SA Teams Getting a Mighty Hiding

[Necuno]

First it was Banyana's dismal showing against Sweden and Canada (They lost both games 4 -1 and 3 -0)
Then the ladies Hockey team got trashed by Argentina ( 7-1). The men's hockey team also got thrashed by Australia (6 -0).
My problem is these are team sports and probably use up the majority of the budget and yet don't seem to have any hope of achieving any silverware. Maybe we need to re-focus our attention on individual events. It will cost less and they will have more resources for intensive preparation. What do you guys think?

Our soccer had a chance ? looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool ?

I would say that maybe they should stop with " wow we made the olympics " and switch over to " we've made it, but we are leaving with a medal ". Quite a difference in just going because you are there vs going for gold...

 

[waynegohl]

Some people seem to think that the Olympics are a learning curve which is utter BS. The learning curve should be all those other international events that South Africa SHOULD be taking part in. The Olympics are not the time to learn anything, the Olympics are about the best in the world competing for gold medals etc and sending a team of 100 athletes to hopefully get 12 medals is a disgrace and a waste of time and money and a slap in the face of every South African. You cannot take a bunch of hopefuls to such an event and expect those hopefuls to carry this experience over to the next game in 4 years time, you need to train people in every event possible and let them compete in every event out there so when the next games come around you send ONLY THE BEST to compete ON ALL FRONTS.

 

[za1]

Some people seem to think that the Olympics are a learning curve which is utter BS. The learning curve should be all those other international events that South Africa SHOULD be taking part in. The Olympics are not the time to learn anything, the Olympics are about the best in the world competing for gold medals etc and sending a team of 100 athletes to hopefully get 12 medals is a disgrace and a waste of time and money and a slap in the face of every South African. You cannot take a bunch of hopefuls to such an event and expect those hopefuls to carry this experience over to the next game in 4 years time, you need to train people in every event possible and let them compete in every event out there so when the next games come around you send ONLY THE BEST to compete ON ALL FRONTS.

I disagree.
We send the best we have, its the spirit of the games and whatnot.
If you only want the best to compete, then we would have ,what, the China vs USA games?
So we don't win, pffft, at least we there trying.
Not that I enjoy tuning in and seeing our hockey down 800 - 0, but it could have been 801

 

[Garson007]

We should send all those that qualify. It's up to the athletes to then step up or not. Who cares if their only realistic chance is having an extended holiday, they qualified for the event and therefore they should be there. They are still fitter, faster, more talented and more skilful than the lot of you.

 

[Necuno]

Some people seem to think that the Olympics are a learning curve which is utter BS. The learning curve should be all those other international events that South Africa SHOULD be taking part in. The Olympics are not the time to learn anything, the Olympics are about the best in the world competing for gold medals etc and sending a team of 100 athletes to hopefully get 12 medals is a disgrace and a waste of time and money and a slap in the face of every South African. You cannot take a bunch of hopefuls to such an event and expect those hopefuls to carry this experience over to the next game in 4 years time, you need to train people in every event possible and let them compete in every event out there so when the next games come around you send ONLY THE BEST to compete ON ALL FRONTS.

That.

 

[sand_man]

I disagree.
We send the best we have, its the spirit of the games and whatnot.
If you only want the best to compete, then we would have ,what, the China vs USA games?
So we don't win, pffft, at least we there trying.
Not that I enjoy tuning in and seeing our hockey down 800 - 0, but it could have been 801

Mmmm, I don't know. I mean I saw some pretty small teams of only 4 or 5 athletes at that opening ceremony. I think we may as well fall into that category.

 

[thestaggy]

When you are picked for your country you should give your utmost best to do and be the best. Not long ago i remember we where doing well in Hockey both mens and womens teams and also netball. Things have changed

I would say that maybe they should stop with " wow we made the olympics " and switch over to " we've made it, but we are leaving with a medal ". Quite a difference in just going because you are there vs going for gold...

Free holiday for some... Just no sense of pride or passion.


Rather embarassing.

Our hockey players are amateurs that have 9-5 jobs. The Aussies are pros. Even India has experimented with pro-hockey.

As for Banyana Banyana, let's look a their opposition;
1. Sweden - Home to a professional Women's league that has been in existence since 1973. The league is seen as one of, if not the best, women's league's in the world. Hell, UEFA has a women's champions league, in which Swedish clubs are the second most successful.
2. Canada - A nation that is exposed to the US collegiate scene - probably the best developmental system in women's football - and a nation that sees a number of it's players ply their trade in the Swedish club scene, which I've mentioned is pretty special.
3. Japan - Reigning World Champions and home to a professional league itself .

Banyana Banyana are amateurs and play on a continent which does not take women's football seriously. The coach said the state of competition in Africa is pathetic. You only have to play a few games against nations who barely put any effort in to qualify, so you go into a major competition ill-prepared and poorly tested. Not to mention our domestic scene does not have a pro-league and our university teams - the few we have - cannot even begin to be compared to the US collegiate scene.

We generally do well against lower tiered nations, ie at our level, but there is no way that we can be expected to be on par with nations with professional structures or highly developed development structures (US collegiate system).

Is it any different to rugby, where amateur and pro-am nations like Namibia, Georgia, Portugal, Uruguay, Spain and Russia get obliterated by tier one nations? By the above logic from Prophet and SinghDude we should tell Namibia off for being thrashed 87-0 by the 'Boks at the 2011 World Cup, because that is the kind of gulf in class we are looking at.

We will never win medals until our domestic structures and continental competitons/opponents are of the standard of successful nations/continents.

 

[swsup97]

The situation will not improve untill such time there is a proper development system in place for talented youth to come through the ranks and not just end at high school level , so much talent goes to waste due to the fact that there is very little structure in place to develop that talent and transform that talent into world class sportsman and sportswoman at all levels from junior right through to turning Pro.

 

[za1]

Free holiday for some... Just no sense of pride or passion.


Rather embarassing.

Oh really?
Every athlete we have sent is there on merit and has met or exceeded Olympic qualification.

Do you actually think any one of them hasn't tried their best and feel bad at losing early?

Even mighty Germany with all their money and investment in sport so far have only one silver to their name

Even UK, the hosts, still don't have a gold

 

[ISP cash cow]

geez, I think a little bit of support for your countries athletes would be nice!

Yes our groundroots development is disgusting for certain sports but these athletes are the best from our country in their respected fields and they did qualify for the games.

It is an opportunity for people to go and represent their country at one of the most prestigious sports events in the world and you are wanting them to turn around and say "well I may get blown away by the competition so lets not even try".

Just remember that they may be at the bottom of those 6 teams or players but they beat thousands of other athletes just to get there.

 

[Vox Populi Vox Dei]

geez, I think a little bit of support for your countries athletes would be nice!

Yes our groundroots development is disgusting for certain sports but these athletes are the best from our country in their respected fields and they did qualify for the games.

It is an opportunity for people to go and represent their country at one of the most prestigious sports events in the world and you are wanting them to turn around and say "well I may get blown away by the competition so lets not even try".

Just remember that they may be at the bottom of those 6 teams or players but they beat thousands of other athletes just to get there.

Agreed. All the athletes who made it there fulfilled the criteria for entering. It's just like the Tour de France - even the person who came last is a champion in my eyes.

 

[Necuno]

Our hockey players are amateurs that have 9-5 jobs.

That is a nice, maybe I should use that excuse too if life gets hard. Some of ours starts at 7am and sometimes end up well past 5pm, however I still needs to deal with life outside work.

 

[a'zombi]

That is a nice, maybe I should use that excuse too if life gets hard. Some of ours starts at 7am and sometimes end up well past 5pm, however I still needs to deal with life outside work.

Does your life outside work involve competing with people that are the world's best at what they do? :erm:

 

[za1]

Does your life outside work involve competing with people that are the world's best at what they do? :erm:

as he is probably w@nking the answer would be yes

 

[Necuno]

Does your life outside work involve competing with people that are the world's best at what they do? :erm:

Oh dear. Not that, that must be worst than having to manage your time properly. We are surely a handout nation through and through...

 

[Albereth]

I am pretty sure that we left some people behind who really do deserve to go to the Olympics. Bringing home medals hasn't meant much in the past for me, and I doubt that it will in the future. However, take the Rugby World Cup - that matters to me because I am a fan. I go through the ups and downs every year. But the Olympics? Nope, I don't know these people at all. I have no emotional investment.

I'm happy for the individuals who get somewhere but it sort of ends there. Perhaps, if I was a big hockey fan I'd care.

And there are some sports that are just so out there (IMHO). Watching paint dry seems to be more entertaining than womens' epee. And the judo? Yawn! But as I said - maybe being a fan changes your view.

And it is probably the fans that contribute to the class of athlete that we get.

Doesn't explain why our football is as crap as it is but I suspect that the blame with soccer is at the administrator level.

 

[sand_man]

Agreed. All the athletes who made it there fulfilled the criteria for entering. It's just like the Tour de France - even the person who came last is a champion in my eyes.

Technically you correct but perhaps the qualification process is flawed in that sense.

I can't help but think some of our teams have qualified on the back of a weak qualifying group.

We see it in all world cup type events though. That's how you get a Afghanistan qualifying for a cricket world cup or a Namibia qualifying for a rugby world cup.

Being global events means allocating spots to teams all over the world and when the qualifying process involves beating competitors from your own continent, the possibility of qualifying for an event/tournament, but being out of your depth, is high.

 

[SinghDude]

Saffers should push for rugby and cricket to be olympic events.....


At least we will be in with a shout ....

 

[sand_man]

Saffers should push for rugby and cricket to be olympic events.....


At least we will be in with a shout ....

Wasn't 7's touted as an upcoming Olympic sport?

Yes, from the 2016 Olympics.

In Rio!!! Think I must go watch and grab a piece of Brazilian a$$ while I'm there. Finest in the world.

Talking of a$$ did anyone watch the Spain vs China womens waterpolo match? Spaniards swimwear was quite titillating.

 

[thestaggy]

That is a nice, maybe I should use that excuse too if life gets hard. Some of ours starts at 7am and sometimes end up well past 5pm, however I still needs to deal with life outside work.

Oh dear. Not that, that must be worst than having to manage your time properly. We are surely a handout nation through and through...

Are. You. Serious?

Right. I've just visited SA Hockey's site and viewed the men's profiles;

6 players come from Durban, 5 from Cape Town, 4 from Jo'burg, 2 from East London and 1 each from Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg & Pretoria.

With their locations in mind and the fact that these guys have to do other jobs to earn a living, how in the heck would you expect them to firstly train as a team and secondly train individually and reach a level of team cohesion and personal fitness that a bunch of pros would achieve? The fact that they are spread so far apart and have 9-5 jobs means it must be incredibly difficult to arrange training camps.

You are being a fool if you think a professional athlete does not have a significant advantage over an amateur, part-time athlete.

It has nothing to do with handouts and everything to do with the fact that professional athelets are paid to do what they do and spend their days training and practising. Amateurs are not paid to do what they do so they have to get jobs in order to live, decreasing the amount of time thay allocate to training and practising.