Originally Posted by Del Boy

Do me a favour Perseus. Great Britain did extremely well over wide areas, best result for 100 years. Third in the rankings, behind only China, USA, and, just, Russia.

Well perhaps I was trying to tone it down so as not to piss of the Australian's NOT! 8) Yeah all right then why not promote us one more place! PS didn't we have a bet with them?

No seriously, let me illustrate my point, yes best result for 100 years but is that is mainly because the past results were dire once most other countries got in on the act. It is highly concentrated in one event. Without the cycling we got 11 Golds, this compares with 16 for Germany, 8 for Italy and 7 for France. GB would have got 33 medals overall compared with Germany's 41 medals and France's 40 (in fact we didn't get that many more medals than them even including the cycling) As Steve Ovett said the main problem is complacency, the government are out to cut costs, and the hard facts are that the international audience tend to remember the track, this will be forever the Olympics of Usain Bolt.

Sorry to put it into perspective, yes it was a good Olympics for GB but perhaps not quite as good as the hysteria suggests. One other point as well, is Cycling a truly athletic achievement or has it got a bit like motor racing were the technology is as important as the athlete so is it such a coincidence that we have done well in this discipline?

Perseus - I think you could apply your equation to most countries. The results table tells the real story. We have been very well represented in medals on the track in times past. Decathlon, long jump, 100 metres, 200 metres, middle distance, hurdles, where we produced great champions. Now we have learned that it is the team effort that counts. I agree with you regarding the politics, but also bear in mind that soccer etc. is diverting great athletes from the track events because of the rewards.

I see no reason for us to revert to our natural modesty and avoid taking a bow. Anyone who doubts our new dawn can come to London in 2012, if they think they are hard enough!

[quote=Del Boy;448916]but also bear in mind that soccer etc. is diverting great athletes from the track events because of the rewards. [quote]

Yes this is a problem, shame they can't play soccer really . The club mentality is another, people are cocooned in their enthusiasm for a group of overpaid foreign players playing another group of overpaid foreign players representing a side that probably bars little relation to where even most of the fans actually live. Clubs have become businesses who thrive on advertising and loyalty.

'National sports' is even a more serious problem for under-performing nations such as India and Pakistan. Except for them what % of the worlds population even understands how to play cricket? It also makes me wonder how strong the US would be if not similarly obsessed with 'national' sports that few others understand.

As a life-long soccer fan, I think it is somewhat sad that the clubs no longer represent their local areas; I thought it was brilliant when Keegan, in his first stint as Newcastle manager, would have liked to put together a team of Geordies. They supply a constant stream of talent from that area.

As far as a Great Britain soccer Olympic entry is concerned, I think I lean towards an amateur representation.

Here are the medals Michael Phelps got from the Beijing Olympics:

1. Gold - 400 M Individual Medley (4:03.84 (wr) )
2. Gold - 4 x 100 M Freestyle Relay (3:08.24 (wr) )
3. Gold - 200 M Freestyle (1:42.96 (wr) )
4. Gold - 200 M Butterfly (1:52.03 (wr) )
5. Gold - 4 x 200 M Freestyle Relay (6:58.56 (wr) )
6. Gold - 200 M Individual Medley (1:54.23 (wr) )
7. Gold - 100 M Butterfly (50.58 (or) )
8. Gold - 4 x 100 M Medley Relay (3:29.34 (wr) )

Congrats to Michael Fred Phelps !!!

Source : Athlete

Absolutely - We had him over here right after the games to celebrate his performances. Great Guy.

wow, lucky for you guys. i totally agree that he is a great guy.