During the 2012 Olympic Games in London perhaps you noticed the camera set up on the track which followed the runners around? Well, what if such a system existed for coaching and training of Olympic track and field US athletes? Indeed, it is my contention that this is now completely feasible, and the robotic system could even give advice on pacing, timing splits, form, and other important issues. Okay so, let's talk.
You see, there has been a vast amount of technology which has come forth in the last decade with regards to human gait and mobility. Plus, the military has done work to help wounded soldiers as well, we've learned so much, it's truly amazing. Why not take some of that technology in the ergonomic science of "gait recognition" and apply it to a wheeled or tracked robotic track and field coaching system.
Prior to my main business career I competed in track and field, and most all of us athletes at that level had far surpassed our coaches' abilities; past, present, or future. They flat had no chance in hell keeping up with us, so they stood at the center of the track with a stop watch, that's basically how they did it, some of the coaches had binoculars, but let me spare you the worthlessness of that strategy.
Well, in track and field I ran the 800 m, the 1500 m, the mile, mile relay, the two-mile, and I can't tell you how many 5 and 10K's I've run my life, I don't even want to think about it. Yes, I've also done a number of marathons too. I can remember my track coach yelling at me during the last hundred meters of the 1500 and 800 telling me to drive with the arms, lean forward, and fight the pain. Anyone who's ever run those races realizes that your feet are on fire, and the front of your legs between your knee and where your leg attaches feels like they are going to explode.
Having the proper form even when you are fatigued, tired, and beat is the key to pressing forward in reaching your personal best. If you had a robot alongside of you coaching you along as your running gait got slightly off, you'd eventually have the perfect stride and thus, the talent to overcome some of these hardships. No, your running wouldn't be without pain, or sacrifice, that's what it takes to win. Nevertheless you could become a better runner very quickly if you had a robotic coach running around the track on its own track with you. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
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Showing posts with label Olympic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympic. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
How to Buy Olympic Tickets Online
The London 2012 Olympics are just days away and the more I find myself surrounded by the 'Olympic Fever' the more stupid I feel for not thinking ahead and reserving some tickets. With my Father's birthday on 5th August what better present to give than a pair of mixed beach volley ball tickets, due to take place in The Horse Guards Parade, so I started searching for tickets to buy.
I soon found myself, however, firmly sat in 'Camp Envy', where all I can hear around me is those in the 'Happy Camp' talking at length about the many events they have tickets to and how glad they are to have committed so early. I am of course happy for them and their increasingly vocal excitement.With a bit of investigation I soon realised that there are still a number of tickets available for sale, here's how to get them:
1. Official London 2012 Ticket Site
Surprisingly there are still a number of tickets for sale on the official London 2012 website.. Admittedly they almost all seem to be for Class A tickets, the most expensive, but I was relieved to find two beach volleyball tickets for £125 each. Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Canoeing, Diving, Fencing, Football, Trampoline, Handball, Hockey, Sailing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwando, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony.
2. Craigslist
It seems there is a thriving second-hand market for Olympic Games tickets on Craigslist where you can get just about anything you want but, naturally, you'll usually have to pay more than face value. That said, as time goes on, and people still can't shift their Table Tennis seats, expect prices to fall. You don't have to be lightening quick to bag yourself tickets to the 100m final. What tends to happen is that a poster will wait for people to make offers and then choose the biggest one. It's not very nice. Sealed bids are fun only for the vendor but, fortunately, there are some cooler cats out there who'll tell you not only how much they'd like up front but whether prices are negotiable. Tip: prices are always negotiable.
What's more, remember to think out of the box a little when it comes to your search. While browsing Craigslist UK might seem the ticket, there are plenty of sessions up for sale in the US as well.
3. eBay
Whilst it's not possible to buy and sell Olympics 2012 tickets on eBay in UK or Ireland take a look at international eBay sites and you'll find no such restrictions there.
The rules, as far as eBay is concerned, clearly state that anyone selling Olympic Games tickets may not sell to buyers in the UK or Ireland. So, what you'll have to do is either get them mailed to someone you know abroad who can then post them on to you or email the vendors separately and see if they'll do you a deal off-eBay. The best markets seem to be on Dutch, German and US eBay but, obviously, do bear in mind that you don't have long left to get them this way given that, in some cases, you'll need to leave time for two lots of postage as well as time for the auction to end.Finally be very careful of fraudulent Olympic Ticket websites, of which there are many.
Remember the golden rule - if it looks too good to be true it probably is. Happy Hunting and good luck Team GB!
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I soon found myself, however, firmly sat in 'Camp Envy', where all I can hear around me is those in the 'Happy Camp' talking at length about the many events they have tickets to and how glad they are to have committed so early. I am of course happy for them and their increasingly vocal excitement.With a bit of investigation I soon realised that there are still a number of tickets available for sale, here's how to get them:
1. Official London 2012 Ticket Site
Surprisingly there are still a number of tickets for sale on the official London 2012 website.. Admittedly they almost all seem to be for Class A tickets, the most expensive, but I was relieved to find two beach volleyball tickets for £125 each. Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Canoeing, Diving, Fencing, Football, Trampoline, Handball, Hockey, Sailing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwando, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony.
2. Craigslist
It seems there is a thriving second-hand market for Olympic Games tickets on Craigslist where you can get just about anything you want but, naturally, you'll usually have to pay more than face value. That said, as time goes on, and people still can't shift their Table Tennis seats, expect prices to fall. You don't have to be lightening quick to bag yourself tickets to the 100m final. What tends to happen is that a poster will wait for people to make offers and then choose the biggest one. It's not very nice. Sealed bids are fun only for the vendor but, fortunately, there are some cooler cats out there who'll tell you not only how much they'd like up front but whether prices are negotiable. Tip: prices are always negotiable.
What's more, remember to think out of the box a little when it comes to your search. While browsing Craigslist UK might seem the ticket, there are plenty of sessions up for sale in the US as well.
3. eBay
Whilst it's not possible to buy and sell Olympics 2012 tickets on eBay in UK or Ireland take a look at international eBay sites and you'll find no such restrictions there.
The rules, as far as eBay is concerned, clearly state that anyone selling Olympic Games tickets may not sell to buyers in the UK or Ireland. So, what you'll have to do is either get them mailed to someone you know abroad who can then post them on to you or email the vendors separately and see if they'll do you a deal off-eBay. The best markets seem to be on Dutch, German and US eBay but, obviously, do bear in mind that you don't have long left to get them this way given that, in some cases, you'll need to leave time for two lots of postage as well as time for the auction to end.Finally be very careful of fraudulent Olympic Ticket websites, of which there are many.
Remember the golden rule - if it looks too good to be true it probably is. Happy Hunting and good luck Team GB!
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Friday, 14 September 2012
Memories Of The 1976 Summer Olympic Games
I prefer the Summer Olympic Games much more than the Winter version for a pretty simple reason. I grew up in Texas and there were not a lot of chances to play much Alpine Skiing with friends. So as we prepare for the London Games this week I got to thinking about the Olympic moments and athletes that stick in my mind, and while they were all over the board I kept going back to the summer of 1976.
The movie Jaws
came out that summer but I didn't see it for a few more years because there was only a 1 screen theater in my hometown of Commerce and we rarely got 1st run movies. Jaws probably didn't make it to town until 1978 or 79'. I do vividly remember the big celebration on July 4th that year because it was the Bicentinnial year, 200 years of America!
When the Montreal games started in mid July I watched like a lot people did back then because in the pre-cable days there wasn't much else to watch at night on TV. As I watched I became captivated by a 14 year old Romanian girl who specialty was gymnastics, which was a sport that I had never watched and knew very little about. The way Nadia ComÄ?neci danced and how she swung around on those bars kept me glued to the Philco TV. She was in fact, beautiful in many ways to me. She went on to score seven perfect 10's and won three gold medals, including the prestigious All-Around. Nobody before or since, including American gymnast like Mary Lou Retton, gave me the same feeling about gymnastics the way Nadia did.
The 76' games also featured perhaps the greatest collection of American boxers of all time and I think I watched every match. Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. won gold medals and all but Davis went on to become professional world champions. They were every bit the Dream Team of boxing. Before you jump all over me about the 1984 American Boxing team I am aware of their greatness too. The 1984 team yielded a record 11 medals, including nine golds, also a record.
Philadelphia's Meldrick Taylor and Tyrell Biggs were among those to take gold, joining Mark Breland, Pernell Whitaker, Paul Gonzales, Jerry Page, Frank Tate, Henry Tillman and the late Steve McCrory. Evander Holyfield likely would have been the 10th gold medalist, but he had to settle for a bronze as the result of a controversial disqualification in a semifinal bout he was winning handily against New Zealand's Kevin Barry. But the guy that made the 76' team my favorite was Sugar Ray Leonard. Outside of Muhammad Ali I have never seen a boxer so graceful in, and OUT, of the ring.
I don't want to forget the contribution Bruce Jenner made to the Montreal games. Before Jenner I had no idea what the Decathlon was but after it was over I knew it was something I didn't want to try. Jenner won the gold medal and set a world record of 8,634 points, and like Leonard had a face and personality the cameras couldn't resist.
What are your favorite Olympic moments and people?
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The movie Jaws
came out that summer but I didn't see it for a few more years because there was only a 1 screen theater in my hometown of Commerce and we rarely got 1st run movies. Jaws probably didn't make it to town until 1978 or 79'. I do vividly remember the big celebration on July 4th that year because it was the Bicentinnial year, 200 years of America!
When the Montreal games started in mid July I watched like a lot people did back then because in the pre-cable days there wasn't much else to watch at night on TV. As I watched I became captivated by a 14 year old Romanian girl who specialty was gymnastics, which was a sport that I had never watched and knew very little about. The way Nadia ComÄ?neci danced and how she swung around on those bars kept me glued to the Philco TV. She was in fact, beautiful in many ways to me. She went on to score seven perfect 10's and won three gold medals, including the prestigious All-Around. Nobody before or since, including American gymnast like Mary Lou Retton, gave me the same feeling about gymnastics the way Nadia did.
The 76' games also featured perhaps the greatest collection of American boxers of all time and I think I watched every match. Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. won gold medals and all but Davis went on to become professional world champions. They were every bit the Dream Team of boxing. Before you jump all over me about the 1984 American Boxing team I am aware of their greatness too. The 1984 team yielded a record 11 medals, including nine golds, also a record.
Philadelphia's Meldrick Taylor and Tyrell Biggs were among those to take gold, joining Mark Breland, Pernell Whitaker, Paul Gonzales, Jerry Page, Frank Tate, Henry Tillman and the late Steve McCrory. Evander Holyfield likely would have been the 10th gold medalist, but he had to settle for a bronze as the result of a controversial disqualification in a semifinal bout he was winning handily against New Zealand's Kevin Barry. But the guy that made the 76' team my favorite was Sugar Ray Leonard. Outside of Muhammad Ali I have never seen a boxer so graceful in, and OUT, of the ring.
I don't want to forget the contribution Bruce Jenner made to the Montreal games. Before Jenner I had no idea what the Decathlon was but after it was over I knew it was something I didn't want to try. Jenner won the gold medal and set a world record of 8,634 points, and like Leonard had a face and personality the cameras couldn't resist.
What are your favorite Olympic moments and people?
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Olympic Long Jump In A Space Colony - New Galaxy Record, No Problem
In watching the 2012 London Olympic Games it was amazing the level of agility shown in the track and field events. These humans were more like superheroes than anything else. It was simply amazing to watch the long jumpers going over 25 feet, and triple jumpers go 50+ feet. Of course, before the Olympic Games had concluded NASA pulled off an Olympic level feat of their own landing a rover on Mars, which weighed more than the average SUV, using a strategy that looked like something that even Arthur C Clarke couldn't have come up with. Okay so let's talk about all this for second shall we?
It's obvious that in the next couple of decades we are going to have a colony on Mars, and it probably will be some sort of international effort. There will also be a space station on the moon perhaps Chinese, American, or another nation or combination of nations in the space race. Private spaceflight will also be offering trips to other worlds. Now then, let me ask you a question; what happens when the space colonists also decide to compete in the Olympics?
What flag might they compete under if they live in an off world colony made up of individuals from many nations? Will they compete under the Martian or Lunar flag, will they compete under the American Space Federation flag, or will they compete under their home country's flag? We just don't know yet, but rest assured they will want to compete.
Interestingly enough, there was an interesting piece in Wired Magazine recently titled; "Olympic Physics: Air Density and Bob Beamon's Crazy-Awesome Long Jump," by Rhett Allain on August 4, 2012. We obviously know if long jumpers and triple jumpers are competing with one-third or 1/5 the gravity that they will be able to set world records, or rather solar system records, of course all those new records will be all relative.
Still, there is another component here. It won't just be the difference in gravity, but the difference in air pressure, nothing to slow them down on their run up, and very little gravity to pull them back down into the sand pit.
When they come back to Earth they won't be able to go nearly as far, but perhaps they will have better form to make up for it. It might be that earthlings are able to go to the space colonies and better their records due to the difference in gravity dwell and atmospheric pressure. Indeed, it is an interesting thought, so I thought I'd share that with you. Please consider all this and think on it.
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It's obvious that in the next couple of decades we are going to have a colony on Mars, and it probably will be some sort of international effort. There will also be a space station on the moon perhaps Chinese, American, or another nation or combination of nations in the space race. Private spaceflight will also be offering trips to other worlds. Now then, let me ask you a question; what happens when the space colonists also decide to compete in the Olympics?
What flag might they compete under if they live in an off world colony made up of individuals from many nations? Will they compete under the Martian or Lunar flag, will they compete under the American Space Federation flag, or will they compete under their home country's flag? We just don't know yet, but rest assured they will want to compete.
Interestingly enough, there was an interesting piece in Wired Magazine recently titled; "Olympic Physics: Air Density and Bob Beamon's Crazy-Awesome Long Jump," by Rhett Allain on August 4, 2012. We obviously know if long jumpers and triple jumpers are competing with one-third or 1/5 the gravity that they will be able to set world records, or rather solar system records, of course all those new records will be all relative.
Still, there is another component here. It won't just be the difference in gravity, but the difference in air pressure, nothing to slow them down on their run up, and very little gravity to pull them back down into the sand pit.
When they come back to Earth they won't be able to go nearly as far, but perhaps they will have better form to make up for it. It might be that earthlings are able to go to the space colonies and better their records due to the difference in gravity dwell and atmospheric pressure. Indeed, it is an interesting thought, so I thought I'd share that with you. Please consider all this and think on it.
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Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Olympic Medal Metal
The 2012 Olympic Games in London commenced with a proud, and unique opening ceremony routine last week. Reviews of the cornucopia of motley dancers and national UK heroes were gracious, sprinkled with honest descriptors like "Britishly amazing."
Now the obligatory promenade is over, international audiences gather at their TVs in the hundreds of millions to watch the world's most competitive athletes give their all. The competitors come to take home the ultimate prize in sports - the Olympic gold medal. Or silver. Or bronze. But preferably gold.
The modern Olympic medal is a 116-year-old tradition, though that tradition has varied widely since the first 1896 Athens Olympic Games. Initially, only two winners were awarded prizes - silver for first, and bronze for second. Gold became the standard for first place in the 1904 summer Olympics in St. Louis, while the other medals moved down to the next two best competitors in the event.
The 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm were the last games where the medal awarded was made of solid gold (this only happened a handful of times). Today, such a bounty would cost $40 million. The International Olympic Committee later designated the measurements of the Olympic medals that we still see today: circular in shape, with a minimum 60 mm diameter and at least 3 mm in thickness. Each medal is required to have a standard composition based on its metals. First place contains 92.5% silver, 1.34% gold, and the remainder in copper; second place contains the same proportion of silver with copper; and third place contains mostly copper combined with tin and zinc.
London 2012's Olympic medals are the biggest and heaviest ever made. Their diameter is 85 mm and their thickness is 8-10 mm. The gold and silver weigh nearly a pound. The price of each gold medal is estimated at approximately $708, according to the World Gold Council. That's in straightforward dollars - their true worth is invaluable. More than 10,000 athletes are vying for just 302 of them in this year's events.
Front and reverse designs enhance the appearance of the medal, but they have not been entirely unique for every year. A competition among artists to design the Summer medal in 1923 went to Italian sculptor Giuseppe Cassioli. His Trionfo
design, which portrays the Greek goddess of victory Nike in front of the Coliseum holding a winner's crown and palm, was used for the Summer games from 1928 in Amsterdam until the 1972 Munich games, and is still an inspiration for subsequent depictions. This year, the medals were designed by British artist David Watkins and feature a mixture of modern and Hellenic elements.
The pride of winning a medal can only really be understood by an Olympic athlete. For those of us sitting on the couch, it's watching the high standard of performance in action that's rewarding. Let the games begin!
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Now the obligatory promenade is over, international audiences gather at their TVs in the hundreds of millions to watch the world's most competitive athletes give their all. The competitors come to take home the ultimate prize in sports - the Olympic gold medal. Or silver. Or bronze. But preferably gold.
The modern Olympic medal is a 116-year-old tradition, though that tradition has varied widely since the first 1896 Athens Olympic Games. Initially, only two winners were awarded prizes - silver for first, and bronze for second. Gold became the standard for first place in the 1904 summer Olympics in St. Louis, while the other medals moved down to the next two best competitors in the event.
The 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm were the last games where the medal awarded was made of solid gold (this only happened a handful of times). Today, such a bounty would cost $40 million. The International Olympic Committee later designated the measurements of the Olympic medals that we still see today: circular in shape, with a minimum 60 mm diameter and at least 3 mm in thickness. Each medal is required to have a standard composition based on its metals. First place contains 92.5% silver, 1.34% gold, and the remainder in copper; second place contains the same proportion of silver with copper; and third place contains mostly copper combined with tin and zinc.
London 2012's Olympic medals are the biggest and heaviest ever made. Their diameter is 85 mm and their thickness is 8-10 mm. The gold and silver weigh nearly a pound. The price of each gold medal is estimated at approximately $708, according to the World Gold Council. That's in straightforward dollars - their true worth is invaluable. More than 10,000 athletes are vying for just 302 of them in this year's events.
Front and reverse designs enhance the appearance of the medal, but they have not been entirely unique for every year. A competition among artists to design the Summer medal in 1923 went to Italian sculptor Giuseppe Cassioli. His Trionfo
design, which portrays the Greek goddess of victory Nike in front of the Coliseum holding a winner's crown and palm, was used for the Summer games from 1928 in Amsterdam until the 1972 Munich games, and is still an inspiration for subsequent depictions. This year, the medals were designed by British artist David Watkins and feature a mixture of modern and Hellenic elements.
The pride of winning a medal can only really be understood by an Olympic athlete. For those of us sitting on the couch, it's watching the high standard of performance in action that's rewarding. Let the games begin!
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Olympic Soccer Dark Horse Teams
The Olympics only happen every four years and just like the World Cup all eyes are going to be on a set of teams to fight it out in the beautiful game of soccer. There are already major pools and bets being placed on the favorites, but little do people realize that there are some dark horse teams that aren't going to just sit idle on the sidelines waiting for the finals to bring us the same teams that always show up. No, no, here are 3 teams that are dark horses, meaning that they just might come up and upset the majority leaders, and then some.
Team #1 Senegal - Now, this pick might have some experts laughing, but when you look at the team's roster you will realize that these guys are hungry and ever since the South African World Cup came and went, an African team has been waiting for another shot to shine on the world stage. You'll be surprised how swift these guys are and how powerful they are in the box, and look to stun the likes of Great Britain and Uruguay in their Group A stage. Don't be surprised if they pull out some key victories by hook or crook, much like Ghana did a couple years ago.
Team #2 Japan - The Japanese women's team surely shut everyone up against the much better American team in the Women's world cup, but can the men top them? Most experts might not think so, but if you watched their victory over the Mexican powerhouse recently, you will know that they are a serious team that deserves some attention. Watch for these fast runners to get the best of Honduras and take Spain to the limit, as the mighty Spanish team will most likely try to see past the Japanese squad for much greater play in another bracket.
Team #3 New Zealand - This will be another shocker for some, but the New Zealand team has been coming up in the world of soccer and very well might end up pushing out some of the bigger teams in bracket C. While they might not be the odds on favorite, look for a strong showing from this team down under as they will be under estimated going into tournament play.
The above are 3 dark horse teams to consider, and in no way make for a final analysis of the soccer tournament that will be played during the London Olympics.
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Team #1 Senegal - Now, this pick might have some experts laughing, but when you look at the team's roster you will realize that these guys are hungry and ever since the South African World Cup came and went, an African team has been waiting for another shot to shine on the world stage. You'll be surprised how swift these guys are and how powerful they are in the box, and look to stun the likes of Great Britain and Uruguay in their Group A stage. Don't be surprised if they pull out some key victories by hook or crook, much like Ghana did a couple years ago.
Team #2 Japan - The Japanese women's team surely shut everyone up against the much better American team in the Women's world cup, but can the men top them? Most experts might not think so, but if you watched their victory over the Mexican powerhouse recently, you will know that they are a serious team that deserves some attention. Watch for these fast runners to get the best of Honduras and take Spain to the limit, as the mighty Spanish team will most likely try to see past the Japanese squad for much greater play in another bracket.
Team #3 New Zealand - This will be another shocker for some, but the New Zealand team has been coming up in the world of soccer and very well might end up pushing out some of the bigger teams in bracket C. While they might not be the odds on favorite, look for a strong showing from this team down under as they will be under estimated going into tournament play.
The above are 3 dark horse teams to consider, and in no way make for a final analysis of the soccer tournament that will be played during the London Olympics.
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Olympic Teams Need a Twitter Coordinator To Check Pre-Tweeting Content
During the 2012 London Olympic Games it seemed as if often the news headlines were about Twitter rather than the actual event. It's almost as if Twitter was one of the Olympic sponsors, because they were constantly in the headlines, they were making the news, and people were using that platform to announce the winners of the events before they were televised on NBC, a company that paid a tremendous amount of money to be the official news outlet for the Olympic Games.
Yes, there were other challenges as well, there were athletes who were Tweeting things which were not politically correct, some were actually discharged from the Olympic Games, or kicked off their nation's Olympic teams even though Twitter is a personal and private account for each of the athletes if they choose to participate on that platform. In essence the Olympic Committee and the Olympic teams are censoring free speech in a world of political correctness. One would have to ask if that is fair.
Further, the Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on August 1, 2012 titled "Twitter's Olympic Run," by Shira Ovide and Christopher S Stewart where one of the athletes said that she didn't think it was fair that she couldn't Tweet about the shoes she was wearing, the uniform she was wearing, or the types of food she was eating. She thought that should be acceptable, because she has worked for many years to get to this point, and she hopes to get a sponsor if she can win a medal during the Olympics.
Sponsors obviously would look favorably on an athlete who mentioned their product by name sometime during the Olympics. Of course, many people want to keep the Olympics completely an amateur sporting event. However that's simply not possible, look at the US basketball Olympic team, almost everyone on it is a professional, and many of them are making in excess of $10 million per year. It seems as if we have double standards, and archaic rules concerning the Olympic Games.
As fans, we want to see the best of humanity compete, and the best people to win. If we prevent athletes from free speech, and remember many of these athletes are high strung individuals who have worked their entire life to get to where they are, taking away their dream is just about as unfair as anything they could possibly have said on their private Twitter account, which in actuality should be none of anyone's business, in a perfect world that is.
Indeed, you might have different thoughts and feelings on this, and I would invite your opinions as well. Either way, it is something we must discuss, because it matters.
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Yes, there were other challenges as well, there were athletes who were Tweeting things which were not politically correct, some were actually discharged from the Olympic Games, or kicked off their nation's Olympic teams even though Twitter is a personal and private account for each of the athletes if they choose to participate on that platform. In essence the Olympic Committee and the Olympic teams are censoring free speech in a world of political correctness. One would have to ask if that is fair.
Further, the Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on August 1, 2012 titled "Twitter's Olympic Run," by Shira Ovide and Christopher S Stewart where one of the athletes said that she didn't think it was fair that she couldn't Tweet about the shoes she was wearing, the uniform she was wearing, or the types of food she was eating. She thought that should be acceptable, because she has worked for many years to get to this point, and she hopes to get a sponsor if she can win a medal during the Olympics.
Sponsors obviously would look favorably on an athlete who mentioned their product by name sometime during the Olympics. Of course, many people want to keep the Olympics completely an amateur sporting event. However that's simply not possible, look at the US basketball Olympic team, almost everyone on it is a professional, and many of them are making in excess of $10 million per year. It seems as if we have double standards, and archaic rules concerning the Olympic Games.
As fans, we want to see the best of humanity compete, and the best people to win. If we prevent athletes from free speech, and remember many of these athletes are high strung individuals who have worked their entire life to get to where they are, taking away their dream is just about as unfair as anything they could possibly have said on their private Twitter account, which in actuality should be none of anyone's business, in a perfect world that is.
Indeed, you might have different thoughts and feelings on this, and I would invite your opinions as well. Either way, it is something we must discuss, because it matters.
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Thursday, 6 September 2012
The History of The Olympic Games
The Olympics were originally held in Olympia a city in Greece. The first recorded Olympic game dates back to 776 B.C. It only had one event which was the one stade race that was won by a cook named Coroebus. The first thirteen times that the games were played they only had this one event. With time they added more sports to the events. They added the hoplitodrome which is a footrace where the players would run with their armors and the pentathlon where athletes would compete in five different events which were the sprint, discus, wrestling, jumping and javelin. They had also had an event called pancration which was a mix of boxing and wrestling. It usually ended when one man would give up or was unconscious. As more and more sports were added they built more buildings to accommodate the people.
At first they only allowed the free men and boys that were Greek citizens to participate in the events. Anyone else was strictly prohibited including women who could have received the death penalty for participating. All of the participants had to pay all expenses out of their own pockets. When the game was over and a winner was declared he was given a wreath of olives and people threw flowers at him. He also received lots of material gifts from the people. This continued on for a few centuries until Rome conquered Greece and the games slowly declined until it totally disappeared.
In 1890 a Frenchman by the name of Pierre de Coubertin wanted to revive the Olympic Games. At first nobody was really interested and he was not successful. However he refused to give up and he opened up an organization called "Union des Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques" or the USFSA. He held a speech during a meeting with the members of his organization on November 25, 1892 where he implored upon the people to revive the Olympic Games. However they were not interested and he was not successful. However he persisted and two years later he called another meeting of 79 delegates of nine different countries where he asked them again to revive the Olympics. This time he was successful and all of the 79 delegates voted for it. The International Olympics Committee was founded and they held their first game in Athens.
Today the Olympics are held every two years alternating between the summer and winter sports. A host city is chosen by the International Olympics Committee who then organizes the event according the Olympic Charter. It is a big honor to be chosen as the city where the Olympics will take place since it does promote the cities prestige and helps them financially. There are athletes from almost every country in the world participating in the events. The first winner of every event receives a gold medal, the second winner a silver medal, and the third winner a bronze medal. It is something that is followed and enjoyed by sports fans all over the world.
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At first they only allowed the free men and boys that were Greek citizens to participate in the events. Anyone else was strictly prohibited including women who could have received the death penalty for participating. All of the participants had to pay all expenses out of their own pockets. When the game was over and a winner was declared he was given a wreath of olives and people threw flowers at him. He also received lots of material gifts from the people. This continued on for a few centuries until Rome conquered Greece and the games slowly declined until it totally disappeared.
In 1890 a Frenchman by the name of Pierre de Coubertin wanted to revive the Olympic Games. At first nobody was really interested and he was not successful. However he refused to give up and he opened up an organization called "Union des Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques" or the USFSA. He held a speech during a meeting with the members of his organization on November 25, 1892 where he implored upon the people to revive the Olympic Games. However they were not interested and he was not successful. However he persisted and two years later he called another meeting of 79 delegates of nine different countries where he asked them again to revive the Olympics. This time he was successful and all of the 79 delegates voted for it. The International Olympics Committee was founded and they held their first game in Athens.
Today the Olympics are held every two years alternating between the summer and winter sports. A host city is chosen by the International Olympics Committee who then organizes the event according the Olympic Charter. It is a big honor to be chosen as the city where the Olympics will take place since it does promote the cities prestige and helps them financially. There are athletes from almost every country in the world participating in the events. The first winner of every event receives a gold medal, the second winner a silver medal, and the third winner a bronze medal. It is something that is followed and enjoyed by sports fans all over the world.
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Sports Psychology: What Are Olympic Athletes Really Like?
The 2012 Olympics got terrific television ratings. Apparently, Americans were really drawn to this year's games.
The Olympics are a distraction from some of the economic and political turmoil which seem to dominate the news much of the time. The Olympics also give rise to a feeling of pride and nationalism amongst fans and viewers from around the world.
The variety of sports in this year's games was mind boggling. Where else can you see athletes from around the world competing in sports like beach volley ball, boxing, cycling, pole vaulting, high jumping, diving, archery, soccer, field hockey, wrestling, tae kwon doe, fencing, handball, kayaking, weight lifting, fencing, rowing, gymnastics and others?
And there was certainly a lot of buzz about the games here in America. People were tweeting, blogging and sharing of Olympic moments in conversations with friends, family members and colleagues.
My cohorts at my tennis club seemed to be fascinated with games from London. People were getting off the tennis courts to watch basketball, tennis and track events. As always, there were some surprises, some drama, some controversy, some new records as well as an abundance of fascinating human interest stories.
NBC uses a lot of air time to bring these close up looks of the athletes to the viewing public. And the network did a good job of communicating the nature of the time, money and energy sacrifices that the athletes and their families need to make to make it to this elite level of sports.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to counsel a number Olympic athletes including four gold medal winners. These athletes were from a variety of sports including gymnastics, weight lifting, boxing, skiing and rowing.
This year, two clients of mine brought home gold medals. Because of client confidentiality regulations, I can not share very much about them. However, it was quite thrilling to see people who sat in my office on the gold medal platform. I have also interviewed three or four previous gold medal winners for my weekly column.
Not surprisingly, these athletes have great discipline, focus and resiliency. They also have great passion for their sport and their teammates. They also have strong feelings about representing their country.
Like the rest of us, they also have fear, anxiety and interpersonal conflicts with people in their lives.
What is really striking to me, however, is the fact that to a person, all of these remarkable athletes are quite humble, soft spoken and very respectful.
None of them were arrogant or grandiose. Rather, they were all quite genuine and down to earth.
While there is a lot of press regarding out of control athletes who make bad choices, break the law and who are poor role models for our kids, this group of competitors was a real pleasure to get to know and to work with. They all embody what is best about sports.
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The Olympics are a distraction from some of the economic and political turmoil which seem to dominate the news much of the time. The Olympics also give rise to a feeling of pride and nationalism amongst fans and viewers from around the world.
The variety of sports in this year's games was mind boggling. Where else can you see athletes from around the world competing in sports like beach volley ball, boxing, cycling, pole vaulting, high jumping, diving, archery, soccer, field hockey, wrestling, tae kwon doe, fencing, handball, kayaking, weight lifting, fencing, rowing, gymnastics and others?
And there was certainly a lot of buzz about the games here in America. People were tweeting, blogging and sharing of Olympic moments in conversations with friends, family members and colleagues.
My cohorts at my tennis club seemed to be fascinated with games from London. People were getting off the tennis courts to watch basketball, tennis and track events. As always, there were some surprises, some drama, some controversy, some new records as well as an abundance of fascinating human interest stories.
NBC uses a lot of air time to bring these close up looks of the athletes to the viewing public. And the network did a good job of communicating the nature of the time, money and energy sacrifices that the athletes and their families need to make to make it to this elite level of sports.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to counsel a number Olympic athletes including four gold medal winners. These athletes were from a variety of sports including gymnastics, weight lifting, boxing, skiing and rowing.
This year, two clients of mine brought home gold medals. Because of client confidentiality regulations, I can not share very much about them. However, it was quite thrilling to see people who sat in my office on the gold medal platform. I have also interviewed three or four previous gold medal winners for my weekly column.
Not surprisingly, these athletes have great discipline, focus and resiliency. They also have great passion for their sport and their teammates. They also have strong feelings about representing their country.
Like the rest of us, they also have fear, anxiety and interpersonal conflicts with people in their lives.
What is really striking to me, however, is the fact that to a person, all of these remarkable athletes are quite humble, soft spoken and very respectful.
None of them were arrogant or grandiose. Rather, they were all quite genuine and down to earth.
While there is a lot of press regarding out of control athletes who make bad choices, break the law and who are poor role models for our kids, this group of competitors was a real pleasure to get to know and to work with. They all embody what is best about sports.
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Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Weird But True Olympic Stories: Things You Might Not Have Known About the Olympics
2012 will bring us another Olympics year and for sports fans and Olympic fans, this is an exciting time. In the months to come, we will see athletes training and preparing for their events and it's time to root for your country and your favorite participants. In the spirit of the Olympics, here are some weird but true Olympic stories worth passing along.
Canada's Lucky Loonie- In the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the Canadian hockey teams were facing a real challenge. The odds were stacked against them but as the games began, it seemed they had an extra bit of luck with them that day. Both the men and the women won their finals and it begged the question "Where did their luck come from?" After the ceremonies, the ice-making crew (Canadians themselves) admitted that they had buried a one-dollar coin under center ice. That coin now sites in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A Walk-On Winner- What if you could casually join the Olympic Games today? Do you think you'd return home with a suitcase full of medals? That's what John Pius Boland of Ireland did in the first modern Olympic Games of 1896. He was an orphan at age 12 and his adoptive parents taught him to play tennis. He and his buddy had been playing recreationally and doing well when he decided he would enter the Games. He won the singles title and the doubles title.
The Mystery Coxswain- In the 1900 Paris Olympics, the Dutch rowing team needed a coxswain in order to compete. The Coxswain is a (preferably small) person who sits at the end of a rowing boat and yells "Row! Row! Row!" to establish a rhythm with the rowers. The Dutch team pulled a small looking boy from the crowd and chose him as their coxswain. It was a very close race but the Dutch won, partly thanks to the great yelling of the small boy. He posed for the victory photo and then he disappeared. They were never able to find out his name or age and he was never seen again.
Muhammad Ali's Missing Medal- The truth of what happened to Ali's gold medal from the 1960 Rome Olympics may never be known. The 18-year-old, then known by his birth name Cassius Clay, won the gold medal in boxing in what would begin a famous career. Back then, however, he was not declared a hero. Racism still ran rampant in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and the original story said that he grew so tired of it, he threw his gold medal in the river. Divers searched for it but is has never been recovered. Ali later said that maybe he misplaced the medal. Regardless of what happened to it, Olympic officials gave him a replacement in a 1996 ceremony.
What are some of your favorite Olympic stories or legends?
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Canada's Lucky Loonie- In the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the Canadian hockey teams were facing a real challenge. The odds were stacked against them but as the games began, it seemed they had an extra bit of luck with them that day. Both the men and the women won their finals and it begged the question "Where did their luck come from?" After the ceremonies, the ice-making crew (Canadians themselves) admitted that they had buried a one-dollar coin under center ice. That coin now sites in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A Walk-On Winner- What if you could casually join the Olympic Games today? Do you think you'd return home with a suitcase full of medals? That's what John Pius Boland of Ireland did in the first modern Olympic Games of 1896. He was an orphan at age 12 and his adoptive parents taught him to play tennis. He and his buddy had been playing recreationally and doing well when he decided he would enter the Games. He won the singles title and the doubles title.
The Mystery Coxswain- In the 1900 Paris Olympics, the Dutch rowing team needed a coxswain in order to compete. The Coxswain is a (preferably small) person who sits at the end of a rowing boat and yells "Row! Row! Row!" to establish a rhythm with the rowers. The Dutch team pulled a small looking boy from the crowd and chose him as their coxswain. It was a very close race but the Dutch won, partly thanks to the great yelling of the small boy. He posed for the victory photo and then he disappeared. They were never able to find out his name or age and he was never seen again.
Muhammad Ali's Missing Medal- The truth of what happened to Ali's gold medal from the 1960 Rome Olympics may never be known. The 18-year-old, then known by his birth name Cassius Clay, won the gold medal in boxing in what would begin a famous career. Back then, however, he was not declared a hero. Racism still ran rampant in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and the original story said that he grew so tired of it, he threw his gold medal in the river. Divers searched for it but is has never been recovered. Ali later said that maybe he misplaced the medal. Regardless of what happened to it, Olympic officials gave him a replacement in a 1996 ceremony.
What are some of your favorite Olympic stories or legends?
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What of Economic Development After The Olympic Games?
It is amazing the process and the competition to host the Olympic Games. It's a big deal, and a big matter of pride and nationalism for the countries competing, and especially for the country or nation which wins the bid to host the Olympic Games. There is of course more prestige in hosting the Summer Olympic Games, than the winter Olympic Games for winter sports. But make no mistake either way it's a big deal. Okay so let's talk about this for second shall we, specifically let's talk about the economics of hosting the Olympics.
To win the bid to host the great games requires a commitment to hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in preparation, new facilities, and guarantees from the hosting nation. The Olympic Committee will not choose a nation that they feel cannot perform, or will not pony up the cash, or doesn't have the political will to make it happen. That makes sense, and there are issues with security and all sorts of other things to worry about. It is an enormous undertaking for any nation, of any size, including the United States of America.
"London's Olympic Bet on Urban Renewal" was the title of a brilliant and reality based article by Cassell Bryan-Low published in the Wall Street Journal on July 21, 2012. The article had examples of Athens, Beijing, Barcelona, Sydney, and Atlanta Olympic Games, and how those areas faired afterwards, after all the fans had gone away, and the nuance of branded tourism faded. Today, in Athens, there is grass coming up through the sidewalks. "Athens, Beijing, and Sydney, all wound up with amazing sporting facilities and venues that got little or no use," after the games.
Now then, when a hosting nation wants to spend that level of money to put in those facilities and host the games they must sell it (the idea) to their population base as a worthy expenditure as it is the citizens who will foot the tax bill, because the Olympics generally does not make as much money as is spent. Therefore, regardless of the economic studies done to show that it will be a winning move for the future of an area or city, the reality is much different. When all the gold medals have been awarded, and everyone leaves, and as things return to normal, that's when the reality sets back in.
Perhaps more difficult than even hosting the games themselves is making sure that all the money spent does not go to waste in future periods, that is to say that this investment spurs on economic development in the area far off in the future; easier said than done. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
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To win the bid to host the great games requires a commitment to hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in preparation, new facilities, and guarantees from the hosting nation. The Olympic Committee will not choose a nation that they feel cannot perform, or will not pony up the cash, or doesn't have the political will to make it happen. That makes sense, and there are issues with security and all sorts of other things to worry about. It is an enormous undertaking for any nation, of any size, including the United States of America.
"London's Olympic Bet on Urban Renewal" was the title of a brilliant and reality based article by Cassell Bryan-Low published in the Wall Street Journal on July 21, 2012. The article had examples of Athens, Beijing, Barcelona, Sydney, and Atlanta Olympic Games, and how those areas faired afterwards, after all the fans had gone away, and the nuance of branded tourism faded. Today, in Athens, there is grass coming up through the sidewalks. "Athens, Beijing, and Sydney, all wound up with amazing sporting facilities and venues that got little or no use," after the games.
Now then, when a hosting nation wants to spend that level of money to put in those facilities and host the games they must sell it (the idea) to their population base as a worthy expenditure as it is the citizens who will foot the tax bill, because the Olympics generally does not make as much money as is spent. Therefore, regardless of the economic studies done to show that it will be a winning move for the future of an area or city, the reality is much different. When all the gold medals have been awarded, and everyone leaves, and as things return to normal, that's when the reality sets back in.
Perhaps more difficult than even hosting the games themselves is making sure that all the money spent does not go to waste in future periods, that is to say that this investment spurs on economic development in the area far off in the future; easier said than done. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
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