As a Scotland supporter, I know the pain of defeat better than most.
The defeat of English footballers in Russia was not pleasant (Even for me- Russia is one of the few countries where I would happily cheer on England).
The likely defeat of the Red Rose in Rugby inevitably followed- and of course, naturally the players were disappointed to fall at the last rung of the ladder they had climbed.
The reaction of some England supporters was not pleasant- and that of the press even worse. At the end of the day, the virtues of sport are not always in the winning.
Likewise the failure of Lewis Hamilton to win the Grand Prix World drivers championship in his rookie year has been greeted with screeds of maudlin drivel from the press.
So instead of a quiet pride in the achievements of the underdog English Rugby team, and the Rookie driver, there is a palpable sense of anger and frustration in England this morning- this is not what sport should be about at all: it is ugly and wrong.
Must all the Corinthian virtues of Rugby Union be sacrificed on the alter of greed, commercialism and the idea that winning in sport is everything and losing is nothing. What happened to the sense of respect and fair play that motivated the founders of the sport?
It is not a healthy society where couch potato supporters feel defeat more keenly than the committed, disciplined players, who really understand the virtues of their sport.
PS ...and don't get me started on the petulant way that several French players refused to play in the bronze medal match: As the Pumas delivered another convincing victory I did at least raise a cheer for their Corinthian spirit...
The defeat of English footballers in Russia was not pleasant (Even for me- Russia is one of the few countries where I would happily cheer on England).
The likely defeat of the Red Rose in Rugby inevitably followed- and of course, naturally the players were disappointed to fall at the last rung of the ladder they had climbed.
The reaction of some England supporters was not pleasant- and that of the press even worse. At the end of the day, the virtues of sport are not always in the winning.
Likewise the failure of Lewis Hamilton to win the Grand Prix World drivers championship in his rookie year has been greeted with screeds of maudlin drivel from the press.
So instead of a quiet pride in the achievements of the underdog English Rugby team, and the Rookie driver, there is a palpable sense of anger and frustration in England this morning- this is not what sport should be about at all: it is ugly and wrong.
Must all the Corinthian virtues of Rugby Union be sacrificed on the alter of greed, commercialism and the idea that winning in sport is everything and losing is nothing. What happened to the sense of respect and fair play that motivated the founders of the sport?
It is not a healthy society where couch potato supporters feel defeat more keenly than the committed, disciplined players, who really understand the virtues of their sport.
PS ...and don't get me started on the petulant way that several French players refused to play in the bronze medal match: As the Pumas delivered another convincing victory I did at least raise a cheer for their Corinthian spirit...
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