London 2012 Olympic Competition

[mightberight]

You don't seem to have a clue what you're commenting on tbf. Her grandmother passed away, which saw her mother inherit some money, which she used a portion of to buy her daughter a horse.

More eloquently put than me. It's the same as a family using savings or inheritance to put their child through university, though I guess they'd be awfully "toffish" for doing so.

Carl Hester learned to ride on a donkey on the small island of Sark and wasn't rich by any stretch of the imagination. Not that it should make much difference anyway.

 

[Badunk]

More eloquently put than me. It's the same as a family using savings or inheritance to put their child through university,

Is it, though? Going to university is the same as buying a horse and doing dressage? How many 18 year-olds go to university? And how many buy a horse and do dressage?

 

[Badunk]

You don't seem to have a clue what you're commenting on tbf. Her grandmother passed away, which saw her mother inherit some money, which she used a portion of to buy her daughter a horse.

Mightberight appears to be using this girl's unconventional introduction into dressage as proof that it isn't elitist. It isn't.

 

[eric le roi]

Mightberight appears to be using this girl's unconventional introduction into dressage as proof that it isn't elitist. It isn't.

I'd say it's not really any more elitist than, say, skiing. There's a few girls at my work that are well in to their horses, go every weekend. I think a couple do dressage. They might be middle class, but I just wonder what your definition of 'elitist' is?

 

[Agent Red]

Whatever your views on dressage in the Olympics, I don't really see why this girl should have her gold medal lessened simply because she's got a posh sounding surname. She's become the best in her field today, yet all the focus seems to be on accusations of her being a 'posh cnut' (which in this case apparently isn't even accurate). I haven't seen anything in her behaviour that implies she's elitist or cnutish.

 

[mightberight]

Mightberight appears to be using this girl's unconventional introduction into dressage as proof that it isn't elitist. It isn't.

Add Carl Hester's story too. Seems "unconventional" could be coming a trend.

 

[Badunk]

I'd say it's not really any more elitist than, say, skiing. There's a few girls at my work that are well in to their horses, go every weekend. I think a couple do dressage. They might be middle class, but I just wonder what your definition of 'elitist' is?

Obviously it can't be a set thing (like saying you live here, so you're posh. You earn this much, so you're posh). It is an amalgumation of lots of things. It is the accessibility of certain sports, it is the perception of certain sports, it is the particpation (and by whom) of these sports and it's also the history of these sports. I'm not saying for one second that there is a type of apartheid whereby your average Joe can turn up at, say, a clay pigeon range and ask to have a go and he'll be told to get lost. But lots of these sports are the realm of the priveleged, which is borne out by the number of medalists who were privately educated.

 

[Badunk]

Add Carl Hester's story too. Seems "unconventional" could be coming a trend.

Wow. Two people. Dressage really is the sport of the people. I can't wait to start my lessons on Monday.

Why don't you argue against the stats, posted in the other thread, where the chairman of the Olympic Committee, who is a Lord, said it was unacceptable for so many medalists in Beijing to come from priveleged backgrounds? I'm saying these sports are elitist and are participated in by priveleged people. The stats bear out my assertions.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

Are we having the same debate in two if not three threads?

Badunk probably hasn't been near a club or centre home to any of the sports criticised, simply thrown out some slurs and assumptions rooted in politics if i am any judge.

Badunk, how about you go to your local stables or equestrian centre and see what the possibilities are? What the costs actually are?

 

[dejans]

We have a bronze medal!!!

I'm a very proud Latvian right now.

 

[eric le roi]

Badunk, what's your definition of privileged? Having a disposable income?

 

[Sw33t]

Badunk said "island of Ireland", not just the Republic.

Shame that doesn't count for anything at all though..

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

Anyway, it's time for the Taekwondo.

Go Jade Jones!

 

[Sw33t]

C'mon Jade

 

[Sw33t]

2-0 after 2nd round.

Nervy final round coming up. Hope she can make it!

 

[Agent Red]

What do the cards next to their names mean? (the little orange square etc.)

C'mon Jade!

 

[Sw33t]

What do the cards next to their names mean? (the little orange square etc.)

C'mon Jade!

They're like, erm, penalty things or something.

 

[Sam]

Gold for Jones!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sw33t]

She's done it!

Wheyyyyy!

 

[Badunk]

Badunk, what's your definition of privileged? Having a disposable income?

No. Being privately educated.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

Amazing, just look at that.

Great.

Well done Jade!

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Joyous Scenes!!!!

What a win! What a gold medal...

 

[Count Orduck]

Her coach is a moron, saying she's "almost like a male athlete, she's so good".

He also looks like Tarantino.

On a side note, she's really fecking hot.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

No. Being privately educated.

So if a child's parents make sacrifices for a better education their sporting achievements do not count as much as those from a state education? Or if from a private school your effort and sacrifice counts for less? What rubbish.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

What do the cards next to their names mean? (the little orange square etc.)

C'mon Jade!

You get a certain amount of warnings/penalties (2 or 3 I think) which show as orange, then after that, the cards turn red and any foul you make results in a point being given to the other person. Or something like that...

I think...

 

[Agent Red]

Boom! Third gold of the day. Great stuff.

Pre-Beijing I don't remember there being a huge scarcity of medals, but looking at the stats that's how it was. Now when we go a day without a medal, it's noticeable.

 

[Sw33t]

You get a certain amount of warnings/penalties (2 I think) which show as orange, then after that, the cards turn red and any foul you make results in a point being given to the other person.

I think...

I thought it was you get an orange as a warning, then when you get another it turns to red and the other fighter gets 1 point?

Unless that's what you meant, lol.

 

[Badunk]

So if a child's parents make sacrifices for a better education their sporting achievements do not count as much as those from a state education? Or if from a private school your effort and sacrifice counts for less? What rubbish.

Go on, quote me saying that, you muppet.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

Go on, quote me saying that, you muppet.

Private educated is what you said, simply that. At that point your scorn and denigration kicks in, no?



Tomorrow's Taekwondo will see Sarah Stevenson fight, i am sure many f you have heard of he tragic recent past. Hopefully she can do it tomorrow.

 

[Badunk]

Thought as much, Nick.

But carry on putting words in my mouth. You can't argue against the facts.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Jess Ennis is getting married?! God damn whoever that lucky bastard is...

I thought it was you get an orange as a warning, then when you get another it turns to red and the other fighter gets 1 point?

Unless that's what you meant, lol.

Yeah, that's what I mean!

Clearly, we're experts in the art of Taekwondo (even though we're probably wrong).

 

[Rooney1987]

Watching the BBC now, Mockney won't like this but how has Daley Thompson not been knighted? They give them out to so many Olympians these days, he has 2 gold in the decatholon. Only thing I can think off is he was offered it and turned it down.

 

[Claymore]

25 golds and over 50 medals for GB is amazing. Good to see Ireland get their first gold in the boxing but overall got to be disappointing for them to be sandwhiched in between the likes of Algeria and Venzezuela etc. Damn, I can't even spell that.

Her coach is a moron, saying she's "almost like a male athlete, she's so good".

Think it was just bad wording to be fair to him, he was just trying to say she could match anyone, bit like people do with the Wiliams sisters in tennis. Great win for her. What with that, the boxing and Judo our women are hard.

 

[PhilipB]

25 golds and over 50 medals for GB is amazing. Good to see Ireland get their first gold in the boxing but overall got to be disappointing for them to be sandwhiched in between the likes of Algeria and Venzezuela etc. Damn, I can't even spell that.





Think it was just bad wording to be fair to him, he was just trying to say she could match anyone, bit like people do with the Wiliams sisters in tennis. Great win for her. What with that, the boxing and Judo our women are hard.

You're obsessed.

 

[Sw33t]

Jess Ennis is getting married?! God damn whoever that lucky bastard is...



Yeah, that's what I mean!

Clearly, we're experts in the art of Taekwondo (even though we're probably wrong).

I'd definitely be an expert if it meant close up and personal access to Jade Jones!

 

[Sewelly The Geordie]

Watching the BBC now, Mockney won't like this but how has Daley Thompson not been knighted? They give them out to so many Olympians these days, he has 2 gold in the decatholon. Only thing I can think off is he was offered it and turned it down.

Common, black working class hero.

Thatcher was PM.

There's your answer.

(he should have got one since, mind)

 

[Rooney1987]

Common, black working class hero.

Thatcher was PM.

There's your answer.

(he should have got one since, mind)

Looking on Wiki he was awarded an MBE in 82 OBE in 86 and CBE in 2000 the next one up is a knighthood. Just odd when the likes of Kelly Holmes and Chris Hoy get them within days.

 

[Sewelly The Geordie]

Think the 'knighthood right after getting gold' is very much a new invention.

 

[eric le roi]

He had a ZX Spectrum game named after him - way better than a knighthood.

 

[SteveJ]

He had a ZX Spectrum game named after him

Yes, even my fingers remember the pain of playing it.