Transferred from another thread.
-Joe Offer-
Subject: Aussie/IOC ineptitude
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 04-Jul-99 - 10:58 PM
G'day all you great Mudders,
I'm sorry to start a new thread, but the Aussies Ban American Bands thread won't let me post (I think it's got indigestion and I'm not surprised). I didn't see this earlier as I was 150 kilometres away playing for a birthday ball and the thread seems to have gone critaical by the time I read it. If someone at Mudcat can just attach this to the original (intended) thread, I will be quite happy.
I just want to say that I am appalled at every thing that happened in this context - the IOC seem to be only capable of handling one idea at a time (apart from raking off anything that's going in the way of bribes, gratuities and freebies). This is supposed to be an international event. What's wrong with having the best bands in Australia proudly marching alongside the best bands from all over world? (Apart from asking what sort of event actually justifies 1500 marching band members ... I mean, there is possibly too much of a good thing!)
I was briefly on a committee (Folk2000) that hoped to persuade the powers-that-be that it might be a good idea to remember that we have lots of good performers here ... and some of those are folk peformers. Even three years back, the whole beanfest looked like being such a blatantly sycophantic ripoff of overseas (largely American) acts that any average American would be embarassed ... or just plain disappointed not to see something interesting and different. I backed away from the minor politics and divisions of Folk2000 - I'm embarrassed to be in the same hemisphere as the SOCOG mob!
Regards,
Bob Bolton
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Subject: RE: Aussie/IOC ineptitude
From: catspaw49
Date: 04-Jul-99 - 11:16 PM
Well Bob, don't be! Many of us get embarassed over what the entire Olympic thing has become. The days of "Peace and Understanding through Sport" has become "We Understand we can make a healthy piece on the sports." Instead of emulating the many friendly competitions of years past, the IOC and the National committees, in the recent past, have chosen to follow the example of Hitler. I dunno'-----I don't watch much anymore 'cause the whole thing rings loudly of our old friend xenophobia and greed on damn near everyone's part.
catspaw