The Olympics
 

I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned anything about the forthcoming Olympics. It will be interesting to read what members of Accy Web feel about it. I realise how many sacrifices are made, how much time is devoted to it by competitors, how much athletes put their bodies through in the hope of winning medals. However, I am not sure whether it has been a wise decision to go ahead with the 2020 Olympics in 2021 in a country that is suffering greatly through the virus, taking into account the risks involved.

I know that great care is being taken and strict rules are going to be enforced, but there is always that one person who doesn’t believe rules apply to them – and it only takes one…

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myself i think its craszy to go ahead dotti.

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its not as if its just a handful of athletes that are involved. add them all up, their trainers, others doing work for the teams etc. you have a hell of a lot of people from all round the world there. OK athletes would miss out on possibly there one and only chance of a medal. we have missed out for well over a year doing our thing and living our lives. unless it fits their agenda of the day there will be no reports of virus spreading due to the games for sure.

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I do not enjoy the olympics at all.....and I know that the athletes have worked hard to get fit, but if they were to cancel it tomorrow I would not shed a tear.

If it goes ahead, it will not be about sport...it will be about money.

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its never been about sport for a number of years now. heard the event will not have people from abroad watching it live. well if you have the time and money you,ll get in like travelling into the red list.

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Probably there has been no comment because folk aren't really all that interested in it Dotti. I for one have no time or interest in athletics whether they be world class or local, I'll find during those weeks something more suitable to my tastes to occupy my time.

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Too much money invested in what has become nothing but a politically motivated event,
whilst I applaud the original concept like so many sports, it has been ruined by the interference of governments and the one upmanship every country the hosts the games tries to apply to 'their' Olympics.

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thing is its not just athletics its all the other stuff in them like archery, shooting, horse events that have a very small spectator interest. the actual races are fine but its the time between em where i end up turning over to watch something else and not going back again. anyone who finds watching a marathon race exciting must be quite happy also sat in motorway traffic hold ups.

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I guess it’s the typical trope…the old days were the best.

The Olympics just like football used to be about ordinary people who were dedicated or enjoyed sport, now as with everything else it’s all about the money. It’s devalued and uninteresting despite how the athletes agents and media try to whip up a TeamGB frenzy.

In recent Olympics, people were more excited and engaged by the true amateurs of hockey and curling than they were about the professional TeamGB.

Nowadays, there would be no place in the Olympics for Eddie the Eagle or the Jamaican bobsled team, in football, no Frank Worthington or Vinnie Jones, in rugby, no Billy Beaumont or J.J. Williams.

And that’s just sad

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plus if you were fortunate these people could live next door to you. before boxers jack london and his so brian moved to blackpool they had a house in the street behind us in hartlepool where they then were called harper. unless you are really loaded nowadays that will never happen. possibly they are more removed now from their fans than top line pop and film stars were.

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They talk about "National Pride" as if it's a real thing. Bragging rights to host a massive, over-hyped, pointless TV event.

As usual it's all about Money. I couldn't even name a single participant. It's meaningless to me.

They say to invest only where a return is expected. This time I really don't see a Cash Bonanza return that justifies the insane expense of upgrading facilities.

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[QUOTE=skuta;1254525]They talk about "National Pride" as if it's a real thing. Bragging rights to host a massive, over-hyped, pointless TV event.

As usual it's all about Money. I couldn't even name a single participant. It's meaningless to me.

its the same as all these international sporting events. winning it is good for the country etc. well many people are struggling to pay bills and putting food on the table and winning the most medals is far from the top of their priority lists.

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National Pride is a real thing unless yer terminally stupid as far as im concerned:rolleyes:

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but i can never understand how winning a race, a game of football, cricket or rugby can increase pride in your country. eventually they,ll make it an offence to have pride in anything unless its rights for any minority group.

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I presume you agree with free speech as a concept or is everybody who disagrees with you "stupid"

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A person can have pride in their Country whilst allowing the 'stupid' to differ in opinion, though quite often the overwhelming fervour of tunnel vision can interfere with freedom of speech.
:mosher:

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probably

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National Pride is a very wide ranging concept. There are things about the UK that I am not proud about. Perhaps any discussion needs to go deeper than the sweeping statement that People who dont have National Pride are stupid.

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Misread. I now see that Skuta was commenting that the idea that National Pride was not a real thing. It is surely an abstract noun/ concept?

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[QUOTE=Mark2009;1254563]Misread. I now see that Skuta was commenting that the idea that National Pride was not a real thing. It is surely an abstract noun/ concept?

Oh how I wish that I was as intelligent as you tend to think that you are,:rolleyes::rolleyes:

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Aren't you glad we live in a country where you can freely make personal comments

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Cashie, if your idea as to the stupidity or otherwise of a person is based on if they always agree with you or not – the ‘nots’ being the stupid ones, then I am ‘probably’ very, very, stupid.....

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dont think so dotti,i know quite a few peronally that do not agree with me and they are far from stupid, but i think using that description is not very bright.

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well enjoy it whilst you can. some will want all comments by some that do not follow a certain line banned for life until they impersonate a sheep.

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its so wide ranging with everyone having their own opinion on what this pride is. from a millionaire to a rough sleeper, a far right winger to a far leftie they will all have some pride in their country. the problem is they,ll be all different and some would not class them as something to actually be proud of.

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Dont get me wrong, I can take personal comments till the cows come home. They are of little consequence.
My earlier comment was illustrating my support for anybody to have their own opiinions. Challenge mine by all means, but if all you can offer is personal remarks, veiled or otherwise, please dont waste your time.

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i was not having a go at you at all. i was commenting on the present day situation of where comments on certain issues seem only valid if they follow one line or another and free speech being reserved for certain minorities.

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As I said in another post it is so easy to misconstrue what is said in writing.

The internet can be a very difficult medium to get across the finer points of a discussion, because you cannot see the person you are talking to...gauge their expressions, body language etc.
I truly think that Monkey Hanger was referring to the current woke attitudes of some people.
But then again I could be wrong on that too.

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Sorry if I misunderstood, agree it is easy to not get the writers meaning in an Internet posting

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[QUOTE=Mark2009;1254570]Aren't you glad we live in a country where you can freely make personal comments

Nothing personal, just an opinion.

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no you are not wrong and at least talking face to face you do not have to get your spelling and punctuation correct.

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those who critisize spelling and punctuation are nothing but PLEBS, in my view, well worth ignoring.

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I am not sure where to ask this sporting question....it is really about football....there is football in the Olympics isn’t there?

Anyway, I am going to ask the gents on the forum how they feel about the increasing number of female pundits, commentators on football?
I believe that women can do anything, but it seems strange to see these women talking about football.
Do you chaps who are avid fans take their commentary seriously...or do you see it as part of the tokenism of wokeness?
From my point of view I do not like sport....any sport, and I freely admit that football is something that I do not understand at all.
I know there has been an upsurge in women’s teams.....but where have these new women commentators come from?
What are their credentials for sitting alongside the likes of Lineker(though I hate that man with a passion) Carragher, Wright.
They played top class football so have some validity.

And to those women out there who love football, play football or just support a team.....I am sorry if this question offends you...it is not meant to.

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I would not have an issue with poor spelling, but there have been a few posts recently about how a post can be misinterpreted.
Punctuation has a part to play in that....how you punctuate a sentence can totally alter what it means.
For example : ‘let’s eat, Grandma’ that sentence is telling Grandma it is time to eat.
Now, try this version : let’s eat Grandma.....this implies you are going to eat Grandma.
Cashy, I know it seems irrelevant, but if you want a post to be understood rather than misunderstood...punctuation is the way.
And it does not have to be perfect....it is a long time since you and I did English Grammar at school....so we are allowed to slip up from time to time.

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As for being a pleb...I am a pleb....an ordinary person of the lower class!
And proud of it

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Actually Cashers old chap, us British use the word "Criticise", none of your Amercanisms here if you please my dear fellow.



Yours, a pleb who needs ignoring.



:D:D:D ;)

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Here in Germany there are a few women commentators doing the coverage of both male & female footy matches, I can take them or leave them. As long as the coverage is accurate & clear that's fine, but I think a few of them try to hard to be on a par with their male colleagues & it just comes across wrong.


They should do their own thing in their own style & I'm pretty sure they'll soon establish themselves in their own right.

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as I said previously...I do beleive that women can do anything....but I have to say that I find it uncomfortable to watch the women reporting from matches as I do not really know how they came to be where they are in the commentary stakes....it isn't as if I recognise them as having played the game(though, maybe they have)...whereas I know the names of the male football players and so I take what they say more seriously and Yes son, they do seem to be trying very hard to be up with the boys.

I just don't 'get it'.

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You’ve hit on something here Margaret.

Female pundits have been around for 40+ years…from Billie Jean King talking tennis and Rachel Heyhoe Flint talking cricket in the 70’s and more recently Gabby Logan on football and Claire Balding on the horses. Sue Barker successfully replaced that doyen of sports broadcasting David Coleman on Question of Sport and presented Sports Personality of the Year a few times.

The problem at the moment is the box tickers…all the females I mentioned know their stuff and are good broadcasters, so much so that gender is irrelevant.

What is happening now is our current ‘woke’ box ticking producers in an attempt at showing that they are inclusive, are throwing females who obviously know their stuff into hi-profile positions but, like bad teachers, they cannot communicate and it’s sticking out like a sore thumb.

And if I posted something like this on twitter I’d be cancelled

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[QUOTE=Margaret Pilkington;1254652]
Punctuation has a part to play in that....how you punctuate a sentence can totally alter what it means. For example : ‘let’s eat, Grandma’ that sentence is telling Grandma it is time to eat. Now, try this version : let’s eat Grandma.....this implies you are going to eat Grandma.

Margaret, that is so funny. You are definitely right, punctuation (or lack of it) can completely change the meaning of a sentence, as you have just shown. Mind you, to eat this grandma would take a few hours of boiling to soften me up first. I’d be more than a bit tough.

It would be a bit of fun to read some more examples. Any out there?

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I’m not personally into sport these days (maybe a bit of backyard cricket now and then) and so I don’t listen to many sports’ commentators but when I have, I have to admit I am not that into females talking about the games that have been, or are being, played by blokes. On the other hand, I prefer females commentating on games that are being played by females rather than men doing this. In both these examples it somehow sounds more ‘professional’ and that they do actually know what they are talking about.

I would also rather listen to a weather report from someone who actually knows a lot about meteorological matters, and I must admit I prefer this to be a man. Sorry if I have put the feminine movement back a few years but that’s my opinion.

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[QUOTE=dotti34;1254665]
A good hefty tenderizing hammer (a really big one) saves hours of boiling. :D

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some of the women doing football now are fine. the problem is that they would still be doing it if they were not or replaced by another woman till they eventually got it right. when they did that going round the grounds thing on a sunday in the fa cup there did seem to be more and more women involved in it. do not have any interest in the womens game of any team sports but wonder if there is as big a male imput as there is female in the male game. i know that games at the top of the womens football now have a all female officials and then they cannot wait to promote a token female in the mens game either. when the womens game gets as many playing it and watch it live as the mens one even with the constant publicity it gets, then i hope women commentators are at a minimum instead of looking like a growth industry like it now does.

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I watch a fair bit of horse racing, the pundits seem to be a fifty fifty split of both male and female, they all know far more than I, especially after a race when they can give me very solid reasons for why I shouldn't have backed the horse I did, (I wish they were that forthcoming before I put my money down), however one of the ladies does get a little overexcited now and then, this shows when her voice becomes so shrill it causes feedback in my hearing aids, most uncomfortable.
Fortunately the race commentators still seem to be male dominated I think the masculine tones are a preference in a tense and exciting situation.

Women? Football commentators? pass the smelling salts Grandma, the whalebone in this corset is sticking in my ribs again!

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Guinness, I know there have been female sports presenters.....and I get that.
Billie Jean King was eminently suitable for commentating on tennis...she was a great player(or so I am told....I do not do any kind of sport)....Sue Barker too, actually played the game and you knew what her credentials were.
Claire Balding...not sure how she became a commentator on horse racing, but it did not seem at all ‘out of the ordinary’.
Gabby Logan grew up with a footballing father so her exposure to the game was from a young age so she is an honorary Male.

The question I asked was really to do with football.
There seem to be more and more women pundits, commentators, reporters from games.....when it used to be men doing these reports.
Now, I do not watch football....but I know many of the Premier League clubs have women’s teams.....surely, not all of these women have played football....so where do they get their credence from.....and do you men who are avid fans, take them seriously...or do you feel it is just another bit of wokeness....to get women into these posts to tick the equality box?

For the women supporters out there who love the game, I apologise if you consider this a sexist point of view.

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[QUOTE=DaveinGermany;1254669]Son...much as I would have liked to have thought of the quote you have included in your post....it did not come from me.....I think that might have something to do with the fact that I do not answer to that G name.....it was never on my to do list...be one of those G things.....and if you can self identify your gender then I can self identify as anything but that!

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I know Ma, your views on the "G-N-O" are well documented. :) It was a a reply to Dotti, but somewhere along the line, like all things tech, a sneaky little Gremlin (not our tame pet one on here mind) gets in & cocks things up, that or big thick sossy fingers hitting wrong buttons. :D

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But I did like it though.

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i know its only two females involved and not a wide range of opinion but my niece a regular at everton at one time and her in the kitchen actually dislike the female commontators and pundits far more than i do. if i decide to be a woman for the day i,ll tell you if my position changes on them.

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[QUOTE=Less;1254679]I watch a fair bit of horse racing, the pundits seem to be a fifty fifty split of both male and female,

thats fine if there is a 50/50 split in those involved with horse racing at the top level and the viewers are split the same way. bet they are searching for the good old ethnic minorities to find one who can do the job to take over from another middle aged person who is doing the job already.

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Following the above statement from Dotti, I would say the same about the present Euro's 2020, been running for a couple of weeks now & tonight the 3 Lions are actually playing in the quarter finals!!! Novel enough by itself, but the fact they beat the arch enemy "Ze Germans" 2-0 to get there surely raises a wry eyebrow on this "Historic" event. :D


Shall be popping down the local "Doner Restaurant" tonight, mingling with the clientelle & sitting at the "Top table" with the Boss of the establishment Ferdi, (Yeah I know, not really a typical turkish name but there's a story there, him & his family, plus his brothers are all good lads) & some other VIPs sinking a few & cheering on the boys, deep in the heart of the defeated "Enemies territory".


I even convinced some of the beaten foe to at least give a grudging cheer for the "Tommies" tonight. After all our superiorly whupping their H'arses & giving the Bosch a damned good thrashing midweek! A little respect if you please! (lets face it, it don't happen often & will probably be a long time coming before similar again happens :))


So "Come on England, for the Queen, God & St George!!"


:D

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And there was this ...... :D


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZaWe3elBmE

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thought the above might have been in glasgow or edinburgh.

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And so it continues, the Lions roared & the Ukraine widdled thersens! 4-0 to Englands young Lions, next the Vikings of Denmark are up on Wednesday evening, will the young Lions be rampant once more & maul the upstart Danes or will the Nordic marauders, savage, ravage & plunder unhindered?


Either way bring it on, Edington or Maldon? Wednesday will define the outcome ....... Come on England!!! :)

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Talking of horse racing, here's one to pawn your knee caps for if it ever gets on it's feet and out of the stalls:-



Oh So Woke

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The Lion roared, a tad late mind & not without controversy, still "It's a funny old game!" as the saying goes & we're there at long last & much disappointment over the previous years.


The final tonight, the Young Lions face off against the Gladiatori d'Italia, Christians to the slaughter? Lions massacared in the arena? Or will the ancient spirit of Boudica & the Iceni prevail?



"What have the Romans ever done for us?"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvPbj9NX0zc


Anyways, apart from all that may I just add "Pizza" to the list :D they could also give us the win tonight!


Come on England!!! :)

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Well we was spaghettied! Rolled round, pulled all over & slurped up, not our best night, but better than normal. Ah well, the wait goes on 55 years & counting ......:(

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thing is if most are honest like me i never expected them to get to the final, and then what i regarded as the best team in the competition could not beat us in 120 mins, only won by the lottery i say. well done lads.

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it actually takes the gloss off winning the thing as well when you really have to rely upon the opposition missing a penalty or your keeper guessing right and saves it. the score after 120 minutes meant on paper they were no better than us. just a pity that a better way of deciding games can be thought up. people laugh at cricket where they can play 5 full days and the game ends a draw. these euro,s have gone on for a few weeks to end up decided by penalty misses.

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i reckon many fans think its a very poor way to decide a game, but sod all we can do about it clowns decide who have no idea at all what fans think, nor do they care.