Why do you care? Tell me who won the mens mountain-biking, the lightweight fours, the mens handball etc. Do you actually have an interest in these sports or is it just about the medal count?Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
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Why do you care? Tell me who won the mens mountain-biking, the lightweight fours, the mens handball etc. Do you actually have an interest in these sports or is it just about the medal count?Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
A realistic prospect in 8 years time for a medal could possibly be Dan Martin in road cycling, depending on the course. He hasn't a hope for London, as the course will be designed as far as possible for Cavendish, and even if not, you may bet he'll be on it day and night when he's free. If the course in 2016 is like this year's, if could suit Martin well, and by that stage he should hopefully be one of the leading world cyclists, so fingers crossed.
As for Mountain Biking, I'm no expert, but the French seem to have that sewn up and have a lot of suitable courses built with that in mind. After all, they put money into cycling. The Irish situation as always has a degree of embarrassment about it - a fine course built in Wicklow at over 100,000, but no planning permission, so it can't be used, and chains across it to stop people trying to. But then again, outside of the Olympics and specialist fora, where do you hear about this in the Irish Media?
As a by the by, it appears that Robin Seymour was fighting some kind of infection according to his white blood cell count, hence his collapse.
Any one see Alastair Craggs post race interview?
To start with I think making the 5,000m final was fairly good & top 10 would have been very good achievement. On the other hand you don't expect a guy who ranted into the microphone a few days earlier defending himself from supposed attack to quit half way through the race.
His interview was heavy with excuses & he seemed caught off guard when interviewer innocently asked what the specific injuries were.
The surprise of the Olympics for me was RTE allowing Marty Morrissey do live interviews around the boxing ring. Any one remember the interview he did in the home of Olympic boxer if 1988 or 2002? :p
No you don't get itQuote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Happy every few years then with the odd medal or two?
Well I am sorry if i would like to expect a little bit more (oh how dare I , it seems!!)
So we should be building a cycling dome then? That will be put to good use then, just like the track in Santry!!!
Work with what we have , our environment, our make up.
Sailing - we can do that as there is water all a round us. Be honest wouldnt you agree that it would be a good start fopr the olympic committee to something about that. The Gb team won a good amount of medals in that, we could put that effort in too.
Same with equestrian - great places for horses. Mountain biking could easily be done in this country. Same with rowing and shooting. Yeah you are right ignore all that.:rolleyes:
Its called tradition. In Ireland we have been playing sport for a ling time in whatever form. I still think Irish athletes on the whole have a never give up winning mentality - Ruby Walsh, Murtagh and fallon, Harrington, the football team of Jacks, the Munster team. But yeah i guess you want to ignore that too.!!!
How surprised i am to see you question me about my involvement in sport (very typical of you Dodge). Well i have coached football teams. Just under a year ago i was coaching young fellas in Wales, and i am currently a member of my home town cycling team (and have gym membership). So its not like i sit on my arse all day.
I have a huge knowledge of sports, but you seem to argue that if you disagree with the mighty Dodge then one cant know much about sport .
You had a similar rant a few weeks ago about football questioning peoples knowledge of that game as well. Maybe you should look at your self in
the mirror. People can have different opinions to yourself you know.
(by the way i just noticed you didnt really have many (or any) tips in the olympics page)!!! Funny that
Well some french fella won the biking?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jinxy
Gb won the fours
and i think russia lost to usa in the volleyball
well am in right?:rolleyes:
I do care, maybe thats my problem:mad:
Right about the french lad. Denmark won the lightweight fours and the U.S. beat Brazil in the mens volleyball final. Close enough. ;)
Have you ever seen any of these sports in the flesh?
Well upto a year ago i did cycling, but man thats a fuc ker of a sport!!!!! Thats the hardest sport i ever did. In dublin now so thats the end of that for a while anyway, still a member of the club though, so who knows i might make a come back soon!!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jinxy
where would a country lad get a chance to do rowing? In trinity maybe!
i have done a bit of fishing alright;)
And tried volleyball, but its a naff sport
next question...............
"He never raised a hand to you did he Mrs. Barrett?"Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Scroll down,he kicked a ref in the face:)Quote:
Originally Posted by deecay
You've summed up the problem there yourself. All these athletes are involved in sports that we can't compete in in the Olympics.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
There's no horseracing, no golf and no rugby. A football side seems like too much of a headache for both associations to try sort out.
We simply don't have top athletes in the fields you're dreaming of. That'll take lots of time and money. It's not a lightswitch.
The point I'll make (for the umpteenth time) is that we have no god given right to win medals, and to simply say "we deserve better" is stupid and lazy.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
What makes you think Irish sailors don't put the same efort in? Do you really think its just a case of having water to sail in?Quote:
Sailing - we can do that as there is water all a round us. Be honest wouldnt you agree that it would be a good start fopr the olympic committee to something about that. The Gb team won a good amount of medals in that, we could put that effort in too.
Where isn't?Quote:
Same with equestrian - great places for horses.
It is done in this country, and every other country in europeQuote:
Mountain biking could easily be done in this country.
You're the only one ignoring anything. We do these sports, we have olympic competitors at these sports. its about being great at thes sports. You seem to be ignoring the fact that other countries participate. Other countries with better resources, and far higher levels of participationQuote:
Same with rowing and shooting. Yeah you are right ignore all that.:rolleyes:
Are you seriously suggesting that we are unique in this regard? You can't honestly think Irish people are more active or even sport minded than any other country in the world?Quote:
Its called tradition. In Ireland we have been playing sport for a ling time in whatever form.
Seriously, are you just not reading my points now. The list above pales in comparison to most countries list of sporting achievements (and even then none of them are Olympic events) Are you starting to get the picture now. The fallacy that we're a great sporting nation is an embarressing joke when some actually believe it.Quote:
I still think Irish athletes on the whole have a never give up winning mentality - Ruby Walsh, Murtagh and fallon, Harrington, the football team of Jacks, the Munster team. But yeah i guess you want to ignore that too.!!!
Its not about disagreeing with me, its about completely ignoring the facts and hypothisizing on "how Ireland will win medals when the GAA players turn their hand to rowing".Quote:
I have a huge knowledge of sports, but you seem to argue that if you disagree with the mighty Dodge then one cant know much about sport
I posted one bet, and it won. you're slating on me on my lack of posts on an internet thread? I'm embarressed for you at this stage :oQuote:
(by the way i just noticed you didnt really have many (or any) tips in the olympics page)!!! Funny that
For the last time, as you're obviously not getting this. Anyone who thinks we're a great sporting nation is a fool. Every country I've ever been in has had higher levels of participation, crowd figures, audience figures and generall speaking a higher level of interest in sport. Of course we've had world class sportsmen, but then so has practically every other country in the world. As long as the government and other bodies refuse to spend the neccessary money on Olympic sports, we'll continue to struggle to medal. As long as people expect us to do well in sports where we have "tradition", they'll be sorely dosappointted every four years
Oh and superfrank, we have tried to qualify for every Olympics in football. We just haven't sinced 1948.
At least someone else remembers it. Pity it was pre youtube.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
:D
How would that work?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
The Olympic team has athletes from the North and the South. Would players from the North and the South be allowed to play for a football team that qualified as the "Republic of Ireland" or "Northern Ireland"?
My belief that this couldn't happen was based on Team GB not having a football team, despite England qualifying.
I remember it aswell, jesus that's a long time ago now.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Funnily enough that he came up here because he's making a return in the pro game having been out for over 3 years.
To give Dodge a rest from his dedication to this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
There is no one set of eligibility rules to fit all Olympic disciplines.
Football
The European countries that have qualified for the Euro u21 finals also qualify for the Olympics. Thats why Team GB can't qualify for the Olympics.
Thatīs how itīs done with teams from Europe.
A player that is eligible to play for the Republic is eligible for the Olympic team should the Republic qualify for the Olympics.
( u 23 years + 3 >23 years)
London 2012 is different, GB is the host so they can enter a football team.
I guess we just have a different view on Irish sport. I think Irish people are decent at sporting activities.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
I do, of course, realize that all nations try and do a various amount of sport.
My point about listing non-Olympic sports is that I think we do have decent sport stars, but we should encourage the "traditional" sports stars of the future to maybe try out "new" Olympic style sports.
I honestly think that the Olympic authorities should try out something new. Why not? Whats your suggestion then, do nothing and complain that we are simply not good enough so why bother?
The thing about the betting thread was...... I was curious how you, the expert on all thing sporting, couldn't get a winner in the Olympics. I do find that a bit strange, sure i do.
So 65th then is about our level. I think we should be up there with other small nations like denmark and new zealand, in the 30's at least. Now I now thats a dream, but if the government ever put the time and resources into it, then why not. Or is every future sports star forever going to be a footballer, ga player or rugby head?
The difference between us maybe is I know we could do do well (with the effort), while maybe you dont?
Jesus I don't post every bet in here. I posted one bet, a 9/1 winnerQuote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
A far fairer post IMO. I too think we can do well, but unlike you I wasn't moaning at those who are already the best we can produce (See "Sailors from dun laoighre" for one of the worst cases)Quote:
The difference between us maybe is I know we could do do well (with the effort), while maybe you dont?
It's the four that make the semi finals of the Euro U-21's that qualify from UEFA for the Olympics. England got that far in 2007 but they couldn't take part because the English Olympic side is part of Team GB. Italy and Portugal had a play-off and Italy won.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
My question is what would happen if the Republic of Ireland reached the semis of the Euro U-21's in 2011? What team would go to the Olympics?
The same Republic of Ireland football team would qualify to represent Ireland at the Olympics.Quote:
My question is what would happen if the Republic of Ireland reached the semis of the Euro U-21's in 2011? What team would go to the Olympics?
Ok. But what about the Northern Irish players?Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
In any other sport, they would be part of the Irish Olympic side.
In any other sport, they're free to choose between the GB or Ireland teams. (NI rowers and cyclists this year for GB, NI boxers, athletes, triathletes and rowers for Ireland....)Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
The team in the olympics is representing Ireland, as is the football team called the Republic of Ireland. Don't forget that the official name of the country is Ireland, and the "Republic" bit is only used in football.
The exact same FIFA rules of eligibility apply for Ireland's hypothetical olympic football team as does for the ROI football team. They would be the one and the same team.
FIFA rules apply strictly to the Olympic games.
The GB soccer team for 2012 is a freak and is struggling even to have a GB existence.
lol!! :dQuote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Actually dodge, I totally understand what you are saying
And probably you are right(but whisper that!):),
but then i think Irish people are made from a different cloth, and always think we can be successful if we really put our mind to it
I actually wasn't moaning at the athletes, if you look at it again i did say they tried their best. But I think in a sport like sailing D4 guys with accents that are alien to me would be rubbish at sport (but then again thats my opinion). GB won a lot of medals in sailing, we should be doing that too, get the boys from the Aran islands out there, sure they couldn't do any worse!
And the rowers are a bit of a joke IMHO
This opinion of yours gets funnier every time you bring it up. If there was a gaff-rigged category in the olympics then perhaps your boys from the Aran islands might be more suited.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
And you're so caught up on the Dun Laoghaire/D4 thing, do you not realise that most of the GB team are based around the Solent, not the west coast of Scotland?
Aside from Dun Laoghaire not even being in D4, it's been the heartland of sailing in Ireland for pretty much as long as the sport has been in Ireland.
If you're going to pass judgement on where we're finding competitors it might make sense to understand a bit about these sports first. Saying it's mad to have sailors from Dun Laoghaire is the equivalent of saying it'd be crazy to think you could find any good hurlers in Kilkenny.
It may be your opinion but it's a daft opinion. It's as sensible as me saying that anyone with a country accent must be rubbish at any sports other than GAA. The two guys from Dun Laoghaire actually won two of their ten races which sounds pretty good to me. The main problem sailing has IMO is that it's fairly expensive to get started in. The best way to improve results, long term would be to provide funding to make it more accessible.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Both squads finished 10th. How is 10th in the world a joke?Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
At lest one of them was from the North. Not sure where the other lad was fromQuote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
Both of the lads in the 470 crew were from Dun Laoghaire, that's the pair that won 2 races. One each from the Royal Irish and Royal St George. There was another guy in from the Royal Irish but he's actually from Delgany so Dun Laoghaire can only claim to be where he's based rather than from.
The Belfast guy was in the Star crew with a lad from Cork while Ireland's sole female sailor is from the Howth Yacht club.
Thought I read one of them was from Bangor. I stand corrected
ah come on, that was very much me talking ****e (again):)Quote:
Originally Posted by noby
just that they always come across as a bit full of themselvesQuote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
i mean i guess thats the nature of that sport, but they could do it after they get an Olympic medal, in a sport that has not a huge amount of nations competing
(good morning Dodge:) - good luck tonite anyway))