I think the etymology of the word patriot is interesting:
1590s, "compatriot," from M.Fr. patriote (15c.), from L.L. patriota "fellow-countryman" (6c.), from Gk. patriotes "fellow countryman," from patrios "of one's fathers," patris "fatherland," from pater (gen. patros) "father," with -otes, suffix expressing state or condition.
The Games and The Jubilee were along way from celebrating fellow countrymen. There was this in pockets admittedly in some of the short films etc, but for the most part it was about celebrating, or striving to be part of, something that is innately otherly and outside - being british. On the one hand we have swathes of people willing a lone runner over the line in a most divisionistic fashion, (the chinese are good at, the jamaicans are good at, britain has hasn't it etc etc) - we have the singularity of colours, codes, uniforms and goals, quite militaristic, on the other hand we have this odd celebration of inclusion, lack of boarders, and acceptance. Sport, aggression, and militaristic public displays go together quite well - but the juxtaposition with the modern ideals we celebrate is a slightly less comfortable formation.
Team sports in particular are great at highlighting this vaguely tribal hang-over awaking in post modern arenas (we can leave aside the obvious comparisons to gladiatorial regressions of brute force and physical dominance, too easy) - recall the spain Vs france basketball match; not exactly a parade of modern european values as an emergence of ever present tribal, in/out groups aggression. I feel these emotions and whims are at the heart of some sports - is sport the petridish that contains this culture, a controlled blaze? Is it this aspect - when tied to such Nationalistic, and personally affecting economic/geographic implications that is difficult for some to accept - or approve?