[johnjohn]

heavysoul, on 13 August 2012 - 21:17 PM, said:

That has been the case for long distance running for years - I just didn't understand why colour had to be brought into a list of reasons of why GB did better this time around.

Can't we just celebrate the success without dissecting the reasons why. Maybe we just done good

Yes,....we were the best in the world for 29 events,one cannot dispute that

[PaulOckenden]

johnjohn, on 13 August 2012 - 21:04 PM, said:

Yes,....we were the best in the world for 29 events,one cannot dispute that

I know I'm going to get slaughtered for daring to mention this, but here goes anyway.

I couldn't help noticing how many of the Team GB medal winners had overseas accents. They obviously weren't born and bred here.

Not a majority by any means, but a significant number.

Reminded me of that Canadian tennis player who became British And of course Zola Budd.

The Olympic rules on nationality seem to be almost as strange as those about amateur vs professional.

And PLEASE don't read this the wrong way. I'm not knocking Team GB. There are obviously rules, and they are obviously abiding by them. As such they did well. I'm proud of their achievement. My comment isn't meant in any negative way, it's simply an observation.

P.

[JC]

PaulOckenden, on 13 August 2012 - 20:24 PM, said:

I know I'm going to get slaughtered for daring to mention this, but here goes anyway.

I couldn't help noticing how many of the Team GB medal winners had overseas accents. They obviously weren't born and bred here.

Not a majority by any means, but a significant number.

Reminded me of that Canadian tennis player who became British And of course Zola Budd.

The Olympic rules on nationality seem to be almost as strange as those about amateur vs professional.

And PLEASE don't read this the wrong way. I'm not knocking Team GB. There are obviously rules, and they are obviously abiding by them. As such they did well. I'm proud of their achievement. My comment isn't meant in any negative way, it's simply an observation.

P.

Just copy and paste that one and you've got your next letter for the Daily Mail

[heavysoul]

PaulOckenden, on 13 August 2012 - 21:24 PM, said:

I know I'm going to get slaughtered for daring to mention this, but here goes anyway.

I couldn't help noticing how many of the Team GB medal winners had overseas accents. They obviously weren't born and bred here.

Not a majority by any means, but a significant number.

Reminded me of that Canadian tennis player who became British And of course Zola Budd.

The Olympic rules on nationality seem to be almost as strange as those about amateur vs professional.

And PLEASE don't read this the wrong way. I'm not knocking Team GB. There are obviously rules, and they are obviously abiding by them. As such they did well. I'm proud of their achievement. My comment isn't meant in any negative way, it's simply an observation.

P.

For a bit of fun - obviously - I have had a look at all the Gold Medal winners. I can't see any issue with any of them in terms of strange Olympic rules re nationality... I haven't got the time - or inclination - to do silver and bronze

The only accent I really picked up was Philip Hindes - born in Germany, father serving in British Army!

Anthony Joshua - Watford
Luke Campbell - Hull
Mo Farah - Mogadishu - born to an English father
Ed McKeever - Bath
Jade Jones - Flint
Nicola Adams - Leeds
Charlotte Dujardin - Enfield
Chris Hoy - Edinburgh
Laura Trott - Harlow
Laura Bechtolsheimer - Germany - moved to England when she was one
Carl Hester - Sark
Alistair Brownlee - Dewsbury
Jason Kenny - Bolton
Nick Skelton - Coventry
Ben Maher - Enfield
Scott Brash - Peebles
Peter Charles - Liverpool
Andy Murray - Glasgow
Ben Ainsle - Macclesfield
Greg Rutherford - Milton Keynes
Jessica Ennis - Sheffield
Laura Trott - Harlow
Dani King - Southampton
Joanna Rowsell - Carshalton
Katherine Copeland - Ashington
Sophie Hosking - Edinburgh
Andy Triggs-Hodge - Halton
Pete Reed - Seattle but moved to England before he was one
Alex Gregory - Cheltenham
Tom James - Cardiff
Victoria Pendleton - Stotfold
Steven Burke - Burnley
Ed Clancy - Barnsley
Geraint Thomas - Cardiff
Peter Kennaugh - Douglas, IOM
Katherine Grainger - Glasgow
Anna Watkins - Leek
Chris Hoy - Edinburgh
Philip Hindes - Germany, born to British father serving in British Army
Peter Wilson - Dorchester
Tim Baillie - Aberdeen
Etienne Stott - Manchester
Bradley Wiggins - born in Belgium but moved to England with his mother when two

[PaulOckenden]

I'm sure I heard someone that sounded north American (US or Canada), and another who was either NZ or SA (I find it hard to tell those two apart), as well as the German one you pointed out.

Your gold medal list looks pretty kosher though - maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree.

P.

[Trotters]

heavysoul, on 13 August 2012 - 22:25 PM, said:

For a bit of fun - obviously - I have had a look at all the Gold Medal winners. I can't see any issue with any of them in terms of strange Olympic rules re nationality... I haven't got the time - or inclination - to do silver and bronze

The only accent I really picked up was Philip Hindes - born in Germany, father serving in British Army!

Anthony Joshua - Watford
Luke Campbell - Hull
Mo Farah - Mogadishu - born to an English father
Ed McKeever - Bath
Jade Jones - Flint
Nicola Adams - Leeds
Charlotte Dujardin - Enfield
Chris Hoy - Edinburgh
Laura Trott - Harlow
Laura Bechtolsheimer - Germany - moved to England when she was one
Carl Hester - Sark
Alistair Brownlee - Dewsbury
Jason Kenny - Bolton
Nick Skelton - Coventry
Ben Maher - Enfield
Scott Brash - Peebles
Peter Charles - Liverpool
Andy Murray - Glasgow
Ben Ainsle - Macclesfield
Greg Rutherford - Milton Keynes
Jessica Ennis - Sheffield
Laura Trott - Harlow
Dani King - Southampton
Joanna Rowsell - Carshalton
Katherine Copeland - Ashington
Sophie Hosking - Edinburgh
Andy Triggs-Hodge - Halton
Pete Reed - Seattle but moved to England before he was one
Alex Gregory - Cheltenham
Tom James - Cardiff
Victoria Pendleton - Stotfold
Steven Burke - Burnley
Ed Clancy - Barnsley
Geraint Thomas - Cardiff
Peter Kennaugh - Douglas, IOM
Katherine Grainger - Glasgow
Anna Watkins - Leek
Chris Hoy - Edinburgh
Philip Hindes - Germany, born to British father serving in British Army
Peter Wilson - Dorchester
Tim Baillie - Aberdeen
Etienne Stott - Manchester
Bradley Wiggins - born in Belgium but moved to England with his mother when two

Good work Heavysoul but your research could be falling on deaf ears, its really quite bizarre how people hear what they want to hear. Funnily enough I used to manufacture component parts for hearing aids in a previous life had I made the complete assembly I may have been able to help PO.

[PaulOckenden]

Trotters, on 13 August 2012 - 23:27 PM, said:

Good work Heavysoul but your research could be falling on deaf ears, its really quite bizarre how people hear what they want to hear.

Not really fair. I have no agenda, simply pointing out a genuine observation.

If you knew anything at all about my views and politics you (and Julian with his Daily Mail quip) might realise just how wide of the mark you are.

I knew I shouldn't have posted it. I realised it would be read the wrong way. I even made a special plea not to read it the wrong way.

You know that stuff about people hearing what they want to hear? Seems it applies to reading too.

P.

p.s. Really don't want to get into a fight or slanging match over this. If I was wrong then I'm sorry.