Am I the Pond life that you mention, Stu? Football crushes the Olympics like a sledgehammer smashing a grape. Who will really care about handball, fencing, pole-vaulting and BMX in a couple of weeks when the football season is in full swing? It has been great while it has been here, but soon it will be in the past, its legacy a bunch of decaying venues and unsold bits of tatty memorabilia. Who cares that a number of footballers are arrogant arse-holes who are paid too much? Premier League football is great entertainment and will always be the numero uno in this country. I, for one, can't wait to see Charlton back in the Premier League, pitting our wits against the best teams in the best stadiums in the land. Football cannot be beaten for atmosphere, tempo and fervour. It is urban ballet and a beauty to behold. As much as I love Nicola Adams (I will remember her smile and talent for a long, long time), I shall always hold Kermit, JJ, Chris Solly and CP in a higher, more sacred place in my heart.
I agree. As much as I have loved the Olympics- I enjoyed last minute winners against wycombe, Southampton etc more.
Let's not imagine that footballers were all a bunch of angels before Sky came along. Money has been involved in football in ludicrous amounts (relative to the time) since the advent of professionalism (look up Billy Meredith, for example) Also, most footballers are not top Premier League players coiffing champagne and shagging supermodels. They are just the high profile ones. This Charlton squad, for instance, is a bunch of down-to-earth lads who know how lucky they are to be professional footballers (Powell has said he instils that in them). And they certainly have achieved something. I've said already how much these Olympics have moved me, and every medallist from Team GB deserves all the plaudits they get, and probably more. But can we not celebrate both these athletes who inspire us less frequently and the footballers who have us roaring our approval every week?
Only 36,000 at the Community Shield game today - and a straight red to get the new season off to a flying start.
You sure you got this round the right way Ponders? at the Beijing Olympics there was a TV audience of 1-4 billion, whilst with the Soccer (American accent required) World Cup in 2006, the audience was 712 million. You may be right with certain sports, but,primarily, what the Olympics has highlighted to a lot of people is how many ' arrogant arse-holes who are paid too much' there are in football, and that they are not prepared to tolerate this any more- and that there are other much more respectable and decent elite sportspeople are out there. I, for one, have no intention of following any football other than CAFC this season, and will continue to take my children to Swimming,Sailing,Rowing and Athletics, because i believe the role-models they provide have vastly more integrity than any that football might provide- and i tell you something , i aint alone - far from it.
I was very much for the Olympics and may have been a bit harsh to those on here that objected to the games by calling them unpatriotic and curmodgeondly. I am not going to apologise of course but hope that the Olympics may have changed some of you around into more rounded sports fans. I have been criticised for insulting Ryan Giggs but feel that this is a prime example of why football is sooooo chavvy and has this dented tin reputation. The respective football association of this nation were asked to nominate players. Man u refused to release certain players, other players and teams refused to realease players.Ryan Giggs only played on the condition he was made captain. So again the tail wagged the dog and we had that disgusting pig of a man as the captain of our team- is that not New Addington type chavvy? is that what this country has to offer, a bloke that shags his brothers wife and is rewarded by captaining his nation. How cheap. I have heard anthems that I would never have heard had I been at an international football match. I have seen fans from all nations share beers and a laugh with such enthusiasm and joy. Only one dickhead lobbed a beer and he apparently was a Leeds united fan. I have cried at least twice a day watching our lot get medals. Gemma Gibbons silver medal was for me better than the cafc play off final. I still love cafc but have no interest whatsoever in England. Maybe one day I will fall in love with our national game again but it will take chavvy cleansing of epic proportions both on and off the field.
A billion of those were Chinese, Stu. They don't really count. The media, as is its duty, will highlight every single example of poor behaviour within football. It is blown up for the benefit of sleaze-hungry vultures. There are, without doubt, many arrogant athletes competing at the Olympics, but the papers will not print a story about a sex-mad sailor, or a gambling addicted mountain-bike rider. It would not be newsworthy. There are many fine young men employed by Premier League football clubs - to suggest otherwise is an insult. Furthermore, the Olympics fall every four years, whereas the football is a constant in this country. It is under scrutiny at all times, the players are always under the microscope. It is folly to compare Olympians (rarely seen and little known) to footballers subjected to the public gaze on a day-to-day basis.
The audience for the 2006 World Cup final alone was 715 million. Add on the audience for the other 62 matches. I agree with Ponders on this one. Football is the biggest show in this country with good reason, and if England had won the bid for 2018, you'd all know why in 6 years' time. And just in case corruption in FIFA is the next problem, it doesn't compare to the IOC or the doping scandals that plague the Olympics. The IOC are so sure of their inferiority that they would have excluded London from the running if England had been selected to host Euro 2012 (it's in the rules, and affects Istanbul's bid for 2020).
I think you have to look at it this way. 27 million watched the olympic opening ceremony, 22 million watched England v Argentina. People are clearly looking elsewhere for their sporting kick. British Football was offered a place at the Olympic table and what did it do? Did it embrace the games like the grumpy and some say unloved Andy Murray- no. The top players and teams refused to participate and those that did underperformed and were outplayed. The manager dismissed the tournament as 'a pre season sharpener'. It even sent out the ultimate message in chavvydom- Ryan Giggs is our captain. It's al down to what floats your boat, and football can still has much to offer and yes we have decent hardworking players that get overlooked in favour of the scandal and the vice? What happens when we do have a hero? when someone rises through the ranks and should start repaying our failth.. he sits on his arse in training and demands a transfer like say Scott Parker. A rower will never do that, nor will an athlete. There is something pure and honest in these sports where football stinks of money and making sure you spend it and they get it. Football takes the piss out of the fans, it fleeces them, overcharges them at every opportunity, puts them behind cages, and gives nothing back, it constantly reminds them that greed is good and that loyalty and passion is for the birds, they will play for those that pay the most and then kiss the club badge as if they have returned to their spiritual home. Who they trying to fool? I estimate that about 30% of football do not want to go to the matches. Some do so, because they have kids who are under the spell, others do so, becuase they have nothing better to do, others go to games to see mates and family. Football will never die but it must repackage itself because as a business whose looks are fading and the STD's are starting to fester.
I agree with the comment 'Football is the biggest show in this country' - In this country being the key words. I'm not sure about the inferiorty statement, as I have no doubt that London would certainly much rather have the Olympics than the Euros - they wouldnt have competed for both - logistically it would have been impossible. Also, getting the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 (chosen in 2003) didnt stop them getting the Olympics (chosen in 2009) too, for 2016.
the post about bmx'ers doing stuff but it not being news worthy is correct (bar the below example) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ded-athletes-London-Games--thats-15-EACH.html but! if we have to tarnish all footballers with one brush, then the same should apply to athletes? how disgusting of them to do stuff like this in public. what about our kids, what sort of role models are they being by "sneaking celebrities" back to rooms and thinking its good fun. doing "it" out in the open, what low lifes. how dare they eh? of course, i'm being OTT. but you get my point. not all of them are like that, but not all footballers are ar$eholes. i remember last season when we won the league, Ben Hamer ran to the NWQ and pointed to a 4-5 year old who was wearing the replica GK kit and made sure he got his gloves. was a nice moment.
Boris's comment about this was quite funny... 'The athletes are here to Inspire a Generation - not Create one !
When I said it affects Istanbul's bid for 2020 Olympics / Turkey's bid for Euro 2020, I meant that it affects Istanbul/Turkey, not that England made a bid for Euro 2012. Turkey will ultimately have to choose one or the other. Not sure what is decided first. If they end up with the Olympics, the IOC will force them to pull out of their bid for Euro 2020. If they get Euro 2020, they'll have to pull out of hosting the Olympics
Football beats anything else for me, last season was the most memorable in my lifetime, not just us winning the league, but the Manchester clubsbattling for the Prem, Chelsea in the Champs League, so much drama.
Ok, i give in, Footy is obviously hugely bigger than the Olympics..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19253273 Oh, of course, i forgot, along with the Chinese, Americans dont count.
