Commonwealth Games

[Studley 2436]

So what are you doing tonight?

I am being a good woody

Studley

[ss_11000]

So what are you doing tonight?

I am being a good woody

Studley

homework...

also missing out on prison brake( ch7 isn't showing it cos of the com games ceremony)

[Wood Butcher]

Sitting in front of the TV with the laptop watching ch 10.
I should be studying for Uni tomorrow, but at the moment TV's winning.:(

[doug the slug]

Seeing as my Jools (ELE__13 on this forum) is working there as a volunteer i have beenchatting to her on msn tonight as she flew to melbourne today. she starts work tomorrow now that its all officially openhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Groggy]

Any time people get together to better themselves, then compete to entertain and learn, I'm going to be there.

It is so much more refreshing to watch than uneducated talking heads, war, crime and editorial. To me it is about effort, hope and dreams,a willingness to aspire to something better, and I think the opening ceremony did it well.

Despite the spin put on the Games by some, it is a positive event that reflects great efforts by many thousands of competitors and volunteers (you hear me Jules?).

Well done to all and good luck in the competitions.

[Waldo]

G'day,

I half watched the thing (opening ceremony) as I cuddled my little daughter to sleep. What a load of boring junk! Best thing was Delta, not only is she hot but she has a beautiful voice.

Ticked what has bikes got to do with ballerinas, also wanted to choose, "Don't like Monarchist bull dust", but it's not multiple choice. :(

I'm with the little bloke, ss_11000, ch7 pulled my favorite programme. :(

At least being live I can watch the sports I really like, all the shooting, squash, girls gymnastics ;), javelin and high jumping and a few others, and none of the tripe like swimming - ho hum boring.... boring.... zzzzzzzz, boring! :D

(hey! Hagar isn't spilling his beer and doug's jugs aren't bouncing

So for the next 11 days I'll be working from my 17" PowerBook in the lounge room when the good stuff is on as I do my 9-5 work. (gotta love working from home)

Have fun Jules. :) And poor Doug, all left on his own, poor bloke.:( )

(Hey! Hagar isn't spilling his beer and Doug's jugs aren't bouncing :( )

[Studley 2436]

I was going to tell the story of how I got a 6000 grit stone and got to find out what I had been doing wrong with my planes. But that doesn't have anything to do with the Commonwealth Games. Anyway got that one at the last meet and greet when the boys spent all afternoon doing the tag team thing on a piece of metal until they, refusing to use the bench grinder, got it nice on a 1200 grit stone just like I used to use to put the finished edge on. Then they went to 6000 and well I didn't want to be an ass and shoulder my way in but I did get to feel the finished blade and thought just shut up and don't look a fool because this is way better than what you do.

I agree with Groggy wholeheartedly. There will be lots of great sports and contests over the course of the games. Maybe it is just me but I don't really get that excited by the opening and closing ceremonies of anything. Don't ask me why do I look like I am educated?

Studley

[Ian007]

Being a shed head I spent the evening in there with a fellow forum member talking, learning, bull shipping:D

[Lignum]

Absoultly sensational. Melbourne and its people and volunteers should be proud of putting on such great theater for the world to see. The fish along the Yarra, Barras walking on water, John Landy handing the batton over to the Queen, the sensational band Catt Attak, Delta, the great light and fire works display and even the flying W-Class was fun. And even after all the hoo-har over God Save the Queen, i thought Dame Kiri was superb in the way she handled it. And just before the Queens message when all dignitaries were introduced starting with the Queen, John Howard, Bracks ect, when Mayor John So was introduced the crowd went in to rapturous applase, fantastic moment. Now for a few weeks of great sporting events and lotsa Gold for the Aussies. Wont be getting much work done wich is a bummer, but it will be worth it:D :D

[Sturdee]

And just before the Queens message when all dignitaries were introduced starting with the Queen, John Howard, Bracks ect, when Mayor John So was introduced the crowd went in to rapturous applase, fantastic moment.

Definitely the best part of the night. John So, who all the politicians like to ignore, was the only one cheered on by the crowd. If John So ran for PM we would all vote for him.:D


Peter.

[echnidna]

Whaddabout that crappy looking Oz uniform:D

[Studley 2436]

Bit of a school blazer. I personally thought it was quiet a successful team uniform.

Studley

[Waldo]

Bit of a school blazer.

Studley


G'day,

That's exactly why I didn't like it.

[Sir Stinkalot]

I couldn't vote in the poll as I was there.

I have no interest what so ever in the Commonwealth games ..... I wouldn't go out of my way on a weekend to see people running around a track so why should I show any interest when they do it at the games?

Stinkette called me up at work yesterday morning and said that my Mother was given two free tickets as she was working as a volunteer. We had to think about going or not ..... I was going to go the the garage and the Stinkette was going to do the grocery shopping. In the end we decided to go.

The free tickets had a face value of $460 each and the seats were great. There were many empty seats in the stadium which was disappointing, they will get more at grand final day. As for the show it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be ..... a little long winded and confusing but it had some good elements. I wouldn't have been happy if I had paid $460 to see it mind you and I think this may have been the reason they didn't sell all of the tickets.

Now I can stick my head back in the sand .... battle the increased traffic due to the transit lanes and wait for it all to be over.

[Kev Y.]

waste of time and my tax money!, all for some-ones resume'

13 days to go:) :)

[Sir Stinkalot]

waste of time and my tax money!, all for some-ones resume'

13 days to go:) :)

It seems somewhat ironic that I can go to uni for 6 years .... become a doctor to help the community and then be asked to pay back my Hecs debt as well as income tax.

On the other hand if I can run quickly, jump high or play tennis I am given funding by the government to further my skills. At the end of this I make plenty of money through my chosen sport including sponsorship and don't have to pay back anything.

To give you some perspective the average wage for an AFL player is now $180,000 per year ..... and yet the clubs are going broke and basically begging for memberships to keep the dollars rolling in. Heres a thought ..... how about cut spending on the wages.

[Sturdee]

On the other hand if I can run quickly, jump high or play tennis I am given funding by the government to further my skills. At the end of this I make plenty of money through my chosen sport including sponsorship and don't have to pay back anything.


I fully agree with that. They should be required to pay back those funds similar to the Hecs system.


Peter.

[Waldo]

G'day,

Ch9 have just proved how pathetic they really are. :mad:

There are sports happening right now and I was really looking forward to the shooting at Lilydale and the C Games being in Oz I thought we'd get wall to wall sports. But no, Ch9 have proved to me what they always have been - endless repeats of the events and interviews from the night before.

Sure, they'll show the popular stuff like the swimming with all the minor heats live etc. up to the final of every single flaming boring race! C'mon show the smaller not so popular sports!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Sadly I don't think we'll be seeing the shooting etc. not unless Thorpe is in it. :( Sadly disappointed and not very happy Jan.

[Auld Bassoon]

So what are you doing tonight?

I am being a good woody

Studley

Anything but watching the 'games' excepting, possibly, some highlights.

What is really dicking me off is the utter and total chaos caused to the traffic system in Melbourne; it's gone from awful to bloody diabolical!

Special "Games Lanes" all over the CBD and environs, and quite empty! A $165 fine for venturing into one, if caught.

Travelling down St. Kilda Rd yesterday, the special lane was utterly empty throughout the whole stretch, yet what barely copes with two lanes was compressed into one.

I'll go now before a small 'twitch' turns into a major rant...:eek: :D :D

[Stuart]

G'day,

Ch9 have just proved how pathetic they really are. :mad:

There are sports happening right now and I was really looking forward to the shooting at Lilydale and the C Games being in Oz I thought we'd get wall to wall sports. But no, Ch9 have proved to me what they always have been - endless repeats of the events and interviews from the night before.

Sure, they'll show the popular stuff like the swimming with all the minor heats live etc. up to the final of every single flaming boring race! C'mon show the smaller not so popular sports!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Sadly I don't think we'll be seeing the shooting etc. not unless Thorpe is in it. :( Sadly disappointed and not very happy Jan.

I'll add my 2 cents to that- for the opening (which I didn't get a lot of either), why did Australia cut away to ads continuously, especially during the entry of the athletes, when other countries report getting full, uninterrupted coverage. I know- advertising dollars and all, but really, sometimes you can abstain and get some credibility to boot.

[Groggy]

I'll add my 2 cents to that- for the opening (which I didn't get a lot of either), why did Australia cut away to ads continuously, especially during the entry of the athletes, when other countries report getting full, uninterrupted coverage. I know- advertising dollars and all, but really, sometimes you can abstain and get some credibility to boot.Stuart, I was in Atlanta during the Olympics in 1996. During every race/event, if another nation looked like winning they cut away from the event and went to another. It was the poorest display of sportsmanship I've ever witnessed. Yes, we missed some of the opening ceremony, I was a bit miffed too, however, they have not been cutting away and denying the victor their moment, thank goodness!

[ss_11000]

Stuart, I was in Atlanta during the Olympics in 1996. During every race/event, if another nation looked like winning they cut away from the event and went to another. It was the poorest display of sportsmanship I've ever witnessed.
!

that is slack....did it ever backfire on them ( they looked like loosing but won)

[Groggy]

Stirlo, much as I wished it - no, not that I noticed.

I did go to a baseball match between the Atlanta Braves and the NY Yankees at Fulton County Stadium in late 1996.

At the bottom of the fifth inning (6-0) it was apparent the Yankees were done for and everyone began leaving. The stadium was nearly empty when one of the greatest recoveries in baseball history happened. Most of the people leaving tried to get back to the stadium and caused traffic to go into gridlock, very few got back in.

The Yankees got three runs in the sixth and another three in the eighth, eventually winning 8 to 6 - it was a fantastic game to watch.

My neighbour was in the gridlock, in fact, I beat him home. A small thing I never let him forget :D:D:D

[Iain]

I got pulled over for travelling on the wrong side of a blue line, didn't even know what it was.
Slap on wrist, don't do it again.
I have watched some of the games but I think I probably got a better perspective of the opening ceremony on TV than if I had been there, by the way, what WAS the signifigance of that bleeding duck?????

[ss_11000]

Stirlo, much as I wished it - no, not that I noticed.

I did go to a baseball match between the Atlanta Braves and the NY Yankees at Fulton County Stadium in late 1996.

At the bottom of the fifth inning (6-0) it was apparent the Yankees were done for and everyone began leaving. The stadium was nearly empty when one of the greatest recoveries in baseball history happened. Most of the people leaving tried to get back to the stadium and caused traffic to go into gridlock, very few got back in.

The Yankees got three runs in the sixth and another three in the eighth, eventually winning 8 to 6 - it was a fantastic game to watch.

My neighbour was in the gridlock, in fact, I beat him home. A small thing I never let him forget :D:D:D

oh well......i like that story of the baseball:D

[ele__13]

Wahoooo wat a brill week
43 ceremonies in 6 days
so much gold and we did so well in the pool


will hopefully get gold at hockey sunday
we will be so glad if we can do that 2

cheers jules

[ss_11000]

Wahoooo wat a brill week
43 ceremonies in 6 days
so much gold and we did so well in the pool


will hopefully get gold at hockey sunday
we will be so glad if we can do that 2

cheers jules


should be able to...neither one has loss yet and both are pretty good teams

[AlexS]

Thought ther traffic in melbourne was excellent last week - especially the special visitors' lane with the blue line in it. Just hopped in that lane and went wherever I wanted with no hold-ups. It was great coming into Melb. last Wednesday down the Tullamarine freeway, lots of people on the o'head bridges waving, even the police there are friendly, they waved even more vigorously than everyone else.:D

[Wood Butcher]

Just had to mention Matthew Glen Helm in the 10m diving. In his last dive he scored
9.5 , 9.5 , 10 , 10 , 9.5 , 10.
Won the Gold with that Fantastic Score!!!

[Lignum]

Has their ever been a more amazing night of sporting drama in Australia than tonight. John Steffensen led the Australian 4x400 metre relay team to victory with 85 thousand going crazy.

And poor Craig Mottram who was tripped and fell in the1500 metre race when he was perfectly placed for gold.

Then we were awarded the gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay after initial winner England was disqualified.

And a sloppy final baton change blew our chance in the men's 4x100 relay when Matt Shervington was in front of Asafa Powell at the last change....Arggg they blew it.

These games have been sensational and its such a shame they are over:( At least now i can take the telly of the end of the workbench and catch up on all my work

[Daddles]

I'd still like to know where this 'Melbourne' place is :D

Nah, it's been fun. Even the crap coverage hasn't managed to ruin ... most of it :rolleyes:

Richard

[Waldo]

G'day,

Was a good night, but 9's coverage was up the creek. Tatiana is about to jmp and we go to some interviewer talking about the relay stuff up, almost thought we'd miss Tatiana's pole vault.

Last night was a cockup, Hooper sidekick was about to do his gold medal pole vault and the camera swings to faces in the crowd, come back to the Aussie gold vault and the guy has cleared it!:mad: We had to watch the vault on replay - even the commentator calling it from the track was in disbelief over Ch9.

The wins of all teams have been great, pity about Ch9's poor effort of the coverage! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad::mad:

And the dopey ex AFL bugger calling the games in the morning telcasts, don't get me strated on him! :mad: What's he on? Lithium or something?

[Lignum]

But the pole vault is like the sun-kick at half time in the footy, its their to have something to watch inbetween the main events.

At the end of the day apart from the saturation of swiming as in all the qualifying heats, i thought because of the huge logistics of the entire event, chanel Eddy didnt do a bad job. At least i was satisfied and happy with what what was offered. Apart from events shown in delay, all the major events were covered :)

[Waldo]

all the major events were covered :)

G'day,

At the expense of what some call the lesser events which barely got a show in, and which to me a the far more interesting events. :(

I do agree though that swimming was oversaturated. I'd like tp put up a motion, ditch swimming so other sports get some airtime.
:cool: :eek:

And next time Ch9 should refrain from using washed up ex AFL players who look like they're still asleep and all drugged up, there are much better sports presenters in this country (oh I forgot Vic is AFL mad - stupid me) and get rid of the interviews!

[Lignum]

Well the last 12 months i couldnt give a rats about the games, but since the first nights opening and the start of the events iv been absoulutly hooked and loved every minute of it. The standard of competition has been world class and full of some of the greatest sporting moments and drama this country has ever seen, and Melbourne has shown it is THE greatest sports city in the world by a mile. So sad to see it end, but alls not lost as the GREATEST sporting cometition known to man starts in four sleeps time. Carn the Tiges;)

[Ian007]

I just flicked over to have a quick gander at the closing ceremony and what do I see a sea of dame edma's.

what the heck does that have to do with anything?

[Lignum]

I just flicked over to have a quick gander at the closing ceremony and what do I see a sea of dame edma's.

what the heck does that have to do with anything?

Who cares:confused: everyone just wants to bag anything and everything for the sake of it now days. The Games them selves have been absolutly sensational and should be praised for the quality that they were:)

[Sir Stinkalot]

John So seems to be the hit of the games :D

[Lignum]

They said tonight that a hot item is a John So T-Shirt with the words "John So is my Bro" Id love to get one:cool:

[Ian007]

I dont have a problem with the games at all, I watched a bit and listened to heaps on the radio.

I was not bagging the games at all nor was I bagging "anything and everything for the sake of it"

I only question what was the thinking behind the artistic direction:eek:

Cheers Ian

[Lignum]

Fair enough:) As much as Dame Edna isnt my cuppa tea, she is a cultural icon from Moonee Ponds recognised around the world. And i wasnt refering just to you bagging everyone and everything, but the Comm games has bought out so many wingers in the papers, radio and even in this forum just having ago at any trivial issue just for the sake of it. These same people must get up in the morning and burn their toast and have the worst day because of it

[ernknot]

I am sitting in a hotel in Ostrava, Czech republic and all I hear on BBC is when a Pom wins something. I know we are killing the rest of the Commonwealth at some rediculous ratio which means it's a joke and gives our athletes a false sense of achievement going into the next Olympics. Sorry, I was going to say I don't give two knobs of goat poo about the C.G's

[Studley 2436]

now it is all over it seems like it was a pretty successful event. I liked the road race ie bikes and I liked the marathon. the womens marathon has to have been one of the great races ever between two super athletes. The finish was high drama. Like most I would have liked to have seen more of the events that are less well known here. I would have liked to see more of the events where there was a close finish happening. If an Aussie wins by miles they don't need to play it again and again.

I did notice in the important polling that not very many of you are good woodies. How few of you said that the most important thing was being in the shed. I think I should petition Neil to issue a warning. Maybe will help me.

Studley

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It's over? You mean 'tis safe to come out of the shed now? :eek: