h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just seen on WWW

Tom Daley, 15 years old has just become the World 10 Metre Diving Champion.

Bodes well for England to retain the 'Ashes' don't you think???




GT

Because a solo diving specialist and an entire (well, some would say not an entire) cricket team have a karmic link or something?

Nah!!

Just showing the world us Brits are good at something for a change!!




GT

Oh kay.

I just didn't get the link.

Also, if you want some pride in british sports, look outside the obvious ones. Our paralympic dressage team is a force to be reckoned with and our representation in 3 day eventing tends to be at a very stable reasonably high standard year in and year out. Consistency at a high level is certainly something our equestrians have got the hang of, and while wer'e not top of the tree in straight showjumping (there's some VERY strong european competitors. The italians and french for instance) we're always up there pushing them and forcing them to work hard.

That's where I take pride in british sports. Winning's the icing on the cake. Steadfastly refusing to lose and being consistently god enough to qualify and be considered a force to be reckoned with is more important though!

I have to post this link after doing a bit of reading about diving ing general etc

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/picturegalleries/5872181/Diving-at-the-FINA-Swimming-World-Championships-in-Rome.html

I love my sport on telly and radio, and I don't pay my licence fee to watch Brtitish sportspeople do anything other than give their all to win. Sport is about competition. I have no interest in this old fashioned idea of the woosy middle class amateur corinthian spirit thing of just taking part; plucky brit loser stuff. If you play sport at the highest level you play hard and only to win.

Yes well done Tom this week in the diving...but lets see him get a gold at the Olympics when it really counts. Lets see Andy win a grand slam tennis event, not some silly ATP thing.

Brilliant performance by Flintoff last week, but lets get the Ashes back. Brilliant performance by Lewis Hamilton yesterday in F1...and he's a world champion from last year; but lets see Jenson Button win it this year. Lets see England win the footie world cup next year.

Just my perspective on watching sport and how I enjoy it. I used to play a lot as a youngster and my Dad drummed it into me, in sport, that you always play to win. Other countries play it that way and so should we.

Hi Effers.

When Bill Shankly was manager of Liverpool, some now forgotten journalist asked him if Liverpool were going to play any pre-season friendly matches.

The great man looked him in the eye, and in a low, menacing voice said "Liverpool disnae play 'friendlies'"


I rest my case!!!



GT

Excellent quote.

And it is true!

Ask any liverpudlian.

BTW. Shanks used to play at Preston North End, with Sir Tom Finney!




GT

So suggesting that trying hard and being good enough to be consistent contenders is woosy but winning once and then dropping out of sight would be commendable?

hm.

Or perhaps the mention of equestrianism is where the middle class bit came from. Who can say?