Sky Sports' Facebook misjudges mood over Olympics...

Tafdolphin wrote:

rudderless wrote:

Gandalf wrote:Oooooh, a very small minority out of how many thousands of athletes? Great argument, Spinny, I know, let's tar them all with the same brush.

And therein lies the point. Not all footballers are dicks either.

Come on though, quite a large proportion are.

No, they're not. The thing is, they are in the public eye all the time. They're in the spotlight every week, not just once every four years. I bet if athletes had to compete in events every single week you'd see the odd slip every now and again, the cracks would appear in that professional veneer. A lot of footballers do great work for charity - I could name as many people that have contributed tons to communities and to helping kids. People hate Craig Bellamy, but he's set up a foundation that helps underprivileged kids in Sierra Leone get an education and learn how to play football.

Quite apart from that, football is a very, very different kettle of fish to the Olympics. Football is a game that has been historically about rivalries, about one team against another. It's not about individuals competing against several others - you'll have rivalries there, sure, but it's hardly the same.

Are some footballers arseholes? Undoubtedly. I'd be tempted to argue that it's easy to see why that's the case, mind. They expect to do what they want and get away with it, and that's a lot to do with the money that's flooded into the game, but also because they have agents constantly in their ear telling them they can do better, they can get more. Since Bosman, players have had greater control, and it's led to a culture of self-interest.

On the other hand, you have great role models like Kompany, like Zabaleta, like Aguero - I'm a City fan, so naturally I'm going to be more aware of what City players do than other clubs, but I'm sure every club has its heroes like that. Sure, they might sometimes argue a decision, protest at the referee, swear when things don't go their way, or commit the odd foul. And that absolutely does not make them a bad person. It makes them a normal person. The unbelievable pressure they're under, particularly given the glare of the spotlight they find themselves in...it's a wonder as many cope with it as well as they do.

Spindash wrote:

Cuttooth wrote:Imagine if Spurs won the league and a day later Sky were all 'forget that, international football now!'

They would never say that, because Sky broadcast the Premier League.

Meant BBC.

Spindash wrote:

Cuttooth wrote:Imagine if Spurs won the league and a day later Sky were all 'forget that, international football now!'

They would never say that, because Sky broadcast the Premier League.

And also ebcause Spurs wouldn't win the league

Still over paid and don't respect referees. Terrible examples of sportsmanship.

I don't see why being overpaid should be a criticism of the players. It's the clubs fault not theirs. No one would say "pay me £2k a week, I'm not worth more than that".

Fair cop on the respect of refeeres though.

Tomous wrote:I don't see why being overpaid should be a criticism of the players. It's the clubs fault not theirs. No one would say "pay me £2k a week, I'm not worth more than that".

Fair cop on the respect of refeeres though.

I do think it's unfair comparing the behaviour of athletes and footballers. A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

Still, a lot are banana splits. I'm a United fan and am fully aware that our main star is a total overpaid dickface.

I had totally forgotten the new PL season starts this weekend after the Olympics. Much preferred watching that to any World Cup I've ever seen.

I personally think this past two weeks has been a massive distraction from Joey Barton's Twitter feed.

SandyCoin wrote:A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

I have no idea why it seems so "accepted" that if you come from a shitty background, it's a free pass to behave less well than if you don't. Basic values are just that: BASIC.

Tomous wrote:I don't see why being overpaid should be a criticism of the players. It's the clubs fault not theirs. No one would say "pay me £2k a week, I'm not worth more than that".

Fair cop on the respect of refeeres though.

No, I suppose it's not the player's fault. But when the wages bankrupt clubs and lock out home grown talent from the highest levels of the English game (by encouraging the world's best to come here), you really feel that the Premiership needs some heads banged together. In my opinion they don't have their priorities sorted.

Eighthours wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

I have no idea why it seems so "accepted" that if you come from a shitty background, it's a free pass to behave less well than if you don't. Basic values are just that: BASIC.

Oh I agree. But let's be realistic, some one from a pleasant wealthy background going to private school you would imagine is smart. Someone from a rough area, went to some scummy shitty school isn't in all liklihood going to be a well spoken, smart person. Like that annoying United little chav who we got rid of because his attitude stunk. From a shithole, was friends with annoying little chav pricks so was always going to be like that. I don't think it's accepted and a free pass. It's just something which...happens. Someone from an area like that, who gets involved with people like that isn't suddenly when they get a football contract going to turn into a lovely human being over night because they have lots of money.

Shadow wrote:The olympics were brilliant and I genuinely believe they have lifted the spirits of the British public. I actually think that in a few months analysts will point to the Olympic "feel good factor" as the reason we're out of recession.

not sure we will be with inflation rising, fuel prices rising again, house prices dropping and things looking bleak in europe.

Eighthours wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

I have no idea why it seems so "accepted" that if you come from a shitty background, it's a free pass to behave less well than if you don't. Basic values are just that: BASIC.

There’s a difference between giving people “a free pass" because they had a shitty background and explaining bad behaviour because they had a shitty background.

Take a lad from a shitty upbringing, no money, no prospects, no parental caring etc and it is not exactly a shock if they turn out to be shitty human beings. Add in £50k plus a week and you see some really shitty behaviour. We are not excusing them, just explaining why. And we all think the wrong ‘uns are banana splits.

Of course this is all a massive generalisation anyway. Lots of people come from poor or shitty backgrounds and end up decent members of society. Lots of footballers are decent human beings as well. It’s just that it is not a shock that not all manage it.

See if i liked Football i'd be happier keeping on paying for Sky Sports. But as i don't and as they reduced their rugby coverage and have ok, but not enough to justify the price, NFL i just can't be paying it to prop up a sport i dislike.

Agree with cal on Sky Arts but again it isn't worth the money for just that and Game of Thrones even with the half priced deal they gave me (a non starter as they will not change me to be the account holder as the wife is sick of having to do the calls). And Netflix also offers a wealth of such content for a fraction of the price.

Seems to me that expense Satellite based broadcasting and a system that forces a ton of content to get the bits you want are outdated and I wouldn't be surprised it fades away over the coming years as IP delivery takes over entirely.

My Murdoch tax has gone from 90 pm down to nothing this year as i gradually ditched everything from them.

I'd say that the percentage of footballers who were dicks was around 40%.

Prototype wrote:I'd say that the percentage of footballers who were dicks was around 40%.

Banking aside, that'd make it one of the most dick heavy professions outside of the porn industry.

Moggy wrote:

Eighthours wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

I have no idea why it seems so "accepted" that if you come from a shitty background, it's a free pass to behave less well than if you don't. Basic values are just that: BASIC.

There’s a difference between giving people “a free pass" because they had a shitty background and explaining bad behaviour because they had a shitty background.

Take a lad from a shitty upbringing, no money, no prospects, no parental caring etc and it is not exactly a shock if they turn out to be shitty human beings. Add in £50k plus a week and you see some really shitty behaviour. We are not excusing them, just explaining why. And we all think the wrong ‘uns are banana splits.

Of course this is all a massive generalisation anyway. Lots of people come from poor or shitty backgrounds and end up decent members of society. Lots of footballers are decent human beings as well. It’s just that it is not a shock that not all manage it.

I just don't think that it's an excuse, is all.

Eighthours wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Eighthours wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:A lot of athletes (GB team anyway) are privately educated, go to university etc. A lot of footballers are from shitty backgrounds, didn't do great in school and football was a way out. So it's obvious there behaviour will be different.

I have no idea why it seems so "accepted" that if you come from a shitty background, it's a free pass to behave less well than if you don't. Basic values are just that: BASIC.

There’s a difference between giving people “a free pass" because they had a shitty background and explaining bad behaviour because they had a shitty background.

Take a lad from a shitty upbringing, no money, no prospects, no parental caring etc and it is not exactly a shock if they turn out to be shitty human beings. Add in £50k plus a week and you see some really shitty behaviour. We are not excusing them, just explaining why. And we all think the wrong ‘uns are banana splits.

Of course this is all a massive generalisation anyway. Lots of people come from poor or shitty backgrounds and end up decent members of society. Lots of footballers are decent human beings as well. It’s just that it is not a shock that not all manage it.

I just don't think that it's an excuse, is all.

It is not an excuse, it is an explanation.

It’s like when a child molester is found to have been abused themselves as a child. Nobody is excusing the behaviour, just offering an explanation as to why the behaviour might have occurred.

I do wonder what position Sky are in. Their winback dudes phoned me up today and I've now got 6 months half price. Makes me think they're either needing to get people back onboard desperately, or they have massive profit margins and can afford to do offers like that.

Did you disconnect the box or keep it going?

I took the box out to stop me doing that, I got offered a year half price and 50 quid credit but just don't want it now.

I think they are many millions over the level of subs needed to break even so suspect the latter. Their costs are fixed so every extra sub is just extra profit so it's well worth it to them I'd imagine.

Something Fishy wrote:

Prototype wrote:I'd say that the percentage of footballers who were dicks was around 40%.

Banking aside, that'd make it one of the most dick heavy professions outside of the porn industry.

dick heavy