Australian attitude to losing
Oct 17th 2011, 12:46 am
#46
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
See? Look at you both - you 'zealots'...! Are you saying that you haven't read the articles and instead just want to laugh? In any case, it's a sport - a game - there is bound to be some gripe somewhere. Look at the Welsh, (although they played well) the English...there is always someone..
It sounds like you work with a bunch of people who have a particular culture and outlook, to be honest.
I have colleagues who complain about the people they come into contact with that sort of culture. I would reserve G's rolleyes for those people too. It's not even about bad losing, it's pure ignorance.
To be honest, lots of people in Melbourne don't care for rugby either.
Comments round the office include ' its not a real sport anyway' and 'I don't know anyone who bothered to watch it, its only a minor competition' 
And one girl who said she only turned the tv over once and the commentators had messed up the score and claimed the kiwis were winning, which was 'obviously impossible'
And one girl who said she only turned the tv over once and the commentators had messed up the score and claimed the kiwis were winning, which was 'obviously impossible'
I have colleagues who complain about the people they come into contact with that sort of culture. I would reserve G's rolleyes for those people too. It's not even about bad losing, it's pure ignorance.
To be honest, lots of people in Melbourne don't care for rugby either.
Last edited by BadgeIsBack; Oct 17th 2011 at 12:48 am.
Oct 17th 2011, 12:49 am
#47
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
Oct 17th 2011, 12:54 am
#48
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
Yep, I'm sat next to two guys bleating about how they should change the rules to stop so much kicking. I hear this after every WC when the Wannabes get beaten. They don't seem to be able to comprehend that if they made those rule changes all we would be left with would be Rugby League! Funny how we never heard these excuses in 99'.
The truth is, that the average Aussie sportsman has been tarnished by a bunch of very high-profile bad sportsmen in people like Lleyton Hewitt, Ricky Ponting, Jana Pitman, Tamsyn Lewis, all of which playing up on the world stage and giving Australia a bad name. As for the fans, in general they are pretty good, however the Cricket fans are embarrassing as a whole.
Now, the media could take the stance of trying to gain the good sportsman reputation that people like Pat Rafter and John Eales conveyed so well, instead they incite Aussie fans to become bad sportsmen. Hell even the PM incited it, remember the trophy presentation at the 2003 WC?
The truth is, that the average Aussie sportsman has been tarnished by a bunch of very high-profile bad sportsmen in people like Lleyton Hewitt, Ricky Ponting, Jana Pitman, Tamsyn Lewis, all of which playing up on the world stage and giving Australia a bad name. As for the fans, in general they are pretty good, however the Cricket fans are embarrassing as a whole.
Now, the media could take the stance of trying to gain the good sportsman reputation that people like Pat Rafter and John Eales conveyed so well, instead they incite Aussie fans to become bad sportsmen. Hell even the PM incited it, remember the trophy presentation at the 2003 WC?
Oct 17th 2011, 12:57 am
#49
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
Maybe Ponting grew up idolising Greg Chappell?
Oct 17th 2011, 1:12 am
#50
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
In my opinion it doesn't matter what country you are from because I hate all that crap, about never mind it's only a game etc etc!
Give me a team of bad losers anyday.
Christ even in some schools now you get a ribbon for "second winner"
First is First second is nowhere!
Always taught my kids, that you play a sport to win, not just to take part!
Give me a team of bad losers anyday.
Christ even in some schools now you get a ribbon for "second winner"
First is First second is nowhere!
Always taught my kids, that you play a sport to win, not just to take part!
Oct 17th 2011, 1:21 am
#51
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
I think there is a perception in the UK that RU is a much bigger sport than it is as Australia have a pretty good record in the last few decades. Reality is, it is not. Down here in Victoria it's nearly obsolete and outside of certain suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane i would imagine the same over the whole of Australia.
Oct 17th 2011, 1:25 am
#52
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
But you have to admit, when Aussie sportsmen like Ponting and Olympians like Lewis and then politicians like Howard do what they have done on the biggest world stages, the kids watching them who treat them like heroes (obviously not Howard) will think that type of behaviour is the norm.
Maybe Ponting grew up idolising Greg Chappell?
Maybe Ponting grew up idolising Greg Chappell?
Oct 17th 2011, 1:26 am
#53
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
I think there is a perception in the UK that RU is a much bigger sport than it is as Australia have a pretty good record in the last few decades. Reality is, it is not. Down here in Victoria it's nearly obsolete and outside of certain suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane i would imagine the same over the whole of Australia.
So my gripe is with how the media seem to think the Aussies are better than other nations and have some god given right to playing attractive RU. The fact that Aus are consistently there or there abouts is to be commended, but the fact that the media expect them to be winning everything and when they don't they start throwing around excuses really riles me!
Oct 17th 2011, 1:26 am
#54
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
Every Aussie I've spoken to about the game yesterday conceded that they just weren't good enough and were pretty lucky to even get to the semi finals.
Oct 17th 2011, 1:27 am
#55
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
I think there is a perception in the UK that RU is a much bigger sport than it is as Australia have a pretty good record in the last few decades. Reality is, it is not. Down here in Victoria it's nearly obsolete and outside of certain suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane i would imagine the same over the whole of Australia.
Melbourne has a S15 side now though.
Oct 17th 2011, 1:29 am
#56
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
RU is more likely to succeed in Melbourne than RL, mainly due to the high European influence. Plus RL is seen as a NSW based sport and the VICs love to be seen as more cultured than their NSW counterparts
Oct 17th 2011, 1:30 am
#57
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
I think there is a perception in the UK that RU is a much bigger sport than it is as Australia have a pretty good record in the last few decades. Reality is, it is not. Down here in Victoria it's nearly obsolete and outside of certain suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane i would imagine the same over the whole of Australia.
Oct 17th 2011, 1:40 am
#59
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Re: Australian attitude to losing
Ponting was a great batsmen, a poor captain, but not a poor loser. I can't recall anytime he's lost poorly. He did lose his temper once. I think it was when England decided to fake an injury and bring out the specialist fielder. Naturally you'd be a little p***ed off. Not sure the Australian cricket team would stoop to such lows.
The fact is, that was perfectly within the laws of the game and England just used it efficiently. Aus used the same tactic afterwards and were just bitter they hadn't thought about it before them.
How you can say Ponting is not a sore loser is beyond me! Have you heard any of his post match interviews? Not only is he a bad loser, he is also a terrible winner.
Oct 17th 2011, 1:42 am
#60
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