Is Britain the Greatest sporting nation on Earth?

Is Britain the Greatest sporting nation on Earth?

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Thankyou4calling

Original Poster:

10,595 posts

172 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
I hope this stays in the lounge but here goes.

I think Britain IS THE GREATEST SPORTING NATION ON EARTH.

By nature, we are self deprecating and like to moan be it about the weather, our roads, the cost of living and the performance of our sports teams and individuals.

Yet, if you look at almost any sport, Britain has representation and success at the highest level. Bear in mind, there can only be one winner so to get to finals and the closing stages is a hell of an achievement.

Cricket, Rugby, Football, Athletics, Cycling,Horse racing, F1, Boxing, Golf, Tennis, Badmnton, Rowing, Swimming can any other country come close to the quality of Sport offered and level of achievement overall?



Edited by Thankyou4calling on Saturday 27th June 17:06

TheEnd

15,370 posts

187 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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I think it's a Jack of all Trades, and master of none.

technodup

7,576 posts

129 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
TheEnd said:
I think it's a Jack of all Trades, and master of none.
Snooker.

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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I think for our population numbers we do rather well.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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for a population size of New Zealand they seem to do rather well too.

benny 61

467 posts

183 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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I always think Holland do really good for population.

ecsrobin

17,023 posts

164 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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Not forgetting sailing, skeleton and one of the top nations in hockey.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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Cricket?? When we win the Ashes, the whole country goes bonkers, and the players get MBEs, because we were able to win a two team tournament against a country with a population a quarter of ours!

As for football, considering our history and culture of playing football, the number of professional teams we have, and the fact that we invented it, our record on the international stage is a complete disgrace.

Finlandia

7,803 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
Well I suppose, you lot won the ice-hockey Olympics in 1936, been going downhill since though wink

Kenty

5,029 posts

174 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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No, Australia is by far.

ecsrobin

17,023 posts

164 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
Why have you put football on the list? We are not good at it.

43034

2,963 posts

167 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
TheEnd said:
I think it's a Jack of all Trades, and master of none.
Darts.

technodup

7,576 posts

129 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
43034 said:
TheEnd said:
I think it's a Jack of all Trades, and master of none.
Darts.
Bowls.

43034

2,963 posts

167 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
technodup said:
Bowls.
Shove Ha'Penny.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
Kenty said:
No, Australia is by far.
Are you serious?

Name some world class Aussie athletes bar Sally Pearson? I will agree they are world class at swimming, rugby and cricket they have the potent to world champions or the Test Match cricketing equivalent and that's it.... they have a few good cyclists, achieve reasonable results in hockey and rowing and took a whopping total of 35 medals back from London 2012.... They are categorically NOT the greatest sporting nation on earth!....


johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
Per Capita I dont think we come in the top 10 I seem to remember Norway or Sweden doing quite well.

ReaperCushions

5,951 posts

183 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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USA by far namely because of the grass roots investments.

Even getting better at 'soccer'.


Thankyou4calling

Original Poster:

10,595 posts

172 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
ecsrobin said:
Why have you put football on the list? We are not good at it.
I'll tell you why.

Football is the most widely played game in the world, pretty much every country plays football, that's what 250 countries. Every four years they hold the World Cup for the top 32 teams in the World, England pretty much always qualify and generally get to the last 16 teams or better.

At the moment we are in the qualification process for the European championships, it'll be pretty much a World Cup save for a few teams.

England have won every single qualifying game, no other country has and all other British teams are in with a shout.

The Premier League is widely accepted to be one of the most competitive and highest quality leagues in the World.

So, with Football being such a widespread and popular sport and England being one of the highest ranked teams we do well and I say England rather than Britain for obvious reasons.


Edited by Thankyou4calling on Saturday 27th June 21:15

Leafspring

7,032 posts

136 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
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Darts and sailing oft forgotten... which reminds me the darts is on itv4 now biggrin

Amirhussain

11,486 posts

162 months

Saturday 27th June 2015
quotequote all
England are absolutely and utterly st at football. Score goals against piss poor teams in the qualifiers, but flop at the real stage.

How many of goals did England score at 2014 world cup? 2? And even they were cancelled out by the opposition.