This whole story amazes me. As a part of the Ravelry group, I just can’t quite believe this. Ravelympics has now been renamed Ravellenic games. I’m not going to say that the whole incident has changed my opinion about the olympic games. The athletes have worked extremely hard . . unbelievably hard . . to be where they are. I will still watch the games but I do think a whole lot less of the U. S. Olympic Committee. Seriously, I never thought anything about the USOC and, I’m sure they don’t give a flip what I think! But I think it’s all an example of something that’s gotten just a little bit out of hand. How knitting as a group while watching the games, and having a bit of friendly competition, that really didn’t use the word “Olympics” but only a take on it . . how that “denigrates” the Olympic brand is a bit beyond me. Any “derivation” of the word “Olympic” is illegal, constituting possible trademark infringement. Good grief!
If it were called the Knitting Olympics, I could see it being a big deal. I guess that’s just the way it is . . they have the right to shut down the Ravelympics but is something like that really what the purpose of trademark was about? I don’t know . . I just know it leaves a bad taste for some of these “too big for their britches” groups with lots of money and high powered lawyers to back them up. And to say knitting “denigrates” the Olympic brand . . maybe some of our laws have denigrated society!
Also frustrating is that USOC demanded that all pattern names be changed if they made reference to the Olympics . . even things named after some of the olympic athletes.
I think of quilt names or quilt pattern names, not necessarily related to Olympics, but to anything, and wonder where this will all end!
Debbie says
Oh my word! Do you think they pay people to look for this stuff on the internet and then terrorize people? There is something fundamentally wrong with this country, I swear. Where does it end?
Shirley S says
Then my idea for a dyslexic spelling competition shouldn’t be called ‘Spelling scipmylO”. The next thing you know, they’ll make rings illegal!!!
Ruth says
Seems to me that the ancient Greeks had the monopoly on the word “Olympics”. Perhaps nobody should use it. The Rav olympics could have referred to the ancient games, anyhow. Stupid USOC!
Sandy says
Judy, I can’t read any of the comments posted recently on your blog. All that shows up is the “Leave a Reply.” Just thought you might like to know!
LInda in NE says
Lots of things have gone too far—political correctness, government spending, dumbing down the schools so everyone can keep up, valuing self esteem over academics, school sports just about every night of the week, PRIVACY to the point that someone can lay in the hospital for a week & not get a visitor because no one knows you’re there unless you’re well enough to call people or have someone do it for you, HFC & chemicals in our food—and I’ll stop there, but the list could go on practically forever. Trademark & copyright craziness fits right in.
Mary H says
All I can say is wow…denigrating the Olympics with knitting? What will they think of next? So does that mean I can’t knit while watching the Olympics? I might denigrate the atheletes by working on a project! What’s next? Quilting? Good grief!
Shari in AZ says
Reminds me of the “Race for the Cure” episode a while ago. Common sense is no longer common I think.
Pam says
Politically Correct has turned into a negative,
People have forgotten what is like to have fun.
On the Internet any word can be tracked
What happened to ” girls just gotta have fun.”
Diana in TX says
We are living in some crazy times! I guess if a street is named Olympic Street it also should be changed!!! I was wondering if you saw that article I sent you about the Olympic Committee telling them the name needed to be changed. It had made the yahoo news items.
Linda R says
I live in Olympia, Washington. The chain of mountains to the west are called “the Olympics”. You can imagine the number of businesses with “Olympia”, Olympic” or “Olympics” in their names–all over Washington State. Sorry to “denegrate” you, USOC!
Judy says
This passed through my mind also. Do you suppose all of these will have to be changed, including our state capital? These folks must not have anything better to do?
Helen Koenig1 says
Judy – LOL – you know my answer to that is the same as I did for my kids – including those who came and stayed awhile. My feeling/belief is that if a person takes the time and energy away from the family or from what they are SUPPOSED to do – then I have a WHOLE list of chores to be done! Starting with scrubbing that nasty spot under where the refrig is (I’ll move the refrig and unplug it. Scrub water is just plain water – maybe with some dish soap in it!) – or maybe a session of weed the garden.
Now for those children – uh – adults – who think they can develop a bad case of stupid and get away with it – maybe a session out in the barn tossing manure would help. Goodness knows they toss enough manure as it is! Maybe it’s time they devoted some of that “energy” to actually HELP people.
Now this goes for frivolous attorneys as well as governmental lobbyists and a few selected governmental officials!
Bet our stables and barnyards would sure be clean as a whistle!
Helen Koenig1 says
Now Judy, you KNOW that this will degenerate into referring to knitting patterns as “this pattern” and “that pattern over there”.
Personally if lawyers, etc. are going to pitch a hissy – they REALLY need to start with all the Nike shoe ads, the soft drinks, the breakfast cereals and all the sponsors!
Now, I understand the need for sponsors – after all we couldn’t have atheletes train to a competitive level without the sponsors out the wazoo – BUT if the sponsors were REALLY concerned with helping out the athletic competitions (you notice I’m omitting a direct mention of those games – don’t want to get sued here) – then they would actually help – anonymously!!!! But OH NO – they want to toss in a few bucks (actually quite a bit more than a few) and reap back 10 times (at least) what they spent by advertising what good and wonderful and giving guys they are!!!!
Heaven forbid should the so called sponsors actually have to donate anonymously and NOT refer to their donations (which really defeats the purpose which is really advertising).
sheila sanderson says
UK EG branches made postcards of teams competing in the games but were not allowed to call them Olympic postcards…what a load of rubbish..what harm would it have done