You know what really grinds my sporting gears?

[Uppercut]

Considering that Blackburn have been the only other team to win the English Premier League in recent times, I'd say you are right.

Yeah, noone outside the big four of Blackburn, Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea has ever won the premiership.

 

[BoyBrumby]

That said, I do chuckle how the haka issue always tends to rear its head just before an English game - lovely diversion from the Fleet Street ****wits who don't want to discuss the massive inadequacies of their sides. And I chuckle even more how rarely the war dances of Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are ever mentioned during these discussions on the appropriateness of the haka - probably because England don't have any trouble beating them.

Look harder!

Papers (or the tiny bit rugby gets between the football, anyway) have discussed nothing else but the inadequacies of our side this week; especially the pivot & the captain.

 

[Smudge]

I'm not just talking about this week, Brumby. Hence the use of the plural "sides".

Read harder.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'm not just talking about this week, Brumby. Hence the use of the plural "sides".

Read harder.

To be fair, hand-wringing at the inadequacy of our sporting teams is one of the few things we actually do consistently well, so I don't agree that us whinging about the haka is a diversionary tactic.

 

[duffer]

Yeah, noone outside the big four of Blackburn, Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea has ever won the premiership.

Heh, nice.

 

[Flem274*]

Quite enjoyed Wales's challenge myself. Nonu really did get it wrong when he said people back home would be offended.

 

[PhoenixFire]

To be fair, hand-wringing at the inadequacy of our sporting teams is one of the few things we actually do consistently well, so I don't agree that us whinging about the haka is a diversionary tactic.

Indeed, the papers love nothing more than sticking the boot into out national sporting teams.

 

[Perm]

Personally I thought the Haka fiasco against Wales was a crock of ****. Both teams should've been fined or something for deliberately delaying the start of the game.

 

[roseboy64]

This would be because of the playoff system, not because of the salary cap.

Well with the salary cap you'll have someone like Landon Donovan making 20X what his fellow starter would earn. A large portion have just enough to survive and those in the big cities can barely survive.

Was talking about the fact there's no relegation/promotion.

 

[Flem274*]

Personally I thought the Haka fiasco against Wales was a crock of ****. Both teams should've been fined or something for deliberately delaying the start of the game.

Fiasco? I thought it was great. I know plenty of others who thought the same too. Each to their own though.

 

[Perm]

Fiasco? I thought it was great. I know plenty of others who thought the same too. Each to their own though.

Great if you wanted to see a bunch of guys engage in a pissing contest maybe. Would rather watch rugby than see Ma'a Nonu try and staunch out Shane Williams, for example.

 

[grecian]

Great if you wanted to see a bunch of guys engage in a pissing contest maybe. Would rather watch rugby than see Ma'a Nonu try and staunch out Shane Williams, for example.

Nuts TV big feature next season I think, presented by Channelle Hayes and Chico. Looking forward to it.

 

[_Ed_]

Lack of loyalty to jockeys

These jockeys get up ludicrously early in the mornings all year round and ride some dreadful horses for minimal stake money, and then when one of their regular rides goes for a major race on one of the really big days of the year, they get the boot. I really don't think it's fair. I go to lots of the ****ty little midweek days, and I'd like to see the jockeys I see regularly at those have success in the days that matter.

So Glen Boss is coming over. So what? How many races has he won at Ellerslie? (I think I can answer that actually, one. From more than one trip over.)

 

[Lillian Thomson]

This is about to be flagged offside.

 

[The Sean]

Man Utd traditionally have huge support regardless of league position. Don't remember which season but when they were in the 2nd division in the 70s for one season they had the highest attendances.

Yep, it was the 1974/75 season - average home attendance of something approaching 50,000 in the old Second Division. A hell of a lot of ignorant glory hunters from Surrey making that trip every second week apparently.

 

[grecian]

This is about to be flagged offside.

What a crying shame

 

[GIMH]

I was wondering who it was, I guess now I know

 

[Smudge]

Lack of loyalty to jockeys

These jockeys get up ludicrously early in the mornings all year round and ride some dreadful horses for minimal stake money, and then when one of their regular rides goes for a major race on one of the really big days of the year, they get the boot. I really don't think it's fair. I go to lots of the ****ty little midweek days, and I'd like to see the jockeys I see regularly at those have success in the days that matter.

So Glen Boss is coming over. So what? How many races has he won at Ellerslie? (I think I can answer that actually, one. From more than one trip over.)

Nah, can't agree. Jockeys are just as bad as trainers when it comes to switching mounts - they'll double-book, agree to making weights that they can't get down to, or will fail a breathalyser test on the morning of the meet. If I had a useful horse and Glen Boss was available to ride - and I had the option of him and, say, David Walsh - I know who I'd be going for.

 

[_Ed_]

Fair enough. He did ride quite well too, and had the pleasure of riding in the most obscenely slowly-run 2000m race I've ever seen. Which brings me to my next sporting gears-grinding issue. I know it's hard to expect someone to force the speed when it may come at the expense of their own chances, but **** it makes races boring when they go that slow. 2:06! ****ing ridiculous.

 

[Craig]

Fair enough. He did ride quite well too, and had the pleasure of riding in the most obscenely slowly-run 2000m race I've ever seen. Which brings me to my next sporting gears-grinding issue. I know it's hard to expect someone to force the speed when it may come at the expense of their own chances, but **** it makes races boring when they go that slow. 2:06! ****ing ridiculous.

What is the average time for a 200m race?