2012 London Olympics - Official thread

[ziggysego]

I doubt somehow that there were too many Carribean or African lads running factories in the North of England during the Industrial Revolution.

That crossed my mind too.

[Capt Pat]

Bill is a PR man as well so it was a big gaffe as that is his day job. I was thinking himself and the three amigos on the football are getting too old.

[Denn Forever]

The strength of the Male Gymnasts is awesome.

[Evil Genius]

Billo said that when he was growing up (approx 70 years ago I'd say) Badminton was mostly a protestant sport. I don't know the context or why he would say that, but I don't think it's an outrageous thing to say on face value. A lot of sports were mainly protestant sports when Bill was a wee lad, Cricket, Tennis, etc etc.

Not sure why he bothered saying it, as I didn't see the context, but it was obviously daft if he said isn't it great to see the Taigs winning at Badminton, it was mostly them Prods that played it.

I'm not outraged or anything - and the girl herself clearly has more wisdom than O'Herlihy - but why mention it? If he were commenting on GAA, would he note that it was/is a "Catholic sport"?

Quite smply, it was a crass and unnecessary comment, which I wouldn't have bothered to note, had it not contrasted so starkly with the much more harmless comments by Stephen Watson, to which AQMP had taken exception.

P.S. I expect to Lawnseed opening a "Bill O'Herlihy - Bigot!" thread in the style of his earlier "Daley Thompson - Racist!" effort - that's if he isn't clean out of Bile, Outrage and Victimhood... 

[Evil Genius]

Not sure why he bothered saying it, as I didn't see the context, but it was obviously daft if he said isn't it great to see the Taigs winning at Badminton, it was mostly them Prods that played it.

With Ms. Magee hailing from Raphoe, it is not impossible that she is Protestant, which would make her restraint and dignity all the more impressive! 

P.S. I'm not sure BO'H did qualify his Protestant sport remark with "mainly", btw. Can anyone confirm? RTE appear to have removed the relevant piece rather sharpish, I think.

[Evil Genius]

The Brits had quite a run at the last olympics everything went their way. It looks like they are goinng to struggle to match it.

You might be right ("struggle to match it"), but they didn't win any medals in Beijing on Day One, and I'm not sure they won too many on Day Two, either. 

[thejuice]

I don't know EG, I reckon you'd beat us all at Badmenton.

Sure, look I can't even spell Badminton.

[Hardy]

I thought Badminton was for horses?

[Shamrock Shore]

There certainly was no badminton in Longford in the 1970s/80s when I was a gossun.

In fact any mention of the word 'shuttlecock' would have my mother reaching for the holy water.

[Hardy]

I was kinda right. Apparently, it's some sort of a court for criminal horses.

[stew]

I thought Badminton was for horses?

I played badminton for the school and we played all over the north, we only ever played one mixed school and that was Newry, the rest of the schools would have had Protestant students predominantly.

Friends school old boys and Wallace were the best teams that provided lots of international players and I had a great time playing the sport.

[trileacman]

Billo said that when he was growing up (approx 70 years ago I'd say) Badminton was mostly a protestant sport. I don't know the context or why he would say that, but I don't think it's an outrageous thing to say on face value. A lot of sports were mainly protestant sports when Bill was a wee lad, Cricket, Tennis, etc etc.

Not sure why he bothered saying it, as I didn't see the context, but it was obviously daft if he said isn't it great to see the Taigs winning at Badminton, it was mostly them Prods that played it.

Yeah sure if he'd have said 70 years ago GAA was mostly a Taig sport I'd have went "meh". A non-story this. Didn't really need to say it but it's the truth, 70 years ago Badminton was a Prod sport. Next he'll tell us 70 years ago the taewkando was mostly a Jap sport, I suppose that will be racist too or something.

I must say I enjoyed the opening ceremony, but I did raise an eyebrow when I saw all the Black industrialists in their top hats. I doubt somehow that there were too many Carribean or African lads running factories in the North of England during the Industrial Revolution.

Yeah f**king right. They also showed a few Taigs holding 1940's badminton rackets, completely ahistorical.

[AQMP]

Billo said that when he was growing up (approx 70 years ago I'd say) Badminton was mostly a protestant sport. I don't know the context or why he would say that, but I don't think it's an outrageous thing to say on face value. A lot of sports were mainly protestant sports when Bill was a wee lad, Cricket, Tennis, etc etc.

Not sure why he bothered saying it, as I didn't see the context, but it was obviously daft if he said isn't it great to see the Taigs winning at Badminton, it was mostly them Prods that played it.

I'm not outraged or anything - and the girl herself clearly has more wisdom than O'Herlihy - but why mention it? If he were commenting on GAA, would he note that it was/is a "Catholic sport"?

Quite smply, it was a crass and unnecessary comment, which I wouldn't have bothered to note, had it not contrasted so starkly with the much more harmless comments by Stephen Watson, to which AQMP had taken exception.

P.S. I expect to Lawnseed opening a "Bill O'Herlihy - Bigot!" thread in the style of his earlier "Daley Thompson - Racist!" effort - that's if he isn't clean out of Bile, Outrage and Victimhood... 

I didn't take exception to them at all, I always have a good laugh at Stevo's attempts to make us believe that you fall off the edge of the world just past Newry.

Now you were a hair's breadth from whataboutery with Billo's comments EG.  I wasn't aware of them until now but I find those sort of comments from a presenter of his experience incredible.  Had he said "When I was growing up badminton was a girls' sport and only boys who were useless at GAA, soccer and rugby played it, with the exception of stew from the GAA board"  then I would have had to agree.   Minority sport definitely, Protestant sport?  I'd never have thought of it like that

[trileacman]

Billo said that when he was growing up (approx 70 years ago I'd say) Badminton was mostly a protestant sport. I don't know the context or why he would say that, but I don't think it's an outrageous thing to say on face value. A lot of sports were mainly protestant sports when Bill was a wee lad, Cricket, Tennis, etc etc.

Not sure why he bothered saying it, as I didn't see the context, but it was obviously daft if he said isn't it great to see the Taigs winning at Badminton, it was mostly them Prods that played it.

I'm not outraged or anything - and the girl herself clearly has more wisdom than O'Herlihy - but why mention it? If he were commenting on GAA, would he note that it was/is a "Catholic sport"?

Quite smply, it was a crass and unnecessary comment, which I wouldn't have bothered to note, had it not contrasted so starkly with the much more harmless comments by Stephen Watson, to which AQMP had taken exception.

P.S. I expect to Lawnseed opening a "Bill O'Herlihy - Bigot!" thread in the style of his earlier "Daley Thompson - Racist!" effort - that's if he isn't clean out of Bile, Outrage and Victimhood... 

The same as Lawnseed you are making a mountain out of a molehill. Making an unnecessary comment during commentary isn't a shooting offence, otherwise the bodies would be piling up outside BBC and RTE studio's. Typical whataboutery, Brit makes a comment lets get annoyed, Bill makes a comment lets get annoyed.

[Evil Genius]

Yeah sure if he'd have said 70 years ago GAA was mostly a Taig sport I'd have went "meh". A non-story this. Didn't really need to say it but it's the truth, 70 years ago Badminton was a Prod sport. Next he'll tell us 70 years ago the taewkando was mostly a Jap sport, I suppose that will be racist too or something.

For one thing, Taekwondo is a Korean sport. And for another, it is not generally seen as acceptable to use the term "Jap" instead of "Japanese".

P.S. I agree this is a bit of a non-story, too. But I only brought it up in the context of remarks by another TV commentator (Watson), to which AQMP had taken exception.