Quote: Steve Sunshine @ August 11 2012, 10:09 PM BSTI did enjoy hearing Barry Davies commentating on the Hockey.
Best commentator ever.
The Olympics Page 95
I am so proud of "our" Team GB athletes, and their 62 (so far) medals; including 28 gold (so far).
I am proud that 62 people, whom I have never met, but who's parent's had unprotected sex within the same arbitrary human-created borders as my own parents(*), won against foreigners in sports I know nothing about.
Additionally, the opening ceremony told me I should be proud of my collective contribution to inventing the internet, starting the NHS (I wasn't born yet) and the industrial revolution (again, I wasn't born yet). Although I do admit that England's huge output of great bands is a curiosity. They were certainly born from something in the UK's culture, but I again had basically no hand in it.
"A Brit won the omnium. Isn't that great?!"
(1) What the hell is the omnium?
(2) Was the Brit a decent person or an a-hole? What about the people he/she beat, who were born in other arbitrary, man-made areas of land? I'd rather a decent French guy beat an a-hole Brit. In a similar vein, I'd rather a decent Brit beat an a-hole French guy etc. Nation doesn't enter into it for me.
(3) I contributed exactly nothing to the gold medal, so why should any reflected glory shine on me? If I ever win the omnium, I'll take the credit. If I coach someone who wins the omnium, I'll take some credit. If a member of my family, or close friend, wins the omnium, I will be pleased for him/her. Otherwise, they are just some stranger, with whom I have nothing in common with but vague place of birth. If I take some reflected glory for Pendleton, do I have to take reflected shame for Shipman etc.? No thanks. None of it, positive or negative, was anything to do with me.
So excuse me if I opt out of the love-in. However, should Rio be a "disaster" for 'Team GB', I won't be calling for an "inquest" into the highly-funded athletes not beating highly-funded athletes from other countries. Unless I myself was in the top 20-or-so in the world at anything, I would be in no position to criticise those that are.
Rant over.
Yours sincerely,
Non-Patriot.
* Yes, the UK is an island, which adds a certain geographical 'selection' to the area. However, most countries in the world have borders defines by the conquests of barbarians for their own personal gains, at the cost of millions of lives. This rant relates to all pointless patriotism, everywhere, rather than a bash on the UK itself.
Well that definitely proves your superiority to the people who enjoyed it. 
Quote: zooo @ August 12 2012, 12:06 PM BSTWell that definitely proves your superiority to the people who enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it - the sports I enjoy watching anyway, at least.
I am not anti-olympics, just anti- all this insane patriotism (from anywhere).
It just makes me feel queasy, that I should rabidly support someone whom I know nothing about, because his parents f**ked in the same piece of land as mine did (credit Bill Hicks).
I once got called a "traitor" from a workmate for wanting Ivanisevic to win that Wimbledon semi-final against Henman. Some people just become moronic when it comes to sports/patriotism (especially both together).
Ah, I agree, patriotism is quite silly and meaningless, really.
It is nice that everyone's come together and enjoyed the Olympics though. And pre Olympics I was a massive cynic. 
Quote: SimonWing @ August 12 2012, 12:12 PM BSTIt just makes me feel queasy, that I should rabidly support someone whom I know nothing about,
Don't then. Sorted.
I'd say it's pretty normal for people to get behind athletes from their own country. Especially at an Olympics taking place in our country.
If it gives people a bit of a feelgood factor, or optimistic for a while about the country, then that's hardly a bad thing, is it?
I think the patriotism on display this olympics has been a fairly benign non-threatening almost pleasant type. Unlike say the patriotism you see during World Cups when it takes on a nastier more thuggish quality. Give me Bradley Wiggins and Mo Farah over Rooney and co any day.
Quote: SimonWing @ August 12 2012, 12:12 PM BSTI enjoyed it - the sports I enjoy watching anyway, at least.
I am not anti-olympics, just anti- all this insane patriotism (from anywhere).
It just makes me feel queasy, that I should rabidly support someone whom I know nothing about, because his parents f**ked in the same pieces of land as mine did (credit Bill Hicks).
I once got called a "traitor" for a workmate for wanting Ivanisevic to win that Wimbledon semi-final against Henman. Some people just become moronic when it comes to sports/patriotism (especially both together).
Thank you! Couldn't agree more. Patriotism basically says because I was born here that means this country is the greatest. It's a silly, stupid, archaic way of thinking that separates and divides us even more as a species. It's like those people who say "If we didn't save the world you'd all be speaking German!" You did nothing. Stop leeching off past generations achievements and crediting them for yourselves you stupid, lazy f**k.
Quote: chipolata @ August 12 2012, 12:17 PM BSTI think the patriotism on display this olympics has been a fairly benign non-threatening almost pleasant type. Unlike say the patriotism you see during World Cups when it takes on a nastier more thuggish quality. Give me Bradley Wiggins and Mo Farah over Rooney and co any day.
Agreed. That's what puts me off it so much. The kind of tribal pack-animal way of thinking is very dangerous to a country and is merely an overhang from our animal days.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 12 2012, 12:17 PM BSTDon't then. Sorted.
I'd say it's pretty normal for people to get behind athletes from their own country. Especially at an Olympics taking place in our country.
Why? I wouldn't support someone because they are white, male (not usually applicable, except in equestrianism) or heterosexual, so why because they are British? I never saw the great difference. Just more "us and them" BS.
"If we didn't save the world you'd all be speaking German!" You did nothing. Stop leeching off past generations achievements and crediting them for yourselves you stupid, lazy f**k.
"We saved your asses in WW2" etc.
Quote: SimonWing @ August 12 2012, 12:24 PM BSTWhy? I wouldn't support someone because they are white, male (not usually applicable, except in equestrianism) or heterosexual, so why because they are British? I never saw the great difference. Just more "us and them" BS.
Well good for you. I don't think I need to expain it, and I don't expect anyone to have to feel the same.
Patriotism can of course have sinister undertones, but like Chip said, with the Olympics it's just been a bit of fun.
And as has also been said, if you're not feeling it, who cares! Just ignore it, it's nearly over now anyway. I know someone EXTREMELY patriotic, who couldn't give a shit about the Olympics.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 12 2012, 12:26 PM BSTWell good for you. I don't think I need to expain it, and I don't expect anyone to have to feel the same.
Just saying that if a Brit, who was known/proven as a bit of a dick (let's pretend Paul Danan took up fencing), took on an (by all accounts) upstanding foreigner, I wouldn't want the Brit to win.
Essentially people are getting massively emotionally involved in a contest between TWO complete strangers (usually), in sports they know nothing about (usually).
We disagree. Fine. A similar message to mine, on an American bodybuilding forum, was met with the response "I hope you die today". Some Americans take the flag (etc.) thing quite seriously, which as stated here is maybe not so much the case in the more jovial patriotism seen in the UK. SO I guess that's something.
Quote: SimonWing @ August 12 2012, 12:37 PM BSTJust saying that if a Brit, who was known/proven as a bit of a dick (let's pretend Paul Danan took up fencing), took on an (by all accounts) upstanding foreigner, I wouldn't want the Brit to win.
Most of the people winning I've seen don't seem like dicks. They seem okay fairly normal people.
Re your Henman stuff earlier, I'm surprised you got called a traitor by anyone for not supporting him since I'm not sure Henmania was ever that rampant or all consuming.
It's sometimes surprising to hear overseas accents among Team GB, especially that British relay runner who spoke with an American accent, and there has been criticism of "plastic Brits", but there again, it shows the advantages of a marvellously multi cultural country.
Quote: chipolata @ August 12 2012, 12:41 PM BSTMost of the people winning I've seen don't seem like dicks. They seem okay fairly normal people.
Re your Henman stuff earlier, I'm surprised you got called a traitor by anyone for not supporting him since I'm not sure Henmania was ever that rampant or all consuming.
I was going to reiterate that point, so it didn't get taken wrongly. I didn't state the UK guys were necessarily dicks. In fact my stance is that dickishness is pretty much independent of which side of an arbitrary line you were born on.
I agree that a lot of the big guys - Hoy, Wiggins etc. - seem perfectly personable. But the French guy who pipped another Brit to gold elsewhere could be equally personable.
The Henman thing was actually an accusation from someone who didn't even like Henman. But to him, it was some kind of 'duty'.