London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

keith16 wrote: »

You still wouldn't get the RTE turning the Olympics into a poor version of "you've been framed. It's the Olympic games for fcuks sake.

I agree, that was wrong

Hi lads, just wondering what would the best way to catch up on the Olympics that I have missed today and yesterday that ye would use-kind of like a highlights sort of thing. I find RTE coverage to be fairly poor and very few clips are making there way on to youtube. Thanks!

Shryke wrote: »

God knows what the eejit had going on upstairs when he came out with that protestant comment. You can't not take that as him intimating something in a bad minded fashion.

It wouldnt be the first time he came out with something like that

"What is the point of calling in Stokes when somebody like Reid is sitting playing golf or something in Sunderland."
Italia 90 was my favourite tournament by some distance. It wasn't regarded as a great World Cup by an awful lot of the serious pundits. From our point of view, however, it was the first time we'd ever qualified and the atmosphere was fantastic, as I said earlier. The drama was brilliant too. You'll remember the time Dunphy threw his biro across the studio in disgust. You see he had a point and Giles was very much in his corner. They believed that, while we had gone a long way under Jack Charlton, the team was actually better than Jack allowed it to play. They always felt that the team could have gone much further than it did. The argument Dunphy was making about Ireland's 0-0 draw with Egypt was that we hadn't played to our capabilities. That was part of the drama. However, it was totally subsumed by the celebratory nature of the time. The other occasion that I look back on fondly, again from an Irish perspective, would be the match against Italy at Giants Stadium in 1994. I was talking to Ray Houghton about the game. He said that when the Irish team walked out on the pitch they could not believe that of the 75,000 in the crown, nearly all of them were Irish. This was just outside New York and it was a place that should have been crawling with Italians. It was an amazing thing to watch and it was amazing to see Ireland winning. I think that had Ireland played all their games in the northern parts of the US, rather than down in Orlando where they were overcome by the heat, they might have done an awful lot better. The heat beat them rather than anybody else.

Happyman42 wrote: »

It was a fair enough comment in the context of what he was asking the lady, why had it emerged as a popular game. He did say, 'When I was growing up....' which is what it was, a game mostly played by the Protestant community....similar to Rugby and Cricket. No biggie unless you are easily offended.

And Hockey! It was a complimentary question. He obviously knows the game is gaining more competitors and I'm sure he rehearsed it with the analyst. It's a hey, look badminton is a fast growing sport, not bad publicity considering we'll probably not see it to the next Olympics!

K-9 wrote: »

And Hockey! It was a complimentary question. He obviously knows the game is gaining more competitors and I'm sure he rehearsed it with the analyst. It's a hey, look badminton is a fast growing sport, not bad publicity considering we'll probably not see it to the next Olympics!

Reminds me of the Apres Match sketch on BBC NI sports presenting: 'Onto Hawkey nahw!'

I'm a hell of a lot younger than Bill and when I was growing up, not too far from Ms. Magee, badminton was played mostly by protestants and still is. The problem is the only place to play in a lot of rural communities is the local church or orange hall. The catholic children join the GAA, protestant children play badminton, hockey and rugby .. this is still the norm in this neck of the woods Not entirely sure how anyone can be offended by what he said.

Shryke wrote: »

I think my own critisism is valid enough. It's years of hard work and training for an athlete to get to the Olympics. To be mocked with a fast forward cam and Benny Hill music is really terrible. I'm thinking about an athlete who might watch such footage, their family and friends. Their nation even. It's very bad form and it deserves to be called out. It was disrespectful.

The Beeb are doing well with coverage imo. I just didn't like that.

I didnt see it but I assume its the "underdog of the day" segment or somesuch that they had yesterday too?

It's a lighthearted take on the things that happened.

Shryke wrote: »

I think my own critisism is valid enough. It's years of hard work and training for an athlete to get to the Olympics. To be mocked with a fast forward cam and Benny Hill music is really terrible. I'm thinking about an athlete who might watch such footage, their family and friends. Their nation even. It's very bad form and it deserves to be called out. It was disrespectful.

The Beeb are doing well with coverage imo. I just didn't like that.

Indeed, they could have also mentioned with that piece that he only took up the sport 3 MONTHS AGO, plus the fact that Niger have a fraction of the budget to spend on rowing compared to the wealthy nations, GB, USA, Germany, etc

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Indeed, they could have also mentioned with that piece that he only took up the sport 3 MONTHS AGO, plus the fact that Niger have a fraction of the budget to spend on rowing compared to the wealthy nations, GB, USA, Germany, etc

The Olympics is supposed to be a forum where the elite level athletes compete to be the best in the world. You'd have to question why they have people that are so far off the pace. It's a bit condescendign by the IOC tbh .Like patting the poor little lads on the head and sending them in with the adults for the laugh.There are people sat at home watching the games that have dedicated their lives to these sports but missed out by a few tenths of a second in qualifying.

Like sending out a guy 4 years ago to swim that looked like he might drown at one stage, and on his own to make it a proper spectacle.

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

The Olympics is supposed to be a forum where the elite level athletes compete to be the best in the world. You'd have to question why they have people that are so far off the pace.

that makes no sense, people qualified to get there, they are the best in the world.
Sure why not make it like the champions league where the 4th best get into the "elite":rolleyes:

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

The Olympics is supposed to be a forum where the elite level athletes compete to be the best in the world. You'd have to question why they have people that are so far off the pace.

Yes and No. I can understand some people being annoyed they were denied qualification because this guy was entered - but those same people would just be fighting to get out of their heats and not necessarily medal contenders.

Anyway, the IOC have a duty to try promote these sports in less developed countries - otherwise it just becomes a medal wankfest between the G8 nations.

Jesus Shaves wrote: »

No need to be racist man

Huh? Niger? Thought that joke was done earlier

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Anyway, the IOC have a duty to try promote these sports in less developed countries - otherwise it just becomes a medal wankfest between the G8 nations.

Throwing a few no hopers in that finish miles off the pace in the first race doesnt change anything other than to reduce the risk of an upset by having one less fringe athlete. If anythign it makes sure the medals stay with the established group of countries/athletes.

Encourage and maybe part fund these guys to compete in more regular events or even world championships in the hope to grow the sports if they are serious. A couple of token jestures every 4 years to show how hopeless they are wont do it.