Anyone here bothered by sending an athlete to the Olympics who has no chance of coming in anything but last?
Is the expense of sending the athlete to another country to party for two weeks worth the P.R.?
Or is it the "Olympic Spirit"? WTF is this "Spirit" anyway?
I have a friend who ran the marathon for New Zealand in Athens. She's lived in the states since she was a kid. Her father is a fisherman from N.Z., her mother is from the US (I think). I know of stories of American collegiate athletes being able to compete for other countries because they had a grandfather from that country. Sometimes they can't even speak the language of the country they represent. Is this in the "Spirit" as well?
Some examples: in Athens - a guy from Chad (I think) swimming the 100 M Freestyle...only been swimming for one month. Eddie the Eagle (UK) on the ski jump. The Jamaican bobsled team (crashed I believe).
Ps. I love the Olympics. I think this "character" is part of it, but I always wonder about this kind of stuff.
Is the expense of sending the athlete to another country to party for two weeks worth the P.R.?
Or is it the "Olympic Spirit"? WTF is this "Spirit" anyway?
I have a friend who ran the marathon for New Zealand in Athens. She's lived in the states since she was a kid. Her father is a fisherman from N.Z., her mother is from the US (I think). I know of stories of American collegiate athletes being able to compete for other countries because they had a grandfather from that country. Sometimes they can't even speak the language of the country they represent. Is this in the "Spirit" as well?
Some examples: in Athens - a guy from Chad (I think) swimming the 100 M Freestyle...only been swimming for one month. Eddie the Eagle (UK) on the ski jump. The Jamaican bobsled team (crashed I believe).
Ps. I love the Olympics. I think this "character" is part of it, but I always wonder about this kind of stuff.
