This is something that has bugged me for a long time and it's something i just can't get over!
Coverage by whichever US TV station has the rights to the PGA Tour is well......shithouse!!! Its great if you want to see every shot that Tiger plays or which ever American player is in contention, but try and find some footage of an international player! Unless they're racing up the leaderboard or winning, its hard to find, but that's not the real problem for me....
The real problem is, Sportsmouth is not remotely interested in looking at coverage of the fauna and flora or the beautiful lake with a fountain in it, if I was I would be watching David Attenborough on BBC, but no the US networks just love a wide shot of all the crap that is surrounding the course, what's wrong with that you say, well how about the fact that I want to watch the golf and I don't care who, but surely someone, somewhere is playing a shot that is worthy of viewing, wether they're in contention or not!!
It really pains Sportsmouth to have to put up with this shit on top of the fact that the USPGA is seemingly the only place to play these days, I wish more players would play in Europe and I tip my hat to players like Els, Scott, and a few notable other who regularly interupt their US schedules to head to Europe. Not only are the courses many and varied but the commentary and coverage is superior in my view!
Come ESPN or whoever it is, be daring show us what we want to see or fuck off and hand the rights over to someone who will!!
cheerio
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
A long time!!!
Well, its been along time between posts & quite alot of stuff has gone down, rugby league players getting shot at in Kings Cross (of all the places!), Super 14 rugby is nearly done (yet winter is not yet upon us!), cricketers who can't make the Test or One-day squads sign on to play under 10's rules (twenty overs per team, wonder if they have to retire at 25?!) for squillions and the first golf major has been won, not by Tiger Woods!!
Our motorcycle world champion is not as hot as he was last year (but it's early in) and another motorcycle champ belies pain to race (http://www.smh.com.au/news/motorsport/reed-breaks-shoulder-vomits-blood-races/2008/04/14/1208025091334.html) The autumn racing carnival is nearly in full swing, with a big one this coming weekend!
More importantly, sportsmouth had to relinquish the coveted Plaid Jacket that is the reward for winning the Carl Spackler Invitational (http://spacklergolf.webng.com/index.html) and been forced to withdraw from the coming rounds of indoor cricket with dodgy knees!!!
So, I'll return soon with a spray worthy of a trophy!
Our motorcycle world champion is not as hot as he was last year (but it's early in) and another motorcycle champ belies pain to race (http://www.smh.com.au/news/motorsport/reed-breaks-shoulder-vomits-blood-races/2008/04/14/1208025091334.html) The autumn racing carnival is nearly in full swing, with a big one this coming weekend!
More importantly, sportsmouth had to relinquish the coveted Plaid Jacket that is the reward for winning the Carl Spackler Invitational (http://spacklergolf.webng.com/index.html) and been forced to withdraw from the coming rounds of indoor cricket with dodgy knees!!!
So, I'll return soon with a spray worthy of a trophy!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Matt Henjak
Knob!
I could probably leave it there, what else needs to be said about this moron, a young man with considerable rugby talent who is more inclined to show his drinking prowess and the rank stupidity that follows!!
For the life of me I can't understand how he thinks "rugby has abandoned me" as I don't recall anyone from rugby HQ saying, "hey Matt, drink 10 schooners then runover there and do something totally fucking stupid or we'll drop you"!!
Heed this advice young Matt, take a good long look at the shit you've done and the person you are and if you're happy with what you see, then you've learnt nothing!
Friday, February 1, 2008
India v Aust
Another summer of test cricket has finished, although this one a little spicier then most with all the racism thing!
The Wash Up
Aust. just out of the blocks a little better, but isn't that always the case, touring teams to Aust. never seem to learn from either their own previuos mistakes or those of other touring teams, not picking Sehwag from the first test probably the biggest, only the most aggressive opening batsmen we'll probably ever see left out of a team for a guy who was lucky to move the score board and another who was lucky to make double figures!!
As i've said before, regardless of umpiring decisions, India should've been able to bat out the required time in Sydney. Perth proved me and every other Aust. wrong, although the pitch was hardly like the one played on in the T20 game vs. NZ. The Indian bowlers however bowled beautifully and deserved to take the game, this was probably helped a little by the Aust. selectors who opted for all out pace, with little consideration taken to the other conditions on offer i.e swing! One of the most succesfull Aust. bowlers at the WACA was Terry Alderman who was not express pace but used the Freo doctor better then any other bowler i've seen bowl at the WACA, Ben Hilfenhaus would have been handy i would've thought, especially since the pitch in use was not part of the same square used in the aforementioned T20 game!
Life Without Gilly
Obviously the best keeper/batsmen ever, but he was also the vice captain who know doubt had a bit to do with the decision making, so he'll be missed greatly although his likely replacement (Brad Haddin) is an exceptional keeper who has played one-dayers for Aust. as a batsman (as did Gilly) so he should do well, he's better keeper then Gilly, and has kept alot to Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke and Stuart MacGill, so he knows what he's in for.
Thanks for the entertainment Gilly. I saw him smash a hundred at the SCG a few years back, brilliant!!
The Great
I've had the pleasure to see Tendulkar bat a few times, he is the best batsman of his generation, not as flamboyant as Lara, but just fantastic to watch and always takes the bowling on especially the spinners.
Thanks Sachin, I saw him take us apart at the SCG last time they were here, masterful!
The rest of the Indian team played well, but they'll have possible their whole middle order of Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly & Laxman as well as captain Kumble gone from the game next time they tour, so they've got big shoes to fill, the highest runscorer ever (soon) two others who average about 50 and a bowler with 600+ wickets!! Goodluck, even a country with over 1 billion people will struggle to replace those guys!
I don't plan to cover anything that happens in T20 matches, because it's shit! The onedayers maybe if something dramatic happens!
Cheerio
The Wash Up
Aust. just out of the blocks a little better, but isn't that always the case, touring teams to Aust. never seem to learn from either their own previuos mistakes or those of other touring teams, not picking Sehwag from the first test probably the biggest, only the most aggressive opening batsmen we'll probably ever see left out of a team for a guy who was lucky to move the score board and another who was lucky to make double figures!!
As i've said before, regardless of umpiring decisions, India should've been able to bat out the required time in Sydney. Perth proved me and every other Aust. wrong, although the pitch was hardly like the one played on in the T20 game vs. NZ. The Indian bowlers however bowled beautifully and deserved to take the game, this was probably helped a little by the Aust. selectors who opted for all out pace, with little consideration taken to the other conditions on offer i.e swing! One of the most succesfull Aust. bowlers at the WACA was Terry Alderman who was not express pace but used the Freo doctor better then any other bowler i've seen bowl at the WACA, Ben Hilfenhaus would have been handy i would've thought, especially since the pitch in use was not part of the same square used in the aforementioned T20 game!
Life Without Gilly
Obviously the best keeper/batsmen ever, but he was also the vice captain who know doubt had a bit to do with the decision making, so he'll be missed greatly although his likely replacement (Brad Haddin) is an exceptional keeper who has played one-dayers for Aust. as a batsman (as did Gilly) so he should do well, he's better keeper then Gilly, and has kept alot to Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke and Stuart MacGill, so he knows what he's in for.
Thanks for the entertainment Gilly. I saw him smash a hundred at the SCG a few years back, brilliant!!
The Great
I've had the pleasure to see Tendulkar bat a few times, he is the best batsman of his generation, not as flamboyant as Lara, but just fantastic to watch and always takes the bowling on especially the spinners.
Thanks Sachin, I saw him take us apart at the SCG last time they were here, masterful!
The rest of the Indian team played well, but they'll have possible their whole middle order of Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly & Laxman as well as captain Kumble gone from the game next time they tour, so they've got big shoes to fill, the highest runscorer ever (soon) two others who average about 50 and a bowler with 600+ wickets!! Goodluck, even a country with over 1 billion people will struggle to replace those guys!
I don't plan to cover anything that happens in T20 matches, because it's shit! The onedayers maybe if something dramatic happens!
Cheerio
Friday, January 18, 2008
Preparing for a feast!
Well, I said that Aust. would win in Perth because they knew how to bat and bowl on fast bouncy pitches, but so far (early on day 3) India have comprehensively outplayed the Aust in all departments and I am preparing to eat my words!!
Pass the salt and pepper....!!!
Pass the salt and pepper....!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Summer Fun
Well it's been quite a while since the last post, and there is a bit to report on. So lets get cracking!
The first test (MCG)
A bit of a strange one really, the Aussies outplayed the Indians on a pitch that was closer to the conditions that they are used to, with the pitch being low and slow, with the only real positive for the Indians being that Tendulkar batted like the genius he is scoring 60 odd of only about 70 balls, he made batting look easy, while his team mates were left looking decidedly ordinary.
A few things stuck out for me, the first that the outfield was very slow with good grass coverage, which made the Indians have to run to score their runs, not being able to hit lots of boundaries like they do at home, makes a big difference when your used to getting free runs like that and coupled with the terrible running between wickets, probably cost them quite a few in the end. The second thing was when Aust. declared, I think part of the reason they declared when they did was not to give the Indians the belief that they could bowl the aussies out twice. A big mental edge I think.
Result: pretty firm win for the Aussies.
Second test (SCG)
Could've been considered a great test except for the bad umpiring and all the crap that followed. Fantastic batting by Hayden and Symonds and sublime performances by Laxman and Tendulkar.
The umpiring was not great, but this happens and I believe that it evens itself out, if you remember back to the 05 Ashes in England, Damien Martyn and Simon Katich were given out more then once to some very dubious decisions, with Martyn out LBW twice off inside edges, it nearly finished his career!!! But what is obvious is that the rub of the green tends to follow the more dominant side of the match, England were the better side during that series and got the best of the 50/50 decisions and I think that the same goes for the Aussies.
The Singh saga, well it's a beat up really, the word monkey may by derogatory, but it isn't racially offensive, the only thing that makes it so, is that both teams signed off on a bunch of words which were considered off limits before the series started and monkey was one of them!! Give him a suspended sentence and lets get on with the cricket.
Result: a lucky win for the Aussies, and yes lots of people will say the umpires this and that, but what it comes down to is they gave themselves a chance to win and kept up the intensity, while the Indians only had to bat out the best part of a full days cricket and couldn't, Aust. sporting teams don't generally go down without a fight, what's that saying..."it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"!
Bring on the Perth test (starts today 16th Jan at 1.30pm Syd time) lets play four quicks and watch the boys duck and weave, Aust. to win this one based purely on knowing how to bat and bowl on a pitch that is quick and bouncy.
Cheers
The first test (MCG)
A bit of a strange one really, the Aussies outplayed the Indians on a pitch that was closer to the conditions that they are used to, with the pitch being low and slow, with the only real positive for the Indians being that Tendulkar batted like the genius he is scoring 60 odd of only about 70 balls, he made batting look easy, while his team mates were left looking decidedly ordinary.
A few things stuck out for me, the first that the outfield was very slow with good grass coverage, which made the Indians have to run to score their runs, not being able to hit lots of boundaries like they do at home, makes a big difference when your used to getting free runs like that and coupled with the terrible running between wickets, probably cost them quite a few in the end. The second thing was when Aust. declared, I think part of the reason they declared when they did was not to give the Indians the belief that they could bowl the aussies out twice. A big mental edge I think.
Result: pretty firm win for the Aussies.
Second test (SCG)
Could've been considered a great test except for the bad umpiring and all the crap that followed. Fantastic batting by Hayden and Symonds and sublime performances by Laxman and Tendulkar.
The umpiring was not great, but this happens and I believe that it evens itself out, if you remember back to the 05 Ashes in England, Damien Martyn and Simon Katich were given out more then once to some very dubious decisions, with Martyn out LBW twice off inside edges, it nearly finished his career!!! But what is obvious is that the rub of the green tends to follow the more dominant side of the match, England were the better side during that series and got the best of the 50/50 decisions and I think that the same goes for the Aussies.
The Singh saga, well it's a beat up really, the word monkey may by derogatory, but it isn't racially offensive, the only thing that makes it so, is that both teams signed off on a bunch of words which were considered off limits before the series started and monkey was one of them!! Give him a suspended sentence and lets get on with the cricket.
Result: a lucky win for the Aussies, and yes lots of people will say the umpires this and that, but what it comes down to is they gave themselves a chance to win and kept up the intensity, while the Indians only had to bat out the best part of a full days cricket and couldn't, Aust. sporting teams don't generally go down without a fight, what's that saying..."it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"!
Bring on the Perth test (starts today 16th Jan at 1.30pm Syd time) lets play four quicks and watch the boys duck and weave, Aust. to win this one based purely on knowing how to bat and bowl on a pitch that is quick and bouncy.
Cheers
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Robbie Deans
As has been stated, the worst kept secret in Aust. rugby was finally confirmed with Kiwi Robbie Deans appointed coach of the Wallabies, becoming the first foreign coach to ever take the reigns of the Aust. rugby side.
There has been plenty said about the appointment from, its great to it's a disgrace to have a foreigner let alone a Kiwi as head coach, but for what it's worth here is sportsmouth' opinion;
Get with the times people, rugby is supposed to be a professional sport, so if you do not pick the best available applicant for the job, then you are letting yourself down!! As far as sportsmouth is concerned not signing Deans would be like having the chance to buy $1 for $0.50 and not going for it. He was by far and away the best coach available and yes he did apply for the All Blacks job, as any coach would love to coach there country, but being a professional he saw an opportunity to coach at international level and went for it, good on him and what luck for us!!
To me, this is similar to what is happening in world cricket, with Aust. supplying many coaches to different international sides, why? Because we have a winning culture backed by some of the best facilities to learn how best to implement your thoughts and ideas on the game, we train hard and play hard and we are currrently the best cricketing nation. So if a coach who comes from a very strong winning rugby culture, who has served his apprenticeship under some very good coaches, whilst applying his knowledge to Super rugby and comes from the best team in world rugby, then grab him!
Would all those coaching other teams in world cricket like to coach Aust? You bet. Would Deans still want to one day coach the blacks? I'd put money on it. Are we likely to see more world teams looking to NZ for future coaches? They'd be mad not to!
Just to finish, I hope Deans puts a broom through Aust. rugby, no more getting a start because everyone likes you or respects you, if your the form player then put him in and out with the old, come on Robbie, step on a few toes and shake up all those with leather patches on their elbows!!
There has been plenty said about the appointment from, its great to it's a disgrace to have a foreigner let alone a Kiwi as head coach, but for what it's worth here is sportsmouth' opinion;
Get with the times people, rugby is supposed to be a professional sport, so if you do not pick the best available applicant for the job, then you are letting yourself down!! As far as sportsmouth is concerned not signing Deans would be like having the chance to buy $1 for $0.50 and not going for it. He was by far and away the best coach available and yes he did apply for the All Blacks job, as any coach would love to coach there country, but being a professional he saw an opportunity to coach at international level and went for it, good on him and what luck for us!!
To me, this is similar to what is happening in world cricket, with Aust. supplying many coaches to different international sides, why? Because we have a winning culture backed by some of the best facilities to learn how best to implement your thoughts and ideas on the game, we train hard and play hard and we are currrently the best cricketing nation. So if a coach who comes from a very strong winning rugby culture, who has served his apprenticeship under some very good coaches, whilst applying his knowledge to Super rugby and comes from the best team in world rugby, then grab him!
Would all those coaching other teams in world cricket like to coach Aust? You bet. Would Deans still want to one day coach the blacks? I'd put money on it. Are we likely to see more world teams looking to NZ for future coaches? They'd be mad not to!
Just to finish, I hope Deans puts a broom through Aust. rugby, no more getting a start because everyone likes you or respects you, if your the form player then put him in and out with the old, come on Robbie, step on a few toes and shake up all those with leather patches on their elbows!!
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