Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Denial

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  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Craig, that isn't exactly what Trotter's piece said.

    Trotter's August 27 2006 piece had this quote:

    Social peace for a paltry half-million dollars? Strikes me as the most courageous and forgiveable kind of corruption.

    And also this:

    [If National/Brash had won] New Zealand would now be experiencing civil strife on a scale not seen since the 1860s.

    I really wish I had the whole thing.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's cricket season dammit!

    Being a total sports retard, who do I hate with demented passion now? I am your willing apprentice, Sporty Sith. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Craig,

    It is a very long list….


    But if you’re at a Xmas / New year party with a lot of sports types you could do worse than slag off any national coach at the moment*



    *Exception to that rule being Ricky Herbert. That’s soccer (sometimes called football)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    *Exception to that rule being Ricky Herbert. That’s soccer (sometimes called football)

    Ah, reminds me of a classic Private Eye cover after Glenn Hoddle got sacked following this Prince Philip-ish blurt: "I've nothing against the disabled. I've picked eleven of them to play for England."

    Ouch... I don't think local politicians and alleged celebs who complain about the media would last very in England or Australia. Those bastards really know how to play low and dirty.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    Is it really the case that the previous four coaches of the All Blacks were losers who needed to "take responsibility" by resigning or being fired? If Graham Henry has a problem he ain't exactly suffering alone... Some New Zealand sports fans could do with an attitude adjustment IMO. I wish Murray Deaker would be fired, and I never get my way, so why should you?

    Agree about Bracewell (not that New Zealand is as good at cricket as it is at rugby). That last Chappell-Hadlee was pretty spesh though...

    Graeme/Craig,

    I'm not sure that I have read what Trotter said in August, so I can't comment on it. However, for lack of a better case in point:
    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm not sure that I have read what Trotter said in August, so I can't comment on it. However, for lack of a better case in point:
    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth</quote>

    Yup, really swung my vote last time out - you know, in the country where I'm actually a citizen and registered voter. But if we want to go there, do the words "fake but accurate" ring any bells?

    Closer to home, if anyone wants to argue about the BSA, Advertising Standards Authority and Press Council having the powers and resources to fast-track complaints against deceptive campaign rhetoric and advertsising - and impose serious penalties when those complaints are upheld - you'll have a sympathetic (if sceptical) hearing from me.

    But as far as I understand it - and am sure our resident Legal Beagle will correct me if I'm wrong - but campaign season doesn't exempt any broadcaster, political party or special interest groups from the Broadcasting Act, defamation law or any voluntary code that covers the press or advertising.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm not sure that I have read what Trotter said in August, so I can't comment on it. However, for lack of a better case in point:
    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth

    Yup, really swung my vote last time out - you know, in the country where I'm actually a citizen and registered voter. But if we want to go there, do the words "fake but accurate" ring any bells?

    Closer to home, if anyone wants to argue about the BSA, Advertising Standards Authority and Press Council having the powers and resources to fast-track complaints against deceptive campaign rhetoric and advertsising - and impose serious penalties when those complaints are upheld - you'll have a sympathetic (if sceptical) hearing from me.

    But as far as I understand it - and am sure our resident Legal Beagle will correct me if I'm wrong - but campaign season doesn't exempt any broadcaster, political party or special interest groups from the Broadcasting Act, defamation law or any voluntary code that covers the press or advertising.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Luke Williamson,

    RUGBY: The armchair coaches have been saying for that last couple of years that the ABs need to toughen up and 'get a bit of mongrel' and win the close matches. Well folks, they did all that in that game.
    The fact is, the ABs played better than the French but lost to two bad decisions by the ref. When they received the unnecessary yellow card for Luke McAllister, they knuckled down, kept it close and waited. They even scored a try to Rodney.
    And even when the ref failed to spot any infringements at all by the French in the entire second half, the ABs were still winning with 5 minutes to go. They were finally beaten by an uncalled, very obvious forward pass.
    They might not have played their best game but if that forward pass had been called, the ABs would have won and we would all be saying, "Phew! That was close. We'll need to sharpen up for the semi." They were better but lost to a bad decision.
    For some reason, the armchair brigade seem to think that the All Blacks are so high and mighty and arrogant that they should have been far enough ahead for those little things not to matter! They expect better of them than to have to wallow in the mere foibles of refereeing.
    So, I see no coaching issue. We're lucky to have two good choices and the decision has been made. Just concentrate on pounding the living daylights out every other team in every other match - as they have been doing for the last four years, and maybe don't bother playing in the next WRC - they'll only poison us or the ref will cheat.

    CLINT RICKARDS: If he thinks it's OK for three physically imposing cops to be having group sex, probably with 'devices', with a 16-year-old, he's just wrong. He's also bloody lucky he's not in jail. Aaaaaand . . . crucify me if you like, but if senior Maori are supporting him and that behaviour, maybe there's some explanation for the stats we see about Maori offending in these areas.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    For some reason, the armchair brigade seem to think that the All Blacks are so high and mighty and arrogant that they should have been far enough ahead for those little things not to matter! They expect better of them than to have to wallow in the mere foibles of refereeing.

    I think so too. It bugs me that it's so un-PC to note that this was an unprecedented game.

    As you say, the All Blacks have played better. But there simply has never been a test half where one side has been so overwhelmingly dominant in all measures and yet somehow failed to procure a single penalty. The French did infringe, of course, multiple times, and it was not unreasonable for the All Blacks to continue to pour on the pressure in the expectation of a penalty. It usually works a treat.. But Barnes was not competent. And then, of course, he over-ruled his touch judge to award the winning try. It's just not rational to dismiss the role of the referee in that game.

    It also bugs me when the carping chorus fails to acknowledge that the All Black forward tight forwards were magnificent . It's years since I've seen an AB lineout that dominant.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    The parochial peak was struck on Morning Report today when both Fergie McCormick and Alex Wyllie appeared to say they would support a Wallabies side coached by Deans over an All Black team. Good grief.

    I heard that as well (in case you didn't hear it, that other towering intellectual, Todd Blackadder, was also interviewed).
    I couldn't help but think that Morning Report was TTP a bit. You could just imagine the producers' thinking "let's get these one-eyed hicks on and we can all laugh as they spout their drivel". Sure as eggs, McCormick, Wylie and Blackadder - all mates of Deans - talked bollocks and ended up with egg all over their mugs.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    All Blacks these days seem to spend their whole time with their financial consultants admiring themselves in the mirror at the hairdressers or telling each other how tough they are at the tattoo parlour. They are soft, and expect to have the red carpet rolled out for them to walk along and if they do cop criticism, they bail for the northern hemisphere whining about the 'unrealistic expectations" of kiwi fans.

    I've never warmed to the idea of fake parochialism being used to sell the jerseys of franchise teams whose primary role is to deliver punters to advertisers and sponsors. The whole Super 14 is a bit of bore fest with players who don't even have the courtesy of a tradesmen's ethic and pride in their work displayed by the NRL's workmen.

    The highlight of the 2007 rrugby season was the Hawkes Bay team - men who i could relate to, taking pride in their jersey and their province.

    In short, I am sick of rugby and disillusioned with the professional game in New Zealand. Good luck to Henry, I suspect the hardest job next year will be filling the stadiums as disillusioned fans stay away.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    Cheers Luke - I was about to point out that if it was the ref’s fault then there was nothing wrong with the coach. From an outsiders perspective it won’t be coaching that undoes world cup ambitions but the structure of the game domestically and S14. Can we go easy on the Welsh please I’m wounded enough as it is.

    RB. Yes Rickards deserves to be asked some hard questions but not in a public forum where it can hurt the kids.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    s it really the case that the previous four coaches of the All Blacks were losers who needed to "take responsibility" by resigning or being fired?

    Not at all. I have no real problem with a coach trying something new and having it fail. I like to see our sportsfolk win but sometimes you don't.

    I don't demand coaches resign because they fail.

    But if you deny that anything went wrong. For example JB said it was OK to allow our test cricket skills to wane because we would do really well at the one day game. And then we do really crap at the one day game and JB says everything is just fine and there is no reason to change anything ... then I have a problem.

    The example from that sport played in winter is more egregious. I think the problem is not the JH failed, the problem is that he won't accept that he made a bad call. If he doesn't accept he made a bad call then there is no reason not to do exactly the same thing again. If you do the same thing again you can expect the same result. That's why I don't believe either JB or JH should have kept their jobs.

    Failure is not the problem - denial is the problem. Hmm I seem to remember a blog post with something like that in the title...

    cheers
    Bart

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    The parochial peak was struck on Morning Report today when both Fergie McCormick and Alex Wyllie appeared to say they would support a Wallabies side coached by Deans over an All Black team. Good grief.

    I heard that as well (in case you didn't hear it, that other towering intellectual, Todd Blackadder, was also interviewed).

    Speaking of parochialism reaching its peak....

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    As you say, the All Blacks have played better. But there simply has never been a test half where one side has been so overwhelmingly dominant in all measures and yet somehow failed to procure a single penalty.

    I'm sorry but I watched that game too. Yes our forwards played well and the lineout was great.

    BUT

    The backline was hopeless. Nobody in that backline had any clue what to do. They were each individually very talented but they had no fluidity and no cohesion. As a result they were simply not able to penetrate.

    To me the backline in particular did not play like a team. That kind of teamwork only comes from practice, and in particular practice together and in particular practice together in real games.

    Mr Henry chose not to play a consistent backline. It was a big call and the consequence was in that game (where yes the ref sucked, and yes the French played better than expected) the ABs played poorly.

    And afterwards Mr Henry said he wouldn't have changed a thing?

    If he had said
    "we tried a new approach, that works well in other sports, but it clearly didn't work for us"
    then I would happily have him for another 4 years.

    cheers
    Bart

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    I wonder why people started putting campaign promises on pieces of card in the first place.

    Transcript: John Key on the TV One Breakfast show. 3 October 2007

    PRESENTER: Alright, very quickly, there was a lot of talk over the previous week about SOEs...

    KEY: Yeah and I think look, that was portrayed the wrong way and taken completely out of proportion. When I was the, the [sic] Finance spokesman, and I hold the same view now, New Zealand does not need to rush in and sell assets. We ... firstly, ah we don't have a debt crisis as we had in the 80s and 90s, and in fact net debt's positive in New Zealand, ah those things make a lot of money now. They didn't make money in the old days, SOEs lost money.

    PRESENTER: So, so [sic] what is your policy?

    KEY: Well our point is simply this ah, last time we had a very, very timid policy of saying we might sell a quarter of ah, Solid Energy and some farms on Landcorp. Now, we're listening to the public, we're happy to have that debate, we know they don't want to ah sell assets and we understand that, in fact...

    PRESENTER: So what is your policy?

    KEY: Well we'll declare that in 2008, going into the election.

    PRESENTER: So you don't have a policy.

    KEY: No, we, we [sic] are in the process of putting together policy.

    "Read my lips: there will be no [taxes(US)/surtax(NZ)]" comes to mind. The campaign finance/third party parallel campaign experience of other countries is completely irrelevant. Except the United Kingdom's experience with anonymous donations, which Craig mentioned the other day.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    I think so too. It bugs me that it's so un-PC to note that this was an unprecedented game.

    If you don't count the test a few months earlier in Melbourne...

    Bart's right re the backs. If the game had gone on for another 20 minutes we would still not have scored, and that was the biggest evidence of the folly of Smith and Henry.. Williams was simply outstanding in that match, but as a team they were awful; and that's how you judge a coach.


    The only positive thing about that match was that it mean we didn't have to suffer the embarrassment of going out to England in a semi-final.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Except the United Kingdom's experience with anonymous donations, which Craig mentioned the other day.

    Mentioned in the context of respectfully suggesting Russel Norman might want to rethink issuing press releases holding up the United Kingdom as a paragon of keeping funny money out of politics and a place where "free speech is alive and well". I think British greens and social justice activists might have a very different POV from RN.

    And wasn't the ineptitude of Dr. Norman about where we came in...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    Bart - completely agree about the backline

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Bart - completely agree about the backline

    Well, that was the point of the French infringing. Slow the ball at the breakdown, stand off side, etc etc in the absolute certainty that the ref is not going to ping you then off course our backs are going to look flat footed.

    Poor backline play has hardly been a noticeable feature of the ABs in the last couple of years.

    The *big* mistake Henry made was in not persuading Tana Umaga to stick around for the RWC. God spare us another Cantab Captain, no matter how deserving.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    DC; individually the backs had their moments this year, but as a unit they were awful all year.

    You can blame the French infringing for countering the forward driving, but the backs issues were all self-inflicted.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • rodgerd,

    So if we can't appoint past losers, what would we appoint Robbie Deans for? He sure as hell wasn't winning any world cups in 2003.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Clint Rickards' whinging can be succinctly summed-up by five words from Shakespeare:

    "Thou doth protest too much."

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • rodgerd,

    So Pita Sharples is in favour of adults gang-banging children? That's interesting in light of his professed outrage about Maori child abuse stats earlier this year.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report Reply

  • J Wilkinson,

    This interview with Rickards, in my humble opinion, is one of the most outrageous things to have happened in NZ media this year.

    Where are the people standing up and saying, no, this isn't a race issue; actually this is a gender issue.

    If Louise N and the other female victims had been men, would the reaction be the same by Maori leaders?

    Grafton • Since Feb 2007 • 24 posts Report Reply

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