no, no, I meant NZPA. As in, the service Stuff lifts from. I did not mean you, Hadyn, should do the media's job for it.

Dude I work in government, we're not used to acronyms for everything

There was going to be one (and still may be) but I gots all busy with the paying work

no, no, I meant NZPA. As in, the service Stuff lifts from. I did not mean you, Hadyn, should do the media's job for it.

Not even a PA story or anything. Freaking ridiculous.

There was going to be one (and still may be) but I gots all busy with the paying work

http://dropkicks.co.nz/cricket/what_world_cup

I'm all cross now, and shan't be any fun.

Not even a PA story or anything. Freaking ridiculous.

It really is just a simple as calling it sexism thought isn't it? Just say'n.

Well, yes. And also no. But I am to cross to elaborate.

Not really impressed with Stuff this morning (or ever really)

Oh FFS, that's appalling! Not even a cut and paste from Cricinfo? Not even a 'who's cuter, Lucy Doolan or Sarah Taylor'?

I'm all cross now, and shan't be any fun.

For those interested, there's live commentary of the Women's World Cup final on Radio Sport today, which I guess is the up side of the men's team sucking so proficiently.

I only caught a bit of it, but good on radio sport for giving them some decent coverage. Shame TV…

They've sent the women Kerry O'Keeffe. God help 'em.

how come when the women are playing in a world cup and dominating, they still get shoved down the news bulletin behind, like, a chimp playing football or something

Think that's patronising – try constantly being labelled
heart-warming and courageous.

He shouldn't have been given out, though, it has to be said.

Yes, but the best way to not get given out is to make it very obvious to the umpire that you can't be out.

If you wave your bat at the ball and it flies towards the slips,…

Oh FFS! 3rd ball?

He shouldn't have been given out, though, it has to be said.

Oh, and I will be. I'll also be moaning to anyone who will listen about how come when the women are playing in a world cup and dominating, they still get shoved down the news bulletin behind, like, a chimp playing football or something.

It really is just a simple…

I'd be nice if we could get their #9 out for something closer to his test average of 12 though.

This is looking like McGrath and Gillespie scoring…

Which is why you should all be following the White Ferns stick to the Poms on Sunday

Oh, and I will be. I'll also be moaning to anyone who will listen about how come when the women are playing in a world cup, and dominating, they still get shoved down…

Hey! Oh, hold on...

Heh. 1-0.

You also totally faked stuffing up that code.

There were a lot more issues with coaches and committed fans.

Going all the way back to my student years (we are talking fifty years ago) those…

And, more geeky, than nerdy, surely?

Hey! Oh, hold on...

There is nothing more nerdy in cricket than being a good orthodox spinner.

Yeah, that, plus his calculating leadership are what makes me say that.

But yeah, everyone that wears glasses is a nerd too. Especially noizy...

Queue…

For what its worth, much of the best writing I've ever seen

You missed "Shankly, by Bill Shankly".

You're just saying that because he wears glasses

There is nothing more nerdy in cricket than being a good orthodox spinner.

He's also a library lover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx6EHAk8psQ

Vettori is a nerd.

You're just saying that because he wears glasses

I can't believe the cool head that Ryder has on the field. I think I would have physically assaulted O'Brien just then.

For what it's worth, in his latest blog, Ian O'Brien calls the incident "the dumbest thing I've ever done on a cricket field".

I scored eight…

Mind you, with Martin at the other end, he really only had one option, which was to go for it.

I'm amazed Martin survived 5 balls from the Turbanator to even allow Ryder the chance. Were the Indians just being nice?

Vettori is a nerd.

Of the highest quality.

you watch him bat and wonder how he can make any runs, but then you realise just so how freakishly effective his technique is because he hits it into places that are hard to protect. And he works so damn hard, too.

His innings against WI late last year encapsulated…

Mind you, with Martin at the other end, he really only had one option, which was to go for it.

Yes, he had to go for it alas. Such a shame the team crumbled around him, he looked invincible today (whereas Vettori gave half a dozen chances and half chances).

I can't believe the cool head that Ryder has on the field. I think I would have physically assaulted O'Brien just then.

He brought his century with a 4, and then was caught out on the boundary. Mind you, with Martin at the other end, he really only had one…

Still, that was some partnership between the two of them. Yet it only proves how docile the pitch was in the first place.

The typical catch 22 assessment of the New Zealand cricket fan :-)

Ha! What is it about being a NZ cricket fan where even a lot of…

Still, that was some partnership between the two of them. Yet it only proves how docile the pitch was in the first place.

The typical catch 22 assessment of the New Zealand cricket fan :-)

At least Ryder's still in at the…

If only they didn't collapse with such monotonous regularity.

Oh dear.

If only they didn't collapse with such monotonous regularity.

I've been thinking variants of that statement for most of my life. Twenty years, at least.

Sigh.

I can't help but feel there's the makings of a decent test side in the current squad.

Another false dawn, I suspect. NZ cricket seems to have one or two per season. Please, God, prove me wrong! (and sorry God about dissing you in other threads. But this is really…

Fourth consecutive test fifty. If NZC stops handing him bottles of champagne at the end of games, he might kick the habit and become one of the greats.

Absolutely. His batting this season, particularly his last few innings against India, has been just wonderful to watch. His sheer power and…

And I don't want to tempt fate, but Ryder is batting very solidly at the moment.

Fourth consecutive test fifty. If NZC stops handing him bottles of champagne at the end of games, he might kick the habit and become one of the greats.

Great to see that Vettori is leading a fairly streaky recovery effort this afternoon. We like him as a captain.

I've just been following it, jeez, you watch him bat and wonder how he can make any runs, but then you realise just so how freakishly effective his technique is…

At six wicket downs before lunch I'd have to say it's pretty average stuff.

Great to see that Vettori is leading a fairly streaky recovery effort this afternoon. We like him as a captain.

have you read Jim Bouton's Ball Four ?
It is years ago that I read it and I remember it was about baseball, but I get the feeling that it wasn't 'great writing' although I'd like to re-read it & see if I get more from it these days.

Although I'm not a fan of boxing, it's probably the sport that has inspired the best books, films and literature out of them all.

The anthology I'm reading has a whole section devoted to Ali. But I think in terms of just wonderful sports writing baseball has inspired some wonderful…

If nerds didn't exist – we would have to invent them, otherwise who would we be superior to ? Sheep ?

What 81st actually thinks.

Whether it be crossing the line first or winning a trophy – if one cannot perceive the small achievements which exist in the…

My comment was an instinctive reaction to McCullum's dismissal, and I'm getting expensive therapy to deal with my issues.

It'll lay ya out for 5 days at a time.

Usually 2-3 days if NZ is involved.

I think this current match will only go three days if India decide to bat for that long. Jeez, there were times I wish I weren't so obsessed by cricket. Certainly my blood…

You're watching the wrong game Gio, if you'd be following the White Ferns, you'd be delirious!

They're not playing until tomorrow, and tomorrow's game is not televised. That said, I did watch the White Ferns yesterday, and enjoyed it fine, but if it had been contemporaneous to the India-NZ test…

Even if you have known someone for a long time, telling them you like rugby can be akin to telling them you've been illegally exporting butchered puppy meat and guns to Sudanese militia. "I…

I'm involved in clubsport motorsport, which involves driving my car as fast as I can around a laid-out course without knocking over any cones. When I say this to people, they tend to think that I am :
(a) a petrolhead…

Maybe if we had more nerds in the team and fewer of those tattood chappies like McCullum?

ahem (from a tattooed chap)

Also from the first comment:

Bruce Sterling's actual description:

Web 2.0 guys: they've got their laptops with whimsical stickers, the tattoos, the startup T-shirts, the brainy-glasses — you…

Karl Marx is a 100 years dead and his ideas have been thoroughly discredited by events, but there are still be a few people who follow his school of…

It'll lay ya out for 5 days at a time.

Usually 2-3 days if NZ is involved.

On the other hand, one of the things a sporting event can do is draw attention to injustices or human rights abuses.

On the other other hand, witness all the crap that China did to people because the Olympics were coming – knocking down their houses etc.

At six wicket…

The only certainty I have left is the knowledge that we (i.e. the NZ test team) suck at cricket. Maybe if we had more nerds in the team and fewer of those tattood chappies like McCullum?

I think the panem et circenses argument cannot be totally discounted – see Putin's genius move to attack Georgia during the olympics, when people were suitably distracted.

True. On the other hand, one of the things a sporting event can do is draw attention to injustices or human rights abuses.…

The nerd/jock thing has always been a cliche, right from the start. It's never struck a chord with me, on account of having loved…

What's not to like?

I think the panem et circenses argument cannot be totally discounted – see Putin's genius move to attack Georgia during the olympics, when people were suitably distracted. But the thing we can allow ourselves to be numbed by any old thing, if it wasn't sports it…

It's important to give the proles 'something to believe in' lest they start to believe in their own power to change the course of history.

I've written about this before, but I have never really understood people who don't 'get' sport. At it's heart, good sport is pure drama. Good…

As for nerd sports,…

illegally exporting butchered puppy meat and guns to Sudanese militia

I've been trying to do that for years, but I can't source guns in NZ at the right price point. Also, halal puppy meat is a bastard to get hold of.

"I like rugby"

Speights Summit, currently wishing for a Typhoon Ute, understand feminism to endorse getting BJ whilst seated behind an oval desk, bought some new jeans last year and have watched every Top Gear program ever.

*Somewhere Emma is giggling

That's not fair, I was already giggling before I opened this tab!

As someone who not only likes sport but loves the details of uniforms I get a lot of instant "boxing" just by wearing the name and number of my favourite players. I feel the young gentlemen who enjoy driving up and down mainstreet…

I want to know what that looks like as well actually.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2641895854_b1a6124abe.jpg?v=0

One word (apparently): Chessboxing.

It took me about 30 seconds into that clip before I figured out that I'd misread it as Cheese boxing.

I want to know what that looks like as well actually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vbOqtVScI

What?! I thought I was the only one of those. Oh wait. West Ham?

Yeh, it's all messed up.

And a lot of them…

One word (apparently): Chessboxing.

His remark about "...I've been pumping Martin Leslie for quite a while now..." reduced me to…

Rugby: Heyman staying put

World-class prop Carl Hayman says he won't return to New Zealand early and will see out his contract with English club Newcastle until May next year.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10561890

Of course, we all know that…

Hell, I'm a classical history trained ex-librarian computer nerd who loves rugby and league and West Ham Utd.

What?! I thought I was the only one of those. Oh wait. West Ham?

Ben Thomas mentioned David Foster Wallace. Check out his…

E.g.

Walter Tevis – The Hustler & Queens Gambit
Bernard Malamud – The Natural
Nick Hornby -…

Or there's this.

Lol. Those students...

I suspect another split is that jocks play the sport, particularly at the high level. Nerds run the sports, manage the leagues, promote it, run kids sports etc.

And don't get me started on the fucktards that decided Murray Mexted was a suitable commentator for a live Sky broadcast.

A few years ago I wrote a satirical piece that never saw the light of day, partially on the grounds of tastelessness. Let me share...

Sky Sport New Zealand…

We are very individual, and you and I are a tad selfish and poor communicators. We are indeed a bit feckin…

Agree with Peters analysis of Clarkson. Amusing at times, but trying way too hard. Oh, and avid climate-change denier (I suspect he's not, but it's good for the ratings with munters, and lets him drive amazing cars like a…

I endure endless mocking from my partner who insists that I only watch/follow sport so I have something to talk to 'manly' men about. Who cares that I didn't really follow cricket three years ago? I'm finding the SA/Australia power-struggle absorbing, check Cricinfo daily for general cricket-happenings…

We'll find something else to talk about, how do you feel about Jeremy Clarkson? I hate him.

The funny thing is that Clarkson is a nerd pretending to be a jock. Dude is overcompensating.

Hell, I'm a classical history trained ex-librarian computer nerd who loves rugby and league and West…

The jock stereotype is 'games', I think: forced sport with weird moral overtones. If your school was really into that, it takes a while to be able to really enjoy sport as an adult.

I loved 'games' as a teenager, despite being wretched at them (uncoordinated, unfit, and with few…

But I play the former and love to watch the latter. Footie is just something in between those 2 extremes.

I tend to agree with your premise about how sports programming on tv is pitched at a…

Particularly if you are a girl who likes shoes and dresses, and *gasp* boys.

Web 2.0 guys: they've got their laptops with whimsical stickers, the tattoos, the startup T-shirts, the brainy-glasses — you can tell them from the general population at a glance. They're a true creative subculture, not a counterculture…