I may have unwisely engaged Son of Headingley, but that bait is far too obvious.

The Salford/Koukash comparison is very appropriate as being successful isn't just about the players you bring in and their wages as you then point out n your second sentence.

If you still don't like that one then look at how Chelsea and Man Utd aren't competing in the Champions League this year and Man City only just hung onto the 4th spot.

Where on earth were people saying they were shocked or surprised by GB doing well? Yet they were the words yourself and Sal used against people and are carrying on as if people have denied or not known that GB puts good money towards trying to win medals.

All people have said is that they're enjoying seeing GB win medals....that's all. If there is a slight surprise or shock in people regarding GB's medal total so far it's because we're keeping up to China, which by the two different lists you've provided in the last two pages shows exactly why it's impressive to be fighting it out with them for 2nd.

You added "perspective" to views no one actually had (surprise, shock, lack of knowledge of the financial side of things).

You're quite right. My apologies. This really should be a thread for those who wish to feel all warm & fuzzy about our glorious nation's successes, yet I come on here with all this ridiculous realism, spoiling everyone's back-slapping fun. Sorry.



No I didn't. I added "perspective" to add perspective. Is that OK, or is there a set of rules for this thread of which I am unaware? Just because you don't like the direction a poster takes a debate doesn't invalidate that direction. It's not as if I started discussing cheese-making in Botswana is it?

Here's a resume:
Poster 1: I'm so pleased with how the GB Team has gone & am enjoying their medal-winning performances
Poster 2: Well, hang on, I'm going to be a grumpy so-&-so & remind you that, with the level of investment given to GB Olympic sports, there should be a high return of medals
Poster 1: Oh f*?k off

Horse dancing isn't sport IMO though

I'd accept it if it was Horse Break Dancing.

If the rider can stay on during a back spin, then fair play.

People are entitled to their own opinion about Olympic sport. I'm not completely convinced that certain sports don't only exist to give the upper classes with access to highly trained, incredibly expensive pets that do most of the work Olympic medals.
I am however old enough to remember the "you can win but you can't be seen to try old boy" days. I grew up in an era when The British were seen as serial failures, incapable of competing, living on past glories.
It's very satisfying to see genuine world beaters smashing all comers and really having self belief. You can't buy that. It's attitude. Chip on shoulder about rowing? Well the comments from the men's 8 about aggression, fight, belief, etc, are exactly what our former captain brought to the table. I admire those qualities in anyone.
Having personally experienced the commitment and sacrifices swimmers make (for zero money) I have nothing but respect for all competitors. Jaz Carlin swims up to 18,000 metres a day, it's brutal. Becky Addlington retired at 22, she'd had enough. Adam Peaty will literally have no life outside his swimming routine and he will have been doing that since he was 11. It's similar for anyone who wants to achieve anything in any walk of life.
The qualities are universal.

The horse dancing is stupid. We may as well invite crufts to the Olympics. The rest is pretty impressive

if the toffs get dressage we should have darts.

Darts is far more worthy of inclusion than dressage, same goes for Snooker.

Dressage is the equivalent of training an animal to play darts or snooker. Which, ironically, is something I'd avidly watch.

Imagine that, arise Sir Philip Taylor, our greatest Olympian. Or even better Bobby George's dog could have been.

Not keen to start the whole how many BBC staff in Rio debate and overall IMO, BBC gives good value for the coin, however they don't help themselves sometimes.
The other night on radio, Jonathan Agnew, hot foot from the fourth test had been rushed out to commentate on Oss dancing. He appeared to know little about a) osses, b) dancing or c) osses that can dance. I'm sure he is having a nice time though.
Even numpties on mopeds can't stop the gold rush. Great stuff by Trott and Kenny.

Agree with what's been said by someone above.

Toffs strutting around on mincing horses with plaited manes isn't really a sport.

The Olympic Games are "Bread and Circuses" on a global scale, and probably more so than the FIFA World Cup. Shame there isn't an olympic event for the number of food banks making appearances. Team GB would be a shoe-in for another gold right there.

On a positive note, at least it keeps all those Olympian heroes in toff sports like rowing, mincing equestrian, shooting, sailing, golf, fencing, etc, off the streets of London and away from a life of crime as hedge fund managers, stockbrokers, bankers, tax evaders and offshore accountants.

For a short while, anyhow, until those one-per screw us all.

Just been announced on the BBC , Charlotte Dujardin to recreate the Torvill and Dean role in their new reality TV Saturday night prime time slot


CELEBRITY HORSE DANCING ON ICE

Nigel Wood has been signed up , they now need to find a horse willing to climb on his back