Commonwealth Games GC2018

[bunbury61]

1 hour ago, Sandgroper said:

In response to your all white comment yes I did.

no , actually IN THE MAIN , swimming Is predominantly white ...not racist ....FACT

[Sandgroper]

Just now, bunbury61 said:

no , actually IN THE MAIN , swimming Is predominantly white ...not racist ....FACT

Sure OK 

[Booma]

On 03/04/2018 at 22:01, ramot said:

Not sure how much I will bother to watch, have family members going to watch the gymnastics on the 6th.

What is really annoying me are the advertisements saying for example we must beat the Poms, or we (the Australians) are going all out for gold, or the netball team ad all about beating NZ.

Would be nice to hear more about the spirit of the games, and a bit less bragging, shouldn't mention the cricket!!! but it's a bit the same must be the winners.

funny how people see things differently. i thought it was more of a compliment to england & nz that whoever made the ads thought those counties might put up a bit of competition. 

[Gbye grey sky]

On 07/04/2018 at 08:03, NicF said:

Australia top of the pile at the moment.  Don’t expect it to last though as they don’t really have any major threats in the track and field.

Australia dominating track and field.

[NicF]

10 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Australia dominating track and field.

I know.  I didn’t realise Australia had quite so many good athletes compared with the rest of the commonwealth.

[Sandgroper]

I’m actually surprised how much the Australians have dominated these games and equally surprised how poorly England have done in comparison considering the population of each nation!

[ali]

1 minute ago, Sandgroper said:

I’m actually surprised how much the Australians have dominated these games and equally surprised how poorly England have done in comparison considering the population of each nation!

Me too, I expected England to overtake Aus in the medal table after the swimming had finished.

[Gbye grey sky]

1 hour ago, Sandgroper said:

I’m actually surprised how much the Australians have dominated these games and equally surprised how poorly England have done in comparison considering the population of each nation!

England comfortably topped the medal table in 2014 despite Australia dominating the swimming as always.  There are some key issues at play for the home nations this time around.

The 2014 Games were at the end of the English summer (and end of Australian winter) so many sportsmen and women could fully prepare at the end of that season.  This time around few Brits will have had much opportunity to train outdoors in the previous 6 months let alone compete.

Another major factor is that the London 2012 boost is wearing off with many of the stars of 2012 now retired.

The 3rd important point is that the Games are simply much more important for the Australians as it is at home and a focal point for the year as 2014 was for the Scots in particular whereas some British athletes will view this as a pre-season warm-up.

[Gbye grey sky]

4 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said:

England comfortably topped the medal table in 2014 despite Australia dominating the swimming as always.  There are some key issues at play for the home nations this time around.

The 2014 Games were at the end of the English summer (and end of Australian winter) so many sportsmen and women could fully prepare at the end of that season.  This time around few Brits will have had much opportunity to train outdoors in the previous 6 months let alone compete.

Another major factor is that the London 2012 boost is wearing off with many of the stars of 2012 now retired.

The 3rd important point is that the Games are simply much more important for the Australians as it is at home and a focal point for the year as 2014 was for the Scots in particular whereas some British athletes will view this as a pre-season warm-up.

As a case in point I watched the ladies shot putting in the heptthlon.  The difference in attitude and approach from the current leader, Katerina Johnson-Thompson, compared with the Aussie girls was very marked.  The English girl was making minimal effort whole the Aussies were giving it their all.

Clearly the lack of outdoor training and a desire not to encourage an injury are the only possible explanations.

[Bulya]

Athletics surprising when so many have dropped out to join AFLW.  A lot more after the games finish too

[calNgary]

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

England comfortably topped the medal table in 2014 despite Australia dominating the swimming as always.  There are some key issues at play for the home nations this time around.

The 2014 Games were at the end of the English summer (and end of Australian winter) so many sportsmen and women could fully prepare at the end of that season.  This time around few Brits will have had much opportunity to train outdoors in the previous 6 months let alone compete.

Another major factor is that the London 2012 boost is wearing off with many of the stars of 2012 now retired.

The 3rd important point is that the Games are simply much more important for the Australians as it is at home and a focal point for the year as 2014 was for the Scots in particular whereas some British athletes will view this as a pre-season warm-up.

England hasn't had a winter for years, do you not read other threads ??? The weather doesn't stop anyone doing anything outside.

In all fairness i didn't expect the Aussies to do as well as they have, especially in track n field,, so credit to them, they have smashed it.

 Cal x

[Gbye grey sky]

7 minutes ago, calNgary said:

England hasn't had a winter for years, do you not read other threads ??? The weather doesn't stop anyone doing anything outside.

In all fairness i didn't expect the Aussies to do as well as they have, especially in track n field,, so credit to them, they have smashed it.

 Cal x

A bit of a cheap shot that one.......amusing though!

By all accounts though this particular winter has been a bit of a shocker.

[Booma]

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

As a case in point I watched the ladies shot putting in the heptthlon.  The difference in attitude and approach from the current leader, Katerina Johnson-Thompson, compared with the Aussie girls was very marked.  The English girl was making minimal effort whole the Aussies were giving it their all.

Clearly the lack of outdoor training and a desire not to encourage an injury are the only possible explanations.

making minimal effort is a insult to the spirit of competition. if you arent fit & ready to compete you should stay home.

[Sandgroper]

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

England comfortably topped the medal table in 2014 despite Australia dominating the swimming as always.  There are some key issues at play for the home nations this time around.

Much much closer between the two teams in 2014 there is a huge gap in golds this time around, however that could change I guess.

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

The 2014 Games were at the end of the English summer (and end of Australian winter) so many sportsmen and women could fully prepare at the end of that season.  This time around few Brits will have had much opportunity to train outdoors in the previous 6 months let alone compete.

No not having that at this level the competitors would have spent the winter in the Canaries weather as bad as it is in the UK is not an excuse 

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Another major factor is that the London 2012 boost is wearing off with many of the stars of 2012 now retired.

Have to agree these things do go in cycles.

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

The 3rd important point is that the Games are simply much more important for the Australians as it is at home and a focal point for the year as 2014 was for the Scots in particular whereas some British athletes will view this as a pre-season warm-up.

Again I agree the same as 2012 was much more important to the home nations, pride at home goes a long way.

I guess we will need to wait until Tokyo to see how they both perform at that games.

[Sandgroper]

2 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

As a case in point I watched the ladies shot putting in the heptthlon.  The difference in attitude and approach from the current leader, Katerina Johnson-Thompson, compared with the Aussie girls was very marked.  The English girl was making minimal effort whole the Aussies were giving it their all.

Clearly the lack of outdoor training and a desire not to encourage an injury are the only possible explanations.

If that is the case it's just poor preparation on the athletes part. No excuses.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Sandgroper

[Gbye grey sky]

48 minutes ago, Sandgroper said:

Much much closer between the two teams in 2014 there is a huge gap in golds this time around, however that could change I guess.

No not having that at this level the competitors would have spent the winter in the Canaries weather as bad as it is in the UK is not an excuse 

Have to agree these things do go in cycles.

Again I agree the same as 2012 was much more important to the home nations, pride at home goes a long way.

I guess we will need to wait until Tokyo to see how they both perform at that games.

Clearly you are joking.  Firstly,  most of these competitors are out and out amateurs with very limited funding.  Secondly, the Canaries would have limited facilities available only to elite athletes throughout Europe for off-season training.  Thirdly, these people have families and, in many cases, jobs.

Hard to imagine all the bowls players have wintered in the Canaries, for example, as preparation for the CG.  

[Sandgroper]

40 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Clearly you are joking.  Firstly,  most of these competitors are out and out amateurs with very limited funding.  Secondly, the Canaries would have limited facilities available only to elite athletes throughout Europe for off-season training.  Thirdly, these people have families and, in many cases, jobs.

Hard to imagine all the bowls players have wintered in the Canaries, for example, as preparation for the CG.  

Now who's joking I wouldn't even class bowls player as athletes it's more of a pastime 

You'd be surprised I'd say most of the track and field competitors would have attended over seas training camps along with the some of the cyclists during the winter, not an issue for the swimmers and a lot of the other sports are held indoors so not buying into the weather affecting the preparation of the home nations 

[Booma]

On 05/04/2018 at 20:01, Toots said:

Winning is good but it's the constant rah rah Australia I can't be doing with.  Needs to be toned down a bit.

ive been thinking on this comment from earlier. why do you think the ozzies should tone down there enthusiasm in there own country? 

[Saurer Pfirsich]

1 hour ago, Booma said:

ive been thinking on this comment from earlier. why do you think the ozzies should tone down there enthusiasm in there own country? 

I don't think it's Australian enthusiasm that's at issue here, but rather the obsession within certain sections of the media with beating the New Zealanders and the British no matter what that grates with some. The British media are culpable of this as well of course - the BBC's obsession with 'British hopes' at Wimbledon or the Open Golf is often embarrassing  - but the Australian media take it further. Channel Nine received numerous complaints for their coverage of the last 2 Olympics for being excessively jingoistic and just focussing on Australian fortunes, to the extent that viewers were missing out on seeing athletes from other countries perform live.  

Of course, no one can compare to the Americans in this regard. I was in the States when the Athens '04 Olympics were on and you'd be forgiven for thinking that the American athletes were just competing against each other! There was a shockingly one-eyed, ignorant and dismissive attitude towards non-U.S. competitors, and the tub-thumping 'it's all about us' patriotism really grated after a while. It's great to be enthusiastic about your team's chances, but I'd argue that it's more important to be welcoming hosts and gracious in victory or defeat. 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Booma said:

ive been thinking on this comment from earlier. why do you think the ozzies should tone down there enthusiasm in there own country? 

Not so much 'ordinary' Aussies but the media ramp it up so much it verges on embarrassing.  Sure cheer on your team etc but over the years I've been here I've just become fed up of the Aussie Aussie Aussie, oy oy oy attitude of practically all the media.  A bit of decorum wouldn't go amiss.  

 

[Booma]

7 minutes ago, Toots said:

 

A bit of decorum wouldn't go amiss.  

 

how very proper & british ? the old lady next door to us growing up used to say that all the time. usually muttered under her breath but load enough for us to hear when we were a bit older & playing out. she was a nice old thing but very proper & stiff upper lip no nonsense kind of thing ?

[Booma]

20 minutes ago, Saurer Pfirsich said:

I don't think it's Australian enthusiasm that's at issue here, but rather the obsession within certain sections of the media with beating the New Zealanders and the British no matter what that grates with some. The British media are culpable of this as well of course - the BBC's obsession with 'British hopes' at Wimbledon or the Open Golf is often embarrassing  - but the Australian media take it further. Channel Nine received numerous complaints for their coverage of the last 2 Olympics for being excessively jingoistic and just focussing on Australian fortunes, to the extent that viewers were missing out on seeing athletes from other countries perform live.  

Of course, no one can compare to the Americans in this regard. I was in the States when the Athens '04 Olympics were on and you'd be forgiven for thinking that the American athletes were just competing against each other! There was a shockingly one-eyed, ignorant and dismissive attitude towards non-U.S. competitors, and the tub-thumping 'it's all about us' patriotism really grated after a while. It's great to be enthusiastic about your team's chances, but I'd argue that it's more important to be welcoming hosts and gracious in victory or defeat. 

yes i think all media is the same these days wherever they are from. it doesnt bother me though. I just ignore it.

[Gbye grey sky]

3 hours ago, Sandgroper said:

Now who's joking I wouldn't even class bowls player as athletes it's more of a pastime 

You'd be surprised I'd say most of the track and field competitors would have attended over seas training camps along with the some of the cyclists during the winter, not an issue for the swimmers and a lot of the other sports are held indoors so not buying into the weather affecting the preparation of the home nations 

There are gold medals for bowls too btw.  And I said competitors, not athletes.

And no athletes look to peak before the start of an athletic season.  Like it or not it is a valid reason for some of the competitors from northern Europe.

[Sandgroper]

4 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said:

There are gold medals for bowls too btw.  And I said competitors, not athletes.

I know how silly.

7 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said:

And no athletes look to peak before the start of an athletic season.  Like it or not it is a valid reason for some of the competitors from northern Europe.

I think you do them a disservice I think they would train to peak for major games which the Commonwealth games are they will then repeat the cycle for the European champs in August (not the bowls team though)

[Gbye grey sky]

43 minutes ago, Sandgroper said:

I know how silly.

I think you do them a disservice I think they would train to peak for major games which the Commonwealth games are they will then repeat the cycle for the European champs in August (not the bowls team though)

I didn’t say they wouldn’t train, just that they wouldn’t peak and, like it or not, outdoor training is more limited in the UK between November to March.  Only a small handful of elite athletes can winter overseas.  Also the CG is not that major an event for everyone.  Track and field athletes for instance make their money at events across Europe between June to September.