A fascinating example of the default syndrome, as described
yesterday, is occurring right now in the world of soccer -- more
specifically, the soccer played on these islands. The British Olympic
Committee want to go against the ratchet and bring a UK Football Team
into existence in order to take part in the 2012 Games. It's been
plotting this for six years apparently. It's been rather similar to
Gordon Brown's constant speechifying with a 'United Kingdom' theme
during those two years when he was Prime Minister because he was
acutely sensitive that he was a Scotsman (with a Scottish accent to
boot!) trying to maintain the UK as a world power. Of course, no-one
took any notice of this attempt at old-fashioned jingoism because the
UK -- as was -- is just an ordinary country these days. Besides,
Scotland and Wales, with their own elected assemblies in Glasgow and
Cardiff, are already on their way towards complete independence,
Northern Ireland remains ungovernable and -- Gosh! -- some English
people are actually calling for an English Parliament. (Presumably --
although they are too polite to say so -- wanting to send Gordon
Brown back to where he belongs. In this, they are partially
successful in that he hardly shows his face publicly in England now
while still remaining an MP and occasionally attending the House of Commons.)
Anyhow, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Football
Associations will have none of it. They already have their
independent status registered with the soccer's world governing body,
FIFA, and don't want to compromise this. Then again, they have their
own defaulting problems. Increasingly, some players have actually
been turning down invitations to play for their national side, saying
that they're already playing enough games at club level.
Well . . . we'll have to wait to see who wins. But this raises
another sporting puzzle in my mind. This is that although the prowess
and financial perquisites of top sports individuals have never been
higher than today, young people in the advanced countries are
increasingly avoiding physical exercise, according to some surveys.
They'll watch sports but don't want to take part in it. There's an
athletic/fitness gap opening up alongside the wealth/income gap which
separates the top 20% or so of the population (who generally "do"
sports) from the rest who are merely watchers.
With those two conundrums I'll wrap up this morning and have breakfast.
Keith
Keith Hudson, Saltford, England http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2011/06/
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