened to be near a television last week while a lot of PE was going on in Stratford, so I did see some.  Also by pure chance, I was able to see the Time Trials (well, a few seconds of each rider), and took some photos.

I quite enjoyed experiencing the Opening Ceremony vicariously via Twitter whilst in a tent in Oxfordshire, and I'd be curious to get to watch the whole thing directly.

But there was a lot of bollox surrounding the whole thing.

Firstly, the whole London thing.  It was just hubris.  Should have been in Manchester.

The corporate ownership bollox.

The security paranoia bollox.

The ticketing fiasco.

The contracting disaster.

The transport muddle.

The bike bans on trains.

The promised boom for tourism failing completely to show, and the last hope for many businesses suffering after a wet summer, but now looking at three desperate, desolate weeks of lack of business.

The good time for burying bad news bollox.

And, the biggest bollox of them all, Boris Bloody Johnson.  A corrupt failure.  A friend of foreign magnates.  No friend of the poor of his own city.  And now, probably the next PM.

Bollox.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Keep believing Kirst, sometimes dreams do come true. I know where I'll place my bet though.

[Tail End Charlie]

Every sport, every generation, throws up an athlete who is exceptional. Just enjoy it for what it is.
Bolt, Federer, Tiger Woods, Armstrong are in this category.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Every sport, every generation, throws up an athlete who is exceptional. Just enjoy it for what it is.
Bolt, Federer, Tiger Woods, Armstrong are in this category.

I've bolded the ones who would have won doped or not. Do some homework on the rest and think again.

[ferret]

not exactly a cynic, I'm a natural pessimist, I thought it would all go tits up, but it didn't. I hate the burger company and all the other corporate bullshit and if I had been there any one who said have a nice day to me would have been told were to shove it, I hate that amercanism.
the sport was great although there are rumours some of the boxing was fixed, certainly the bloke who lost after knocking his opponent on his arse 6 times in the last round may have something to say     

[Julian]

Corking piece from Chris TT here on the difference between the opening and closing ceremonies.

[cuddy duck]

I was moved to a sympathetic snuffle by the sight of Hoy weeping on the podium at the realisation that avoiding tax on his enhanced bankability may be more problematic, having been outed once already.

[ferret]

next time round we will have to endure golf FFS, is that even a sport

[Manotea]

Is there any truth in the rumour that Macdonalds are suing Mo Farah for copyright infringement?

[LindaG]

Completely won over and bought into the whole thing after seeing the opening ceremony.  I saw bits of it on the pub telly at the start of the night ride, and was my usual sniping whingey bitchy self.  Then I sat through the whole thing and that was it  -  I was in. 

I miss it now it's over!