Jst1mr
Member
Olympic team uniforms (including shoes, trousers, belt, shirt, tie, blazer, and beret) all "Made in China". Apparently, US-sourced potential suppliers were not even considered. I believe Ralph Lauren is the one to "thank"
Outrageous! US Olympic Team Uniforms...
- Thread starter Jst1mr
- Start date
Martimus
US Veteran
Sadly that sounds about like what I'd expect anymore... 
m1gunner
US Veteran
I wonder if the US flags they will carry in the opening ceremonies will be made in the USA
Arik
Member
Wrong. You can thank the person on the U.S. Olympic Team who was responsible for making the decision that allowed that. I imagine the clothes were freebies and the USOC probably got a nice check, too.
I saw a picture of a young lad modeling the get up - including the beret. How "American"...
We wear lots of hats here in the U.S. but I think a beret is a heck of a stretch. Doesn't someone make spiffing cowboy hats? The whole world thinks of us as cowboys. We may as well accommodate them.
mc5aw
Member
Next big news story will be that Olympic medals aren't made of real gold, silver, and bronze but are just cheap brass knock-offs minted in Indonesia.
Well, I guess it's one way to start paying back the debt!
JJEH
Member
The whole world thinks of us as cowboys. We may as well accommodate them.
Well, let me correct this:
"Stupid Cowboys who want to take over the world!"
That at least were my personal observations for the last 32 years...
This is sad... really sad. And it's all about money... nothing else. Nobody want to help the chinese economy. That's just an argument that works for people who produce there. The only reason to go there is to save money in production and gain money in the own pocket...
Wrong. You can thank the person on the U.S. Olympic Team who was responsible for making the decision that allowed that. I imagine the clothes were freebies and the USOC probably got a nice check, too.
I saw a picture of a young lad modeling the get up - including the beret. How "American"...
We wear lots of hats here in the U.S. but I think a beret is a heck of a stretch. Doesn't someone make spiffing cowboy hats? The whole world thinks of us as cowboys. We may as well accommodate them.
I agree with the critique of the uniforms.. The US Team is privately funded and takes care of their sponsors (read: Ralph Lauren donation $$$$$$$) and RL typically sources his clothing overseas. The other sore spot is the Lauren logo on the clothes, which is at least as big and pronounced as the US logo.
BCDWYO
Member
How sadly ironic.
I pretty much agree with what's been said. But, it could have been much worse. They could have had sideways ball caps and falling trousers. That's very American these days.
Denver Dick
US Veteran
Actually, the medals are not solid gold. I found this and I believe it to be correct.
Six grams of gold is about one gram short of a quarter ounce.
McBear
Member
The quote from the USOC spokesperson got to the heart of the subject...
“Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors,”
I have a niece who has, for two Olympiads been a swimmer and they work their butts off to fund their attempts. We are one of the very few countries in the world that doesn't step up and pay the tab for those who represent us. They resort to corporate sponsorships which gets all sorts of NASCAResque logomania involved in the events.
With public funding the public would have a say about this issue. Unfortunately it is the free market at work. The profit on those $2000 outfits has to come from somewhere...$0.50/hr labor pool sure seem like a good place to start. Stockholders of RL wouldn't have it any other way.
“Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors,”
I have a niece who has, for two Olympiads been a swimmer and they work their butts off to fund their attempts. We are one of the very few countries in the world that doesn't step up and pay the tab for those who represent us. They resort to corporate sponsorships which gets all sorts of NASCAResque logomania involved in the events.
With public funding the public would have a say about this issue. Unfortunately it is the free market at work. The profit on those $2000 outfits has to come from somewhere...$0.50/hr labor pool sure seem like a good place to start. Stockholders of RL wouldn't have it any other way.
That's about it. (Of course those "$2000 outfits" cost RL a tiny fraction of that figure, I'm sure.) So, maybe the present "free market" isn't so great after all, unless you want to be one of those in this country who eventually will be reduced below the current poverty level if things continue as they are. I believe I would prefer a market environment that is structured to protect our standard of living, our interests, and our security. I never have been a big believer in that "free" word.
fiasconva
Member
Somehow, this has got to be Walmart's fault...
Cooter Brown
Member
I see the made in China threads and tend to groan at a lot of them.
Manufacturing of certain things would be far better done here. I lament the loss of the "Made in USA" label. For instance, we should be able to produce high tech items competitively, but because of tax policy, currency manipulation, and maneuvering of markets by the Chinese dangling access to a billion customers in front of US mfgs. (which the US political structure seems fine with), US mfgs have even moved the high tech stuff overseas.
But back to clothing etc. Capitalism dictates that a mfg should produce things in the most efficient way possible. Much of the work in those sorts of factories in this country was done by immigrants and people moving off small farms who were trying to better their lives so that their children could be something other than a factory worker...
Bottom line--how many of you aspire for your children or grandchildren to work for near subsistence wages in a sock mill? If you've ever known anybody that worked in a mill, you sure wouldn't want that for your kid.
Manufacturing of certain things would be far better done here. I lament the loss of the "Made in USA" label. For instance, we should be able to produce high tech items competitively, but because of tax policy, currency manipulation, and maneuvering of markets by the Chinese dangling access to a billion customers in front of US mfgs. (which the US political structure seems fine with), US mfgs have even moved the high tech stuff overseas.
But back to clothing etc. Capitalism dictates that a mfg should produce things in the most efficient way possible. Much of the work in those sorts of factories in this country was done by immigrants and people moving off small farms who were trying to better their lives so that their children could be something other than a factory worker...
Bottom line--how many of you aspire for your children or grandchildren to work for near subsistence wages in a sock mill? If you've ever known anybody that worked in a mill, you sure wouldn't want that for your kid.
627 city hunter
Member
I guess i am not buying RL anymore. He owes us an apology.
They need cowboy hats instead!
They need cowboy hats instead!
GatorFarmer
Member
I dunno. Doesn't it go against the spirit of the Olympics not to conduct the contests with nude athletes?
