McIlroy Declares for Britain?

First topic message reminder :

Rory McIlroy has declared "I’ve always felt more British than Irish", "Maybe it is the way I was brought up, I don’t know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the UK than with Ireland". This seems like a pretty strong indication to me that McIlroy will represent Team GB at the Olympics in 4 years. I think its a smart move to declare his allegiance early and in good time rather than letting the media make a storm in a tea cup about the whole issue in 4 years time close to the games.

Sin é wrote:

super_realist wrote:Nah, just an easy target Mac, like scousers they take themselves too seriously, and demonstrably aren't capable of laughing at themselves, nor do they seem capable of accepting criticism.

You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Most people don't get your Scottish humour. The only decent Scottish comedian (Billy Connolly) is of Irish stock.

If you think Billy Connolly is funny you are in no position to comment on anyones sense of humour.

"I'm not sure there are any good Scottish comedians."

I think i provide a fair amount of laughs on here?

navyblueshorts wrote:

SecretFly wrote:The difference between 'you' and 'we' doesn't get discussed

Them Norn Iron guys is NornIrish British, and they is trouble makers, like. We is the British British who win the medals and things and are good respectable non-God fearing folks.

This is the funniest thread I've encountered in quite a whle. The absence of logic is a delight.

The absence of you would certainly be a delight...

Never let your underskirt show, navy. What you want, you seldom get. But thanks for coming into the room to share that with us. Bravo. We now have the two grim brothers back in situ.

Diggers wrote:

Sin é wrote:

super_realist wrote:Nah, just an easy target Mac, like scousers they take themselves too seriously, and demonstrably aren't capable of laughing at themselves, nor do they seem capable of accepting criticism.

You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Most people don't get your Scottish humour. The only decent Scottish comedian (Billy Connolly) is of Irish stock.

If you think Billy Connolly is funny you are in no position to comment on anyones sense of humour.

Go on Digger. Be a dote, name us your favourite comedian.

super_realist wrote:You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Pierce Brosnan was the best James Bond .

super_realist wrote:Yes, and Britain and many other countries trounce it.

Thats because half their recipients come from other countries (including Ireland). Britain claim George Bernard Shaw for instance.

The last British person to win a Nobel Prize was Andre Geim, born in Russia.

rodders wrote:

super_realist wrote:You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Pierce Brosnan was the best James Bond .

Born in the very same hospital as I was born in. No navy, don't nuke the joint - it helps people

Diggers wrote:

Sin é wrote:

super_realist wrote:Nah, just an easy target Mac, like scousers they take themselves too seriously, and demonstrably aren't capable of laughing at themselves, nor do they seem capable of accepting criticism.

You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Most people don't get your Scottish humour. The only decent Scottish comedian (Billy Connolly) is of Irish stock.

If you think Billy Connolly is funny you are in no position to comment on anyones sense of humour.

You didn't enjoy the 'Life of Brian'. ?

rodders wrote:

super_realist wrote:You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Pierce Brosnan was the best James Bond .

Toss up between Séan Connery and Pierce, Rods, I'd say?

SecretFly wrote:Never let your underskirt show, navy. What you want, you seldom get. But thanks for coming into the room to share that with us. Bravo. We now have the two grim brothers back in situ.

SecretFly wrote:Born in the very same hospital as I was born in. No navy, don't nuke the joint - it helps people

To be fair....

Oh you cad Sin...don't you go mentioning Darby O'Gil and the little people either.....

Sin é wrote:

super_realist wrote:Yes, and Britain and many other countries trounce it.

Thats because half their recipients come from other countries (including Ireland). Britain claim George Bernard Shaw for instance.

The last British person to win a Nobel Prize was Andre Geim, born in Russia.

True. I know plenty of Brits that think Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde were British too. You gotta laugh.

rodders wrote:Oh you cad Sin...don't you go mentioning Darby O'Gil and the little people either.....

bold

Bond...Darby O'Bond

In all seriousness Sir Sean is BNP supporting Knight of the realm whos made his career out of playing Irishmen and Englishmen with Scottish accents and people think young McIlroy has issues?

I musht be dreaming...

I think Connery and Ferguson claiming Murray's US Open as a triumph for Scotland was a disgrace.

Darn right.... the lad learnt to play in Catalonia.....

super_realist wrote:I think Connery and Ferguson claiming Murray's US Open as a triumph for Scotland was a disgrace.

Why?

Did you have to ask. Here we go again.

Precisely because you don't compete for a country unless it's Davis Cup and Scotland isn't a country in Tennis terms.

These nutjob nationalists will scrape every barrel going.

GunsGerms wrote:Did you have to ask. Here we go again.

I'm interested in the idea of nationhood in one who proclaims a distaste of the very idea. Don't worry I won't drag the subject... if it drags.

Merely a query.

super_realist wrote:I think Connery and Ferguson claiming Murray's US Open as a triumph for Scotland was a disgrace.

So who should it have been a triumph for? Was Kenneth Branagh or Roy Hodgson claiming it was a triumph for Britain?

super_realist wrote:Precisely because you don't compete for a country unless it's Davis Cup and Scotland isn't a country in Tennis terms.

These nutjob nationalists will scrape every barrel going.

So the very idea of 'Nation' is your problem? You just don't see the need to reference borders at all?

Sure according to Mark Foster and other whack jobs Ruta Meilutyte's Olympic gold medal was a great triumph for Britain because she trains in Portsmouth.

It was a personal triumph for Murray (and his team). No nation was represented.

Nothing worse than politicians and celebrities trying to get a bit of reflected glory for other peoples achievements and attaching some sort of political currency to it.

I remember hearing that Heart attack in waiting Salmond saying Scotland would have finished 7th in the medals. First of all, it's none of his business and not related to his wretched party, secondly, exactly how? Most of the funding, training, coaches facilities etc would have been UK , not solely Scottish based. Plus he would have had to cut a few boats and bikes in half.

What's the harm how is that any different to everyone in Yorkshire getting excited that they would have finished in the top 10.

Well, that's equally stupid isn't it?

super_realist wrote:Well, that's equally stupid isn't it?

Not really, you need to drop a lung and stop taking sh1t so seriously.

I'm surprised you are so anti-catholic/Irish bearing in mind they are the ones that are keeping Scotland in the Union at the moment.

super_realist wrote:It was a personal triumph for Murray (and his team). No nation was represented.

Nothing worse than politicians and celebrities trying to get a bit of reflected glory for other peoples achievements and attaching some sort of political currency to it.

I remember hearing that Heart attack in waiting Salmond saying Scotland would have finished 7th in the medals. First of all, it's none of his business and not related to his wretched party, secondly, exactly how? Most of the funding, training, coaches facilities etc would have been UK , not solely Scottish based. Plus he would have had to cut a few boats and bikes in half.

Well, you mention bonkers Nationalists and yet so easily and often let the term UK and British and Britain slip form your tongue. The only difference between you and the nutjobs is that your "Nation" of preference is one encompassing the entire UK. And because it's a political beast (has rights to be called so) you think everyone within the borders should emotionally connect to that concept and that alone.

Salmond doesn't share your world view, super. He thinks a Scottish person is a Scottish person. It's not that you despise insular Nationalists it's that you despise the idea that some of your countrymen don't regard themselves as UK Nationals. Now you may bite back and say UK Nationals is what they are. Not my point; my point is that YOU believe in the idea of UK and Britain and yet condemn others for their Nationalism

Ah well, in that case, Yorkshire hammered Ireland in the medal table then didn't they?

Actually I don't care about Britain/UK either. It happens to be where I'm from, but I wouldn't care if I was from any other country, although to be fair I'd probably be a little ashamed to be from Ireland

super_realist wrote:Actually I don't care about Britain/UK either. It happens to be where I'm from, but I wouldn't care if I was from any other country, although to be fair I'd probably be a little ashamed to be from Ireland

Believe me, we Irish are very happy not to claim you

super_realist wrote:Actually I don't care about Britain/UK either. It happens to be where I'm from, but I wouldn't care if I was from any other country, although to be fair I'd probably be a little ashamed to be from Ireland

You'd have been committed already if you were from Ireland so yes you are lucky your not Irish

To be fair the abuse he would have recieved as a child - had super came from ireland - might explain why he is such an ass hole now?

super_realist wrote:Actually I don't care about Britain/UK either. It happens to be where I'm from, but I wouldn't care if I was from any other country, although to be fair I'd probably be a little ashamed to be from Ireland

Yeah... that joke is good enough to tell and retell and retell. It don't ever get old, that one.

Meanwhile, back in the real world:

"He's (Murray) certainly one of the most accomplished sports stars, and a country mile ahead of any footballer this nation has ever produced in terms of being world class and at the top of his sport."

You wrote that?

Does not the athlete produce himself, is his allegiance only to himself, does his nationality really matter, should he really be on a list of best sportsmen Britain has ever produced? Should such a list ever exist?
Of course you're a Nationalist - Nothing wrong with admitting that though. But then again, admitting so does kinda kill many of your arguments stone dead, so I can understand the resistence to the truth.

Mac, there is no need for that. You've sent me PM's lambasting me for less than that. Fortunately I'm not bothered to be so sad as to do that, but I'll remember that next time you go all Guardian on me and pretend to be offended.

Secret, it's merely a turn of phrase but no it doesn't destroy my argument, his success isn't a direct success for Scotland. He's learned his game all over the world with support from many countries. Doesn't follow that Salmond should lay claim.

GunsGerms wrote:Sure according to Mark Foster and other whack jobs Ruta Meilutyte's Olympic gold medal was a great triumph for Britain because she trains in Portsmouth.

He didn't say that at all, he said it was a triumph for her coach and her club.

Diggers wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Sure according to Mark Foster and other whack jobs Ruta Meilutyte's Olympic gold medal was a great triumph for Britain because she trains in Portsmouth.

He didn't say that at all, he said it was a triumph for her coach and her club.

Your wrong he did. Clare Balding had to remind him that she was Lithuanian.

super_realist wrote:

Secret, it's merely a turn of phrase but no it doesn't destroy my argument, his success isn't a direct success for Scotland. He's learned his game all over the world with support from many countries. Doesn't follow that Salmond should lay claim.

Have it your own way, super - but you know you're bluffing. Salmond lays claim and it's wrong - you lay claim (he's a top end British sportsperson) and you're right - but it's only a figure of speech and you could easily have said he's one of the best American sportspeople, or God forbid, Irish sportspeople, and you wouldn't have cared .... well, you do care; you care enough to be mad at Salmond, and happy enough to claim him for Britain.

You'll twist and turn to back out of a wet hole but you'll still be damp from having been in there, super.

Anyway, enjoy the rhetorical device that is you 'lack of' Nationality.

I'm not laying claim to Murray being UK/GB either, but fact is, he isn't a product of the Scottish system to which Salmond/Connery/Ferguson etc lay claim which is precisely the point I clearly made.

If someone is a product, i.e Curling teams, I don't care if they are referred to as Scottish, because they clearly are, and people can be proud of that if they wish, but almost no sportsmen are a product of one particular part of GB/NI.

GunsGerms wrote:

Diggers wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Sure according to Mark Foster and other whack jobs Ruta Meilutyte's Olympic gold medal was a great triumph for Britain because she trains in Portsmouth.

He didn't say that at all, he said it was a triumph for her coach and her club.

Your wrong he did. Clare Balding had to remind him that she was Lithuanian.

That's not the case at all, I think you need to understand the difference between banter and fact. Foster never claimed her as a Brit at all and was for the record an excellent pundit at the Games.

The sportsperson himself will decide...wasn't that the mantra about Rory? Rory has the right to decide what he is? True.

Andy Murray regards himself as a proud Scot. His words. He doesn't claim to be Stateless. He wants to be regarded as a Scot.

Next - wasn't that also the arguments coming from those who were annoyed at Rory's comments? That he came up through an Irish system and not the British one; ie, he isn't a product of the British system.

Rory and Andy will choose who they are. In Andy's case, he knows he's Scottish so I don't think he'll be too irked that Salmond and his bunch are claiming him as their's. It's for him to choose to be angered by people claiming him against his wishes not for others to do on his behalf.

Diggers wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

Diggers wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Sure according to Mark Foster and other whack jobs Ruta Meilutyte's Olympic gold medal was a great triumph for Britain because she trains in Portsmouth.

He didn't say that at all, he said it was a triumph for her coach and her club.

Your wrong he did. Clare Balding had to remind him that she was Lithuanian.

That's not the case at all, I think you need to understand the difference between banter and fact. Foster never claimed her as a Brit at all and was for the record an excellent pundit at the Games.

I didnt say he claimed she was british. Please read my post. I said that Foster said her gold was a triumph for Britain because she is based in Portsmouth. Clare Balding interjected and confirmed that it was a triumph for Lithuiania which it was.

Furthermore the Daily Telegraph wrote an article entitled "Can anyone defeat BRITAIN’S Katie Taylor?" Katie Taylor is of course Irish.

There were other high profile geographic blunders such as confusing North Korea's flag with South Korea's flag.

As for Mark Foster he is a reasonably good pundit alright but probably not as entertaining as Thorpedo.

Read my post about the banter , he was joking before going on to talk about her coach and club. He never remotely claimed it as a British triumph.

Diggers wrote:Read my post about the banter , he was joking before going on to talk about her coach and club. He never remotely claimed it as a British triumph.

Clearly he wasnt as Clare Balding had to correct him, plus he kept going on about it.

Yes, exactly, he has the right to decide, not have Salmond claim him.
Murray is a product of British and to some extent Spanish tennis combined with an American coach in the past and now Lendl. Salmond trying to hijack Murray for political gain (as he always does) simply because Murray is a Scot is rather lazy and transparent in my opinion.
For the record, you don't have to be an SNP voter simply because you see yourself as Scottish, being Scottish doesn't mean you are in favour of Independence. I've seen nothing to suggest Murray supports Independence, but he's is perhaps too polite to tell Salmond to leave him out if it.

I've no problem with Mcilroy whatever he sees himself as, he clearly doesn't know fully yet, which makes me question whether he's really bothered.
If he is a product of the irish system, it doesn't seem to have rubbed off on his sense of belonging to a particular nation. Sure he'll be at SPOTY this year.
Do Ireland have one in the back of a transit?

Quote of the Olympics goes to Bradley Wiggins in response to criticism from piers Morgan:

Morgan: “I was very disappointed @bradwiggins didn’t sing the anthem either. Show some respect to our Monarch please!”

Wiggins: I was disappointed when you didn’t go to jail for insider trading or phone hacking, but you know, each to his own.*"

*This may not have been from Wiggins. Still funny.

GunsGerms wrote:Quote of the Olympics goes to Bradley Wiggins in response to criticism from piers Morgan:

Morgan: “I was very disappointed @bradwiggins didn’t sing the anthem either. Show some respect to our Monarch please!”

Wiggins: I was disappointed when you didn’t go to jail for insider trading or phone hacking, but you know, each to his own.*"

*This may not have been from Wiggins. Still funny.

That's brilliant.

Never knew anything about Piers Morgan until he started polluting TV shows over here.

Is he as much of a witless pr1ck that he comes across as? Certainly hope Bradley Wiggins DID say that!