Olympics... Is It Really What It Is?
By Braddah Lance
In case you haven't heard, the Olympics is losing it's edge, or rather its intention.
I may not know the full history (no one really knows as its origin is shrouded by generations of mo'olelo's passed down) but in my humble opinion, it's supposed to be a "classy" competition. It's supposed to show the world's best competing for their country's glory with admiration and respect displaying not only their own, but their country's character.
So when I heard about the top world's badminton teams being kicked out of the games for intentional losing to secure an "easier" spot and manipulating the outcome in order to not face certain opponents, I thought that was straight out pupule!
Wassup Wit Dat!
I mean seriously, I don't give a mongooses okole about the sport but it's in the Olympics and must be popular enough to have it there but still, to display such an obvious disinterest in winning to secure an "advantage" with the crowd actually booing and chanting "Off! Off! Off!" must have been a HUGEMANGEOUS spectacle.
But at the Olympics? It has happened at this past Pro Bowl where both sides didn't "care" but that's the Pro Bowl, it's not the Olympics where pride is literally worth more than gold. It's evident when you see some athletes breaking down with smiles on their face for winning the bronze. Where else would you see someone that overwhelmed with accomplishment and joy for coming in second or third?
I gotta point out though that the badminton teams can't be fully pointed out as bad guys/gals though. The round-robin format doesn't promote the "win" factor but no one has mentioned that the very same thing is happening in a very popular sport....... swimming.
Check out the athletes who "save their energy" for the next event and the announcers even mention it on the air. Isn't that the same as "losing" on purpose? We see no-namers come in first in the preliminaries and the "stars" just knowing they have to qualify or beat a certain time and s/he is in so what's the difference in the badminton situation?
They can say they are "saving their energy" too can't they?
Things that make you go hmmmmm and say Wassup Wit Dat! of course. 
What is your favorite sport to watch? Do you have any Olympic moments dat gave you chicken skin? Look up da mo'olelo about da ex-drug addict model who turned her life around and became an Olympic cyclist! Do you flip through da millions of channels dedicated to da Olympics? Are you sad dat your primetime shows aren't on? 
Gold or not, being able to represent your country proud should be all that matters.... and leaving with a little jewelry at the end doesn't hurt either.
Wassup Wit Dat!
August 1st, 2012 at 8:12 am
I don't really have a problem with the teams losing to give them a better shot at winning. To me it's not much different from sprinter and swimmers just doing enough to qualify to the finals. Michael Phelps or Carl Lewis didn't win all there preliminary heats or give 100% on each race on purpose. On the other hand I'm watching on free tv and if I paid $5000 to fly there see those matches, I'd be pissed.
I haven't seen too much of the Olympics on TV but the womens table tennis was exciting. The 16 year old USA girl almost took the second ranked Chinese player to 7 games.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:06 am
Dutch women's field hockey
August 1st, 2012 at 10:08 am
I heard about the Dutch field hockey team but I never know what on TV.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:12 am
I don't know why people are making such a big deal about this. It's simply strategy. As che mentioned above, the GOAL is to make it to the finals. For some sports, making it to the medal rounds WILL require an all out effort (for example in Judo). However, for other sports, like swimming and many track and field events, you can still qualify with a decent showing without going full blast. When you get to the finals, then you go ALL OUT!
Think of it this way. If you're an NFL team, and you've already won your division, and you're already guaranteed a playoff spot, and it's the last game of the season, and you're playing the last place team. Are you going to go all out and leave your starters in for the entire game? Of course not.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:13 am
Forgot to mention - if anything, blame the FORMAT of the Badmiton competition. It's the format that's causing the athletes to do this.
August 1st, 2012 at 11:31 am
Obviously the format needs to be changed. I don't blame the players/teams for trying to gain a competitive advantage it's not against the rules. Look at sports where teams sandbag the final games to rest their best players for the playoffs. Who cares who does what in round robin play it is the medal rounds that count.
August 1st, 2012 at 7:43 pm
The team relay when Phelps won the gold, setting the record for most medals won was awesome. I was glad that the team gave him the time he needed, and he gave them the credit they deserved.
August 2nd, 2012 at 6:02 am
Guud morning BL!
August 2nd, 2012 at 8:39 am
The true olympic spirit is visible in the faces of the majority of international competitors when they march into the stadium during the opening ceremony. The pride and pure joy in their faces to be there representing their respective countries makes me happy and excited for them.
I love to watch the track and field, gymnastics and swimming.
August 3rd, 2012 at 6:03 am
Howzit BL!
Happy FGF!