McIlroy Declares for Britain?

by Gordy Mon 10 Sep 2012, 6:00 pm

First topic message reminder :

Rory McIlroy has declared "I’ve always felt more British than Irish", "Maybe it is the way I was brought up, I don’t know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the UK than with Ireland". This seems like a pretty strong indication to me that McIlroy will represent Team GB at the Olympics in 4 years. I think its a smart move to declare his allegiance early and in good time rather than letting the media make a storm in a tea cup about the whole issue in 4 years time close to the games.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:29 am

1. Really in what way? DO the irish American's have a whip round for him at each event?
2. It's a fact that irish people are more religious than UK ones, but we've already established this isn't a consideration for McIlroy.
3. Explain how McIlroy benefits from Irish Americans and how he would suffer if he represented GB instead. They love winners in America, regardless of nationality.
4. It's only Glasgow that is bigotted, due to links with ROI and NI and Cath/Prot.
5. GB would have had two fewer medals correct, but he's a British citizen, has been for 21 years. So your point is?
How many ROI footballers have played for your country despite only having a pint of Guiness to qualify? Tony Cascarino, Mick McCarthy.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:30 am

Diggers wrote:Are you trying to suggest that because Rory was pleased Mo, who came over from Somalia when he was 11, won gold that he a fully grown man would have no issues representing the USA in the future ?
Or is there any other point to that remark as once again it seems utterly irrelevant to me.

Even with all its money and huge population, Britain's own gene pool wasn't good enough. (I have no issue with Mo Farah representing Britain, particularly since he grew up there).

Would you have had an issue with Mo Farah representing Somalia in the Olympics even though he grew up in Britain?

by GunsGerms Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:31 am

SR is probably the biggest bigot on these boards. Very hypocritical calling other people bigots.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:31 am

How does being Irish (or the most ancient of links) help Obama?
You really think anyone is retarded enough to vote for him because he's about 300th generation Irish?

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:32 am

GunsGerms wrote:SR is probably the biggest bigot on these boards. Very hypocritical calling other people bigots.

I'm not a bigot at all. Just have different opinions to people. That isn't being bigotted.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:39 am

Diggers wrote:
Sin é wrote:
super_realist wrote:Interpret it as disrespect if you want, but however you look at it ROI do not achieve much in sport. I'm merely questioning why McIlroy would want to be part of that when he already comes from GB and NI, why he would bother represent ROI.
He was born in NI, well after it became part of GB(and NI). Other than the Irish Golf Union and relatives elsewhere it's surely not that much of a pull for him.

We do well on the old brain power stuff - more Nobel Peace Prize winners per capita than any other nation (not bad, considering anyone who won it prior to the establishment of the Irish Free State were considered to be British) and people like David Trimble who have won it recently from NI is in the British column.

Not sure you have to be Einstein to win a peace prize. Wonderful as they are what you need is a cause and a belief in change, not a brain the size of a planet.

Einstein did win the Prize for Physics in 1921. Marie Curie won the prize for Chemistry in 1911. Rolling Eyes

Andrew Geim (UK, but born in Russia Wink

) is listed as winning the Physics Prize in 2010.

by SecretFly Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:39 am

Different opinions to people? Ah...so that would make one the same as other people, then.

If one's got their different opinion that means the others don't share it, that means they got different opinions to one. That makes one not as unique as one might expect to believe themselves to be.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:43 am

It's a complete lie that Ireland have more Nobel Peace Prize winners than any
other country anyway. Where on earth did he dig that up?

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:46 am

rodders wrote:Sin old bean, I suspect neither you nor SR (nor I) understands McIlroy's dilemma or his connection to either camp....other than by your own interpretation of the few things he's said in the matter.

Only McIlroy knows how he truely feels, and this indeed may even change between now and the Olympics. McIlroy is clearly proud of his NI, Irish and British roots but I suspect that there will be more to his descision than just this.

Good luck to him whatever he does. You can't please all the people all the time .

I have no issue with Rory choosing GB. What I do have an issue with his backtracking for what I suspect are commercial reasons.

If it was such a big deal to him he would have stayed quiet about it like Gmac.

by SecretFly Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:46 am

WikiRoseTint.com

by McLaren Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:47 am

You cant fight all the time and claim winning a lot of peace prizes is a positive. If you were not blowing the sh1t out of each other then there would be no need for anyone to win a peace prize.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:48 am

Sin, once again, please explain (with evidence) exactly how McIlroy is benefitting from being Irish in America, and again with proof how he will suffer should he switch?
American's like winners no matter where they come from. There is no proof at all they'll turn their back on him should he switch.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:50 am

McLaren wrote:You cant fight all the time and claim winning a lot of peace prizes is a positive. If you were not blowing the sh1t out of each other then there would be no need for anyone to win a peace prize.

Precisely Mac, they've hardly won any anyway. It was a fabricated lie, easily found out.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:55 am

super_realist wrote:How does being Irish (or the most ancient of links) help Obama?
You really think anyone is retarded enough to vote for him because he's about 300th generation Irish?

No need to be offensive. Pretty much every American President goes after the Irish-American vote and if they have a connection, they will use it. Bill Clinton has no Irish connections, but he got involved in the Peace Process in NI because he saw it as a way of getting the Irish-American vote. He is an adopted Irishman now and raises millions of dollars for Ireland.

by SecretFly Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:56 am

McLaren wrote:You cant fight all the time and claim winning a lot of peace prizes is a positive. If you were not blowing the sh1t out of each other then there would be no need for anyone to win a peace prize.

Isn't NI British territory? UK territory? Oh I thought it was, with all the hullabaloo. "If you were not Blowing the sh1t out of each other".

That's mostly British subjects blowing the sh1t out of fellow British subjects, blowing the sh1t out of British forces (of which quite a number were Scottish).

YOU? What's with the 'you'? I'm afraid you're going to have to drop a 'we' in there if you want to keep the story away from the fairytale shelves.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 10:59 am

So, It's American election time and there are two canditates.

One has absolutely appalling politics and manifesto but is Irish (or once had a pint of Guiness) whilst the other is an exceptional canditate, ticking all the boxes and the right man to lead the country.

So all the cod-oirish vote for the former do they? That's what I mean by "retarded"

by **rodders** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:02 am

Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:Sin old bean, I suspect neither you nor SR (nor I) understands McIlroy's dilemma or his connection to either camp....other than by your own interpretation of the few things he's said in the matter.

Only McIlroy knows how he truely feels, and this indeed may even change between now and the Olympics. McIlroy is clearly proud of his NI, Irish and British roots but I suspect that there will be more to his descision than just this.

Good luck to him whatever he does. You can't please all the people all the time .

I have no issue with Rory choosing GB. What I do have an issue with his backtracking for what I suspect are commercial reasons.

If it was such a big deal to him he would have stayed quiet about it like Gmac.

He hasn't backtracked because he hasn't announced who he's declaring for. He's made a comment which people have jumped on and interpreted as a declaration of Olympic allegience and he's subsequently clarified. That isn't backtracking in my view.

Perhaps it wasn't the wisest thing to say in his position if he hasn't made his mind up but hes a young man and shouldn't be judged too harshly for what he says or doesn't say.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:06 am

McLaren wrote:You cant fight all the time and claim winning a lot of peace prizes is a positive. If you were not blowing the sh1t out of each other then there would be no need for anyone to win a peace prize.

Seamus Heaney won his prize for Literature, as did GB Shaw, WB Yeats & Samuel Beckett.
Earnest Walton won his prize for Physics.
Sean McBride won his for Peace (drafting the European Convention on Human Rights just after World War II and was also a founder of Amnesty International among other things).

by McLaren Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:07 am

Sin é

The peace prize is what was being discussed.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:07 am

One Peace Prize. One. That isn't more than any other country per capita at all.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:11 am

McLaren wrote:Sin é

The peace prize is what was being discussed.

Nobel Prize winners were what was being discussed.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:12 am

super_realist wrote:One Peace Prize. One. That isn't more than any other country per capita at all.

Two actually - John Hume.

Scotland could do with a John Hume. Wink

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:13 am

Sin é wrote:

We do well on the old brain power stuff - more Nobel Peace Prize winners per capita than any other nation

No, we, specifically YOU were certainly talking about Peace Prize winners.

John Hume was from Derry, NI, hence British, not Irish.

by SecretFly Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:15 am

The difference between 'you' and 'we' doesn't get discussed Wink

Them Norn Iron guys is NornIrish British, and they is trouble makers, like. We is the British British who win the medals and things and are good respectable non-God fearing folks.

This is the funniest thread I've encountered in quite a whle. The absence of logic is a delight.

by **rodders** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:19 am

One other thing. Remember that Rory McIlroy is a person but he's also a brand and this is his career.

Brand Mcilroy isn't just about Rory himself but his agent, management and support team, sponsors, family and friends.

As a global brand they will want to remain politically neutral where possible and do whats best for his career and that isn't always just about what McIlroy as an individual wants.

Its easy to sit and talk about allegience, politics, culture, patriotism etc. but at the end of the day I'd compete for North Korea if it was my best chance of winning an Olympic medal and earning money.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:21 am

Rodders, If you did, they'd tell the nation you won. laughing

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:21 am

rodders wrote:
Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:Sin old bean, I suspect neither you nor SR (nor I) understands McIlroy's dilemma or his connection to either camp....other than by your own interpretation of the few things he's said in the matter.

Only McIlroy knows how he truely feels, and this indeed may even change between now and the Olympics. McIlroy is clearly proud of his NI, Irish and British roots but I suspect that there will be more to his descision than just this.

Good luck to him whatever he does. You can't please all the people all the time .

I have no issue with Rory choosing GB. What I do have an issue with his backtracking for what I suspect are commercial reasons.

If it was such a big deal to him he would have stayed quiet about it like Gmac.

He hasn't backtracked because he hasn't announced who he's declaring for. He's made a comment which people have jumped on and interpreted as a declaration of Olympic allegience and he's subsequently clarified. That isn't backtracking in my view.

Perhaps it wasn't the wisest thing to say in his position if he hasn't made his mind up but hes a young man and shouldn't be judged too harshly for what he says or doesn't say.

He said it about 4 years ago initially when it was announced and backtracked then which people put down to his youth. Surely he must have known that it would raise a few ripples now as it did then. He must be a bit thick if he didn't realise that people would jump to that conclusion bringing it up again 4 years before the next Olympics.

Also think it was a bit arrogant (and disrespectful of other British & Irish golfers) that he is a shoo-in for a spot for either countries.

3/4 years ago, Padraig Harrington would have been a cert for a spot. Look at him now, can't make the Ryder Cup team.

by **rodders** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:24 am

John Hume is (Northern Irish) Irish but he only got half a peace prize because he was joint winner with Lord Trimble (not Andrew) who is indeed (Northern Irish) British.

So thats half a peace prize each for Ireland and Britain or if you like one whole one for NI Smile

.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:26 am

I think it's a topic for conversation, but I don't think anyone is holding it against him.
He's naive probably, but that's it, and I sincerely doubt anyone will abandon support for him regardless who he chooses.

He might not even make the Olympics, his career could go down the toilet.

by GunsGerms Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:26 am

super_realist wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:SR is probably the biggest bigot on these boards. Very hypocritical calling other people bigots.

I'm not a bigot at all. Just have different opinions to people. That isn't being bigotted.

Of course you are a bigot. You are unbelievably intolerant of other religions and nations in particular Ireland. Not only are some of your opinions bigoted in particular with regard to religion the manner in which you present your obtuse opinions displays a level of ignorance devoid of any wit or humour making you a complete bore on top of everything else.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:29 am

Ireland as a united entity isn't a country or a nation though, it's a geographical entity. There is ROI and there is NI, but there is no political entity of Ireland, so they can't have any Nobel Prizes.

AS for religion, I'm equally scathing of them all.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:32 am

super_realist wrote:
Sin é wrote:

We do well on the old brain power stuff - more Nobel Peace Prize winners per capita than any other nation

No, we, specifically YOU were certainly talking about Peace Prize winners.

John Hume was from Derry, NI, hence British, not Irish.

Well, I meant Nobel Prize winners. Even you must have realised that a Poet wouldn't be winning a Peace Prize.

So was Seamus Heaney from Co. Londonderry. That still didn't make him British.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:34 am

Even taking your error into account, you still don't have more Nobel winners per capita more than any other country.

by GunsGerms Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:36 am

Ireland has the only Oscar and Nobel prize winner. Who is it and what was the Oscar for?

by **rodders** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:39 am

Well Liam Neeson got a nomination.... Whistle

by **rodders** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:41 am

Daniel Day Lewis for My Left Foot?

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:42 am

super_realist wrote:Even taking your error into account, you still don't have more Nobel winners per capita more than any other country.

Have you checked it out?

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:43 am

Yes I have. And you are still wrong.

What made you think they did? National pride, or just trying to score a cheap point?

by **navyblueshorts** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:43 am

McLaren wrote:You cant fight all the time and claim winning a lot of peace prizes is a positive. If you were not blowing the sh1t out of each other then there would be no need for anyone to win a peace prize.

by McLaren Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:45 am

Super

You do come off as having an issue with the Irish, i have often thought it was clear bigotry.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:45 am

GunsGerms wrote:Ireland has the only Oscar and Nobel prize winner. Who is it and what was the Oscar for?

G B Shaw (for Pygmalian/My Fair Lady).

by **navyblueshorts** Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:46 am

SecretFly wrote:The difference between 'you' and 'we' doesn't get discussed

Them Norn Iron guys is NornIrish British, and they is trouble makers, like. We is the British British who win the medals and things and are good respectable non-God fearing folks.

This is the funniest thread I've encountered in quite a whle. The absence of logic is a delight.

The absence of you would certainly be a delight...

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:46 am

Nah, just an easy target Mac, like scousers they take themselves too seriously, and demonstrably aren't capable of laughing at themselves, nor do they seem capable of accepting criticism.

You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:47 am

super_realist wrote:Yes I have. And you are still wrong.

What made you think they did? National pride, or just trying to score a cheap point?

Do you even know what the population of Ireland is to work out per capita?

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:48 am

Yes, and Britain and many other countries trounce it.

by McLaren Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:49 am

Super

Of all the people on this board I would say you take yourself more seriously than anyone else. You fail to see just how stupid you are but post as if you are some sort of authority on every subject.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:51 am

Mac, read that back to yourself and you'll see a description of yourself.

by Sin é Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:51 am

super_realist wrote:Nah, just an easy target Mac, like scousers they take themselves too seriously, and demonstrably aren't capable of laughing at themselves, nor do they seem capable of accepting criticism.

You can say anything you like about Scotland/Britain. I won't be offended.

Most people don't get your Scottish humour. The only decent Scottish comedian (Billy Connolly) is of Irish stock. Very Happy

by GunsGerms Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:52 am

Sin é wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:Ireland has the only Oscar and Nobel prize winner. Who is it and what was the Oscar for?

G B Shaw (for Pygmalian/My Fair Lady).

Correct. Nice one.

by super_realist Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:52 am

I'm not sure there are any good Scottish comedians. Connolly has lost it.

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