Personally I don't understand why people get on their high horse because Paula chose not to continue. What does it matter? She was in it to win it, but on the day she couldn't even get in the top 3. What was she actually going to achieve by plodding on and finishing even further down the field? Nothing. Absolutely zilch.
I didn't feel particularly sorry for Paula, but I'm not going to go out of my way to slate her either. If you can't stand the heat get yourself out that's what I say. Guys like Yory Boy Campas, Carl Greaves, Acelino Freitas, Andrew Golota, Bruce Seldon, Bob Mirovic, JC Chavez (to name a few) will understand I'm sure.
ouch...a bit harsh on Paula
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jamesmcdonnell
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 45229
- Joined: 12 Nov 2003, 06:11
It was blindingly obvious that Paula was completely spent in the marathon. She had killed herself to get back into medal contention after falling off the pace, and was clearly struggling to stay in third position when she got passed. Psychologically seeing the 4th place athelete pass her when she was in for a medal
The other two British atheletes had no such expectations of a medal, and so for them, running well off the pace of the leaders it wasn't a big blow to find themselves in 4th. They were running way off the pace Paula was running at.
The pace set by the Chinese athlete was a brutal affair under those conditions and Paula obviously pushed herself too hard. She did try to run on but couldn't summon the energy.
As for the 10,000, well she was clearly fucked, and simply couldn't summon the strength to continue.
Christ, was she supposed to carry on running until she collapsed, which is quite likely what the outcome would have been.
The other two British atheletes had no such expectations of a medal, and so for them, running well off the pace of the leaders it wasn't a big blow to find themselves in 4th. They were running way off the pace Paula was running at.
The pace set by the Chinese athlete was a brutal affair under those conditions and Paula obviously pushed herself too hard. She did try to run on but couldn't summon the energy.
As for the 10,000, well she was clearly fucked, and simply couldn't summon the strength to continue.
Christ, was she supposed to carry on running until she collapsed, which is quite likely what the outcome would have been.
knockout mate im all in favour of saying what you like. it wasnt me who said you had to have done something before you could comment upon it.knockout wrote:Neil R: There is a huge difference between the following negative criticism's
"enzo is fighting over the hill fighters"
and
"Paula quit and is a bottler".....
chalk and cheese....
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BunglesFingers
- Heavyweight
Have to say I was well pleased she quit in both events. Have seen far too much of this annoying sqeuaky bird lately. To be fair its the BBC's fault for making such a big deal about her, but the whole teary eyed interview crap just made me cringe. How many athletes had dodgy excuses for their performances in Athens? Why not just say they weren't good enough on the day and be done with it, they would get far more respect.
That article is a disgrace.
Paula was a national hero before these Olympics and Sports personality of the year. She has one bad marathon in the blistering heat of Greece and some prick is calling her a national disgrace what a wanker the author of that article is.
It has only been the last few years where Paula has been right at the top of the game, she spent years and years of being out-kicked in the final stages of races and she has worked unbelievably hard to get into the position she has got herself in. IMO she has earnt the right to choose whether she wants to drop out of a race or to trot over the finishing line in tenth place.
I don't recall us Brits ever having a female athlete who has dominated their event in the same way that Paula Radcliffe has dominated the marathon over the last couple of years (she has knocked about 3 minutes of the World Record).
This is typical British tabloid behaviour, build her up and knock her down. If Paula hadn't trained as hard as she had done over the past years and was always a gallant loser the public would love her- its crazy. It reminds me of when the awesome Naz was about and the country was full of tosspots who couldn't wait for him to lose.
Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German.
:x :x :x :x :x That is how fornicating angry this gobshite make me
Paula was a national hero before these Olympics and Sports personality of the year. She has one bad marathon in the blistering heat of Greece and some prick is calling her a national disgrace what a wanker the author of that article is.
It has only been the last few years where Paula has been right at the top of the game, she spent years and years of being out-kicked in the final stages of races and she has worked unbelievably hard to get into the position she has got herself in. IMO she has earnt the right to choose whether she wants to drop out of a race or to trot over the finishing line in tenth place.
I don't recall us Brits ever having a female athlete who has dominated their event in the same way that Paula Radcliffe has dominated the marathon over the last couple of years (she has knocked about 3 minutes of the World Record).
This is typical British tabloid behaviour, build her up and knock her down. If Paula hadn't trained as hard as she had done over the past years and was always a gallant loser the public would love her- its crazy. It reminds me of when the awesome Naz was about and the country was full of tosspots who couldn't wait for him to lose.
Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German.
:x :x :x :x :x That is how fornicating angry this gobshite make meyou say the article is a disgrace.... you talk of "typical British tabloid behaviour" then you come out with comment "Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German."Chambers wrote:That article is a disgrace.
Paula was a national hero before these Olympics and Sports personality of the year. She has one bad marathon in the blistering heat of Greece and some prick is calling her a national disgrace what a wanker the author of that article is.
It has only been the last few years where Paula has been right at the top of the game, she spent years and years of being out-kicked in the final stages of races and she has worked unbelievably hard to get into the position she has got herself in. IMO she has earnt the right to choose whether she wants to drop out of a race or to trot over the finishing line in tenth place.
I don't recall us Brits ever having a female athlete who has dominated their event in the same way that Paula Radcliffe has dominated the marathon over the last couple of years (she has knocked about 3 minutes of the World Record).
This is typical British tabloid behaviour, build her up and knock her down. If Paula hadn't trained as hard as she had done over the past years and was always a gallant loser the public would love her- its crazy. It reminds me of when the awesome Naz was about and the country was full of tosspots who couldn't wait for him to lose.
Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German.
a statement which is of course not a disgrace and is nothing like "typical British tabloid behaviour"
hypocritical unfounded xenophobia rules eh?
try re-arranging the following words. "kettle, the, calling, black, the, pot"
That 'piece' of writing is downright pathetic. She was obviously in distress in the marathon with some distance to go. And certainly didnt look herself in the 10,000 metres at least she gave it a go. Yet another outlandish piece of journalism by someone trying to make a name for himself. Not for the first time either.
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Matchfixer
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1117
- Joined: 24 Jan 2004, 11:27
Perhaps you should send this to the BBC. I agree 100%Ding_Ding wrote:Have to say I was well pleased she quit in both events. Have seen far too much of this annoying sqeuaky bird lately. To be fair its the BBC's fault for making such a big deal about her, but the whole teary eyed interview crap just made me cringe. How many athletes had dodgy excuses for their performances in Athens? Why not just say they weren't good enough on the day and be done with it, they would get far more respect.
The reason I said the author was German (it could have been any country) was to vent my anger at the lack of patriotism shown to Paula since her defeat, I can't understand how any Britain could write this unnecessary provocative shit. I take your point on board and I admit that I got abit carried away with myself, but that shouldn't detract from my original points.neil r wrote:you say the article is a disgrace.... you talk of "typical British tabloid behaviour" then you come out with comment "Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German."Chambers wrote:That article is a disgrace.
Paula was a national hero before these Olympics and Sports personality of the year. She has one bad marathon in the blistering heat of Greece and some prick is calling her a national disgrace what a wanker the author of that article is.
It has only been the last few years where Paula has been right at the top of the game, she spent years and years of being out-kicked in the final stages of races and she has worked unbelievably hard to get into the position she has got herself in. IMO she has earnt the right to choose whether she wants to drop out of a race or to trot over the finishing line in tenth place.
I don't recall us Brits ever having a female athlete who has dominated their event in the same way that Paula Radcliffe has dominated the marathon over the last couple of years (she has knocked about 3 minutes of the World Record).
This is typical British tabloid behaviour, build her up and knock her down. If Paula hadn't trained as hard as she had done over the past years and was always a gallant loser the public would love her- its crazy. It reminds me of when the awesome Naz was about and the country was full of tosspots who couldn't wait for him to lose.
Tony Blair should kick the author of this article out of the country as he must be German.
a statement which is of course not a disgrace and is nothing like "typical British tabloid behaviour"
hypocritical unfounded xenophobia rules eh?
try re-arranging the following words. "kettle, the, calling, black, the, pot"
In hindsight the author shouldn't be kicked out of the country, but stuck in the Tower of London and publicly flogged on a daily basis
Last edited by Chambers on 01 Sep 2004, 08:07, edited 1 time in total.
At the wedding I was at last Saturday, my mate Ed got lucky with one of the bridemaids. They didn't have any protection, so Ed came out with the immortal:
"I'll do a Radcliffe".
After a ten second pause (and Sara having a puzzled face), he followed up with "Don't worry, I'll pull out before the finish".
"I'll do a Radcliffe".
After a ten second pause (and Sara having a puzzled face), he followed up with "Don't worry, I'll pull out before the finish".
Loynesy wrote:At the wedding I was at last Saturday, my mate Ed got lucky with one of the bridemaids. They didn't have any protection, so Ed came out with the immortal:
"I'll do a Radcliffe".
After a ten second pause (and Sara having a puzzled face), he followed up with "Don't worry, I'll pull out before the finish".
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Chris the fighter
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 121
- Joined: 11 Jun 2004, 11:18
Neil R Thanks for taking the time to look at my past comments on this forum.
I'm sorry I can't take seriously a person such as yourself
and I stand by my comment. My previous comments were on subjects I know a little (though i'm already ready to learn) about. Now maybe you have run a marathon and know about the training involved but I guess you are one of these armchrair critics who know shit. (don't take offence please).
I don't like to argue with people on a forum but sorry your comment was laughable.
I'm sorry I can't take seriously a person such as yourself
and I stand by my comment. My previous comments were on subjects I know a little (though i'm already ready to learn) about. Now maybe you have run a marathon and know about the training involved but I guess you are one of these armchrair critics who know shit. (don't take offence please).
I don't like to argue with people on a forum but sorry your comment was laughable.
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Slapsie Maxie
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 794
- Joined: 22 Jun 2004, 08:22
as in all these things there are elements of truth on both sides of the argument
The Marathon is a pig and in that heat all the runners were going to suffer. PR just ran a crap race and got caught out. I had some sympathy for her when she stopped in that race
She was clearly not in any condition to run a competetive 10,000, so should not have done it. Once she made the call she should have taken her lumps. IN that race she was a quitter. She gave up not because she could not continue, but because she could not get a medal. A pathetic excuse.
In all sports, hell in life, you have times when you are not going to come out on top. What measures a person is how they respond
To bring it back to boxing, I have gained more respect for Tyson in his losses that in his victories. In all the defeats ( ear biting aside ) he has taken his lumps. Lewis was a case in point. He was getting lathered from the second round and, even though he knew he could not get off with a decent punch, he kept getting off his stool when a lesser man may have quit
It is in adversity that a person is best judged and PR failed to meet her own high standards
Slapsie
The Marathon is a pig and in that heat all the runners were going to suffer. PR just ran a crap race and got caught out. I had some sympathy for her when she stopped in that race
She was clearly not in any condition to run a competetive 10,000, so should not have done it. Once she made the call she should have taken her lumps. IN that race she was a quitter. She gave up not because she could not continue, but because she could not get a medal. A pathetic excuse.
In all sports, hell in life, you have times when you are not going to come out on top. What measures a person is how they respond
To bring it back to boxing, I have gained more respect for Tyson in his losses that in his victories. In all the defeats ( ear biting aside ) he has taken his lumps. Lewis was a case in point. He was getting lathered from the second round and, even though he knew he could not get off with a decent punch, he kept getting off his stool when a lesser man may have quit
It is in adversity that a person is best judged and PR failed to meet her own high standards
Slapsie
great post Slapsie, totally agree, PR also truly belived she more or less only had to turn up to win. Or thats what we were led to beleive, if you hate Carl Froch for his overhyping then the same should be applied to PR.
Whats good for the goose.......
Personally I dont hate either, I thought the way Paula dropped out of the marathon and the over coverage of it all was too much. She was hung out to dry by the press and it was toally OTT.
Anywayt better to focus on the positives, Kelly and the Sprint boys did us proud, as did the remaminder of the medal winners, especially Amir and Matt Pinsent.
Whats good for the goose.......
Personally I dont hate either, I thought the way Paula dropped out of the marathon and the over coverage of it all was too much. She was hung out to dry by the press and it was toally OTT.
Anywayt better to focus on the positives, Kelly and the Sprint boys did us proud, as did the remaminder of the medal winners, especially Amir and Matt Pinsent.
Article from the Telegraph
Australia flays the rower who quit
By Nick Squires and Ben Fenton
(Filed: 25/08/2004)
Perhaps it is just a question of practice but yesterday Britain found a branch of sporting excellence at which it could trounce Australia: compassion for the loser.
The outpouring of sympathy for Paula Radcliffe's failure even to complete the Olympic marathon event she had been favoured to win contrasted starkly with Australia's mass pillorying of Sally Robbins, the rower who gave up during the final of the women's eight.
Robbins directly caused her rowing team to finish last and was lambasted by her comrades and by a pitiless press at home.
She was accused of "squibbing" (giving up), "wimping out" and "dudding" (cheating), her comrades and her country.
On radio talkshows and in internet chatrooms, Robbins won a host of unwanted epithets showing the richness of Australian opprobrium: wuss, piker, bludger and sook - all meaning similar things.
As Sydney's Daily Telegraph put it: "It appears as though Robbins has committed the greatest crime there is in honest sport - she quit."
But for Radcliffe, who also quit, sitting down and weeping on an Athens pavement with less than four miles to run, there was nothing but understanding.
"Paula's Olympic heartbreak" read one British headline. "Tears of a hero," exclaimed another. "Brave Paula's Olympic dream ends in tears," a third lamented.
The kindest headline for Robbins in the wake of failure was "It's eight, mate. Pull your weight."
Her cause was not helped by the disclosure that exactly the same thing had happened at the world rowing championships held in Spain two years ago.
Kathy Freeman, the heroine of Sydney when she won the 400 metres for Australia, said that "to give up is very un-Australian".
Reaction in Australia to the vilification of Robbins, 23, by her fellow rowers, one of whom had threatened to throw her out of the boat, was a swift defence from officialdom followed by a bout of national soul-searching.
"Basically in our team, you do not slag off your mates," Mike Tancred, the media director of the Australian Olympic Committee, said.
"Sally Robbins gave 100 per cent commitment in that boat and it's not for other team members to question her commitment. That's not what we're about as an Olympic team."
After the intervention of John Eales, the former captain of the Australian rugby union team, the girls got together in public to make up and Julia Wilson, the leader, said that Robbins would still be a maid of honour at her wedding later in the year.
Newspaper columnists in Australia yesterday were asking themselves whether it was Robbins who had been un-Australian - apparently becoming as severe a crime as being un-American in the United States - or whether it was her critics in the Australian media.
"Some may ask if we have become sadly fixated and culturally gauche," wrote one.
But the sympathy for Robbins did not stretch very far.
Mike Gibson, a columnist with Sydney's Telegraph, said his feelings lay with the other girls in the crew.
"Ever since they were kids, most of them have been up before the sparrows break wind, busting their backsides rowing the damn boat.
"When someone at the end of four years of unbelievably hard work - particularly someone with a history of stopping in mid-stream - suddenly calls off the jam, did you really expect her crew mates to say 'Don't worry, Sal, there's always Beijing.' "
Nick Redshaw, the president of the Association of Professional Sports and Exercise Psychologists, said: "There is such an ethos to win there and from an early age they put their athletes under huge pressure to succeed.
"When we do that with our athletes they seem to crumble. If we coached the way the Australians and Americans do we'd be called bullies but they clearly produce results."
Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at the University of London, who as a New Zealander might be considered a neutral observer, said: "Perhaps there is a pioneering spirit there, where manly virtues and motivations are more highly valued than they are in Britain.
"After all, here people tend to despise a go-getter for not accepting his position in life but for trying to improve him or herself."
The rower Rachael Taylor, who won a silver medal in the women's pair at the Sydney Olympics, said: "I have never, ever, seen anyone at an elite level stop rowing except for Sally Robbins twice, both times costing her crew mates medals at the highest level."
Australia flays the rower who quit
By Nick Squires and Ben Fenton
(Filed: 25/08/2004)
Perhaps it is just a question of practice but yesterday Britain found a branch of sporting excellence at which it could trounce Australia: compassion for the loser.
The outpouring of sympathy for Paula Radcliffe's failure even to complete the Olympic marathon event she had been favoured to win contrasted starkly with Australia's mass pillorying of Sally Robbins, the rower who gave up during the final of the women's eight.
Robbins directly caused her rowing team to finish last and was lambasted by her comrades and by a pitiless press at home.
She was accused of "squibbing" (giving up), "wimping out" and "dudding" (cheating), her comrades and her country.
On radio talkshows and in internet chatrooms, Robbins won a host of unwanted epithets showing the richness of Australian opprobrium: wuss, piker, bludger and sook - all meaning similar things.
As Sydney's Daily Telegraph put it: "It appears as though Robbins has committed the greatest crime there is in honest sport - she quit."
But for Radcliffe, who also quit, sitting down and weeping on an Athens pavement with less than four miles to run, there was nothing but understanding.
"Paula's Olympic heartbreak" read one British headline. "Tears of a hero," exclaimed another. "Brave Paula's Olympic dream ends in tears," a third lamented.
The kindest headline for Robbins in the wake of failure was "It's eight, mate. Pull your weight."
Her cause was not helped by the disclosure that exactly the same thing had happened at the world rowing championships held in Spain two years ago.
Kathy Freeman, the heroine of Sydney when she won the 400 metres for Australia, said that "to give up is very un-Australian".
Reaction in Australia to the vilification of Robbins, 23, by her fellow rowers, one of whom had threatened to throw her out of the boat, was a swift defence from officialdom followed by a bout of national soul-searching.
"Basically in our team, you do not slag off your mates," Mike Tancred, the media director of the Australian Olympic Committee, said.
"Sally Robbins gave 100 per cent commitment in that boat and it's not for other team members to question her commitment. That's not what we're about as an Olympic team."
After the intervention of John Eales, the former captain of the Australian rugby union team, the girls got together in public to make up and Julia Wilson, the leader, said that Robbins would still be a maid of honour at her wedding later in the year.
Newspaper columnists in Australia yesterday were asking themselves whether it was Robbins who had been un-Australian - apparently becoming as severe a crime as being un-American in the United States - or whether it was her critics in the Australian media.
"Some may ask if we have become sadly fixated and culturally gauche," wrote one.
But the sympathy for Robbins did not stretch very far.
Mike Gibson, a columnist with Sydney's Telegraph, said his feelings lay with the other girls in the crew.
"Ever since they were kids, most of them have been up before the sparrows break wind, busting their backsides rowing the damn boat.
"When someone at the end of four years of unbelievably hard work - particularly someone with a history of stopping in mid-stream - suddenly calls off the jam, did you really expect her crew mates to say 'Don't worry, Sal, there's always Beijing.' "
Nick Redshaw, the president of the Association of Professional Sports and Exercise Psychologists, said: "There is such an ethos to win there and from an early age they put their athletes under huge pressure to succeed.
"When we do that with our athletes they seem to crumble. If we coached the way the Australians and Americans do we'd be called bullies but they clearly produce results."
Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at the University of London, who as a New Zealander might be considered a neutral observer, said: "Perhaps there is a pioneering spirit there, where manly virtues and motivations are more highly valued than they are in Britain.
"After all, here people tend to despise a go-getter for not accepting his position in life but for trying to improve him or herself."
The rower Rachael Taylor, who won a silver medal in the women's pair at the Sydney Olympics, said: "I have never, ever, seen anyone at an elite level stop rowing except for Sally Robbins twice, both times costing her crew mates medals at the highest level."
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harley_man
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 92
- Joined: 04 May 2004, 10:24
The article's a bit over the top, sure, but so was the outpouring of sympathy for Radcliffe. I can name a hundred athletes who underperformed and just said, damn didn't have it today. Sadly many of them are from Canada. We had a lass - Perdita Felicien - in the hurdles who should have blitzed the field. Instead she ended up in a heap at the first hurdle. Through her tears she said she was sorry she let us all down. When we all rushed to tell her we loved her and felt for her (also overblown - it wasn't a "national tragedy") she came back the next day with fire in her eyes and said I'll get 'em next time. Maybe that's what Paula should have said. And that's not a British - Canada comparison - lord knows we lost to plenty of Brits.
But do compare Paula's run to Vanedrlei Lima's marathon experience. That joyous airplane glide he did down the homestretch was Olympian. He coulda packed it in after the crazy priest molested him.
But do compare Paula's run to Vanedrlei Lima's marathon experience. That joyous airplane glide he did down the homestretch was Olympian. He coulda packed it in after the crazy priest molested him.
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Chris the fighter
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 121
- Joined: 11 Jun 2004, 11:18
I wonder what makes a top level sportsman or sportswomen quit its
someting which has really intreste me. I quess Duran is example No 1 when we think of a boxer who quit. Do they hit the wall physically and mentally or maybe they come up against an opponent who is just so much better then them that they can't take any more. Maybe it is part of every single person and when adversity comes in some people quit and others don't. Thats what I think happened to Radcliffe she had never quit before that why she was well loved by a lot of people but for some reason
she couldn't do it anymore. Yes she failed but she deserves compassion rather then scorn.
someting which has really intreste me. I quess Duran is example No 1 when we think of a boxer who quit. Do they hit the wall physically and mentally or maybe they come up against an opponent who is just so much better then them that they can't take any more. Maybe it is part of every single person and when adversity comes in some people quit and others don't. Thats what I think happened to Radcliffe she had never quit before that why she was well loved by a lot of people but for some reason
she couldn't do it anymore. Yes she failed but she deserves compassion rather then scorn.
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jamesmcdonnell
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 45229
- Joined: 12 Nov 2003, 06:11
Boxers get it in the neck more when they "quit" because theoretically there is still a chance they could win if they land the right punch. It's not like the opponent can ever be that far away from them. But in so many cases (Mosley v Winky for example) a guy can try all night and still have nothing to show for it at the end apart from a heap of bruises.
or she didnt want to finishout of the medals depending on how you look at it.
As for Duran I heard he had the shits also. COuld of course just be errr a crock of shit but I think ian did an article in Uppercut that included that as apossible excuse. the reason Durtan said No Mas, was one more punch to the midriff meantshe would explode like a muckspreader in public
As for Duran I heard he had the shits also. COuld of course just be errr a crock of shit but I think ian did an article in Uppercut that included that as apossible excuse. the reason Durtan said No Mas, was one more punch to the midriff meantshe would explode like a muckspreader in public
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jamesmcdonnell
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 45229
- Joined: 12 Nov 2003, 06:11