Paxman destroying Chloe Smith..hilarious and cringeworthy!

[renault12ts]

The media (and the BBC in particular) have been pushing the Games relentlessly. Since 2005, we've been given primetime news insights into the design of the Olympic logo, the completion of the Velodrome, the synchronised swimming trials etc. etc. etc.

In the last 12 months this intensity has increased and by the time the torch arrived they were barely able to contain themselves.

It should therefore come as no surprise that people will turn out to cheer after so much publicity. And some people will turn up to the opening of an envelope if it offers the possibility of getting their boat race on the TV.

Of course, the overwhelming majority who didn't turn out and who have no interest in the torch or the Olympics in general remain unheard.

No matter what the event...the majority don't care. Name one event where the majority of the population care.

So, that's a failed argument if you think it means the Olympics in London should not be.

 

[davidjpowell]

I probably should have quoted David,

I don't think it was bullying at all. Sorry.

I didn't mention gender either!

 

[st4]

Name one event where the majority of the population care.

Football World cup and that can be spread over the whole country, giving everyone a chance to see games close to them, and we don't have to build lots of football grounds as we have them.

Perhaps your argument is the best reason for us not have bothered having them at all, and using our money for other more beneficial things.

 

[Buster'stheboy]

I find most interviews of politicians to be cringeworthy. All the interviewers on Sky News and some of the BBC ones are wannabe Paxmans and are over-aggressive because they think it's what the public want.

All the politicians come across as false and self-serving; we all know they put their own career first, then their party second and the country comes nowhere. Most of them don't give a toss about this country, unless it has a direct impact on them.

They don't mind being humiliated in public as long as they get to keep their jobs. Like George Galloway on Big Brother, they'll lap it up.

 

[st4]

Arrogant man. Would he have done that with a bloke? found it uncomfortable to watch at the beginning - he was bullying.

Would we have preferred to have the fuel increase?

I didn't mention gender either!

Really?

 

[Scott_F]

No matter what the event...the majority don't care. Name one event where the majority of the population have paid so many £billions.

Fixed that for you.

My real opposition to the Games has been made clear in other posts. My point about lack of interest was a counter to points made in posts #29 and #36.

 

[renault12ts]

Indeed, the press hype and relentless hype and build up about it being a monumentous occasion have indeed installed the public hysteria about it.

Tell me this, if it were football world cup, there would not need to be such hysteria, as people tend to like football. Athletics etc is not so popular as EUFA and FIFA football tournaments.I bet a Football world cup would be cheaper to host and be more popular with the public.

I suspect the vast majority of football supporters would be male? I suspect a much more even support from men and women for the Olympics..

But...still nowhere near a majority of the population.

Remember, those who govern us are not placed there by a majority of the population...just (usually) a majority of those bothering to vote.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Name one event where the majority of the population care.

Pretty much any football tournament...

 

[st4]

I suspect the vast majority of football supporters would be male? I suspect a much more even support from men and wome for the Olympics..

I know of loads of Women who like football. Plenty don't and some males too but A LOT more like football than atheletics which is watching butch women stoned on steriods chuck a metal ball around or lanky men similar in build to a greyhound dog running down a tracker....

But...still nowhere near a majority of the population.

Getting towards something that is more popular....

Remember, those who govern us are not placed there by a majority of the population...just (usually) a majority of those bothering to vote.

Thats the adult populations fault for not voting....

 

[renault12ts]

Pretty much any football tournament...

...so, over 33million people watch or keep in touch with any football tournament Lee. Where's the evidence?

And why do you think the TV audience for the London Games will be anything less than substantial?

The so called (above) gormless public will lap it up...and why not?

 

[Scott_F]

The so called (above) gormless public will lap it up...and why not?

They may as well - they've paid enough for it.

 

[st4]

...so, over 33million people watch or keep in touch with any football tournament Lee. Where's the evidence?

And why do you think the TV audience for the London Games will be anything less than substantial?

The so called (above) gormless public will lap it up...and why not?

Read this

FINISHED World Cup Viewing Figures Prove That This Really Is The World's Game - Goal.com

Some would even argue that this itself is a high estimate. After all, it's said to include those who watch a repeat later. 400 million for live viewers may be closer to the truth, but measuring those out-of-home viewers is the real problem.

Indeed, with the number of people watching in cafes, bars, town squares and even fanzones around the world, the ripple effect will be felt far beyond living rooms.

And that's before we even think about the tournament as a whole. FIFA, after much wrangling, settled on a figure of 26.29 billion cumulative World Cup views - comfortably enough for everyone on the planet to have watched more than three matches. The vast majority of these were in-home, at 24.2 billion.

These figures put the World Cup streets ahead of any other sporting competition's verifiable figures, including the Olympic Games and the Super Bowl. That's not too surprising in the case of the latter: despite the gargantuan status of American Football's biggest prize, the last World Cup was broadcast in 214 countries and territories and thus has a global reach that even the Olympics would struggle to match.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

...so, over 33million people watch or keep in touch with any football tournament Lee. Where's the evidence?

Can't post a link because I'm on my phone, but this years Champions League final was watched by an estimated 350 million people.

Roughly 22 million people in the UK watched the last World Cup final, 700 million around the world.

 

[renault12ts]

I know of loads of Women who like football. Plenty don't and some males too but A LOT more like football than atheletics which is watching butch women stoned on steriods chuck a metal ball around or lanky men similar in build to a greyhound dog running down a tracker....

I don't think I said all women don't watch or enjoy football...my does. And I suspect you are reflecting your opinions regarding athletics, rather than what may be true. People who like sport, forball or whatever, tend to enjoy many different sports



Getting towards something that is more popular....

I'm not sure what you mean



Thats the adult populations fault for not voting....

It's not about fault...it's about what people want, or care about. My argument is that just because the majority say, or do nothing, does not mean something shouldn't happen.

 

[st4]

It's not about fault...it's about what people want, or care about. My argument is that just because the majority say, or do nothing, does not mean something shouldn't happen.

My argument is that something as frivolous as a sporting event (based around athletics which in the real world we know is not as popular as other sports) when we have a borrowing deficit might not have been the best thing in the world for the government to commit quite so much of our money to.

You may think differently, but nothing whatsoever will make me change my mind about this.

 

[renault12ts]

Can't post a link because I'm on my phone, but this years Champions League final was watched by an estimated 350 million people.

Roughly 22 million people in the UK watched the last World Cup final, 700 million around the world.

350m world wide...our of a population of 7 billion.

22m is undoubtedly a big % of the UK pop...but not a majority.

I may appear to be pedantic...but it was in response of Scott saying the majority had no say...as it will always be...no matter what.

 

[st4]

I'm out, we will go round in circles otherwise.

 

[renault12ts]

My argument is that something as frivolous as a sporting event when we have a borrowing deficit might not have been the best thing in the world for the government to do.

You can't really dismiss this or any other sporting event as frivolous. Life has to go on...even in the bad times. I suspect those who have been earning from this (builders etc) over the past 7 years were glad about it. And as Mocas has said, a part of the spending has been on regeneration of a part of London.

 

[renault12ts]

I'm out, we will go round in circles otherwise.

That's the nature of debate...sometimes circles, sometimes concession...it's not right or wrong to have opinions on either side.

 

[Scott_F]

350m world wide...our of a population of 7 billion.

22m is undoubtedly a big % of the UK pop...but not a majority.

I may appear to be pedantic...but it was in response of Scott saying the majority had no say...as it will always be...no matter what.

At the risk of also appearing pedantic I didn't say that the majority had no say, I said that they weren't interested in the Olympics in general and the pointless torch relay in particular.

In terms of the Olympic project itself, none of us had a say. It was announced amid much fanfare that we were bidding, we won the bid and that was that.