Andy Murray at No.1

mrfpb

...and it's not a novelty sports song.

UK sport goes from strength to strength (if you don't include football )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/37882467

ugo.santalucia

It's awsome, he truly deserves it

mrfpb

Wimbledon champion, Olympic champion, world no.1

I think SPoTY is sorted for this year.

ugo.santalucia

mrfpb wrote:

Wimbledon champion, Olympic champion, world no.1

I think SPoTY is sorted for this year.

He already won twice... there are strong contenders from the olympics... Kenny, Whitlock, Mo Farah and Trott above all

mrfpb

True, they will support the Olympics big time. HE may have to settle for the lesser honour of a Knighthood.

ugo.santalucia

mrfpb wrote:

True, they will support the Olympics big time. HE may have to settle for the lesser honour of a Knighthood.

He deserves that too, if sport is something worth of a knighthood... of which I am quite skeptical... it is already very rewarding in wealth as well as fame, I think knighthoods should go to those who do something to enhance society and mankind... being medics, scientists, fire fighters or social workers..l although I suppose one could argue that he inspires kids to go out and play tennis instead of stabbing each other or getting obese in front of a videogame

Not quite sure how bankers get knighted...

oldbazza

ugo.santalucia wrote:

mrfpb wrote:

True, they will support the Olympics big time. HE may have to settle for the lesser honour of a Knighthood.

He deserves that too, if sport is something worth of a knighthood... of which I am quite skeptical... it is already very rewarding in wealth as well as fame, I think knighthoods should go to those who do something to enhance society and mankind... being medics, scientists, fire fighters or social workers..l although I suppose one could argue that he inspires kids to go out and play tennis instead of stabbing each other or getting obese in front of a videogame

Not quite sure how bankers get knighted...

Nice full brown envelope through number 10's door?

Frank Wilson

mrfpb wrote:

...and it's not a novelty sports song.

UK sport goes from strength to strength (if you don't include football )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/37882467

As a Welsh football fan I feel duty bound to dispute the above, Euro 2016 Semi Finalists ain't that bad.

mrfpb

Frank Wilson wrote:

mrfpb wrote:

...and it's not a novelty sports song.

UK sport goes from strength to strength (if you don't include football )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/37882467

As a Welsh football fan I feel duty bound to dispute the above, Euro 2016 Semi Finalists ain't that bad.

I'm Welsh too, but when you look at when a UK team or individual last won a major trophy or achievement (eg Olympic Gold, no.1 seeding) then golf, tennis, rugby, formula one, cycling, cricket and possibly others look better than UK football's 50 year gap. I was being a bit cheeky really as there is no need to put down others in order to celebrate someone's achievement, but I resent that football still gets more terrestrial TV coverage than all other sports combined when we have so many sports stars at the top of their fields.

Bobbinogs

Interestingly, from a participation view, Swimming (2.89M over 2 years) is the most popular sport with football in 3rd place (1.94M). Cycling comes in 4th with 1.87M.

However, whether we like it or not, football is the most popular sport for viewers and whilst I know many will argue that it is only because it gets the coverage...it gets the coverage because it is popular. If they stuck a swimming gala on BBC1 at 7pm tonight and an FA cup match between Utd and City on BBC2 then the viewing stats would be staggeringly different.

Anonymous

mrfpb wrote:

UK sport goes from strength to strength (if you don't include football )

UK has the worlds best footballing dog though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2lAeKn9h54

pblakeney

I reckon that it will last until the Australian Open.
If that long......

chris_bass

PBlakeney wrote:

I reckon that it will last until the Australian Open.
If that long......

Even if he loses it by then he should get it back shortly after, djokovic has lots of points to defend at the start of the year.

mrfpb

I'm quite happy for there to be a grudge match or gentlemans rivalry at the top of the sport. With Nadal and Federer out of the top four and unlikely to come back, it was a bit boring when Djokovich was on top for so long. Hopefully Nishikori will continue to improve as well

Murray may well lose his no.1 spot this week, that should get him fired up for the new season.

plowmar

Re whats happening this week, it's been said that Murray has to equal Djokovitch's position to retain the No.1 spot. Surely all he has to do is the same as last year as Djokovitch cannot get more points as he won it last year.?

mrfpb

I'm not sure how they score the Tour final. I think a player gets more points for each group match he wins, so there may be more points available to Djokovic than he scored last year.

plowmar

That would explain it, other than he won it last year so how could he win more matches. And I always thought tennis was such a simple game

chris_bass

plowmar wrote:

That would explain it, other than he won it last year so how could he win more matches. And I always thought tennis was such a simple game

this explains it:
http://www.barclaysatpworldtourfinals.c ... rize-money

Murray's points also include 275 points for winning last years davis cup final which he will lose.

rick_chasey

His assidiousness has reached new heights. Oof.

mrfpb

He can't just win anything straightforwardly, there has to be a wobble!

rick_chasey

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

awavey

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

mamba80

awavey wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

But he won, so whats your issue with this? i assume Djokovic hit the net more times, lost more points etc etc so had more of a wobble?
Cant we in the UK celebrate this sort of sporting success, without a "yeah but clause"

ballysmate

mamba80 wrote:

awavey wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

But he won, so whats your issue with this? i assume Djokovic hit the net more times, lost more points etc etc so had more of a wobble?
Cant we in the UK celebrate this sort of sporting success, without a "yeah but clause"

You mean like talking us down?

Stevo_666

Ballysmate wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

awavey wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

But he won, so whats your issue with this? i assume Djokovic hit the net more times, lost more points etc etc so had more of a wobble?
Cant we in the UK celebrate this sort of sporting success, without a "yeah but clause"

You mean like talking us down?

Funny the difference between the attitude here and on the Eurobollox thread

mrfpb

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

When a set and 4-1 up he starts losing. That's a wobble. Not as bad as when won the US open, but still enough for the fans to worry about him throwing the lead away. I'm writing as a fan. It's a fraught experience!

ugo.santalucia

awavey wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

When you try to accelerate a ball at > 200 Km/h you hit the occasional net... it's a fact of life, get over it

mamba80

Ballysmate wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

awavey wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Beating Djokovic in straight sets isn't winning straightforwardly?

not when you go through 3 Match points, and your first serve keeps hitting the net.

But he won, so whats your issue with this? i assume Djokovic hit the net more times, lost more points etc etc so had more of a wobble?
Cant we in the UK celebrate this sort of sporting success, without a "yeah but clause"

You mean like talking us down?

You really dont get it, we talk ourselves up in areas we are no good at, footie, NHS, education, transport even defence, as area where we used to excel, just a little more realism please!

All you pair bleat on about is the fcuking labour party, as i ve told you before, concentrate on the shower who are in power!

Murray on the hand is superb, a guy who has through hard work, overcome players who might have more natural ability, he is an example to us all.

rick_chasey

mamba80 wrote:

Murray on the hand is superb, a guy who has through hard work, overcome players who might have more natural ability, he is an example to us all.

On this. Have you read the sports gene by David Epstein?

It might make you question whether Murray has more or less natural ability, or whether his natural ability is to be able to "work harder" than his big rivals...

tangled_metal

Before winning yesterday Murray was 13th in the SPOTY rankings based on votes for the shortlist of 10 places. I assume he'll jump at least 3 places to get into the shortlist. Will this really earn him much more than.a bump into the shortlist?

Bear in mind the SPOTY has a track record in Olympic sportsmen and women figuring highly in the votes in an Olympic year. Put simply Murray will do well to come third I think.

BTW anyone read Google news? I went on there to look for articles on the autumn internationals. That's rugby.union international games involving England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland playing some of the better teams in southern hemisphere.

So scrolling down to sports I saw 5 pieces on football, not international football but everything.from premiership down to the old division 2 from my early years.

I clicked on more sport link to see more football. Once again I clicked more sport. Indeed I clicked on that link until it was no longer than there and it's all football with one cricket article.

So I searched in.Google news for.rugby union internationals and got a few articles.

Forgive me but that's really bad!

I know Google shows popular links ahead of others less popular. It's just that how on earth is lower football leagues worthy of reading about above a national side in another sport that's really on the up right now? Can't Google filter out football a bit?

rick_chasey

Avoid news chosen by algorithms.