Granted, I”m not a sporting historian, but if anyone knows a bigger, more spectacular come-from-behind sporting victory than this famous America’s Cup victory by James Spithill’s and Team Oracle, then let us know.
These boys started at minus 2. They were down on the canvas with a broken arm at 8-1. Yet they got up, focussed, fixed things, and came out to win, eight straight, against the very best Team NZ could try to throw at them.
That right there is the work of deserving champions.
So stop whinging New Zealand, and start recognising greatness when you see it.
And start being thankful our pockets aren’t going to be picked to “rebuild” the Auckland Viaduct in the vision of Len Brown and Stephen Joyce.
8 comments:
Yep, lot's of sour grapes around at the moment but you forget one thing. Kiwi's are a passionate bunch when it comes to sports. The whole country comes to a standstill when a big sporting event is on. Emotions run high and that is exactly where the pleasure of watching sports comes from.
It also means a big down when "we" lose. Yes, Oracles comeback is spectacular but I think Team NZ supporters are allowed to grieve and be a bit sore. Most people get over in after a day or two and get on with life.
With big up's come big downs. I have no issue with that.
But in this case: Sour grapes are perfectly fine. Afterall, all of us have been forced to "invest" in this event. It is like being forced to buy a lotto ticket while you hate gambling and lose.
Yeah, true. But referee Wayne Barnes didn't lose the Rugby World Cup for "us." Let's not see that reaction again.
As Peter says - time to recognise greatness when you see it.
Congrats to Mr Spithill and his team, they did a magnificent job and deserved to win; the $50 bet on the winning time being between 30 and 45 seconds was just the icing on the cake (it paid $5-50 haha!)
I think this shows what I have been saying for 30 years - that New Zealand is awash with 'Peter Keating' types who don't add up to dogshit.
Constantly repeating how wonderful somebody is, rather than their actual performance, does not a winner make - Olympians, Yachting, All Blacks, failed businessmen, authors (ever actually read a Janet Frame novel?), musicians, artists, David Shearer - the list is almost endless, and always it is poor downtrodden rich people paying taxes who carry the can forking out for subsidies.
However New Zealanders being New Zealanders this lesson will fall on deaf ears and no doubt Mr Key is already crossing Team NZ off his list and jotting down names of the next group of losers and failures to throw money at, and also planning what tie to wear for the photo op.
As a taxpayer just be grateful to Team Oracle for the amount of money they have saved you. Even if there is another campaign with taxpayer money involved it will be a lot cheaper than a local defence.
My tweet in answer to the comment that NZ choked sums it up for me:
We didn't choke, just beaten by a superior boat built by the innovation born of capitalism - cf our people's boat.
I was just talking to a mate of mine and we wondered: Has Team New Zealand ever won the America's Cup since government is involved?
Glorious day for taxpayers...multiple future event funding saved.. yes it sucks, but it was NZ boat and a part kiwi team that won.
More important is Man U won 1-0 vs. Liverpool, the NZ woman's football team won 1-0 vs. Brazil and 4-0 vs. China!
DOnther
I think the government was always involved in Team NZ- right from the start. SO the answer to your question is, YES!
Amit
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