DETERMINATION, dedication, sacrifice – all honourable things would you not say?

When I think about the Olympics these are the words that come to mind.

I’m a sport fan, both on and off the couch, and am looking forward to watching the world’s best competing in London.

What has surprised me is that some people who profess to be sport lovers aren’t excited about the Games – the usual author of this column for instance.

Barry Gibson, the Examiner’s favourite Ulsterman and an ardent Arsenal fan, has been deeply scathing about the Olympics, dubbing it “boring”.

He’s not alone.

His dismissive comments such as, “It’s just a bunch of people running or throwing things, there’s no team work or strategy” have been echoed by other colleagues, including some from the sports department.

I think these negative types are focussing on just the track and field elements as there are obviously dozens of team games at the Olympics too, including the much vaunted football.

When I point this out people usually grumble and shuffle off muttering.

The apparent lack of ‘strategy’ is something I suppose you could say of any solo sport. To the outsider it might just seem like a competitor just ran, swam, threw or cycled a bit harder than everyone else.

While there may not be too much strategy during the 9.6 seconds it takes Usain Bolt to dash 100m, I’m sure the big man from Jamaica would argue that his strategic genius comes in his training methods and race day preparations.

I’ve heard the strategy defence before when a friend explained to me why he liked rugby union more than rugby league – and again, I don’t get it.

Surely entertainment is more important than knowing the competitors on the winning team were slightly smarter than those on the losing team?

Another stick used to bash the Olympic movement on its head is its association with the mega-corporations that flog us fast food and sweets.

One does question what sponsors such as McDonald’s have ever done for the healthiness or sporting prowess of the average citizen?

The same could be said of official partner Cadbury’s, although Coca Cola do make sports recovery drinks so maybe they’re off the hook.

Promoting high calorie, high sugar products at an event where slim, trim professional athletes display their majesty has always been an uncomfortable thing, but it happens at all kinds of sporting events – not just at the Olympics.

The third most common complaint about the Olympics, especially now they’re on our own turf, is: “It’s a waste of money.”

But this kind of complaint usually comes from the Daily Mail reading misers who wouldn’t spend a penny on anyone but themselves.

The value of the Olympics, in terms of encouraging children to take up sport and in infrastructure development, will surely make it all worthwhile, never mind the value of the entertainment.

The Games also have a powerful part to play in bringing hope and fairness to the world. This week it was revealed that Saudi women are going to be allowed to compete for the first time.

Previously, powerful Muslim clerics had banned the participation of girls and women in sport.

Also this week, 7/7 bomb victim Martine Wiltshire, who lost both her legs in the Aldgate explosion, was selected for the Paralympic volleyball team. Both uplifting pieces of news.

For me, the Olympics (and rugby league) are a highly enjoyable spectacle and a great chance for athletes in less popular sports such as weight-lifting, badminton and judo to show that there is a world beyond football.

The fact that hundreds of thousands of people have lined the streets of this country just to see men, women and children jog past with a small flame, seems to me to indicate I’m not alone.

Imagine how fun it would be watching 10 men race with a flame – I think I’m on to something.