Re: Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[mystiroakey]

First topic message reminder :

Btw Fader 25 is fine anyway- your in the healthy scale so either way its no dramas at all mate!

[super_realist]

Got to agree with Diggers, Johnson has to be one of the top 15 American sportsmen of all time, easily one of the best presenters, but doesn't work in the states on TV, yet America indulges truly loathsome people like Johnny Miller and Kelly Tilghman on their tv coverage.

[mystiroakey]

Not disputing how good he is in the slightset or that he isnt a good presenter either.

just disputing diggers comment that he called track and field a minority sport. thats all. I was trying to work out a reason why he didnt work in the states- One of those is because the states has so many great sporting perfomrers, therefore by that rationale its tougher to get a gig at home..

[super_realist]

Well, if it wasn't a minority sport, then Johnson would get the recognition in the country in which he deserves to be lauded as an all time great.

I actually think it might be partly because Johnson is far too intelligent for American TV viewing audiences.

[mystiroakey]

He is lauded in the states as an all time great, and it isnt a minority sport- He just works for the BBC.

[Diggers]

OK, lets call it a marginalised sport rather than a minority sport. Athletics is very popular in Europe, athletes can earn a good living, obviously in the UK we have funding which isnt the case in the States.
It does still get live terrestrial broadcasting and athletics gets a fair amount of press over here, a lot of sports fans know our athletes who arent in world terms really that great in many cases. This isnt the case in the States.
Track and field is struggling in the US Mysti whether you choose to believe it or not. Its been the case for many years and its getting worse rather than improving.

[kwinigolfer]

A vote for Diggers on this debate, I seriously doubt that one American in one hundred has a clue who Michael Johnson is.

Very few "track and field" athletes are anything approaching household names. I would offer a sample of those of ten years ago or more:
Jesse Owens
Bruce Jenner (partly because of "celebrity" stuff)
Carl Lewis
Griffith-Joyner (for her finger nails and early death?)
Rafer Johnson (for the old-timers)
Marion Jones (for all the wrong reasons)
Bullet Bob Hayes (more because of his efforts for the Cowboys)
um
er
Perhaps Dwight Stones, Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit, Jackie Joyner . . . .

[Diggers]

100% correct Kwini and its a real shame. Great sprint hurdlers like Willie Gault and Skeets Nehemiah Id guess are better known for being decent(ish) american footballers rather than all time greats in their event in athletics.

[incontinentia]

Understandable that its marginalised, guys running around a track or throwing things isn't the most compelling of sports to follow or watch. Nice to see once every 2 years or so but can never compete with football or other ball sports.

[Diggers]

Its horses for courses Incontinentia. Id rather eat my liver than watch american football personally, but love watching athletics. One mans pleasure is anothers pain and all that.

[super_realist]

I like Athletics too, Bislett games are great to watch.
I find the constant scoring, timeouts, commercial breaks etc in American sports ruin any sporting element to the game. Far too disjointed.

[Skydriver]

OK, so Michael Johnson is now an honorary Brit. Presumably so is his 400m world record - that's the way it works, right?

[kwinigolfer]

NFL rules, athletes (and swimmers not named Phelps) have a lower profile than golfers and tennis players, except during Olympics, sad but true.

TV, and therefore the print media, is not interested in World Championships or the summer althletics season, whereas they are a fairly prominent part of GB TV sports coverage.

[Hibbz]

I had a thought the other day watching the Athletics.

There was a guy running for I think Grenada (though it way have been another Caribbean Island) who had been born in the Bronx but chosen to run for the country his mother had been born in.

It made me think about how many Caribbean Countries are now represented in the Athletics I wondered whether in the past these athletes would have represented the USA.

I'm assuming, though I don't know, that the vast majority will be trained via the US collegiate system (maybe the Jamaicans are an exception) and that the funding for this system is dependant on the success of the USA athletes. Is it possible that by representing the WI as opposed to the USA these athletes are perhaps biting the hand that feeds them?

Like I say was just a thought but I'd be interested to see what others thought. Might post this in the Olympics section too.

[mystiroakey]

It's the same in all country's. Football stars are big here. Yet no t many care about track and field bar Olympic time. Infact it's just the way it is in most developed countries

[kwinigolfer]

Hibbz,
I'm sure it's true to some extent; probably more prevalent with swimming though . . . .

[McLaren]

As this thread has a long running interest in the US attitude to healthcare and the welfare state in general these articles may be of interest. If you are an anti obamacare nutter or think austerity has sound economic principles I would suggest they are a must read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/opinion/the-real-winners.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/opinion/krugman-the-austerity-agenda.html?_r=1&ref=paulkrugman


This guy is the republicans idea of the devil on earth, for that alone you have got to love him, but he also cuts right to the heart of some very complex issues.

[Diggers]

Anyone else in the Olympic stadium right now ?

[McLaren]

Yeah, i am the guy waving.

[McLaren]

But seriously, how cool is it in there. Looks like the best atmosphere ever?

[kwinigolfer]

Paul Krugman is a genius.

[McLaren]

I know, what a dude.

[Diggers]

It's amazing , we are bang next to the flame, brilliant seats. Come on Bolt, we want a world record.

[mystiroakey]

Diggs i wanna just say- you are right that athletics isnt an important enough sport for america to really care that much about giving out perfect coverage with the best commentary. However i dont think the reason why the bbc use johnson is due to Britain's realative(compared to USA) love of athletics. I think its more about the BBC's philosphy for trying to bring the best possible sporting coverage they can when they have it. They do however make the odd mistiake. But we are kinda spoilt in this country with the bbc.

[mystiroakey]

By the way what a pick in kwinis thing- woodland 5 under!! come on lad

[Shotrock]

Mac - Great find with those articles. Krugman is a man with immense intellect and common sense to boot.

[Shotrock]

Kwin - If you are reading this I played Teugega yesterday. What a great course, Ross feel evident. Wonderful greens to go along some excellent fairway bunkering. Driving corridors narrow and a chainsaw could be put to some good use IMO, but more an observation than a complaint (and perhaps speaks to my play off the tee more).

[kwinigolfer]

Sr

Very envious!

[Shotrock]

Kwin - Hope your ADK weather is as good as ours has been -- just outstanding!

[kwinigolfer]

Our VT summer has been extraordinary, so I can only imagine!

50 years since Player won the PGA at Aronomink . . . .

[Shotrock]

Good call Kwin!

And if you can't sleep some night watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTp14mSlP_Q

[barragan]

Had 5'live' on at work yesterday and heard some of the commentary on the dressage. I was pretty cynical about it, but thought it sounded impressive from the way it was described (though the music backdrop kept me reserved- drivel). Then saw some 'highlights' later on and i'm afraid the cynicism crept back in...how on earth can this be considered to be sport, let alone an Olympic sport is beyond me. But then again i'm a simple soul from the country so what do i know.

[dynamark]

yes I can just imagine a secondary school in Walthamstow where teacher says 'right children can you all bring your horses in tomorrow we are going to do dressage'
See the selling of school playing fields thing was dragged out of retirement yesterday.Everyone back to Churchill getting the blame cos Tesco had built a supermarket on what used to be a private school field .Crazy thing is that all through the summer hols/evenings/weekends the facilities are virtually shut down.Got to make more use of what we have.
Im sure I spotted Digs in his Pringle sweater and Ping cap last night

[raycastleunited]

Im sure I spotted Digs in his Pringle sweater and Ping cap last night

Yes I saw him too. He was wearing a white belt.

[Diggers]

Im sure I spotted Digs in his Pringle sweater and Ping cap last night

Yes I saw him too. He was wearing a white belt.

Yep, with lime green trousers

[JAS]

yes I can just imagine a secondary school in Walthamstow where teacher says 'right children can you all bring your horses in tomorrow we are going to do dressage'

FPMSL!!

[mystiroakey]

New york to london in one hour

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19257769

[1GrumpyGolfer]

New york to london in one hour

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19257769

Wouldn't fancy the landing much; at the end of the flight it breaks into pieces

[mystiroakey]

you need to eject out with a parachute.

But experts reakon by 2050 we could have a passenger plane that can go that speed..

Good times.. Imagine getting around the world that fast!!

We were all born to early lads!

[barragan]

Thunderbird 1 can travel from Sydney to London in around an hour. Thunderbird 2 is always 20 minutes slower - no matter what the displacement .

[Skydriver]

Wonder if / when teleport technology will come along.

Not sure I'd be willing to try it for myself though. Usually looks very handy in Star Trek, but didn't turn out too well in The Fly (thinking particularly of the Cronenberg / Goldblum version).

[McLaren]

skydriver,

I kind if already exists. If you put something in a box there is a 1 in 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 (ok, just some really massive number) chance it wont be there, as it is on the other side of the universe, when open the lid again.

[incontinentia]

are you high mclaren? what on earth does that mean?

[barragan]

Been watching the lion the witch and the wardrobe?

[navyblueshorts]

He's talking about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle....or Schrödinger's Cat. I think...

[barragan]

If thats the case mac'd need to leave the door closed on skydriver to be sure of creating that chance .

[navyblueshorts]

On another subject, having really enjoyed the Olympics overall these were some of the standout (in no particular rank order) bits for me:

Lizzie Armitstead kicking off GB's medals.
Kath Grainger finally winning a gold.
Gemma Collins winning her judo semi - what a moment.
Mo Farah's double.
Usain Bolt although not quite as gob-smacking as Bejing.
Michael Phelps throughout.
Chad le Clos' victory over Phelps (see above).
Yelena Isinbayeva, even though it was only a bronze.
David Rudisha - wow.
Ebke Zonderland - wow, squared.
Jessica Ennis.
Kirani James' 400m win.
Jade Jones' taekwondo victory.
Alyson Felix - gorgeous runner.
Lawrence Okoye's qualifying throw for the discus final.
Anthony Joshua's last gasp win.
Bahamas' 4 x 400m men's team beating the mighty U.S. of A.
Laura Trott and her bike.
Keshorn Walcott's javelin win.
GB's men's and women's gymnastics teams.
Katie Ledecky's 800m swim.

Sure there's more but can't think of them off the top of my head.

[Skydriver]

Not particularly a boxing fan, but I was very impressed with the technical standard of the ladies. Didn't see the British world #1 who lost in her first bout (Savannah something), but thought Nathasha Jonas and Nicola Adams were fantastic. A bit of a shame for NJ that she ran into Ireland's Katie Taylor in the non-medal rounds.

A personal highlight (because I was in the arena) was when USA broke the Olypmic scoring record in basketball against Nigeria. Incredible. 156 over 40 (not 48) mins, more than double their opponents.

As for "McLaren's Hyperspace Theorem", if it's based on Schrödinger's Cat thought experiment, then it's a variation with which I'm not familiar which involves a wormhole / localised black hole / singularity...? Or maybe he's talking about a TARDIS.

[Diggers]

I too was impressed with the ladies boxing. I was in the park watching Adams and Taylor fight for gold on the BA live screens and the atmosphere was fantastic. Taylor is some fighter but that was a tough fight in the final for her.
Adams seems like a lovely girl, when people say certain sports shouldnt exist or be at the Olympics she proved why they deserve a chance. The atmposhere at the Excel for her fights was as good as any at any venue and the skill levels were great, far more entertaining than the mens boxing if truth be told.

[incontinentia]

Do people really think stuff like teleportation and time travel are really possible? It seems that anything is possible in scientific theory, but realistically these things will never happen

[SmithersJones]

Teleportation has already been performed by researchers in Australia, albeit at a quantum level. As for time travel, if it ever happens it will only be forwards. Otherwise, presumably, we'd have been visited by now. Plus the old grandfather paradox, and all that.

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