What is going on

[PW]

Yachting-British crews are some of the best in the world.

The trouble with British sport is that if it ain't football, rugby or cricket, no-one (by that I mean in the general public-the casual fans any sport needs to become popular) gives a flying fig. Until something major gets won. I'm convinced the only way ice-hockey will become a mainstream sport in Britain is if the GB team (by that, I mean a team of Brits, not Canadian citizens with British passports), preferably young and with some players who are 'easy on the eye', win a major tournament and get some decent coverage. Then, of course, it needs to be made cheaper to try-the Blaze are doing a fine job with their 'providing kit for beginners' idea)-kids will not go out and try something where they have to make considerable effort just to find somewhere to play and kit to play with-football and cricket can be played in any park for, what, a couple of quid (at the most basic level) whereas for ice-hockey at the moment one has to pay for ice-time, kit, coaching-usually at a ridiculous time of the day or night because rinks are more focused on public skating because that's where the money is. Government funding (and a lot of it) is the only way for British sport to get better-if people have top-level facilities which they can use for a very small amount of money (as in France and most other European countries) the talent will out.

Here endeth the lesson

[Giguere35]

Wow man you may be right but its to heavy for this thread its only supposed to be light hearted

[Claret & Blue Army]

PW is spot on about the ills of British sports. until very recently Rugby was deemed a minority sport where people only ever watched the 5 nations much like they would the Grand National and other annual show pieces.
Football and cricket get the most press purely down to their historical standing as well as being spread across the country geographically wise in that everyone is close to a major cricketing county or league level football club.

When you think of how much governmental money goes to the mainstream ones compared to the paltry sums (If any) given to a whole host of other minority ones it is quite shocking. Particularly when you consider football clubs are run like businesses and should be able to source their own funding through turnover and other revenue such as sponsorship. The problem is that football clubs in particular in the last 15 years have got greedy in paying their staff unsustainable salaries. then when they get into trouble they plead insolvency and are able to break all legal laws that they would need to comply with if they were a non football business. The classic example is Leicester City when they went into official administration the year before last they were able to set up a fresh company transfer assets only (NO LIABILITIES) for a very nominal transaction and yet keep their place in their specific market. The chances of any dividend to their numerous creditors being zilch and causing the writing off of their debts. A lot of these were not just football related and could be for small businesses like a local plumber for example who would find himself out of pocket with the Insolvency practitioners of the failed entity unable or more likely unwilling to help out the victims.
And what does the government do about this? Why they find loopholes to allow the football club to start from scratch at exactly where the failed one left off and more importantly block any attempts from creditors to recoup their debts. When you realise how many clubs go into Administration each year the wasted TAXPAYERS money is phenominal
NOW
Imagine if these wasted sums were plundered into other sports to raise their profile in the UK we might get more youngsters trying different things and actually produce some winners.
Of course you then have to get past all that left claptrap bout stopping school sportsdays as it's not fair on the losers. Do they think this happens in America, Australia France, Germany and any other nation lauded for their sporting achievements. NO Competitiveness is actually better for youngsters as it focuses them on attaining high goals in all walks of life (Not just sport)

And as for an article I read recently in some county junior football level that when the score becomes 6 clear goals they start again... Well no wonder we can never win anything!

Climbs down off Soapbox

[Giguere35]

I still agree with what your sayin blaze but i think you missed the point of this thread its supposed to be a p*** take of British sport against the rest of the world,you seem to be getting a bit to political about the whole thing. ;D

[Bulin Wall]

Giguere35 said:

the point of this thread its supposed to be a p*** take of British sport against the rest of the world

It may be alright for you to take the mickey out of British sports, but I'll have you know that Tom Shufflebotham, of Nantwich, won the World Worm Charming Championships on June 26th this year.
Now there's an underfunded sport

[Giguere35]

Thats better i knew you would get the idea sooner or later ;D

[Giguere35]

Mike Rutter did a double in todays superbikes at croft on his HM Plant Honda and kept himself in the championship. The next round is at cadwell park in two weeks time.

[Giguere35]

Big congrats to the British in Athens lets have a few more gold ;D

[Rich]

After whats been said on this thread I am very happy to see that we are doing ok in the olymipics, it would be nice if we could take our gold medal tally up to double figures but we seem to be running out of time. Great to see Pinsent and the rowers do so well, Matthew Pinsent is a true national sporting hero now in my view. Also that Kelly Holmes 800 metre race was fantastic. Shame about Paula and the marathon but I am really hoping that she runs the 10,000 metres because I know that she can win that if she if fully fit mentally and physically.

[Bulin Wall]

An awesome achievement from Kelly Holmes tonight - 800m & 1500m gold medals - amazing!! ;D ;D

[BlazingSaddles]

And what about local boy Marlon Devonish getting a gold in the 4x100 relay, it was brill!!!

[Claret & Blue Army]

.....And then comes David James