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………..but the main contender got banned because he broke the rules, would it be right to win a title by breaking the rules?
Colin
In horse racing, it’s perfectly right and acceptable Colin.
Greg has had a few suspensions this season for ‘breaking the rules’ – yet he is going to end up winning the title
.Mike
For what it’s worth, as an ex-professional sportsman, winning is the most important thing in the world. When we look back in 10 years time it won’t say Fairley only won because Buick was banned. It’ll say Fairley won!!
I agree that maybe he shouldn’t of said what he did but then again journalists are quite capable of making things sound worse than they are in order to stir up a bit of interest and reaction.
Second place is the first loser.
I agree totally with the original point, what is the point in interviewing jockeys, footballers and the like just to hear the same tired cliches coming out of their mouths even when in most cases you know what they are really thinking.
It is refreshing for someone prepared to say how they really feel for a change.
In the media, political correctness in all its forms is silently gagging freedom of speech, and IMO it is not a good thing.
In the media, political correctness in all its forms is silently gagging freedom of speech, and IMO it is not a good thing.
…which is not what this thread is about, and as a fierce proponent of PC, little disappoints me more than the term’s frequent misappropriation. PC is principally concerned with political and educational change intended to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Whether or not Fairley should have kept his trap shut in the interests of sportsmanship doesn’t really fall under any aspect of that.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
none of this liberal lets be equal and fair nonsense winnings what counts.
As a matter of academic interest, do you cheer when the other horse takes a fall, to your ultimate advantage?
gc
Depends if its injured or not obviously nobody wants to see a horse get any sort of injury or worse a fatal fall, if the horse is ok and my horse goes on to take advantage then why shouldnt i be pleased.
Mmmmm, but doesn’t it usually take a few seconds after the horse has hit the deck to establish whether (s)he is going to get up or not? I very much doubt that everyone who is predisposed enough to cheer a horse’s fall is going to hold their tongues for that length of time before launching into any cheers of haaaaaaahhhhy’*******, etc.
No true jumps fan with a working heart could cheer any such misfortune, non-fatal or otherwise. Magnanimity in victory as well as defeat really isn’t a lot to ask for.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
But it’s one thing thinking it, and another thing saying it.
Mike
Why? I’m not having a pop before you get upset but it is an interesting question.. What is being sporting? Considering the ultimate goal is to finish first have we british got the wrong end of the stick regarding what being sporting is?
Take american athletics for example, if your not fit, banned, have a bad day on the day of their trials and you don’t finish in the first three thats it your out, no second chance, no moral winner… So is there really anything wrong with fairley wanting to win at all costs and voicing that opinion? Personally I don’t have a problem with it. If Buick’s done something wrong, he should be punished, if he doesn’t win the title as a result is it really fairleys concern…
I guess ‘sporting’ is just an unwritten rule Aragorn. It doesn’t have to be adhered to but it’s nice when it is, and not so nice when it isn’t in my opinion.
Shaking hands with the opposing manager just after your team has been thrashed 5-0 is not a rule of football, but it’s sporting and gentlemanly to do so.
When you’re the leader in the clubhouse in golf you will never come out and say, "I hope he bogeys the last few holes so I win" – you would instead say, "I would never wish anyone to play bad, but if I win then so be it".
I just think that Greg could of got his point across in a slightly better way. LIke Welsh Wizard said, we all know what people are thinking and what they really mean when they give their ‘cliched’ answers – but there is a reason they gave their cliche answers, and I dare say that is because they don’t want to sound disrespectful or unsporting.
Greg could easily have said something like, "It looks like William will get a ban, and the longer the ban then the more chance I have of winning the title, and I will be ready to take full advantage"
We would have all knew that deep down he would be saying to himself, "I hope he gets a massive ban", but he wouldn’t have sounded unsporting this way.
Anyway, I think I have got my opinion and my feelings across now lol, so I will leave it at that.
Mike
interesting thread this one (as usual), with regard to horses falling i have on numerous occasions heard a hearty cheer from those bookie chaps when a fancied horse falls………shame on them. as far as sportsmanship is concerned in this pc mad world an old adage springs to mind………IF WINNING ISNT IMPORTANT WHY BOTHER KEEPING SCORE,chipmunk
Hi MikkyMo73 – could hoping that one man loses his job before another be considered unsporting?
I’m not having a go at you BTW – just wondering what are your thoughts on the matter.
Hi MikkyMo73 – could hoping that one man loses his job before another be considered unsporting?
I’m not having a go at you BTW – just wondering what are your thoughts on the matter.
It could be David.
No doubt you are referring to me wanting Sammy Lee to lose his job before any other Premiership manager.
Sammy Lee doesn’t know me, Sammy Lee has never heard of me and probably never will. I didn’t say what I said in response to an interview on tv or in a newspaper, I am not a sportsman in direct competition with Sammy Lee.
Therefore it is highly unlikely that Sammy Lee will come out and say, "I can’t believe how disrespectful that MikkyMo has been by hoping I lose my job before any other manager".
Whereas in the case this thread is referring too, William Buick will have not doubt read or heard what Greg said. William Buick is a sportsman in direct competion with Greg. William Buick has heard of Greg Fairley and knows exactly who is is. What Greg said was printed in the highest profile paper for that sport etc etc.
So David, I think you’re trying to compare two totally different scenarios.
Even if wanting a manager to lose his job before another manager is unsporting, then I still don’t see what relevance that has to this debate – afterall I have never said that I am personally sporting or unsporting – and my comments on this thread purely relate to the Greg Fairley debate.
Mike
ps: Did you take the 18.5 and the 5.5 (for their 2 respective markets) about Adebayor
Mmmmm, but doesn’t it usually take a few seconds after the horse has hit the deck to establish whether (s)he is going to get up or not? I very much doubt that everyone who is predisposed enough to cheer a horse’s fall is going to hold their tongues for that length of time before launching into any cheers of haaaaaaahhhhy'[expletive], etc.
No true jumps fan with a working heart could cheer any such misfortune, non-fatal or otherwise. Magnanimity in victory as well as defeat really isn’t a lot to ask for.
gc
The thing is Jeremy, you’re more of an enthusiast than a punter. I can honestly say, that if there’s a 5-10K swing either way, and two horses are coming down to the last together, and the other one cops a pearler, inside you think "thank **** for that" followed about 2 seconds later by "God, I hope that horse and jockey are ok"
best regards
Nick
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