In this day and age are the Olympics largely a waste of time?
105592
No I dont think its a waist. I love to see that younger people still have goals. Be it Olympics or whatever. Some parts of the world the Olympics are very important. I like some stuff. I watched the snowbording event last eve.
162404
No. The US atheletes should compete for glory and honor for their country and for their sport. Paying the atheletes would taint the competition and undermine the true purpose of the olympics.
1003640
I am not a swimmer or into gymnastics but i have been a figure skater for 10 years. I am 14 now. Some sports is different timing. But ice skating takes so much time to learn everything to be in the Olympics. Also all of the sports that you have put in your question seem like sports that you have to be young and in shape to be good. So start them young with there sports. But if you want to jump into it right now it may work depending on how much effort you give.
931402
What's really ironic is that the country that is hosting the 2012 olympic games hasn't got a decent athlete.\n\nI'm British by the way...
5114
No.\n\nActually I'm wasting my time anyway, so your question makes this waste of time more funny :)
757783
The Olympics are only for the benefit of the few no matter how much spin and crap you smear over them.\nSure if you live London even more people will benefit and there will be people employed to go round pub's etc trying the ensure good harmony for those that have been inconvenienced by it all with quotes such as " only mutli-culture Britain can do the games this well" or "look how many people are spending money, less tax for us to pay next year" never mind the traffic it goes in Red Ken's Mayor office to be spent on London.\nBut I feel the problem for the rest of the British Isles is that there is no benefit, only an extra tax burden to keep London shining.
1056343
In Practical terms.. No its not. 'coz in olympics far more countries are involved and all the games, But in Popularity terms.. I think it is
122181
I think the Olympics should feature amateur athletes only...\n\nSome people will say.."Well China pays there athletes..or Russia does.."...but saying that takes away from what the Olympics are supposed to be about...Individuals with the drive to excel..Individuals who are not given every advantage..It is the spirit to win..\n\nThat is what made 1980 so special...Just college players who won through determination over professional players..\n\nWe will never see such inspiration again with NHL players on the ice...
515695
Cities spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build the sports facilities needed to host the Olympics. Even preparing plans to bid on the Olympics cost millions of dollars.\n\nDon't most cities have more immediate needs than the unlikely option of hosting the Olympic games ?
1073735
not really...the match play time...
649437
Absolutely.  Haven't you seen the olympics?
155760
Because most of the sports are similar(except curling)in winter olympic, and it has less sports than summer olympic.\nAlso snowbording(the half-pipe)is cool
169025
no, the winter olympics contain sports that have to do wih the winter, basketball is a summer event.
215064
It plays small role.  I wouldn't even go that far.\n\nSports turn attention from the serious matters.\n\nLike the first 10 mins of the news everynight during the olympics was just that, olympics.  \n\nLike nothing more important was going on.\n\nSorry man, I think if all the sports people took that energy to fixing shit, then they could play sports the rest of their lives when they are done.\n\nIf people took the time to know their politician's stats instead of some sports icon's, the world would be a better place, thats all.\nFucking idiots.
1076329
Yes, the World Cup is being watched by over 5 Billion people. Plus lots of people have lost interest in the olympics due to it's dope issues.
286749
I guess there are still a few people out there who prefer to listen to music with some semblance of creativity, and watch videos that don't revolve around cars, bikinis and hotpants. \n\nApparently they thought so too at the Athens summer Olympics.
322346
depends, each games has had diffrent quality golds, i believe one summer games in the 80's had 24k gold medals, but they were very small.