Tokyo 2020 News - General

[MisterSG1]

44 minutes ago, StefanMUC said:

I think it’s time to crawl back under the rock where you came from.

There’s racism, disrespect for mental health issues, a touch of conspiracy theories, using victims of a pandemic for your own argumentation…quite the Trumpian approach in that message if you ask me.

What did I say that was racist?

And I also didn’t deny the virus existing. All I said was explaining what happened, the government forced business to close, yes that’s a fact around the world. Secondly, political leaders along with health experts did not lose a single cent of their salary. 
 

it’s incredibly rich when Osaka wants to run her mouth about mental health issues when real mental health catastrophes are still going on due to covid lockdowns forcing the inability to work. There we have Osaka who gets paid millions swinging a racquet, while real people working essential jobs, that is emergency services, hospitals, truckers/transportation logistics, engineers all do meaningful stressful work to keep our society going in these tough times.

[AustralianFan]

20 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

What did I say that was racist?

And I also didn’t deny the virus existing. All I said was explaining what happened, the government forced business to close, yes that’s a fact around the world. Secondly, political leaders along with health experts did not lose a single cent of their salary. 
 

it’s incredibly rich when Osaka wants to run her mouth about mental health issues when real mental health catastrophes are still going on due to covid lockdowns forcing the inability to work. There we have Osaka who gets paid millions swinging a racquet, while real people working essential jobs, that is emergency services, hospitals, truckers/transportation logistics, engineers all do meaningful stressful work to keep our society going in these tough times.

You’re now loud and obnoxious mate.  I agree, you should crawl back from under the rock you came from because your disgusting racist and mental illness denialist opinions are not welcome here.

Whatever made you think they would be?

You’re making a damn fool of yourself.

[MisterSG1]

Again I’m asking, what did I say that was racist.

[AustralianFan]

59 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

Again I’m asking, what did I say that was racist.

That, right there, you cannot even see it.  

[TorchbearerSydney]

I just found the ignore/ block feature...now i don't have to read posts from a very rude, ubiquitous poster...

 

[AustralianFan]

7 minutes ago, TorchbearerSydney said:

I just found the ignore/ block feature...now i don't have to read posts from a very rude, ubiquitous poster...

 

Excellent idea, I might use that feature too 

[MisterSG1]

I’m not downplaying mental illness, but there’s millions of us peasants who have mental illness and actually do a strong part for keeping our society running. We simply grin and bear it. We don’t have mountain of cash to sleep on like she does and not showing up for work for “depression” will send us out to the streets.

You guys probably think LeBron is an oppressed athlete. He is clearly stupid and all what his contribution to society is, is simply shooting a basketball through a hoop.

[Palette86]

On 7/27/2021 at 7:32 PM, MisterSG1 said:

What is the general mood over there, are people mostly angry about the games happening? Or are they “indifferent” about the whole thing?

interestingly, media around here in Canada and the US have ignored Japan’s covid stride ands instead focused all energy on games and medal performance.

The media here would have you have your believe that the covid situation is over in Japan.

Far from the festive mood, it's surprisingly quiet.

[Quaker2001]

On 7/28/2021 at 3:48 AM, GoNutz said:

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/nbcuniversal-tokyo-olympics-make-goods-advertising-1235028563/

NBC will definitely be winning the week, but they're not living up to previous expectations. When you have to negotiate make-goods you know someone somewhere effed up. Looking past the bad time zone, I wonder if this is an indication that NBCU's Comcast driven cable prioritization plans have finally come to the end of the road. There aren't enough OTA/cable/satellite viewers to keep them breaking records. I'm curious how this will affect NBC's future strategy. 

There's a dozen reasons for the drop in ratings, but you have to remember we're still in the middle of a pandemic, so that's not helping the cause.  We need to see an Olympics NOT held in a pandemic before we get a better sense, although TV viewership habits continue to change, so that will work against NBC moving forward.  No one at the network F'ed up.  They got slammed by a bunch of different circumstances that are out of their control for an Olympics that much of the world simply didn't get hyped up for like they normally do.  And that's obviously a crying shame, because Tokyo and Japan deserve much better

[Quaker2001]

2 hours ago, MisterSG1 said:

I’m not downplaying mental illness, but there’s millions of us peasants who have mental illness and actually do a strong part for keeping our society running. We simply grin and bear it. We don’t have mountain of cash to sleep on like she does and not showing up for work for “depression” will send us out to the streets.

You guys probably think LeBron is an oppressed athlete. He is clearly stupid and all what his contribution to society is, is simply shooting a basketball through a hoop.

I think we can file this one under "things someone who is racist but doesn't realize he is racist would say."  Thank you for demonstrating the point yet again.  You sure you can't see the bigotry in this post?  Pretty clear from where the rest of us are sitting.

[krow]

i have to say, invalidating and dismissing two people's mental health struggles while arguing that mental heath is dismissed by society in general is a bold strategy. 

[JMarkSnow2012]

12 hours ago, MisterSG1 said:

I’m not downplaying mental illness, but there’s millions of us peasants who have mental illness and actually do a strong part for keeping our society running

Must be an interesting situation though, having a job which is all about being the best of 7,900,000,000 people at what you do, and being a has-been if you aren't the best of 7,900,000,000 people.

[Anthony]

It's time to look for a new job if taking some time off to take care of yourself will send you in the streets. Don't get mad at others who are struggling.

[MisterSG1]

1 hour ago, JMarkSnow2012 said:

Must be an interesting situation though, having a job which is all about being the best of 7,900,000,000 people at what you do, and being a has-been if you aren't the best of 7,900,000,000 people.

Huh?

Tell me exactly how swinging a racquet or shooting a ball into a hoop is necessary to our society.

Unlike the roles of doctors, nurses, engineers, and not to downplay the doing jobs like trucking and construction. 
 

Forgive me for having absolutely no sympathy for spoiled athletes, I’m sure there’s a huge amount who agree with me. Look at how Big 4 sports ratings are falling into the toilet.

[AustralianFan]

1 hour ago, MisterSG1 said:

Huh?

Tell me exactly how swinging a racquet or shooting a ball into a hoop is necessary to our society.

Unlike the roles of doctors, nurses, engineers, and not to downplay the doing jobs like trucking and construction. 
 

Forgive me for having absolutely no sympathy for spoiled athletes, I’m sure there’s a huge amount who agree with me. Look at how Big 4 sports ratings are falling into the toilet.

Take megaphone somewhere else mate.   It’s not wanted.

Stop projecting this phantom silent majority crap.

You’re very much in the minority here.

No-one wants to read your twisted bitter negative theories.

This is the Tokyo 2020 - General News Forum.   

Unless you have something positive and constructive to say about Tokyo 2020 - General News, I suggest you move on.

… and don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

[Sir Rols]

3 hours ago, MisterSG1 said:

Huh?

Tell me exactly how swinging a racquet or shooting a ball into a hoop is necessary to our society.

Unlike the roles of doctors, nurses, engineers, and not to downplay the doing jobs like trucking and construction. 
 

Forgive me for having absolutely no sympathy for spoiled athletes, I’m sure there’s a huge amount who agree with me. Look at how Big 4 sports ratings are falling into the toilet.

Necessary? Maybe not, but then again there’s a good argument to be made that entertainment, diversion, inspiration, pride and such are also vital to our holistic well-being. It’s intangible, but not trivial.

Are elite athletes over-valued? Their material wealth and market value is only as much as we, the great masses, the working people, allow them to be. Their worth to their clubs, their teams and their sponsors comes down directly to how many kids want to put their posters on their walls; how many shift workers want to wind down by switching on their TVs to watch them; how many wage earners want to spend part of their earnings on tickets to see them in action on the field, pitch or arena; how many fans will click an internet link to read about them or like an instagram post; how many consumers want to buy the same sports shoes, watches, fragrances etc that their idols use. In other words, WE ultimately pay their wages and determine their worth, and for every cent they make they’re also propping up industries employing millions of people whose livelihoods depend on people striving to be “the best” and by doing so engaging with the the great masses. The market decides their worth, and we - everyone from essential workers and struggling casual shift employees to investment traders and the comfortable middle classes - are the market.

Finally, mental health is NOT contingent on material wealth or lack there of. And while elite athletes may well reap rewards out of most people’s imaginings, they also face unique pressures that WE place on them and which are beyond most people’s comprehension. 

Postscript - just as I posted this, myself and my partner - a frontline nurse working at the coalface of the pandemic - were up and cheering with joy to see an Australian just win a gold medal in the swimming pool. What’s the worth of raising the spirits and putting a smile on an essential workers face?

Edited July 31, 2021 by Sir Rols

[MisterSG1]

1 hour ago, Sir Rols said:

Necessary? Maybe not, but then again there’s a good argument to be made that entertainment, diversion, inspiration, pride and such are also vital to our holistic well-being. It’s intangible, but not trivial.

Are elite athletes over-valued? Their material wealth and market value is only as much as we, the great masses, the working people, allow them to be. Their worth to their clubs, their teams and their sponsors comes down directly to how many kids want to put their posters on their walls; how many shift workers want to wind down by switching on their TVs to watch them; how many wage earners want to spend part of their earnings on tickets to see them in action on the field, pitch or arena; how many fans will click an internet link to read about them or like an instagram post; how many consumers want to buy the same sports shoes, watches, fragrances etc that their idols use. In other words, WE ultimately pay their wages and determine their worth, and for every cent they make they’re also propping up industries employing millions of people whose livelihoods depend on people striving to be “the best” and by doing so engaging with the the great masses. The market decides their worth, and we - everyone from essential workers and struggling casual shift employees to investment traders and the comfortable middle classes - are the market.

Finally, mental health is NOT contingent on material wealth or lack there of. And while elite athletes may well reap rewards out of most people’s imaginings, they also face unique pressures that WE place on them and which are beyond most people’s comprehension. 

Postscript - just as I posted this, myself and my partner - a frontline nurse working at the coalface of the pandemic - were up and cheering with joy to see an Australian just win a gold medal in the swimming pool. What’s the worth of raising the spirits and putting a smile on an essential workers face?

I don’t fall into the nationalism trap myself, I watched Olympics moreso for the competition. The online streams that CBC provides show a neutral approach to the direct OBS broadcasts. As in we actually see every medal ceremony in its entirety and not what CBC wants us to see. (as in only hearing a national anthem if it’s O Canada)

Just like earlier this evening there was a nice competitive race in the Relay Triathlon. The Canadians finished in 15th but I more or less wanted to see a good event.

 

As for pro sports, fans pay the salaries but it seems like the players and owners forget that. We go through this all the time when these leagues have their incredibly selfish strikes/lockouts and when the stoppage ends, the fans simply re-enter the arenas and stadiums like lemmings, ready to spend their money. If people had brains and actually stopped watching, these out of reality athletes would realize who ultimately pays their salary. The real losers to work stoppages in sports are restaurants and bars who show the games, but again no one cares about them.

Lets change things around, would you feel sorry for billionaires having mental health issues, heck no, I’d be gladly happy if that were the case.

[Sir Rols]

7 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

Lets change things around, would you feel sorry for billionaires having mental health issues, heck no, I’d be gladly happy if that were the case.

So, to you, compassion is contingent upon material wealth. Indeed, you feel the right to take joy, be “gladly happy” if someone materially better off than you were suffering from mental demons. That’s pretty twisted.

How about considering that such a case would show that wealth is no shield against mental illness, that rather mental health is a great leveller that can afflict both rich and poor.

20 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

I don’t fall into the nationalism trap myself, I watched Olympics moreso for the competition. The online streams that CBC provides show a neutral approach to the direct OBS broadcasts. As in we actually see every medal ceremony in its entirety and not what CBC wants us to see. (as in only hearing a national anthem if it’s O Canada)

Who said fandom is contingent upon nationalism? You don’t have to be Portuguese to have a Christian Ronaldo poster on your wall, plenty of Australians admire Michael Phelps, Simone Biles has inevitably inspired young gymnasts outside the US, and Naomi Osaka has no lack of tennis fans outside Japan. Indeed, it’s the fact that their popularity transcends national boundaries that make them such valuable commodities.

28 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

As for pro sports, fans pay the salaries but it seems like the players and owners forget that. We go through this all the time when these leagues have their incredibly selfish strikes/lockouts and when the stoppage ends, the fans simply re-enter the arenas and stadiums like lemmings, ready to spend their money. If people had brains and actually stopped watching, these out of reality athletes would realize who ultimately pays their salary. The real losers to work stoppages in sports are restaurants and bars who show the games, but again no one cares about them.

Yet people DO continue to follow sports. To them they feel they get value spending money to watch or support their teams.  You yourself have mentioned your support for various teams. 

[AustralianFan]

From ‘Lay-down Sally’ to Biles: how our views of athletes’ mental health have changed
 

The Age - click here to read the article - July 31, 2021

[MisterSG1]

33 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

From ‘Lay-down Sally’ to Biles: how our views of athletes’ mental health have changed
 

The Age - click here to read the article - July 31, 2021

Let us remember that Simone probably quit because her team and herself would not be hearing The Star Spangled Banner in that arena:

She may have been going through a rough patch but whatever happened to the old saying which is true about life “winners never quit and quitters never win”

Instead in Orwellian fashion, the media is praising the exact opposite effect. You know as in “war is peace” and “ignorance is strength”. I guess then that “quitting is bravery”.

Many runners in say a track race know that they made a crucial mistake that will not allow them to win. As in missing a hurdle and taking a tumble, but in nearly all cases, they get back up and finish the race and audiences appreciate that.

Instead, Simone quitting is reminiscent of how Michael Johnson quit in that infamous 150m race at Toronto’s Skydome when he knew he couldn’t beat Donovan Bailey.

 

As for you in Australia, where would society be if quitting was deemed acceptable. I’m sure the veterans you acknowledge on ANZAC Day went through a heck of a lot worse, and they never ever quit. They kept going, and god knows what could have happened if they simply surrendered because they were having “demons”. I’m sure those that did die in the many wars would be spinning in their graves about this attitude.

[MisterSG1]

1 hour ago, Sir Rols said:

So, to you, compassion is contingent upon material wealth. Indeed, you feel the right to take joy, be “gladly happy” if someone materially better off than you were suffering from mental demons. That’s pretty twisted.

How about considering that such a case would show that wealth is no shield against mental illness, that rather mental health is a great leveller that can afflict both rich and poor.

Who said fandom is contingent upon nationalism? You don’t have to be Portuguese to have a Christian Ronaldo poster on your wall, plenty of Australians admire Michael Phelps, Simone Biles has inevitably inspired young gymnasts outside the US, and Naomi Osaka has no lack of tennis fans outside Japan. Indeed, it’s the fact that their popularity transcends national boundaries that make them such valuable commodities.

Yet people DO continue to follow sports. To them they feel they get value spending money to watch or support their teams.  You yourself have mentioned your support for various teams. 

Olympic fandom is usually tied to nationalism, unless you are an absolute superstar in the sport like the examples you mentioned.

For example, how many general people who aren’t big followers of swimming or the Olympics outside Australia will remember who Ariarne Titmus is?

 

As for pro sports, I said I was a season ticket holder of the Toronto Rock, in that league, since the sport isn’t popular, all the players work regular jobs and thus nearly all games are on weekends. With the small amount of money made there, it’s actual about love of the game in that league.

[Sir Rols]

The Anzacs actually did quit and evacuate Gallipoli eventually. Indeed their withdrawal was a 100 per cent success, not a life lost. Desertions and mutinies by army groups also became a problem for the High Commands on both sides by the final years of the war.

You’re being incredibly disingenuous bringing war into the discussion, but seeing you did - PTSD, or what they called shellshock then, wasn’t widely understood or recognised at the time. It inevitably contributed to an incredible high suicide rate in the 1920s among combatants from all sides in World War !. PTSD still contributes to veteran suicides today, but at least it is more recognised and actively treated by most nations.

Because something wasn’t acknowledged in the past doesn’t mean things were better in the “old days. I’m sure we could find many an athlete who cracked under pressure, with tragic end results, in those past years.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Sir Rols

[Sir Rols]

35 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

Olympic fandom is usually tied to nationalism, unless you are an absolute superstar in the sport like the examples you mentioned.

For example, how many general people who aren’t big followers of swimming or the Olympics outside Australia will remember who Ariarne Titmus is?

 

As for pro sports, I said I was a season ticket holder of the Toronto Rock, in that league, since the sport isn’t popular, all the players work regular jobs and thus nearly all games are on weekends. With the small amount of money made there, it’s actual about love of the game in that league.

Of course, people like to cheer on and see success by their national team. There likely also more familiar with sports more widely and competitively practiced in their country. But I think the Olympics have a broader appeal than just that. Take, for example, gymnastics in the summer games, or ice dancing in winter. Neither are sports where Australia are ever serious title contenders, yet both are among the higher rating sports watched here at any games, and given prime time screen time and rebroadcasts. Similar in athletics - people still relish watching Bolts in the 100m, or the Africans in the distance events. The odd breakthrough like Cathy Freeman or Sally Pearson are rare, and just the icing on the cake. 

Also, one of the delights of the Olympics is watching those sports that rarely get much airtime at other times. I love flicking through the feeds (we get the OBS broadcasts too) of the likes of skateboarding, fencing, BMX, archery etc.  

Edited July 31, 2021 by Sir Rols

[MisterSG1]

Ok, I shouldn’t have brought war into this. And you’re probably shocked I knew of the ANZACs. Well, in the Gallipoli Campaign, the Newfoundlanders were there as well. My ancestors are from Newfoundland, and well most Canadians aren’t even aware that Newfoundland was its own dominion from 1907-1949, it got dominion status the same date as New Zealand actually.

As for Newfoundland and the Olympics, they never had an Olympic committee or whatever it was called back then, and the Olympians which did exist back then competed for either Great Britain or USA, none to my knowledge competed for Canada. I do sometimes wonder what Newfoundland’s IOC code would have been.

 

But I’m going way on a tangent, in many ways the olympics, especially in team sports is kind of like war without casualties. The victor of an event has their national anthem played along with the flags raised.

So the Ice Dancing event in particular is very popular in Australia? Interesting, what about the basic solo performances or the pairs?

As for how nationalism plays into this, has the main broadcaster in Australia who has the rights shown a medal ceremony where there’s no Australian athlete on the podium? Better yet, have they shown a medal ceremony where an Australian athlete has won silver or bronze and actually shown the national anthem of the victor country? I know on CBC’s terrestrial feeds I haven’t seen either.

The OBS feeds which appear on CBC’s website have CBC’s logo on them, but the streams usually have (I think) commentators speaking with Australian and Irish accents. Some feeds have no commentary at all. Such as the rare Handball feed they gave us a few days ago. I’m hoping they’ll show Modern Pentathlon on the feeds as that was an interesting sport I witnessed live during the Pan American Games in 2015.

[Sir Rols]

24 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

So the Ice Dancing event in particular is very popular in Australia? Interesting, what about the basic solo performances or the pairs?

Yes, all the figure skating program.

24 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

has the main broadcaster in Australia who has the rights shown a medal ceremony where there’s no Australian athlete on the podium?

Not that I’m aware of in Tokyo yet, but yes in the past - Phelps, Bolt, Alexie Nemov, Canadian ice hockey at Vancouver - indeed a lot in the case of winter.

actually, edit about Tokyo - we did see the medal ceremony with the 13 year old Brazilian and Japanese girls in skateboarding.

24 minutes ago, MisterSG1 said:

Better yet, have they shown a medal ceremony where an Australian athlete has won silver or bronze and actually shown the national anthem of the victor country?

Yes, all of them

Edited July 31, 2021 by Sir Rols