Congratulations to Ryan Brathwaite for a no doubt very hard earned victory. Now when will the announcers learn that the correct pronunciation for the name “Brathwaite” is “Braffit”. (just kidding)

A couple of questions:

Why was this race not televised by CBC? Brathwaite’s recent performances would have clued all to the fact he would medal.

Why did VOB call Sir Othniel Cow Williams for comment immediately after the race?

@ David…

.. Because CBC is pure crap. All along this guy was steadily improving, I had him for the silver because of the class of the Cuban.When I realised the Cuban was out, I said GOLD, needles to say I was laughed at ……until this afternoon.

My problem with CBC is that they missed a grand opportunity to highlight his career all week long, which would have made it fitting for the result.

As for VOB calling Cow……not even going to comment on that other than to nod my head.

Best wishes to him now and in the future.

@David
“Why was this race not televised by CBC? Brathwaite’s recent performances would have clued all to the fact he would medal.”

Very good David. Would you believe that the Government is going to parliament for the sum of $135,000 to pay for the olympics they have not yet paid for?

Would you also believe that it only costs 9,000USD to carry the games live for the eight days? Now that is news and they in the news business, yet they could pay somebody $100,000 to run their CBC socaholics promotions and that ain’t news.

As for COW. He is the godfather of Barbados and no doubt he will ride on Ryan’s success the same way he did Obadele and others. I suppose we will hear how much he did for Barbados too. Ask him how much he gave so Brathwaite could get to the games?

That is why VOB called COW because they know his MO.

Ryan Brathwaite well done! Hope there is a motocade when you return, but please no naming of any streets or buildings until after another twenty years!

COW Williams, part of the legacy of Lodge School. Don’t mek mah laff!

ADVICE TO RYAN : GO FOR THE GOLD

Gaw Lidee, we got gold people. We got gold. For the first time as far as I know, I gine get to her we national anthem by the podium. Hahaha can imagine that we national anthem. I hope that this boy gets the red carpet treatment and a few million dollars waiting for he when he comes home. After all he deserves it more than crooked politicians wasted laundering projects.

My heart is fairly bursting with pride. Congrats to all who made it possible for this young man to excell.

Congrats to you Ryan Brathwaite. Bajans at home and abroad are walking tall today.

Pat,
Nitey-nite, I is he personal trainer?Wah you wanna bet? I cudda gone fa de gold too but ROK is enuff gold fa me soul.

Sapidillo
Ya in lie.

We feel so good, we feel so good, we feel so ****-**** good

What a race!!! Brathwaite really made up some ground after hitting the first hurdle. Bajans at home and in the diaspora are proud tonight.

Kudos to all the other Caribbean esp. Bolt & Co. who have done well at the Worlds

You may want to cross threads to the ‘Purge the psyche’ thread and see discussion on the income/GDP potential from winning.

Barbados needs to look to see if it can apply lessons from the singular senior level success of Ryan Brathwaite. I wrote critically about the way that Shane Brathwaite (Junior World Decathlon Champion, 2007) was being treated. That story warrants an update.

Those not familiar with track and field and how Jamaica has developed that over decades (eg with the Champs/high school athletics meets) may find it worth while to study.

Sport development is a medium term program that needs serious study and implementation at the personal and infrastructural level. It is also a matter of national priorities, and one needs to ask if it is one in general (or with some clear particulars) for Barbados. Sport tourism, for instance, is a better product if it taps into and develops local sport development.

The only sad thing is that a lot of nincompoops here are going to bask in the lime light that he has created and in so doing continue to mask a lot of the nonsense that continues to happen with the treatment of our athletes and artistes who seek international exposure.

I wonder how much money is spent sending Politicians and public (and indeed private) servants overseas and about the returns that are derived from such efforts by way of international exposure and foreign exchange?

Views differ, that’s clear, and sometimes it’s a reflection of nationality or culture, but of course could be other things.

At last year’s Olympics, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge (Belgian) criticized Bolt for his public displays during his winning his events, saying “You can’t do that. That’s not the way we perceive being a champion.” Interestingly, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Lamine Diack (Senegalese), disagreed with Rogge’s comments about the behaviour of Bolt after the Jamaican’s world record races at the Olympics, saying such occasions merit extraordinary celebrations.

Jamaica’s PM, Bruce Golding, publicly disagreed with Rogge, see http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/29057/2008-08-24.html. He talked about pure red eye and ‘grudgefulness’. He said “Some people just feel that kind of glory doesn’t belong to a little country like Jamaica. Tell dem to tek weh demself (Tell them to take away themselves).”

Now Rogge and Diack had each had sporting glory–very different, but glory.

It was noticeable that Rogge’s comments were echoed at the time by a few American commentators, who seemed to have forgotten how their winners had behaved over many decades, and continued to behave on the Olympic track and in the swimming pool.

Rogge was also very silent when his countrywoman, Tia Hellebaut, later won the women’s high jump. (I won’t go into whether or not she is from the same linguistic group as Rogge, or if they are opposing each other in that small country of Belgium.) She showed in her performances before, and after, she won, how a champion should act. She pumped her fist and pointed her fingers to the sky after she cleared a good height. Not a Bolt-en stance, but equally clear that she had dominated her rivals.

For those who wish to read my views on this differential treatment they can search for Rogge on my blog.

I hope that Ryan does not keep his light under a bushel. I would not expect his countrymen to downplay his success with a very muted welcome home.

Things done well should be recognized. However, I wonder what would have been the reaction in Barbados yesterday and after, if the event had not been broadcast. Better still, if Ryan had just come back to living in Barbados and carried on as if nothing had happened in Berlin.

I sense that every Bajan and as far as I know most if not all Caribbeans are so proud of Ryan as to burst into tears. I’m glad that I know what he did. It can be an inspiration. Those who don’t know may be told. Those who don’t like what he did? I don’t know what to say.

Jacques Rogge? He suffered a lot of blistering attacks on his views including being urged to focus on getting his own house in order (the corrupt IOC) and not on criticizing the athletes that make his job possible. He has been awfully quiet since last summer.

Bolt? He seems to just keep on doing what he does well.

To watch World Champs online live:
http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-iaaf-world-championships.html
OR
http://www.fromsport.com/

I have tried both and they work.

Interesting that despite frustration and anger being expressed publicly about the lack of TV coverage since last weekend, it takes a week to clear the air, http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/CMC-say-copy-for-web.

I guess now that the nation has really felt the pain of not having the sights, the possible fall guys want to make clear who should fall.

CMC director Patrick Cozier said: “CMC secured the rights for the Caribbean and on-sell these rights to the local television broadcasters in each country. In the case of Barbados, CBC did not purchase the rights for the event and hence no broadcast of the event on local television.” There you have it.

@Yardbroom // August 21, 2009 at 5:36 AM
“For those who are “on top” present position displays no evidence of that”[Much of economics is about the study of ‘turning points’; more broadly, one can also look at ‘tipping points’ as studied by Malcolm Gladwell). They are usually clear after they have passed, by when people are getting adjusted to the new situation.

You see it clearly in Barbados with immigration. The turning point was sometime ago, now the country is struggling to deal with aspects of a new status quo. Some wish to turn things back; others can manage to deal with the new situation. The balance of these different positions will determine the next phase. And so on.

The US attitude to being displaced in track and field as supreme-ish #1 has been interesting. Disbelief (actually they had not cared to look before). Suspicion (how could this be possible?, we have 300 million, they have 3 million. Accusations of foul play (even though they had lots of huge skeletons). Attempts to discredit. Interest in what could have been behind the development. [Gradual?] acceptance of new status quo. Dealing with consolidation of new status quo.

Bolt doing what he did in Beijing again in Berlin has been met by some very, very different American reactions. Europeans love it as they do not like much US claims on world dominance. The fact that other Caribbeans emulated Bolt/Jamaica in Beijing and that that continues in Berlin will raise eyebrows again. That may be new for Barbados so the country should look at how Ja. and TT have dealt with it, at least as a guide. It also shows that there is something special in the region at least in this field, and that is worth understanding and building upon.

@ LivinginBarbados

Thanks very much for the links.

I was one of the people looking all over the internet and asking everybody for one, but couldn’t find any.

Would have loved to see that race live.

Don’t mind you get your licks on this blog. You does tek them like a man.

Thanks again.

The People’s Democratic Congress (PDC) joins with throngs of Barbadians, inside and outside of our country, in celebrating Mr. Ryan Braithwaite’s gold medal winning performance in the 110 metres hurdles at the IAAF’s World Athletic Championships in Berlin, Germany yesterday.

This Barbadian’s victory was simply momentous, extraordinary, and unprecedented. For, never before in the history of Barbados’ participation in any athletic championships at the highest level has Barbados been done so proud than through Ryan’s amazing but stellar achievement.

Indeed, his victory must be seen as a victory for all Barbadians, and does show that through the proper harnessing of one’s God given talents, through the correctness of discipline and character in whatever exploits, through the ardence of dedication and commitment to a regime of training and conditioning, and through ample exposure to the right conditions, et al, world class excellence and world class standards can be achieved by any person in Barbados in whatever fields of endeavour.

Verily, some of us in the PDC and some of us who have long been small business people on Bolton Lane, the City – Gregory, Joel, Curtis, Jeffrey, Ormond, Mark, Ricky Shanka, Wayne, and most of ALL Paul of Pee Jay’s Jewellery – remember and admire the humbleness, the pleasantness and politeness of manner and the ability of Ryan to listen to our encouragement, as being among some of the outstanding characteristics that Ryan ever so often displayed as an up coming young men’s national hurdler at the Lestern Vaughn Secondary School.

And, therefore, what a complete joy it has been for the Bolton Lane crew and so many others around Barbados to see Ryan match those wonderful characteristics with tremendous improvements in his hurdling times and techniques and performances. Thus, yesterday achievement was like the icing on the cake, so to speak.

Well, to ALL those who would have been supporting him over the years in whatever ways – his family, friends, mentors, coaches, here and overseas, sponsors, here and over seas, and to all other connections of his, we in PDC say to you that you have altogether greatly helped to develop another Barbadian world champion.

Finally, to Ryan, we say thanks for making Barbados proud and we urge you to continue growing from strength to strength and to as much as possible treasure the benefits of your success.

Indeed, we in Barbados do look forward to a great welcome home.

Bless Up!

PDC

@David
As you know, I usually send you by e-mail things of general interest/use. But let me send this one direct to this thread. I have not tried it (as I am not using Windows at the moment), so perhaps you test first and double check.

Here’s a link WavePad, which can download streams and then save them
for you in a couple of formats, but it’s more useful as an all round
audio editor
http://www.nch.com.au/components/wpsetup.exe

Perhaps users can offer feed back.

@David
You know my general attitude to the typos/semantics, so this is just 2 birds with one stone.

“In the same vain the ex-pat at CBC MUST be made to explain why the ‘moment’ of Brathwaite winning in Berlin was not seen life by children home on holiday and Barbadians everywhere”[‘vein’ (not vain); ‘live’ (not life). The implication is that if it were not an ‘ex-pat’ the outcome would have been different. If not, then drop the adjective. One could otherwise look behind and point to Minister Suckoo’s husband. I’m not sure that’s fair or right. CBC is a corporation–government owned too, not a one person show. Let’s deal with the institution not a person. Otherwise, you have to go to who appointed the person…]

livinginbarbados // August 21, 2009 at 7:13 AM
…CBC is a corporation–government owned too, not a one person show. Let’s deal with the institution not a person. …”
————————————————–I have to agree with you 110%

I could understand that many Caribbean people in Bim, especially Bajans would be disappointed that the race was not shown on the one and only TV station at the moment in time. However, thank goodness that the race is available in case they want to see (after the fact) via the internet and other media.

Could it be that CBC did not see any big deal in showing the race because they did not have enough confidence in the Barbados team, and never thought that their athletes could have pulled off such a victory?

Just speculation on my part.

Imagine many BAJANS, in Barbados missed seeing FOR THE FIRST TIME a bajan standing in the NUMBER ONE position at a world games and listen to the BARBADOS NATIONAL ANTHEM being played. What do you expect? The manager at our CBC; NO BAJAN. This feat didn’t happen “out of the blue”, the young man was destined to medal and there is no excuse why the whole of Barbados should not have been given the chance to witness history in the making. We need a manager who is patriotic, not some foreigner who is just doing a job, a poor one at that

Some people just out of touch. Foreigness and success and care for team do not exclude one another. Look at English Premier League, National Team, etc. Ancellotti (Chelsea), Benitez( Liverpool), Ferguson-Scottish (Man U), Ericsson (England team). Scolari-Brazilain (Portugal team) etc. Small mindedness gine kill you all. Only we can deal with we? We so hard to control? Do better than this. You really don’t want the best, right. You just want to do it yu self.

@David, turn your assertion re Lars onto Hal Austin at FT in London. It looks good? My tongue in cheek point about Brits in Bim finds resonance in your kind of analyis. If non Caribbeans so fly get them all out should be the cry.