English National Sports

Is it time we had a rethink about what we consider to be our national sports? Should our number 1 sport now be running? Or at the very least up in the top 3?

«1

Comments

  • Well we've worked out that England is rubbish at football, so that should be dropped.

    Wasnt running really popular back in the 80's but numbers have dropped off since?

     

  • Disagree Mr Real, I think numbers have increased since the 80s, its the standard that have dorpped.

  • oh right. Would be interesting to know why. I presume the 'charity' element nowadays means you get far more one-off runners bringing the overall standard down.

    Maybe the Mo effect might pick numbers up.

     

  • Doubtful, the Paula effect didn't make any difference, but does it matter? - what is happening is that a large number of individuals are getting off theirt backsides and getting out to imporove their health and fitness by moving along at a slightly faster pace than walking!!!!

  • true, and considering the epidemic that is type 2 diabetes, not before time.

     

  • it's an epidemic is it?   I'll steer clear of my neighbour then. I didn't know it was catching.

  • Nose Nowt wrote (see)

    it's an epidemic is it?   I'll steer clear of my neighbour then. I didn't know it was catching.

    epidemic     adjective   1. of the nature of an epidemic. "shoplifting has reached epidemic proportions"   You might want to tell Google that its definitions are wrong since apparently they also think you can 'catch' the shoplifting bug.  

     

  • But Mr I, you used it as a noun, where the google definition is:

    epidemic  noun

    1. a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
  • I was never very good at English ......... I probably have dxleysia or somethingimage

    p.s Do you think its cruel that the name they give to people who see letters the wrong way around etc, dyslexia ...... I mean, thanks scientists, pick a name that is the hardest for people who have the condition to spell.

    Probably the same scientists who came up with the name stutter for stutterers. I mean if you stutter, the last word you want to attempt to say is stutter.

     

  • A quick google says that a national sport is a something that is intrinsic to the culture of the nation. Therefore, the standard that we achieve internationally has nothing to do with it. Having said that we have a proud history and for the size of the nation. I  think we punch above our weight(5k and 10k Olympic and World Golds and female world record holder for the marathon)

  •  

    Cheerful Dave wrote (see)

    But Mr I, you used it as a noun, where the google definition is:

    epidemic  noun

    1. a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.

     

    I have to admit to having hoped Mr. I   would bite back in exactly the way he did  (I double checked my understanding the Google definitions first!)

    Then I planned to put him in his place... in exactly the way you did image

     

    I set it up perfectly, but you stole my thunder  image  image

  • The real Mr I wrote (see)

    Well we've worked out that England is rubbish at football, so that should be dropped. 

    Rather better than Australia at most sports though - including football.

    I think you have a point SR 

  • According to wikipedia the national sport is cricket. I've never played a game of cricket in my life. I must be a Johnny Foreigner. Seen a few people out there running today. Not seen any footballers or cricketers though. If cricket dissapeared tomorrow, who would miss it?

  • Really? what position do you play? 

  • I don't. Girls weren't encouraged to play "boys'" sports when I was a kid. But I enjoy watching it.

  • So what was the last match you went to? 

  • Some local match in Bath. Same with football - not sure what point you're trying to make Sussex.

     

  • When I was in primary school in years 5 and 6 my teacher was a former secondary maths teacher with a passion for cricket. So basically for two years all we did was maths when it was bad weather and cricket when it was sunny. I was all right at it.

    Just thought I'd share that for no reason. We also did running but not football (for girls).

  • Cricket is why the rest of the universe ignores us!!

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭
    Sussex Runner NLR wrote (see)

    ... I  think we punch above our weight ...

    And given the obesity "epidemic" that is quite a punch image  Which makes me wonder...  Are we any good at boxing these days?

  • Hows David Haye getting along? Wouldnt surprise me if he tries to find another excuse to wimp out of meeting Tyson Fury.

     

  • He's been advised to retire after a shoulder operation.

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭
    The real Mr I wrote (see)

    Hows David Haye getting along? Wouldnt surprise me if he tries to find another excuse to wimp out of meeting Tyson Fury.

     

    I'll take that as a "no" then image

  • A sport that is intrinsic to the culture of the nation. Of course I have already said that earlier but I know you are always too lazy to reads the threads from the beginning. Bloody hell,,,Spellchecker is backimage

  • i love cricket too.

    i'm not english, mind you.

  • i'm not sure you could ever say that a particular sport is intrinsic to the culture of a particular nation. it's interesting though.

    i do think you can say something interesting about the way a nation plays a particular sport: free-flowing Brazilian football (or clear-headed German efficiency), or do-or-die, win at all costs Australian cricket. that said, I could be (and am) dealing in stereotypes.

    In rugby union, I have always felt that one of the things that have held Scotland and other home nations back is a naive honesty. the best team is new zealand, because they are the best at cheating.

    I remember reading an article about how the French intelligensia mistrusted Sarkozy because he was a runner, and they felt that running is a fundamentally right-wing activity (single-minded, self-dependency). they felt team sports more linked with social democracy.

  • Sussex Runner NLR wrote (see)

     If cricket dissapeared tomorrow, who would miss it?

     

    the dude abides wrote (see)

    i'm not sure you could ever say that a particular sport is intrinsic to the culture of a particular nation. it's interesting though.

     

    India. Cricket.  Sachin Tendulkar retiring this week.  Nuff said.

    (I like cricket and I use to play a bit but I was rubbish and I got cheesed off being asked to umpire all the bloody time!)

  • yes. the relationship Indians have with cricket is wonderful. beautiful, in some ways. but I don't believe the fanatical thousands chanting for Sachin love cricket any more than an englishman idly dozing through a country game. it's just different. they embrace the sport (too small a word) in a different way.

    even India's attitude to cricket is changing, however. the IPL and one-day cricket is king, and test cricket is seen by most as an obligation to be fulfilled, rather than the greatest expression of sporting wonder yet thought up, as I see it.

     

Sign In or Register to comment.