Thoughts on Hamilton

#11

Advanced Kitty wrote:

Quote:

A depressing proportion of the viewing population simply couldn't
(and still refuse to) reconcile this black man's racing superiority
over his white counterparts

A tiny proportion IMHO.

Black equality or even superiority in athletics, boxing and other sports has
been long accepted, why should it be any different in F1? IME, the vast
majority of people watching F1 may cheer for the team they follow or their
own country but, just like any sport, what really excites them is seeing
sheer skill whoever the peerson is displaying that skill.

Unless, of course, that you are naive enough to think that Usenet trolls
somehow represent the real world ...

#12

EX_OWM wrote:

Quote:

Advanced Kitty wrote:

A depressing proportion of the viewing population simply couldn't
(and still refuse to) reconcile this black man's racing superiority
over his white counterparts

A tiny proportion IMHO.

Black equality or even superiority in athletics, boxing and other
sports has been long accepted, why should it be any different in F1?

Because it's been apparent in boxing, athletics and football for decades -
and they're all much more physical sports than F1.
F1 is also much more tied up with notions of our own skillsets because most
of us drive, so assumptions regarding race and racing are challenged at a
more personal level.
And wherever new sporting areas are opened up to successful,
ethnically-diverse competition, you'll hear the outraged cries of indignant
bigotry from their 'last bastions' of non-diversity.

Quote:

IME, the vast majority of people watching F1 may cheer for the team
they follow or their own country but, just like any sport, what
really excites them is seeing sheer skill whoever the peerson is
displaying that skill.
Unless, of course, that you are naive enough to think that Usenet
trolls somehow represent the real world ...

#13

Ray O'Hara wrote:

Quote:

and being Black is never an advantage.

Being black is what gets him all the attention (even though he's
half-white).

#14

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:24:46 -0600, Matthew Pope
<matt&samatNOSPAMiinet.netdotau> wrote:

Quote:

In 2007 and 2008, I disliked Hamilton... immensely. He came across as a bit
of a so and so who has had everything handed to him and feels he is owed
plenty. Not saying that's how he is, just how he came across to me.

This year, he's different. Something has changed. I've seen his true
colours as a racer. He's not complaining about his lot at the start of the
year, having a grossly uncompetitive car, and got on with the job of racing
the car hard, qualifying hard and trying his arse off.

Kudos to you LH. Wouldn't be surprised to see you win handsomely tonight,
and challenge strongly for the championship in 2010.

Sometimes it's in how we accept defeat that we endear ourselves to others.

Seven shades of shit in front of Fred, IMHO.

What does it matter what a driver is like out of a racing car? It's
what he's like when he's *in* it that matters.
I've never been able to see that a driver's personality (or lack of
it) is of the slightest importance as far as the sport is concerned.
I've been a fan of Hamilton's since his GP2 days, not because he's a
Brit or because I like him as an individual but because he's a fine,
attacking racing driver gifted with just about the most sublime
car-control I have ever seen in over 50 years of following motorsport.
--
Henry Birkin Bt.

#15

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:32:53 +0000, Sir Tim hollered:

Quote:

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:24:46 -0600, Matthew Pope
matt&samatNOSPAMiinet.netdotau> wrote:

In 2007 and 2008, I disliked Hamilton... immensely. He came across as a
bit of a so and so who has had everything handed to him and feels he is
owed plenty. Not saying that's how he is, just how he came across to me.

This year, he's different. Something has changed. I've seen his true
colours as a racer. He's not complaining about his lot at the start of
the year, having a grossly uncompetitive car, and got on with the job of
racing the car hard, qualifying hard and trying his arse off.

Kudos to you LH. Wouldn't be surprised to see you win handsomely
tonight, and challenge strongly for the championship in 2010.

Sometimes it's in how we accept defeat that we endear ourselves to
others.

Seven shades of shit in front of Fred, IMHO.

What does it matter what a driver is like out of a racing car? It's what
he's like when he's *in* it that matters. I've never been able to see
that a driver's personality (or lack of it) is of the slightest
importance as far as the sport is concerned. I've been a fan of
Hamilton's since his GP2 days, not because he's a Brit or because I like
him as an individual but because he's a fine, attacking racing driver
gifted with just about the most sublime car-control I have ever seen in
over 50 years of following motorsport.

I agree with every word. The in car from his qually lap yesterday was
sublime. Even before the times came up, you could tell it was so much
quicker than the others, especially the final corner. Brilliant.

Mike P

#16

On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 11:58:48 -0000, "EX_OWM"
<allthespamyoulike (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

Advanced Kitty wrote:

A depressing proportion of the viewing population simply couldn't
(and still refuse to) reconcile this black man's racing superiority
over his white counterparts

A tiny proportion IMHO.

In Britain certainly, and probably in most other countries too.

Quote:

Black equality or even superiority in athletics, boxing and other sports has
been long accepted, why should it be any different in F1? IME, the vast
majority of people watching F1 may cheer for the team they follow or their
own country but, just like any sport, what really excites them is seeing
sheer skill whoever the peerson is displaying that skill.

Well put. To judge a man's quality by the colour of his skin is as

ridiculous as it is insulting.

Quote:

Unless, of course, that you are naive enough to think that Usenet trolls
somehow represent the real world ...

--

Henry Birkin Bt.

#17

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:23:32 +0000, Happi Monday <happi (AT) munday (DOT) com>
wrote:

Quote:

Ray O'Hara wrote:
and being Black is never an advantage.

Being black is what gets him all the attention (even though he's
half-white).

What gets him attention, at least in Britain, is his skill as a
racing driver - as I suspect you know very well.
--
Henry Birkin Bt.

#18

Sir Tim wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:23:32 +0000, Happi Monday <happi (AT) munday (DOT) com
wrote:

Ray O'Hara wrote:
and being Black is never an advantage.

Being black is what gets him all the attention (even though he's
half-white).

What gets him attention, at least in Britain, is his skill as a
racing driver - as I suspect you know very well.

Happi and his BNP mates are incapable of seeing anything other than the
colour of a person's skin.

--
Paul-B

#19

On 1 Nov 2009 10:02:43 GMT, "Paul-B" <paul (AT) rasf1 (DOT) net> wrote:

Quote:

Advanced Kitty wrote:

The British hate a winner.

Rubbish.

A very broad statement certainly, but I do think that there is

something in it, Paul.
How many times have we seen successful Brits vaunted by the press only
to be slagged off when they show the slightest sign of not actually
being superhuman?
I was brought up in a time (and a class) where the slightest tendency
to appear triumphalist was frowned on and the only *really* important
thing was to be sporting, i.e. a "good loser". I think that traces
of this attitude still remain and many British people are slightly
embarrassed about winning.
However, whilst not driven by any very intense desire to win I do
think most Brits have a fierce determination not to *lose*, which is
not quite the same thing.

--
Henry Birkin Bt.

#20

Paul-B wrote

Quote:

When have I claimed otherwise? You're the one who's making the claim
that "The British hate a winner", not me. You're the one pretending to
speak for all Brits, not me.

When JV won in the Rothmans Cigarettes sponsored Williams in 1997, there was a
massive advertising billboard near my house on Toronto's main drag, with Villey
in the Williams. Tickets to the Canadian GP were very tough to come by for
years. And Canadians often self criticise themselves has "hating a winner".

As a person who visited the UK in 1989 to attend the F1 race, I was astonished
to meet Brits in pubs who had no idea who Nigel Mansell was.

I'm certain that when he won the DWC in 1992, that everybody knew who he was.

(that's because in 1989, most racing fans barely knew what CART was. However,
by 1993 it had an audience in the UK because Nige had moved to that series).

Same with Jacques in 1997. I hear that F1 wasn't all that popular in Spain
until Alonso kicked ass.