We're all here to gamble on this site. We like a wager. It might be because we grew up with it, we have addictive personalities, or perhaps just like a flutter now and again, not to mention the social side of the forums.
Can I just say, for the record, how brilliant these Olympics have been. I too love a gamble but see sport as momentous and poetic and encompassing all the best (and sometimes worst) attributes of humanity. It has been real drama; real life writ large for the last two weeks. The highs, the lows, the sheer brilliance of human athletic achievement and we even got a fantastic Elbow song thrown in for good measure.
I don't hold a lot with patriotism, but I can safely say that the last two weeks have made me truly proud to be British. I've enjoyed every minute of it.
And to those who would seek to decry this post, fcuk off back to the football forums where your spite will be better served.
I thought Sydney was the best Olympics I'd seen, but I honestly think this one tops it. Perfect celebration of sport. You can keep Bejing's regimentation for me.
I thought Sydney was the best Olympics I'd seen, but I honestly think this one tops it. Perfect celebration of sport. You can keep Bejing's regimentation for me.
We just needed to harness all the things that make us brilliant.
Our snse of humour, our history our artistic heritage, which all came together in that spell-binding opening ceremony.
Then our willingness to volunteer. The 'Gamesmakers' are the unsung heroes of these last couple of weeks. Their sense of humour, warmth and knowledge - which you cannot replicate from a conscripted peon - has been awe-inspiring.
Our athletes were always going to respond to a home environment and by and large they have done so If only Bill Seetnham had been kept on as the Head of Swimming.
All that and the release of the latent 'we're pretty damn good on the quiet' psyche that is there in the average Briton and there you have the ingredients for a magnificent Olympics.
We just needed to harness all the things that make us brilliant.Our snse of humour, our history our artistic heritage, which all came together in that spell-binding opening ceremony.Then our willingness to volunteer. The 'Gamesmakers' are the unsung
the release of the latent 'we're pretty damn good on the quiet' psyche
on the quiet? we call ourselves GREAT Britain! always wondered what the ROTW make of that.
the release of the latent 'we're pretty damn good on the quiet' psycheon the quiet? we call ourselves GREAT Britain! always wondered what the ROTW make of that.
That link is just someone's opinion (obviously biased) and says that it was "Great" to distinguish it from Brittany in North West France or that it may have been because a Scottish King decided he was "King of Great Britain".
I win every time! 11 Aug 12 17:26lol, see belowhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_Great_Britain_called_Great_BritainThat link is just someone's opinion (obviously biased) and says that it was "Great" to distinguish it from Brittany in North West Franc
look mate, I can see you're a bit narked for some reason. I was merely adding to the debate with what is a completely plausible explanation - the 'lol' had no deeper meaning, purely incidental.
Chill out and enjoy life
look mate, I can see you're a bit narked for some reason. I was merely adding to the debate with what is a completely plausible explanation - the 'lol' had no deeper meaning, purely incidental.Chill out and enjoy life
on the quiet? we call ourselves GREAT Britain! always wondered what the ROTW make of that.
Named as such several hundred years ago to distinguish our island ('greater Britain') from the 'lesser Britain' - the Kingdom of Brittany. Has nothing to do with the current meaning of 'oustanding'.
on the quiet? we call ourselves GREAT Britain! always wondered what the ROTW make of that.Named as such several hundred years ago to distinguish our island ('greater Britain') from the 'lesser Britain' - the Kingdom of Brittany. Has nothing to do wi
While we're at it, let's force New Zealand to call itself just Zealand. It's not like it's terribly new any more, and I doubt few people in the world know much about Danish geography anyway..
There are places in the world further south than Australia, so they should probably change their name as well. Oh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo isn't really all that democratic, so let's tell them to drop it. And I was in Chad for almost a whole week, and not once did I see one drawing of a large nosed man's head with 'Wot No XXX' written underneath it. So clearly that one's a misnomer too.
Or, alternatively, we could just be proud of the way these games seem to have brought the best out of our country, and not turn this thread into yet another set of 'Britain isn't great at all' posts..
(PS: My favourite bits were the hilarious UK-themed fences on the show-jumping..)
While we're at it, let's force New Zealand to call itself just Zealand. It's not like it's terribly new any more, and I doubt few people in the world know much about Danish geography anyway..There are places in the world further south than Australia,