Why can't the English lose graciously!! (1 Viewer)

[scott-atkinson]

Two major sporting events at the weekend, bot of which featured English sportsman, both of which we lost, and now as per usual we are trying to look for excuses as to why we lost rather than accepting that we had been beaten by a better opponent.

Rugby world cup....

Was it a try wasn't it a try.... who cares, if we had made 20 trys prior to that one would we have been arguing about it and whining about it no we would have won the match comfortably...in the end we lost to a better opponent, lets accept it graciously...it was an achievemnt to even reach the final.

Motor racing...

Lewis Hamilton driving for the world championship...now it is being said that he lost due to the wrong type of fuel being put into the car, and are prepared to go to court about it....

Lewis had two poor performances, in China and the weekend race, if he had finished better in them he would be world champ.

If you had gone into a betting shop at the start of the season and wagered on Lewis Hamilton to finish second in the world championship, they would have ripped your arm off to take your cash.

Lewis Hamilton and Mcclaran should be proud that he finished 2nd in his first season, that is an achievement in itself.

So, why oh why do the English constantly look to blame or controversy as to why we never win anything?

Any theories as to why we are like that?

 

[Pauldohert]

I think you are right - the Derby,WC and F1.

I don't know what Everton, England and McLaren are moaning about.

 

[GaryPanic]

Bloody good game though..
that try and the descion that it wasn't one - made for a great game-
ok so it didn't go our way but S.A were by far the better team - but you would not of thought so on the day - pretty close for most of the game

as for the the F1 - who cares -
if his car had been going well - without the gliches then he would of won..
but hell first season coming second - pretty good .

g

 

[scott-atkinson]

Bloody good game though..
that try and the descion that it wasn't one - made for a great game-
ok so it didn't go our way but S.A were by far the better team - but you would not of thought so on the day - pretty close for most of the game

I agree, the SA were by far the most consitent team in the championship, and during the final, they held their line extremely well denying the english any chance of breaking through.

They deserved to win.

Well done South Africa... worthy champions.

 

[TjS]

as we like to say over here: "If you can't swim, it's because of the water..."

 

[statsman]

I'm reminded of the famous goal/no goal in extra time in the 1966 World Cup final. To this day no one can say if the ball crossed the line or not.

THAT TIME England got the break and went on to win the Cup (as it happened they also got a second goal in extra time so the goal/no goal became problematic).

A very good English team lost the Rugby World Cup to a better S. African team. This time the break went against England.

 

[dan-cat]

as for the the F1 - who cares -
if his car had been going well - without the gliches then he would of won..
but hell first season coming second - pretty good .

g

I managed to watch this live on the 'Speed' channel. I have to say, the 'who cares' attitude seemed to pervade the entire event. One driver at the end who apparently had just become 'world champion' was talking as if he was a spectator. Didn't seemed to care at all

 

[GaryPanic]

I thought te object of sport was the takign part not the winning

 

[dan-cat]

I thought te object of sport was the takign part not the winning

Apparently not link

 

[Len Boorman]

In answer to the basic question

We can loose graciously........ we just do not do it very well...... it seems

Cannot be good at everything

 

[GaryPanic]

Apparently not link

read the link - what a load of B*llocks,

Mind you it could be that we are used to losing

I am proud of what we achived in the Rugby, Happy that the Best team won (I admit I would of prefered the Englsih team to win) - also greatful that the French ran a very successful event - minor issue over the train strike

Sometimes losing strenghtens the charater (thats my excuse and I am sticking with it , I lose at snap let alone any active sport)

 

[statsman]

I am open to correction on this but wasn't England the defending champ?

Then they made it to the final again...not as good as a victory but pretty impressive statistics.

 

[David Eagar]

Two major sporting events at the weekend, both of which featured English sportsman, both of which we lost, and now as per usual we are trying to look for excuses as to why we lost rather than accepting that we had been beaten by a better opponent.

Is this an 'English' trait, or as I suspect, a media driven frenzy?

I have found increasingly all countries are seeming to follow this pattern - the general public cry into their beers for a bit and then get on with life, whereas the media go balistic and make mountains oot of molehills

Yes, it IS nice to win, but they are sports after all and in the scheme of life, not really that important

 

[scott-atkinson]

Is this an 'English' trait, or as I suspect, a media driven frenzy?

I have found increasingly all countries are seeming to follow this pattern - the general public cry into their beers for a bit and then get on with life, whereas the media go balistic and make mountains oot of molehills

Yes, it IS nice to win, but they are sports after all and in the scheme of life, not really that important

Dave,

I think you have hit the nail on the head with this post.

Yes you are right the media does have to take a large portion of the blame.
But hey thats what sells papers.

 

[David Eagar]

Yes you are right the media does have to take a large portion of the blame.
But hey thats what sells papers.

Mind you, the English media seem to be be world champs at dishing out the vitriol to it's 'failures', sadly a trend being copied by others

 

[Brianwarnock]

This thread started from a false perception.

The Rugby team did not complain about the descision and neither did the media. Fans always will because they care passionately.

Lewis Hamilton is not moaning either and is quoted as not wanting to win in the courts, however if teams have cheated then they should be punished, if that leaves Lewis as champion that is not his fault.

YES OUR FOOTBALLERS ARE A BUNCH OF OVERPAID PRIMA DONNAS WHO LOOK FOR EXCUSES BEFORE THE MATCHES START.

Brian

 

[msp]

This thread started from a false perception.

The Rugby team did not complain about the descision and neither did the media. Fans always will because they care passionately.

Lewis Hamilton is not moaning either and is quoted as not wanting to win in the courts, however if teams have cheated then they should be punished, if that leaves Lewis as champion that is not his fault.

YES OUR FOOTBALLERS ARE A BUNCH OF OVERPAID PRIMA DONNAS WHO LOOK FOR EXCUSES BEFORE THE MATCHES START.

Brian

I would aggree, I do not think the English have been sore lossers at all.

Most Rugby fans I know (bear in mind I have played/been around rugby clubs for 25 years), believe that the try was a very tight call, went against us, shame but never mind (win some/ lose some). Compared to the NZ reaction ours has been very tame. Disapointed to lose but hay we did well and there is always 2011. Most congratulated the SA fans in the pub I was in on Saturday night. (although even my SA mate thought it was a try)

The moter racing Lewis Hamiliton had every chance to win the tittle but failed full stop - shame.

Football - cannot be bothered to comment. They played they lost fair and square.

 

[Rich]

Compared to the NZ reaction ours has been very tame.

The Aussie reaction was even worse considering the better side won

 

[msp]

The Aussie reaction was even worse considering the better side won

I am not sure the Aussies never blamed the ref, forward passes etc. They just few home with their tails between their legs, The Eng ref for the France vs New Zealand (Wayne Barnes) even had death threats, and his wilkpedia entry defaced and a "hate" website set up.

 

[statsman]

Could be worse.

In South America they lose an average of 5 football/soccer referees to fan vengence per season.
There's a reason there's a moat around the field.

In 1976 when the Olympics were in Montreal, both Pakistan and India were eliminated from the Men's Field Hockey. Until that point either Pakistan or India had won the Gold Medal for Men's Field Hockey in every Olympics (so I have heard, I haven't done any research).
I also heard that the Indian captain had his house burned down.