Why are Australians so good at sport?

[GilbertGrape]

They've just smoked the whole of the Commonwealth.

[V8mate]

Because they're dim.

The gradient of sporting prowess is directly proportional to lack of intelligence.

[DangerousMike]

their government spends stloads of money on it.

[phumy]

V8mate said:

Because they're dim.

The gradient of sporting prowess is directly proportional to lack of intelligence.

Love it

[mathmos]

Although they were not as good as they were in 2006 -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games...

[Gargamel]

Tell it to Ricky Ponting

Edited by Gargamel on Thursday 14th October 08:57

[prand]

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle, which means a lot of people spend a lot of time outdoors not being frozen/peed on) access to funding (as Australia has boundless mineral resources they are pretty rich, which they can spend on sports), which in turn engenders great national pride), and they are quite early on in the lifecycle of a developed country, meaning that there are a lot of keen Aussies who have pride in getting off their arses and representing their country.

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it. National pride is diluted by incoming migrants who to them the idea they are English or British is ridiculous. And finally, the UK has so many social and economic issues to deal with, no natural resources or primary industry to speak of, so there's no extra cash to seek out and nurture the talent that is undoubtedly there. I heard a statistic that there are 7 olympic sized swimming pools in the UK to train in. In Australia (with less than a 1/3rd the population) there are about 250.

Edit to add - many Aussies might say they are also on this same slippery slope - with immigration and idle youth causing a decline in national pride and sporting prowess. However they've got diamonds, bauxite, uranium, gold etc, huge flat space to expand into, plus direct access to the Asian markets, which is a very nice place to be in.

Edited by prand on Thursday 14th October 09:10

[alfa pint]

Purely cultural - they're much happier playing it than watching it. They're not as paranoid as current UK parents are about letting their kids play in the streets, so they're encouraged to participate too.

[Bibbs]

prand said:

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle ..

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it.

So why is Australia the fattest nation in the world?

[petemurphy]

because while we are sat in the dark each evening shivering they are out in the sun training. and running fast to avoid all the wildlife that can kill you in aussie

[prand]

Bibbs said:

prand said:

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle ..

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it.

So why is Australia the fattest nation in the world?

What makes you say that? My experience is that it isn't (possibly because I've spent a lot of time on the beaches in Perth adn Queensland and not too many landwhales there...), just lots of young, fit people running around, surfing, playing voleyball, all looking healthy.

You go to a british beach and it's like an elephant seal colony, families scoffing fish & chips and ice-creams, all pasty and blubbery.

There are quite a few olds on their verandas who might have put on a few pounds or two.

[Cactussed]

Partly this...

someone said:

They're not as paranoid as current UK parents are about letting their kids play in the streets, so they're encouraged to participate too.

Mostly this..

someon also said:

The gradient of sporting prowess is directly proportional to lack of intelligence

Edited by Cactussed on Thursday 14th October 09:24

[elster]

As schools encourage children to do more and more sport, they will be doing sport most days. As well as some weekends.

They have big inter school competitions and if deemed good enough they get scholarships galore.

[Bibbs]

prand said:

Bibbs said:

prand said:

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle ..

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it.

So why is Australia the fattest nation in the world?

What makes you say that? My experience is that it isn't (possibly because I've spent a lot of time on the beaches in Perth adn Queensland and not too many landwhales there...), just lots of young, fit people running around, surfing, playing voleyball, all looking healthy.

You go to a british beach and it's like an elephant seal colony, families scoffing fish & chips and ice-creams, all pasty and blubbery.

There are quite a few olds on their verandas who might have put on a few pounds or two.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/health/australia-worlds-fattest-nation/2008/06/19/1213770886872.html

The latest figures show 4 million Australians — or 26% of the adult population — are now obese compared to an estimated 25% of Americans. A further 5 million Australians are considered overweight.

Edited by Bibbs on Thursday 14th October 09:31

[Don1]

The government invest in it, and they seem to thrive off the chip on their shoulders (like all colonials do).

Fair play to them really.

[blindswelledrat]

prand said:

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle, which means a lot of people spend a lot of time outdoors not being frozen/peed on) access to funding (as Australia has boundless mineral resources they are pretty rich, which they can spend on sports), which in turn engenders great national pride), and they are quite early on in the lifecycle of a developed country, meaning that there are a lot of keen Aussies who have pride in getting off their arses and representing their country.

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it. National pride is diluted by incoming migrants who to them the idea they are English or British is ridiculous. And finally, the UK has so many social and economic issues to deal with, no natural resources or primary industry to speak of, so there's no extra cash to seek out and nurture the talent that is undoubtedly there. I heard a statistic that there are 7 olympic sized swimming pools in the UK to train in. In Australia (with less than a 1/3rd the population) there are about 250.

Edit to add - many Aussies might say they are also on this same slippery slope - with immigration and idle youth causing a decline in national pride and sporting prowess. However they've got diamonds, bauxite, uranium, gold etc, huge flat space to expand into, plus direct access to the Asian markets, which is a very nice place to be in.

]

What a load of st.
Just give it a fking rest will you?
THis is a thread about sports, not BNP polices. Jesus christ. Some people have nothing better to think about than tabloid stories.

[SC7]

Because they're raised as winners.

Over here, we're plagued by the "subdue-the-excellent-to-give-the-useless-a-chance" attitude.

[blindswelledrat]

SC7 said:

Because they're raised as winners.

Over here, we're plagued by the "subdue-the-excellent-to-give-the-useless-a-chance" attitude.

What a load of st.
Just give it a fking rest will you?
THis is a thread about sports, not BNP polices. Jesus christ. Some people have nothing better to think about than tabloid stories.

[GilbertGrape]

Bibbs said:

prand said:

Bibbs said:

prand said:

I think this is because of the country's outdoor lifestyle ..

Unlike England, and perhaps the UK as a whole, which is is much further down the line, it's a tired, spent country, where 95% of the population don't give a cr*p and prefer to watch football on TV than go out and play it.

So why is Australia the fattest nation in the world?

What makes you say that? My experience is that it isn't (possibly because I've spent a lot of time on the beaches in Perth adn Queensland and not too many landwhales there...), just lots of young, fit people running around, surfing, playing voleyball, all looking healthy.

You go to a british beach and it's like an elephant seal colony, families scoffing fish & chips and ice-creams, all pasty and blubbery.

There are quite a few olds on their verandas who might have put on a few pounds or two.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/health/australia-worlds-fattest-nation/2008/06/19/1213770886872.html

The latest figures show 4 million Australians — or 26% of the adult population — are now obese compared to an estimated 25% of Americans. A further 5 million Australians are considered overweight.

Edited by Bibbs on Thursday 14th October 09:31

How accurate is that though? Perhaps Australians carry more muscle than some populations. You know, from all the muscle building sports they participate in. BMI index doesn't take in to consideration someone who is heavy because they carry a lot of muscle. I might be wrong.

Edited by GilbertGrape on Thursday 14th October 09:44

[Bibbs]

GilbertGrape said:

How accurate is that though? Perhaps Australians carry more muscle than some populations. You know, from all the muscle building sports they participate in. BMI index doesn't account for extra muscle as far as I'm aware.

The only people who are "fatter" are samoans and cook islanders .. but they don't count as western I suppose.

Believe me, not all aussies are rugby front rowers.