Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: Long Weekend

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  • Hadyn Green,

    Nooooooo... they're recyicling the cycling pursuit commentator for the triathlon.

    That is the worst sports news I've heard all day.

    Cue drinking game: you take a little sip every time the guy says protocol or physiology; the prize is a guaranteed trip to A&E.

    Don't forget "sleeping giant" and "she/he has a big engine" and "winding it up now"

    By the way The Dropkicks are running a drinking game competition for those who have good ideas for passing the time while watching the Olympics.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    why have the likes of Saville (“So Michael, when are you coming to NZ next?”) only just cottoned onto this now?

    I'd be surprised if the Savaloy knows what's going on right now.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Don't forget "sleeping giant" and "she/he has a big engine" and "winding it up now"

    That would make the game effectively lethal.
    I have to say the guy did a much better job today though. Almost didn't spoil the event.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • 81stcolumn,

    Just in case you can't get enough of Mark Watson.

    In his defence he actually does know stuff and unlike many is genuinely well informed......dare I say it a genuine enthusiast, fan, etc. etc.......

    <chuckles>

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report

  • Gabor Toth,

    *that's* a great athlete.

    Seeing as we are nominating greatest Olympians, I'll put my bid in for fellow compatriot, the Hungarian fencer Aladár Gerevich with his team-mate Pál Kovács a close second.

    Gerevich's record was...

    1932 Los Angeles - Gold in team Sabre.
    1936 Berlin - Gold

    Then because of WWII there was no Olympics for 12 years!
    followed by...

    1948 London - Gold x 2
    1952 Helsinki - Gold
    1956 Melbourne - Gold

    In 1959 the Hungarian National Fencing Academy decided that Gerevich was too old to be selected for the team. In true fencing fashion, Gerevich then challenged every member of the academy who was a potential team member (some of whom had not been born when he won his first gold medal) and won every bout. Having convinced the academy that he should make the team - he went to the 1960 Rome Olympics...
    ...and won Gold...

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 137 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Is there no end to the NZ dominance at the games?

    Stuff gushingly noting that the Australian who won Gold in today’s triathlon has a father who was “originally from Masterton”

    Link: Another proud day for NZ

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Gerevich's record was...
    ...and won Gold...

    Holy crap.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    Aw yeah, but he had help ;-)

    Heh. I've always wondered a bit how his main partner Matthew Pinsett (only four consecutive golds, the slackarse) feels about it all. Despite his own Herculean feats, there will always be that implication that he's in second place.

    I don't know if there's any other swimmers at this games who are also smashing the previous world records (perhaps Hayden could crunch the stats..?), but even if they are, they're inevitably doomed to the footnotes of History as Mr Phelps hogs all the glory (as well as all the pies). Must piss you off a bit.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Andrew G,

    Did anyone else watch the highlights of the womens tennis final yesterday with John Helm (appalling British football commentator) calling the action (with NZ's Glen Larmer)? Clearly tennis is even more of a mystery to him than football.
    With Safina serving, and after offering nothing more than a "good shot" until this point, he noted that while some players took 2 or even 3 balls from the ball boy before serving, Safina only took 1 which he thought was very interesting. Why was this interesting? He had no idea, he was just sayin. It was clear that he said this because he needed to earn his money and it's all he could think of saying.
    I'm willing to forgive commentators for getting over excited and repeating themselves endlessly (take the cycling) if they know a bit about the sport and the competitors etc (take the cycling). When they know less than your average armchair spectator and just talk (are they paid by the word?), then I get annoyed.

    Napier • Since Mar 2007 • 53 posts Report

  • simon g,

    Our man at the cycling / triathlon is now death-kissing the canoeists.

    Enthusiasm is fine, but at least be enthusiastic about what has happened rather than what is about to happen (and then doesn't).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Felix Marwick,

    Am I alone in being a little befuddled at Keith Quinn's commentary during the shotput final?

    And as far as other bizarre moments are concerned: WTF were the TV directors thinking when they did a slow-mo' replay of Paula Radcliffe having her "pit-stop" during the women's marathon??

    T.F.M!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    re: cycling team
    Bronze is sweetest when you beat Australia to get it!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • simon g,

    Latest TVNZ jaw-dropper:

    Irish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

    Words fail.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Latest TVNZ jaw-dropper:

    Irish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

    Not to mention, 'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    rish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

    Not to mention, 'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

    No that can't have happened, surely not...still at least it wasn't, "how do you feel?"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    'You're an inspiration for white New Zealand men.'

    Well that’s a relief. I am in desperate need for more inspiration in my life.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    Am I alone in being a little befuddled at Keith Quinn's commentary during the shotput final?

    Dave Moore in The Press goes into some detail about Quinn's shortcomings but doesn't mention that he called Valerie by her maiden name 'Adams' several times.

    Another unnamed Kiwi journalist got noticed by The New York Times at a Michael Phelps press conference.

    The question-and-answer session, arranged by one of Phelps’s sponsors, Visa, included journalists from The Harvard Lampoon, The Hollywood Reporter and a cheeky gentleman from New Zealand, a nonmedalist in swimming here, who, when called on, delivered a stand-up routine around the theme of Phelps’s greediness.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Andrew Saville, I'd guess.


    If you've got a spare eight minutes, check out gorgeous Russian pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva as she attempts to break her own world record, shortly after taking Gold in the event.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Trevor Nicholls,

    Please somebody interview Toni Street:

    "So what's it like being surrounded by real journalists? Do you know you're an inspiration for thick blondes everywhere..."

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report

  • simon g,

    No that can't have happened, surely not...

    The TVNZ message board has a few responses which give some indication of how crass the questioning was (you have to shift through several pages from the primary school kids to get to them, around 1 a.m.).

    The Irish runner handled it with dignity, considering he had just run the race of his life and was obviously bemused by what he was hearing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    Andrew Saville, I'd guess.

    The Saveloy could never be funny, at least not intentionally.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    If you've got a spare eight minutes, check out gorgeous Russian pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva as she attempts to break her own world record, shortly after taking Gold in the event.

    You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Mark Thomas,

    You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

    Dude! It was just on TV one. You were right about pole vaulters, they're totally hot, in a muscley superhero kind of way.

    Speaking of superheroes, it is now quite clear to me that Dmitriy Klokov is actually the incredible hulk. He still couldn't beat Andrei Aramnau in the weightlifting though

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report

  • 3410,

    The Saveloy could never be funny, at least not intentionally.

    They didn't say it was funny.

    You're telling me I missed the women's pole vault?

    I assumed you were PVR'ing the whole thing.

    You were right about pole vaulters, they're totally hot, in a muscley superhero kind of way.

    Isinbayeva deserves another Gold medal for her...

    ... oh, never mind.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    TVNZ comment of the day:

    During the Olympic mens' trialthlon - "Well Brendon, at this level, it's the Olympic Games"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

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