Blacksheep Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I am not being jingoistic. Or anti-Australian. Here are some observations from two reporters from Australia, our friendliest rivals who games in Sydney 2000 are considered by many the greatest games of the modern era; "It is one thing for the British to thrash Australia in the medals table of the London Olympics. But now the Games are over, it is just as clear they have knocked Sydney off its pedestal as the best host of a modern Olympic Games. As awful as it is to admit, London 2012 was bigger, slicker, almost as friendly and more thoughtfully planned than Sydney in terms of the legacy it will leave the host city... It is, I'm afraid to say, bronze for Barcelona, silver for Sydney, and gold for London." Peter Wilson, The Australian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/london-games/british-take-gold-as-best-olympics-games-hosts/story-e6frgdg6-1226448817536 "London, you didn't half do a decent job. These Olympics had Sydney's vibrancy, Athens's panache, Beijing's efficiency, and added British know-how and drollery. With apologies to Sydney, they might just represent a new PB for the Olympics. The Games were preceded by the usual fatalistic anticipation of a cock-up. It proved groundless. Moving masses of people around a mazy city was expected to be a nightmare but London made it look effortless. Security was plentiful but low key. The army, called in to meet a shortfall, proved to be Britain's finest ambassadors." Greg Baum, the Age http://www.theage.com.au/olympics/news-london-2012/the-verdict-its-been-a-right-bangup-job -20120812-242we.html The rest of the world are not too far away in their praise either; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9471860/London-2012-wins-gold-medal-for-best-Olympics-ever.html Do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympic Fan Darcy Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Nope. Congrats on finding 2 aussie articles however nearly everyone i've spoken to hear weren't a fan. Found the ceremonies confusing and boring. Yes they did amazing on medal table but that really doesn't factor in imo. I have a bit of a bias because Sydney is in my home country like you have the bias of them being a home games.... and the fact you hate Australia. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/olympics-2012/other-news/london-2012-olympics-australias-foreign-minister-says-sydneys-games-were-better-3199853.html Well Jacque Roggue said they were a happy and glorious games, be happy with that Oops forgot to say though it was enjoyable i'd have to rank it 1: Sydney 2: Beijing 3: Barcelona tied with London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 This has already been discussed in other threads. It's all personal preference, as we have seen from all the members on this board! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksheep Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Nope. Congrats on finding 2 aussie articles however nearly everyone i've spoken to hear weren't a fan. Found the ceremonies confusing and boring. Yes they did amazing on medal table but that really doesn't factor in imo. I have a bit of a bias because Sydney is in my home country like you have the bias of them being a home games.... and the fact you hate Australia. http://www.independe...er-3199853.html Well Jacque Roggue said they were a happy and glorious games, be happy with that Oops forgot to say though it was enjoyable i'd have to rank it 1: Sydney 2: Beijing 3: Barcelona tied with London Typically inaccurate Where in the article, did I say that 'I thought' London was the best games? - Take a look, maybe learn to read. And why the link to an Irish newspaper providing the opinion of an Australian government minister who a) is the foreign minister with nothing to do with sport who job it is to promote Australia, not offer an impartial opinion and who was the Premier of NSW during Sydney 2000. Unbiased opinion there eh? Also take a look at the specific articles, and the polls they include, the majority of votes that will have been cast by Australians Idiot. p.s. The Aussie FM said ""The title of the best games will never be taken from Sydney." .... and he is supposed to represent a considered opinion? I am not anti-Australian, I just have no respect for you. There's a difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympic Fan Darcy Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I do recall seeing something like Australia shouldn't bid for 2036 instead use there money to better train there athletes or something. Feelings are mutual, absolutely no respect for you. But that's besides the point. They were a good games but Sydney is the best. Just a sidenote, firstly i obviously know how to read if i'm replying, the title of the thread is misleading it does nto saying Best games ever beating sydney Says public. But still my fault for reading it wrong. Plus you need to learn how to argue without resorting to name calling, idiot? i mean seriously? hold up an argument. No i know we are biased but you grabbing 2 articles from 2 or however many Australias saying the games are better does not prove your point. No you were not saying that but you were insinuating it. Well me and you have a new found rivalry so don't think either of us can argue about this. I'm going to prefer Sydney, you prefer London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyelBrazil Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 IMHO Beijing and London tied in an overall... If I get ceremony and venues alone: Beijing. London was more spetacular in terms of atmosphere and charming, but Beijing was stunning. Sorry, that's is what I feel. And worse, I think Rio venues will not surpass Beijing too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksheep Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I do recall seeing something like Australia shouldn't bid for 2036 instead use there money to better train there athletes or something. Feelings are mutual, absolutely no respect for you. But that's besides the point. They were a good games but Sydney is the best. Just a sidenote, firstly i obviously know how to read if i'm replying, the title of the thread is misleading it does nto saying Best games ever beating sydney Says public. But still my fault for reading it wrong. Plus you need to learn how to argue without resorting to name calling, idiot? i mean seriously? hold up an argument. No i know we are biased but you grabbing 2 articles from 2 or however many Australias saying the games are better does not prove your point. No you were not saying that but you were insinuating it. Well me and you have a new found rivalry so don't think either of us can argue about this. I'm going to prefer Sydney, you prefer London. Where does the titles say 'Best games ever beating Sydney says public' You have just made the second part of that comment up which is why you've got no respect. I have to call you idiot because you make up comments that other posters never said or made. I never claimed to prefer London ... and say where I have put that in this article ... that is a comment you've invented. I took time to look at the articles written and provided the links so that contributors could do so as well. If you look at the polls on the Australian and the Age, the number of respondees there say that they thought it was the best games ever. In fact in the Independent.ie link you provided it says that London places highest amongst Australians asked at 38% - curious how you failed to mention that? As for the 2036 comment clearly you have no sense of humour. The suggestion that Canada 2026 should be the next world cup was met with comments not until we put together a team that will not embarass us. As a nation of 23million, I cannot see how Australia deserves to hold a 3rd games in their 3rd city when other countries like Spain, South Africa, Turkey etc have yet to host one games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympic Fan Darcy Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 No you didn't have to say idiot, unnecessary. Yes London was 2nd best. But Sydney first. I didn't mean to invent it i meant to say i prefer Sydney like you most probably would prefer London. I said it does NOT say London 2012: Best games ever says public. It mislead because i thought you said you thought it was best games ever. Got confused anyway i'm just going to leave this thread cause i am helping absolutely noone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingbrogues Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I know it's a touch patronising to ask people to be a bit nicer to each other, but seriously ... there's enough elsewhere in life to get angry about. I think all this 'best olympics ever' stuff is redundant. I'm glad Dr Rogge doesn't encourage it. If I think a particular Olympics is the best, then it is, at least to me, and since it's an impressionistic truth claim, rather an empirical one, no-one can prove me wrong. No point getting over-heated if other people disagree, it will seldom change the validity of their opinion and people are often at their ugliest when their attempts at persuasion backfire. If someone's reasons for disagreement make me rethink about my own position, good. If I can self reflect I'm less likely to become a psychopath, so that's a bonus. If I thought London were the best, brill, no-one died for my opinion, (unless I routinely gun people down who disagree with me). Equally with Sydney, Beijing or Athens and all the rest. If the memory of any one of them gives me the most joy, then I can be happy. Personally, Barcelona was my summer olympics of first memory, and will always be special because of that. If people want to use measuring sticks like legacy, spectator enthusiasm, forced evictions, boycotts, hack journalist evaluations, again, no problem with that. But each one of those measures will probably give different answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Curious BS thinks our reaction warrants a thread of its own, but flattering and gratifying he values Australian opinion and regard above all others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juso Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Well said, dancingbrogues... This is all very lame..... Sydney was great, and ironically London was great at least in a small part because of sydney being great and the rest of the olympics after it and passing that on through knowledge transfer and consultants to locog. Sydney was great because it learnt from LA/Barcelona and the mistakes and successes of montreal and atlanta. Arguably, what really changed in Sydney was the IOC and in particular Jacque Rogges more hand on involvement in creating with SOCOG a workable model for the olympics in sydney and then adapting, refining and building on that model ever since. Knowledge transfer existed before and cannot be ignored but the process seemed to progress leaps and bounds during and after sydney 2000..... Every olympics is great. especially since 2000, we've really had nothing to complain about operationally in any games comparative to previous decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksheep Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Curious BS thinks our reaction warrants a thread of its own, but flattering and gratifying he values Australian opinion and regard above all others. No, its just that Australians are so boastful, its nice to know the old country got it so right and if you'd use just a little thought, the reason the opinions of Australians were regarded highly because Sydney (in Australia) was previously considered the one to beat. If it had been Beijing, it would have been the opinions of the Chinese If Athens, the thoughts of the Greeks If Atlanta, the thoughts of the Americans How typically arrogant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hektor Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 For me London 2012 was to the Summer Games what Lillehammer 1994 has been to the Winter Games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I will take the liberty of re-posting what I wrote in the 'Your Verdict on the London Games' thread on 12 August: Each Olympic Games is unique and special to the host city which produced it. Of course, we all have our personal favourites but no-one can say objectively that this Games was greater than that Games or which of these Games was the 'greatest ever' whatever the heck that's supposed to mean. I really dislike these p***ing contests. They are so unnecessary and childish! IMHO, Sydney staged the greatest Olympics of 2000, Athens staged the greatest Olympics of 2004, Beijing staged the greatest Olympics of 2008 and London staged the greatest Olympics of 2012. I have no doubt Rio de Janeiro will stage the greatest Olympics of 2016! Just enjoy each Olympics as it comes along and try and appreciate the uniqueness and special character of each one. That's my take on all this. I will just add that I do wish we could move on from this 'Whose Olympics were better, your's or mine?' nonsense. Everybody will have a particularly soft spot for their home Games and everyone will have their personal preferences. That doesn't mean we have to dislike or try to put down all the other equally great versions, does it?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 well, they are the most recent... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 As an American, I have no trouble at all saying London surpassed Atlanta. I do have trouble with this thread. London's Games were a success. Heartfelt congratulations. I have been pulling for London since the beginning of the 2012 campaign. However, this thread perfectly embodies the point I was making in another thread. While pretending to be immune to criticism and saying they couldn't care less about the world's opinion, there have been times when the Brits have seemed desperate for affirmation. In this case, it's just Sheep, but there have been moments all the way through these Games where the Brits seemed more focused on themselves than anything else. In that sense, London was similar to Beijing. For me, it was a weakness for both. Barcelona, Sydney, Athens -- all staged more self-forgetful Games. Certainly there was nationalistic pride, but -- in my opinion -- the focus was much more on welcoming others. London certainly talked about that, but the attention was on "How are we doing? How do we look? Does everybody think we're doing a great job? We don't care what others think! We're the best!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 well, they are the most recent... Lol...now that's something we can ALL agree on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Lol...now that's something we can ALL agree on! Indeed. That was a great post of yours in the other thread, Mainad. Summed up the idea well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Do you never tire of repeating yourself Athensfan. I actually believe you to be slightly crazy, you must be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markun Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 In that sense, London was similar to Beijing. For me, it was a weakness for both. Barcelona, Sydney, Athens -- all staged more self-forgetful Games. Certainly there was nationalistic pride, but -- in my opinion -- the focus was much more on welcoming others. London certainly talked about that, but the attention was on "How are we doing? How do we look? Does everybody think we're doing a great job? We don't care what others think! We're the best!" Totally disagree, the IOC were amazed at the level of support offered to non-British supporters, the cheers in the non ticketed events like marathon and walking were enormous for every single athlete. Have you ever heard a bunch of British guys shouting 'come on Liechtenstein!' and 'We love you Guatemala?' Because that's what I heard! The knowlegeable, passionate and supportive - regardless of nationality - crowds is one reason why parallels have been drawn with Lillehammer. People - and volunteers - went out of their way to welcome other nationalities and I heard lots of people chatting on the tube and in the streets to people from different countries, offering help and support or just saying 'good on you' and 'welcome to London'. This even extended to staff in shops and restaurants - and I assure you, we don't have an American culture of customer service here, that level of interaction is quite unusual. And I should add that one day I wore Canada Olympic gear as they were in the beach volleyball and I was supporting them (no Team GB in that round) and people were utterly lovely to me, of course they didn't know I was from here and everyone was so nice. It was a great feeling to see the Olympics from both sides. Of course, these are things you can't experience from tv, you would only know that if you had been there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Do you never tire of repeating yourself Athensfan. I actually believe you to be slightly crazy, you must be. Blacksheep's thread highlights my point. It made sense to connect the two. Similar ideas cross threads with frequency (note Baron's quoting of Mainad). Feel free to stop reading any time, Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 i actually believe a lot of people on these boards are slightly crazy. you'd have to be if you think london was any better than sydney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afiqnadzir Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 beijing games is the best so far follow by sydney,london ,athens...and again..it just my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 beijing games is the best so far follow by sydney,london ,athens...and again..it just my opinion That's fine. Never be afraid to offer your opinion even if others may disagree with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksheep Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 As an American, I have no trouble at all saying London surpassed Atlanta. I do have trouble with this thread. London's Games were a success. Heartfelt congratulations. I have been pulling for London since the beginning of the 2012 campaign. However, this thread perfectly embodies the point I was making in another thread. While pretending to be immune to criticism and saying they couldn't care less about the world's opinion, there have been times when the Brits have seemed desperate for affirmation. In this case, it's just Sheep, but there have been moments all the way through these Games where the Brits seemed more focused on themselves than anything else. In that sense, London was similar to Beijing. For me, it was a weakness for both. Barcelona, Sydney, Athens -- all staged more self-forgetful Games. Certainly there was nationalistic pride, but -- in my opinion -- the focus was much more on welcoming others. London certainly talked about that, but the attention was on "How are we doing? How do we look? Does everybody think we're doing a great job? We don't care what others think! We're the best!" You seemed to miss the entire point of the article. I shall try not to use big words which clearly are confusing you. The article is about what overseas journalists are saying on reflection, and if you click through the links, look at the local polls, read the comments, this is shown by the readership. We already know we've held a fantastic games. The rest of world's opinions is really rather irrelevant but it is always nice to hear when others - including those with a predisposition to be anti-British - share this. If they said they hated it, we couldn't care less. The suggestion the British were desperate for affirmation is pathetic. Similarily the ludicrous notion that Britain was focusing on itself. Utter tripe. Personally I will be very disappointed if Rio 2016 doesn't focus on the best of Brazil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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