Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: The other game

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  • 3410,

    And Orwell defined sport as 'war, minus the shooting'.

    Tom Wolfe wrote a fascinating piece about a successful football player who realised this point and promptly quit football and became a fighter ace in Vietnam.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • recordari,

    Well, even Michael Jones probably went into tackles with the intention sometimes of making it hurt, but that's not the same thing as seeking to disable an opponent by injuring him in the head.

    I guess I'm conflating 'hurt' with 'injure', and as much as I liked watching Jerry Collins, there were times when I thought 'I don't think that poor chap is going to get up again' (or words to that effect).

    Anyway, I think most understand the distinction, and the refs are trained to know. I often wonder why McCaw hasn't gone the Kronfeld way with the head gear. He's had enough scares to warrant it.

    Having posed the question, I found this.

    Does padded headgear prevent head injury in rugby union football?

    Answer. No. Interesting.

    This rather fascinating literature review seems to give an insight.

    Also interesting.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Actually, headgear has been found to make American Football more dangerous, as people's expectation of risk involved in a collision with a head changes dramatically. The actual risk is only lowered a little.

    And thus you see men using their heads as weapons in ways that would seem idiotic were they not wearing helmets.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • st ephen,

    "...seeking to disable an opponent..."

    This is pretty much the role description of #1 and #3, but then our commentators do like to gloss over the "mysterious dark arts of the front row, ho ho ho".

    dunedin • Since Jul 2008 • 254 posts Report

  • Jimmy Southgate,

    I've been thinking more about the knee to the head incident...

    Do many people get straight red cards for punching someone in the head twice?

    Im assuming there's a dust up of some sort fairly often, but I don't recall too many red cards for punching.

    Whats really the difference between the two?

    Wellingtown • Since Nov 2006 • 103 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Punching would often (not always) involve another willing participant. Kneeing a player in a ruck not so much.

    Not unusual in other sports. A punch in ice hockey will get you in the penalty box, a deliberate knee is likely to get you an early shower.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    I have a lot of trouble taking most "violence" on the sports field seriously. The people that do have usually either forgotten or have never experienced what it is like to be a twenty four year old male in a fiercely competitive environment which is the last bastion of the male world where aggression isn't just not frowned upon, it is encouraged. I know in these feminised times we live in we are supposed to tut tut at it all and piously intone male violence is never OK, but I've never thought an on field blue did anything that a bit of savlon and a band aid couldn't repair. I don't think fighting teaches you anything either, but men do it anyway, so there you have it. Maleness in all its glorious pointlessness.

    To me the remarkable thing isn't that it happens, it is that it happens so little these days. I take my hat off to the young men of today's white hot professional goldfish bowls for how little fighting does go on. Lordy, I am as big a marshmellow as they come but my occasionally hot temper means I've been in a few on-field bust ups in my time, and I've been more the sinner than sinned against. I'd hate to think what TV camera would have made of some of my dust ups.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    feminised times

    Bill Maher? Is that you?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I challenge you to disprove that the times are increasingly feminised. Now for instance she's nearly quarter to seven.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • recordari,

    .

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    Having had a pre match pep talk from Michael Jones in my younger rugby playing days he repeated several times....

    "Just go out there and smash them".

    The words still echo in my head because I was transfixed by everything he said and did.

    Of course he wasn't talking about anything illegal, just trying to smash them as hard as we could in all the physical stuff like tackling and taking the ball up.

    Hard but fair, that's how the game should be played and it's hard to think of Jones ever crossing the line, but he certainly didn't have a shoulder that you'd want to run into. :)

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    Can I just say I clean forgot about this game on the night? I know the other football was on, and there is the running storyline of my brain rot. Nonetheless, I used to look forward to the first All Blacks test of the season more. I wonder if others feel the same way.

    To be honest I am pretty tuned into what is on and when in all things sporty but I can see how it slipped some people by.

    Two main reasons, first is the WC buildup which since we are playing in it has been several times larger than usual, the second reason has been around for a few years now and its that these teams waltz into the country at the last minute and run out on the paddock with no tour games in the buildup. If Ireland had played Taranaki, Wellington, NZ Maori and Tasman before the first test we'd sure know about it.

    Oh for the good old days ....

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    I challenge you to disprove that the times are increasingly feminised. Now for instance she's nearly quarter to seven.

    Ever wonder why everyone thinks "Italian man" is an oxymoron?

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Wow. I'm not even going to ask you what you meant by that - it has a certain wonderful what-the-fuckness about it that I would hate to spoil.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Emma Hart,

    it has a certain wonderful what-the-fuckness about it that I would hate to spoil.

    It is kind of... yeah. Wow. Tom, I'd suggest you start making either more sense, or less noise. (Your fingers are typing. You might want to look to that.)

    Also the trip back to Women Shouldn't Talk About Rugby Land has been... something.

    in a fiercely competitive environment which is the last bastion of the male world where aggression isn't just not frowned upon, it is encouraged. I know in these feminised times we live in...

    Tom, have you ever been to a roller derby bout?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    the trip back to Women Shouldn't Talk About Rugby Land

    See, I thought that only happened when we *lost*. Have the rules changed?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    See, I thought that only happened when we *lost*.

    In the 1966 World Cup Italy was eliminated after a loss to North Korea and we decided to take it out on immigrants instead, banning foreign players from the domestic league. The ban was rescinded in 1981, and in 1982 we won the World Cup.

    (Look at me, merging threads with the force of many Italian girlie men.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Tom, have you ever been to a roller derby bout?

    A friend of mine keeps threatening to make me go to watch her, but I am uncertain as to if I wouldnt be scandalised at the open displays of common vulgarity that appears to be one of the attractions of the sport to its participants. I really need to get along and have a watch to make my mind up.

    I'll probably end up loving it.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    This has possibly been the first time that I've been able to honestly say that sport and politics shouldn't mix. Well done Tom.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Megan Wegan,

    Oh, would that I had been near a computer last night.

    As I write my sports programme this morning, I am shaking my head at how I am contributing to the feminisation. Can someone stop me please? And as I look up at the television, I can see more than one player on the field in the Italy Paraguay game with (shudder) long hair . What's next? women's boxing??

    See, I thought that only happened when we *lost*. Have the rules changed?

    No, no, when we lose, it is our fault, Danielle. We shouldn't ever talk about it.

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report

  • recordari,

    As I write my sports programme this morning, I am shaking my head at how I am contributing to the feminisation.

    Yes, I tried to comment earlier, but drew a blank. Oh no, these feminising effects are more powerful than I could have imagined.

    Damn you and your wily ways!

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    Yes I know it was a troll and I know everyone else had said something quite intelligent, but, what the cuntingfuck Tom?!

    EDIT: upon reflection cuntingfuck is my new favourite swear. Fare thee well cocknuckle

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    Tom, have you ever been to a roller derby bout?

    Or a netball game? In fact netball is worse, at least in Derby the players wear pads and have some sympathy for the opposition.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Emma Hart,

    Fare thee well cocknuckle

    Oh ffs, dude, I just got 'cocknuckle' into the next edition of Metro. 'Cuntingfuck' is going to be considerably harder work.

    Or a netball game? In fact netball is worse, at least in Derby the players wear pads and have some sympathy for the opposition.

    I have given up trying to persuade people that netball doesn't consist of well-mannered young ladies decorously freezing because they spend all their time standing perfectly still. My argument is so compelling, etc.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Jimmy Southgate,

    No, no, when we lose, it is our fault, Danielle. We shouldn't ever talk about it.

    I thought when we lost it was Graham Henry's fault.

    Punching would often (not always) involve another willing participant. Kneeing a player in a ruck not so much.

    Not unusual in other sports. A punch in ice hockey will get you in the penalty box, a deliberate knee is likely to get you an early shower.

    I still don't really get what the difference is betwixt a deliberate punch & a deliberate knee. At the end of the day the sanction is supposed to discourage violent* behaviour - are they not both violent?

    *violent = something intended to hurt/harm/injure that is not a recognised legal method of achieving the aims of the game.

    Wellingtown • Since Nov 2006 • 103 posts Report

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