It’s 2012 and here comes the London Oympics, but what about Olympism – the reason the Olympics exist? Olympism was founded by the ancient Greeks. They actively encouraged citizens to develop all of their physical, moral, intellectual, cultural and artistic qualities. The Olympic Games celebrated this with the Olympic Games festival involving athletes, artists [...]
2011 Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments of 2011 Romanian captain, Cristian Petre, who after suffering a 67-3 loss to England, was asked by a reporter about the game and replied “I play rugby for happiness.” More. The French rugby team won the toss to choose who wears their own home jerseys in the Rugby World Cup Final [...]
‘Tis the Season Not to Dive
To Dive or Not To Dive? That is the question. Well here’s the answer: Don’t do it. This form of cheating is ruining the beautiful game. Fans don’t like it. In fact, many fans are digusted by their own players if they dive. Fellow proferssionals dislike it. But who is doing anything serious about it? [...]
What is sporting success?
Celebrating its 125th year anniversary, Arsenal FC, are the first British Club to qualify for the (European) Champions League knock out stages this year. They have consistently qualified for both this ‘highest level’ league and its subsequent knockout stages every year since their manager Arsene Wenger joined them some 15 years ago. Despite this, some [...]
French Revolutionaries, Kiwi Cup, Springbok Honour & a Romanian Winner
The All Blacks played like the ‘great prophets of doom’ as Bill McLaren once described them as they closed out the fantastic French revolutionaries – a team that was in disarray yet played wonderful rugby (only in the final) while the favourites played a rugged dogged defensive game to nervously win a thrilling Rugby World [...]
Dignity in Defeat – This Is Magnificent
This is magnificent. An All Ireland Gaelic Football Final between arch enemies Dublin and Kerry went all the way before it was won by the Dubs in the last second of the match in front of 82,500 fans. With the game over, the defeated young Kerry player retrieved the ball, carried it up the pitch [...]
Refugee Wins Gold
Former Somali refugee, Mohamed Farah, made Britain proud when he won gold in the 5,000 metres World Athletic Championships. Arch rival, Kenyan, Paul Lagat (representing USA) was the first to embrace him and congratulate him. Sportsmanship prevails also. Farah arrived in England when he was just 8 years old and hardly spoke any English. His [...]
Goal Celebrations – Rage Or Joy?
Roger Milla’s samba with the corner flag, Peter Crouch’s Robot Dance or Pele leaping into the arms of other players with the biggest grin, or this goalkeeper’s extraordinary celebration or, this fan singing and dancing and inspiring a stadium, or perhaps this 19 year old jockey’s unbridled joy as he wins the 2011 Epson Derby* [...]
Indian Cricket Captain Loses Test But Wins English Hearts
The drama started with the last ball before the afternoon tea break on second day of the second test match between World Champions, India, and England. Eoin Morgan (English batsman born in Ireland), hit what he thought was four runs (as he thought the ball went over the boundary – some 50 yards away)……………………………………… [...]
Leprechauns Challenged Darren Clarke
That moment when the eventual Open Winner, Darren Clarke’s ball clipped the top of a bunker and somehow escaped and thundered on safely down the fairway. There were at least two other ‘magical’ moments when the commentators suggested that Clarke had ‘the little people on his side’ (note: Clarke did, in fact, play sublime golf [...]
