A bad week for Aussie sport. Why we keep coming up short.

[disco]

So most people think that we've still got the skill but not the will? So should we blame our media who are the 1st lot to write stories about us being the bully boys of sport & all things unsportsmanlike & our ruling bodies handing out fines for sledging?

Does Australia need more c----s in our national sporting teams who flip out when they're losing do we need that sought of behavior to become winners & put our opposition off their game?

 

[disco]

We don't seem to have any hard bastards that put fear in the opposition. Just looking at Rugby, I don't think there are too many players in the Wallabies that opponents would be scared of?

I think you'll find that most opposition players won't be looking for David Pocock.

 

[cyclopath]

So most people think that we've still got the skill but not the will? So should we blame our media who are the 1st lot to write stories about us being the bully boys of sport & all things unsportsmanlike & our ruling bodies handing out fines for sledging?

Does Australia need more c----s in our national sporting teams who flip out when they're losing do we need that sought of behavior to become winners & put our opposition off their game?

Er, no.
Funny when some of these characters mistake being a tool / c*nt / fark-knuckle and gobbing off at opposition as being hard. Plenty of cricketers fitted this mould. Pocock is the perfect example of truly hard - lets his deeds speak, and doesn't worry about the other crap. Like Poido, Topo, Stirling Mortlock, and I'm sure, plenty of others over the years.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That's right Cyclo, hard doesn't mean being a dickhead. In a lot of our sports, it's a cyclical thing and a lot of those wizened old players are gone or on the way out. Need I point out though, that we are still kicking arse in many sports:

Cycling
Triathlon
Swimming
Hockey
Sailing
Rowing
Surfing

And those are just the ones I can think of right now. Rugby and Cricket will be back and netball girls got beaten by a bees dick in Dehli.

 

[Richo]

Steve Waugh is an awesome example of an intensely hard man but not a c*nt.

 

[disco]

Funny when some of these characters mistake being a tool / c*nt / fark-knuckle and gobbing off at opposition as being hard.

You can't deny that our best Rugby & Cricket teams had a few of these blokes. Not saying they're tools but they did sledge a lot.

Cricket - McGrath, Warne, Slater, Steve Waugh, Gillespie, Haydos the list goes on.
Rugby - Giffen, Finegan, Gregan & Justin Harrison.

 

[liquor box]

I think you'll find that most opposition players won't be looking for David Pocock.

I agree, thats why I said not too many. But on Pocock, if you manage to put a big hit, punch, cheap shot on him what is the worst that will happen? Quade or JOC (James O'Connor) may come after you?? Hard bastards are more effective when they come in pairs

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

You can't deny that our best Rugby & Cricket teams had a few of these blokes. Not saying they're tools but they did sledge a lot.

Cricket - McGrath, Warne, Slater, Steve Waugh, Gillespie, Haydos the list goes on.
Rugby - Giffen, Finegan, Gregan & Justin Harrison.

Sledging is part of the game in cricket and maybe in many other sports. There's a difference between banter and abuse as well. What has always got on my goat is the holier than thou attitude about sledging among other countries. A bloke I know plays for WA and he was telling me about the huge amount of sledging that was going in the England tour game -- from the Poms. Everyone does it, in probably every sport.

 

[liquor box]

Sledging is part of the game in cricket and maybe in many other sports. There's a difference between banter and abuse as well. What has always got on my goat is the holier than thou attitude about sledging among other countries. A bloke I know plays for WA and he was telling me about the huge amount of sledging that was going in the England tour game -- from the Poms. Everyone does it, in probably every sport.

Steve Waugh was great in the same mould as Justing Langer, you could literally hit him all day with the ball and he wouldn't flinch and just get more determined. he is the definition of tough

 

[naza]

Gen Y. The generation that have their mum call their boss at work.

 

[Groucho]

Other counties have better players - it happens

Yeah, it's weird. We wave our stubbies at the TV, and demand the players win.

And when other teams are better, it's someone's "fault", because of course if everyone was making an effort, we'd always win.

The notion that we "always come up short" is arrogant poppycock.

 

[Blue]

Small population and a hell of a lot of sport to play. Resources are getting spread thinner all the time (is that English?)

Can't expect to always stay on top.

Cricket - been in demise for some time now but not far off going up again.

Netball - whatever. How's the marbles team going?

Formula 1 - the guy will still win it soon - this is the closest season in years

Rugby - Not enough depth - a bad couple of years with injuries.

League - who cares but the Kiwi's look like they will die foir a victory and the Aussies look seriously bored because they know it's a boring sport and internationals are an inconvenience when they should be surfing, drinking and fucking in groups or is that "packs" now?

Relax. Can't always win.

 

[Joe Mac]

I actually think it is to do with money. In the lead up to the Olympics in Sydney there was significant investment across the board in sports. Im not sure there was any more money in rugby, cricket or mungo ball but that seems to be when we peaked in everything.

With London 2012, it seems the English are dominating most sports out there, even the ones which arent olympics such as cricket and rugby.

Maybe its just a coincidence but I think the lack of funding across the board has something to do with it...

 

[Running Rugby]

On a serious note I have to agree with Joe, it has a lot to do with money. Unfortunately, I believe our training techniques and sports science departments have fallen in line with or behind most of the world. Previously we have been at the cutting edge of sports science, the AIS was world class and many of our national coaches were considered world best. Now we struggle to make ends meet with the limited government funding, recruit our coaches from overseas rather than promote knowledge among our own and lose our talented athletes to overseas facilities that are better funded and managed.

 

[Groucho]

On a serious note I have to agree with Joe, it has a lot to do with money. Unfortunately, I believe our training techniques and sports science departments have fallen in line with or behind most of the world. Previously we have been at the cutting edge of sports science, the AIS was world class and many of our national coaches were considered world best. Now we struggle to make ends meet with the limited government funding, recruit our coaches from overseas rather than promote knowledge among our own and lose our talented athletes to overseas facilities that are better funded and managed.

The annoying thing is that financial requirements of elite sports are so ridiculously small in the context of a trillion $ economy.

I'm sure that international sporting excellence pays for itself, by lifting the mood of the nation, as well as being a vital part of our global brand, which plays a role in tourism and trade.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Groucho, I have often pondered this and have for a long time time had a problem with the arts community shouting loudly for the government to guarantee them a living. Elite sport really isn't a lot different. The way I figure it, both of those parts of our society should be a long way down the priority list for our federal and state governments. There is enough sponsorship money in Australia to pay for our sporting programmes.

 

[Thomond78]

That's right Cyclo, hard doesn't mean being a dickhead. In a lot of our sports, it's a cyclical thing and a lot of those wizened old players are gone or on the way out. Need I point out though, that we are still kicking arse in many sports:

Cycling
Triathlon
Swimming
Hockey
Sailing
Rowing
Surfing

And those are just the ones I can think of right now. Rugby and Cricket will be back and netball girls got beaten by a bees dick in Dehli.

Yeeeahhh... Put it this way; do you reckon any Aussie will stand between Ben Ainslie and a gold in Weymouth, his home waters?

Now, if you want a definition of mentally tough, there's your boy.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Know very little about him T78, given that I don't follow the sport religiously. But I can tell you that as a group our sailors have done very well over the years.

 

[Groucho]

Yeeeahhh... Put it this way; do you reckon any Aussie will stand between Ben Ainslie and a gold in Weymouth, his home waters?

Now, if you want a definition of mentally tough, there's your boy.

Ah, damn, there goes the single sailing gold.

 

[Running Rugby]

While the amount of funding required to improve elite sport is relatively small comparatively it rates fairly lowly on the governments priority list currently. I think a political party would do well at an upcoming election to have a platform of funding sports with aim to improving national sporting achievements, they certainly would go close to securing my vote. Secondly the amount of money available is quickly being spread thin by the massive amount of sports we are now attempting to fund. Previously we were happy to help out a few elite swimmers, the odd young rugby player and an athlete who might finish in the world top 5. Now we fund and dream of success in the Winter Olympics, water polo, squash, canoeing, beach volleyball, the list goes on.