Down the Bog

It was a bad weekend for UK sport. As far as England were concerned they lost to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup Final and in terms of British motor sport Lewis Hamilton failed to win the Formula One World Championship.

Living in Canada I’m far away from the intensity that seems to exist in Britain as far as certain sports are concerned. Football (soccer) is of course the real big thing and has massive support. Rugby and cricket follow on and whatever the sport is if we Brits think there’s a chance of us actually winning something we all get very excited. If we then lose (which is normally the case) there’s always a big debate after about why did we lose? Are we taking it seriously enough? Are we investing enough? What’s wrong with us?

I think people from other countries look on and think that we are expecting to win and that we are in some way looking down on everyone else as if our nation should be the only winners. That’s such nonsense but is probably some kind of throwback to British Empire days which was a long time ago but understandably causes resentment. No brit seriously thinks that we are still some centre point of a mighty empire. Britain is just a small country with a large and big hearted population who’d really like to win something sometime.

Here in Canada where it’s a big country with a relatively small population ice hockey rules which unfortunately leaves me cold (excuse the pun). Canadians clearly have a passion for it and are also very good at it which means that in an international competition Canadians want their team to do well. But I don’t pick up on any real passion here just an excitable interest. When Canada was recently represented in the Cricket World Cup and Rugby World Cup I’m not sure just how many Canadians even knew about it.

It’s this kind of feeling that conveys to me a sense of being isolated over here. Sometimes I feel that all the big parties are taking place over in the rest of the world.

Popularity: 2% [?]