Tuesday, September 15, 2009

It Really Is THAT Easy!


Danke, Frankston!

Now it's your turn. Keep those messages of support - photographed, drawn, mimed or written with love- coming in to ozgymblog@gmail.com.

You know you want to!

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yayyyyyyyyyyyy! I am hanging out to see mine and everyone elses online! October is so far away!

Brinds

Anonymous said...

I don't really get it. Yes, I know the origin of the phrase (Adam Hills) but why are we using it for gymnastics?

Anonymous said...

To show a bit of a support for our girls in a fun and different way! Come on! Get behind them! You know it'd totally brighten their day knowing that fans here are barracking for them. I bet it doesn't happen often outside of their families and friends.

It's just a friendly cheer for them. They deserve it I reckon. Why not? Mine only took about 3 minutes to do!

Brinds

Anonymous said...

I didn't explain myself very well. I like that we are showing support. I just don't understand why it has to be a fire engine message. Unless you're an Adam Hills fan, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Mez said...

Why not? It's a "Go Team!" message of support for our World Championships teams.

Mez said...

PS - I never said the slogan wouldn't be explained to the people receiving it!

Anonymous said...

I agree, why not pick a more relevant slogan?Doesn't make sense. This is just a bit stupid really, maybe a little immature?

Mez said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mez said...

I think that's going a bit far, Anon 8:31. I deleted my long and very frustrated response to you because I think you're just baiting, and offer you this one instead:

It's a shame that you're sitting back and not contributing, when you are more than willing to put energy into picking at the efforts already being made by others. Says a lot about your attitude to supporting our teams.

I've already said that people don't have to send fire engine-related messages. They can send written ones directed to the team/s as a whole or to particular team members (like in HeroGrams) to ozgymblog@gmail.com and they will be included as well. I've been told by more than one person close to our Beijing WAG team that outside of the AIS training camp and family circles, the gymnasts simply don't know they've got other followers or fans and that it IS nice to hear about.

Besides, isn't "Go Team!" just a little over-familiar? Why can't (nay, SHOULDN'T) it be something different? I don't think our Sydney Olympians had a hard time deciphering Roy and HG's "Go You Good Thing!" when not a member of our team, at last check, was a 'thing' at all but a human being.

Anonymous said...

Um, "thing" is a noun, and can refer to any entity, including a person. A fire engine, on the other hand, is a very specific entity. It is not a team or a person or gymnast.

For the record, I don't mind the red fire engine slogan, but let's argue about it. Some will like it, some won't.

nade00 said...

Geez move on people. If you don't like it then don't participate - I don't think it's really worth getting into a tizzy over this.

As for anon at 8.31, in the wake of your important public announcement that this blog does not reach your personal standards, I suggest you move on and pick one tailored to your own mature and sophisticated tastes.

Anonymous said...

Agreed nade. If you don't like it, just go away. A lot of people are very sick of all the negativity around here. Simple fact of the matter is some people are trying to throw their support behind a very deserving and hard working bunch of girls. Stop bitching about the state of everything - the blog, team selection, facilities, coaches - and get behind them for a change instead of always whining about it all not being up to your personal standards. If it's not, you don't need to contribute at all.

Anonymous said...

Jesus, the first anonymous person was very reasonable. He/she asked a simple question about the particular slogan that's always being pushed because of someone's obsession with a comedian.

I really hate the fact that people aren't allowed to ask simple questions here or raise concerns without being slammed. Everything on this blog has to be viewed through rose coloured glasses at all times. Don't worry. I won't be back.

Anonymous said...

God at least Mez is trying. More than can be said for you! I'm glad you won't be back.

Alice said...

"I won't be back."

Great! Don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out!

Anonymous said...

Anon at 11:13 wrote: "God at least Mez is trying. More than can be said for you! I'm glad you won't be back".

How do you know that? The poster you're all busy bullying might be doing all sorts of supportive things for Australian gymnastics, might be a gymnast, might be a parent.

Anonymous said...

My goodness, I hope our gymnasts don't visit this site.

Such strange behaviour from all sides. I hope you all don't speak to each other like this, in person.
Interesting how the anonymity of a blog allows such unpleasant exchanges.

Please don't abuse me.

nade00 said...

I think if people are going to be making insulting and unnecessary negative comments, then they do not belong here, regardless of their contribution to gymnastics.

Mez is just trying to make this an interesting and informative place for Australian gym fans and some people seem set on attacking her despite the time and effort she puts into it.

While you could argue that everyone has the right to an opinion, there is really nothing to be gained from comments like 'This is just a bit stupid really, maybe a little immature?.' That is not someone trying to sensibly express their opinion, that is just an insult.

Frankly I don't know why people feel the need to cross-examine the choice of slogan when it really doesn't matter how it's worded. I don't think it takes a genius to work out that they are words of support.

Anonymous said...

settle down, settle down children!

Anonymous said...

Agreed - this is ridiculous. Some of you, Nade and Alice included, should be ashamed of yourselves.

Mez said...

So... fun weekend, everyone?

It's funny that someone wants to stop reading here because they think people can't ask simple questions. I answered very early on about why the phrase is being used and why I'm doing this. People are allowed to ask questions, that's how discussion gets started. I don't appreciate people labelling something that is trying to promote positivity as "immature" or "stupid". By extension, they're calling everyone who participates those things as well.

I've had lovely chats with the readers I've met in person and I will sit in awe of them because most of the time their knowledge of and experience with gymnastics particularly in this country, dwarfs mine.

I am surprised this is coming up now when I ran this project last year with no such problems.

I don't get why it's being so knocked around when all I want to do is say to the team, "Hey! Here are some people that support you and they're showing it in an interesting way!" Why can't we be fun and lateral with it, and think of our team as a shiny testament to hard work, fearlessness and getting a job done?

In fact, I'm seeing two of our Worlds training squad members on Tuesday night and I think it would be really lacklustre to say to them (or their parents that read here), "Hey, I had a thing going where people sent in messages of support before the team left for London, but it fell through because some people thought it was stupid and everyone got in a fight about it and I just left the project by the wayside. Um... yeah. Seriously though, there are people out there that hope you do well in London. I just, um, don't have the tangible evidence of it anymore. Sorry. Enjoy the rest of your night!"

Gymnasts do read this site, as do their parents and coaches. I can tell you that for a fact. And they HAVE gotten a real kick out of a lot of the stuff on here such as fan nicknames or photos or vlogs or tributes. Or the very fact that a site to do with Aussie gymnastics is active every week in the first place. A couple have come forward and said, "Look, this was speculated or observed when really it was this circumstance. Thanks, though!"

The fact of the matter is, I don't expect everything to be through "rose tinted glasses" but I PREFER positive slants than negative ones. I'm tired of negative comments cropping up every time Chloe Sims' name is brought up. I'm tired of the QAS/MBC mud-slinging every time the state's program is discussed. I'm tired of "We're not going to do well at Worlds/Olympics because of x and y".

Feel free to come up and spit in my left eye if/when you happen to encounter me at Vics or PacRim next year. But I'd much rather sit with the people who can discuss what we're seeing and what's going on in a manner befitting fans who want the sport running successfully in Australia.


Here is where this all ends. Participate in the project if you want to, don't if you don't. Don't read here if you think I conduct myself in an ill manner and that someone else somewhere else is more interesting to read.

Please don't make me have to delete this post because I was really chuffed with the effort these girls put in with the photo and they were just as chuffed to see it posted up.

Anonymous said...

Take heart Mez there are far more people who love to read this blog than people who have too much time on their hands to write stupid negative stuff. The athletes are always amused that people write anything at all! As long as the negative stuff is howled down when appropriate, it makes fun reading. Keep up the good work.

Wolfie said...

The slogan could say "Go team" or "Go Aussies" or "Go you big red tomato" or "Go the green and gold", ..... whatever, right? Doesn't matter - any message is better than no message, IMHO.

shelley said...

Hey Mez, ignore the knockers, the people that count understand and whilst we don't all support you with video messages, we enjoy the ones that do.

Keep up the hard work, we appreciate you.

PS when you catch up with the Waverley crew, tell them we love them!