Hi Joe,

I for one don't have a problem with target shooting, fun for some. I find the Olympics are no more than of a passing interest. To be honest it gives us as a nation an opportunity to back slap (winner of gold) many people who yesterday we couldn't even name. Winning us glory in sports that most of the time we would not show a passing interest in. But that's the Olympics.

Cheers Paul.

p/s I had an Aunt who won a bronze medal for diving at the Perth Empire (Commonwealth) Games in about 1960, She returned home rather proud of her achievement. So winning a gold at the Olympics I imagine is a great personal achievement, Just competing would be a great personal achievement.

Typical Greens 'Protest' Party, all bad manners and miserable attitude, forever casting about for an opportunity to cock a leg and stir.

Young people need positive role models. Who better than a girl, now a young woman, from a small town at the foot of the Victorian Alps who has overcome the claimed tyranny of distance from a major centre and beaten the world's best (and drug free!).

Hi OTB,

Yes, I hoped that we will see many, many stories like Catherine's of persistence and effort and determination overcoming obstacles, stories like that young girl's from the Rio favelas who won Gold in Judo, who can probably look down on the Olympic venues from her family shack. Such beautiful young people, inspirations to almost all of us.

Then Paul presents another side - if nothing was spent on sport, pensions and welfare benefits could be increased significantly, and at the same time combat the pernicious glorification of competition.

Come on, Paul, enjoy it like other normal human beings, you're allowed :)

Joe

Gold medallist Rafaela Silva's family made all of the difference.

Maybe Bill Leak was onto something. The immediate, coordinated tirade of abuse he received for his satire bears that out.

Memories of a gentle cartoonist and social commentator (what cartoonist isn't?) who liked to draw ducks, but one day committed the cardinal (PC) sin of drawing wee infants in a child minding centre. -The cartoon that is never to be seen again by the public. Censorship takes many forms.

Beach, waxes lyrically about a girl, now a young woman, from a small town at the foot of the Victorian Alps who a week ago he wouldn't have been able to name, and he wouldn't have given two hoots about. Beach what ever turns you on. What a difference a gold medal makes,

Joe, are you calling for regimental conformity? Do we all have to conform to your social norms? " Come on, Paul, enjoy it like other normal human beings, you're allowed"
You can enjoy the Olympics as much as you like, I have no problem with that.

"Then Paul presents another side - if nothing was spent on sport, pensions and welfare benefits could be increased significantly, and at the same time combat the pernicious glorification of competition."

Disappointed in you Joe, telling one of your pork pies like you have. Where did I say that? Sport is certainly a positive for young people and a benefit for society.

Some people like to jump on the bandwagon. Adulation for the winners and stuff the losers. What do you have to say about those who compete to the best of their ability, but don't make the Olympics, don't even win at the local level. they are just as worthy in my view

Hi Paiul,

'Regimental conformity" ? Absolutely not, I was suggesting that you do what you like, let your hair down if you want to. I'll leave 'regimental conformity' to the totalitarians both on the Right and on the Other Right :)

Sorry, I inferred from what seemed to be a poe-faced attitude to sport and the evils of competition, that you would prefer to spend all those taxpayers' dollars on more for pensions and welfare benefits. I apologise if I got that wrong. I'm glad that you can see the [positives of sport for as many people as possible.

'Stuff the losers' ? Is that projection again, Paul ? I have the greatest admiration for every competitor, people who give it their very best shot, so to speak, who don't give up and who suck it up if they are bested.

And, of course, if they do it all clean, no drugs.

Joe