London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

^^ I heard about that game before but never looked it up. May go digging on youtube for it because it sounds like it'd be hilarious to actually watch :P

Barbados V granada 1994 Shell cup I think it was

Colmustard wrote: »

I heard some sportsman say what is wrong with playing strategically, it has happened in other sports, it happens a lot in football. Man U have been accused of it a few times.

Ireland vs. Holland in 1990 was strategic, both knew they were through along with England and Egypt out and just played out the draw. Common enough thing in World Cups then.

bwatson wrote: »

Many Northern Irish athletes have competed, and won medals, for Great Britain. Many of us are British after all. We feel as much a part of the team as anyone else and the fact that its just Great Britain and not Great Britain and Northern Ireland is as a gesture of goodwill to the Irish team who were (I don't know why) offended at the British Olympic Association calling themseves GB and NI. I have absolutely no problem with that if it helps the Irish team feel appeased and keeps relations between the associations ok, which is what the olympics is about.

The issue is friend the fact that many of the sports are run and organised on an all-ireland basis 4 equal provinces and all that . Some Northern ireland athletes will take the funding when the are young and only starting out , and then the run off to compete for GBR in olympics . r mcillroy was backed by the golfing union of ireland , (all ireland) and heavly funded as an amateur but now he wants to compete for gbr in rio in 4 years time . Rugby ,Cricket and Hockey all work well because all the people involved in those sports buy in to the all-ireland system and there is rarely any controvesy.. Athletics and olympic sports people should do the same. p. s. north and south

Happyman42 wrote: »

Jeepers, they have issued commemerative stamps already of gold winners Wiggins and the rowers! :eek:
Bit premature before drug test results, potential for egg on face?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19083289

Let them enjoy it, I sincerely doubt they're on drugs!

johne30 wrote: »

The issue is friend the fact that many of the sports are run and organised on an all-ireland basis 4 equal provinces and all that . Some Northern ireland athletes will take the funding when the are young and only starting out , and then the run off to compete for GBR in olympics . r mcillroy was backed by the golfing union of ireland , (all ireland) and heavly funded as an amateur but now he wants to compete for gbr in rio in 4 years time . Rugby ,Cricket and Hockey all work well because all the people involved in those sports buy in to the all-ireland system and there is rarely any controvesy.. Athletics and olympic sports people should do the same. p. s. north and south

I understand what you are saying and agree that it is a very complex issue.

However, the difference between competing as an all-Irish team in a sport such as cricket and competing in an all-Irish team at the Olympics would be huge. In cricket for example, there is a long history of international teams not actually representing a single nation - take the West Indies as the obvious example. As a result, the all-Ireland team doesn't really come up as too much of an issue and as a Northern Irishman I would be happy to play in it (chance would be a fine thing) because it represents both the British and Irish peoples of this island.

However, the Olympics are something very different. They are the greatest show on earth and all nations on the planet come together to show unity through sport but also to compete on the biggest of stages. The olympic games see competition between national groups for the ultimate prize once every four years, they do not see the competition between teams which represent "international" organisations which compete on a very regular basis. As such, it doesnt really get any bigger than wearing your nations colours and holding your nations flag at the games and I don't think any athlete should be denied the opportunity to do so as a result of financial or bureaucratic restrictions.

The fact that the British team compete simply as Great Britain is completely understandable in the interest of good international relations as I said earlier but I think it will be a sad day when British athletes from the north are unable to compete under their national flag at the Olympics. I would feel equally as disappointed for nationalists in the north if they were forced to row, sail, cycle or whatever under a flag which they didnt feel represented their identity and who they were as a person.

Just on the point on financing the development of youth, I certainly see why it is a sticking point but I think it is important to remember it works both ways. Just look at the number of footballers born in the North who have chosen to represent the Republic of Ireland football team. The scouting networks and training centres which found and developed them weren't funded by the FAI.

bwatson wrote: »

The Eurosport commentators are right with what they say about the cycling crowds, they have been simply incredible. Cycling is clearly on the way up in Britain in terms of interest and exposure and there's very much a good chance that it will have a great effect on cycling in Ireland too. Good times for the sport on these islands ahead.

Agreed but when kelly and roche were winning all those races back in the 80 s and 90 s that was the time for irish cycling and as usual the people in charge blew it and the puplic eventually lost interest and probably will again . Its all fotball in britain and gaelic games in ireland , old habits die hard.

The BBC coverage of the games compared to RTE highlights the gulf in class not just between the broadcasters, but between the nations.

Go Team GB!

bwatson wrote: »

I understand what you are saying and agree that it is a very complex issue.

However, the difference between competing as an all-Irish team in a sport such as cricket and competing in an all-Irish team at the Olympics would be huge. In cricket for example, there is a long history of international teams not actually representing a single nation - take the West Indies as the obvious example. As a result, the all-Ireland team doesn't really come up as too much of an issue and as a Northern Irishman I would be happy to play in it (chance would be a fine thing) because it represents both the British and Irish peoples of this island.

However, the Olympics are something very different. They are the greatest show on earth and all nations on the planet come together to show unity through sport but also to compete on the biggest of stages. The olympic games see competition between national groups for the ultimate prize once every four years, they do not see the competition between teams which represent "international" organisations which compete on a very regular basis. As such, it doesnt really get any bigger than wearing your nations colours and holding your nations flag at the games and I don't think any athlete should be denied the opportunity to do so as a result of financial or bureaucratic restrictions.

The fact that the British team compete simply as Great Britain is completely understandable in the interest of good international relations as I said earlier but I think it will be a sad day when British athletes from the north are unable to compete under their national flag at the Olympics. I would feel equally as disappointed for nationalists in the north if they were forced to row, sail, cycle or whatever under a flag which they didnt feel represented their identity and who they were as a person.

Just on the point on financing the development of youth, I certainly see why it is a sticking point but I think it is important to remember it works both ways. Just look at the number of footballers born in the North who have chosen to represent the Republic of Ireland football team. The scouting networks and training centres which found and developed them were funded by the FAI.

Yes fair enough ,but the all ireland sports are usually far more successful on the international front i.e. rugby , cricket, boxing,motorsports , equestrian even golf and the n ireland competitors are often to the fore in these sports ahead of their southern counterparts l. Wayne mccullough and jessica kurten are two of irelands most popular ever sportspeople and they both were from a unionist tradition , but would they have got the same chances with a british team? . Your point on the soccer is a valid one ok, but surely we would be better of with an all ireland team as my point above illustrates. And in time the olympic sports would be similarly successful

nice_very wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_Country_national_football_team

you know the point i am making. they don't play in w c or euros