I have decided that the "amatuer status" of Olymic Athletes is bogus.

by james_woods 15 Replies latest social current

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  james_woods

  I am listening to the "outrage" over how the U.S. Basketball team totally swamped the Nigerian team.

  They are accused of being "professionals" and of "running up the score".

  Well - here is my observation: None of these athletes are really, truly, "amatuers" - all of them have some kind of sponshorship or support.

  So did the ancient Greeks - they were essentially government employees of their day.

  Let's get over it and let the best athletes play the best athletes.

  If the U.S. can beat Uzbekistan in football, so be it. If the GDR can beat us in target shooting, so be it.

  I agree with no drugs - I agree with no men dressed up as women, but this "amatuer status" thing is bogus - and not a part of the ancient tradition either.

  Rant over - I leave you to your scheduled programming.
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  sir82

  "Amateur" status hasn't even been given lip service for at least 20 years in any sport.
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  puffthedragon

  Those olympic gymnasts are practically regimented from birth and go through serious training rituals more often then the amount of time average people spend on their paid employment. No such thing as an amatuer athelite there imho.
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  talesin

  oh, go figure. I knew that about 20 years ago.

  duh

  remember when the US finally got their way with having PRO basketball stars play on the basketball team? MAGIC JOHNSON?

  the Olympics! the BEST marketing opportunity in the world!

  glad to know you finally see the light ....

  tal
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  james_woods

  Glad to see you agree, Talesin.

  I have thought this for years, by the way.

  My big revelation (which I just thought of before making the thread) - was that the ancient Greeks HAD to have done this very thing too:

  Those olympic gymnasts are practically regimented from birth and go through serious training rituals more often then the amount of time average people spend on their paid employment.
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  darthfader

  Sponsorship support shouldn't be the only criteria that makes a professional.

  The problem I see is that pretty much no one can make it to the Olympics unless they are "professionals". The players and their families have to make so many sacrifices financially and otherwise that they cannot attain the levels without "help". The fact that some little gymnast never got "paid" to perform bears striking difference from "professional athletes" who make money to play their sport. Sponsorship basically pays the Olympians bills for their training and travel etc.

  And specifically being an amature means that they play their sport as a pastime -- implying that they do something else as a career. I don't think you can call any Olympian an amature just by that definition.
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  Diest

  In the NCAA they have amateurs. By amateurs they mean financially exploitable students.
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  james_woods

  Porsches, points, and payoffs - Diest.

  SMU.
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  Scott77

  "...specifically being an amature means that they play their sport as a pastime -- implying that they do something else as a career. I don't think you can call any Olympian an amature just by that definition..."
  darthfader

  I think likewise. There is a signficant difference between a professional and an amatuer. I recall Tiger Woods during his schoool days at Stanford University. The media used to refer him as an amatuer. When he joined Gold full time, he in the sense, become a professional. james_woods, I apologise if I misunderstood your 'rant'.

  Scott77
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  kurtbethel

  One possibility, to allow for future genetic engineering, doping, bionics and whatever else.

  http://www.staggeron.org/universe.html#enhanced_olympics

  Enhanced Olympics for Superior Athletes

  The International Olympic Committee has announced that beginning in the 2008 games there will be two separate classes of competition.

  Committee spokesman Kane Neuman explained the new development in the international games with an ancient history.

  "We have been fooling ourself for too long, trying to catch athletes who use technology to cheat the games," Neuman said. "We were wrong. We should embrace it and put those people together on a level playing field to compete against each other, while also recognizing athletes who wish to use natural training methods."

  "The Natural Olympic Games will be for athletes who do not use drugs, hormones, surgery or genetic alteration to improve their performance. It is the Olympic Games of your grandfather, his father and all those going back to classical times."

  "Recognizing modern trends, the Enhanced Olympic Games will allow for any technological advance, and even encourage its promotion. We expect competitors to be genetically enhanced, perhaps use pharmaceutical products and even bring cybernetic augmentation into the competition to show us the best that technology can provide us."

  Each class of Olympic competition will maintain its own separate records and issue separate medals and awards.

  It is expected that this trend in athletics will expand in the sports world. The Tour de France organizers have also expressed interest in two similar classes of competition.