# I pit the Olympics. This is the final straw. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440 "2012-05-19T16:56:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/101 "2012-05-23T18:52:17Z")
What’s really fucking stupid about the Olympics is that in every city they always seem to build a new stadium for every single event, even when there are perfectly good venues that could be used. Then they end up rusting away after the Games because nobody in Athens wants a 5,000-seat dedicated [hockey arena](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/the-2004-olympic-legacy-that-london-must-avoid-6868504.html), or Beijing has no call for a 500,000-capacity tiddlywinks dome, or whatever. So insanely wasteful. I think it should be a prerequisite of an Olympic bid that only existing facilities can be used. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/102 "2012-05-23T19:49:59Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > So insanely wasteful. I think it should be a prerequisite of an Olympic bid that only existing facilities can be used. I agree. The problem is that it works in almost the exact opposite way. The IOC looks far more favorably on bids that promise a whole bunch of brand new, state-of-the-art facilities. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/103 "2012-05-23T21:42:06Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > What’s really fucking stupid about the Olympics is that in every city they always seem to build a new stadium for every single event, even when there are perfectly good venues that could be used. Then they end up rusting away after the Games because nobody in Athens wants a 5,000-seat dedicated [hockey arena](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/the-2004-olympic-legacy-that-london-must-avoid-6868504.html), or Beijing has no call for a 500,000-capacity tiddlywinks dome, or whatever. Hockey stadium, not arena. Arena implies ice hockey, which isn’t played in the summer games. Also, I don’t see how it could be “dedicated” to field hockey since it’s just seats around a grass field. According to that article though, it is derelict. Maybe it’s in an inconvenient location? Or the Greeks don’t like outdoor sports? ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/104 "2012-05-23T22:51:35Z")
Hockey’s played on artifical surfaces these days. If it was grass you could just convert it to soccer. Oh and while I agree in general about how wasteful and ridiculous the Olympics are, don’t forget that Greece is in the throes of near total economic collapse, so Athens might not be the most typical example of a post-Olympic city. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/105 "2012-05-23T23:47:22Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > False. “Sic” just means “thus.” It should be used to indicate that something unusual in the text was intended to be as it is. It need not be limited to quotations. > > Hey, its (sic) you’re (sic) fault: your (sic) asking for it by nitpicking. 🙂 Yes, “sic” just means “thus,” which is precisely _why_ it only makes sense when referencing something else. It means “It was written thusly when I saw it.” It does not mean “Something unusual in the text is intentional.” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/106 "2012-05-24T00:45:17Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Yes, “sic” just means “thus,” which is precisely _why_ it only makes sense when referencing something else. It means “It was written thusly when I saw it.” It does not mean “Something unusual in the text is intentional.” Actually, nowadays [it can](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic#In_newly_generated_text): > [@](#): > > While chiefly used in text that is not one’s own, occasionally a _sic_ is included by a writer after his or her own word(s) to note that the language has been chosen deliberately for special effect, especially where the writer’s ironic meaning may otherwise be unclear. Bryan A. Garner dubbed this kind of usage of _sic_ as the “ironic use,” providing the following example from Fred Rodell’s _Nine Men_… ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/107 "2012-06-07T23:17:23Z")
I’d like to take this opportunity to say “Fuck off and die” to the whiny vermin throwing a fit because a couple of Australian swimmers posed with some guns in an American gun shop. In case you’ve forgotten, shooting is an Olympic sport. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/108 "2012-06-07T23:24:03Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I’d like to take this opportunity to say “Fuck off and die” to the whiny vermin throwing a fit because a couple of Australian swimmers posed with some guns in an American gun shop. > > In case you’ve forgotten, shooting is an Olympic sport. I think they should make all the swimmers carry guns during their races. Personally, i don’t give a flying fuck about the picture they took in the gun store, but those two swimmers sound like a pair of [prize assholes](http://www.foxsports.com.au/olympic-games/australian-olympic-swimmers-nick-darcy-and-kenrick-monk-pose-with-guns-in-facebook-photo/story-fn5k3iok-1226387891149): > [@](#): > > It is not the first time the swimmers have been embroiled in controversy. > > Last year Monk made a false complaint to police claiming he was the victim of a hit and run when he had actually fallen off his skateboard and broken his elbow in two places. > > In 2008, D’Arcy was charged over a king-hit on teammate Simon Cowley during a brawl on the night the Australian Olympic team was named. > > Cowley suffered a broken jaw, eye socket, cheekbone and nose in the attack. > > D’Arcy later declared himself bankrupt saying he was unable to pay $370,000 in damages and costs. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/109 "2012-06-08T00:11:29Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > My brother and sister-in-law are Londoners and were able to get tickets to all the events they wanted to see at face value. That’s just luck, applying for the tickets same as anyone else. Londoners don’t get any special access to tickets. I don’t actually know anyone who got any tickets. My daughter’s birthday’s on the same day as the opening ceremony (she’ll be 14) and we live in an olympic borough. I’m a bit stuck for what to do - we usually do a day trip with her friends, but transport’s going to be hell. A party at home would basically be the same five friends that are here every weekend but with candles in a cake, nothing special. Having a bit of a dull birthday is not the end of the world, but it’s yet another reason for me to dislike the olympics. We’re going to get out of london for the rest of the olympics, basically. And we live here because it’s our home - telling us to fuck off to bradford is really bloody stupid. It is an actual city with several million permanent residents - it’s not just for tourists. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/110 "2012-06-08T00:30:46Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > My daughter’s birthday’s on the same day as the opening ceremony (she’ll be 14) and we live in an olympic borough. I’m a bit stuck for what to do - we usually do a day trip with her friends, but transport’s going to be hell. A party at home would basically be the same five friends that are here every weekend but with candles in a cake, nothing special. Having a bit of a dull birthday is not the end of the world, but it’s yet another reason for me to dislike the olympics. Jesus fuck! I hope she isn’t as whiny and petty as you. It’s her 14th BIRTHDAY, on the OPENING DAY OF THE OLYMPICS! If you don’t ruin it for her with your whining, excuse me, whinging, it’ll be a day she’ll remember for the rest of her life, and tell her grandkids about. But, not unless you shut up and start thinking creatively and figure out some way, even if it’s a small way, to include the Olympics in the day. I can’t even imagine being in the same city as the Olympics on my birthday. Or, ever, really. It’s just not going to happen. It will never happen. It’s happening with your daughter and unless she takes after you, it can be an incredibly special memory. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/111 "2012-06-08T10:03:31Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Jesus fuck! I hope she isn’t as whiny and petty as you. Pot, meet kettle. Case in point: > [@](#): > > It’s her 14th BIRTHDAY, on the OPENING DAY OF THE OLYMPICS! If you don’t ruin it for her with your whining, excuse me, whinging, it’ll be a day she’ll remember for the rest of her life, and tell her grandkids about. But, not unless you shut up and start thinking creatively and figure out some way, even if it’s a small way, to include the Olympics in the day. I can’t even imagine being in the same city as the Olympics on my birthday. Or, ever, really. It’s just not going to happen. It will never happen. It’s happening with your daughter and unless she takes after you, it can be an incredibly special memory. Maybe they could go outside and watch the fly-by of magic unicorns that fart rainbows, because obviously the first day of the Olympics is such a special event that everything will be sunshine and lollipops all day long. Jesus, **Equipoise** , you seem utterly clueless about the effects of adding a few million people to an already overcrowded city with a geriatric transport system already running above capacity (and that’s not counting things like the recent flooding of Stratford station). But that’s okay! Because it’s “special”! And anyone who doesn’t like it is unmutual and bad! And you’d better hope that if **SciFiSam** does want to go out and do something that she has a Visa card or Visa debit card, because the Olympics sponsors have, in their wisdom, decreed that all ATMs within a certain distance of the Olympic sites must be Visa-only. But it’s all for the greater good, right? We should all be happy to pay for the privilege of standing vaguely near the corrupt corporate money vacuum that is the Olympics, right? Because it’s “special”! Yay, us. \ At least I had a nice Jubilee weekend. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/112 "2012-06-08T12:07:59Z")
Paris was the main contender of London for these Games. When London was picked it has been a major disapointment in France. This Paris resident and French taxpayer at least was extremely pleased, and is conforted in his original opinion by the OP. I want to thank British people, and in particular Londoners, for their dedication to the Olympic cause. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/113 "2012-06-08T12:24:21Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > If you don’t ruin it for her with your whining, excuse me, whinging, it’ll be a day she’ll remember for the rest of her life, and tell her grandkids about. But, not unless you shut up and start thinking creatively and figure out some way, even if it’s a small way, to include the Olympics in the day. Oh aye? Tell you what, what suggestions do you have for olympic themed birthday events that a group of teenagers will enjoy, that will make up for the surrounding area (which as I recall Sam lives in) effectively being locked down for the opening ceremony? Something that doesn’t work out at a $1500 per head, which as of today is the cost of ceremony tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/114 "2012-06-08T14:54:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > My brother and sister-in-law are Londoners and were able to get tickets to all the events they wanted to see at face value. Meh. Big deal. I’m a Londoner and I got tickets to all the events I wanted to see FOR FREE! Yep. _All_ the events I wanted to see. Every single member of that set, no exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/115 "2012-06-08T15:56:25Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Jesus fuck! I hope she isn’t as whiny and petty as you. It’s her 14th BIRTHDAY, on the OPENING DAY OF THE OLYMPICS! If you don’t ruin it for her with your whining, excuse me, whinging, it’ll be a day she’ll remember for the rest of her life, and tell her grandkids about. But, not unless you shut up and start thinking creatively and figure out some way, even if it’s a small way, to include the Olympics in the day. I can’t even imagine being in the same city as the Olympics on my birthday. Or, ever, really. It’s just not going to happen. It will never happen. It’s happening with your daughter and unless she takes after you, it can be an incredibly special memory. Er, off we could get into an olympic event on that day it’d be great. I’m not sure why you think merely brunch near the olympics will nd so good, though - what exactly do you think is going to happen? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/116 "2012-06-08T16:00:35Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Er, off we could get into an olympic event on that day it’d be great. I’m not sure why you think merely brunch near the olympics will nd so good, though - what exactly do you think is going to happen? Damn phone. Being, not brunch, though brunch may well be involved. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/117 "2012-06-08T20:01:46Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Pot, meet kettle. Case in point: > > Maybe they could go outside and watch the fly-by of magic unicorns that fart rainbows, because obviously the first day of the Olympics is such a special event that everything will be sunshine and lollipops all day long. > > Jesus, **Equipoise** , you seem utterly clueless about the effects of adding a few million people to an already overcrowded city with a geriatric transport system already running above capacity (and that’s not counting things like the recent flooding of Stratford station). But that’s okay! Because it’s “special”! And anyone who doesn’t like it is unmutual and bad! > > And you’d better hope that if **SciFiSam** does want to go out and do something that she has a Visa card or Visa debit card, because the Olympics sponsors have, in their wisdom, decreed that all ATMs within a certain distance of the Olympic sites must be Visa-only. But it’s all for the greater good, right? We should all be happy to pay for the privilege of standing vaguely near the corrupt corporate money vacuum that is the Olympics, right? Because it’s “special”! > > Yay, us. > > \ > > At least I had a nice Jubilee weekend. Well, by total coincidence I happened to be living in two different cities when they each hosted the summer Olympics: Montreal in 1976, and Los Angeles in 1984. I won’t get into the issues of financing, or the long term consequences. But the actual experience of being there during the games was magical, both times. In Los Angeles, in particular, people were friendlier and traffic was better during the games than ever before. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/118 "2012-06-08T20:08:21Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Most of the Olympic ceremony mumbo-jumbo (the torch running, the kindling of the Olympic fire, etc.) seems to have come from Nazi Germany-isn’t it time to retire all that stuff? Once we’re done disassembling the autobahn. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/119 "2012-06-08T20:14:58Z")
**SciFiSam** - why not try to throw an Olympic-themed house party? Encourage guests to come in Olympic fancy dress, put the opening ceremony on in the background (the kids will largely ignore it but will retain a memory of having seen a bit of it and the adults who care can sit and watch it), make an Olympic rings birthday cake. Embrace the event because trying to ignore it will probably ruin the day. I’m willing to bet large sums of money that the streets will be completely deserted during the opening ceremony, and fairly quiet either side of it. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440/120 "2012-06-08T20:36:41Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > …make an Olympic rings birthday cake. Is it a legally sanctioned Olympic rings cake? I don’t think the IOC would like that… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-olympics-this-is-the-final-straw/622440.md?page=7)