Posted on 05/19/2004 4:04:46 PM PDT by sathers
The United States Olympic Committee has a message for its athletes: Go ahead and wave the flag.
Reports out of the USOC media summit last week in New York said United States athletes would be told not to wave the flag at this summer's Athens Games because of anti-American sentiment in the region.
The USOC has instructed US athletes on security details and proper behavior, but chief executive Jim Scherr said they were never told not to wave the flag.
'The United States Olympic Committee wants to make it absolutely clear that we have not--and will not--instruct our athletes to refrain from waving the flag during the upcoming Athens Olympic and Paralympic games,' Scherr said in a statement.
'Any suggestions or statements to the contrary do not reflect the official position of our organization.'
(Excerpt) Read more at tusconcitizen.com ...
CYA time.
What about the Olympic governing body as a whole?
If they are booed, I want them to wave the middle finger too!
It was going to be either the middle-finger OR the flag....
"Message received" I presume?
I'd probably watch some coverage just to see which event gets bombed by terrorists, but we may not get any live coverage given the time zone difference.
That will most likely happen and hopefully your suggestion, too haha
What's with the news? First, it's "Don't wave the flag". Now it's OK?
Then we blew up a wedding party. Now we didn't?
Wow! The U.S. Olympic Committee is showing some backbone.
[Wonder if it will last?]
So then who was the idiot that reported no flag waving?
Emphasis on "official position"?
LOL Nothing like the light of God and day on rats!
Oh my gosh, I had forgotten that one. Thank you!
The idiot was a hired "consultant" for (I believe) the US Olympics Committee who advised *us* on protocol etc.
"I want them to wave the middle finger too!"
LOL I'm really good at that....plenty of practice makes perfect!
That is precisely the flag they are afraid of the "horrid" Americans displaying. So that the world sees the hypocrisy of their ostrich position when the bombs go off. If I had a child in this Oly, there is no way she would be allowed to participate out of sheet fear for her safety.
sheet? Aw sheet I meant sheer.
Given the initial report that they would discourage flag waving, and what I would guess was a lot of static from the public in reation, I think that they have shown no backbone whatsoever.
VICTORY!
Absolutely !
a trial balloon gone wrong. after a thorough asskicking, shucks, no prob. I wonder if our athletes will be wearing red white and blue, or some hamas green with hoods... morons all.
They are reversing the decision and the guy who wrote that memo most likely doesn't have a job anymore.
Definitely CYA time.
I hope they wave the flag right in the face of every Arab along the parade route.
They're going to get one rude response out of the thankless socialists in Greece.
"We're not the favorite kid in the world right now," conceded Bill Martin, the USOC's acting president. "We are sensitive not only to the security issue, but to jingoism in its raw sense. That is why we are sending people around to educate the athletes as to the appropriate behavior."
I seriously doubt that Moran provided a recommendation that was out of synch with his employers views.
I have provided consulting services for many years, and so I know how the game is played...
The USOC just guaranteed that the booing at the flag that would have taken place anyway will be increased a thousand fold. Surely they didn't plan it this way, did they? We all know the USOC wouldn't provide the Kerry campaign with all kinds of images of foreigners going berserk at the sight of the American flag because Bush caused them to hate us so, don't we?
The USOC is just playing both cards towards the middle. They had too much backlash in their wet noodle lets give into the world American haters while at the same time they believe that there will be no USA participation in the Oympics anyway due to anticipated violence and bombings in Athens. What a bunch of wussies. The USOC = The leaning tower of Jello!!
I guess the fact that people were talking about going fishing did the trick.
"You can wave the flag, but only if you're a transgendered athlete."
Yep, the whole "Dream Team" thing with a bunch of spoiled NBA players makes me sick. Why not field a team of amateur players who might actually get something out the Olympic experience whether they bring home a medal or not?
Now the USOC tells our athletes to be second-rate humans in this globalist mecca. Gag me. We should NEVER EVER be satisfied to downplay our pride to be successful U.S. Citizens on any stage. Some folks at the USOC need a new winning attitude.
lol, Good one!
'The United States Olympic Committee wants to make it absolutely clear that we have not--and will not--instruct our athletes to refrain from waving the flag (or wearing panties on their heads) during the upcoming Athens Olympic and Paralympic games,' Scherr said in a statement.
Does anyone remember the way the "Dream Team" that featured Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, etc. treated the US flag? They draped it over their shoulders, using it to cover the logo of the uniform maker that conflicted with their precious shoe maker deal. I found THAT offensive. Still do. Grown, over-paid, men acting like children, using the flag that I love as a cover. SHOW SOME RESPECT!!!!! Having said that, I hope whoever sent the memo instructing the US athletes to render unto PC robot-like compliacne, is fired. WE ARE THE ONLY SUPERPOWER ON THIS PLANET! Nuff said.
Yep, the whole "Dream Team" thing with a bunch of spoiled NBA players makes me sick. Why not field a team of amateur players who might actually get something out the Olympic experience whether they bring home a medal or not?Every other nation in the world sends their best players to compete. Why shouldn't we?
-Eric
PING!
That's mighty white of them!
The question of the day is will the French win an event, and correspondingly, if they do, will they carry the white flag around the stadium while genuflecting and bowing all the way around.
Wasn't that also the name of the fireman from New York, who asked Osama Bin Laden to kiss his, well, you know? If so, I wonder if he wishes this dirt bag would either mend his ways, or change his name?
I think they tried that with baseball, the American pastime. Not only will they not bring home a medal, they won't even be taking part in the games. The other countries use their professionals, I think we should too.
They obviously had a lot of calls and mail........
...which idiot started this whole thing?
Thanks for the ping. I am really nervous about the Olympics.
The President just told the Prime Minister from Greece that former President George HW Bush would be there representing the USA and President Bush.
During the Cold War the U.S. fielded amateur teams who competed against professional, state sponsored athletes. Many were taken away from their families when they were still children and groomed to perform for the state, Nadia Comaneci, Katharina Witt, Olga Korbut, etc.
Should it come to it...
Warning: If terrorists are armed and shooting, don't wave your flag and become an easy target.
So they decided it was ok to wave our flag after they decided it wasn't going to be ok to wave the flag? Is Kerry on the USOC?
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