Special Olympics

stevejr · 02-07-2011 12:17AM

strokemyclover wrote: »

Mods, close it down! I apologise for posting this topic at this hour at this time of week. Nothing good can come of this.

Have a set of balls man, you've a good point to make. Make it.

HerrScheisse · 02-07-2011 12:17AM

Special Olympics is all about participating.

Olympics is all about winning.

Which Olympics has the most happy people?

eigrod · 02-07-2011 12:17AM

I admire the carers and assistants for these athletes (and, indeed, for any carers and assistants for those with special needs). The patience , selflessness and understanding these people have is truly magnificent.

I wouldn't last 5 minutes doing it.

Yahew · 02-07-2011 12:19AM

Anyone get the impression that strokemyclover posted to see if there would be an anti-special olympics reaction, confirming himself in his moral superiority?

Well there hasn't been a reaction, and he's still now asking the mods to close his thread down. What?

Oranage2 · 02-07-2011 12:19AM

HerrScheisse wrote: »

Special Olympics is all about participating.

Olympics is all about winning.

Which Olympics has the most happy people?

The people that arent special?

HerrScheisse · 02-07-2011 12:21AM

Oranage2 wrote: »

The people that arent special?

Yes! Indeed! But isn't everyone special in their own special way!

cesc77 · 02-07-2011 12:25AM

uch wrote: »

I think we have a SPECIAL one !

Like Jose?:)

Why thank you.

Although,what is wrong with saying that the word special is patronising to people with a disability and that there are ringers involved in these events?

celj · 02-07-2011 12:28AM

cesc77 wrote: »

Like Jose?:)

Why thank you.

Although,what is wrong with saying that the word special is patronising to people with a disability and that there are ringers involved in these events?

Ringers??What do you mean exactly?

cesc77 · 02-07-2011 12:38AM

celj wrote: »

Ringers??What do you mean exactly?

We have a sensitive one here.

Dont be offended by terms you havent heard of or the fact that people will do anything to win in life.

Oh,google it.

Chuck Stone · 02-07-2011 12:39AM

stevejr wrote: »

Sailing close to the wind with that one boy!

In all honesty that's what first came to mind when I think of eugenicists.

celj wrote: »

Really no need to add that at the end just to be smart.

Mods this really should be moved or closed as a lot of people are going to get very insulted.

I mean no harm to people who mean no harm to me. See above

Yahew wrote: »

The only people who would get upset at that post would be Eugenicists.

Thank you Sir.

As I said earlier I think it's fantastic that we have an olympics for these more vulnerable members of our societies.

When I was watching the news during the week I couldn't help but be impressed by the achievements of all the special olympians but what I found particularly touching was the immense pride and joy expressed by the families of the special olympians.

Good folk imo.

HerrScheisse · 02-07-2011 12:39AM

celj wrote: »

Ringers??What do you mean exactly?

When I hear the word "ringers" the thoughts of Healy Rae telephone lines are conjured in my mind.

Superbus · 02-07-2011 12:43AM

Superbus wrote: »

My sister didn't get through the trials for the botcha the last time, so fcuk 'em.

'Everyone's a winner' - yeah, if you manage to get there.

Christ that's an undignified post - I should point out that even the trials were a great experience, and that she has friends who participated in the real thing - the joy they got out of it was something else.

And to the people referring to ringers and other bull, please go fall down an infinite hole.

Oranage2 · 02-07-2011 12:44AM

HerrScheisse wrote: »

When I hear the word "ringers" the thoughts of Healy Rae telephone lines are conjured in my mind.

Ringer in this context is a guy pretending to be retarded so he can win in the special olympics

celj · 02-07-2011 12:45AM

cesc77 wrote: »

We have a sensitive one here.

Dont be offended by terms you havent heard of or the fact that people will do anything to win in life.

Oh,google it.

I'm not sensitive,I will though ask questions of others regarding this issue as my daughter has participated.
I asked what you meant by ringers?
I wonder what dealings you've had with the Special Olympics to come to the conclusion that"ringers" are involved in running the organization?

HerrScheisse · 02-07-2011 12:46AM

Oranage2 wrote: »

Ringer in this context is a guy pretending to be retarded so he can win in the special olympics

Sounds like what happened in the Dail to me!

joshrogan · 02-07-2011 12:47AM

It isn't my cup of tea but fairplay to them.

baby and crumble · 02-07-2011 12:49AM

I don't normally post in AH but I just have to say, I work with people with intellectual disabilities and while I hate the term 'Special Olympics' (like most I think it sounds patronising) the feeling behind it is great. The guys I work with train incredibly hard to get in and go to represent their country. Seriously, most of them are incredible athletes.

Athlete advert

I love that ad picture.

The money to send the athletes and team members is raised from grassroots collections, so it's money that was given freely to get the programs up and running. A lot of people don't know that behind the scenes there's a free health screening programme for all athletes from all nations, which is great for athletes from lower socio-economic backgrounds and developing countries.

Just saying

Oranage2 · 02-07-2011 12:51AM

HerrScheisse wrote: »

Sounds like what happened in the Dail to me!

<snip>

celj · 02-07-2011 12:55AM

Oranage2 wrote: »

<snip>

Really clever using language like that in a thread about the Special Olympics.
You should be very proud of yourself.

ascanbe · 02-07-2011 01:01AM

The Special Olympics is a great as a concept and, though i've never been or volunteered so i wouldn't know, seems equally great in reality; and the way it was embraced by Ireland and the show put on by the organisers and volunteers here is one of the few things Ireland can be truly proud of over the last number of years.
It occured when a lot of this country was still high on the hubris of the Celtic Tiger and many people felt we had nothing to 'prove' to world, yet many people saw fit to put great effort in to making it work as well as possible, even though doing would seemingly garner relatively little attention or praise.
People are never entirely selfless; anything people do is somewhat guided by the 'what's in it for me?' principle. But that definitely was mostly motivated by a certain good, positive feeling and displayed humanity at its best.

Yahew · 02-07-2011 01:01AM

celj wrote: »

Really clever using language like that in a thread about the Special Olympics.
You should be very proud of yourself.

The only person who could reasonably get upset about that post is Healy Rae.

celj · 02-07-2011 01:04AM

Yahew wrote: »

The only person who could reasonably get upset about that post is Healy Rae.

Well I for one am insulted that someone would use the word retard in a thread on the Special Olympics.

KeithM89_old · 02-07-2011 01:11AM

Careful with your wording on a thread like this, thanks

Chuck Stone · 02-07-2011 01:11AM

celj wrote: »

Well I for one am insulted that someone would use the word retard in a thread on the Special Olympics.

Only if you think that special olympians are retards - which they clearly aren't.

Think of it this way - how would you fancy your chances competing against these folk at what they're good at?

I pretty sure I'd get my ass kicked tbh* and I'm not overtly impaired... I think!

I think the word retard is more suited for people who **** up other people's lives or do something that is extremely stupid.

*I might be better at visually impaired soccer but ffs come on I don't even wear glasses.

The 'retard' word could probably do with it's own thread. People just get all sensitive for bad reasons imo.

uch · 02-07-2011 01:17AM

Not aimed at anyone, but dont forget, this is what it's all about,,,,, not money, not judgement, just pride for the physically and mentally challenged in our society, and they get a chance to represent their country and make their families very proud and we should be proud too, when was the last time you got off your ass and represented your country in any shape or form? and saying bothar, cailín, caca milis does'nt count !

ayeboy · 02-07-2011 01:21AM

Ireland play England this morning in the Final of the soccer. KO at 9:30am our time I think.

Come on you boys in green!!

flanum · 02-07-2011 01:41AM

is there boxing in the special olympics?

Chuck Stone · 02-07-2011 01:49AM

flanum wrote: »

is there boxing in the special olympics?

Not sure but I doubt it. A lot of the people in the special olympics would have difficulty with judgement so I guess there's huge scope for many of them to be taken advantage of.

I guess what I mean is that it would be hard for many of those folk to make a truly autonomous decision when it comes to a combat sport.

I remember as a kid when we were on holidays there was this other kid who had downs syndrome. A couple of times he kicked the **** out of people around him for making fun of him (fair play) and eventually everybody was scared of him. He was very strongly built.

That guy would have made some professional fighter I tells ya!

uch · 02-07-2011 01:51AM

I Bags Battering him!

flutterflye · 02-07-2011 01:57AM

What I would love to see actually is an 'olympics off' between people with special needs, and the bast@rds in power who continue to reduce their financial, educational, and therapeutic resources, along with assistance for those who care for and assist them.

Special Olympics

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