Think the IOC is sorry now it chose China?

Wait a second..."Dubass?" What a maroon! Get Wlat on the phone, stat-I think f_t mighta invented a new one here.

 

I was there too and I agree completely. It definitely read like a "write column ripping city you're in" that quite a few columnists do rather than actually going out and reporting.

 

I'm sure the Chinese will let anyone shoot as much earthquake footage as possible. But when you get into issues such as Tibet, poor working conditions, little-to-no respect for the environment, doing things cheaply, but for shit, lead paint...that's when you'll get the hook.

If it were me, I'd highlight stuff like that. I'd love to see another Tommie Smith-esque demonstration. I really don't think the Olympics carry much relevance anymore, and that's too bad. It's like Times Square. It used to be interesting when it was rough around the edges, but now it's just way too vanilla and sanitary.

 

The Torino games averaged 20.2 million viewers, had a high point of 25 million and won 12 of the 17 nights it aired. And it was the worst rated Olympics since Calgary in '88.

So yes, people do watch them. Lots of people. It hardly compares with the apathy for soccer

 

Tiger Woods: "I don't think anybody watches the Olympics any more. I like the Dodgers. I love lamp. Goony goo goo."

 

I would much rather watch the World Cup than the Olympics.

 

Since you bring it up, I'm also reminded the story of sprinters Marty Glickman (yes, THAT Marty Glickman) and Sam Stoller, two Jewish members of the U.S. relay teams who were yanked from their positions by their coaches and replaced with Jesse Owens and Frank Metcalfe the day of the events.

One such chronicle of this situation can be seen in this link.

http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/germany/berlin/olympic_stadium/19990702-glickman.htm

 

Yes. Boycott the Olympics because NBC can't get its trucks there in time.
Marvelous.

 

I would be ecstatic if we boycotted the Olympics.

 

From the New York Times World Cup blog circa 2006

July 11, 2006, 2:20 am
The TV Final
The U.S. television ratings for the World Cup final are in, and not surprisingly, they were quite high. As Richard Sandomir reports in Tuesday’s Times, the Italy-France finalissima drew 16.9 million viewers — 11.9 million on ABC and 5 million on Univision. And, as Sandomir points out, the viewership for Sunday’s match was greater than that for the NBA finals and about even with the NCAA men’s basketball final and the World Series.


----------

You call that apathy?
We must be apathetic about every sport this side of the NFL, then.

 

Time for NBC to pull the plug on the IOC and all US media to boycott the Beijing Games.

 

That would be fantastic.