Christmas is within sight and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 15-20th March 05 is just around the corner.  I can smell the sweat already.

In recent years Australia has edged further and further ahead of the medal tally.  I have a feeling that this year might not be as successful as previous years despite the Games being held in Australia.  I would like to see some of the smaller nations be more successful.  It would be an enormous boost to their psyche.

More individuals and countries have taken up the challenge and viewed the games as seriously as Australia does.  I remember several games ago where well known athletes would not compete in the Commonwealth Games because they thought of the Comm. Games as being inferior to other championships in other parts being held at about the same time.

Is anyone going as a spectator or perhaps involved in a professional or voluntary capacity?

sorry caqctus but i have zero interest in C/W games...the sports I like are either not worth watching 'cos the best atheletes aren't there or they're not featured at all...franly C/W games should have cricket and netball and leave it at that

I like to watch the gymnastics and diving ...but in slow motion replay.

but why do you wanna watch C/W atheletes do those things when Russia, America, China and a dozen other European and Asian countries produce better atheletes in both sports?

I mean I love my swimming (the only boys who should be allowed to wear speedos) but I'd rather see the best compete at the one time

Seems Grant Hackett has bit the dust so who now for the 1500m.  I can't see Australia winning this event without Hackett.

I prefer the Commonwealth Games to the Olympics.  I find it laid back and friendlier, yet still fiercely competitive.  Yeah cactus, I think the 1500 metres was hackett.  I can't think of another Aussie that does it as well as he does.

In the FINA world rankings for the 1500m Hacket is #1, the next highest ranked C/W swimmer is a Canadian called Kurtis MacGillivary (ranked #7) but he lives and trains in Queensland (and is reportedly friends with Grant Hackett) so if he wins we will undoubtedly claim him as our own (in the same way we claim Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, the Finn brothers etc).  The next highest ranking C/W swimmer is a South African at #19 but as far as I can tell he's never been anywhere near Australia so we'd better hope he doesn't win

4 months to go, and I am sick of hearing about it already!

Watching the results of the Commonwealth Swimming Trials I was happy to see a local lad, after much hard work get into the Commonwealth Games and winning silver a couple of nights ago. His name is Josh Krough (pronounced Crow). Josh and his sister both excelled at swimming. Not sure what happened to his sister but Josh is now at the Sports Academy in Canberra. He and his sister attended a local private school and the sister was in the same year as my son. I noticed another local was in the trials tonight, a 19 yr old woman named Melanie Schlanger from Maroochydore.

Gee, Channel 9 has gone overboard of reminding us that the Commonwealth Games is on again. It annoys the wits out of me !!   I know they will telecast 2 weeks of the Games !!

I know Channel 9, you don't have to remind us every friggin' TV ad that the Commonwealth Games is happening in Melbourne !!  

well , just like predicted ! ..these games are turning out to be an unorganised dud .

now, remember when it first had tickets available? ..that predictable time we knew when they would try and completely rob the general public with way over priced tickets !!  ( taken advantaged of, yet again)

i dont usually get to see the " what goes around ,comes around " theory come true with Aussie rip offs , co's even when it's so obvious, no-one ever seems to step in and regulate ... and i truelly believe we need strickter price regulations in this country !!  ( ACCC should get real ) - except on this occasion, the Games Pricers were their own worst enemy fpmsl  !  

so many tickets available now.... no-ones even been freakin interested ! ...so the poor thieving money hungry opportunistic Corporate lovers ( THE High End Organisers ) are looking a bit embarrassed now and looking for excuses ! ...ahhh well - stiff sh*t !
of all nights to have a sell out , the opening night - they are even giving these away for nothing !  
of course 'Thorpe' and co missing has no doubt contibuted to this decline - but even so , just how would it have turned out i wonder ?

im finding this all just so humourous, to see them actually cleaning things up in Melb now, when these should've been done even without the commonwealth Games !
and even then , they've left some things too late !

* just wait's for train strike now etc etc .

personally , i'd be happy for these games - if it wasnt for the fact that these organisers get soooo cocky with an opportunety and then milk the people for all there worth !   ...it's about time the public won , but it does'nt happen often enough if you ask me !

Lordy, the tall poppy syndrome is at epidemic proportions.  

oh here we go ...you on the attack already . ( regarding influence from other topics , hey )  
well, unlike yourself obviously, i give a s**t about people being ripped off ....to be fair to be fair - and it's exactly silly attitudes like yours that only further encourage this rip off behaviour to further increase.
so i give a sh*t about the everyday Aussie about not being walked over and treated fairly !
has nothing to do with tall poppy at all, see, i admire a few billionaires & Millionaires as well - R.Branson is one em ( except for the needed promotion of airheaded Bimbo's to represent a product - why ? ) - K.Packer was another and has been since i first heard about him in the mid 80's . so there blows your theory straight out the water !!! .

( good retaliation try though Paula .. i'll give you 3.10 for trying )  

Yeah, looks like they will have to give tickets away to get bums on seats. Pity the people who paid full price.

Problem is, nobody wants to go to Melbourne - should have been in Sydney. Hook set....waiting for bite...

no ! .. definetly not buying into that debate          err,  ok then         ........ & sinker !  


Sydney .. SYDNEY !!!!  

i think it's more the fact it's the Commonwealth Games  & not the real Olympics that is turning people slightly off or at least, caring a lot less, ( and of course the exclusion of some big names probably did'nt help much either).

but really , if there was one great sporting facilitated city to be in, for any sporting event what so ever - it's definetly in Melbourne though.... easily, no comparison at all !  

plus we're nicer    lol

your turn