'Paralympics beats Premiership'
THE Bishop of Bristol has contrasted the spirit and courage of the Olympics and Paralympics with the return of Premiership football.
Writing on his blog on the diocesan website, Bishop Mike Hill, right, hailed the impact of the Olympians on the spirit of the nation and said the national game "doesn't really compare very favourably in my book".
-
"I couldn't help feeling the gulf between the spirit of the Paralympics and the start of the new Premiership season," said Bishop Mike, commenting on the feud between QPR defender Anton Ferdinand and Chelsea captain John Terry, which started with claims that Terry had racially abused Ferdinand. Terry was cleared of the allegation by a court earlier this year but on Saturday attention was focussed on the refusal of Ferdinand to shake his hand or that of Terry's team-mate Ashley Cole, who had testified on his behalf.
"So many inspiring stories of fortitude and bravery lay behind the amazing Paralympics."
Dyson DC50i - Bagless upright vacuum cleaner - BALL Technology -...
View detailsThisi is Dyson's smallest upright vacuum cleaner with the performance of a full size upright machine. The DC50i has Dyson's most advanced cleaner head technology and 2 Tier RadialTM cyclones.
Terms: LIMITED STOCK OFFER. FREE delivery to most UK postcodes - Next working day dispatch.
Contact: 01664 491439
Valid until: Monday, May 27 2013
Contrasting the London 2012 Games with the weekend's Premier League grudge match, he said: "Forget the football, attention was focused on whether John Terry and Anton Ferdinand would shake hands before the QPR and Chelsea match, following Anton Ferdinand's accusation that Terry had racially abused him last season."
Earlier the Bishop praised the "almost faultless" summer of sport.
"The Olympics and the Paralympics seem to have given the nation some kind of fresh self-confidence," he said. "I confess to a kind of low-grade depression now it's nearly all over."
Comments
by Lone_Ranger
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 4:59PM
“Another thought - The CofE spokesman appears to ignore the drug taking, cheating, refusal to accept referee's decisions and rank bad sportsmanship at the Olympics. Neither does he mention that they were at it like rabbits in the Olympic Village (ample supplies of condoms were provided to each athlete) - if that were footballers, the tabloids would be all over them like a rash.
Still, when have peddlers of religion ever let facts get in their way?”
by Chappers57
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 3:09PM
“For many of us, football ceased to be a "sport" or "beautiful game" many years ago. The past few months watching both spectacles of the olympics was a wonderfull change, except of course the inclusion of football.”
by Ourbads
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 1:27PM
“The reason we don't hear about the private lives of Olympians, is because no one is that interested, whereas footballers are constantly being scrutinised.
How about the drugs cheats that were sent home from the Olympics, or the Badminton teams playing to lose?
Red card for the vicar.”
by Lone_Ranger
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 1:11PM
“Why are the prejudiced views a high-level manager of a company which knowingly employs p*eodophiles being given the oxygen of publicity?”
by FromMendip
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 11:19AM
“Why is football always the target of these cheap gibes?
Why doesn't he mention the full scale punch-ups, eye-gouging and ear-biting in top class rugby union?
Or the corruption and mean spiritedness that runs through top cricket?
Now I'm a big fan of football, rugby union and cricket. I watch all three sports and played them in my younger days. However, I do became exasperated that it's always football that is singled out for this sort of criticism.
Could it be that it's because football in this country is seen as a mainly working-class game whereas the other two have more than a touch of middle-class about them? That is not to say that many working-class people don't play, watch and enjoy cricket and rugby union.”
by CurtisHewitt
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 10:42AM
“I confess to a kind of low-grade depression that someone in the Bishop's position could trot out such tired, anti-football drivel.
The Lithuanian basketball fans' racism? The Greek athlete's racist tweet? The Australian sent home for smashing up shops while drunk? The dubious tactics of Team GB's Philip Hindes? The badminton disqualifications? The many drugs cheats?
Indeed, a truly wonderful spirit.”
by DockLobster
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 10:31AM
“Someone needs a new book...”
by Jonnyfandango
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 10:02AM
“He need to get his own house (of god) in order first i think”
by PJB_1972
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 9:47AM
“Lets get a bit of perspective. What about the three members of the Jordanian Paralympic team withdrawn from the games after accusations of sexual assault? Or the power lifter testing positive for illegal drug use 2 days before the games began? Or Oscar Pistorius bad sportsmanship in defeat with claims of cheating?
And this guy moaning because two people refused to shake hands?”