Olympics 2012

[The General]

General - This could have been an interesting topic if you'd have presented it in a reasonable manner. :w00t:

Personally I also tend to think that many sports are beyond the reach of the fabled "man in the street. To compete at olympic level and work for a living?? Not a chance. Having said that, it is not as exclusively for the rich as it was in Max Woosnam's day when it was virtually a closed shop. Tennis would not have it any other way of course, (no champ since before the war, speaks volumes) a top dressage horse can cost a million etc etc.

Darts seems to be as democratic as it gets, you can practise at home, kit costs very little, and therefore will never be an olympic sport:w00t:.

Danbert you hypocrite this has everything to do with the fact that private schools encourage sporting excellence, whereas under 'your' labour government normal children in the state sector were not allowed to win and losers got medals because everybody needed to be equal.

As you voted that shower of turds in, you're not allowed to comment on the Blairite sporting generation. Go and sit in a corner with your losers rosette and hang your head in shame.:thunbdown:

[biara]

Danbert you hypocrite this has everything to do with the fact that private schools encourage sporting excellence, whereas under 'your' labour government normal children in the state sector were not allowed to win and losers got medals because everybody needed to be equal.

As you voted that shower of turds in, you're not allowed to comment on the Blairite sporting generation. Go and sit in a corner with your losers rosette and hang your head in shame.:thunbdown:

I've worked in entirely comprehensive schools (approx 6) over the last 16 years, every one has had school teams, every one has had winners, losers etc. They have had sports day in almost every year (rain has scuppered it on occasions). This idea that Comprehensives do not encourage sport is not entirely true. I accept that private schools offer a wider choice but when you are told that you are underperforming if x% do not pass the right grade in a set subject, irrelevant of how they came into the school then Headteachers have to ensure exams are passed. It is nothing to do with specific government but the view that if you don't have x GCSEs then you are a 'failure'.

[CL]

There's also the irony of John Leonard of USA Swimming complaining when a 15 year old Chinese swimmer does great things, just before a 15 year old American swimmer wins the 800....

Since when did the American swimmer blast the last 50m faster than her male counterpart? In addition it wouldn't be the first time a 15 year old chinese swimmer used EPO to make her superwoman.

To be frank all this talk about the authorities making this a clean Olympic games is hogwash. From what I've seen - and I try to watch as little as possible - doping is as evident as ever as human beings are turned into machines to satisfy a hardcore element. Just look at that Dibaba in the 10000m. A machine powered by EPO and who knows what else. Who with any knowledge of distance running can take that last 400m seriously?

[Mike T]

EPO is detectable these days, as is the resultant increase in Hb, now that we have athlete passports. I think Dibaba is capable of going well under 30 minutes for 10,000m, but she doesn't have to, so she has plenty left to sprint the last 400m. She is hardly the only 10,000m runner who is/was capable of doing this.

Innocent until shown to be guilty.

[JohnK]

​nice one jess just pure class

[Alf]

Brilliant Jess :thumbup:

[OneHillWonder]

Whoop! :thumbup:

[sore legs]

What a day !! Well done Jess and all the cyclists and rowers - bloody great stuff. :thumbup:

[Multiterrainer]

What a day !! Well done Jess and all the cyclists and rowers - bloody great stuff. :thumbup:

...and Greg :thumbup:

[biara]

Fantastic Mo Farah, what an evening, what a day. Olympics boring, waste of money??