"Our" table tennis team winning gold
- Thread starter UncleFai
- Start date
Yes.... But the main problem with Singapore I think is culture. We just don't have a strong sports culture here. They can build a spanking new national stadium or open the sports school, but if we don't have the culture for sports, we will fail badly as we've always had, and it won't change much.
By culture, I mean the passion and interest in sports. Give you a good example. My colleagues and friends discuss EPL soccer enthusiastically. They know the players' names and which clubs they've played for, etc. Practically they are so into EPL that some will buy jerseys of their favourite clubs, etc. BUT! Ask any of them if they play soccer, usually out of 10, none or at most 1 plays! Some even unashamedly claim "MY TEAM (referring to their favorite EPL clubs like Liverpool or Man U) will beat yours!" Since when do they even come from the region to claim the title of "my team"? Talk soccer, bet soccer, we are No.1. But passion with actual playing? ZERO.
Some kids in South America are so poor that they don't even have proper soccer boots. But they play any time, anywhere. In the streets, on the sand. No money to buy soccer ball? No problem. They will find something to make do with. In Singapore, we've got Singapore parents buying $100+ soccer boots and expensive nice jerseys for their lower primary school kids. Then they proudly post on Facebook the items they bought. But so contrastingly, come weekends, we see lots of nice green fields here but where are the kids? Oh no... they play soccer only during school CCA. Cannot lah... like dat where's the passion?
And it's not hard to imagine why we don't have the sports culture here. It's the lack of guarantee of a safe and bright future. It's not enough to talent spot. So even if you can find a local prodigious child in sports. We don't have the facilities. We don't have the mass for the government to want to invest in that kid and other kids. To do well in sports, and I mean well enough to even appear in a big international event like the Olympics with credible score or timing (not necessarily winning a medal), a lot of sweat, tears, being away from parents, and training with top coaches are required. It's just too much for our small country.
So understandably, our government takes the fastest approach -- buy players! As they've always been good, this government runs the country like a big business. So buying China players to play for us can be seen as a business transaction. We buy you, you perform well, we give you benefits like extra cash, citizenship, etc. But if you don't perform, then like any employer of a company, we sack you. It's a fair deal.
I don't see the situation changing much.
Im not good at pingpong. But that's besides the point. You send those locals who are good at their sports, win or lose. SPorts is about fighting spirit, afterall. Not really sure what you're getting at...
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Sion
Senior Member
You have answered your own question.
You should go to Commonwealth Games representing this country in the spirit of participation and not for winning.
It doesn't matter even you can't hold the pingpong bat.
:bsmilie:
Well, if they choose me, why not? It's not up to me. But sure, Im local. Anything else to add? There are lots of local kids into pingpong and im sure the sports council will have enough pool of talent to make the right selection. The point is to expose these kids and not overemphasize on gold or silver..
Again, not so sure what's your point again.
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I'm all for FTs coming to singapore to work, start a family and call Singapore home..... they contribute to the economy and work like everyone else
But I'm not for buying sporting glory...... for that you have to go to the VERY beginning of the basis of achievements why each country celebrates their championship sons and daughters
Why waste money on buying a ping pong gold ? Its totally illogical
I'm sure we have enough money to buy a team to take us to the next World Cup Finals actually no ? and in a sport thats so much more widely popular globally than ping pong
At least we'll have global heroes in the team that more than half the population in the world recognizes right ?
We should buy a better government too if we find the right people from other parts of the world to head up Singapore Inc ..... but that'll drift into politics so will stop here
above all tounge in cheek
But I'm not for buying sporting glory...... for that you have to go to the VERY beginning of the basis of achievements why each country celebrates their championship sons and daughters
Why waste money on buying a ping pong gold ? Its totally illogical
I'm sure we have enough money to buy a team to take us to the next World Cup Finals actually no ? and in a sport thats so much more widely popular globally than ping pong
At least we'll have global heroes in the team that more than half the population in the world recognizes right ?
We should buy a better government too if we find the right people from other parts of the world to head up Singapore Inc ..... but that'll drift into politics so will stop here
above all tounge in cheek
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Sion
Senior Member
Added to our imported ping pong players may I suggest we "buy" some of the badminton players from Indonesia and Malaysia.
They are world class material and the price can be cheaper than those stars from PRC.
Sion
Senior Member
Added to our imported ping pong players may I suggest we "buy" some of the badminton players from Indonesia and Malaysia.
They are world class material and the price can be cheaper than those stars from PRC.
I think Singapore should buy David Beckham.
Does he play badminton now?I think Singapore should buy David Beckham.
At least the local tax rates could be of some interest to him.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertw...cy-willfulness-impacts-u-s-u-k-taxpayers-too/
I think Lionel Messi may also be interested to come here because of tax issues.
Singapore should target to win the next World Cup and NCPG can make a video about Andy's father betting all his savings on Singapore. :cheergal:
People's Action Party (***) Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Er Dr Lee Bee Wah sobbing as she speaks of her table tennis "achievements".
Disclaimer: This news conference sponsored by 100PLUS.
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You all cyberbully her and her precious table tennis national team, now kana sacked. Of course cry lah.
So far nobody is sure why she is crying.
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/08/15/lbw-cries-after-announcing-her-stepping-down-from-stta/
But I think she is crying because she has tarnished the Sporting Spirit of the Games on behalf of Singapore.
http://news.asiaone.com/news/sports/spore-bought-their-medals
