Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

SeathrúnCeitinn wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Wouldn't the dream Olympics be if all our three boxers, Denis Lynch and Cragg got gold medals? It's unlikely, but it'd be brilliant for London 2012 since we'd be well set up for a slew of medals to bring back over the Irish Sea.

That would be excellent. What is the cause of your reckless optimism?

Yes, it'd be our very own dream team. The cause? My love in God, faith in humanity, the belief in the power of positivism and the happiness an optimistic demeanour creates. It's healthier being optimistic.

Your optimism is a balm to what, if I was not an atheist, would be my soul

An Irish horse has tested positive. Second Olympics in a row.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/equestrian/7574220.stm

Oh dear. ...oh dear.....the hooray henry dope fiend strikes again.......does Lynch have a godfather a media mogul to, as the AIB ad would tell ye, "...... back the man?"

Best wishes to Chippy Brady on a speedy recovery.

What is it about assistant Irish managers?

At least we are no longer the only country to have doped a horse - three other competitors have been kicked out too.

I don't know how somebody can countenance cheating in the olympics. The thought of people looking at me as a cheat for the rest of my life abhors me. And that is the most important thing about you that people will remember, that you cheated and embarrassed your country.

There appears a serious issue in Irish show jumping as regards doping. This is the third case of doping of a horse of a major Irish international show jumper in four years.

2004: Cian O'Connors's Waterford Crystal tested positive.
2007: Jessica Kurten's Castle Forbes Maike tested positive.
2008: Denis Lynch's Lantinus tested positive.

I seen Flurry Knox give some póitín to a horse in the Irish Rm so it's not today or yesterday we started at this skulduggery...just before he got his wife to bury him under his patio so he could be in Fair city....I think......and the Americans just dropped the baton in the 4x100m relay..

And 'Slipper' was involved in an attempted horse-racing betting coup with Pierce Brosnan who had a gay future....in the seventies......murkier and murkier.......and the Brits have been disqualified from the 4x100m relay....and the Italians too...

And the American ladies have just dropped the baton in their 4x100m race......what are they like?

Link to Irish Times Story
Did any of you hear Alistair Cragg's interview yesterday? It was amazing stuff. I was very impressed by his honesty and passion and his level-headedness at such a difficult time.

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Link to Irish Times Story
Did any of you hear Alistair Cragg's interview yesterday? It was amazing stuff. I was very impressed by his honesty and passion and his level-headedness at such a difficult time.

Bloody blazers. I caught a few minutes of some people from the boxing gloves on Joe Duffy. Did anyone else hear it?

The usual stories of training in set ups with no running water and no toilets and of Katy Taylor training in someone's kitchen as there was nowhere else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Taylor_(boxer)

What can you say about it? They are excelling without decent facilities: but they seem to be cohesive and support each other and are supported to the hilt by their communities.

cactus flower wrote:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Link to Irish Times Story
Did any of you hear Alistair Cragg's interview yesterday? It was amazing stuff. I was very impressed by his honesty and passion and his level-headedness at such a difficult time.

Bloody blazers. I caught a few minutes of some people from the boxing clubs on Joe Duffy. Did anyone else hear it?

The usual stories of training in set ups with no running water and no toilets and of Katy Taylor training in someone's kitchen as there was nowhere else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Taylor_(boxer)

What can you say about it? They are excelling without decent facilities: but they seem to be cohesive and support each other and are supported to the hilt by their communities.

He gave Coughlin a good lash and not before time. I didn't hear liveline but I can guess.(Is joe 'emote' duffy not on hols. Derek Davis feigning outrage at the mo.) what it was like. Will give it a listen later on.

The interview with Alistair Cragg can be heard here

Yes, more grist to the mill of Eamonn's publishing machine. Amazing that the revelation that EC educated himself about steroids and went as far as to get a prescription in somebody else's name only came out with his book. Luckily for everybody Eamonn resisted the temptation. He never needed it during his prime because he was such a winner unlike Gary "Sluggish" O'Toole. He also never knew which of his opponents were on steroids.

I am glad Cragg is in the final. I think the point he made that his times compare with the heroes of yesteryear was well made. The self-hype of these guys is unbelievable. The world has changed and the population has increased hugely. It was about time that the armchair (or studio-chair) critics were put back in their respective boxes.

Even if they were exciting to watch on the track they are deadly dull in the studio.

Talking heads should be banned from Olympic coverage:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Yes, more grist to the mill of Eamonn's publishing machine. Amazing that the revelation that EC educated himself about steroids and went as far as to get a prescription in somebody else's name only came out with his book. Luckily for everybody Eamonn resisted the temptation. He never needed it during his prime because he was such a winner unlike Gary "Sluggish" O'Toole. He also never knew which of his opponents were on steroids.

I am glad Cragg is in the final. I think the point he made that his times compare with the heroes of yesteryear was well made. The self-hype of these guys is unbelievable. The world has changed and the population has increased hugely. It was about time that the armchair (or studio-chair) critics were put back in their respective boxes.

Hurumph.....I second those remarks.

cactus flower wrote:

Even if they were exciting to watch on the track they are deadly dull in the studio.

Talking heads should be banned from Olympic coverage:

But then we wouldn't be able to come on here and whinge about them

Irish Tines Story

Unlike the Cian O'Connor episode, Denis Lynch an dhis vets have provided details of the product which gave rise to the positive test. Let's hope this is above board. I also note that 3 others were kicked out for the same substance. Given that it was the same substance in each case it is possible it was in error.

I don't like the bit about it being ok because it was tested before though. Either it contins the banned substance or it doesn't. It is up to the competitors/vets to know. The product is called "Equiblock"; for blocking the pain??

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Irish Tines Story

Unlike the Cian O'Connor episode, Denis Lynch an dhis vets have provided details of the product which gave rise to the positive test. Let's hope this is above board. I also note that 3 others were kicked out for the same substance. Given that it was the same substance in each case it is possible it was in error.

I don't like the bit about it being ok because it was tested before though. Either it contins the banned substance or it doesn't. It is up to the competitors/vets to know. The product is called "Equiblock"; for blocking the pain??

Apparently it's a "dape hate" product, that is massaged into the muscle of the animal that is causing difficulty.

riadach wrote:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Irish Tines Story

Unlike the Cian O'Connor episode, Denis Lynch an dhis vets have provided details of the product which gave rise to the positive test. Let's hope this is above board. I also note that 3 others were kicked out for the same substance. Given that it was the same substance in each case it is possible it was in error.

I don't like the bit about it being ok because it was tested before though. Either it contins the banned substance or it doesn't. It is up to the competitors/vets to know. The product is called "Equiblock"; for blocking the pain??

Apparently it's a "dape hate" product, that is massaged into the muscle of the animal that is causing difficulty.

The FEI vet said it can prevent/reduce hyper-sensitivity and thus enhance performance

I was reading the old jokes Erik de Brun and Cian O'Connor and what they have in common on p.ie and then people weighed in with Lester Piggot jokes. A friend reminded me of the old Ben Johnson one at the time. What has steroids and Hurricane Gilbert got in common? Makes Jamaicans run like f.... Might get another run out soon

The Irish Chef de mission is being savaged by Marty Morrissey on rte 2 at the minute. Avril Doyle comin up. Blame English right-wingers there Avril

cactus flower wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

SeathrúnCeitinn wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Wouldn't the dream Olympics be if all our three boxers, Denis Lynch and Cragg got gold medals? It's unlikely, but it'd be brilliant for London 2012 since we'd be well set up for a slew of medals to bring back over the Irish Sea.

That would be excellent. What is the cause of your reckless optimism?

Yes, it'd be our very own dream team. The cause? My love in God, faith in humanity, the belief in the power of positivism and the happiness an optimistic demeanour creates. It's healthier being optimistic.

Your optimism is a balm to what, if I was not an atheist, would be my soul

cactus, I am certain that atheist or not, you have a soul.

Unfortunately it is now impossible. Darren Sutherland was well beaten this morning. He got caught a lot after throwing jabs that didn't reach his opponent. The uppercut seemed to be his weakness. Although the boxing scoring generally infuriates, there were no reason for complaints in this fight.

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

Unfortunately it is now impossible. Darren Sutherland was well beaten this morning. He got caught a lot after throwing jabs that didn't reach his opponent. The uppercut seemed to be his weakness. Although the boxing scoring generally infuriates, there were no reason for complaints in this fight.

Sorry to hear that. He fought well in the previous fight. He still gets the bronze though: well done Darren!

And Paddy Barnes is gettin an awful hammerin unfortunately.....hard luck on both he and Sutherland. We're depending on the captain for more than bronze. Great to get this far though.