Comments on: Boycotting and Banning: The Real Olympic Sports http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551 Feel Smart Again Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:09:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: arfies http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551/comment-page-1#comment-84127 arfies Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:49:22 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551#comment-84127 IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT. All it does is worsen international relations (see 1984 Olympics) and crush the dreams of many young athletes who worked for four years, often even more, but had the unfortunate desire to represent the country that later decided to screw them over in a petty political "that'll teach 'em!" move by their fearless leader. My mom was (and is) a swimmer, and had several friends who had their dreams crushed in 1980. Since the Olympics is only once every four years, and one's peak years are limited, their shot at the gold never happened again. IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT. All it does is worsen international relations (see 1984 Olympics) and crush the dreams of many young athletes who worked for four years, often even more, but had the unfortunate desire to represent the country that later decided to screw them over in a petty political “that’ll teach ‘em!” move by their fearless leader.

My mom was (and is) a swimmer, and had several friends who had their dreams crushed in 1980. Since the Olympics is only once every four years, and one’s peak years are limited, their shot at the gold never happened again.

]]> By: arfies http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551/comment-page-1#comment-84126 arfies Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:48:15 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551#comment-84126 I never understood why boycotting the Olympics seems to be so popular a chant, as it doesn't actually have tangible political gain, and all it does is hurt the boycotting country, not the boycotted ("Yay! More medals for us!") SOVIET UNION: Ooh, you're not going to play tennis at our house? Ouch. In that case, we're dreadfully sorry. We'll just un-invade Afghanistan, then, and be BFFs in the future! I never understood why boycotting the Olympics seems to be so popular a chant, as it doesn’t actually have tangible political gain, and all it does is hurt the boycotting country, not the boycotted (”Yay! More medals for us!”)

SOVIET UNION: Ooh, you’re not going to play tennis at our house? Ouch. In that case, we’re dreadfully sorry. We’ll just un-invade Afghanistan, then, and be BFFs in the future!

]]> By: katherine http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551/comment-page-1#comment-83961 katherine Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:15:54 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551#comment-83961 There is a great simpsons episode that spoofs on the 1984 boycott and McDonald's loseings. "wow a free burger and a new baby!" There is a great simpsons episode that spoofs on the 1984 boycott and McDonald’s loseings. “wow a free burger and a new baby!”

]]> By: Lynn http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551/comment-page-1#comment-83902 Lynn Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:46:37 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/16551#comment-83902 Great list! 1984 was also the year McDonald's ran that promotion where you got free food for every US medal one. With the Soviet's out, the US swept the games and McDonald's lost millions. Great list! 1984 was also the year McDonald’s ran that promotion where you got free food for every US medal one. With the Soviet’s out, the US swept the games and McDonald’s lost millions.

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