Thursday 12 April 2018

I'm Over It


The one in the middle is our next head of state. (Getty images)

I don’t know about you, gentle reader, but I’m over it.

The “it” being the Commonwealth Games (abbreviated to “Comgames” by the usual suspects in the media.

And when you think about it the media is the raison d’etre for this boringly repetitive event. Like the Olympic Games, the whole deal is rapidly approaching its use-by date.

After all, the narrative is always the same – the endless promotion prior which seems to begin years ahead;  the stories about the athletes’ accommodation; the conjecture about the flag bearer; the Sally Pearson will she/won’t she story; the success/failure of the swimming team; the “how do you feel” questions for both winners and losers; the African athletes who scarper; and the opening and closing events stories.

We also get the odd royal out to open the show. We scored Charlie. The royal family are all a bit odd, of course, but Charlie is right up there.

Pauline Hanson found something to be outraged about. The state government over-reacted to the transport problems, and the volunteers’ training programme was criticised by the leader of the state opposition.
In other words, we’ve heard it all before, and none of it is news or inspiring.

The athletes, of course, deserve the rewards for their hard work and effort, but they’re athletes, for crying out loud. That’s what they do.

There is one bright spot. The paragames are being run in conjunction.

That is one organisational aspect that the Olympics could duplicate.

And don’t forget, gentle reader, you and I are paying for it.

Taken for Granted

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