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Submitted by Bush Tea
Austin Sealy
Austin Sealy

From the Nation -August 17, Sir Austin calls to keep pressing on…. International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Sir Austin Sealy hopes that Barbados will not be disheartened by the modest performances at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Speaking last night on telephone link-up from the Copacabana Beach in Rio, Sir Austin told the MIDWEEK NATION that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring that Barbados make an improved showing in the future. “I know that there will be some disappointment with none of the athletes advancing and making an impact, but that is the way the cookie crumbles. We have got to keep trying and working hard and understanding what is required to do well at the Olympics,” he said.

This is the kind of convoluted thinking that explains the quagmire that Barbados has become. Here we have a recent knight – honoured for his now forty or so years of leadership in local sport, explaining the abject failure of local talent to shine in ANY WAY comparable to other Caribbean islands…calling for more of the same.

Did Sealy call for CHANGE?

Did he call for a NEW approach?

Did he critically assess the old approaches that CLEARLY does not work?

Did Sealy suggest that the current long-term leadership gracefully RESIGN?

 

None of the above. His advice is for us to continue ‘pressing on’…

What the hell!

But we all know why Sealy and his associates want to keep ‘pressing on’ with their luxurious lifestyles. We know how they personally thrive on the ‘fatted’ sports-calf – even as our athletes lack the most basic of requirements.

It is no wonder the DLP clings to power – even in the face of their own clear knowledge of their incompetence. It is no wonder that, even as their EVERY project fails; as their highly prized FOREX falls; as their every scam is exposed to public scrutiny and ridicule, …our leaders ‘press on…’

It is one thing for DEM to keep on doing the same thing and expect different results…but it is another thing altogether for US to be allowing clear jackasses to keep on riding US, as people ….. and expecting to EVER win.

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198 responses to “Austin Sealy Says Keep Pressing On”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Adonijah Alleyne

    1 hr ·

    In Rio, Barbados has11 competitors, more than 12 officials and no physiotherapist? We really mekkin sport wid sport. Great story today, MikeKing!

  2. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Another stinking dem according to Bree.All fatted calf mentality.This guy almost 80 and still on the freeness binge.A member of the effing blind mice brigade.Barbados will not do any better in sports with jackasses like this one.

  3. HAMILTON A HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON A HILL

    This nonsense has gone on since as they say in Bajan parlance Adam was a lad. On this very forum I wrote of this and other forms of indifference, but in relation to the BFA. This indifference/selfish greed makes a major contribution to the ineptitude that envelopes the Barbadian athlete, whose effort time and again garners top marks. Lip service will not get it done. On another note I believe that anytime someone is called upon for national duty, that someone should be lauded and applauded for service to country. I found it extremely offensive and in very poor taste when a caller to Brass tacks was permitted to speak most disparagingly about one of our Olympic Athletes, especially after having identified that athlete. ”After so much time and he aint even bring home a brown mint. He ent got na right there”. I am still a little surprised that David Ellis entertained such garbage. They say that he who knows everything about everything, really knows nothing about anything. A picture well painted of radio nuisance Wesley Chandler. Do this country a solid and tek a break from the radio….a great contribution dat would be.

  4. HAMILTON A HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON A HILL

    @ Grabriel……..how dare you speak so about we grand father? Lineage is sacred in we village hear?

  5. abajanhowe Avatar
    abajanhowe

    The man had to say something (anything) even if it did not make any sense. Now let’s see if he would make any comment (although he is into sports) about the monstrosity of the Hyatt and Maloney and his lawbreaking ways or about Del Mastro.

  6. chad99999 Avatar
    chad99999

    Barbados is a disgrace. The Bahamas already has a gold medal. Grenada has a silver medal. Trinidad is represented in all the sprints. But Barbados only has one slow big girl in the heptathlon who cannot even keep up with the white girls.

  7. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @chad99999…..All of the other countries pay more…..much more than lip service to their sports programs.Barbadian athletes are so badly disadvantaged through their lack of proper preparation that results is almost a foregone conclusion.Don’t blame them….They give of their best.

  8. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Why is it so difficult for Bajans to grasp that success comes from putting our best foot forward …and then through consistent, thoughtful hard work.
    It is one thing to say “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again…” but shiite man, there MUST come a time to admit failure …and that you may NOT indeed be putting your BEST foot forward….. AND TO TAKE A NEW APPROACH.

    What press on what!!??

    …how about STEP BACK…and concede that you are not getting results?
    …or at least how about “try something NEW”?

    Is it not time we spent some resources on a stadium?
    Why was it higher priority to have a fancy headquarters building?
    Steupsss

    Same shiite with Stinkliar…
    Cud-shiite man!!
    NOTHING IS WORKING..
    Everybody hates Chris!!!

    Why are you pressing on Stinkie? …to prove what?
    Why is Froon continuing to expose his nakedness to the world…?

    Most importantly, why are we ‘pressing on’ with systems – political, financial, sports, religious, social …. that HAVE CLEARLY BEEN FAILURES??
    …are we brass bowls?

  9. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    Still have memories of Gus Sandiford hustling across Martindale’s road after a hard day’s work at QEH trying to get to practice for our national football team. Just one example of the deck being heavily stacked against the athletes who seem to be the only ones expected to make sacrifices…Cut them a little slack , will ya?

  10. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Speaking last night on telephone link-up from the Copacabana Beach in Rio, Sir Austin told the MIDWEEK NATION that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring that Barbados make an improved showing in the future. “I know that there will be some disappointment with none of the athletes advancing and making an impact, but that is the way the cookie crumbles. We have got to keep trying and working hard and understanding what is required to do well at the Olympics,” he said.”

    Cold soup constantly warmed over- hearing this for the last thirty years

  11. SuckaBubby Avatar
    SuckaBubby

    Look at the circumstances of our two best professional sports-persons.It all comes down to support that motivates one to work hard.Darian King and Chelsea Tuach have proven for sports people to move up they have to stop f___ing around sports politics and politicians.You think Mr King or Ms Tuach would appreciate a freeloading Minister of Sport to come showing up when the trophy is raised?Lotta them in Rio dont give one ass about sports or sports people.I am happy that Akela Jones had her own t shirt drive.Come 2020 I wish her success and a wide berth from the sycophant lunatics.

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ HH
    Nothing here is about the athletes. ….. NOTHING….

    We have as good, if not better, athletic talent than almost ANY other country… and our athletes probably work as hard as any other… they do their VERY best…and GENERATIONS of them have done so…

    What is consistent, unchanging, and seemingly PERMANENT, is the lack of vision, lack of facilities, lack of a national coherent plan…. from government and sport leaders.

    It is almost as if a fixed set of visionless leaders are destined to impose hardships on our athletes year after year…. while the athletes take the blame for the weak results.

    The days of volunteer athletes going to ‘train’ after a hard day’s work went out DECADES ago… in other countries….. but continues bout here…
    Did you hear Jason Wilson’s interview on CBC from Rio?
    …one man travelling the world…alone… in his quest to qualify – occasionally with his dad’s support when possible…. and competing against highly structured ORGANISED TEAMS with full support in place…. and we expect the world from him…?
    …while the permanent administrators splurge on first class travel, luxury living, and growing pot bellies.

    No leadership from politicians
    No leadership from the church
    No leadership from parents
    none from teachers
    …and clearly none from national sport leadership

  13. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dont mind the jackass Austin Sealy with the pimp title….they always miss the point, it’s about creating training facilities across the island to motivate the young, it’s about not killing young people dreams, just ask Jamaica.

    Government ministers in Barbados love to kill young people’s dreams, sports officials in Barbados love to kill young people’s dreams.

    Let’s hope Sealy is not in Rio parading around his pimp title making himself and the island look stupid.

  14. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    S Bubby
    I think Akela should stick to long jump,high jump and/ or javelin.I agree she is far too slow to do track.T nT is expressing the same view with their athletes performance and results.Jamaica has its own programme and education institution so that none of its athletes have to go too the US.Barbados,OECS,Trinidad and Guyana can combine to decide on a serious home grown training programme similar to Jamaica.

  15. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    What most dont realize is, some athletes need to acclimatize to the Olympic environment, next Olympics Akela would be used to the world stage, more relaxed and comfortable, it’s not like the niggas in Barbados made it easy for her to reach the point that she has….

    …. the more caring people in her life on the island and the support structure of the US played a vital role in her successes, she did better than most and those criticizing could not qualify for the Olympics….not even in their dreams.

    Just qualifying for the Olympics is a success in and of itself…what the hell have her critics or the critics of any bajan olympic qualifer, given all the adversity they have to put up with from the idiots in parliament back down…..qualified for.

  16. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Has anyone seen what Canada is doing for their young to motive and help them realize their dreams….turning dreams into Olympic reality.,, the shithound politicians on the island should have a look at that instead of traveling to Canada looking for criminals to invest in Barbados.

  17. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Gabriel August 17, 2016 at 10:30 PM #

    S Bubby
    I think Akela should stick to long jump,high jump and/ or javelin.I agree she is far too slow to do track.T nT is expressing the same view with their athletes performance and results.Jamaica has its own programme and education institution so that none of its athletes have to go too the US.Barbados,OECS,Trinidad and Guyana can combine to decide on a serious home grown training programme similar to Jamaica.”

    For what for- just to win a brass bowl medal- we need to put our heads together and harness the little talent we have remaining in cricket which put us on the map and stop flirting around with sports in which we would be forever playing catch-up- No disrespect intended to Ms Akela Jones but her performance and the others is an indication of how far we are behind in these sports- week after week we would have been inundated with glowing reports of Ms Jones stellar achievments in track and field in the USA where over the past three years she would have been exposed to the highest level of training r which I suppose would have created false hope in the minds of the patriots that she was Olympic medal standard and hence the obvious disappointment to those who allow emotion and not practicality to be their guide-

  18. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Balance…that’s like putting all ya eggs in the tourism basket and niw have to watch the disastrous outcime, not everyone likes cricket, are you going to force and dictate to children the sports they should like…..it makes better sense to let kids develop their skills in what they like, their passion brings success.

    What is wrong with you people…when will you mature and stop treating the young and each other like slaves with no free will.

  19. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Bush Tea
    We have as good, if not better, athletic talent than almost ANY other country… and our athletes probably work as hard as any other… they do their VERY best
    ++++++++
    Sez who? That is an opinion devoid of any facts but being the Bajan that you are your thinking probably stops at ‘we are the best in the world at everything” but that “very best” doesn’t cut it when they come up against the world’s “best”.

    Apart from Jamaica and Trinidad the athletes from the English speaking Caribbean may as well stay home (I don’t include The Bahamas in that list because for all intents and purposes they are a subsidiary of the US and most of their athletes are developed there).

    The other small specks in the Caribbean Sea with a combined population of less than that of a mid- size City in the metropolitan countries cannot compete with countries that have money and resources to throw at developing their athletes. Britain is reported to be spending over 300 million pounds between 2013 and 2017 on Olympic Sports, the USA has a large College system and pours millions of dollars into developing their athletes via NCAA sports, China has a cradle to Olympics system where preschool children with any talent are trained in various disciplines.

    Countries that want to win medals pay for them and Barbados doesn’t have the funds to compete with these countries but before anyone mentions Kirani James of Grenada, he is a singular talent that is unlikely to be repeated in a generation.

  20. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    There is another Grenadian currently running for gold in his first Olympics…Kerani is not the only one…his name is Bralon Taplin.

  21. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Whose fault is it that small island governments refuse to spend money on their young generations of talent, the programs can be available….if the governments were not so greedy, selfish and corrupt.

  22. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    My opinion on the mandarins that are the elite of the BOA have been well ventilated on previous blogs and it is in Sealy’s best interest to utter encouraging words after all the gravy train has to keep moving.

  23. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Well Well & Consequences August 17, 2016 at 11:50 PM #

    Balance…that’s like putting all ya eggs in the tourism basket and niw have to watch the disastrous outcime, not everyone likes cricket, are you going to force and dictate to children the sports they should like…..it makes better sense to let kids develop their skills in what they like, their passion brings success.

    What is wrong with you people…when will you mature and stop treating the young and each other like slaves with no free will.”

    With sugar on its death bed for a long time now and with another Democratic pPresident poised to enter the white house which means that our second largest foreign exchange earner in the form of International business would be once more under attack pray tell me what else is there to hold on to except tourism and therein lies the problem with us- with limited resources rather than stick to what we good at and try to develop and promote what is already sustainable we experiment here and experiment there and go nowhere because there is just not enough in the already bare cupboard to cater to all sports and sustain them at the highest levels- as has always been the case children are free to play whatever sport they like from hiddybiddy back up on their own steam-fact not fiction-

  24. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Balance….that is what the politicians are paid a monthly salary to do, it’s a tiny island with less than 300,000 people, what would happen if they had 500k peope, one million people or in Singapore’s case, being a few square miles larger than Barbados….6 million people.

    The politicians need to redirect their energies from corruption and scams to finding ways and means to allow majority blacks on the island free latitude to create businesses and jobs.

    The politicians need to get rid of the parasitic minorities, their bribers, friends and business partners who have been stunting the island’s growth for 30 years…wuth their greed and monopolies.

    The ministers need to redirect all those 30 and 40 year concessions to black people who have been begging fir an opportunity to help with growth for years.

    Here is Inniss with his lying hypocrisy SAYING what should have been DONE for the last 40 years…only because the fraud wants to be reelected.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/84578/inniss-colour

    Apparently in his wicked mind, Canada has not black, weakthy business people, so he had to bring in the white Del Mastros criminals to invest in Barbados’ solar business, in his wicjed mind, tgere are no black people capable of creating a solar plant on the island, it can only be done by simeone white and foreign.

    The same solar conceot that was created in Barbados in the 70s by a black man Orofessir Headley.

    So Balance when blacks on the island are holding their heads not knowing what to do next, your politicians and ministers are taking your money every month in salary and scamming what they can….hold them responsible for the degradation abd decay, lack of opportunities, lack of black businesses, lack of jobs for young people…..the government ministers are responsible fir what is not happening.

  25. balance Avatar
    balance

    “So Balance when blacks on the island are holding their heads not knowing what to do next, your politicians and ministers are taking your money every month in salary and scamming what they can….hold them responsible for the degradation abd decay, lack of opportunities, lack of black businesses, lack of jobs for young people…..the government ministers are responsible fir what is not happening.”

    The politicians might look and behave like fools but they are not fools. They realize we like it so so they give we what we like

  26. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    If and when we produce a good athlete is happens by luck, unusual talent.

    Austin Sealy and the likes are not so much interested in developing people

    they seem more interested in being part of these private organizations wielding unparalleled power in our world

  27. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    The same solar conceot that was created in Barbados in the 70s by a black man Professor Headley.

    Was the jackass Inniss even born in 1970…but there he is insulting Professor Headley’s memory by importing a white criminal to create a solar plant on the island.

    Apparently in Inniss’ wicked mind, Canada has no black, wealthy business people, so he had to bring in the white Del Mastros criminals to invest in Barbados’ solar business, in his wicked mind, there are no black people capable of creating a solar plant on the island, it can only be done by someone white and foreign.

    Now it has all been exposed…he wants to give a pep talk on color having nothing to do with being successful business people….where was this pep talk when he first got the business portfolio…when he and the other ministers started jumping into bed with the first white who said they have millions, but did not, the first Indian wanting to import garbage to feed bajans.

    Why not jump into bed wuth the majority blacks who are willing to control and grow businesses on the island.

    Regarding the training for young people to follow their athletic dreams….I understand even the NAPSAC program is filled with nepotism, those young talented kids are held back so that coaches and teacher’s relatives who are useless on the tracks can be pushed forward. …so who is surprised that the young talented future Olympians would never be given the opportunity because of the idiocy of adults handling these programs and their low class practice of nepotism.

  28. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Pacha…the bottom of my last comment explains why the true Olympians in Barbados are never given the opportunity…..too much nastiness and nepotism practiced by jackasses like Sealy….who should know better and can do better, but from primary school, the most gifted athletes are disadvantaged if they are not related to the connected.

    Akela made it through despite all of that, but more often than not, it’s the least talented athletes hit the spotlight and the international stage….and fail, because someone else more talented…was overlooked deliberately , for one lowlife reason or another…the selfishness, ignorance and idiocy of adults in chargewill bring the island to its knees.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    The politicians might look and behave like fools but they are not fools. They realize we like it so so they give we what we like

    The people always get the government that they deserve so who does one blame.

    We like it so indeed.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    It was interesting (laughable) to listen to Wilson talk about how he has to rely on the support teams from other countries while touring the circuit. He comes from a family which obviously can afford to pay his way but the lack of support for our youth and sports is a big issue. We owe it to our young people to invest in them to be the best that they can be. It is not just about the athletics but as important are those looking on who can ride the success of a well managed sports program to excel in other areas of endeavour.

  31. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Sargeant et al… your post re “The other small specks in the Caribbean Sea with a combined population of less than that of a mid- size City in the metropolitan countries cannot compete with countries that have money and resources to throw at developing their athletes” is true for all practical purposes. Very true.

    YET…. all ‘small’ and too ‘underdeveloped’ nations suffer this fate. It is NEVER about competing directly with the big boys but about harnessing the natural talent to infuse a true intent of ‘I can perform well on the athletic field with the best’. And achieving that..every ‘now and then’.

    If we look at what Fuji did in Rugby 7s how can we not accept the Bushman’s post that ” We have as good, if not better, athletic talent than almost ANY other country… and […] they do their VERY best”

    Fiji, as I read has close to 1 mil people. Roughly four times our peeps. This is their first Olympic medal. Of course we beat them to that. But it’s their first gold (they first 7+ if you will), so they have bested us supremely…times over.

    But the back story is the real gold to this achievement. The very same stress and strife of after work training described by @Hamilton was one of the basic over powering hurdles facing this team (also no money for gas for the team bus, for uniforms etc). All those supposedly long past struggles. They overcame all that and the natural ‘politics’ of operations and small budgets and have now won gold after dominating this event in recent years.

    So if Jamaica and The Bahamas using diametrically different ‘seeding’ processes and with diametrically different population sizes can produce so many quality athletes; if Fiji can do it coming from such ‘desperation’ then there is absolutely no reason that little Barbados cannot produce more Obadele Thompson’s or Akela Jones.

    No reason that we can’t harness and help develop to champion caliber the natural talent of folks like the former Tourism Minister – who as my old memory recalls, ran down the Olympic 100 metres champion Hasley Crawford at the National Stadium – and the talent of the Orlando Greenes and the many others.

    If we can produce a Garry Sobers and Jamaica a George Headley…and then too a Don Quarrie and after him a bushel of sprint kings and queens topped by the unparalleled Usain Bolt then we Bajans can produce them too…fewer and farther apart but surely we can produce champions too.

    It obviously takes a lot of money and effort to be a world champion but clearly the vices of self-serving management are principally at fault which prevents us from succeeding.

  32. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Sargeant
    Sez who? That is an opinion devoid of any facts but being the Bajan that you are your thinking probably stops at ‘we are the best in the world at everything” but that “very best” doesn’t cut it when they come up against the world’s “best”.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    To avoid resorting to harsh and un-BU-like language, Bushie will assume that this is said tongue-in-cheek …and will deal with it as such…

    The only thing that Bushie has ever claimed for ‘Barbados-world-leadership’ is brass bowlery…. so you are clearly talking a roll…
    Additionally, failure against “the world’s best” is OBVIOUSLY no indicator of basic talent. You yourself is clearly a talented chap – yet when ever you come up against Bushie you are brought to attention….. There is that little matter of the BBE connections… 🙂
    Similarly, the most talented athletes in the world will fail without proper planning, preparation, support and rewards… World class success is a TOTAL package beginning with LEADERSHIP, STRUCTURE, VISION and then focusing on talent, facilities, commitment, marketing etc..
    Talent (the athlete’s contribution) is but a minor component of success.

    So then, as Pacha correctly said, when we have produced exceptional athletes such as Oba, Jason and Akela it has been because of EXCEPTIONAL talent – and because of the massive sacrifices of FAMILY and friends – who happen to be able and willing…

    Some time ago, the Government was pressured to recognise the need for a ‘sports program’ to support our talented youth and instituted the BDF Sports program.
    This is one of the most idiotic waste of money ever conceived by ANY government anywhere.
    It has been a dismal failure now for decades …yet we press on with it (largely because it provides a cover to dump some additional millions into the useless BDF).
    Every other country in this world have sport programs with children from age 6, while ours commence at age 18…… when athletes from other countries are at the olympics…
    LOL
    ha ha ha
    Oh shiite…!!!!
    BBs!!

  33. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Here’s a solution to our Olympic woes- interbreeding with Jamaicans. After all Jim Wedderburn’s family had Jamaican roots and wasn’t one of Oba’s parents a Jamaican? LOL!

  34. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Donna
    What does that tell you?
    …just like you, they may have missed the Brass bowlery injection….

  35. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @DPD

    Rugby 7’s is a relatively new Sport played by very few nations and I equate Fiji’s success to cricket if it was introduced in the 1960’s Barbados would have had a real chance then but I digress, there will always be anomalies in Sport and the occasional exceptional talent will arise where there hasn’t been before.

    In the Caribbean Jamaica has been singular in their athletic prowess starting with Wint and Mckenley in the 1940’s and the talent is still coming forth, Trinidad made a breakthrough with Wendell Mottley followed by Hasely Crawford and they have had the occasional medal until Keshon Walcott stunned the world in the javelin.

    About “harnessing” that potential in Canada athletes are “carded” that is if you reach a certain standard you are provided with a monthly allowance which provides the opportunity to train full time, some athletes also have sponsors who foot the bill for attendance at various meets. In the US Corporate USA sponsors many of the athletes, in addition athletes have access to elite training camps, coaches, therapists, psychologists you name it they have it. On the strength of DeGrasse’s early promise he was signed by PUMA for over 11 million bucks, he trains full time in Arizona with a personal coach in an Athletic organization under Dan Pfaff who was responsible for Donavan Bailey. DeGrasse is but one example but athletes have access to training camps in other States e.g. Florida, Texas etc. The British athlete Mo Farah trains in the US under Alberto Salazar, elite athletes travel to countries where they can obtain the best coaching and where they are exposed to world class competition, the IOC likes to have a large parade of nations to show it is inclusive but many of the athletes don’t have a chance and that is more so for athletes from small penurious nations.

  36. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    The Jamaican’s obviously have the genes for speed. Recognising their natural ability they developed programmes to maximize the potential. Having less potent athletic genes means we will start a few steps behind them and others but we could make up the stagger occasionally with a proper development programme. Personally I would have more fun as an official at the Olympics if one of my athletes won a medal but these parasitic administrators and politicians apparently can’t see that far. They go to the Olympics looking foolish and don’t even care how they are laughed at as long as they can say they were there. I pity them.

  37. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    “Best dressed Olympic Team!” LOL. LOL. LOL. Pathetic!

  38. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Jamaicans not Jamaican’s

  39. David Avatar
    David

    In the opinion of BU the success of Jamaica is about having a well run Sports Program fueled by a high level of patriotism and a national recognition that Sports is a legitimate pathway to achieving excellence be it economic or actualization in any other form. One just has to attend their primary or high school sports to appreciate the commitment.

  40. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Donna
    You might have a point.Cammie Smith was no rabbit with the bat.He was famous for knocking the shine off the new ball in 4 overs

  41. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David 8:36 AM
    Excellent.
    …and it all came from astute leadership.
    Did Jamaica not have a number of administrators who led international sport bodies for long terms (eg Fennel?) as a clear sign of world class quality leadership…?

    Had Bolt been born in Barbados, he would likely have been deemed a ‘rogue from the country’ and bypassed in favour of “somebody’s” useless son to ‘get a trip…’
    He would probably then be frustrated …and end up with a pick as a ZR conductor…

    @ Donna
    genes?
    Check and see which Caribbean country does VERY well at the CUT (primary school level) games. This is probably where you will best see the effect of ‘genes’.
    After that, it is all about structure, leadership, programs….

  42. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Sargeant re at 8:23 AM … no disagreement on your main thrust there. In fact what your post highlights is the powerful impact that developed nations and big corporations derive from the advertising power of athletics. A feat that the “small penurious nations” are often incapable of replicating.

    But to ‘digress’ (back to) the Rugby 7s example. I am not very familiar with the sport vis-a-vis regular rugby as far as rule changes but I’ll make a leap of faith and imagine that those differences are like Test cricket vrs T20: same basic game but adapted for play in ‘hurry-up’ mode.

    So as much as it’s a ‘new sport’ the big boys of rugby like NZ, England, Australia, SA etc would still be well situated to out-perform. In that regard I don’t see Fiji’s sporting excellence there as an anomaly in the least. They have better adapted their talents to this form of the game, rather. They have out-performed the big boys.

    Bring T20 to the Olympics and Barbados might in fact win a medal. In fact, it’s not far-fetched to envision a cluster of Caribbean nations on the podium for all the medals.

    And back to your original point re money and sport. This ‘expensive’ 11-16 man/woman team sport has excellent reasons of corporate and Olympic ‘money interest’ for inclusion. It has equally excellent reasons for exclusion too.

    So hopefully by 2028 or some such time when we are all doddering old fools Barbados may indeed be on track to win Olympic gold at cricket!

  43. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    One last thought about the Olympics, if shite talk was a category BU could field its own team, the captaincy for obvious reasons to BT since OOB has “retired”.

  44. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    “One just has to attend their primary or high school sports to appreciate the commitment.”

    In Jamaica it starts in the primary schools, they are well aware that practicing nepotism and the crab in the barrel mentality will earn them no olympic medals….so, they make sure their naturally talented 6-17 years olds get the one on one attention they need to achieve olympic gold.

    In the US, it starts as soon as they can show interest, some start at 4 and 5 years old, this is when you allow natural talent to prevail, mold and grow.

    Someone should tell that to the sports officials, teachers and coaches in Barbados.

    Fir those nit aware, athletes who make it to the olympics do so only AFTER achieving gold and other distinctions in local, regional and world qualifying times…ya already gold material when you enter the okympic village, not any wannabe can reach that level, you havevto have already broken multiple records and personal best times.

  45. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Can’t find all the CUT stats but Jamaica seems to have entered the competition rather late. How much emphasis do they place on it?

  46. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    “Had Bolt been born in Barbados, he would likely have been deemed a ‘rogue from the country’ and bypassed in favour of “somebody’s” useless son to ‘get a trip…’
    He would probably then be frustrated …and end up with a pick as a ZR conductor…”

    Bushman..well said. That is the blight that follows Barbados everywhere.

  47. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Bolt should thank the Divine every day that he was not born in a backward thinking island like Barbados, where he would be treated like a slave with no free will….by his own people.

    As it stands Bolt can freely earn 33 million dollars a year and just signed a 30 million a year…10 year deal with Nike…which will help growth in his country Jamaica….he in turn helps the younger generations with their dreams.

    Which politician or government minister, coach, or teacher would want to see that happening for their young generations of blacks in Barabdos, who are not their relatives or friends…..NONE

  48. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Not really A Sports Fan however Irecal remember clearly Bajans crying down our Cricket Team for a long time and look at the Results in-spite of their Financial Challenges.

    Both Teams, Men and Women brought Great Credit to Barbados and the Caribbean.

    My Motto has always been…”Challenges make Champions”. Do the Best With What You Are Given and let The Blessings Follow!

  49. David Avatar
    David

    Oba is on CBC with Thornhill waxing lyrically.

  50. islandgal Avatar
    islandgal

    “We have as good, if not better, athletic talent than almost ANY other country… and our athletes probably work as hard as any other… they do their VERY best…and GENERATIONS of them have done so…”

    Bush Tea when you start like that you start like most Bajans bout hey. We got the best brains, we got the best beaches, we got the best cooks, we got the best women, we got the best roads and the list goes on and on. It is obvious that our BEST however wasn’t good enough!

    Sarge yuh right to give BT a Bush Bath. I recently heard about an overseas athlete with a Bajan parent asked BOA to allow them to represent Barbados and was refused. They medalled in the Olympics.

    We have a group of old geezers who we call leaders, trying to adapt to world that has passed them by some 30 years. Until we allow our young professionals to take the lead and change our way of doing things we will continue to see the same results again and again.

    A small nation like Grenada that has produced two outstanding athletes and will continue to do so without all the bells and whistles we have to show off with.

    The few Bajan athletes who have made it to the Olympics are all studying outside of Barbados on Athletic scholarships. They are exposed to world class training that isn’t available here. They compete regularly against the best. thus improving their abilities. Why can’t we recruit coaches like these to train our young athletes? Why can’t we invest in a world class sports academy for our athletes? For athletes to improve they must compete regularly at international meets.

    Perhaps we have become too easily satisfied and too easily accept mediocrity instead of excellence.

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