Olympics 2012

Dead_Darling

I live next door to Stratford in Leyton, and despite the likely disruption to local transport, I cannot wait for the Olympics to start. I have tickets to a few events and will get to go inside the stadium and the aquatic centre. I am also enjoying the general buzz surrounding Stratford, and love walking past the village and seeing all the different countries flags in the windows of the athlete's accomodation.

Most of my fellow Londoner's seem a bit bah humbug about the Olympics, but we are a miserable bunch generally :grumble:

I live in Walthamstow - so pretty much your next door neighbour my mum works on the doorstep of the stadium and she's going to avoid taking the bus to work, so in comes the daughter (me) - aka chauffeur - for the next few weeks lol

MrsSWW

Quite right! I'm from Northern Ireland and havent seen any benefits of it. This isn't the English Olympic Games, it's the British Olympic games and we will see no monetary benefit I'm sure. Also I'm disgusted that Stuart Pearce only chose English and Welsh players for the Olympic football team. It's supposed to be a British football team, not a young English and Welsh FA select. Absolutely insulting.

I'm from Northern Ireland too, but currently living in Manchester (see my post above). While you may not see financial benefits in Northern Ireland there are sometimes immeasurable gains to be made. I'm guessing that you're probably too young to know who Mary Peters is, but she brought happiness to so many people in the Province and returned with her medals despite having death threats made to her.

Embrace the fact that there are competitors from Northern ireland who WILL take part because they have earned their place, perhaps not in a sport that you usually enjoy or follow, and give them your support. No-one who takes part in the games has got there by luck, but rather through hard work, commitment and personal sacrifice, and the only insult would be if a GB team were selected solely by which side of the border you come from rather than skill.

Just my opinion.

BillyPinky

Quite right! I'm from Northern Ireland and havent seen any benefits of it. This isn't the English Olympic Games, it's the British Olympic games and we will see no monetary benefit I'm sure. Also I'm disgusted that Stuart Pearce only chose English and Welsh players for the Olympic football team. It's supposed to be a British football team, not a young English and Welsh FA select. Absolutely insulting.

I'm from Northern Ireland too, but currently living in Manchester (see my post above). While you may not see financial benefits in Northern Ireland there are sometimes immeasurable gains to be made. I'm guessing that you're probably too young to know who Mary Peters is, but she brought happiness to so many people in the Province and returned with her medals despite having death threats made to her.


Embrace the fact that there are competitors from Northern ireland who WILL take part because they have earned their place, perhaps not in a sport that you usually enjoy or follow, and give them your support. No-one who takes part in the games has got there by luck, but rather through hard work, commitment and personal sacrifice, and the only insult would be if a GB team were selected solely by which side of the border you come from rather than skill.




Just my opinion.

Well said

makemewannadie

Neither do I. If it's the "London" olympics then why are all the events not staged in London. It has to be on way or the other mate. It's either the "London" Olympics held in London or the "British" Olympics held in the UK. We're all meant to get behind the British teams, but how do they expect to build support for the British teams when all of the UK is not represented in the sports. He should at least for good measure have put a decent young Northern Irish and Scottish player in the squad even if he didn't play them to show his team spirit he goes on about. May the "British" football team fail in every aspect.

London isn't big enough to hold all of the events!

makemewannadie

i didn't say I didn't think it should be in the olympics, to be fair i don't care either way! but letting people do it who get paid to do it anyway is a joke! (as is synchronised swimming, yes!!)

proper swimming is one of the good sports though - a family friend of ours is in the GB team!

I actually meant to write football instead of basketball haha, I love playing basketball!
I would also probably love swimming if I knew how, that's awesome about your friend!

Smuterella

Neither do I. If it's the "London" olympics then why are all the events not staged in London. It has to be on way or the other mate. It's either the "London" Olympics held in London or the "British" Olympics held in the UK. We're all meant to get behind the British teams, but how do they expect to build support for the British teams when all of the UK is not represented in the sports. He should at least for good measure have put a decent young Northern Irish and Scottish player in the squad even if he didn't play them to show his team spirit he goes on about. May the "British" football team fail in every aspect.

London isn't big enough to hold all of the events!

Exactly.

Historically the Olympics have always been awarded to a city NOT a country and have been since the late 1800's when they began. Also, why pick team members who may not be as talented just to show "team spirit" - surely the aim is to pick the best people, regardless of nationaility, in order to give us the best chance of winning each event.

And frankly your "May the "British" football team fail in every aspect." is just petulant and childish.

myukniewicz

I ❤ THE OLYMPICS

I've been watching the men and woman soccer yesterday and today (I guess since it takes longer to get through all the teams they have to start early?) and i've been totally getting into it. Honduras and Morocco are on now on NBC.

The opening ceremonies are at 7:30

Nerple

Wake me up in 2 years for the Winter Olympics when there are actually interesting sports to watch.

melaniecheeks

The red arrows have just flown past my office in Belfast :bigsmile:

Bronx_Montgomery

I CAN NOT WAIT!!! I never watch any of those sports unless its the Olympics.

EmmaM2211

I feel the need to explain a little about my point about the Northerners not seeing any "benefits"

I realise the Olympics was awarded to London, my qualms with the whole thing is the amount of money being plowed into London and the South East while the North (specifically the North East) is crippled with everyone moving south because of redundancy and lack of jobs. My parents and myself have all moved from the area and are now 300miles from each other just because we had to find jobs somewhere. There are almost none of my family and school friends still living north of Birmingham.

I was agreeing with the post I quoted that the country is falling apart while all our money is being spent on showing how great London is...

Other than that I love the Olympics....I always watch them and will do again this year. :ohwell:

kirstyg1980

Neither do I. If it's the "London" olympics then why are all the events not staged in London. It has to be on way or the other mate. It's either the "London" Olympics held in London or the "British" Olympics held in the UK. We're all meant to get behind the British teams, but how do they expect to build support for the British teams when all of the UK is not represented in the sports. He should at least for good measure have put a decent young Northern Irish and Scottish player in the squad even if he didn't play them to show his team spirit he goes on about. May the "British" football team fail in every aspect.

London isn't big enough to hold all of the events!

Exactly.

Historically the Olympics have always been awarded to a city NOT a country and have been since the late 1800's when they began. Also, why pick team members who may not be as talented just to show "team spirit" - surely the aim is to pick the best people, regardless of nationaility, in order to give us the best chance of winning each event.

And frankly your "May the "British" football team fail in every aspect." is just petulant and childish.

I would assume that from his comments he may be living in Northern Ireland but would rather be in Southern Ireland - Same can be said for half the supposedly scottish people living in the west of Scotland

ym2011

Can't wait. Really excited which is a surprise to me. I was away for six months ocean racing and have come back with a new attitude about Britain. In Essex so, will be watching here but got tickets for the 11th of August. Wish l was still living in London. The atmosphere most be amazing. Oh! noticed a few Americans here. Guess it is cheaper but yet easy access into London. Enjoy people. Go Team GB!!!!!

martymum

I'm really excited about it!

I live in Manchester so we're having a very small part in hosting the football (games already played here and the opening cermony hasn't even happened, us Northerners are SO ahead of the game, lol! :laugh: )

I'm proud to be British and I'm proud of the fact we've had the opportunity to hold such a display, such diversity, so many amazing athletes and such fantastic facilities which OUR athletes will still be able to use in years to come.

I can't WAIT to see what Danny Boyle does for the opening ceremony, I'm hoping for an all out Bonkers British Bonanza that shows off our creativity and some of the many wonders of our tiny islands!!

Rule Britannia and God Save The Queen!!

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

Here here Shaz

lets get our bells out hun

martyxx

AnnaPixie

I live 10 mins from the Olympic Park and I'm VERY proud and excited to be in the throng of mayhem for the next 3 weeks!! :laugh:

I can't believe how miserable people are about a bit of disruption. To host the Olympic games is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME opportunity. Why can't we just embrace it and be a part of it??

Northern Ireland, I love you and your accents (phwaoorr!), but you just dont have any good footballers! Team spirit is not what the games are about. It's not playtime or schoolyard picking of sides. It's a showcase for the BEST athletes in the world!! I'm sure NI will be represented in another sport, and lets face it, you have the best golfer so............stop whinging, please! :flowerforyou:

Anyway, I'm off to an olympic party tonight to celebrate the fact that we are still able to celebrate in these poor economic times!! Yes, we have entered another recession and who knows what the fallout will be in the future. Northern England, you have no idea how hard it is here. None whatsoever! But lets not turn this into a another North/South debate, cos that's really not the spirit of the games.

London may be the host city, but our representatives are TEAM GB!!! For once, will you stop with this country/region divide nonsense and celebrate TOGETHER as the TEAM of GREAT BRITAIN!!

Let the games begin!!! :bigsmile:

Treadmillmom1st

Ahmen AnnaPixie!

lrobson555

I'm really excited about it!

I live in Manchester so we're having a very small part in hosting the football (games already played here and the opening cermony hasn't even happened, us Northerners are SO ahead of the game, lol! :laugh: )

I'm proud to be British and I'm proud of the fact we've had the opportunity to hold such a display, such diversity, so many amazing athletes and such fantastic facilities which OUR athletes will still be able to use in years to come.

I can't WAIT to see what Danny Boyle does for the opening ceremony, I'm hoping for an all out Bonkers British Bonanza that shows off our creativity and some of the many wonders of our tiny islands!!

Rule Britannia and God Save The Queen!!

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

I could not agree with you more! I live in London, and can put up with every minute of disruption for the honour of holding such an old and prestigious event.

I cannot wait for tonight! I have Pimms at the ready

clur85

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of fit men in tight fitting lycra shorts. There, I said it. My name is Claire and I am an athlete perve.

Kashton2011

It's a few weeks that is never going to happen in your lifetime again... enjoy it and at least you will have a few stories to tell younger family members

Personally I think its great, will be seeing one of the quater final football games in Newcaslte so I can say I was part of it!

Get behind Team GB

nessagrace22

I live 10 mins from the Olympic Park and I'm VERY proud and excited to be in the throng of mayhem for the next 3 weeks!! :laugh:

I can't believe how miserable people are about a bit of disruption. To host the Olympic games is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME opportunity. Why can't we just embrace it and be a part of it??

Northern Ireland, I love you and your accents (phwaoorr!), but you just dont have any good footballers! Team spirit is not what the games are about. It's not playtime or schoolyard picking of sides. It's a showcase for the BEST athletes in the world!! I'm sure NI will be represented in another sport, and lets face it, you have the best golfer so............stop whinging, please! :flowerforyou:

Anyway, I'm off to an olympic party tonight to celebrate the fact that we are still able to celebrate in these poor economic times!! Yes, we have entered another recession and who knows what the fallout will be in the future. Northern England, you have no idea how hard it is here. None whatsoever! But lets not turn this into a another North/South debate, cos that's really not the spirit of the games.

London may be the host city, but our representatives are TEAM GB!!! For once, will you stop with this country/region divide nonsense and celebrate TOGETHER as the TEAM of GREAT BRITAIN!!

Let the games begin!!! :bigsmile:

True, true, true. Why do people have to make eveything political. At the end of the day HATERS GON' HATE and there's always someone ready to turn an amazing event into a racial/cultural/sexist argument. Take a chill pill people.

Bring on the fun