From time to time, there is a discussion on the internet, about the sense of sending players to tournaments, which will certainly lose (in the sense: these players will lose, not tournaments). It's sad, but that's the truth. Just like us, starting in many mountain races, we have no chance, so they - the losers are already at the start. There are no miracles. There are even situations, as in the case of the recent World Championships in Przełajachin which success can be considered to be beyond the last 10% of the classification. Even in the most optimistic mind, a question arises then, which one should not ask aloud: Why are they going there and why for my money? (because the representation)
The first point, the most important one - they do not follow yours.
It means technically going - this is how we have the system in Poland. You also have policemen, firemen, politicians, lawyers, some builders, officials and millions of other people. Your temples of providence, roads and paths are being built for you, smokers, alcoholics and addicts are treated. I get your money from people who have a group of children, young people learn for you. There are lazy girls behind you, people in flip-flops from the Tatra peaks are taken off. You pay for miners, you clean the street and rebuild property that was not insured. One thought comes to mind: you have a lot of money.
It made me nervous once. Now I'm older and I think. I do not know if I think well, but sometimes it helps me. I assume that it is better to live in a false belief that makes you happier than in a sad and real one. Well, this Temple of Providence cost slightly from 200 bubbles. For what I do not know. Sometimes, in the corridor, I pass a neighbor who is willing to spend her time on this kind of temple hałmacze (saving on biting for cats). Her familiar too. She probably wonders why I need Tor in Pruszków for 100 bubbles or a bike path on the bridges over the Vistula. I like the track there, I do not claim it has any deeper sense, but sometimes I get there and I'm glad it is. And here comes the golden thought. Among nearly 40 million Poles and millions of people and investments, it is possible to choose those for which money (or less reluctantly) can be given away. Social media creates a bubble, thanks to which we think that everyone thinks just like us. Every 4 years, everyone is surprised why someone won the election, since no one voted for him. People are different - they want to give money for other things. It is more convenient to think that all your taxes go to the things you use, and the remaining investments are funded by people who care about them.
The question remains whether we have so many people interested in cross-country in Poland to say: Yes, I want to spend it... but we'll come back to that. I am willing to devote my own tax budget because:
To win, you have to lose
There was an entry recently: How to ride horses. It was roughly about the fact that to ride with horses, you have to ride with horses. Believe me, this applies not only to amateurs. If you want to be a better player, you have to ride with better players. It is more important to lose in high league and not to win in low.
Magic spray
We live in beautiful times in which practically everything can be read on the internet. The problem is that you read everything you want on the internet. You want to confirm the theory that in winter you have to make a base - no problem. You want another one, that the database is invalid and all you have to do is pat FTP - go to another page, there will be about it. There is no better way to spot tricks and solutions from the competition than a common start. The technical and training facilities are extremely important. Recently, it turned out that baking spray is the perfect way to fight mud in a bike. How many more such solutions lurks in boxes?
Organization
Changing the bike in the box is easy. The cyclist approaches, the mechanic takes the bike, goes with him to karczera, washed, the situation repeats on the next lap. Only that in the real world it turns out that when the player comes up, the mechanic still stands with his bike in the queue for water, because the same plan has 30 other representations. Two sets are needed.
Experience
Even if Woun van Aert was born some time ago in Poland. Even if he would make the best mud for himself under the house. Even if he had a wife who buys him bikes and gives him a suple. Even if he traveled on every holiday, how the best in the world compete and if he shaved all the competitions with us, the World Championships probably would not have won. I need a team that also ran for such competitions and knew how to play it. The experience will not be gathered differently than experiencing.
What is going on?
I wrote recently that I have not seen mud in my life like in the Netherlands. The problem is, however, that our players have not seen either. How to race in conditions that you have never seen in your life? You will go once, you will know something more. You will go five - you will become accustomed to the unusual situation, after a few years of starts, it will be normal.
If we want to succeed one day, today we have to drive and lose. Especially young people who give us some hope. I care about that because I'm cycling. I understand that not everyone has that. Considering how many different sports we have, I am not surprised at all. Everyone would like to go somewhere and practice.
Why all this? The most difficult question on the blog
However, one very important question arises. I admit honestly, I do not know the answer - I am open to criticism and guidance on the right track. Does public financing for professional sport make any sense?
I do not think so. Hobbic sporting is a right due to everyone - regardless of their financial status and place of residence. Hobbies and passions are one of the very few positive things in this sad * world. Professional sport is a privilege. And of course, we can not break the international race as one country, who has more ... low-budget for the development of technology supporting athletes. Because, let's be honest - winning this is a privilege of rich countries. Money gives opportunities. I would like to address the matter globally.
We live in the 21st century, everything is already commercialized. If there is a drama in the Himalayas - it means a great income for all media. If there is a scandal somewhere, there is success, we won something with Germany, we did something that nobody has done before - there is a profit: for both the media and sponsors who receive an appropriate display of their logo. People are happy, because if a Pole wins, it's almost like we won. Sport is supposed to give companies earnings, and people are happy thanks to the ego. But does it make a difference to us whether the Polish team wins or the best Polish club? Is it not better that you, instead of maintaining wooden clubs, support private initiatives? The development of teams associated with shops, manufacturers, distributors is starting to gain momentum. Construction of facilities, maintenance of existing, discounts, subsidies, etc. - I am selfish, I care more about the creation of a new gym in the open air than the representation had bobsleigh.
But in this way niche discipline will disappear! - shout. They will not disappear - people will continue to cultivate them, but maybe not in a professional edition. Because honestly - why a professional edition of a sport that does not interest anyone. If there are thousands of players in Poland for long-term conquest of a chestnut on a pallet, then the right championship will sooner or later be organized by a producer of discus for shoring chestnuts. If not, maybe we did not need this sport? I know it hurts, but that's the truth.
The future is today. The athlete must be no longer just an athlete. The athlete must be a product. It must exist in social media, it must be shown on television, it must exist in the consciousness of people. Compare the popularity of Mai Włoszczowska, who sometimes wins and Michał Kwiatkowski, who also wins, but sometimes only in specialized media. Nobody knows the other except us. You can probably shout: but how?! Yes, ask your friends at work. Do you know Sebastian Kawa? This is the athlete of the year (2013) according to the Polish Olympic Committee and eleven-time World Champion ... in gliders. There are a lot of people who will not believe you if you tell them that you do not associate a human being.
The times are beautiful. Finding financing has never been as easy as today. You just have to show that people are interested in what you do or generate interest. Money, popularity, sponsors, opportunities go with interest. Everyone has access to the Internet, so that they can also capture something - people on television are waiting for contact from you - people who do something interesting.
And of course, in the case of private training, system training can be difficult from an early age - but is it working right now? I think it would be a matter of time before: Trek cycling school for the youngest and similar inventions. Nothing is earned on anything as easily as on children (and triathletes).
The topic is difficult, I do not have the only right answer and I will gladly listen to your arguments that will convince me one way or the other.
In the States, the government probably doesn't give a dime to professional sports, or amateur competitions either, everything is given by specific private sponsors and it looks somehow. They don't take last places, heck, they're usually at the top for what they do. Since, as you've noticed, there are measurable financial benefits for showing off badges on clothes, it's understandable that a private investor will invest if he makes money. Do you want to take part in competitions in which you have no chance? Find a sponsor. If the sponsor shares your enthusiasm, then you start, if not, you have fun with it as a hobby, locally. If the sponsor notices that the more you give, the better the results and the greater brand recognition, they will give more. Public money only for sports for children and youth and as help in sending athletes to the world championships, the Olympics, but only on condition that someone meets the qualification requirements, for their own or sponsors' money. No scholarships, These were my modest, quickly put into words thoughts.
Damn, the older you are, the smarter you write :p Yesterday my sister was wondering why those who know they'll finish far behind go to the championships? I didn't really know what to tell her, except money ;)
you write well, in fact I've been saying the same thing for a few years now when I've had a bit to drink and a discussion appears about maintaining sports from the budget, or why the world champion in XYZ earns X and an average ball kicker 1000x
Damn, you scared me. "My taxes", "my money", "things used by me" - and then we wonder why on "my road" some cyclists "block" traffic and drivers start to reclaim what is "mine", and then the reclaiming of what was reclaimed... by critical mass... :D Are we fked already? By the way, this "mine" is a bit biased, and where is "my knee" being put back together in a public hospital after a game of tennis, or skiing in the Dolomites or a bike accident? Why not in a private clinic? It's only PLN 60,000, why for "mine"? And who do they make these cool asphalts for? For EU! And that's cool, cool. ;)
You once wrote that life is not a zero-sum game. However, what you wrote above proves that it is (?). But don't worry - it passes! As research has shown, this is a typical state of post-transformation societies. Don't ask for a link, look for it, because I don't feel like it. The explanation is simple: fear for your well-being. Maciek, don't be afraid! Your well-being grows with each post, even when, ironically, you inspire someone to financially support Hurom Sławno, the CX section, from state or local government funds. After all, you will report on their next competition and earn more on social media than most athletes, because you have talent. Wait, did I write earn? I meant "make money". :P
Do we seriously want to discuss the role of the State in equalizing opportunities, redistribution, deregulation? Maciek, I keep my fingers crossed that your ideas won't work out, because the last thing I need is a broadcast from the summer GP on plastic matting instead of TdP, and in the breaks a report from Lewy's vacation. Even if there's broth and pork chop with potatoes. Peace!
That second paragraph knocked me off my feet ;-)
But seriously, I mentioned at the beginning that I don't mind this handout in general. I just wonder if this money couldn't be spent a bit better. I'm reporting that next week the substitute topics will end and the typical cycling topics will start.
Oh, and you calmed me down with the second paragraph. ;) The efficiency and purposefulness of spending is a real topic. And it immediately comes to my mind: too thin, getting thinner? ;D, PZKol budget, promote:
1. MP in CX or
2nd local CX competition
3. or their cycle?
Hi online, I even know how, because there is this one blogger, they say the best and he has what it takes to unleash, maybe even, CX madness. ;) As for the rest, for now I've come up with food trucks and chickens. I guess I'm hungry.
In fact, a great post and a great discussion. The only thing missing – in my humble opinion – is the most important thing: why would anyone need it? The answer is supposedly “because cycling excites me”. But why? You might as well have a laugh bouncing chestnuts on a paddle. That’s the magic of competitive sports, where you’re supposedly competing with others but in reality you’re fighting with yourself! You get to know your body and your character with your weaknesses, you change it by trying to improve it. And you don’t have to bruise anyone’s bones or break any bones, you just have to get to the finish line faster. And on top of that, you get the feeling that you can almost fly, that you’re training at the biggest gym in the world, that… oh, you know what I mean???