Powderpuff Transformation Complete

02:49pm 02 Aug 2010 0 comments

As the All Blacks completed their destruction of the Wallabies I couldn't help but be a bit saddened. Saddened at the lack of physicality allowed in the modern game. Saturday's game was punctuated by some absurd moments that highlighted ill thought out laws and misguided interpretations. Not one of the three yellow cards given out was even close to being deserved.

Can anyone tell me why the shoulder charge is outlawed? We see them in Rugby League and they are a spectacular part of the game. Used effectively they can produce the big hit that changes momentum in the game, but get it wrong and the attacker can bounce off and make a decisive break. Shoulder charges rarely result in injury so why is a shoulder charge worthy of a stint in the sin-bin?

That incident was followed by Drew Mitchell being sent to the bin for nothing. With Australia in possession the annoying Jonathan Kaplan decided to get some TV time and make a name for himself. Must be tough when your fellow countryman gets the top job of refereeing the big game. The lack of any explanation, television replay and the look on Drew Mitchell's face said it all. Mitchell was shafted. But referee Joubert wasn't done with yet, backing himself into a corner and sending off Drew Mitchell. Mitchell was perhaps the first player ever to be sent off for slapping a ball. How pathetic of the referee.

Whatever happened to the days when a boot sprig to the face was considered a sign of beauty? First it was rucking they got out of the game and it's just carried on from there. These days players can't even raise their hands anywhere near an opponents head for fear of being called and sin-binned for a high tackle. Sam Whitelock almost ended up in the sin-bin for picking up a player and dumping him on his back in a good hard tackle.

Modern day rugby has become touch rugby with a few tackles thrown in. Yes it's spectacular and yes it's great to see the ball being thrown around but I yearn for real rugby. The sort of rugby when men were men. The sort of rugby when if you were lying on the wrong side of the ruck you got rucked. The sort of rugby when we weren't playing tiddlywinks.

Le Tour Le Greatest

08:40am 26 Jul 2010 0 comments

The Tour de France cycling event is the greatest sporting event on planet earth. There is something about this event that does it for me. Maybe it's the magnificent French countryside, the mystical mountains and the men who sacrifice everything for themselves or their leader? Maybe it's the daredevil descents as riders reach speeds approaching triple figures? Whatever it is it makes this event the best.

Cycling is the supreme test of the individual and the team. For the general classification contenders, 8 men will sacrifice themselves for the benefit of one. But eventually that one has to do the business as an individual. They scale impossibly high climbs that sort out the best of the best and they do it day after day. No other sport requires 100% effort and performance for such long periods of time on consecutive days. Then they are faced with a race against the clock in a solo battle that requires totally different skills to that of climbing.

The popularity of Le Tour is unrivalled. Over just three weeks approximately 15 million spectators line the route. A route that often twists and turns through areas with little population. For their efforts the spectators get to see their heroes whiz by in the flash of an eye. The fans turn up hours in advance and have to wait hours to get off the mountains after the race. All the while putting up with temperatures that can go well into the 30's.

The rivalry at the top end of the general classification has all the makings of a classic. Alberto Contador, the multi-time champion. The bloke who had plenty to say about Lance Armstrong. The bloke who rode on when Andy Schleck had a chain problem. Contador is the classic "bad guy" who is just so damn good. On the other side we have Andy Schleck. The younger rider who seems to ride up mountains for fun. The youngster with a likeable smile. A classic good guy. 

What a shame that Frank Schleck broke his collar bone on stage 3. Contador could handle Andy Schleck but could he handle Andy and Frank both attacking him? That's the question that we will have to wait until 2011 to answer.

Tua world title hopes in tatters

08:16am 19 Jul 2010 0 comments

BY MATTHEW PERCIVAL

David Tua's charge for the world title is over. That's the reality after his draw against American Monte Barrett. What was supposed to be an easy fight against an opponent on the verge of retirement turned into anything but as Tua lost control of the fight, got a point deducted and was put on his backside for the first time in his career.

How this fight ended in a draw is one of 2010's greatest sporting mysteries. Although David hit harder it was an all to familiar story for Tua fans. Tua's low work rate through the middle rounds saw Barrett gain confidence and land punches. Although Barrett didn't have much power he was well in control of the fight through the middle stages until Tua revived his chances in a sprightly round 9.

There were worrying signs for Tua's trademark power. He was able to hurt Barrett, particularly in the early rounds but the knockout punch was nowhere to be seen. Sadly it was a repeat of the scenario faced against Friday Ahunanya, Tua was able to hurt his opponent but was unable to land the knockout punch. Lets not forget even in his demolition of Shane Cameron Tua did not physically knock out Cameron despite landing several open shots.

There were also worrying signs defensively. When Tua opened up in the 12th and final round he was out punched and put on his backside. Tua has never been in trouble in his professional career and has been able to take chances based on his ability to take a punch. That may no longer be the case. Tua was hurt, his legs went nowhere and he was unable to make any headway from that point forward. The saving grace for Tua was the result.

A loss could have tempered possible fights with the likes of rated heavyweights Kali Meehan and Hasim Rahman. Ironically a draw may not be a bad result with regards to fighting either of those two contenders. Neither Meehan nor Rahman would be worried with what Tua showed against Ahunanya or Barrett and both would benefit from victory over a fighter with a 51-3-2 record. Rahman in particular feels he has unfinished business. Rahman Tua III would have substantial marketability.

Professionalism not always best

09:23am 12 Jul 2010 0 comments

Once a bastion of American sporting excellence, the 4^th of July Hot Dog eating competition has been brought to its knees. The Japanese great Kobayashi was denied entry after refusing to sign a contract with Major League Eating and ended up being arrested at the competition. Fans were denied the anticipated showdown between local favourite Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi.

This once a year extravaganza is the only mainstream attention afforded to the sport of competitive eating. Evidently its enough attention for someone to make money and once money can be made politics become involved. The result being on a day in which the USA celebrates freedom and liberty one of the world's greatest eaters was denied an opportunity to eat. Professionalism destroyed the Hot Dog eating contest.

Closer to home and the Trans-Tasman Netball competition is reaching its peak. I've really struggled to maintain interest in Netball over the past few seasons. The sport has changed a lot and I don't believe it has changed for the best. Gone are the days of female graciousness where fit young ladies bounded around the court and played the game in the spirit in which it was intended.

Today's Netball closer resembles a State of Origin Rugby League contest. Big girls fly around the court with little regard for life, limb or each other. It's ugly to watch and I couldn't care less that the Thunderbirds won the final.

The Tour de France has started once again. It's one the world's greatest sporting events, an event that puts incredible strain on the brave athlete's. But whenever the name "Tour de France" hits the headlines the inevitable association is made to the drugs era of the early to mid 2000's. Professionalism has had a negative effect on this great race.

NZ Soccer Missing in Action

01:46pm 30 Jun 2010 0 comments

BY MATTHEW PERCIVAL

It is widely recognised that 1982 was a missed opportunity for New Zealand soccer. After the All Whites qualified for the FIFA World Cup we were promised that soccer wasn't going to miss this opportunity. With 28 years to put together a plan to capitalise on World Cup participation one could be forgiven for thinking NZ soccer may have been prepared this time around.

However the past few weeks have proven the NZ soccer has the marketing intellect of a wet fish. The public got right behind the team, watching the games in huge numbers despite inconvenient game times and little prospect of victory. It was reported that 1 in 6 New Zealanders watched the opening game against Slovakia. The public response to the All Whites has been a marketer's dream.

So where is the promotion of local soccer? Where were the adverts around game time telling people how to get involved with local soccer? Where were the adverts promoting the game to young children? Where were the special features tracking our stars from their youth soccer to the All Whites? Where was any mention whatsoever of local football?

The success of the local game isn't going to happen by some fluke. Hard work and clever planning bring about success. I'm yet to see these qualities.

We have heard some promotion might be happening in the future. We might be seeing quality international opposition, we might have a parade. We might be doing this and we might be doing that. "Might" isn't good enough. NZ soccer must realise the 2011 Rugby World Cup is going to dwarf anything else in the next year and a half. Any promotion of soccer during this time is going to have minimal effect; the time to promote was during the All Whites participation at the World Cup.