Hemel Hempstead Stags v Bramley

[Steph]

Hi

 

I've just gor back from a rugby league division 3 game at Hemel Hempstead. The Stags lost by around 38 to 12 and deservedly so. I was quite pleased to speak to the Bramley fans after and, apparently, they are a new club formed in lat 1990's they are likely to win the league and they are OWNED BY THE SUPPORTERS. The previous ground, the Barley Mow was taken over by housing developers and now Brameley do not have a ground and so struggle to make it up the ladder of the Rugby League.

 

The players were all applauded as they came into the club bar and the fans were just as crazy about their club as we are. They are sponsered by the local co-op and the credit union.

 

What upsets me is that this has happened in a northern club during the "reign" of a labour government,

 

Opposite my house is a young lad, a bloody good swimmer who holds the national record for 400 mmetres (?) swimming. He has now been sent to Austalia for further coaching and preparation. He is a good prospect for a medal in 2008 or 2012 yet his working class parents have just been sent a bill for over £1000 for physio.

 

Why is it that we continue to subsidise ETON, HARROW, OPERA and all the duff crap spewed out by our "Labour" politicians but do not support real sport in this country.

 

Note that in the European Championship we did not pick up a gold medal for the first time ever.

 

Take a look at the letters column in the Observer and, in particular the letter about Michelle Wie which, in my view, epitomises what is wrong with British Sport. Our competitors just want the celebrity and not the hard graft which goes along with it.

 

"Your laudable campaign to highlight the neglect of women's sport in the media is significantly undermined when as in the case of Dai Davies report on the British Women's open, the sporting contest is lagely ignored in pursuit of some spurious 'story', in this case drawn lamely from the circus that surrounds Michelle Wie. Devoting 80% of the text to her ignorance of the rules of golf does a massive disservice to the 30 or so players outperforming her in the Open."

 

Rant over. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" />

[andyetfc]

Steph.

 

We won gold in the 4 x 400 metres relay for men. Oh, and that included a runner who was caught cheating by taking drugs and banned for a whole 2 years!

 

Just wait until we get to the 2012 Olympics. We may end up with 2 medals!

[MbrunoB]

A large debt is more likely than any medals.

[Gazza]

Why in the euro championships is it...

"Team GB & Northern Ireland"

but in the olympics it is just...

"Team GB"

Then in the commonwealth games all countries are independent!

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Quote:

Brunob said:
A large debt is more likely than any medals.

Guaranteed - A lot of half finished stadia. Who knows the flights delays might just get sorted by then! lol

[MbrunoB]

And the tube strikes!!!

[coupwotcoup]

Hemel Hempstead Stags v Bramley???..is this some kind of apple comparison?

[The Invisible Man]

But an excellent post by Steph, if I may say so.

 

I fear that we have lost our ability to organise anything inthis country. We are bound by a combination of red tape, bureaocracy, political correctness, greed and vested interest.