I watched this CCTV special on how to cheer just the other day. I guess the Chinese officials are all afraid that their uncivilized and uncultured people will make China lose face during the Olympics since they don’t know how to cheer so they had to create an ‘official Olympic cheer’ as well as a whole show about how to cheer appropriately. They even had these weird ‘cheerleaders with Chinese minority nationality characteristics’ dancing around and doing the Olympic cheer and ‘cheer experts’ who talked about when and when not to cheer.
I personally think that if the Chinese Olympic fan is rich enough to drag their ass over to Beijing, live in an extremely overpriced hotel, and pay for a ticket to some random sporting event, they should have some consciousness about what is good and bad cheering. I mean these aren’t your usual football hooligans over in Europe or your typical Oakland Raiders fan. These are middle to upper class folk who work for the government or other private sector white collar job. Sure there will be some teenagers and young people who might cause trouble, but that’s what’s great about sporting events. Rivalries are hot and god damn it’s awesome when you got some heavyweights going at it in the bleachers for the sake of their team’s pride.
Besides, those kinds of problems are expected at sporting events. As long as there isn’t a bunch of wheel chaired Chinese Olympians running over French fans with electric wheelchairs outfitted with monster truck wheels to avenge the Olympic torch, a little scuffle wouldn’t be that big of a deal and the security can probably break it up quickly enough. China won’t lost much face over a couple fights that take place between drunken fans.
But the Olympic cheer? Imagine 1.3 billion people doing that idiotic clap clap thumbs up crap. That’s embarrassing enough to make even the most ardent Panda Hugger to turn away in shame.
It’s dam to format cheering. People won’t follow the format anyway.
I won’t think the audience would be just middle-upper class. It might be true for the opening/closing ceremonies and some hot competitions.
I do think should let people know not to boo opponents and need also cheer any other great athletes who happen not be Chinese.
I more worry about some one with a Free Tibet flag been beaten up in the street.
all right , it’s gonna be silly.
@ BMY – people are doing the cheer, though it seems like they’re doing a pretty good job not booing the Japanese. And why is it that your other comments are in perfect English and this one is all funky?
@ china – yes it is, but people don’t seem to care. Which is good, I guess…