causehecan said..
Agree? Disagree?

Any olympians want to share theyre annual income?

Disagree as you can't smoke cones on the olympic team and we know that's all the unemployed do all day.

actiomax said..
I'm not sure about that the snowboarder who won gold tested positive for pot .
I recall but he was Canadian from memory.
But still it shows Olympian's do smoke pot

Didn't he have his medal taken away?

edit: yes he did, but then it was given back to him:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Rebagliati

^ Mark Phelps, the greatest olympian ever.

Are we discussing income generation potential or commitment of time and energy? I would predict the latter could not be associated to most of the unemployed (not all but most) but it must take a great degree of focussed energy and sacrifice to do one thing and do it at the highest level surely for any sportsperson.

When I was into snowboarding some mates had a clothing brand. One of their team riders was on the benefit. When you don't work you have plenty of time to put the effort in and he stepped up his skills.

All and i mean mostly ALL athletes have a situation where money isnt a great issue. Be it well off upbringing or parentig or they love on an island where if you have a fisb in a basket your good to go.

So i believe the safety net of welfare can foster a many great acomplishment be it writers artists sportsmen/ladies

So why dont we distinguish between those catagories? We have AUS STUDY which is welfare for students why not have *****study for sports or whatever we can think of thats relevant art study poemstudy hopefully someones getting what im saying.

Why should it just be the very well off who can have children who become "allowed" to not work 9 to 5 to get by amd can focus on theyre passion.

Every musician and comedian is a crazy poor drunk and druggie squatting etc yet sports people are seen differently right? At end of the day theyre all spending more time then the usual person is progressing at what they enjoy doing. And either sacrificing or not having to worry about the cost of doing so.

Alot of those who dont make it move into other avenues usually commentating judgeing or organising maybe manufacturing or selling even reviewing.

Its not a new conversation but i think its one worthwhile because im sure as **** wishing i spent every saturday playing computer games to win 3 million freaking dollers rather then playing rugby to win a frozen chook at a pub raffle thewest.com.au/technology/gaming/e-sports-australian-teenager-wins-3-million-at-the-international-dota-2-championships-ng-b88942977z.amp yep... Highest paid sport star! And who of you know about it? None. Why? Cause it wasnt on a network that broadcasted it that you watch. Its that simple.


But please continue to talk about your shadows and flags and flat earths.

Only person i ever met in australia that knew about esports outside of my circle was when i was building a highrise in sydney and a labourer who had just gotten out of jail for selling heroin was talking to me about skateboarding and we obviously clicked cause eat concrete. But hes talking bout how hes trying to get his kid into vert and just wants to game. Homeboy knew all the teams his son followed all the games etc. So it is happening. But you guys really gotto start dropping out and tuneing in or whatever that spaceman mtv 70s **** was cause you cant hold back the windwing baby its coming and when it does its coming for you all! It spares nobody

Well in the efforts of fairness maybe We could have a system for potential Olympic athletes like the arts council have .
After all they can grant money for things to people that never happen like the I think from memory $80 000 grant to reg Livermore to write his biography that's never happened to my knowledge.
I'm sure there's been millions spent on things that never happened out there like books of Vegan poetry's or sculptures made from tampons or some **** .
So it would be justified to spend money on athletes that never make it because one day someone might

Shanty said..

actiomax said..
Well in the efforts of fairness maybe We could have a system for potential Olympic athletes like the arts council have .
After all they can grant money for things to people that never happen like the I think from memory $80 000 grant to reg Livermore to write his biography that's never happened to my knowledge.
I'm sure there's been millions spent on things that never happened out there like books of Vegan poetry's or sculptures made from tampons or some **** .
So it would be justified to spend money on athletes that never make it because one day someone might

I reckon you are right mate. More Australian hero's that kids can look up to. It may also get kids back into sport and away from computers, depression, cyber bullying. That will mean less teens Ending up like this

Most disturbingly ragey moments 9:15 , 12:45 , 14:39

This kid seriously needs to some description of help. Do something outdoors, take time away from the internet. Something, he can't continue like that.
This is why I believe Australia needs more sporting hero's. we need people like Jessica watson or anyone doing something beneficial. The world will be a better place.

Also 0:20 is bad too

Should we be paying someone to chase a ball, jump over a stick or run, cycle, swim a set distance the quickest?

Is that really furthering human progress/ evolution?

Will there be a useful / quantifiable return on investment for societies outlay?

The money in sport is really generated through paying viewers and the associated advertising of most things we don't really need... and this value mostly falls into the hands of the corporate elite anyway and most of this wealth goes offshore. The money some of these athletes are getting paid is a sad reflection on our values and truly exposes the inevitable demise of our species.

What is the end game here ?

Shouldn't we invest surplus funds (well no such thing it's all BS money anyway... but hey it's worth something right now), into children and adults who have brilliant ideas or the capacity for ideas to further human development and indeed create value added industries here? Give them time and money to be creative. That includes artists as well as those poor buggers are always on the edge of insanity and hence what's possible

Sport has become just entertainment for the masses. A distraction. I for one don't see any point in any country throwing good money at what is a means to just some sad and useless end.

But we will.

imagine a society that invested and prioritised that sort of thing instead of a society of dead beat shopping mall sugar addicted couch potatoes cheering on THEIR team on the idiot box.

eppo said..
Should we be paying someone to chase a ball, jump over a stick or run, cycle, swim a set distance the quickest?

Is that really furthering human progress/ evolution?

Will there be a useful / quantifiable return on investment for societies outlay?

The money in sport is really generated through paying viewers and the associated advertising of most things we don't really need... and this value mostly falls into the hands of the corporate elite anyway and most of this wealth goes offshore. The money some of these athletes are getting paid is a sad reflection on our values and truly exposes the inevitable demise of our species.

What is the end game here ?

Shouldn't we invest surplus funds (well no such thing it's all BS money anyway... but hey it's worth something right now), into children and adults who have brilliant ideas or the capacity for ideas to further human development and indeed create value added industries here? Give them time and money to be creative. That includes artists as well as those poor buggers are always on the edge of insanity and hence what's possible

Sport has become just entertainment for the masses. A distraction. I for one don't see any point in any country throwing good money at what is a means to just some sad and useless end.

But we will.

imagine a society that invested and prioritised that sort of thing instead of a society of dead beat shopping mall sugar addicted couch potatoes cheering on THEIR team on the idiot box.

It's a pretty smart business plan.

As tax payers we get to fund the development of sports people.

Big business then then buys the really good ones and charges us for the privilege of watching them perform!

I'll never forget the post in which one our contributors related how he was criticized for not taking an interest in sport. But I do was his reply, I windsurf, surf and cycle. What do you do?

Watch of course!

Which is what the majority do. It is indeed just entertainment!

eppo said..
Should we be paying someone to chase a ball, jump over a stick or run, cycle, swim a set distance the quickest?

Is that really furthering human progress/ evolution?

Will there be a useful / quantifiable return on investment for societies outlay?

The money in sport is really generated through paying viewers and the associated advertising of most things we don't really need... and this value mostly falls into the hands of the corporate elite anyway and most of this wealth goes offshore. The money some of these athletes are getting paid is a sad reflection on our values and truly exposes the inevitable demise of our species.

What is the end game here ?

Shouldn't we invest surplus funds (well no such thing it's all BS money anyway... but hey it's worth something right now), into children and adults who have brilliant ideas or the capacity for ideas to further human development and indeed create value added industries here? Give them time and money to be creative. That includes artists as well as those poor buggers are always on the edge of insanity and hence what's possible

Sport has become just entertainment for the masses. A distraction. I for one don't see any point in any country throwing good money at what is a means to just some sad and useless end.

But we will.

imagine a society that invested and prioritised that sort of thing instead of a society of dead beat shopping mall sugar addicted couch potatoes cheering on THEIR team on the idiot box.

Don't forget, cooking and home renovation are now spectator sports.