The Gold, Silver and Bronze pro-Olympics Thread

[scottycelt]

I was pleased to see that you had written God Save the Queen on an earlier post. At last common sense prevails.

Being completely focussed on Britain, I had completely forgotten that Hoy was from the Scottish region.

You might have noticed that Watkins and Grainger are another English-Scottish duo. With collaboration, you get gold and without it you get nothing.

Any news on Andy Murray yet?

In terms of current status, seniority and simple alphabetical order it is of course Grainger and Watkins but I'm delighted that you now appear to be coming round to the idea of GB 'collaboration' ... as you say, at last common sense prevails!

As for Our/Your Andy he plays later this afternoon ...

[Pegleg]

But it now appears that Philip Hindes crashed on purpose because they got off to a bad start (the Today programme replayed an interview with him and I've found this in The Telegraph) Evidently, this is not against the rules but it somehow smacks of cheating?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/oly...t-victory.html

A tricky one, not sure you can even argue "letter of law v. spirit of law", as the rule(s) governing what happened is/are rather vague .

section 3.2.154 of the UCI rulebook: "In the event of a mishap, the team must restart at the end of the qualifying rounds."

The lead man on the Polish team pulled a foot out and they were given a restart. Hindes' rear wheel goes as he comes out the start gate and .... Would any team have done any different but stuck their hands in the air? In fact, the Polish team restarted before the end of the qualifiers, so much for rules.

As reported here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...sh-translation , there was no cheating.

The France coach Florian Rousseau said cycling's international governing body must now re-examine its regulations to prevent future controversies.

"There was no cheating," Rousseau said. "The British team was much stronger than the French team and I congratulate them on their success. However, I do think the rules need to be more precise so we don't find ourselves in an identical situation at another Olympic Games.

"The fact that he [Hindes] did it on purpose is not very good for the image of cycling. We must reflect on how we can adapt the rules so that does not happen again in future."

Rousseau said he would be speaking to the ICU to discuss the matter and suggested there was a "strong chance" the regulations could be modified.

Another report talks about it being unsportsmanly, possibly in a literal sense it was, but they would have never been given a restart if it was not allowed.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/534226/comment-hindes-s-purposeful-crash-fair-or-foul.html

Congrats to all our medal winners today.

Being of the "United we stand, divided we fall" tendency, I will still be cheering for any and everyone wearing a GB vest, not that I have a choice being married to a Scot.

[Lateralthinking1]

In terms of current status, seniority and simple alphabetical order it is of course Grainger and Watkins but I'm delighted that you now appear to be coming round to the idea of GB 'collaboration' ... as you say, at last common sense prevails!

As for Our/Your Andy he plays later this afternoon ...

Thanks for the latest. Talking of Andys, my English teacher in 1976 won a gold medal in that year's Olympics. He has been described as Britain's least known gold medallist of all time because he was the reserve and didn't have to do anything -

http://www.andyarchibald.com/

[subcontrabass]

As for Our/Your Andy he plays later this afternoon ...

TWO matches according to the schedule: Men's Singles Semifinal and Mixed Doubles Quarterfinal.

[Flosshilde]

I had completely forgotten that Hoy was from the Scottish region.

Which Scottish region is he from? (& shouldn't that be 'a' rather than 'the'?)

[amateur51]

Very generous John. Following Wiggo's victory, I wonder if we will soon get our first English Prime Minister since early 1997.

Who did you have in mind, oh prodder of the entrails?

[amateur51]

TWO matches according to the schedule: Men's Singles Semifinal and Mixed Doubles Quarterfinal.

I confess I was rather taken aback by the construction 'Semifinal' as I often am by the Americanism 'miniseries'

I naturally pronounce them in a way in which they would not be understood if they were just heard

[Richard Tarleton]

Deliberate crashes apart, the cycling events are delightfully bonkers, and largely unintelligible - nobody ever seems to explain them. The keirin - old gent on moped leads the field for a few laps, then drops out, then they go like hell. What's the point of the old gent? I googled it but am none the wiser. Invented in Japan if that helps. Apparently it used to be more violent. The pursuit events remind me vaguely of that great '70s film Rollerball - the way they ride up the track and drop behind. If they were to chase a steel ball and wear spiked gauntlets in the pursuit, it would make it even more exciting.

[mangerton]

Which Scottish region is he from? (& shouldn't that be 'a' rather than 'the'?)

Flossie, of course it should. I saw this earlier, shook my head in despair, and passed on.

In spite of what the English think - and I include the BBC in this - Scotland, Wales and Ireland are not regions.

[mangerton]

I confess I was rather taken aback by the construction 'Semifinal' as I often am by the Americanism 'miniseries'

I naturally pronounce them in a way in which they would not be understood if they were just heard

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone with "miniseries".

I must admit "semifinal" is a new one on me, but I can see exactly how it should be pronounced.

[mangerton]

Deliberate crashes apart, the cycling events are delightfully bonkers, and largely unintelligible - nobody ever seems to explain them. The keirin - old gent on moped leads the field for a few laps, then drops out, then they go like hell. What's the point of the old gent? I googled it but am none the wiser. Invented in Japan if that helps. Apparently it used to be more violent. The pursuit events remind me vaguely of that great '70s film Rollerball - the way they ride up the track and drop behind. If they were to chase a steel ball and wear spiked gauntlets in the pursuit, it would make it even more exciting.

Yes, that was a great film, and it would certainly enliven the proceedings. What about "Death Race 2000" as an olympic event? It would bring the crowds out, and that in itself would increase the scoring.

[johncorrigan]

Yes, that was a great film, and it would certainly enliven the proceedings. What about "Death Race 2000" as an olympic event? It would bring the crowds out, and that in itself would increase the scoring.

In 'The Great Race' with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk and Natalie Wood among others there was the biggest custard pie fight ever - that would offer real inclusion and an exciting legacy for any games - mind you McDonald's would probably want us to use piping hot poptarts - spoilsports.

[Lateralthinking1]

The pursuit events remind me vaguely of that great '70s film Rollerball - the way they ride up the track and drop behind.

Richard T, that is just so right. I knew there was a creepy kind of vibe when I saw it but didn't know why before.

John, custard pies are good.The unemployed must start a new Olympics immediately. Marbles, tiddlywinks, shove ha'penny, stilt walking, ten pin bowling, crown green bowls, sheep dogging and golf. No Murdoch.

Scottycelt, congratulations to Andy Murray. It just goes to show what is possible in the hinterlands.

Pegleg, re your "letter of law v. spirit of law" thesis, which I thought very good, is the justification known colloquially as the MPs' Expenses Defence?

amateur51, on pronunciation, Gabby Logan has just said Herculey-Ann. It should be more like Hercule Ian. She had been doing so well too.

[kernelbogey]

....The unemployed must start a new Olympics immediately. Marbles, tiddlywinks, shove ha'penny, stilt walking, ten pin bowling, crown green bowls, sheep dogging and golf.....

Dolympics?

sheep dogging

[Lateralthinking1]

Dolympics - yes that's good.

Sheep dogging........It is only fair to include something for people from the Welsh region.

(On a serious note, what is it called - is it sheep dog trialling? - it used to be on BBC2)