Monday, July 24, 2006

Not everyone loves an underdog

So Tiger won the British Open. Good. I wanted him to. Just like I wanted Roger Federer to win Wimbledon. Just like I want Valentino Rossi to win every time he races. Just like I want Chelsea to win every time they play at the moment. Just like I wanted Arsenal to complete the unbeaten season. I want to see the best teams and athletes sweep all before them. I want to see the opposition belittled as if they were still playing at U13 level.

I've never bought in to the romance of the underdog. It drives me mad that Wimbledon won the FA Cup in 1988, because it gives commentators something to go on and on and on and on and on about. I hate that Australian speedskater that won Gold in 2004 Winter Olympics because everyone fell over in front of him. Who cares about Eddie the Eagle, Eddie the Eel or whoever the media's flavour of the month is. If I haven't got some sort of affilitation or money riding on a game, race or whatever, then I always want the favourite to win.

The reason for this is because of the Roy of the Rovers possibilities. When you sit and support Michael Johnson in the 200m and he comes in, in a time of 19.29 sec. leaving eveyone in his wake, those are the moments you savour for the rest of your life. Same as watching Lance Armstrong ride up the Champs Elysees for the 7th time or Michael Jordan play Basketball. I want to see people that are so good at their sport that the authorities have to change the rules to level the playing field, like Wayne Gretzky managed to do in Ice Hockey.

It's extraordinary records I want to see. It's feats of physical endurance and sporting prowess that are beyond imagining. Not the romance of the cup.

''What we don't want to see today Gary, is for Manchester United to simply bulldoze Yeading out of the competition ''

Yes I do. I want them to completely steamroller them. I'd like to see 15 goals today. I'd like them to, so completely outclass them, that you sit back gobsmacked.

So well done Tiger. The only disappointing thing is that you didn't go round in more than 20 under par. That would have really capped it.

2 comments:

Paul said...

I agree Six.

Although it was hard listening to the radio before the Cup Final when people were phoning in saying that West Ham must lose for the good of the game.

Was it Vince Lombardi who said "Winning isn't the main thing, it's the only thing."

Crispin Heath said...

Were they? I don't quite understand what they mean by that. I thought, the Liverpool v West Ham game was pretty well matched before the start and I wanted West Ham to win, but that's because I always back them in a neutral game, always have.