Wimbledon 2013

[Shaggy]

This really made me LOL. Nicked from Twitter.

Andy Murray explains how to succeed by working hard

[Sarb]

:Haha: Murray looks like he is thinking 'WTF, why are these idiots laughing. I'm being serious'

[RichC]

****ing hell bandwagon jumping by Cameron et al to try and leech off the positivity from Murrays success.

I know all politicians do it to an extent but this is cringeworthy

[Daniel 7]

Yeah, but there was something altogether more darkly opportunistic about Salmond doing it - claiming it for Scotland as a feel good factor to bolster his independence campaign.

I get the impression from Cameron that he was genuinely pleased by the whole thing and was rooting for him personally rather than politically.

Salmond is just using the fact that Murray was born in the same geographical entity to forward his own ludicrous agenda.

[Buzzo]

The clip of Cameron opening the front door of Number 10 and walking out clapping his hands shouting Andy from behind Murray as he stood getting photographed made me feel sick. It looks as if politically they are going to try and hang on to his achievement for all its worth.

There's probably not a lot between the No. 1 and the No. 5 in the world in terms of super tanker size quality as well, so contextually, it might have helped and been a significant factor.

I suspect you are wum'ing a bit in this thread Nigel

The PR stuff has actually helped Murrays profile. But there is no way it was a 'significant' factor in him winning Wimbledon (Neil Youngs metaphor sums this up well). He still seems to have far from universal support. The only people who would push the importance of PR most likely work within the industry, I even doubt Simon Fuller is claiming major credit for Murrays success. PR will assist in maximising his sponsorship revenues and to an extent polish his public profile, and even then I would say it is in performace that he has won most of his followers.

The hard work is done on the practice courts and during the tournaments, same as in every sport. It was a monumental achievement in an individual sport under extreme pressure. As Murray stepped up to serve for the championship all the postive PR in the world wouldn't assist in getting him across the line.

[Neil Young]

There's probably not a lot between the No. 1 and the No. 5 in the world in terms of super tanker size quality as well, so contextually, it might have helped and been a significant factor.

Pah, in theory, in an Nigeyous-Arnesque universe perhaps, but the other explanation fits far better with what we know about tennis in particular, sport in general, success more broadly in life, and the peripheral role of public relations in real achievement.

As for the analogy, the point isn't the relative size of the supertankers but the size difference between each supertanker and its lifeboat. Imagine trying to turn around a supertanker by pulling it with a lifeboat. That's effectively what you're saying might have happened.

In fact it was much more the other way around - the supertanker pulled the lifeboat around thanks to his two big successes in the second half of last year.

Tim Henman on the other hand had a lot of public support. And it didn't win him Wimbledon.

Meanwhile back in the N-A universe, if only Henman had had Malcolm Tucker, he'd be the greatest player in history.

[Buzzo]

Yeah, but there was something altogether more darkly opportunistic about Salmond doing it - claiming it for Scotland as a feel good factor to bolster his independence campaign.

I get the impression from Cameron that he was genuinely pleased by the whole thing and was rooting for him personally rather than politically.

Salmond is just using the fact that Murray was born in the same geographical entity to forward his own ludicrous agenda.

Salmond was embarassing.

There are few things he wouldn't do to boost his chances in the referendum. I certainly didn't see too much of Salmond when Murray was festooned in his TEAM GB kit last summer.

[Neil Young]

This really made me LOL. Nicked from Twitter.

Andy Murray explains how to succeed by working hard

****ing hell bandwagon jumping by Cameron et al to try and leech off the positivity from Murrays success.*

I know all politicians do it to an extent but this is cringeworthy

Yeah, but there was something altogether more darkly opportunistic about Salmond doing it - claiming it for Scotland as a feel good factor to bolster his independence campaign.

I get the impression from Cameron that he was genuinely pleased by the whole thing and was rooting for him personally rather than politically.

Salmond is just using the fact that Murray was born in the same geographical entity to forward his own ludicrous agenda.

Oh, come off it, man. Cameron is a politician. So is Salmond. Neither of them would do it if it didn't help them. You know that. They're as bad as each other.

The clip of Cameron opening the front door of Number 10 and walking out clapping his hands shouting Andy from behind Murray as he stood getting photographed made me feel sick. It looks as if politically they are going to try and hang on to his achievement for all its worth.

Sickening indeed.

[Neil Young]

I suspect you are wum'ing a bit in this thread Nigel

The PR stuff has actually helped Murrays profile. But there is no way it was a 'significant' factor in him winning Wimbledon (Neil Youngs metaphor sums this up well). He still seems to have far from universal support. The only people who would push the importance of PR most likely work within the industry, I even doubt Simon Fuller is claiming major credit for Murrays success. PR will assist in maximising his sponsorship revenues and to an extent polish his public profile, and even then I would say it is in performace that he has won most of his followers.

The hard work is done on the practice courts and during the tournaments, same as in every sport. It was a monumental achievement in an individual sport under extreme pressure. As Murray stepped up to serve for the championship all the postive PR in the world wouldn't assist in getting him across the line.

Well said, Buttso.

[Kenneth]

This really made me LOL. Nicked from Twitter.

Andy Murray explains how to succeed by working hard

[Daniel 7]

Oh, come off it, man. Cameron is a politician. So is Salmond. Neither of them would do it if it didn't help them. You know that. They're as bad as each other.


Sickening indeed.

Yeah I know that, its just that my loathing of Salmond is such that Cameron doesn't seem as bad in comparison. I guess I should have worded it as "In comparison to Salmond, Cameron seemed genuinely pleased by the whole thing and was rooting for him personally rather than politically"

Salmond is vile.

[Daniel 7]

So, Neil Young

Chris Froome or Andy for SPOTY?

[Neil Young]

So, Neil Young

Chris Froome or Andy for SPOTY?

Murray will win it, as I predicted back in December.

Does that answer your question?

[Daniel 7]

Yeah. Last thing we need is another drug cheat hoodwinking the nation