Brits don't dope?

[buckle]

Re:

Could someone explain the Gordonstoun thing please?

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

 

[Jacques (7 ch)]

Re: Re:

Could someone explain the Gordonstoun thing please?

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

Dib dib dib Very Best Public Schools stiff upper lip early morning cold shower Everest Men village green warm beer Eton Boating Song damn good thrashing never hurt anyone Jolly Good Show

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Tootle pip coiled springs and all that eh what?

 

[Catwhoorg]

Outside of the Royal connections, it would be barely worth mentioning as a school.

Well maybe for Lara Croft who fictionally attended it.

 

[buckle]

Re: Re:

Could someone explain the Gordonstoun thing please?

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

Dib dib dib Very Best Public Schools stiff upper lip early morning cold shower Everest Men village green warm beer Eton Boating Song damn good thrashing never hurt anyone Jolly Good Show

Yes, you are right but these schools inculcate into the students a sort of pseudo religious, Darwinian sense of superiority and confidence. Some of the biggest mistakes in history have been made by men who underestimated or flippantly dismissed the privately educated British. An (in)famous German negotiated with a sober grammar school boy from Birmingham unaware of the fact that an alcoholic, insane and privately educated Brit lay waiting in the wings ...

 

[Texeng]

Re: Re:

Could someone explain the Gordonstoun thing please?

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

Dib dib dib Very Best Public Schools stiff upper lip early morning cold shower Everest Men village green warm beer Eton Boating Song damn good thrashing never hurt anyone Jolly Good Show

Yes, you are right but these schools inculcate into the students a sort of pseudo religious, Darwinian sense of superiority and confidence. Some of the biggest mistakes in history have been made by men who underestimated or flippantly dismissed the privately educated British. An (in)famous German negotiated with a sober grammar school boy from Birmingham unaware of the fact that an alcoholic, insane and privately educated Brit lay waiting in the wings ...

And, of course, none of this type of elitist nonsense would go on in any other country in the world

 

[buckle]

Re: Re:

Could someone explain the Gordonstoun thing please?

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

Dib dib dib Very Best Public Schools stiff upper lip early morning cold shower Everest Men village green warm beer Eton Boating Song damn good thrashing never hurt anyone Jolly Good Show

Yes, you are right but these schools inculcate into the students a sort of pseudo religious, Darwinian sense of superiority and confidence. Some of the biggest mistakes in history have been made by men who underestimated or flippantly dismissed the privately educated British. An (in)famous German negotiated with a sober grammar school boy from Birmingham unaware of the fact that an alcoholic, insane and privately educated Brit lay waiting in the wings ...

And, of course, none of this type of elitist nonsense would go on in any other country in the world

Of course it does but it's just more refined in the UK.

 

[Texeng]

Re: Re:

Surprisingly modern foundation and the Duke of Edinburgh sent Prince Charles there who apparently hated the place. It's founder was a German Christian convert (of sorts) and I suspect a complete weirdo.

The role of private schools in Britain is complex to explain as they are about money and influence. To understand the UK and its sports you need to understand the two rugby codes - "league" and "union". Even the fact that the players of both codes are today fuelled by drugs is significant in so much as they embody the moral collapse of British society that the likes of Gordonstoun was designed to stem.

Understanding league and union grants an insight into the bizarre class system which has dominated British society for centuries.

Dib dib dib Very Best Public Schools stiff upper lip early morning cold shower Everest Men village green warm beer Eton Boating Song damn good thrashing never hurt anyone Jolly Good Show

Yes, you are right but these schools inculcate into the students a sort of pseudo religious, Darwinian sense of superiority and confidence. Some of the biggest mistakes in history have been made by men who underestimated or flippantly dismissed the privately educated British. An (in)famous German negotiated with a sober grammar school boy from Birmingham unaware of the fact that an alcoholic, insane and privately educated Brit lay waiting in the wings ...

And, of course, none of this type of elitist nonsense would go on in any other country in the world

Of course it does but it's just more refined in the UK.

LOL, but then it would be

 

[bikenrrd]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

 

[blackcat]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

here,

it has NOTHING to do with cycling.

But cycling is now so absurd, since Armstrong and USPS, and Sky took up the cudgel, and many seek out the clinic and try to mount a defense of Sky. And yes, they are all doping, not just Sky.

But we can make fun of Sky certainly.

So, it is nice to throw a few grenades at the Sky homers and engage them in their own absurdity.

I picked a few uniquely British gobbets; mostly to pique the ire of the empire crew when the hog is not around

gordonstoun, muscular christianity, rowing, chariots of fire, redgrave, radcliffe, oxbridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscular_Christianity

and even tho I invoke "muscular christianity" I have no intention to make it a religious relevance to cycling, it may even be muscular islam, muscular buddhism, muscular judaism, it is utterly irrelevant. I never suggest it was nor is.

muscular Christianity
noun
a Christian life of brave and cheerful physical activity, especially as popularly associated with the writings of Charles Kingsley and with boys' public schools of the Victorian British Empire.

 

[Catwhoorg]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

Dave Millar springs to mind, though that was in Hong Kong.

 

[TMP402]

So because British fans defend Sky, the response is to give shoutouts to odd institutions they're probably not aware of?

 

[adamfo]

The irony is if Chris Froome had followed his Father, and two elder brothers footsteps, he would have been a boarder at Rugby school. Now this is a traditional English private school and Froome jr. would, more than likely, not have become interested in cycling. Instead the money ran out and he went to a el-cheapo private school in South Africa.
Gordonstoun is the sort of place somebody who knows nothing about the UK might mention. A cross between a co-educational progressive school and an expensive Swiss college.

 

[buckle]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

The journalists and TV execs who provide protection are important players in the racket. As our the politicians. Panem et circenses old boy. Panem et circenses.

 

[bikenrrd]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

The journalists and TV execs who provide protection are important players in the racket. As our the politicians. Panem et circenses old boy. Panem et circenses.

But they went to Eton, Harrow or Westminster school, not Gordonstoun. I'm a Brit and I've never heard of that place.

 

[buckle]

But what does it have to do with cycling and doping?
I'm not aware of one single British cyclist who went to public / private school. I'm not sure Geraint Thomas even went to school .
Cycling in the UK has always been a working class sport. The upper classes play sports where the locomotion is provided by another animal.

Still, it's pretty funny so carry on.

The journalists and TV execs who provide protection are important players in the racket. As our the politicians. Panem et circenses old boy. Panem et circenses.

But they went to Eton, Harrow or Westminster school, not Gordonstoun. I'm a Brit and I've never heard of that place.

Prince Charles and his pop went there. The guys are having some fun. Don't take it too seriously. Gordonstoun is an archetype nothing more. Kilts, crap food, illegal homosexual liaisons and sports covered with a veneer of Protestantism.

 

[Catwhoorg]

All of his Brothers went as well as I recall.

Anne's children as well. IIRC Peter Phillips was head boy there, and I do recall him playing for Scottish Schools in rugby.

 

[flying_plum]

I've always assumed blackcat's point was to parody the aspects of british culture which means that we are culturally prevented from doping (ahem) - public schools, fair play, jolly jockey sticks and all that being part of it. I have to say, though (despite the royal connection) I never understood why gordonstoun particularly - it wouldn't have been the one which sprung to mind for me, so unthought there was a specific cycling link too. As an aside, I do like the fact that non-brits clearly know/care a great deal more about the education of our royal leeches-sorry, family, than we appear to

 

[blackcat]

Re:

I've always assumed blackcat's point was to parody the aspects of british culture which means that we are culturally prevented from doping (ahem) - public schools, fair play, jolly jockey sticks and all that being part of it. I have to say, though (despite the royal connection) I never understood why gordonstoun particularly - it wouldn't have been the one which sprung to mind for me, so unthought there was a specific cycling link too. As an aside, I do like the fact that non-brits clearly know/care a great deal more about the education of our royal leeches-sorry, family, than we appear to

rugby eton harrow dragon westminster, just too easy. i picked a more esoteric school that chops it own wood and goes for runs in the forest. next time i will choose rugby school. not editing my meme, but on the next construction of a meme.

if this was 2000 and Armstrong, USPS, and cycling fans, I would be creating a similar construction.

I have said p'raps 10 different times in posts, this. is. not. serious. like you say, a parody.

 

[buckle]

Re: Re:

I've always assumed blackcat's point was to parody the aspects of british culture which means that we are culturally prevented from doping (ahem) - public schools, fair play, jolly jockey sticks and all that being part of it. I have to say, though (despite the royal connection) I never understood why gordonstoun particularly - it wouldn't have been the one which sprung to mind for me, so unthought there was a specific cycling link too. As an aside, I do like the fact that non-brits clearly know/care a great deal more about the education of our royal leeches-sorry, family, than we appear to

rugby eton harrow dragon westminster, just too easy. i picked a more esoteric school that chops it own wood and goes for runs in the forest. next time i will choose rugby school. not editing my meme, but on the next construction of a meme.

if this was 2000 and Armstrong, USPS, and cycling fans, I would be creating a similar construction.

I have said p'raps 10 different times in posts, this. is. not. serious. like you say, a parody.

A brilliantly witty choice! Funniest caricature I've read in a long time.

 

[flying_plum]

Although it's a parody, I think it's also a fairly accurate reason of why Brits have a hard time accepting their athletes dope. After all, a nations athletes are national representatives, reflections of that nation, and the ideals of fair play are very deeply part of certainly English culture (try jumping a queue at the the bus stop and see what happens). For our athletes to dope is basically a denial of them Britishness/Englishness. Of course, it's totally lacking in realism, but influenced by quite integral,parts of our culture, which that public school attitude is alert of (rather than causal, I think). It's also why I think that people would be more upset of doping by wiggins than frogmen - it's basically being less surprising from the latter who isn't 'fully british'....

 

[blackcat]

Re:

Although it's a parody, I think it's also a fairly accurate reason of why Brits have a hard time accepting their athletes dope. After all, a nations athletes are national representatives, reflections of that nation, and the ideals of fair play are very deeply part of certainly English culture (try jumping a queue at the the bus stop and see what happens). For our athletes to dope is basically a denial of them Britishness/Englishness. Of course, it's totally lacking in realism, but influenced by quite integral,parts of our culture, which that public school attitude is alert of (rather than causal, I think). It's also why I think that people would be more upset of doping by wiggins than frogmen - it's basically being less surprising from the latter who isn't 'fully british'....

ok ok ok

devils advocate from an antipodean. an uppity australian with no scruples and manners, me.

in the late 1920s, mebbe 1930s, there was an australian born in melbourne, toorak suburb, not too far from me, and i have had lived there in a quasi squat for a few years, complete opposite of circumstances of this example.
this person had maids, he went to Geelong Grammar, a version of gordonstoun in Australia, and he then went off to Oxford. He bought newspapers like his dad. Not newspapers like you and I would have bought. But he bought them as the proprietor. He then slashed unions. He then had wapping. He then sucked up to Thatcher. He then got Roger Ayles to do the equivalent for him in the States, with an American passport.

He then sponsored a cycling team.

and hacked phones, and employed the red headed witch Rebekah Brooks and they had unprecedented influence of 10 Downing Street. blame the uppity antipodeans i say

 

[flying_plum]

I'm not sure what your point is? Are you saying that Sky isn't really a British team? I think people conveniently forget that point. As for my earlier point; I'm not saying that we always DO follow the rules of fair play, but they are an important part of our national psyche and identity, and I think it's part of why people so fervently deny Sky's doping (despite all and any evidence to the contrary). If you want a giggle, there's a brilliant book called 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox, which is sort of anthropology-lite, combining a life time's academic work in a more conversational, easy-to-read edition. She's very funny, and she makes us look completely insane...

edit - to be clear, for the record, I don't think that anything in this culture actually prevents british athletes from doping, just that it goes to some of the explanation of why brits defend their athletes so strongly. it's not because they think they are of some higher moral fortitude, but simply that it just seems so 'un-British', it just doesn't sit comfortably with our sense of national identity.

 

[blackcat]

Re:

I'm not sure what your point is? Are you saying that Sky isn't really a British team?

no, just saying, if you wish to suggest a loss of British values over the last decades, you would think a certain Australian with an American passport has his nose in this too. blame him, i invite it.

 

[blackcat]

Re:

edit - to be clear, for the record, I don't think that anything in this culture actually prevents british athletes from doping, just that it goes to some of the explanation of why brits defend their athletes so strongly. it's not because they think they are of some higher moral fortitude, but simply that it just seems so 'un-British', it just doesn't sit comfortably with our sense of national identity.

this is why i luv to poke fun at the British wrt cycling. Any professional sport, requires PEDs now, so I think the individuals are less British than more constituents to their sport and the inherent values therein. Since Kate is a sociologist, no doubt she would agree. whoops, Kate is an athropologist. still, point stands, and field is similar enough.

It is not just cycling, it is all olympic sport, it is association football and soccer. But I have never said these people, the individuals, are less of character for using PEDs. I understand the no-win bind. I understand, they are compelled to lie.

But, when the professional sportsmen and sportswomen, utter the motherhood statements of anti-doping, NB. Betsy has a copyright over the talking points and she is owed royalties by you bast@rds, when they utter the motherhood statements about doping, and talk about being role models, and all of this hoohah and palaver, ut really is absurd. Playing along, and lying with the motherhood statements to protect their sponsorships and income.

It. Is. Absurd.

so it deserves to be sent up and made fun of, to be parodied.

should i have empathy of them being compelled to lie and compelled to dope? no, I wont see them of lesser character and project negative personality traits on them. But I will laugh at their lies.