Forum Topic

40 Medals, I take it all back.

With 3 days still to go in the 2008 Olympics we are only one short of the total medals predicted by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe (41)I laughed at that, cynical old me,but I was wrong Gerry Sutcliffe must be the most successful Minister, after the Labour Government of the time appointed Dennis Howell as Minister for the Drought in 1976, a week after it rained ,and in a few months the drought was broken.I think Dennis was Sports Minister at some stage as well. Being Sports Minister is to some a bit of a 'CINDERELLA POST'maybe. But Gerry Sutcliffe must have done his homework on this one. Just this once perhaps we have someone in a post who feels comfortable with it, and knows something about the subject it would appear.Now you can argue about the merits of how the Medal Table is formulated, and personally I think size of population in relation to success might be better, but thats for another thread maybeAnyway our success as a Nation makes me feel good, whatever the anti sport cynics might think otherwise.

Colin Vaughan ● 6614d10 Comments

Its 41 now. he got it right. A goverment Minister actually getting something right,must have done his homework extremely well!

Colin Vaughan ● 6614d

42..and counting

David Archer ● 6614d

It's the number of golds that count rather than the total medal count (unless you're American of course!).Unfortunately it looks like the Russians will overtake Team GB. Still, 4th place would be an excellent result.

James de Vivenot ● 6614d

Well at least we beat the wingeing Aussies, all crying in their Fosters, brewed in Beiging maybe.

Colin Vaughan ● 6614d

Hurrah for GB. About time and how promising for 2012.  Good on ya.

Barbara Yerolemou ● 6613d

Does any one know why our team is GB and not UK as it includes N Ireland athletes.

Graham Weeks ● 6611d

I believe it included competitors from the Isle of Mann too so even UK isn't accurate.

Susan Kelly ● 6611d

The closing Ceremony was spectacular as you would expect.Our Team has done, with one main exception extremely well.I note that only 4 medals were forthcoming from Track and Field, which after all is deemed to comprise the original core events of The original Olympics. The result it seems is sack for the Manager of the Track and Field team. There was one shot of the track and field athletes that showed them looking fed up, and wishing no doubt that they were already on the Plane! Wonder if it would have meant something worse in some parts of The World.Pity that because our other participants did us proud, much to the annoyance of our Antipodean friends!Dear old Boris looked bemused(keep your hands out of your pockets Boris!),But as usual it seems that the air of excentricity, is but a cover.Some on this Forum would no doubt have prefered it to be Ken. Well you pays your money and you takes your choice, somehow I think Boris epitomises the British understated, 'it will be alright on the night'.We shall see. However that little totally naff toe curling piece with the London Bus at the handover, with David Beckham, does not augur well. It must have been dreamed up by the same agency responsible for the excrushiating DFS adverts.

Colin Vaughan ● 6611d

I didn't think Becks was naff.  We only had 8mins in all and we have what China doesn't have, is world wide celebs.  That can of course change but the idea was to play to one's strengths.  No Becks didn't worry me, the stampede for the bus, did.  If I were thinking of coming to UK for the first time, that scrum would really worry me!I must say I did have my heart in my mouth when it was Boris' turn to wave the flag...... and a huge sigh of relief when he did it well.  That's the good thing about Boris, when you think he'll get it wrong, he gets it right!  We'll get the games right too because at the end of the day, no-one wants the shame of being labelled a disaster!

Barbara Yerolemou ● 6610d

Well I don't think David Beckham is naff Barbara, he got lumbered with it, just the 8 minutes of toecurling, patronisiong rubbish, when what was wanted was a bit of understated vision of what we as a Nation will do to refocus the Olympic Games in people's minds as to what its all about, which is bringing people together in the friendship that can come from a common purpose generated by mutual respect for one another in the pursuit of sporting excellence. If some people might think that a touch pretentious, hard luck, I make no apologies. Better than the C**P we were served up with.I agree about Boris though, he got it right in the end.I think we should, with our contribution see an end to the vieing between Nations to outdo each other in Grander and Grander Opening and closing Ceremonies, which serve only to feed the egos of the Great and the Good.

Colin Vaughan ● 6610d