is it the olympics yet? (3 Viewers)

[washingcattle]

I think the problem with it is that it sounds like something that was formulated down the pub. There is zero scientific evidence behind it afaik.

And most anyone of African orgin on the western side of the Greenwich meridian is likely to be of slave descent. The idea that their athletic achievements are down to massa ranges from naive to problematic.
Also, I don't think slave traders held tryouts. They were a little more indiscriminate than that.

Watched the documentary a few weeks ago, there was some science to it alright. Slave traders were indiscriminate but most died on the way over. African Americans who survived the slave ships apparently did so on fuck all water so those who metabolised salt more slowly (I think) stood a better chance of survival. 100 years later and this genetic trait makes them more suseptable to heart problems. There's another genetic theory about diabetes. So it's not all one sided, black men are super human nonsense. The strongest made it through argument seemed fairly cogent to be honest.

Why is it we only ever stand a chance of winning a medal at fighting. Is it because boxing is an integral part of GAA and the GAA have all out best athletes?

Ah now in fairness per capita we over achieved at football for years.

http://footballtoptens.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/top-ten-small-international-teams/

 

[ann post]

if hurling was on ice, you'd wear that shit too.

 

[Hector Grey]

Ah now in fairness per capita we over achieved at football for years.

http://footballtoptens.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/top-ten-small-international-teams/

In fairness that population fails to take in the multi-generational diaspora that helped us reach the quarter final of the world cup.

 

[Hector Grey]

if hurling was on ice, you'd wear that shit too.

Yes, but then that wouldn't really be fighting, and it wouldn't really be hurling.

 

[washingcattle]

In fairness that population fails to take in the multi-generational diaspora that helped us reach the quarter final of the world cup.

Even taking this into account it would still make our population around 10 million and a huge proportion of those with Irish roots do not consider themselves Irish, so the point still stands when you consider the population of top footballing nations. If we'd qualified for the world cup in 2010 10 million would have put us in between Honduras and Greece.

http://www.obsessedwithsports.com/2010/06/23/world-cup-teams-by-population/

 

[Hector Grey]

Even taking this into account it would still make our population around 10 million and a huge proportion of those with Irish roots do not consider themselves Irish, so the point still stands when you consider the population of top footballing nations. If we'd qualified for the world cup in 2010 10 million would have put us in between Honduras and Greece.

http://www.obsessedwithsports.com/2010/06/23/world-cup-teams-by-population/

Yeah, a HUGE proportion didn't consider themselves Irish until Big Jack came calling. I'm pretty sure Andy Townsend still doesn't consider himself Irish. Anyway, it's all moot. We're shit at football. Didn't you watch the Euros?

 

[washingcattle]

Yeah, a HUGE proportion didn't consider themselves Irish until Big Jack came calling. I'm pretty sure Andy Townsend still doesn't consider himself Irish. Anyway, it's all moot. We're shit at football. Didn't you watch the Euros?

Ah yeah I'm just saying histroically we over achieve at football, which makes it feel all the worse now since it was our generation that grew up during that stage. We do well at running, boxing and golf, well in a per capita sense. But we do have the 4th most golf courses per capita. You could throw in rugby to but frankly who cares if we're any use at that or not and in fairness there's only 10 countries that play it so who gives a toss about being the 5th or 6th best.

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/bbc-sorry-for-olympians-anti-irish-slur-over-tattoo-201719.html

This lad is nearly as racist as I am.Nearly.

 

[Deadmanposting]

In fairness that population fails to take in the multi-generational diaspora that helped us reach the quarter final of the world cup.

Also doesn't take into account that every promising young player is hounded after by the Gah or if his family have a few quid, rugby.

Soccer isn't the only game in town the way it is in other countries.

Swings and roundabouts.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Also doesn't take into account that every promising young player is hounded after by the Gah or if his family have a few quid, rugby.

Soccer isn't the only game in town the way it is in other countries.

Swings and roundabouts.

In what countries is soccer the only game in town?

 

[washingcattle]

In what countries is soccer the only game in town?

Brazil
Argentina
Germany
Turkey
Greece
Spain
Italy
Chile
Denmark
Etc

 

[ann post]

for future reference, in case there is any confusion

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[CinnamonBoy]

Brazil
Argentina
Germany
Turkey
Greece
Spain
Italy
Chile
Denmark
Etc

How have all those countries produced champions in a range of different sports so? Even Brazil, which you would imagine to be the most soccer-centric country in the world produced Gustavo Kuerten who won a few French Opens in Tennis. Denmark is probably a comparable size to Ireland and they're mad into handball and also had/have a load of cyclists, including of course, Bjarne Riis. And they have Caroline Wozniaki.

 

[Hector Grey]

In what countries is soccer the only game in town?

Football, or "soccer" if you must, is pretty popular, world wide. No, it is now. Seriously.

 

[Hector Grey]

How have all those countries produced champions in a range of different sports so? Even Brazil, which you would imagine to be the most soccer-centric country in the world produced Gustavo Kuerten who won a few French Opens in Tennis. Denmark is probably a comparable size to Ireland and they're mad into handball and also had/have a load of cyclists, including of course, Bjarne Riis. And they have Caroline Wozniaki.

Hey, we can do cycling. Stephen Kelly anyone?

Anyway, this discussion isn't about golf or tennis or anything that isn't an Olympic sport (Yeah, i know tennis is....gold might be for all i know) just a general wondering why we suck at almost all sports. We rarely win medals, and it's not because we're slovenly, or tiny, or inbred, despite being all these things. GAA athletes sum up the Corinthian Olympic spirit. Ardent amateurs who give everything for a sport they love. It's just a crying fucking shame noone on earth gives a fuck about it. Occasionally wouldn't it be nice to win something. God bless Michelle Smith and her bright orange wee. That was a superb couple of days.

Fighin and smacking each other with sticks, that's all we're good for.

 

[Hector Grey]

We should play basketball

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[washingcattle]

How have all those countries produced champions in a range of different sports so? Even Brazil, which you would imagine to be the most soccer-centric country in the world produced Gustavo Kuerten who won a few French Opens in Tennis. Denmark is probably a comparable size to Ireland and they're mad into handball and also had/have a load of cyclists, including of course, Bjarne Riis. And they have Caroline Wozniaki.

Ah here, you're not really going to argue that football isn't A. the most popular sport in those countries by a long long way or B. considering how successful they are at football they don't come close in any other sport ?

C'mon name 11 Turkish athletes (without the aid of the internet ) that aren't footballers.

Basically there's the whole world except Australia and the states that are football.

Then there's the states, Australia, China and Russia who are the Olympics. There are countries who do well in certain sports like Ireland -boxing, Cuba-boxing, Australia-swimming, Kenya-distance running, Jamaica-Sprinting but you're not gong to see any of the list above dominate the medals table to any great degree

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2012/07/26/belarus-leader-barred-at-london-games/

Its a bit rich barring Lukashenko,Assad etc from travelling yet still allowing a nation like Saudi Arabia to compete in spite of their terrible record on women's participation in sports

http://m.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/12/saudi-arabia-women-olympic-games?cat=sport&type=article

 

[rettucs]

Hey, we can do cycling. Stephen Kelly anyone?

the soccer lad? Can he ride a bike?

 

[rettucs]

and also had/have a load of cyclists, including of course, Bjarne Riis.

and Michael Rasmussen and Bo Hamburger. Notorious dopers one and all.

They have more cyclists than we do because they have pro teams based there. I reckon if we had pro teams based here we'd develop our riders a bit better than at present and we'd have at least as many.

I don't think they have any cyclists better than our top guys (Rochey and Danny anyway) at the moment.