Most embarrassing Irish sporting moment?

Collie D

The Michelle de Bruin thing is a difficult one. I enjoyed watching her win her medals. Did think son of the questions asked at the time were sour grapes. Believe now that we just didn't want to know and hindsight is 20/20.

But at the end of the day she didn't kill anyone and good to see has moved on with her life. It's not nice to see somebody destroyed for a mistake.

The Lance Armstrong comparison is a bit harsh though. That guy was something else in his will to cover his tracks with no regard for anyone else. Cheating is forgivable but there's a bit of a sociopath in him I think.

anncoates

salmocab wrote: »

Im glad that the rovers stadium was built the way it was but wouldn't blame the GAA for trying to get something out of it. Rovers own ineptitude got them into a place where someone else had to build their stadium with public money. It worked out for Rovers they got a decent stadium eventually.

That's completely wrong.

Milltown was sold from under the feet of the club by the owner leaving the club without a ground for 22 years.

Tallaght is a municipal stadium in which Rovers are anchor tenants and pay a large annual rent. It's open to other sports, indeed rugby and American football games have been played there as well as junior GAA training IIRC. The pitch dimensions (dictated by the stadium site) don't allow for senior GAA games.

Rovers owned the Tallaght site originally and spent a lot of money trying to develop the ground. The council took it over and developed it in return for Rovers being anchor tenants so it doesn't belong to Rovers but they have a lease.

salmocab

anncoates wrote: »

That's completely wrong.

Milltown was sold from under the feet of the club by the owner leaving the club without a ground for 22 years.

Tallaght is a municipal stadium in which Rovers are anchor tenants and pay a large annual rent. It's open to other sports, indeed rugby and American football games have been played there as well as junior GAA training IIRC. The pitch dimensions (dictated by the stadium site) don't allow for senior GAA games.

Rovers owned the Tallaght site originally and spent a lot of money trying to develop the ground. The council took it over and developed it in return for Rovers being anchor tenants so it doesn't belong to Rovers but they have a lease.

What part is wrong?

fryup

katie taylor's gold medal

the whole country in euphoria over one poxsey gold medal, the first in 20 years thats nothing to celebrate thats something to hang you head in shame esp for a so called great sporting nation

and as for the gold medal bout itself it was more like a staring match than a boxing match, i swear there was one round and neither opponent swung a punch, a joke of a sport

anncoates

Patww79 wrote: »

Again, why should the GAA care about Shamrock Rovers? You may not have wanted them to succeed, and it's probably better they didn't, but saying it's a disgrace is rather melodramatic.

Not getting into the old GAA versus soccer thing, but if you think that the spirit and motive of community sport should involve doing over your rivals in such a dramatic fashion and at massive expense, then maybe we have a different take on sport.

Thomas Davis seriously overestimated the acceptability of such an aggressive, bigoted stance to the Tallaght public and how much the public and local authority would stand for it and as such, they paid dearly for it.

Tallaght has a strong grounding in both codes and long may it that community last instead of pointless bigotry and wasting of money.

Collie D

fryup wrote: »

katie taylor's gold medal

the whole country in euphoria over one poxsey gold medal, the first in 20 years thats nothing to celebrate thats something to hang you head in shame esp for a so called great sporting nation

and as for the gold medal bout itself it was more like a staring match than a boxing match, i swear there was one round and neither opponent swung a punch, a joke of a sport

Maybe if you said that the previous twent years were embarrassing you might have a point but that particular moment...not so much.

anncoates

salmocab wrote: »

What part is wrong?

The old ground wasn't lost through ineptitude, just the actions of the owner.

Nobody got a ground 'built for them'. It's a public resource open to anybody for use.

In fact, the local authority actually benefited from easily getting the partially developed site which is now rented (handsomely) and also brings large footfall and publicity to the area.

They're actually expanding it to three stands as well.

Cold War Kid

Collie D wrote: »

Maybe if you said that the previous twent years were embarrassing you might have a point but that particular moment...not so much.

Yup. Bizarre example of embarrassment. Although maybe they mean the reaction to it rather than the gold medal itself.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

yes the reaction to it, the whole ole ole ole brigade coming out in force it was cringy i thought

salmocab

anncoates wrote: »

The old ground wasn't lost through ineptitude, just the actions of the owner.

Nobody got a ground 'built for them'. It's a public resource open to anybody for use.

In fact, the local authority actually benefited from easily getting the partially developed site which is now rented (handsomely) and also brings large footfall and publicity to the area.

They're actually expanding it to three stands as well.

Sorry I think you may have taken my post completely wrong firstly I was referring to the new stadium not glenmalure as I stated in a post a few posts after the one you quoted. I understand that its a public resource but in reality it was built or at the very least finished for them by SDCC, yes SDCC did well out of it but to be fair if they hadn't stepped in its very unlikely rovers would have got it finished themselves.

partyguinness

fryup wrote: »

katie taylor's gold medal

the whole country in euphoria over one poxsey gold medal, the first in 20 years thats nothing to celebrate thats something to hang you head in shame esp for a so called great sporting nation

and as for the gold medal bout itself it was more like a staring match than a boxing match, i swear there was one round and neither opponent swung a punch, a joke of a sport

TBF- the gold medal in itself was not embarrassing but yeah the usual 'Sure arent we great' coverage is cringeworthy.

BTW- I am still clinging to Michelle Smith's medal and Cian O'Connor's...getting done for drugs means we finally took our place amongst the nations of the world...:p

wp_rathead

An Claidheamh wrote: »

To be fair it appeared as if her opponents complaining about her was sour grapes, particularly with no evidence or history of doping - so often Irish people just turn on each other.

But, you must remember the main reason was that her times were not exceptional at all. They were quite average.

I'm not sure anybody still celebrates her medals to be honest.

Also, she is actually a lawyer, a full time liar, and if you look at her feigned shock when the urine sample was whiskey, it was obvious she was taking the p1ss ( pardon the pun) and feigning sincerity - just like lawyers do.

She set a couple of World and Olympic Records did she not?

Jimoslimos

Means Of Escape wrote: »

Michelle de Bruin

Toe curling interviews after her races and she guilty as sin
It was even more amazing the number of people who thought she was innocent at the time .

Should have known that she was a cheat when none of the major US companies offered her contracts after the "wins"

Michelle De Bruin the female equivalent Lance Armstrong.

Worth noting that Nike don't have a problem sponsoring two-time convicted drugs cheat Justin Gatlin.

Means Of Escape

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Worth noting that Nike don't have a problem sponsoring two-time convicted drugs cheat Justin Gatlin.

Olympic gold medalists have sponsors queuing up to get contracts from winners ie Mary Lou Retton etc
As for a multi medal winner I would have expected her to also grace the front of cereal boxes and bottles of Gatorade but it didn't happen for some bizarre reason .

partyguinness

Means Of Escape wrote: »

Olympic gold medalists have sponsors queuing up to get contracts from winners ie Mary Lou Retton etc
As for a multi medal winner I would have expected her to also grace the front of cereal boxes and bottles of Gatorade but it didn't happen for some bizarre reason .

Look it......she was wasnt blessed plus the Yanks were pissed off about being beaten in their back garden.

One of her winning times was 15 seconds slower than the record holder she beat in one of the races- she was the biggest critic (sorry for the vagueness)

She did get plenty of sponsorships in Ireland...;)

Means Of Escape

partyguinness wrote: »

Look it......she was wasnt blessed plus the Yanks were pissed off about being beaten in their back garden.

One of her winning times was 15 seconds slower than the record holder she beat in one of the races- she was the biggest critic (sorry for the vagueness)

She did get plenty of sponsorships in Ireland...;)

Plenty of Irish American companies in the US would have taken her on .
She should have been set for life.
The doubts were there well before her win

It wasn't her final winning time it was that she improved her time so greatly in such a short time that it was not possible to do so
Also she never gave accurate locations for her training schedules which is a requirement
Finally didn't help that she was married to a banned discus thrower based on his use of illegal substances
I remember the night with RTEs Jim Sherwin almost crying when she won .
Embarrassing that all was not so clear cut .

Dick phelan

This thread really highlights the level of self loathing we have in this country, For many the most embarrassing sporting moment in our history is someone winning a gold medal or Munster beating the best side in the world. Mind boggling if those are their real opinions. For me without question the most embarrassing was Delaney and the 33rd team suggestion, I remember watching that kunt Blatter laughing his arse off at our expense, felt genuine embarrassment that day.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Wasn't she something like 27 when she won too? I thought in swimming most peak earlier than this and it would considered unusual to make such a dramatic improvement at that age.

Means Of Escape

Dick phelan wrote: »

This thread really highlights the level of self loathing we have in this country, For many the most embarrassing sporting moment in our history is someone winning a gold medal or Munster beating the best side in the world. Mind boggling if those are their real opinions. For me without question the most embarrassing was Delaney and the 33rd team suggestion, I remember watching that kunt Blatter laughing his arse off at our expense, felt genuine embarrassment that day.

Cheating to win gold medals

Ash.J.Williams

the time we got all "offended" by Martin Johnsons master stroke in landsdowne road switching sides for the national anthem....and then kicking several shades of sh1te out of us...

partyguinness

Means Of Escape wrote: »

Plenty of Irish American companies in the US would have taken her on .
She should have been set for life.
The doubts were there well before her win

It wasn't her final winning time it was that she improved her time so greatly in such a short time that it was not possible to do so
Also she never gave accurate locations for her training schedules which is a requirement
Finally didn't help that she was married to a banned discus thrower based on his use of illegal substances
I remember the night with RTEs Jim Sherwin almost crying when she won .
Embarrassing that all was not so clear cut .

Oh yeah she went from a journeywoman nothing swimmer in her third Olympics to triple Olympic champion (although she did pick up medals in the 95 Europeans)- unheard of. I think there was an element of '**** it- everyone else is at. Let's enjoy it.'

Speaking of athletes not giving accurate training logs and slightly off track, the next doping scandal is coming from the African middle distance runners. There seems to be the this generally accepted theory that they have special super running powers- BS. You heard it here first.

I recall Bill Clinton having a chat with her when the US started picking on her.

Dick phelan

Means Of Escape wrote: »

Cheating to win gold medals

I wasn't aware Katie Taylor cheated to win her medal? Look at a page or two back someone said her winning the medal and the reaction to it was the most embarrassing moment in our sporting history.

Ash.J.Williams

Dick phelan wrote: »

I wasn't aware Katie Taylor cheated to win her medal? Look at a page or two back someone said her winning the medal and the reaction to it was the most embarrassing moment in our sporting history.

yeah i saw that.....jeeeaysus....not sure he understood the scoring

DarkyHughes

When Katie Taylor keeps banging on about God, baby Jesus & the 3 secrets of Fatima during her interviews.

check_six

DarkyHughes wrote: »

When Katie Taylor keeps banging on about God, baby Jesus & the 3 secrets of Fatima during her interviews.

Hold on a moment there. She's an absolute sporting hero. A wonderful role model for any kid wanting to get involved in any sport. Tremendous dedication to her craft has made her incredibly skilled and consistent. A true champion but with ego-free humility, which is vanishingly rare in the top echelons of sport.

Katie Taylor definitely gets a pass for the god stuff.

Ash.J.Williams

DarkyHughes wrote: »

When Katie Taylor keeps banging on about God, baby Jesus & the 3 secrets of Fatima during her interviews.

she can bang on about whatever she wants...she never tries to push it on people....it's just her way of focussing

Means Of Escape

Dick phelan wrote: »

I wasn't aware Katie Taylor cheated to win her medal? Look at a page or two back someone said her winning the medal and the reaction to it was the most embarrassing moment in our sporting history.

I was referring to De Bruin and you are well aware of that .
As for Katie Taylor she is a great inspiration to a lot of youngsters and should be lauded for her achievements

Means Of Escape

partyguinness wrote: »

Oh yeah she went from a journeywoman nothing swimmer in her third Olympics to triple Olympic champion (although she did pick up medals in the 95 Europeans)- unheard of. I think there was an element of '**** it- everyone else is at. Let's enjoy it.'

Speaking of athletes not giving accurate training logs and slightly off track, the next doping scandal is coming from the African middle distance runners. There seems to be the this generally accepted theory that they have special super running powers- BS. You heard it here first.

I recall Bill Clinton having a chat with her when the US started picking on her.

So Mo is snagged so if that is true about the African runners and here we were believing that their lithe frames and the cool temp in Europe coupled with advancement in footwear was the reason fir their success.