The Olympics

[tipptruck1]

Yea I heard the 14 billion before the games started. Like every games I bet that it will be higher in a few weeks. What I find funny is that they build a new Olympic stadium among a few other sports only event buildings. I can understanding building a few new ones. But did they really have to build a new 100,000 seat stadium. There are at a lot of 50,000-100,000 soccer stadiums in London. They are not being used for about a month. Why can't they convert one for a few weeks?

[Bassn Blvd]

I'm just waiting for a wardrobe mishap with the girls gymnastics.

[BASSclary]

I'm just waiting for a wardrobe mishap with the girls gymnastics.

There's already been a nip-slip in swimming, LOL

[Fishing Rhino]

The acceptable word for such occurrences is malfunction, not mishap.

[Bassn Blvd]

They need to include pole dancing into the gymnastics.

[NoBassPro]

I was just reading some thing about empty seats at games. I guess they were all sold out. But a lot of places are having 3/4 empty events. From what I read London was giving away tickets to vips. We all know what that means. People that have more important things to do then watch the games. Some one was being brought in to figure out why they have empty seats. Well if you give almost all the tickets to vips. Then charge the general public hundred's of dollars for a ticket. You will have empty seats.

The same thing happened in Baseball here in the 90's. Baseball games use to be a nice cheap way to kill a few hours. You could buy cheap bleacher seats for 10 bucks. Some sodas and beer and snacks for less then 100 bucks for a family of 4. Now the same bleacher seats are 20 bucks or more. Beer is like 6 bucks for a little cup. And there are not longer 1 buck hotdogs.

Off subject slightly, but the closest thing to an olympic event I've been to is that 120m international ski jump competition they have in Iron Mountain. Its 20 bucks for the weekend, you can get right on the hill and watch - or even help mark landings last time I was there. Plus its an excuse to tailgate in February. Most years some of the jumpers will also be olympic athletes.

[tipptruck1]

Yea it was a little off. But it still kind of applys. I should have used motor racing as a better source. 4 day pass at Road America depending on the series. Is 80-120 bucks.

[jwhowells]

At its core the Olympics is, or maybe was, entirely about amateur competition. We have bought into the idea that it is about money and nationalism. I would rather we did not compete in any events than send professionals. I understand this is a naive notion, but what we have now is a corruption of the Olympic ideal that does not really honor sports or competition in my opinion.

From Olympic-Legacy.com:

An Amateur Ideal

The role of amateurism in the development and survival of the athletic ideal is inestimable. Despite the passion for athletic competitions in antiquity, very few records of achievements were kept—the moral reward was what made all the effort and pain worthwhile. A key element of this philosophy was the amateur nature of the various competitions—particularly the Olympic games, which were the embodiment of the athletic ideal. If athletes competed for money, the values and virtues of the athletic ideal are destroyed.

Did you see where any US Olympians that medal have to pay taxes on the medal and prize money that comes with it. Also they are forced to accept the prize money ($25,000 for gold) and pay taxes on it and give up their amateur status or refuse the prize money so they can still be NCAA eligible.

[tipptruck1]

Yea I saw that on a sim racing site. I do no know were he got it.

Quote:

LONDON – Allison Schmitt swam a sizzling final leg to lead the U.S. to a gold medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay Wednesday.

Congratulations, Allison. You now owe the IRS $26,679.

That’s what she gets for winning two golds, a silver and a bronze medal at the Olympics. It takes years of training and sacrifice to get to win one for your country, and this is how your country thanks you?

Doesn’t exactly make you proud to be an American.

With tax “fairness” a big election issue, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio sensed a political opening. Or maybe he’s just been overcome by the Olympic spirit. He introduced a bill Wednesday that would eliminate the tax American athletes must pay for their work in London.

“We can all agree that these Olympians who dedicate their lives to athletic excellence should not be punished when they achieve it,” Rubio said.

Even if he doesn’t agree, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner knows it’d be bad optics to meet the U.S. team plane at the airport and start handing out IRS bills.

This all came about after the Tax Reform Foundation released a simple study on the tax implications of Olympic success. The USOC awards athletes $25,000 for each gold medal, $15,000 for each silver and $10,000 for each bronze.

The value of the metal in the medal is also taxed. At current commodities prices, a gold is worth $675, a silver is worth $385 and a bronze less than $5.

At the top income rate of 35 percent, that means a gold medalist will owe Uncle Same $8,896. Each silver means a $5,385 bill, and each bronze is $3,502.

Yikes, I don’t even want to think about what Phelps has had to pay over the years. Whatever the figure, Occupy Wall Street protesters would say it’s not even a fair share. They never swam 50 miles a week to get to the top of the medal stand.

Other countries have more confiscatory taxes, but the report notes that most medal winners will not be pinched. The U.S. is one of the few countries that taxes “worldwide” income earned overseas.

“Our tax code is a complicated and burdensome mess that too often punishes success,” Rubio said. “And the tax imposed on Olympic medal winners is a classic example of this madness.”

It’s hard to say what the Senate vote would be on Rubio’s bill. You can be fairly sure the U.S. Olympic athletes would unanimously pass the tax breaks.

After all they’ve done, it seems only fair.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

So my wife asked me why I was watching womens water polo today. I was explaining that it was like soccer only faster paced. I had just got that sentence out of my mouth when,the tv went to an under water shot and showed a boob pop out of a bathing suit. My wife laughed her butt off. Now she is watching it with me.

[tipptruck1]

So my wife asked me why I was watching womens water polo today. I was explaining that it was like soccer only faster paced. I had just got that sentence out of my mouth when,the tv went to an under water shot and showed a boob pop out of a bathing suit. My wife laughed her butt off. Now she is watching it with me.

I do not know if I should laugh, or drive 1000 miles to shake your wife's hand.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I do not know if I should laugh, or drive 1000 miles to shake your wife's hand.

If you did both you could watch em with us.

[tipptruck1]

I will pass on the whole watching the games thing. I just find it funny that your wife is that cool. Most woman I know would have smacked me. Then stormed off saying I was watching a adult movie.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I will pass on the whole watching the games thing. I just find it funny that your wife is that cool. Most woman I know would have smacked me. Then stormed off saying I was watching a adult movie.

Moat other women I know would have gotten stirred up over it. My wife is real laid back on most things. Heck she sat there commentating on the match with me. I'm just happy she shares my sense of humor, and most of my likes. Heavens knows most no one else would put up with me.

[Jim_M]

I do stuff. No time to watch stuff.

[Bassn Blvd]

You know what really ticked me off tonight? I was watching track and field when the Dominican guy took gold. Get this, he was born in New York and raised in some other state, but runs for the DM. That really P'd me off.

[tipptruck1]

Its some like the duel citizenship rule. As long as one parent was born in the country he or she wants to represent. He or see can.

[Bassn Blvd]

Its some like the duel citizenship rule. As long as one parent was born in the country he or she wants to represent. He or see can.

Yea, well his parent(s) werent competing, he was. And he was American born.

[preach4bass]

Yea, well his parent(s) werent competing, he was. And he was American born.

There have been people compete for the USA under the same circumstances. Win some, lose some. Looking at the medal count, we're winning more than we're losing!

[SirSnookalot]

China 32 gold, 65 overall

USA 29 gold, 63 overall

UK 19 gold, 43 overall, great to see the host doing so well.

With all the effort, time and dedication it takes to be an Olympian, then medal on top of it, makes me happy for each and every one, regardless of country.

[preach4bass]

China 32 gold, 65 overall

USA 29 gold, 63 overall

UK 19 gold, 43 overall, great to see the host doing so well.

With all the effort, time and dedication it takes to be an Olympian, then medal on top of it, makes me happy for each and every one, regardless of country.

I'm happy for the Olympians from every country. That in itself is a great achievement and honor to represent your nation among the world's best atheletes. But, when it comes to medals, I cheer for the USA to win those!

[Raider Nation Fisher]

It took me until halfway through but I am enjoying the Olympics. Especially the women's water polo. The women's soccer has been fun to follow too. The Olympics give me something positive and uplifting to read about too. I get sick of hearing about ALL the idiot politicians and the problems going on in the world; war, death, he said she said between various countries. It's nice to be able to escape from that. It seems like the athletes can get along just fine. Maybe people need to take a cue from them. Plus it makes me proud to cheer for my countries athletes as they compete against the rest of the world's top athletes. I mean the countries of the world can for the most part put aside their differences for a two week period to compete in sporting events. I don't know it just makes me feel like maybe there is hope for humanity.

On a lighter note. I will definitely be live streaming the US women's water polo final on Thursday on my phone at work. I think I have found a new sport to follow.

Also please don't make a political or world political discussion out of my comment. I was just trying to state my opinion on the Olympics and how they make me feel.

[SirSnookalot]

So far I've enjoyed watching badminton, that game is incredibly fast. The court is 44' long and 20' wide, the contestants seem to be fairly close to the net. The analyst stated the bird travels at times over 200 mph and has been clocked at 260 mph, it's amazing to see the power and reflexes of both the men and women.

[Bassn Blvd]

He's not just fast, he's Lightning Bolt fast. Usain Bolt, rep Jamaica, just made the history book by becoming the first sprinter to win the 100 and 200 meters in consecutive Olympics. Jamaica took gold, silver and bronze in the 200m, incredible. All I can think is that those guys must get chased all the time by the cops to be that fast, hahahaha.

[moguy1973]

I think I'm just about done watching the olympics. NBC has ruined just about all the coverage for me. For example, tonight we were watching the coverage of the second day of the decathlon. Got through all the events except the 1500m run. Then they break for commercial and come back with what, women's 10m platform diving. I really wanted to watch the 1500m run but They instead wished me to stomach watching diving first. Diving and gymnastics are two events I really cant watch anymore. I hate subjective events where someone else determines the outcome not the athletes that participate. NBC has really failed in showing this Olympics.

As said above, why can't they show more of the obscure events like rowing, kayaking, team handball, etc. they showed too much of the other sports that you can see more than every 4 years.

Just a little rant. Carry on.