Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Hopefully he can get funding to keep going. Only spent £90 Million to date.
Tall order to jump into the cup with a new team and win at first attempt.
If he can pull that off he really will become the king of sailing.

£90,000,000. A mere pittance when it comes to the Americas Cup !

[powerabout]

£90,000,000. A mere pittance when it comes to the Americas Cup !

Much improved Ben today and his boat, beat the Japs (who might of had a faster boat), nailed them at the start and stayed in
front and then did much better then anyone expected against the Yanks ( but lost as expected)
The rate of improvement is impressive.

[jackiewilson]

Much improved Ben today and his boat, beat the Japs (who might of had a faster boat), nailed them at the start and stayed in
front and then did much better then anyone expected against the Yanks ( but lost as expected)
The rate of improvement is impressive.

Maybe worth an outside flutter ?

[powerabout]

Maybe worth an outside flutter ?

The next round the winners have chosen who to sail against so the Kiwi's said Ben.
If he beats them he will be the biggest winner of the cup even if he goes no further.
It will be the biggest upset ever.
Major hill to climb, good luck to him.
With their improvement shown today, its not impossible...

[2us70]

Damn Jackie. They have hit you guys again.

[jackiewilson]

Damn Jackie. They have hit you guys again.

As you said Benny Boy has a mountain to climb.
Nothings impossible, remember he was part of the team that came back from the dead at eight one down ------and finished up winning 9---8.
He is a great "team" player DONTCHA know?

News just in of another Muslim jihada terrorist attack on London Bridge-------six dead and thirty injured by a gang of five carrying knives and chanting "For the love of God" ------Blue thunder team nailed three of the evil bastards, wouldn't give a cat in hells chase for the other two.
Five will get you ten Trump gets his ban all muslims bill through !

Craig and Kate had a disappointing ride yesterday--------boat just isn't right yet. He needs Mark to fix it, he's still the best in the business, but Craig will want to do it his way as kids do.
Need to get their act together before the next race-------not sure whether they made the podium.

[jackiewilson]

OOut to lunch with a couple of very good friends of mine, Nigel and Pauline -------cant believe we haven't seen them for over a year ----bloody time flies when your having fun and growing old, that damned time thief is hard to keep up with these days.

[powerabout]

As you said Benny Boy has a mountain to climb.
Nothings impossible, remember he was part of the team that came back from the dead at eight one down ------and finished up winning 9---8.
He is a great "team" player DONTCHA know?

.

he joined someone elses team ( not saying he didnt contribute)and they just out spent the Kiwi's with continued boat development to catch up once they had the one day lay day.
Big difference now is he has had to create and run a team from scratch, first few races it was all about him, seems to have sorted that out as the in-boat chatter gets published for all to hear, so seems he got the message.
Saying that he competed and won the lead up series in the smaller boats so everyone very surprised they didnt sail as a team for the first few races.

PS all his sailing medals are single handers and known for his temper tantrums.
We have a saying in sailing now, "Doing a Ben" known worldwide
Just before the last olympics he got out of his boat ( on TV) and climbed onto the press boat to thump someone ( he didnt) as he didnt like the interference. ( he won the race)
In sailing you get a rule 69 ruling, no competition for 1 year worldwide. You get it for bringing sailing into disrepute etc, because he is sailings darling he got away with it as it would have ruled him out sailing in the olympics. The sailing community worldwide cried foul.
Anyone else would have been in the sin bin, so you can see why not everyone thinks he is Peter Perfect
The AC is a head game so expect the others will try to play on this

[jackiewilson]

he joined someone elses team ( not saying he didnt contribute)and they just out spent the Kiwi's with continued boat development to catch up once they had the one day lay day.
Big difference now is he has had to create and run a team from scratch, first few races it was all about him, seems to have sorted that out as the in-boat chatter gets published for all to hear, so seems he got the message.
Saying that he competed and won the lead up series in the smaller boats so everyone very surprised they didnt sail as a team for the first few races.

PS all his sailing medals are single handers and known for his temper tantrums.
We have a saying in sailing now, "Doing a Ben" known worldwide
Just before the last olympics he got out of his boat ( on TV) and climbed onto the press boat to thump someone ( he didnt) as he didnt like the interference. ( he won the race)
In sailing you get a rule 69 ruling, no competition for 1 year worldwide. You get it for bringing sailing into disrepute etc, because he is sailings darling he got away with it as it would have ruled him out sailing in the olympics. The sailing community worldwide cried foul.
Anyone else would have been in the sin bin, so you can see why not everyone thinks he is Peter Perfect
The AC is a head game so expect the others will try to play on this

Trouble is, just like every sport in the world, to make an omelette you have to break eggs. Mr. Nice Guy never won anything.
Tradition has it that the brits will never win the AC--------we have to admire Benny Boy for even trying, to just raise the ninety mill is a miracle on its own.
Top end sailing is for the very rich and always has been--------sailing cannot always be the domain of Eton, Harrow, and Oxbridge.
Brits do like to get behind the underdog----if you are not born with a silver spoon then Joe Public will love you all the more1.
I know nothing of sailing protocol `---------me myself have had issues with fellow drivers and chased them out of the pits, just because i disagree with someone does not make me a bad person or mean i should be banned for a year just because i threw a wobbly.
Looks like its what i always feared------sailing is for the chosen few! The wealthier you are the redder the carpet. Upstarts are not allowed to actually win----------put on a good show by all means------but you are not supposed to actually win if your not one of US.
Wonder what would happen if you actually took a piss over the side and were photographed doing it------would that constitute "bringing the sport into disrepute".
Often wondered why i never took up sailing--------thanks for clarifying it---------i believe the colonials call it "born on the wrong side of the tracks" Pilgrim.

[powerabout]

All true Jackie, but the money talking only happens at the very top, the AC ( thats a billionaires proxy fight and always was, whoever wins makes the rules) and Olympics but thats as corrupt as Soccer
You can be a national champ coming from the wrong side of the street and plenty have. Next level is going to require some backing

Bens the first Brit that has got adequate funding and can dance toe to toe with the best and all know it.
Yanks and Kiwi's just had a head start in the technology

Yes if you took a piss in front of the grandstand in Bermuda and it was on TV you might be in trouble.

[jackiewilson]

Yup, I'll go along with that--------but compared to F1 it's clean as a whistle.
I refused to look at the results even after the race is over-------I don't know if it's always been bent, but it certainly is now and has been for years.
When the Americans bought into it with the billions ------competition went out the window, The whole sport is rigged from start to finish. Won't be long before the whole pack of cards come tumbling down.
Soccer, football, cycling, athletics swimming------seems like everybody and everything is drugged up to the eyeballs! Is there ANY sport that is clean anymore?
Suspect I may be turning into a bitter and twisted old curmudgeon ( just ask Willabee, he'll confirm it)
Most will not agree with me------I don't blame them------but believe me, the rule makers and string pullers are the money men today.
£100,000,000 for a crack at the AC-------any half decent soccer player costs that today--------then there's the £20,000,000 annual wage bill plus the £ 25,000,000 sponsorship endorsements-------so Ben Ainslie came cheap didn't he?
Sorry 'bout all this Pilgrim--------and I didn't even get out of the wrong side of the bed today, tomorrow don't look much better either.

[willabee]

..... Suspect I may be turning into a bitter and twisted old curmudgeon ( just ask Willabee, he'll confirm it)

Be happy to oblige .....

Hey Folks, just confirming that Jackie turned 'OLD' about two decades ago. I can also confirm that his ability for "CURMUDGEONNESS' had been demonstrated long before that!

(Hope that suffices Jackie. If you need anything else, just let me know.)

[jackiewilson]

Thank you William------I can always rely on you for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I kinda mouthed off about something I know very little about------put myself out on a limb and then tried to bluff it out and failed miserably!
Colonials call it "crow", it's known as "Humble pie" back here in the U.K.
Then along came JONES------sweet talking "WILLABEE JONES" and poured high octane inflammatory soothing linament which simply compounds the problem, DONTCHA just love it when one of your old friends steps in and pisses avgas on your problem!
Must have been SOMETHING about "WILLABEE" I liked once upon a whatever---------damned if I can remember what, where or when it was.

Notwithstanding all that crap we chuck at each other Bill-------was nice to hear from you again. Can't make the old farts November meet in Tavares as her majesty is insisting I go with her on a slow boat round the Caribbean Islands for two weeks early in November.
Did try to tell her Lake Dora is part of the islands------she wasn't listening
Another point of interest here-------- I have had my car insurance invalidated, since the X-ray shows I have a fractured elbow . It's just something that I've had for 45 years, but they only just noticed it.
I go down for another X-ray later this week and I'll insist they look at both elbows to show they have it all wrong.
Anyone else out there got "THE MOLINARI ELBOW SYNDROME"?

[powerabout]

Just when a bet on Ben was starting to look good his landrover broke.
2 down now, ( its first to 5) well if anyone knows how to fight back its him.
Boat has speed today so he's in the game
Where's that McLaren engineering when you need it ( Martin Whitmarsh is the CEO and Adrian Newey is consulting)

[jackiewilson]

Just when a bet on Ben was starting to look good his landrover broke.
2 down now, ( its first to 5) well if anyone knows how to fight back its him.
Boat has speed today so he's in the game
Where's that McLaren engineering when you need it ( Martin Whitmarsh is the CEO and Adrian Newey is consulting)

yup two of the brightest lights ever to grace F1: All they have to do is gel it all together and they could be in with a shout--------they will have to put on a show or the ninety mill will be all they'll get!
Americas Cup Alley is littered with millionaires who tried and failed--------Sopwith, Lipton, De Savory and dozens more over a 160 year period.