Scottishness, 'anti-English' & sportsmanship!

[Clay-Daemon]

Been a long time sice I visited Scotland.com - but even after a long absence I come back to find the same old arguments stewing...Especially about sport...

Much hand-wringing and self-examination about 'poor sportsmanship' and percieved 'racisim' because certain Scots love to see England lose.

May I just point one thing - IT'S A GAME!

Had Scots wallowed in self-stisfaction after the London bombings THEN I would have been worried about the state of our attitude towards the English - but we didn't, in fact we saw an outpouring of heartfelt sympathy and support for the Londoners. Just as it should be as well!

But - have a Scot revel in the loss of an England team in SPORT and suddenly we are racist!

This tells me a lot about those who critisise Scots for such attitudes. First of all they are highly bias in thier attitude towards Scots - as it seems we are the only sporting nation that is NOT allowed to wish a sporting competitor does not do well.

And secondly, it tells me that these people have no sense of propriorty or proportion.

Let's get things in context. Are Scots the pariahs of the sporting world - reknowned for racist, violent and antisocial behavior...OR...Are WE welcomed the world over as good natured ambassadors of our nation and a credit to sport?

I think we all know the answer - how often have we sat down in a continental cafe with opposing fans and had us told that 'we are not like those .......' (Well, I think you can guess which nation we are not like!).

I recently had a bit of a set-to with a drunken Englishman in a pub where I work (Yorkshire) who complained bitterly about our 'bad attitude' and how unsporting it was for we Scots to wish England badly...

I simply said this:

Me: 'What football team do you support?'

Him: 'Leeds.'

Me: 'Oh...So you will be wishing Man. Utd. well in the league then?'

Him: xxxx! - Well, actually I can't put what he said...But after a pause I think he got the point!

In sport we (Scotland and England) are competitors - that is what sport is all about (unless you are one of those wishy-washy, new-world liberals who thinks there shouldn't be winners and losers in sport!!!).

[Sire-Chris]

I fully agree. As an englishman it is to be expected. The rivalry, the banter, the competivity. As long as people don't get too carried away, like letting sport make you fight someone you don't know or goading of people who are not from your particular area because ofa sporting occasion they may or may not be observing.

As long as it is kept in the spirit of competition it is to be expected.

[LongHairedBeardedKiltie]

Well England are Scotland's (and many other countries) historical and natural rivals. With rivalry it does sometimes blur the boundries or proper and rational behaviour.

[Raingeanach]

Originally Posted by Clay-Daemon

But - have a Scot revel in the loss of an England team in SPORT and suddenly we are racist!
This tells me a lot about those who critisise Scots for such attitudes. First of all they are highly bias in thier attitude towards Scots - as it seems we are the only sporting nation that is NOT allowed to wish a sporting competitor does not do well.

Let`s run that past us again: "...as it seems we are the only sporting nation that is NOT allowed to wish a sporting competitor does not do well."

Why shouldn`t we support England in sport against competitors other than Scotland except for a white-on-white racist motive?

Explain?

[BigFurrySporran]

Originally Posted by Raingeanach

Let`s run that past us again: "...as it seems we are the only sporting nation that is NOT allowed to wish a sporting competitor does not do well."

Why shouldn`t we support England in sport against competitors other than Scotland except for a white-on-white racist motive?

Explain?

and why shouldnt we support other teams against england? why should you support scotland when they play against other teams? surely by your definition that is racism? do you support other teams other than scotland? why do you support them against other teams?...surely that is bias...what you dont understand that any nationality will support their own team therefore they are automatically labelled as racist by you...and besides you dont understand racism, with racism there is an extreme hatred associated with it...at most what you suggest is prejudice not racism

if is support the celtic teams of wales and ireland does that make me racist? of course not, youre taking the definition to an over logical extreme...

of course there are people who support any other team except england because of history/politics/etc...history is a valid reason imo...poll tax, thatcher etc...if you were affected by these things then thats a valid reason not to support england and to support any other team imo...it just means england are the last team you want to do well therefore every other team above them you want to win...no racism at all...

[Myers]

I agree, I have several family members who are English, through my parent’s cousins moving south, marrying and having wee southern kids. I have even lived down south during my training years ago and to say I hated the English or anything similar is just a falsehood. However I do not support their National teams, I am very sorry if it offends you but it’s true, I don’t. That does not for one second mean I hate the English.

As far as I can see in Glasgow these days almost every second person has an English top on, so I don’t think the whole philosophy that we all hate the English holds any water. As a matter of fact it would seem to me that the Scots whom do not wish the English to win the next world cup are far out-weighed by the ones who do.

Tens of thousands of Scots vacation in England every year and thousands of English people come north into Scotland too, if the hatred was so strong I am sure there would be far more deaths.


also,

Why shouldn`t we support England in sport against competitors other than Scotland except for a white-on-white racist motive?

Explain?

Actually I think it would be more prudent of you to explain why people should support someone elses National Team?

Are you sure you understand the term support?

[rkingphoto]

Support England?

I'd rather put my genitals in a blender!!!!

Not for any "racist" reason though. They are our nearest rivals in sport and as sporting rivalrys go, that'sthe nature of the beast.

One of my colleagues is English, asks me every time the internationals come round why and when I explain he doesn't get it.

He's a Sunderland supporter and he'd rather put his genitals in a blender than support Newcastle, even against European opposition.

He says "that's different".

But he's wrong.

Robert