Special Olympics Celebs.

kneemos

Is there a purpose in having Colin Farrell,Robbie Keane etc showing up?
The opening ceremony in Croker had a procession of celebs.
Not sure what it adds . Probably detracts attention from the main event.
Maybe I'm missing something and being unfair?

Valetta

It gives it a higher profile.

Eg; threads get started on Boards.

Subcomandante Marcos

Showing support to the athletes? Showing recognition for their hard work? Thanking them for doing a great job representing the country on an international stage?

For the players on the soccer team who got to meet Robbie Keane it would have been meeting their idol for many of them.

P. Breathnach

I see it differently. In my eyes, it is affirmation of the competitors and their achievements. When a celebrity turns up to meet them or watch them compete, it makes them feel a bit more important.

And I tip my hat to the celebrities who give time to them.

OldGoat

Farrell's been working with the Special Olympics for 8 or 9 years now.

speedboatchase

OldGoat wrote: »

Farrell's been working with the Special Olympics for 8 or 9 years now.

And one of his kids has special needs. No harm done by it tbh. The more coverage the better for the athletes. It's unfortunate that the coverage is maximised if a celeb (and non-sporting celeb) is involved, but that coverage can help lure readers to coverage by giving them a reference point.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Support, profile and the athletes love it. So what's the harm? Decent of the celebs to give their time.


This country is a curse for knocking people when they do things. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Greenmachine

Agree with what some others have said. They have become shining stars, what better way to celebrate that than with movie stars.

eviltwin

In the case of Farrell there is a personal connection, his son has special needs. Not sure about Keane but maybe it's just a cause he wants to support. Well done to everyone who competed and brought home medals. We did great this year, 86 medals is impressive.

P. Breathnach

eviltwin wrote: »

... We did great this year, 86 medals is impressive.

I suppose that you were not competing, and that when you use "we" you are identifying with the team. That's good.

eviltwin

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I suppose that you were not competing, and that when you use "we" you are identifying with the team. That's good.

We as in Ireland, they are our athletes, we should be proud of them.

Samaris

Go Team Ireland! 86 medals is a hell of a haul.

Eh, in regards to the celebs, as long as they're not making the day about them instead of about the athletes, sure, whatever. If the athletes we are actually celebrating are fine about it, let them all at it.

I might find myself inclined to roll my eyes if someone like Kim Kardashian got involved though, so I admit my cynical side isn't entirely gone.

kneemos

Samaris wrote: »

Go Team Ireland! 86 medals is a hell of a haul.

Eh, in regards to the celebs, as long as they're not making the day about them instead of about the athletes, sure, whatever. If the athletes we are actually celebrating are fine about it, let them all at it.

I might find myself inclined to roll my eyes if someone like Kim Kardashian got involved though, so I admit my cynical side isn't entirely gone.

Justin Bieber walked out with the Canadian team.

Guy:Incognito

kneemos wrote: »

Justin Bieber walked out with the Canadian team.

Is that not cos hes competing?

Collie D

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Is that not cos hes competing?

I'm genuinely unsure whether to thank this post or not...

SeanW

Collie D wrote: »

I'm genuinely unsure whether to thank this post or not...

No, Guy:Incognito should apologise for comparing suggesting that Justin Beiber might be playing for the Canadian Special Olympics team ...

Suggesting that Justin Beiber would be competing with them was an unjustifiable insult to the Canadian Special Olympics team

DEFTLEFTHAND

I was reading a bit about the team in today's paper, they had a massive return of medals for such a small country. There's great work going on around the country with Special Olympics, mostly volunteer based too. Nice to see it pay off with such success.

Son Of A Vidic

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I was reading a bit about the team in today's paper, they had a massive return of medals for such a small country. There's great work going on around the country with Special Olympics, mostly volunteer based too. Nice to see it pay off with such success.

It really is something that Ireland as nation should be very proud. I for one certainly am anyway.

86 is impressive, but it's not really about the medals at all is it?

On a few occasions, there have been instances of Special Olympic athletes helping their 'competitors' across the finish-line after a stumble or a fall, one such incident happened in Dublin. Tbh, I'm not sure how seriously they even take the competition. They seem to be doing this for pure joy, and leaving the medal tally for us to sort out among ourselves.

Real sportsmanship is largely about winning, but only in the sense that winning is usually an indicator of determination. The Special Olympic athletes have determination in spades because of a hazard of fate, but they also have an admirable amount of human empathy.

We tend to view Ideal Man as being ambitious, yet generous; combative, yet merciful, as well as optimistic and innocent by nature. It is perhaps a mark on our weak minds that we describe these people, who so perfectly match our idealistic identikit, as 'disabled'—implying a state of being less adequate.

They are in fact super-human by our own standards. If I die and I find myself in the queue to meet Saint Peter, I hope there is some egoistical English footballer in the queue ahead of me, instead of one of these athletes. Their bodies are weak and yes, incapable, but I don't know any disabled person whose personal character & hardy resolve & incorruptible mind couldn't kick seven shades of shite out of me.