Whinging is not my new sport of the day, rather it has been defined as: persistent low-grade grousing that is the default mechanism to life’s challenges for Briton’s; part of the national condition. The word is familiar.  In fact, I have experienced it firsthand on those occasions when I have been in England, but I find it surprising that even dour Brits would not – at least try – to celebrate their hosting of the Olympic Games…  But five weeks away from one of the most amazing gathering of world class athletes, all Londoners can do is whinge!

They call the Tube (subway) plans “a shambles”; the road closings and ‘Olympic Only’ lanes “a complete nightmare”. One writer has gone so far as to say that “The OIympics is actively antagonizing people”.  The entire New York Times article is here and worth the read: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/sports/olympics/olympics-leave-british-complaining-even-more-than-usual.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss  

London Mayor Boris Johnson is fed up, as noted in this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/20/boris-johnson-olympic-critics-should-put-a-sock-in-it_n_1688435.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-politics , telling his countrymen to “put a sock in it”!  

I’m not sure if this is funny or sad, but I well recall how the British media -- in particular -- were whinging about the Vancouver Winter Games when the city experienced out of the ordinary spring-like weather (which subsequently caused some problems with lower altitude event locations). They whinged and whinged in Vancouver and exclaimed how much better the London Games would be…

Now it doesn’t seem all that rosy in London town.  Sebastian Coe, Parlimentarian and Chairman of the Games said that some of the Olympic sites are “waterlogged” from all the recent rain, urging spectators to wear raincoats and rubber boots…

What goes around comes around…  Another life lesson well and clearly demonstrated!  The British Organizing Committee must feel like they are in the bunker, while the games are still a month away...

Let’s hope that the 2012 Olympic host city’s inhabitants can get past it and start welcoming the world to their home town. I remember the mood in Vancouver - the whole country was caught up in the once-in-a-lifetime eurphoria that the Games breed. When the Winter Games departed Torino in 2006, Op-eds in the newspapers spoke about how great it would be if all Torinese were to continue to maintain the wonderful sense of upliftment that they had all experienced for those few days.

For the good for everyone concerned -- as the days tick down to the Opening Ceremonies -- some positive news out of London would be wonderful to hear!