And it’s going to be “gold, gold to Australia, gold” quite a lot at the Beijing Games, if the predictions of US sports magazine (and annual cheesecake purveyor) Sports Illustrated hold up. They’re predicting 22 gold medals for Australia, five more than Athens, and a couple more than the Australian Olympic Committee’s estimates.
As well as the usual gaggle of swimmers, the magazine is pencilling in gold medals in the women’s triathalon for Emma Snowsill, shooters Warren Potent (I’m sure the headline writers are already preparing for that one) and Michael Diamond, a trio of sailing events, and the men’s pairs rowing.
I know I’ll be hanging on every tacking duel, as the smog-blurred images of 470-class dinghies cut their way through the algae-ridden sludge at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, yelling at the screen. Of course, what I’ll be yelling is “get this crap off the television and show me the hockey tournament, you twits!” I may actually start throwing things at the screen after the second replay of Grant Hackett’s 1500 meter heat…
What are your predictions for these Olympics?
“What are your predictions for these Olympics?”
Some weightlifters from the Balkans will get done for drugs.
Predictions?
1. An over-budget swag of medals, provoking an orgy of self-congratulation about the success of the Australian model of public sports funding, followed by a demand for more public funding to consolidate past success and to guarantee future success.
OR
2. An under-budget swag of medals, provoking an orgy of blame-shifting about causes for failure of the Australian model of public sports funding, followed by a demand for more public funding to rectify past failures and to guarantee future success.
“……. followed by a demand for more public funding to consolidate past success and to guarantee future success”.
Wow, look at that, latter part of both predictions are already confirmed….
“Australia’s image and self-confidence as a nation are at risk from falling levels of sporting success, says Olympic president John Coates.”
The aussie officials are faster out of the blocks, than the athletes, when it comes to the government gravey train.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/olympics/article.aspx?id=608395
I had the impression that Australia was now in more danger than it would have been if it had been subjected to a terrorist attack, slid into economic depression, had the Liberalk Government returned, etc. etc. because our gold medal tally was going to be relatively low. Frankly, I couldn’t give a stuff. The only government funding there should be for sport should be for schools sports, because sport is probably necessary for the development of growing bodies. And even then, government money should not be provided for violent contact sports. Government subsidies should not be given to teach children to behave like apes like Sam Newman.
I want to see Fatso, the fat-arsed panda.
Zarquon, this is not the Costello thread.
“The gold-medal count will always be higher under a Liberal government than an Labor government”
The Olyroos to lose to Argentina, lose to Serbia, draw with Ivory Coast
I predict large numbers of disappointed big TV purchasers - having purchased a High Definition device only to realise that it’s a waste of broadcasting resources to see pixelated water and blocky fast motion in excruciating high detail. I also predict Video Ezy will have bare shelves for three weeks.
This Olympics will not be a success without a doping scandal, an athlete sent home or arrested for protesting Chinese actions in Tibet or one of the endurance athletes die of smog related asphyxiation on the finish line.
Extra orgy points for becoming sick at repeatedly hearing of a certain forty something female American swimmer and mum with abs like mine used to be.
We have a winner: Katz!
The AIS amounts to a $500-odd million a year subsidy for the Olympic broadcast rights holders.
Stephen Hill: you mean we’re mediocre at best in the only sport most of the world takes seriously?
Funny that…
The Olyroos are all right they could have a been an outside bolter if they had a bit of luck, remember the Olympics tournamenbt is an Under-23s tournament with three over age players. First the Olyroos got a very tough draw - Argentina I think is now five times consecutive world junior champions (Messi, Aguero, Mascherano, Zabeleta), Serbia runners-up in the European U21s and Ivory Coast one of the best young African teams with Kalou of Chelsea up-front, but compounding this is the poor selection where two of the best youngesters Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite (both playing in Europe) were omitted, and the two of the three over-age players were A-League players, when they could have attempted to call up the pinnacle of players in our Socceroo squad to patch up the most obvious gaps, (e.g. Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton and say maybe a striker like Scott McDonald). If we were going to have a chance against Serbia or Argentina I think we needed our best team on the pitch, but once I saw the squad we’ll have to be very lucky to make it past the group stage.
Actually, your other point it would be interesting to consider what Australia’s performance at the Olympics would be like if we substracted the medals we got in swimming and shooting (we’d probably still pick up a couple in cycling), but we’d probably struggle to make a double-digit gold medal count.
Bruce McAvaney will have 17 on-air orgasms. *shudder*
Well the footy was so much more fun without Brucie queering the sublime Dennis Commetti, so i predict i will enjoy seven’s call of the footy for the next few weeks.
Sorry Stephen, I have little faith in Arnold’s ability to coach at at major international level. I hope the Olyroos do well but I am not holding my breath.
Australia will do well in sports that need a rich country to be successful (swimming, rowing, equestrian, maybe sailing - although we may be have problems in cycling) and do badly in those where less money and infrastructure is needed so there is more competition (athletics - especially on the track - and soccer).
I’m in complete agreement with you Guido, I think the coaching and infrasctucture in Australian soccer is still very poor.
Imagine if Dick Advocaat hadn’t done the runner from the hotel room and signed with the Socceroos (did you see the beautiful passing game Zenit St. Petersburg employed on their way to the UEFA Cup), he’d have our teams playing a lot better than the static 4-5-1 of Verbeek. In all levels of football we just don’t have not got anyone with the tactical nous we need, and compare this with the Argentinians who are so well coached and developed and are bound to run rings around us (hoping we avoid a cricket score)
“Zarquon, this is not the Costello thread.”
Pure comedy, Olympic gold.
I predict higher levels of parochialism, patriotic fervour, and “protestors-should-STFU”-talk, than usual. But these higher levels may be hard to discern: it is AUSTRALIAN media I’m referring to, so we’ll be going from an already HIGH base.
Agreed Fine, “And now the Aussie champion joe2 mounts the dais, and Jacques Rogge presents the Olympics comedy gold medal; silver to Kevan Gosper; and bronze to the AIS for general endeavour.”
}parochialism warning{
the above results were from the Australian Olympic Comedy TRIALS, not the full international event in Beijing.
I predict wall-to-wall Mel and Koshie. I predict I will vomit.
I predict a massive drop in viewership worldwide.
I plan on getting some really good books from the library.
Agreed Fine, “And now the Aussie champion joe2 mounts the dais, and Jacques Rogge presents the Olympics comedy gold medal; silver to Kevan Gosper; and bronze to the AIS for general endeavour.”
“I would just like to thank my mum. Without whose ute, Russ, it would not have been possible”, said Joe2.
Anyone else see the catalyst show on the AIS? The Olympics are very far away from an even playing field based on ability and training when such sophisticated techniques are only available to a few. Some athletes take advantage of lots of expensive research, special “suits”, etc and some others take drugs - whats the difference really?
I predict I won’t be watching a minute of it.
MarkL
canberra
I predict that with some help from the kinder I will re-set my beloved radio from ABC local to ABC National, and henceforth avoid the drivel and hysteria that accompanies this obscene waste of money.
Chris: one argument is that the special suits and whatnot aren’t going to do permanent damage to one’s health.
That, to me, is the strongest argument against allowing elite sportspeople to take performance-enhancing drugs.
Robert - Athletes and professional sports people do train and play to the point of doing themselves long term permanent damage though. Boxing is a good example of this, but you see other problems - eg worn out joints etc in other sports. Perhaps not all in the same league as heart failure you get with some drugs, but then not all performance enhancing drugs have as bad potential side effects.
Not going to watch any of it. If possible, not even going to watch news about it. Boring, boting, boring.
I predict:
(a) a great many announcements by State Governments of ill-conceived, undemocratically formluated and arguably corruptly influenced policies and decisions;
(b) a great many releases by State Government agencies of reports and statements which confirm the lack of success of past and current policies and programs..
I predict I am going to get well and truly celebratory on friday night. But that has absolutely nothing to do with the games.
I will spend the next two weeks studiously trying to avoid ALL coverage.
From 6th to 17th September will spend whinging at the dirth of reporting on the far more inspirational Paralympians.