Seb Coe- Waffler extra-ordinaire

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

He really isn't very impressive is he?

As believable as Tony blair explaining Iraq's store of WOMD!

Waffle waffle waffle!

TNBA


TTF

 

[Bigtomfu]

Yeah was thinking that myself. Practically palmed off all responsibility to some other bod in the legacy company. Reminds me of Tony Harward.

 

[clippedgull]

I bet some nice big brown envelopes are being handed around.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

What a load of bollocks.

An Olympic Champion, successful politician, leading and then winning a UK Olympic bid. Venues well ahead of schedule. And a top bloke to boot. Christ what else does the man have to do?

 

[Tooting Gull]

Coe's done a brilliant job, but this was a very simple question about the stadium. He's been banging on about legacy for years. To all of a sudden palm it off on someone else and say he 'wouldn't know' is totally unbelievable. Of course he knows what's going on, they couldn't possibly not keep him in the loop on something like that - he just won't say.

And that presumably is because the awkward reality is being faced that only a football club might make a go of it, despite all the earlier promises. Speaking of awkward questions that haven't been dealt with, has the GB football team issue been sorted? Last I heard there was enormous pressure from the organisers to have one, and none of the other home FAs wanted to. Seemed a situation quite difficult to negotiate on.

(just checked - must have missed that it apparently will be an all-English team under GB banner, other FAs refused to allow their players to take part. Messy compromise).

 

[seagullsoverlincoln]

Dont get me wrong, ive a lot of respect for Coe-but his interview at the European
athletics championship was a waffling load of guff

 

[tedebear]

I have heard people in the know call him all manner of things, and a nice guy isn't one of them...

 

[adrian29uk]

How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?
How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?
How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?
How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?
How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?
How can you justify spending this amount on the olympics?

I wonder how many times he has had to answer this question. We know this Olympics is expensive, but its going to a fantastic event. And as long as things like the Aquatic Centre are turned in to a public pool afterwards, the velodrome and stadium are used for other events then it will be worth the money. If however these stadium are left to rot, this is where it will annoy plenty of people.

 

[happypig]

. And as long as things like the Aquatic Centre are turned in to a public pool afterwards, the velodrome and stadium are used for other events then it will be worth the money.

If you live in London, then yes. If you're one of the majority of people who don't, then you're paying for something you'll never use.

 

[Biscuit]

He really isn't very impressive is he?
As believable as Tony blair explaining Iraq's store of WOMD!

Seeing as we went to war on the back of what Tony Blair said, surely, at the time, he was quite believable?

 

[bhaexpress]

If you live in London, then yes. If you're one of the majority of people who don't, then you're paying for something you'll never use.

Quite so, having been working earlier this year for a government organisation that promotes tourism and thus 2012 I get them impression this is going to make the loss on the Millennium Dome look like nothing. Why existing facilities like Crystal Palace stadium (and the velodrome down the road at Dulwich) could not have been redeveloped is beyond me.

Chronic failure is what will happen. Many people won't come to London because it's so expensive.

 

[The Large One]

Quite so, having been working earlier this year for a government organisation that promotes tourism and thus 2012 I get them impression this is going to make the loss on the Millennium Dome look like nothing. Why existing facilities like Crystal Palace stadium (and the velodrome down the road at Dulwich) could not have been redeveloped is beyond me.

Chronic failure is what will happen. Many people won't come to London because it's so expensive.

So you're saying it's way over-budget AND people won't turn up?

 

[bhaexpress]

So you're saying it's way over-budget AND people won't turn up?

I'm saying that it's way over budget and not as many people will turn up as expected. Unless a decent football team moves into the athletics stadium that will become the palest of White Elephants. I'd be very surprised to see the velodrome be to pay for itself after the Olympics. Also, I wonder how much is being spent in Weymouth for the sailing events, I rather doubt that much of that will be recouped.

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

It is all about organisations and their inate inability to understand and well organise. A classic case is here in Glasgow which has the millstone of the 2014 Commonwealth Games around it's neck. The organising committee have decided to spend £3m on redeveloping the outdoor bowling facility in Kelvingrove Park. They have then said to all the local bowling clubs that the faciity will be there post games for all the local clubs to use.
Not bad one would say? However, bowls in GB is in terminal decline and most clubs, certainly in Glasgow, are struggling for membership, with a demographic shift that has meant little new blood playing the sport in the last ten years.
The tennis club of which I am a member has a bowling section and the average age of the membership has risen by 9 years in the last decade!
They have said that they cannot fill their own greens and facilities let alone use another facility noweher near their club. So another white elephant will be born. Rather than give the local clubs £100k or so each to upgrade their facilities and make ready for the games and beyond, the organising committee, without due consideration or consultation, have gone their own merry way. This fiscal frittering will apply to more than bowls of course, both at Glasgow 2014 and London 2012.
Hence the real need to democratise what is going on in sport UK wide. I just don't see it happening.

TNBA

TTF

 

[Icy Gull]

I have heard people in the know call him all manner of things, and a nice guy isn't one of them...

That was obvious when he was just a runner.

 

[sten_super]

If you live in London, then yes. If you're one of the majority of people who don't, then you're paying for something you'll never use.

A bit like some of my tax providing government services in Scotland, or my national insurance contributions being used to pay for someone else to have NHS treatment. The distribution of government funds is never 'even', in the sense that you get what you put in.

I have no problem with Londoners (particularly the disadvantaged in areas such as Stratford) getting access to top notch public services that I have contributed towards (in however small a way). I would have much more problem with a football team taking use of the Olympic stadium without paying fair value for it.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

A happy and thriving capital is good for the whole country, no?

 

[bhaexpress]

A happy and thriving capital is good for the whole country, no?

How does that relate to the Olympics though ? For the duration we'll have a full house but who will benefit after ? Bear in mind that virtually all Olympic sports are on the whole, minority sports I don't see how having a dirty great athletics stadium will benefit anybody apart from the fans of whichever team ends up using it. I know that all the accommodation for competitors that was built around Crystal Palace (for the Commonwealth Games) was sold off cheaply but latterly (thanks to it's location and view) it's being sold off not cheaply (like ex Council Houses). Whilst there might be an opportunity for some people to become home owners I don't think many Londoners will get much benefit and very few people outside of London will get anything.

 

[The Large One]

I'm saying that it's way over budget and not as many people will turn up as expected. Unless a decent football team moves into the athletics stadium that will become the palest of White Elephants. I'd be very surprised to see the velodrome be to pay for itself after the Olympics. Also, I wonder how much is being spent in Weymouth for the sailing events, I rather doubt that much of that will be recouped.

You may be involved in the promotion of it, but by the looks of it, you're guessing what will happen from a pessimistic perspective.

The reason we've no idea what a velodrome will be like after the games is because the UK has only invested in a couple of velodromes (Manchester and Glasgow, I think) before now. You can't say what will happen with this one in London.

By your own reckoning, you've no idea what's happening at Weymouth, how much is being spent, who's doing what to where, yet you're speculating that it will be a loss-making venture. Based on what?

True, it's important that there is a legacy to the games, but you're talking like there isn't going to be one, or at least not a sustainable one. I'd say there will be if enough people with enough enthusiasm take it on.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I served Seb Coe a pint on Christmas Day at The Greysa few years back. True story.