But he hated our football team and wore an opposing shirt - I read it in the Daily Mail... (blue touch paper lit...)
No - you cannot say that. I watched him speaking and running down the English years ago. I saw it - with my own eyes and ears so don't try to pretend it was a conspiracy or myth. He did not like the English and probably still does not but has learnt how to be more politically savvy so keeps his views privae now. Also he mysteriously was never available to play for Britain in the Davis Cup until that too earned him massive criticism.
I'm afraid BB much as you do not like it there are a number of Scots who hate the English - fair enough if that is their view - but do not expect the English to ignore it. I had a Scottish boss who went to the World Cup in Japan to watch 3 England games just to cheer on the opposition. Sad but true.
Of course there are - hate is part of the human psyche. I'd wager though that the percentage of English who hate the Scots far exceeds that of the opposite way - and totally outstrips the 8.3% Scottish demographic. Re Murray - his demeanour is that of the archetypal dour Scot in that his sense of humour isn't overly overt, which tends to confuse many. The fact that he has, for the last ten years or so, travelled the world with his girlfriend/now wife, tends to suggest that he doesn't hate English. Mainly because she happens to be English.
Perhaps Murray has just grown up - agree he has a dour sense of humour. I would take your wager - but we could never prove it. The English do not think about Scots much except when there is a specific reason for rivalry - the English tend to look down on everybody equally. Whereas Bannockburn, Culloden etc feature heavily in Scottish history.
Brilliant ride and win in the mountains by Chris Froome. 90 kmh on a bike and still trying to go faster takes some nerve.
I'm not sure that events at Bannockburn would cause Scots to hate the English - it was a Scottish victory even though outnumbered by 4:1. Equally for Culloden - the 'Scottish' army comprised of Scots, English, French and Irish, whereas the 'English' army comprised of Scots, English, Irish, Germans and Austrians. Based on that, any hatred would surely be against themselves, the Irish, the Germans, the Austrians - not just the English...
I was not referring to the winners and losers just the fact that the Scots have it imbued in them from childhood and it is a major part of their history. I doubt if 1 in a hundred English children know anything about them. The Scots were traditionally the enemies of the English - often siding with the French. You cannot be unaware that Scottish history has seen England as the enemy. For the English it was the French, Dutch, Spanards etc. Scotland never featured much in English thoughts.
Going back to Andy Murray's sense of humour, have any of you seen when he was in the audience at Mock the Week, been taken the piss out of, and taken it with a smile on his face? Kim has been with him on both occasions, and the first time she had a look on her face that said "don't you say those things about him" but looked a lot more relaxed the second time. If he wins today, hopefully he'll put in another appearance on the show that will be filmed on Tuesday for broadcast on Thursday.
If Andy Murray was a comedian, his sense of humour might be a bit lacking. I hear Jack Dee's cr*p at tennis...