Olympics

Penz wrote:

Greenjock wrote:

Some numpty on twatter was abusing Tom Daley straight after the diving finished. Said he's let his father down, who died of cancer recently.

I bet whoever it was is a fat slob sat on his sofa eating junk food and can't even swim.

Tom Daley even refused his partners apology for messing up a dive, said it was a team effort. What a gracious young man. Hope he wins a medal in the individual.

Let's be honest here Jock, Tom ain't a team man, so it's a bit pointless him being in a team. The Chinese were streets ahead and the Mexicans deserve it for their bottle and cavalier approach. Some people lose it at big events, some don't ... that's where the difference lays .... well ... unless you're so much better like the Chinese were.
He's an individual performer and I look forward to seeing him compete on his own .... he's a consumate competitor, and I would like to see how all the effort comes to fruition.
I was saddened that his team mate felt the need to say it was all his own fault ... fall on his own sword as it were. He's already won one silver medal and Tom has already blown out one partner ... that says a lot. Let's hope Tom's coach wasn't right about too much media, not enough work ... it wouldn't be the first time a young sports star blew it at an early age. He's a strong minded cuss, best for him to work for himself alone. Everything being someone else's fault could be coming a pattern ... even his moving to a far better school was down to his school mates apparently and nothing at all to do with the fact he'd get better coaching and teaching opportunities at a better school.

I must admit it's not a sport I would normally be interested in, but Tom Daley is certainly a household name already and you do see him almost as often as David Beckham these days. It would be a real shame if he's believed his own hype at such a young age.

If he does win a medal of any colour in the individual event he's done amazingly well for someone so young, but you can only keep saying that for so long. He's quite an experienced athlete already and winning gold at your home Olympics must be the ultimate achievement.

I thought by now GB would have won a gold or two, and there have been some near misses and some disappointments. They will start coming but bankers like Mark Cavendish have already slipped away and Ben Ainslie has it all to do in the sailing. The 3 day event team are right in the hunt so hopefully today.

Too many minority and sports for the privileged for my liking.

I mean, if Charlie's sister and her daughter can win Olympic medals, it must be an exclusive club.

Running, throwing ,jumping and scrapping is what is should be about imo.

Citius, Altius, Fortius.

What next, pie eating, bucket rattling ?

Sensiblegreeny wrote:

They just interviewed John Rudd on the Beeb and he bigged up Plymouth as a place to be. Good on him.

If you are an East European wanting to claim benefits, I think the beeb are right...certainly the place to be

It is interesting Tring but access to sport and especially sports coaching is becoming a rather middle class endeavour.

My son swims for our local club to national standard but its a big expense. Monthly fees (hiked up by local authorities ever increasing the cost of pool time), gym membership (now he's reached the age were he needs to bulk up), travel costs and entry fees to galas make it fairly expensive - luckily we are able to afford it.

It's definately a barrier to entry. Nothing it the lagacy from the Games will address those problems.

Dougie wrote:

It is interesting Tring but access to sport and especially sports coaching is becoming a rather middle class endeavour.

My son swims for our local club to national standard but its a big expense. Monthly fees (hiked up by local authorities ever increasing the cost of pool time), gym membership (now he's reached the age were he needs to bulk up), travel costs and entry fees to galas make it fairly expensive - luckily we are able to afford it.

It's definately a barrier to entry. Nothing it the lagacy from the Games will address those problems.

I've 'been there' with my boys and cricket.

What is lacking is talent identification at an early age, which is possible for many sports. By going into primary schools and offering free taster sessions for all, run by those with the ability to spot natural talent, the potential champions of the future could well be identified, irrespective of socioeconomic background and physical/mental strength at that time.
The slightly built but naturally talented youngsters are often passed over for the well developed kids. I once put forward a very talented young footballer to Watford at u14 level. The first question I was asked was, 'How big is he ?' Win today, lose tomorrow.

In cricket, the well fed, well motivated and coached private school kids, make up the vast majority of most County age group squads. Few continue when the state school kids start to catch them up but so many natural talents are completely missed and end up roaming the streets.

Tringreen wrote:

Dougie wrote:

It is interesting Tring but access to sport and especially sports coaching is becoming a rather middle class endeavour.

My son swims for our local club to national standard but its a big expense. Monthly fees (hiked up by local authorities ever increasing the cost of pool time), gym membership (now he's reached the age were he needs to bulk up), travel costs and entry fees to galas make it fairly expensive - luckily we are able to afford it.

It's definately a barrier to entry. Nothing it the lagacy from the Games will address those problems.

I've 'been there' with my boys and cricket.

What is lacking is talent identification at an early age, which is possible for many sports. By going into primary schools and offering free taster sessions for all, run by those with the ability to spot natural talent, the potential champions of the future could well be identified, irrespective of socioeconomic background and physical/mental strength at that time.
The slightly built but naturally talented youngsters are often passed over for the well developed kids. I once put forward a very talented young footballer to Watford at u14 level. The first question I was asked was, 'How big is he ?' <span class='tooltiptrolol'><img src='https://s3.amazonaws.com/TrollEmoticons/no.png' /><span>no</span></span> Win today, lose tomorrow.

In cricket, the well fed, well motivated and coached private school kids, make up the vast majority of most County age group squads. Few continue when the state school kids start to catch them up but so many natural talents are completely missed and end up roaming the streets.

Not at my club. over 200 kids from u7 to u17, with the emphasis being on development and being the best they can be and enjoyment. We've taken kids from other clubs where they weren't "good enough"
The sad thing is that we played clubs who had the same number of kids at u9 as we did (24ish) and yet would only play two sides rather than 3 (their a's against our B's etc) Surprise surprise they one League 2. When I suggested at the DistrictAGM that we didn't play league cricket at u9 but just played friendlies, I was very much in a minority of 1.

Our policy of development first, rather than winning is working for us. Every year the kids results have improved against the sides they've played and more importantly than results they've improved the skills and characters. We're winning leagues and are now rated one of the top youth setups in the county. But the ethos has never changed.

Lets help everybody be the best they can be and enjoy the game in whatever capacity they want to.

I'm not disagreeing with inclusivity and sport for all abilities.

My point was the failure to identify, recognise and nurture extreme natural talent irrespective of background and opportunity.

Dougie wrote:

It is interesting Tring but access to sport and especially sports coaching is becoming a rather middle class endeavour.

My son swims for our local club to national standard but its a big expense. Monthly fees (hiked up by local authorities ever increasing the cost of pool time), gym membership (now he's reached the age were he needs to bulk up), travel costs and entry fees to galas make it fairly expensive - luckily we are able to afford it.

It's definately a barrier to entry. Nothing it the lagacy from the Games will address those problems.

You could always send him to Plymouth College, Dougie. Only £11,500 a year (for day pupils).

Thankfully the small people in my life love running, jumping and climbing (and, in the case of the four year old, throwing things). They can do that for free up the park.

Fair enough, Tring. In the county set up, I'd say its still pretty screwed.

We have boys playing at district and county levels from both state and public schools.

Part of the problem with County is they'll take the boys away all day, if you don't bat 1234, chances of getting a bat are minimal and they only get to bowl four overs. We've had at least 2, that have decided that's not for them and they'd rather play for the club or their school, play with their mates and get a full game and not travel 400 miles in a day!

shonbo wrote:

Fair enough, Tring. In the county set up, I'd say its still pretty screwed.

We have boys playing at district and county levels from both state and public schools.

Part of the problem with County is they'll take the boys away all day, if you don't bat 1234, chances of getting a bat are minimal and they only get to bowl four overs. We've had at least 2, that have decided that's not for them and they'd rather play for the club or their school, play with their mates and get a full game and not travel 400 miles in a day!

Yeah.......... been there and got the T shirt. My two older boys [third one took one look and was off !] both represented Herts then Bucks [because Herts was an even bigger privileged shambles] at all levels through to full minor county cricket.
Eldest even had a couple of mid season games for Gloucs 2's with some success but we couldn't afford to keep a 23 year old in Bristol, not working, indefinitely.

Peggy wrote:

Dougie wrote:

It is interesting Tring but access to sport and especially sports coaching is becoming a rather middle class endeavour.

My son swims for our local club to national standard but its a big expense. Monthly fees (hiked up by local authorities ever increasing the cost of pool time), gym membership (now he's reached the age were he needs to bulk up), travel costs and entry fees to galas make it fairly expensive - luckily we are able to afford it.

It's definately a barrier to entry. Nothing it the lagacy from the Games will address those problems.

You could always send him to Plymouth College, Dougie. Only £11,500 a year (for day pupils).

Thankfully the small people in my life love running, jumping and climbing (and, in the case of the four year old, throwing things). They can do that for free up the park.

The swimmers going to Plymouth College is interesting. They have a good few swimmers there from all round the world. The Plymouth coach has two other swimmers at the Olympics one from Mozamabique and I forget the other. They are on scholarships and it's as much as enhancing Plymouth College's reputation as anything else (much in the same way as Kelly and Millfield have done)

Do they still award scholarships to the top students at the 11+ ?

What's new? Most sports have always been for the more priviledged in society. There are a few working man's sports like football and boxing for example but the ones you need a load of kit for are beyond a lot and always have been. A few squeeze in from poorer backgrounds but that is despite the system and cost not because of it. A number of sports are not even played in state schools anymore so it isn't surprising talent, that is natural talent, is passed by.

I don't think Devon has a monopoly on Eastern European benefit immigrants either. If you think that you should travel more because they are all over the place. By that I mean Eastern Europeans not benefit scroungers. A large proportion of them work for their money and unlike some of our home bred ones are prepared to.

Rickler wrote:

Penz wrote:

Oops ...even Argyle green has got a mention now.... she was wearing 'Plymouth Argyle green' according to the pundits.
That 15 year old has given the city more publicity than Tom Daley, Harry Corbett and Tudor Evans put together

Can I ask who "she" was? Surely not the cat's mother?

I thought it was obvious Ricks ... the Lithuanian swimmer who's been living and training in Plymouth.
Maybe I should have moved the quotes along a bit ... the exact BBC 1 quote was indeed "and she was wearing Plymouth Argyle green". Just repeating what I heard. I didn't write the script.

Interesting story regarding Twatter and the harassment of Tom Daley.

Harassment

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning get GB's first Gold - destroying a world-class field in the women's pairs (that's rowing, btw). A quite stunning performance - 2 lengths clear of the Australian silver medallists.

I bleddy paused it for 5 minutes and forgot, so am watching it "live" 5 minutes behind ffs. Brilliant display though.

GOLD

Andy_Symons wrote:

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning get GB's first Gold - destroying a world-class field in the women's pairs (that's rowing, btw). A quite stunning performance - 2 lengths clear of the Australian silver medallists.

I've met Heather.

2 years later, GOLD.

Coincy?

Idowtit.

Mock Cuncher wrote:

Andy_Symons wrote:

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning get GB's first Gold - destroying a world-class field in the women's pairs (that's rowing, btw). A quite stunning performance - 2 lengths clear of the Australian silver medallists.

I've met Heather.

2 years later, GOLD.

Coincy?

Idowtit.

Is met a euphamism?

No, you're sick.



Now hurry up and tell us what happened when you 'met' some chaps last night.

Yeah stop being a tease you tart!

He's already told us.

He had a lovely day out with the family. Cerbs gave him free tickets and pointed him towards Newell and the free buffet. He had a chat and Newell said he'd pass on a message to a couple of people and sent me a big kiss too.
Jock won't be rejoining the farm, attending fanfests or exchanging Christmas cards with said superfan, who is now retiring from pre season friendlies[they are too confusing apparently].................... until the next one of course.

Well done Bradley Wiggins.

Nailed on for BBCSPOTY

Interesting piece on the impact of internet trolls on social media and internet forums like this, in the light of the abuse Tom Daley took earlier in the week.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

This is getting to be a complex area.

On the one hand, I was delighted last week that Paul Chambers won his case against conviction for sending a menacing tweet, in which he jokingly suggested he was going to blow up an airport if he couldn't catch his flight on time.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It was clearly a joke, but the High Court had to spend a great deal of time in defining what Twitter was, and how messages posted on it were supposed to be interpreted.

Then, on the other hand, you have the Rio Ferdinand "choc ice" retweet and now this situation, in which an individual uses Twitter to aggressively suggest that Daley has let his family and the nation down.

How do we decide which Tweet we take seriously and which we ignore as fluff?

If Chambers wins his case, why wouldn't the Daley abuser? It's all about assuming that you can latterly read the intentions and malice that may or may not lie behind the posting.

John Terry won his High Court case by being able to construct an argument that he wasn't being racist, but sarcastic instead.

Headswim.

Either way, it's clear that the nature of the medium seems to encourage behaviour that would never be contemplated or tolerated in any other environment.

Food for thought.

What a start by Jessica Ennis. A world best time for the 100m hurdles by a heptathlete.

And who was it who suggested she was fat or carrying too much weight? Some tubby middle-aged tw@ in a suit who gets out of breath running a bath.