From Mt Olympus to Mt Florida

[andy steel 0]

In another thread, Max Rebo has been talking about his disillusionment with the national team in the light of the Ian Black fiasco, especially coming after the heights of the Olympics. This feeling had hit me, too, as I point out in this rather self-pitying post.

 

The end of the Olympics brought to a close a sensational summer of sport, following on from the highly enjoyable Euros, a good if not classic Open golf, a fascinating (and continuing) Test battle for cricket's No.1 status between England and South Africa, fantastic cycling from around the world and the ongoing tale of Andy Murray's struggle to wrestle a major away from The Tennis Triumvirate. Add to that an unbeaten tour of the southern hemisphere by Scotland's rugby team and it truly has been a summer to remember.

 

For the Bluenose, of course, it's been a summer to remember for less happy reasons. There's been dozens of posts about our summer of agony and I don't want to repeat those. I want to examine how these others sports have replaced football for me as my No.1 sport.

 

I never thought I'd see the day when any other sport could replace fitba in my affections, but the sense of gloom that settled on me as SSN this morning reported the early rounds of the English League Cup was unmistakable. I had a feeling of resentment that soon, we would be discussing which idiot had pushed which idiot, and which idiot had pretended to be hurt more. Behaviour which brings about an immediate expulsion at The Olympics will be airily waved away as 'handbags' or 'all in the game' by incoherent pundits on shows like MoTD, and mediocrity will be embraced as success.

 

This mood has not been helped by footballers regularly claiming to have a lot in common with Olympians. Even allowing for the complete lack of self-awareness of the average pro, most of whom are distinctly average, comparing a light kick about three or four mornings a week to the dedication of Olympic athletes is not on. Ah, they say, but we have to peak twice a week. Any fan who can see a team in which players peak more than six or seven times a season please PM me as I'd like to give them a look.

 

It's not just the attitude. The standard of the game in Scotland has long turned me off, but I never turned away. Rangers need to take as much of the blame for this as anyone else, but the fact remains the level is low. The prospect of 3rd division football and all the romantic excitement that comes with it means I, along with my son, still go to Ibrox, but in the bigger football picture it's all been spoiled.

 

Why would anyone want their kid to be involved in what has become an exercise in boasting about how stupid you are? Intellectual dimwits like the current manager of Celtc are held up as intelligent and articulate, despite all evidence to the contrary. The owner of Hearts issues statements which would only fail to raise an eyebrow inside a secure unit. Rangers collapse under a wall of debt and hatred to make even a banker green with envy. Dundee Utd are absolutely hammered in Europe, with every chance Motherwell will follow. Every fan attempts to claim moral superiority over another, as though football were somehow a weather vane of righteousness. And all this miasma of cretinism is embraced by media outlets desperate to secure a piece of the ever dwindling revenue available from football.

 

All of which is topped off by the mad men of Park Gardens. The game in Scotland, ruled over by incompetents for decades (some of them ours), is witnessing a level of administrative lunacy from Hampden notable even in the SFA's long and inglorious history.

 

Radio5 live, which carries vast amounts of live English football, has been soul searching about whether to cover other, minority sports instead. But they won't, since if they make available another 50 live games, stations such as Talksport will take them; the drop in listening figures for the BBC will give the government the excuse they need to cut the licence fee. It's a complete rejection of what the Olympics is all about, but it's all too symptomatic of how football, especially, operates nowadays: £££.

 

The Olympics came around at the right moment for me. Yesterday, I find that archery, a hit in my house during the competition, is available in the Southside of Glasgow. Well, that's the right area at least! We'll definitely be giving it a go. I still go to games, but I doubt my son will when he grows up. He, and probably I, will be lost to the game.

 

Postscript: Previous Gersnet posts seem to gather a lot of responses from non-Bears, and they are no doubt delighted at the thought of two less Rangers fans in the game. 'Nothing but scum' is about the nicest charge that has been levelled at us over the years and especially recently. Maybe. I can't see myself as others see me, none of us can, but I do know that I have to take time out from online Rangers forums due to the levels of trumpetude on display; I'm no fan of bigots of any stripe. If football is losing fans like me, chances are all you'll be left with are the ones you hate so much.

 

I shall be enjoying my archery, or whatever. I hope you non-Bears enjoy the company of those you hate so much: you deserve each other.

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

It is probably not really fair for anyone to compare the feelgood (and once every 4 years) vibe of the Olympics with the tribilism of football but as you stated above the sporting summer has been a great distraction. And as you have also mentioned it is somewhat hard to go from a hearing about a female hockey player getting her jaw smashed to pieces (and then playing a few days later) to listening to debates about idiot footballers on twitter, and all the cheating and diving that infests football.

 

I've always been a tennis fan and to be honest I get more enjoyment in watching that at the moment, especially since Scotland has a player that is up there giving three of the greatest players a run for his money. I know Murray isn't everyones cup of tea but IMO he is so overlooked in this country thanks to our obsession with fitba

[stewarty 2,123]

It is probably not really fair for anyone to compare the feelgood (and once every 4 years) vibe of the Olympics with the tribilism of football but as you stated above the sporting summer has been a great distraction. And as you have also mentioned it is somewhat hard to go from a hearing about a female hockey player getting her jaw smashed to pieces (and then playing a few days later) to listening to debates about idiot footballers on twitter' date=' and all the cheating and diving that infests football.

 

I've always been a tennis fan and to be honest I get more enjoyment in watching that at the moment, especially since Scotland has a player that is up there giving three of the greatest players a run for his money. I know Murray isn't everyones cup of tea but IMO he is so overlooked in this country thanks to our obsession with fitba[/quote']

 

Agreed. Its also ironic that so many people dislike Murray (or did) because he doesn't smile enough.

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

Agreed. Its also ironic that so many people dislike Murray (or did) because he doesn't smile enough.

 

That's exactly why I like him. He doesn't play the BBC "goodie goodie" Tim Henman game. It made me laugh when people were queueing up to say how much they like Murray now that he has shed a tear and showed that he was "human". Did they not see his previous Slam finals when he also shed tears and the Davis Cup victory in Glasgow when he had a good greet because of the brilliant fans. In any other country, Murray would be a sporting icon but in our wee country we almost ignore a player that is playing in the most competitive era of men's tennis in years against 3 of the best players that have ever played the game.

[Ergatrude 0]

Agreed. Its also ironic that so many people dislike Murray (or did) because he doesn't smile enough.

 

The thing is.. he used to. He used to smile, interact with the media, tell jokes, laugh.. & he was generally relaxed.

 

Then along came a journalist on the eve of England Vs. Paraguay.. some jokes were traded & it finished with Murray jokingly (huge grin on his face) saying something along the lines of "I'm actually off to buy my Paraguay top now".

 

After that there was a media frenzy about how ungrateful he was, what a dick he is etc etc. Now he uses a monotone voice, doesn't laugh, doesn't joke & to me, he seems more tense.

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

The thing is.. he used to. He used to smile, interact with the media, tell jokes, laugh.. & he was generally relaxed.

 

Then along came a journalist on the eve of England Vs. Paraguay.. some jokes were traded & it finished with Murray jokingly (huge grin on his face) saying something along the lines of "I'm actually off to buy my Paraguay top now".

 

After that there was a media frenzy about how ungrateful he was, what a dick he is etc etc. Now he uses a monotone voice, doesn't laugh, doesn't joke & to me, he seems more tense.

 

I think the actual quote was "Anyone but England" (when asked who he wanted to win the 2006 world cup) but I get your point.

 

If you read stories abput Murray you get the impression that he is a decent guy with a good sense of humour. He's good mates with Rafa and Novak and is generally well liked on the tour but after that "quote" he has just given lazy journalists a chance to peddle the whole dour Scot pish

[Thinker 887]

I think the actual quote was "Anyone but England" (when asked who he wanted to win the 2006 world cup) but I get your point.

 

If you read stories abput Murray you get the impression that he is a decent guy with a good sense of humour. He's good mates with Rafa and Novak and is generally well liked on the tour but after that "quote" he has just given lazy journalists a chance to peddle the whole dour Scot pish

 

I've always thought he seemed reasonably likeable off the court - normal, anyway.

 

It's his on-court attitude that's put me off him. Generally he's too quick to start whinging, and looks ready to throw the towel in when things start to go against him. Having said that, the Olympic gold might change him for the better.

 

He could also do with ditching his over-bearing maw.