Comments on: No Team GB http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/ English, Rationalist and Liberal Conservative Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:36:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Bill (Scotland) http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21240 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:32:25 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21240 Oh I take all the points you are making, Gavin, I've heard them many times before. Of course Andy Murray is a 'twat', he just happens to be a 'Scottish twat'! I know so little about football, and care less, that the name you mention mean almost nothing to me - I believe I've heard it before, but have no idea who he is or where he comes from - from the little I know about this game, however, it is probably likely that the great majority of any GB football team would come from 'Englandshire' as distinct from 'Scotlandshire' or 'Wales-shire', probably mirroring the levels of their populations in the UK - at least then, for those that care about such matters, talented Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish would stand at least a little chance of competing in a team in a major competition and those few talented individuals might help the majority of English team-members get there, too. Individual sports are different - talented individuals can come from any country, large or small. It seems the young Hamilton (F1 driver) is probably amongst that select group, whether the 'twat' Murray really is, is another matter; I think. he is another Henman. I think your contention that Britain is no longer a single country <i>in the minds of the vast majority of people</i> is a gross exaggeration, largely fed by media hype. All this could change of course - but I doubt if it'll be in the next few years. Oh I take all the points you are making, Gavin, I’ve heard them many times before. Of course Andy Murray is a ‘twat’, he just happens to be a ‘Scottish twat’! I know so little about football, and care less, that the name you mention mean almost nothing to me - I believe I’ve heard it before, but have no idea who he is or where he comes from - from the little I know about this game, however, it is probably likely that the great majority of any GB football team would come from ‘Englandshire’ as distinct from ‘Scotlandshire’ or ‘Wales-shire’, probably mirroring the levels of their populations in the UK - at least then, for those that care about such matters, talented Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish would stand at least a little chance of competing in a team in a major competition and those few talented individuals might help the majority of English team-members get there, too.

Individual sports are different - talented individuals can come from any country, large or small. It seems the young Hamilton (F1 driver) is probably amongst that select group, whether the ‘twat’ Murray really is, is another matter; I think.
he is another Henman.

I think your contention that Britain is no longer a single country in the minds of the vast majority of people is a gross exaggeration, largely fed by media hype. All this could change of course - but I doubt if it’ll be in the next few years.

]]> by: Gav http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21223 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:20:04 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21223 In the past I would have supported a GB team, but Britain is no longer a single country in the minds of the vast majority of people and high profile athletes like Andy Murray have deliberately alienated English supporters. It makes no more sense for England, Wales and Scotland to compete as one country in the Olympics than it would in football. Considerations about how we would perform have not been made by me! And I wouldn't dare say a British football team would be English with Ryan Giggs now would I? Also, the 'No Team GB' site is supporting separate teams for all countries of the UK, not just one for England... In the past I would have supported a GB team, but Britain is no longer a single country in the minds of the vast majority of people and high profile athletes like Andy Murray have deliberately alienated English supporters. It makes no more sense for England, Wales and Scotland to compete as one country in the Olympics than it would in football.

Considerations about how we would perform have not been made by me! And I wouldn’t dare say a British football team would be English with Ryan Giggs now would I?

Also, the ‘No Team GB’ site is supporting separate teams for all countries of the UK, not just one for England…

]]> by: Bill (Scotland) http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21196 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:27:23 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21196 Not that I give a 'monkeys' about football, but I think a joint GB team for this sport might just possibly increase the chances of a team from these islands doing a little better than they have individually these past 41 years; it would be good for all the 'nations' that make up the UK. There have been calls by some in Scotland, too, for a separate Scots Olympic team -- I support that no more than I do your notion of a separate English team -- I will be supporting the British team, irrespective of where in the UK the individual competitors happen to come from. Not that I give a ‘monkeys’ about football, but I think a joint GB team for this sport might just possibly increase the chances of a team from these islands doing a little better than they have individually these past 41 years; it would be good for all the ‘nations’ that make up the UK. There have been calls by some in Scotland, too, for a separate Scots Olympic team — I support that no more than I do your notion of a separate English team — I will be supporting the British team, irrespective of where in the UK the individual competitors happen to come from.

]]> by: Jock http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21189 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:58:33 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2007/08/12/no-team-gb/#comment-21189 Except at the Winter Olympics of course - then you need us to win the curling or face no golds at all! Except at the Winter Olympics of course - then you need us to win the curling or face no golds at all!

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