The Boat Race
I don't know if you saw the Boat race and its remarkable events yesterday but its worth reflecting on.In case you missed it the race was halted after they have just got a good head of steam up by an idiot who deliberately swam in front of the boats.After the restart . part way down the course, one boat veered towards the other and an Oxford oar was snapped off in a clash , rendering the race as a competition useless.
All these athletes at that point would have been struggling with the demands created by the break.Can you imagine a big cross country race halted for twenty minutes halfway round the course, getting cold waiting to restart then getting going again.Not a pleasant prospect.
At the end of the race, which had been ruined as a contest , one of the rowers collapsed in the bow of the boat.Cambridge , the victors , acted with great dignity , which happens in most sports most of the time (perhaps with the exception of Football).For both teams their big day had been overshadowed by the events which were so unusual and could be said to be precipitated by the protester swimmer.Can you imagine the hours of practice both crews put in?If you've been on an indoor rower you know how knackering they can be but thats without the skill level of the rower.
There are two points I want to make to anyone reading.First that all sport is elitist.Even a 5k park race where a sixty year old completing it is way above average for their age;at the same time saving the NHS a fortune whereas smokers and heavy drinkers do the opposite.Elitist? In a nine year olds race they are trying to beat someone else and what would you say to the kid who comes last ? Never mind that's a great effort because there's loads of kids who couldn't get round and are on the sofa watching T.V.Our National pride in Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton in Beijing was not because they are nice people but because they have succeeded in beating other competitiors.A climber pits themselves against the problem of getting up the steep rock.The marathon runner is looking for a P.B, or raising as much as they can for charity.Would they get as much without an elitist challenge.
This individual who protested is against elitism.He is entitled to his opinion.Back in the Seventies there were those who had strong opinions who brought politics into sport.The eastern block, the anti apartheid movement were the main instigators.It resulted in some countries being unable to compete against each other.The Moscow Olympics were without the USA.The Montreal Olympics were without the Africans.Disruption to International sport , which everyone can see on T.V, also affects jobs in the support sector ,especially tourism.
Athletes in all sports have a potential at the start when they are children.The addage 1% inspiration 99% perspiration has some substance.With dedication,the right advice,correct training and a slice of luck results in top performers.the luck might be avoiding illness or injury.Most of the time the elitist athlete fully deserves all the accolades they get.They also show huge respect for their rivals as they know the hard work they have put in.Contrast this with petty law breakers who have little respect for anyone and who constantly look for the easy way .
Institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge exist to cater for those with a greater ability in the academic world but they are not as exclusive as they used to be with other academic institutions rivalling them and in some areas of expertise surpassing them.Universities have to be elitist.The overall benefits to society come from these minds finding solutions to problems that face us as a species.Life expectancy is much greater than a century ago thanks to advances in medicine,hygiene,technology and inventions many of which would have been impossible without elitist institutions.All advanced societies rely on them.
What then of the guy who collapsed in the Oxford boat ? I s his elitist subject Classics or Philosophy? No its medicine and he wants to be a surgeon.Dr Alex Wood is his name.Lets hope the good Doctor is as energetic in his studies so that one day he can save the life of someone who has immersed themselves for too long in the Thames and contracted a deadly disease.O I forgot that doesn't happen anymore as research contributed to cleaning up the Thames a long time ago and in this country we no longer have Typhoid and Chlorea and water borne diseases thanks to elitist brains.
All these athletes at that point would have been struggling with the demands created by the break.Can you imagine a big cross country race halted for twenty minutes halfway round the course, getting cold waiting to restart then getting going again.Not a pleasant prospect.
At the end of the race, which had been ruined as a contest , one of the rowers collapsed in the bow of the boat.Cambridge , the victors , acted with great dignity , which happens in most sports most of the time (perhaps with the exception of Football).For both teams their big day had been overshadowed by the events which were so unusual and could be said to be precipitated by the protester swimmer.Can you imagine the hours of practice both crews put in?If you've been on an indoor rower you know how knackering they can be but thats without the skill level of the rower.
There are two points I want to make to anyone reading.First that all sport is elitist.Even a 5k park race where a sixty year old completing it is way above average for their age;at the same time saving the NHS a fortune whereas smokers and heavy drinkers do the opposite.Elitist? In a nine year olds race they are trying to beat someone else and what would you say to the kid who comes last ? Never mind that's a great effort because there's loads of kids who couldn't get round and are on the sofa watching T.V.Our National pride in Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton in Beijing was not because they are nice people but because they have succeeded in beating other competitiors.A climber pits themselves against the problem of getting up the steep rock.The marathon runner is looking for a P.B, or raising as much as they can for charity.Would they get as much without an elitist challenge.
This individual who protested is against elitism.He is entitled to his opinion.Back in the Seventies there were those who had strong opinions who brought politics into sport.The eastern block, the anti apartheid movement were the main instigators.It resulted in some countries being unable to compete against each other.The Moscow Olympics were without the USA.The Montreal Olympics were without the Africans.Disruption to International sport , which everyone can see on T.V, also affects jobs in the support sector ,especially tourism.
Athletes in all sports have a potential at the start when they are children.The addage 1% inspiration 99% perspiration has some substance.With dedication,the right advice,correct training and a slice of luck results in top performers.the luck might be avoiding illness or injury.Most of the time the elitist athlete fully deserves all the accolades they get.They also show huge respect for their rivals as they know the hard work they have put in.Contrast this with petty law breakers who have little respect for anyone and who constantly look for the easy way .
Institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge exist to cater for those with a greater ability in the academic world but they are not as exclusive as they used to be with other academic institutions rivalling them and in some areas of expertise surpassing them.Universities have to be elitist.The overall benefits to society come from these minds finding solutions to problems that face us as a species.Life expectancy is much greater than a century ago thanks to advances in medicine,hygiene,technology and inventions many of which would have been impossible without elitist institutions.All advanced societies rely on them.
What then of the guy who collapsed in the Oxford boat ? I s his elitist subject Classics or Philosophy? No its medicine and he wants to be a surgeon.Dr Alex Wood is his name.Lets hope the good Doctor is as energetic in his studies so that one day he can save the life of someone who has immersed themselves for too long in the Thames and contracted a deadly disease.O I forgot that doesn't happen anymore as research contributed to cleaning up the Thames a long time ago and in this country we no longer have Typhoid and Chlorea and water borne diseases thanks to elitist brains.
