You know me good Jono. I’ve clearly been reading too many overwritten sports pieces in the gaurdian.
Meares being Flag bearer, leading out the aussies, whats there to explain?
It’s about time Ferret Legging got some attention.
Why’s it good? Cos she’s a cyclist?
I’d rather the Government funded clean athletes than giving crap parliamentarians lifetime salaries and insane perks with our money. At least I can go see Anna or Gleatzer or many of the other athletes do something special and inspirational - superhuman even. Making sure John Howard and Kevin Rudd et al always have a staff and a car and a 6 figure p/a income? I don’t find that inspirational or good use of tax payer funds. I certainly wouldn’t go watch it or throw it on the PVR.
One of the reasons sure, however its probably more for her than for me personally. From interviews ive seen with previous flag bearers (ie Andrew Gaze, Lauren Jackson) its described as a highlight in their careers. I guess the pride of leading the team thats representing your country would be a pretty big high.
Maybe also bit of a nod to all that shes done for Australia in terms of her success at that level?
Totally agree, but that’s another issue.
edit: re luke’s politician point.
Actually Extreme Ironing…
Big quads. Less chance that she’ll drop the flag.
One thing that often makes me laugh/cringe about the Olympics is how in some sports, it’s the absolute zenith of achievement and in others, nobody really gives much of a shit. Makes the whole thing (well half of it I guess) mildly farcical.
Thankfully track cycling falls into the former of the categories.
It is a potential pathway to success for many that may be blessed with different skill sets than business orientated people.
Take NRL for example, most of those meatheads wouldn’t make it past the local corner pub if it weren’t for sports.
You say that like its a bad thing
Same could said about the arts. I think in a functioning society we need to have both.
Any question asked purely in terms of utility is dead in the water from the get go.
I disagree
The irony that the NRL is the corner-pub of sports.
I’m with you Jonno. A few years back on Insight, they had some self-entitled above average swimmer who was complaining they couldn’t make ends meet on the government’s provided wage of about $30k a year.
She was promptly put in her place by an Australian Olympic badminton player who told her that she had received jackshit from the government.
Want to know how to spot an asshole? They love to say the phrase “my tax dollars”. Assholes love this phrase. As if they pay tax out of the kindness of their hearts and not because ummm…you don’t have a fucking choice in the matter. They aren’t your tax dollars, they belong to the government. It annoys me as a government employee that assholes will complain about tax dollars for things which will make my job easier and more efficient (and end up saving them money!!!) but paying for gold medals is completely acceptable. Assholes!
Don’t even get me started on swimming (too late). Swimming is unequivocally the most boring sport in the history of dueling masculinity. Of course it’s easy for Michael Phelps to be the winningest Olympian of all time - half of the F-ing medals available in the Olympics are for swimming! Imagine if they cut all the individual swimming races and just had the medley, as they have done with track cycling and now all they have is the omnium. National outrage! Swimming is a highly impractical self-important sport, that as a means of travel is now obsolete due to the invention of bridges and airplanes, and people who are even half-decent at it become local heroes. I really don’t understand society anymore.
Anyway Anna Meares can do what she likes, I wouldn’t care if she was shit at bike riding as she is an excellent human and meeting her was surreal but a non-event at the same time.
That’s a great rant
agreed. I especially liked the bit where it was edited & lengthened for extra rantiness.
I feel satisfied after reading that, like I’ve had a good meal. Thanks. I particularly liked the bit about swimming as a form of transport.
Yeah, now I’m gonna head out with my bow and arrow and kill something for breakfast. Might even throw in a floor routine on the way.