A retrospective on Ricky Ponting, from the USA

[davidmutton]

A retrospective on Ricky Ponting, from the USA

Our final piece marking Ricky Ponting's retirement comes from David Mutton, an Englishman in New York.

 

[mugshot]

A retrospective on Ricky Ponting, from the USA

Our final piece marking Ricky Ponting's retirement comes from David Mutton, an Englishman in New York.

Brilliant and thought provoking post - from a fellow Englishman.

 

[GIMH]

Great read.

 

[Prince EWS]

Love this member. Really wish he'd post more, be it via the forum or the main site. Can't speak highly enough of him, whether he's Peter Della Penna or not. Quality article, regardless.

 

[TNT]

For my mind another typically shallow piece by an englishman. Instead of looking at the full spectrum of Pontings career it just hones in on the negative and smaller part of Pontings career. Wow what a gun you must be because you called Ponting a tool, that must have pumped you a bit and made you feel very patriotic. How ingenious of you to mention the most blown out incident in the history of cricket, a writing masterpiece to mention Pratt, that is sure to stir the emotions of every englishman.

Another stroke of brilliance is to play on an incident when Ponting was a teenager in a pub. you must be the first person to write about that well done sir you could get a gig att most cheap pommie papers. I can see that your wife dosent really know much about cricket but does read the tabliods you leave lying around.

You could have talked about Ponting the cricketer, some things you probably dont know are, he scored a hundred in both innings of his 100th test match. He scored a hundred in a world cup final. He was a brilliant fielder probably the best ever. He played in 100 winning test matches.

Oh and if you did want to just focus on his personal life Ponting created a childrens charity for cancer victims and spends a lot of his time and money helping others quietly in the background.

IMO a pathetic piece written poorly and lacks basic research by someone who knows little about the subject.

 

[TNT]

Some suggested research for you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZruCGBPujPo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZruCGBPujPo[/URL

 

[sphynx]

A retrospective on Ricky Ponting, from the USA

Our final piece marking Ricky Ponting's retirement comes from David Mutton, an Englishman in New York.

Quite possibly the worst article I've seen written. Well done.


I particularly liked this part.

Most English fans would agree. They are correct, at least in that there is a passing resemblance between the former Australian captain and the USA's 43rd president. However this comparison goes beyond facial similarities. In this reading they both led with a simplistic swagger. Successes were thanks to the skills of subordinates and defeat was met with graceless sulking. At the heights of their powers both shared an arrogant smirk that suggested a bully assured of victory because of the overwhelming firepower at their command

Does this flog realise that Ponting was one of the most dominant batsmen of this generation, and one of the main reason's behind those triumphs......?

I guess Sutcliffe and co were hacks because they lost the ashes 3 times towards the end of his career as well?

 

[benchmark00]

Yeah look tbh, it's not a very good article. No need for the personal insults, but it's not great.

 

[Daemon]

Brilliant read imo

 

[NUFAN]

Hmm, I didn't love the article because I don't have any particular interest in the Presidents of the USA apart from peaches and lump.

It would have been nice to see a few highlights of Ponting's career mentioned, but I guess it didn't fit the article.

 

[uvelocity]

going to see them in march n00fan

 

[NUFAN]

going to see them in march n00fan

I was thinking about it too mate, in old Sydney town. I do like some of there other stuff too ftr.

 

[GotSpin]

Disappointing tbh

 

[stumpski]

For my mind another typically shallow piece by an englishman. Instead of looking at the full spectrum of Pontings career it just hones in on the negative and smaller part of Pontings career. Wow what a gun you must be because you called Ponting a tool, that must have pumped you a bit and made you feel very patriotic. How ingenious of you to mention the most blown out incident in the history of cricket, a writing masterpiece to mention Pratt, that is sure to stir the emotions of every englishman.

Another stroke of brilliance is to play on an incident when Ponting was a teenager in a pub. you must be the first person to write about that well done sir you could get a gig att most cheap pommie papers. I can see that your wife dosent really know much about cricket but does read the tabliods you leave lying around.

You could have talked about Ponting the cricketer, some things you probably dont know are, he scored a hundred in both innings of his 100th test match. He scored a hundred in a world cup final. He was a brilliant fielder probably the best ever. He played in 100 winning test matches.

Oh and if you did want to just focus on his personal life Ponting created a childrens charity for cancer victims and spends a lot of his time and money helping others quietly in the background.

IMO a pathetic piece written poorly and lacks basic research by someone who knows little about the subject.

Anyone reading TNT's comments without having read the feature first could be forgiven for thinking that the piece is a vitriolic attack on Ponting; it's nothing of the sort. A resume of his batting feats would have been boring and pointless - everyone knows the man could bat like a god. The comparisons with the various presidents don't always work IMO, but at least provide an original viewpoint, and they are from an American perspective after all.

Every English fan that I knows admires Ponting (don't expect us to like him though, he and his mates handed out too many beatings for that), and this clearly comes through in the feature.

 

[fredfertang]

Quite - I mean we could have just put Cameron's piece up three times but, although TNT doubtless wouldn't agree, that really isn't the point

 

[mugshot]

Anyone reading TNT's comments without having read the feature first could be forgiven for thinking that the piece is a vitriolic attack on Ponting; it's nothing of the sort. A resume of his batting feats would have been boring and pointless - everyone knows the man could bat like a god. The comparisons with the various presidents don't always work IMO, but at least provide an original viewpoint, and they are from an American perspective after all.

Every English fan that I knows admires Ponting (don't expect us to like him though, he and his mates handed out too many beatings for that), and this clearly comes through in the feature.

Yep English fan here who admires Ponting....and not keen on him, which is probably why I felt the article hit the nail on the head.

 

[benchmark00]

Nah look that isn't the point.

Have no issues with people writing an opinion piece saying why they don't like Ponting, but to blatantly misrepresent the truth like basically imply that he did none of the work and it was because of the other good players that made his record as captain look good is total rubbish.

And how many respected publications would actually write about them thinking he looks like George Bush? I'd say none, because it's a pretty amateur thing to write about.

And wtf is this:

There was also a common strategic mind-set that was all too often rigid and created an inability to handle setbacks (in one case Iraq, in the other Gary Pratt)

Not only is it ridiculous to compare the Iraq war to Ponting being unhappy that England were flaunting the substitute fielders rule, but it makes no sense. How is being unhappy being 'rigid' and an 'inability to handle setbacks'. Absolutely nonsensical.


And then we have:

and defeat was met with graceless sulking.

Absolutely blatantly wrong. If you watched any of Ponting's press conferences you would know he's more than happy to heap praise on the opposition.

And along with that, the last two paragraphs give no mention to cricket at all.

As a whole, the article has a strong tone of bitterness and bad will towards Ponting. I understand it's not meant to be a glowing piece which shows all his stats, but it's bad reading and reeks of ignorance.

Look, as I said before, it's not a personal attack. I'm sure David is a decent journalist, but this piece is not very good at all. And would be given the same treatment if it was posted on the forums.