The 2008 Olympics Thread

[Jinxy]

Why cant ireland compete in sailing? really why not?
or cross country equestrian?
Or mountain biking?
or rowing?

get a few of the ga ladies to try out for basketball, volleyball, handball, etc

Hockey? try out a few hurlers

Look at some of the Gb athletes who switched sports........from cycling to running. I think there can be a cross over in some sports
jesus look at the O halpin brothers doing well down under, or all the ga heads that have done well in football down through the years
Katie taylor playing football........i mean most decent sports people are quite good at a lot of sports

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?

[Bluebeard]

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.

[pete]

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?

[bennocelt]

Go on then, tell us what you know about Swiss sailing then...


... or Nrwegian or Brazillian showjumping?


You still don't get it do you? You think we've a god given right to do well at something. EVERY country and every athlete in the oilympics breaks theior balls to get there.

I'll ask you this, what gives you the right to bitch and moan at the sailors and every other sport? What have you ever done to help anyone aget to an Olympics and excel? You've already shown you know **** all about most of the sports, but you still think you can give out about them not reaching your high standards?

The problem with thsi country isn't that the best athletes are playing GAA or football, its that they're all sitting on their arses watching the olympics every four years wondering why we're ****e at everything

No you don't get it
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.

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

[bennocelt]

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?

Well some french fella won the biking?
Gb won the fours
and i think russia lost to usa in the volleyball

well am in right?

I do care, maybe thats my problem

[Jinxy]

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?

[bennocelt]

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!!

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...............

[Longfordian]

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?

"He never raised a hand to you did he Mrs. Barrett?"

[deecay]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/olympics/...ve_with_t.html

Scroll down,he kicked a ref in the face

[superfrank]

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.

You've summed up the problem there yourself. All these athletes are involved in sports that we can't compete in in the Olympics.

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.

[Dodge]

No you don't get it
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!!)

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.

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.

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?

Same with equestrian - great places for horses.

Where isn't?

Mountain biking could easily be done in this country.

It is done in this country, and every other country in europe

Same with rowing and shooting. Yeah you are right ignore all that.

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 participation

Its called tradition. In Ireland we have been playing sport for a ling time in whatever form.

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?

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.!!!

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.

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

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".

(by the way i just noticed you didnt really have many (or any) tips in the olympics page)!!! Funny that

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

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.

[pete]

"He never raised a hand to you did he Mrs. Barrett?"

At least someone else remembers it. Pity it was pre youtube.

[superfrank]

Oh and superfrank, we have tried to qualify for every Olympics in football. We just haven't sinced 1948.

How would that work?

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.

[Big Ears]

At least someone else remembers it. Pity it was pre youtube.

I remember it aswell, jesus that's a long time ago now.
Funnily enough that he came up here because he's making a return in the pro game having been out for over 3 years.

[geysir]

How would that work?

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.

To give Dodge a rest from his dedication to this thread.

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.
That´s how it´s 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.

[bennocelt]

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.

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?

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 participation

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

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

.

I guess we just have a different view on Irish sport. I think Irish people are decent at sporting activities.
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?

[Dodge]

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.

Jesus I don't post every bet in here. I posted one bet, a 9/1 winner

The difference between us maybe is I know we could do do well (with the effort), while maybe you dont?

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)

[superfrank]

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.
That´s how it´s done with teams from Europe.

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.

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?

[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.

[superfrank]

The same Republic of Ireland football team would qualify to represent Ireland at the Olympics.

Ok. But what about the Northern Irish players?

In any other sport, they would be part of the Irish Olympic side.