Anyone who knows me (or follows me on Twitter - @LauraSlade), knows that I love a big sporting occasion.  The Euros, Wimbledon…every Formula 1 weekend of the season.  So, imagine my excitement that, in just 11 days, the greatest show on earth comes to our fair isle, bringing with it the most talented and exceptional athletes to compete for the ultimate sporting prize.

Call me naïve, but I sort of expected everyone to be excited about it.  Admittedly, I've spent the last 18 months or so working with official Olympic partners, so perhaps I'm a bit closer to the Games than most, but surely everyone gets what an amazing spectacle it will be for Great Britain?  Well it seems not…the papers have been full of one negative story after another, whether it be about ticketing, security (or lack of it), the branding police, the great burger-debate or the crappy British weather.  Now, I get that it hasn't all been perfect - and clearly there's still some work to be done to ensure London is completely Games-ready - but do we really have to berate the Games organisers for every set back?  It's a pretty big event they are trying to put on, so let's cut them some slack eh?

Stephen Hull (@hullstephen) at the Huffington Post published his own take on it this morning ' Why have the media turned the Olympics into a bummer?', explaining why the media focuses on the negative of London 2012 rather than embrace the positive. "Everything going well is not a story," [he said] "It's just not."

And I get that, honestly I do.  After 14 years in this business, I get that shock headlines sell papers…but it saddens me that, in doing so, we are dragging down the hopes and excitement of the nation (well a significant percentage of them anyway).  Yes, the traffic will probably be a bit rubbish, and it will likely rain at some point…but it's the freaking OLYMPICS!  And they're coming to London!

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and I get that you can't all be as excited about the Games as I am, but I think I speak for everyone who is looking forward to it when I say enough of the hate.

I'm not suggesting we ignore the problems, but perhaps the newspapers could also include stories that inspire people to get involved in the Games, whether at work (see the recent Octopus blog about our #OfficeOlympics), with friends (who's hosting an Olympic BBQ?!) or in their local communities.  Positive stories sell papers too…just think back to the Royal Wedding.  There aren't many happier occasions than a wedding, and papers covering the news flew off the shelves.  So come on journalists of Great Britain…get behind the Games and inspire the rest of the nation to get involved!

Laura @LauraSlade