mpjmcevoy

For what its worth, I suspect Italy are going to do VERY well in Paris overall.

Thanks, friend, what I thought you meant but just wanted to check! The return of romania to relevance is a bit of a joy to behold, and while the Dutch, Brits and Romanians do seem REALLY strong (especially the dutch and the Brits, both of whom may have a higher gear yet), there are still encouraging signs for other teams...even the italians! ;-) Seems to me rowing generally is in rather rude heath - and I agree, we absolutely should be trying to help our African friends join the party - there are a number of fine lakes and rivers throughout Africa, and I imagine some European powers would have 'old' boat kit that would still be very useful to seed the sport in West Africa for example. The only really surprising fall backs for me are the US and Australia, but I trust both will 'get it right on the night'

By doesn't look good, do you mean bad for the sport, dodgy or just bad for other contenders?

Is 6th not the worst outcome?

They lost two consecutive games, at home to Ireland last summer

All sports are ridiculous in their own terms. But as Patrick Kavanagh wrote, "I made the Iliad from such a local row. Gods make their own importance."

Clever. Reminds me of the Miami Open Tennis in the Hard Rock. more hosts should think on this line.

Pool B's not that easy to predict. Ireland are world number one for a reason. I'd say the Boks are slight favourite. but only slight.

There are about 1.4 billion Indians - that's 3 full europes -, more than china, a majority of which are fanatical about one non-Olympic sport - and I mean fanatical (my sister in laws family are of indian extraction, it's fabulous). Pakistan and Bangladesh are also huge, and cricket crazy. Pakistan and Indian Olympic interest historically was pretty much limited to hockey. The BCCI will be sniffy about Olympic cricket because they won't control it, and can't make mega bucks off it - but the general - and huge - indian public will eat that shit up, day and daily. There are fanatical baseball nations, but nothing like the IOC gamechanger that cricket is because it cracks that near last frontier - while tying in big Olympic standard nations like GBR, AUS, RSA and JAM - If you think about it, there's one major member in each continent, the international sport is the front face of the sport.

Agree. ICC are in the FIFA situation here. Remember there would also be a woman's tournament, and I don't think ICC would mind their women's tournament's being slightly overshadowed, because Olympics would put rocket boosters under the women's game. I think it would be very short sighted for ICC to reject as MLB did - An Olympics for cricket breaks open new huge territories - China and Japan, the Gulf, Continental Europe, USA, where millions will watch ANYTHING olympic. There are signs of the globalisation working in rugby sevens already, and it certainly worked in women's football, and to an extent women's basketball. If ICC wish to protect their own products, all they need is to settle on a strong narrative about what differentiates the tournaments, and play to it - which, largely will be numbers and global spread - a 16+ team CWC or T20WC will always have a very different dynamic and justification to a tight 'Champions trophy' style Olympic competition,

Can't agree with that (though I can see why you would want it!) Oceania 1, Africa 1, Europe 1, Pan America 1 kind of sells itself Hosts is obvious. I hesitate at World Champs, only because you might have a situation were RSA are world champs, and then you're talking Zimbabwe having a better shot than Pakistan or New Zealand, and that's not realistic. That no longer there world champ spot now goes to Asia to recognise it has 5 'Full members' - so Asia 1+2, Host, Oceania 1, Africa 1, Europe 1, Pan American 1 leaves one last qualifier(or 2 if host is Aus, Ind etc) - which would be a MAJOR tournament in itself It's a 10 teamer - PanAmerica 2+3, Europe 2 + 3, Africa 2+3, Oceania 2+3, Asia 3 + 4 Effectively this might boil down to Sri Lanka + Bangladesh + Trinidad + New Zealand + Guyana + PNG + Ireland + Netherlands + Zimbabwe + Namibia... For a golden ticket to the Olympics, that's a qualifier sells itself. If we start with 2 groups of 5, top 6 go to QF (top of group teams get bye to semi, #2 and #3 to QF) You could very well have a final knock out of Trinidad v Bangladesh, winner to play New Zealand, and Zimbabwe v Ireland, winner to play Sri Lanka, winner takes all. I'd say that might sell in and of itself.

England will become GBR, which stymies Scotland The West Indies breaks into its islands, and normally there's one place kept aside for them. 2 Slots to Oceania is generous. ! sot and 1 final qualifier would be more likely

Interesting event, politically. Can be viewed as analogous to a Para World Military Games (I'd avoid 'World Paramilitary Games' for fear of Hezbollah rocking up) See also Shooting Parasport (rather than parashooting...) but unashamedly represents one bloc.

Gracenotes numbers are always....unreflective of the actuality.

That's such a fabulous story, though - a genuine leader, there.

Welll, I'd call it a Féis, or maybe a Fleadh but yeah, basically

Be great. Imagine following the qualifications in the Flute! Men's solo Women's solo Men's solo picollo Women's solo picollo Men's pair Men's uneven pair (big flute and a picollo).... Women's pair Women's uneven pair Mixed trio... And then the violins... All the dance sport addicts could go there, along with the Rhythmic gymnasts and the artistic swimming I might rock u for Ireland in the Sprint Pottery And finally, the Eurovision song contest, but global... "and now, the votes of the Nepalese jury... Djibouti, 1 point. Djiboutie une point, " It will be magic.

Hell, bring back the Cotswald and Tailteann Games while we're about it.

Does anyone have any idea what Jumbo is doing?

The Olympics also used to be all men in the nude, and religious. Shit changes. today, it's specifically a sports event, and about sport, and the value of sport. Would there be something to be said for similar Games involving art, dance, music? absolutely - and recall, the Olympics was only one of four ancient Hellenic Games (and I don't even think that includes the women's Herean Games) - why not 'resurrect' another ancient Hellenic Games specifically for the arts?

My only problem with sports climbing is there's not enough 'splitting' of the events - it absolutely belongs. I find the park skateboarding fun as a kind of BMX Freestyle on foot i do not see the point in 'artistic' surfing as a 'sport; for the life of me - I'm sure it's amazing to do - so's bunjee jumping but it ain't sport. Yet.

Tham did really well, 172 kg total, 19th overall - easily top of the D group, beat out the bulk of the C group, and took several B group scalps.

I would be sorry to see it go, although it's 'niche' is now filled adequately by Triathlon in my opinion. Losing the equestrian bit rather removes its reason for existing in my view, but a sport in which sheer bad luck, and a **** of a horse, can have such a devastating part seems like a sport that speaks to life in a way other pursuits that always reward "the best", don't.

The thing with three weeks is you could 'reuse' venues as well as the athletes village - especially for sports that are clearly 'connected' - I could imagine three weeks would allow a good even spread of wrestling freestyle, greco roman and judo, for example, or muay Thai, karate and taekwondo, reusing the same spaces again and again rather than new builds.

I think there IS a space for local niche sports (there was even a Gaelic football Olympic tournament way back I think) but they should be recognised for what they are - demonstration sports. I could live with Gridiron being represented with a one off USA-Canada exhibition - as a demonstration sport. Personally, if you want in the actual Games, you should take the World Games route and test your offering. The Olympics will always make exceptions for 'major' sports that happen not to be on the program - tennis, golf and cricket don't have to use the World Games route. I could with the French showing off boules, or the Australians AFL, or even the Americans gridiron, as long as they were honest bout what they were doing.