Joking and modesty aside, I have sometimes (mostly) found that a practical demonstration thus often cuts to the chase. 'Yeahbut my bike doesn't handle like yours ..' is soon squashed when you put in as good a lap time on theirs as you did on your own. Even if the other party take it as a joke superficially I'm pretty sure the penny drops and allows them to focus on the *real* issue (as you say, the nut behind the wheel etc).
Unfortunately, depending on the spirit / confidence / attitude of said other party, that sort of epiphany can sometimes drive people way for good. ;-(
Others try to spend their way out of it. A mates mate was learning to play the guitar and kept buying more and more expensive models in the hope one would eventually play itself. ;-)
Ironically, I would say musical instruments can be one of those subjects where the more you spend the *easier* they are to play_easily (as in producing the sound).
Or with cycles where the more you spend the less you get. ;-)
The bit I heard on the radio this morning highlighted the problem with A level maths...because it's modular, schools choose the 'easy' bits (FSVO 'easy' which may depend on the teacher's own skills).
The result is that universities cannot rely on the Maths A level for much. This is exacerbated by the fact that a lot of schools just teach to the exam, without imparting real understanding.
Hence why I accept new undergraduates with just good GCSE maths. We give them *all* an intensive, specialised maths course in their first year of CS. It's the only sure way.
That's not always a bad thing, is it? If it makes them realistic about their aspirations that must be a good thing. Then they can go if all they wanted to do was win, or stay if they really enjoy the activity but now the pressure's off; no need to measure themselves against other people any more.
Not bad as such but sometimes not nice (for either party).
See above. You also have 'ignorance is bliss' and if they were actually 'happy' as such, pottering along in the (all be it) vain hope that one day they might get somewhere, do they really want their faces rubbed into the fact that they may not (however unrealistic etc).
I don't think it's always as black and white as that is it? I used to race in the hope I would win and when I did that was the cherry on the cake. I didn't need to be told I wasn't as good as some of those who dedicated more of their time (and money) to the activity than I could / wanted to, but once in a while it would all come together ... ;-)
Well quite, however I still think that realisation can be a bitter pill to swallow for some and I've seen some really keen competitors (but unlikely to get anywhere big time) move on and their presence 'in the game' was sorely missed. The thing is, if 'I'm racing for fun' then that 'fun' comes as a function of others who are doing the same. Those who are highly dedicated / focused are rarely 'fun'. ;-)
I also won an off-road RC Buggy summer championship. The guy who put me second in the last final was running an exact copy of my setup plus the addition of a hand made limited slip diff (at a cost equal to that of the entire buggy). I had already won the championship (acuminated points over the season) but it would have been nice to finish on a high. So, because I'd seen so many 'kids' 'give up' because they neither had the funds nor skills to truly compete I resigned from the club and started a stock car club where the kits were:
Very cheap Nearly indestructible (no constant need for spare parts). Must be run as they come (no mods or 'hop ups').
Unfortunately, because I knew how to set a car up properly *and* was a reasonable driver *and* was an electronics / support tech, I finished every race and generally in the top 3 if not first. (I did help anyone who asked achieve the same of course but even then ... )
So, what I then learned is if you take away (even the false) hope that by modding your car you could win, for some you also took away the hope / fun in general.
So, would we have all the winners if everyone who actually knew they didn't have a chance pulled out early on?
I'm guessing betting on horse racing would quickly die out. ;-)
Interesting. I had the same when doing Physics at Imperial (64 to 67). A lot of the stuff we had covered at A-level Pure Maths (Oxford board) was boring geometry - 9-point circle and the like. So we all got shoved over to the Maths dept for a year to cover stuff like matrices, complex numbers, partial differential equations and other things I'm no longer aware that I've forgotten about.
And they'd also omitted to tell us how much harder uni was than A-level. Given that reality hasn't altered in the interim, I'm minded to wonder how universities cope these days.
Well in his case it means maintaining a level of commitment and dedication for more than half a life time to keep at that level, while also managing/overcoming serious health issues into the bargain.
Even with masses of natural talent, you are not going to compete at that level these days without training every day, remaining physically and mentally fit, eating sensibly etc. (in fact I can't think of any olympic events were one could wing it with natural ability alone?)
Assuming one has an appropriate physique, and adequate talent, they yes they *could*. However there is a vast gulf from could to actually doing it.
Well that's part of it though is it not? Not only having the ability but also the drive and determination.
I recall reading that its only been done four times in history, so its a fairly rare achievement.
A different proposition from racing to the top against a world of other competitors though...
It was the the effort that I described as superhuman, not the abilities. The ability is obviously world class, but without the effort would amount to little.
He apparently set out at the start of his rowing career to win three golds, and then chased that goal until he had exceeded it (he got 14 when you include the various other games). Did the same after retirement, was determined to use his "fame" etc to raise £5 for charity... He romped through that fairly quickly, and pulled in £1.8m alone on his third London marathon. Has gone on to do much more since.
I guess what I am saying is if you are going to have an honours system to recognise people for their contributions to public life, and you honour sports men and women, then it to me seems entirely reasonable that you give those honours to the ones who have been the most inspirational, have raised the level of recognition of UK sport.
If one is highly successful[1] in their chosen field of endeavour, then they can offer encourager and inspiration to others in the same field.
[1] The measure of which will vary with the field and may have nothing to do with medals or money etc.
Well even monkeys fall out of trees ;-)
However, had someone else had that same determination and commitment as Cedric, to achieve the best results possible, then presumably there would have been a more even competition for first place.
Do you not also consider that your achievements in that field were helpful and inspirational to some others?
Don't get me wrong, as a keen rower I have a pretty good idea of both the mechanics and the 'drive' but unless he was a ferryman, serving a remote community for a few decades under all conditions or rowed around the world, 'sport' rowing still leaves me pretty cold. I mean, I guess it must be nice to be able to do something like that for a 'a living' ... ?
Well I'd give him that but really if he was said ferryman. I mean (and I am playing devils advocate here a bit) no one *made* him do it did they?
Ok ... so, it's nice to have a hobby and be dedicated to it. Sorry (and respect to both you and Mr Redgrave) it's not saving peoples lives or any other 'good work' is it? Ok, I'm not denying he may have encouraged others to keep fit' (a good thing) or do something like rowing, rather than smashing shop windows (another good thing) but what impact would it be on the world if he wasn't doing it? And I know, this applies to most 'professional athletes' and that's fine by me.
So, is this something one is born with or is potentially open to any of us?
Ok, let's take rowing. I can row ok and have (I'm told) a good technique and who knows where I might have got if I wasn't having to go to work (or was into competition etc).
Ok, so, potentially winning an Olympic rowing event is a function of being 'bovvered'.
Hmmm, I guess because I don't 'do' 'once_in_a_lifetime' stuff, that sorta whooshes me as well. I might never see someone running down the High Street with the (a?) Olympic Flame .. .
Really?
Quite.
(!?)
Then that bit is 'good'. If he set out to do this, to become 'famous' to then use that fame to help others than that's fine. It's just a shame that he didn't go into engineering and invent something that *I* would actually think worthy to donate towards (I mean that from my opportunity to give, not putting down his actual work to that end).
I guess. However, it's obvious it only works for a certain subset of society (like I didn't even now what he did). Even luckier for Mr Redgrave, I don't give out such 'honours'. (And again,. I'm not saying I wouldn't give one to him if I did, I'd probably be better informed re those worthy etc).;-)
Ah, understood. Ironic then that of all the things I like doing, 'rowing' would probably be on my top 5 list. But then me rowing has nothing to do with Mr Redgrave rowing.
Well exactly! ;-)
Hmm, see, I'm not sure about that. Many of the other competitors at the time *were* very much involved with some of the big name high tech industries and often enjoyed 'unofficial support re the supply of complex materials or kit etc. However, none of them could get anywhere near Cedric. It was like he was running a jet against the rest of us with piston engines. The only way any of us could truly compete is to 'invent' something better than he did (and be as light, or employ a lightweight driver etc). I'm not sure anyone has invented anything better yet, irrespective of the funds and effort available.
No, I don't really (and honestly). I even won an IEEE award for 'Technical Innovation' [1] so someone must have noticed 'something' but like I was saying earlier, no one remembers who came second (Ok, I came first 'once' but as you say, monkeys .. ) ;-)
Cheers, T i m
[1] We were at Oulton Park for one round and were told to stand by our vehicles in the pits whilst 'some people' came round to look at our machines and chatted to us. ;-)
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