- The call for 'better attitude' has always irked me regarding professional sports.
- Not sold on Mark Chapman yet- his fielding bloopers over the home summer were many and awful.
- Re your earlier comments last week on the success of AFL and NRL, I wonder if their not having to (really) service an international game is a factor. AFL doesn't care about growing their game internationally (I know they have had games of Gaelic football vs Ireland but it seemed more of a festival thing?) International league is a bit of a joke. The last world cup was abysmal, the eligibility rules are a laugh, and I reckon most players would take a premiership or origin series (Michael Maguire...) over a test series win any day. As a result, there's no 'rest and rotation' with the annual, brutal international calendar, no real stress about a 'world cup window' and no sense that players are merely being 'blooded' for higher honours. There's a sense of 'this is our comp and this is where you will see the best of our sport every week'. I'm certainly not advocating bombing international rugby, but the population that just tune in for All Blacks games is growing.
Apologies for the length of the above, and kudos for the Shell Trophy reference- have a good week.
Outside of the unlucky “earthquake” season I think the Crusades dynasty went on a bit of a hiatus until Scott took over so it's not the first time that the coach has proven to be the key to success or failure. I agree with you though, winning 1 from 7 shouldn’t have you in any sort of conversation around finals. Im still struggling to get interested in the 15 man code until the semis and International season roles around.
Thanks, Dylan! Some thoughts:
- The call for 'better attitude' has always irked me regarding professional sports.
- Not sold on Mark Chapman yet- his fielding bloopers over the home summer were many and awful.
- Re your earlier comments last week on the success of AFL and NRL, I wonder if their not having to (really) service an international game is a factor. AFL doesn't care about growing their game internationally (I know they have had games of Gaelic football vs Ireland but it seemed more of a festival thing?) International league is a bit of a joke. The last world cup was abysmal, the eligibility rules are a laugh, and I reckon most players would take a premiership or origin series (Michael Maguire...) over a test series win any day. As a result, there's no 'rest and rotation' with the annual, brutal international calendar, no real stress about a 'world cup window' and no sense that players are merely being 'blooded' for higher honours. There's a sense of 'this is our comp and this is where you will see the best of our sport every week'. I'm certainly not advocating bombing international rugby, but the population that just tune in for All Blacks games is growing.
Apologies for the length of the above, and kudos for the Shell Trophy reference- have a good week.
Outside of the unlucky “earthquake” season I think the Crusades dynasty went on a bit of a hiatus until Scott took over so it's not the first time that the coach has proven to be the key to success or failure. I agree with you though, winning 1 from 7 shouldn’t have you in any sort of conversation around finals. Im still struggling to get interested in the 15 man code until the semis and International season roles around.