I’ve never been one to glue myself to the TV during the Olympics. And while this round of 2010 Winter games is not really different, I will admit to watching more events than I recall watching in the past.
And for the most part it has been live TV. No TiVo previously recorded content that I can zip through. Yep, I’ve had to endure commercials, but it hasn’t been too bad.
That said, the commercial that seems to grind on my nerves the most are the McDonald’s ones. It irks me to have them spouting off lines like “You too can eat like an Olympic Athlete”.
Really?!?
I’m sorry, but there is no way in hell you’ll convince me that (in general) Olympians chow down on McDonalds while training for the games. And to even suggest such to youth that might watch the games and dream of their own future achievements is wrong on so many levels.
To me, McDonalds taints the image of the games and the great athletes. It’s lying – plain and simple.
Yet McDonalds has been sponsoring the games like this for decades, and has been a TOP (The Olympic Program) sponsor since 1996. Apparently they feed Olympians, their coaches and staff, and everyone else that’s hungry at every Olympics.
I seriously wonder how many athletes actually eat this food? Before, during, or after the games?
There’s no doubt that Olympians are selling out and claiming such for the endorsement money. But this isn’t new. Professional athletes of all kinds have been doing this for ages.
I just wish these role models would think about it more before stepping in front of the camera for that profile shot of them taking a bite out of a juicy Big Mac.
They should think hard about that countless hours of work they put into reaching their achievement(s), and be truthful to their fans that McDonalds (and other junk food like Coke) played no role in helping them get there.
But honesty and integrity often do have a price for each of us, and I’ve never been faced with the prospect of millions of dollars to simply eat a burger.
It would certainly be hard to turn down.