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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Sport – Part 2






The UK has a reputation for being a sporting nation - a nation, the citizens of which participate in many sports; they appreciate them and enjoy watching them. We see the benefit of taking part in sports for keeping fit and for our general wellbeing. Sport becomes a way of life. Millions dependent on it for their livelihoods; it is for them their bread and butter. Sportsmen and sportswomen earn their livings by it and whole industries supply their needs and those of their fanatic followers.

 The sports we engage in are wide-ranging. However, national TV and radio sports programmes tend to focus on three major sports: soccer, rugby and cricket. During the summer months, time is also allocated to tennis, golf and Formula One.  Other motor sports, horse racing, and cycle racing occasionally have hearings. In the winter we may see professional boxing and perhaps wrestling, but we seldom see judo or any of the martial arts. There are few opportunities for watching table tennis and badminton. As for canoe slalom and mountain biking, rowing, volley ball, basketball, netball and bowls, there’s hardly a showing. Occasionally there’ll be snippets featuring sailing and the equestrian sports; and of course, winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, and curling are seldom broadcast. Lesser known sports such as boules, lacrosse, hang gliding, dragon boat racing, kite sailing and surfboarding will be fortunate to have a mention.

 Irritatingly, TV sport is synonymous with football, and perhaps rugby and cricket. Now and again athletics has a showing. Sport for profit determines which has the largest share of air time. There’s little evidence that the so called ‘legacy’ of the Olympic Games has borne fruit with the youngsters of our country. British football, and in particular, English football as demonstrated by the national team at the FIFI World Cup, although followed by millions, has been shown to be abysmally weak by comparison with the Germans. The Brazilians as the host nation will never live down their ignominy, but the English by comparison are almost at the bottom of the pile, warranting the derision they deserve. Greg Dyke and the English Football Association have a lot of hard thinking and hard work to do before the next world cup.

Today, the Germans celebrated their victory in style.*  

Links

Sport


*World Cup: Germany welcomes conquering heroes home


Germany stamp marks World Cup Victory


German FIFA Celebration


German FIFA Celebration


World Cup Results: Breaking Down Final Tournament Soundings


World Cup 2014: Can England copy Germany’s path to success?


Greg Dyke


The Football Associaton

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