Six Nations: Week 3

Today sucks. I mean it's great that it's Sunday and that England beat France yesterday, but it still sucks. And it didn't have to.

Why did they have to schedule all three six nations games on one day? Does anybody (apart from me) really get excited about sitting on their couch for nine hours watching 30 guys man handling each others?

By the time the England game finally came around I was pretty bored. The Wales blowout was horrendously dull and Scotland barely raised a whisper against Ireland, so what could England, France really offer us? Well, as it turns out, probably the best game of the tournament.

But it's tough to get fired up for a game that doesn't end until 10.00 pm. Especially when you haven't left the couch to do anything other then pee and replenish supplies for the last six hours. Sheesh.

They could should've scheduled one of the games for Sunday. Then at least I wouldn't be sitting here bored all day, mourning the lack of decent sporting action and whinging on my blog.

[BBC Sport]

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Six Nations: Where The Countries Stand

Heading into the third week of the six nations it's all to play for. Here are the outlooks for each country:

France: France have to be the front runners. With wins over Scotland and (more importantly) Ireland, they are in good shape and realisticly only have England to go through to win the tournament.

England: Apart from the blip against Wales, England are still in good shape. They will have to beat France this weekend to win the tournament but they certainly have the personnel to do it. Now if only they'd stop melting down as a team in the second half.

Ireland: Ireland may have lost to France but are not out of the running by a long way. They have a great chance against England but will need England to beat France as it is unlikely that Wales or Italy will do.

Italy: Italy are no longer the minnows of this competition. With two exceptionally close losses against tough teams, they have shown that they have come of age as contenders in the six nations. I think they will beat Wales and Scotland with ease and once again avoid the bottom rung of the table.

Wales: Wales are not as good as their record suggests. With a fluke win over England and an easy victory over Scotland, they look much better then they actually are. I see them finishing second to last.

Scotland: You know what's really funny? That Scotland actually believed they had a chance to win the tournament this year. As if!

[digg=http://digg.com/other_sports/Six_Nations_Where_The_Countries_Stand]

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So, Why Is The NFL So Big In Britain?

We've all heard the story by now, 500,000 ticket requests for the last UK game and three further games to be played in the UK in 08,09 and 2010, but how did American Football become so big in blighty?

To find the answer we have to look both at the current psyche of the British sports fan and the sporting climate in which he/she now lives.

Soccer is and always has been, the number one sport in Britain. The country is saturated with teams and leagues that run the length and breadth of the country. A town may not have a post office, a school or a population of more then 22, but it will almost certainly have a football team. That's just the way it is in Britain.

Though there have been numerous calls over the years for the FA to condense the leagues and force the small (and generally bankrupt) clubs to come together, they, like so many another cries for change in football, fallen on deaf ears. As a result of a staunch resistance to and lets not mince words here, a total fear of, any change, the leading sport in Britain has become an overindulged, predictable bore. No team outside the famous 'top four' has one the league in ten years and none outside that 'elite' has won the FA Cup in thirteen. The soccer season itself seems to get longer every year and there now appears to be scarcely any off-season.

Read more »

Just a thought...

Were Bill Parcells and golfer Colin Montgomerie separated at birth? Could it be?!

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Ski Fans - Underrated

I managed to catch some World Cup Skiing this weekend (I don't know why) and I was stunned by the dedication some of these ski-fans have.

I mean, I'd always assumed that they were all nuts anyway, but actually watching them stand around on the side of a mountain for five plus hours... in a blizzard... for barely a glimpse of the competitors crossing the line... was something else.

Apparently whilst the slalom was going on, some Croatian fans climbed up the sides of the course to pelt a rival competitor with snowballs as she took to her second run. She had a chance to beat the home favorite you see... and that must not happen.

It's pretty mental really. I defy anyone to say that these guys, with their cowbells and airhorns and funny get-ups, are not some of the most hardy and dedicated fans in the world.

Here's a short compilation of bad ski-starts. (which is humorous for much more then just the accent of the presenter!)

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UDZT8_sgwc"]

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So Hard To Say Goodbye...

So I was all ready to write a piece on the ridiculous awesomeness that is Alan Voskuil, when the biggest news story of the year (well ok, maybe that's a tad OTT) hit me square in the chest.

The Miami Dolphins have released Zach Thomas.

When I first heard this, everything kind of stopped for a second. All sounds around me went hollow and I just sort of sat, staring at the wall for a minute.

Zach Thomas... is was the Dolphins. And now he's gone. But even when the new regime cut the cord, Thomas was still class personified:

"I am healthy and look forward to playing in 2008, but will always consider myself a Miami Dolphin."

This is a huge move for the (un) holy trilogy of Parcells, Ireland and Sparano... if they don't produce results next year this decision will definitely come back to haunt them. The fans will let it play for now, but it had better work out.

But whatever happens, where ever he goes, I wish him all the luck and happiness in the world. Good luck Zach, thanks for everything and God bless.


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Top Ten Sports Films From The Last Decade

Here is the list of top ten sports films made in the last decade. Don’t come whining to me because there’s no Rocky or no The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, both those films were made in the 70’s and so don’t meet the requirements. Jerry Maguire also just misses out because it was made in ’97. And because it sucked.

And yeah, Varsity Blues didn’t make the list either whip cream bikini or no whip cream bikini.

So, in reverse order:

10. The Rookie (2002) - Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths
The Rookie is a Disney film. That tells you all you need to know. It’s not a bad film at all, but in short, this film does exactly what it says on the tin.

9. One Day in September (2000) - Documentary
Technically this film is more about what surrounds sport then the actual sport itself. It is the story of the 1972 hostage situation that took place during the Olympic Games in Munich. It is a harrowing watch, but also an exceptionally interesting one.

8. The Hurricane (1999) – Denzel Washington
In many ways the story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter has not been given the attention it is due. This film however, lays it all out for us in an ‘impossible to ignore’ fashion. Denzel Washington puts in an incredible performance and shines throughout this sad but inspiring tale.

7. Any Given Sunday (1999) – Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx
Pipe down I don’t want to hear it. People love to rag on this film but what they often miss is what this film was all about. Any Given Sunday is to Football what Raging Bull was to Boxing. No other film has ever captured what it’s actually like on the field as well as this one. It’s a fast paced, realistic tale of life in Pro football.

6. Bring It On (2000) – Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku
I fail to see how any guy can not like this film. Seriously, Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku playing cheerleaders with attitude, what’s not to like about that? If you’re ready to turn your brain off and have some fun, then Bring It On is a great film. And did you know how many cheerleading squads have popped up around the world since this film came out? Several thousand at-least.

5.61* (2001) - Barry Pepper, Thomas Jane
61* was originally made for TV but such was it’s beautiful story telling, directed by Billy Crystal, that it has fast become a DVD hit. Yankee fans will obviously love it, but any baseball fan, even a Yankee hater, will revel in its historic tale.

4. Remember the Titans (2000) – Denzel Washington, Will Patton
The second outing for Washington in this list, but in less of a vehicle role this time. The beauty of Remember the Titans is in it’s true story, which is one of the real life examples of how sport can conquer all. All at once inspiring, uplifting and well crafted, this film is certain to impress.

3. Rounders (1998) – Matt Damon, Edward Norton
Why is a film about poker so high on a top ten sports films list? It’s simple; Rounders was a film that created a sport. Ok, poker had been around a while but before this film it was grossly miss-understood. Poker’s representation in films was flowery and filled with unrealistic royal flushes and four of a kind aces (think Maverick) and it’s image was quaint. Rounders single-handedly changed all that and gave ESPN something to show relentlessly at every hour of the day.

2. Million Dollar Baby (2004) – Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank
The ‘best film since’ moniker is often a damning form of praise, but in this case it is a compliment that rings true. Million Dollar Baby really is the best boxing film since Raging Bull. The very few people that don’t like this film tend to be those who need their entertainment ‘dumbed-down’. Underneath Million Dollar Baby is a complex story, but it’s also a very rewarding one.

1. Friday Night Lights (2004) - Billy Bob Thornton, Lucas Black, Derek Luke
The first time I watched FNL I thought it was a ‘pretty good’ movie. Then I watched the DVD extras and my eyes opened. The casting for this movie is better then any I have ever seen. Each (at the time) relatively unknown actor is not only exceptionally talented, but also remarkably similar in many ways to the real life players.

Watching those extras, seeing the guys behind the story, made me realise just what kind of effect intense High School Football can have on the young guys who take part. Not only is it their hopes and dreams on the line, but it’s also those of their parents and their peers and the people they buy their sodas from. And this film analyses that situation perfectly.

In my opinion FNL is the best sports film made in recent times. Well worth watching.

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UK Athletics pick Dwain Chambers but aren't happy about it!

After a convincing victory at the British trials on Sunday, UK Atheltics have been forced to pick former fallen star Dwain Chambers.

Now, I'm no fan of drugs cheats but I'm no fan of hypocrites either. The hypocrisy UK Athletics and Dave Collins in particular have shown over this matter is quite unbelievable.

To my mind there is no difference between Dwain Chambers and Christine Ohuruogu. Chambers was caught taking drugs and banned for two years, Ohuruogu missed three tests in 18 months and was banned for a year. But whilst Christine is paraded as a hero by the shameless BBC and the frankly idiotic UK Athletics selectors, Dwain is attacked constantly in the press and has to take legal action to allow him to compete. The witch hunt that has taken place in this matter is unacceptable in my eye.

Carl Myerscough is another former drugs cheat who was allowed to compete for Britain after he served his ban and there has been little mention made of his selection.

It is high time that the UK Athletics directors took their moral bullshit and lack of consistency and rode that high horse the fuck out of town.

[UK athletics]

[BBC Sport]

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The Unmissable...

The latest offering from Football Diner can be found HERE. It's a great site, so head on over there stat.

[Football Diner]

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'The Eli Evasion'

What an incredible game. I had to pinch myself when I woke up this morning and I haven't stopped smiling yet.

Am I allowed to feel this good about a Giants victory though?

I'm a Dolphins fan and I have no connection to NY whatsoever and yet I still have the irresistible urge to hug Eli Manning and give him a pat on his big ol' stupid head.

Am I alone here? Does this feel like an incredible victory for everyone else as well?

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Feed Your Frenzy...

The latest article for Football Diner has gone up. Check it out HERE.

Do it. Do it noaw! *Arnie Voice*

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