If the screenplay/script of a movie based on a Stephen King novel is also written by Stephen King..... its probably crap.

Well, King himself will cheerfully admit that this work of crap-tastic genius was a divine revelation that he should never, ever direct any more "moron movies". And he keep…

unfilmable.

In fact most graphic sequential art is not suited to interpretation to the screen. however it is possible to re-interpret it sometimes without breaking it too much [see persiopolis, ghostown, hellboy]. Watchmen however derives much of its stunning sucess to the way it is structured [partly why it…

crap to quality ratio for adaptations of his work is even worse than Stephen King's

I've been told the rough rule of thumb goes like this....

If the screenplay/script of a movie based on a Stephen King novel is also written by Stephen King..... its probably crap.

If the screenplay…

First thing he said was that he needed to learn more. I look through my rulebook often, and after two years of refereeing, including at national finals, I often find out new information by reading it.

Ah ha, an expert parading as a spectator. You're for it now Kyle.

But…

Yep, he's got competition.

Ii think we know what that refs name was.

I think you'll find in at least rugbys case the fact that refs have different rulebooks…

We are talking international referees Kyle....and to be honest I think you're doing other codes a diservice.

I spoke to an international referee the other day about a game he did. First thing he said was that he needed to learn more. I look through my rulebook often, and after…

Sure but the trend is more to slag off players…

We are talking international referees Kyle....and to be honest I think you're doing other codes a diservice.

I'm not aware of players and coaches ever struggling with football (soccer) rules to this extent. The rules of football almost certainly are…

How you can have a sport that doesn't back its referees up when they make decisions, I have no idea.

Well, you don't. I don't know about anyone else, but after reading crap like http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10498845, it's pretty hard to feel any sympathy for sporting codes on any level who bleat that…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4blSrZvPhU

Somehow, I think Watchmen writer (and comics God) Alan Moore made a good call having his name taken off the movie and all royalties paid to artist…

The effing reffing is a joke in world rugby and has been for a long time. I don't know how sports fans can watch modern rugby without tearing their hair out.

Well, put another way: Perhaps the referees are a joke because it's thought that would appeal to clowns. God…

Some people do stats , some…

Bobby Dwyer has stepped in about this , "Some of what went on was farcical," he said. "But if referees don't referee what is in front of them and…

Buddha, Allah, Jesus and Jehovah... Have you stopped beating your wife yet, Paul? Sorry, but that's about as seriously as I'm going to take that.

I kinda anticipated that response Craig. I have checked and I'm wrong about Family First – it's Sensible Sentencing that Franks so regularly and fondly…

How much does one pay to go to a game at Eden Park? Suncorp test match Sept 13th is $85…

Craig good to see you do your homework,yes I used to worked for the EPMU. Never been a fan of far left off the wall politics.

Well, I've never been a fan of the off the wall crap on the other side of the aisle either. Stacking a meeting, or…

You are right I have witnessed awful fights and I am sure there have been much debates on the right with selections by individuals…

Graeme, I might've been clearer; are National collaborating with Family First in any way; policy, funding or candidate selection? Is Stephen Franks, who has links to Family First and Sensible Sentencing, receiving any support from Familiy First?

Buddha, Allah, Jesus and Jehovah... Have you stopped beating your wife yet, Paul?…

They're not running for election as far as I know.

Graeme, I might've been clearer; are National collaborating with Family First in any way; policy, funding or candidate selection? Is Stephen Franks, who has links to Family First and Sensible Sentencing, receiving any support from Familiy First?

I don't know…

Re "The Jackie Brown Diaries", I found I…

Will someone please ask National whether they'd do a deal with this bunch of neanderthals...

They're not running for election as far as I know.

The Jaquie Brown Diaries works — it really works!

Yeah! I found myself laughing in the right places, and enjoying it when I wasn't laughing. (But I'm kind of media/telly, so is that why I'm laughing?)

Bizzy Trickle was surely the best portrayal of an American rapper in a comedy…

In TEN weeks in the middle of the rugby season he (a professional rugby player) has started in the grand total of ZERO games. He has managed to get 162 minutes of football in that time. That's barely two games.

You don't get fit playing games. A rugby game, which…

He has implied that because 1000 primary school kids were excluded last year, the answer is to bring back corporal punishment at primary level."

Yes, I heard he and Wishart making some…

But it's all part of our rotation I guess.

I thought we had been assured that "strategy" was consigned to the past. It worked so well last time, after all.

I've long admired Nelson.

She had a flaky "Reuben Thorne" spell but seems to be over that now, thankfully.

I think the long term problem with the ABs has been the tendency of coaches to pick South Island skippers. This started with Tane Randell and we have never had a…

Can we pick a trio of loose forwards that do not all want to be N08's. Back rows are about balance and we have lost sight of that.

You've got that right. Even for the other games this season they were playing a left and right combination at the scrums…

Tom, I've never heard such a load since, well, probably listening to one of Deakers shows or something.

One dimensional players like Sivivatu? He's there to score tries and he made several breaks in the weekend and has scored 23 tries in…

Let's talk about the Jaquie Brown diaries (and, maybe spell her name right...).

D'oh ...

I am feeling strong sensations of revulsion.

Will someone please ask National whether they'd do a deal with this bunch of neanderthals (or have they already for Stephen Franks?).

That's some Friday night fun right there. A slow start's a good start, I reckon. My favourite moment: Jaquie in momentarily revealing thought-bubble-voiceover, "Get angry,…

He has alleged that the government has ordered the police to police the law loosely until the election."

This is the only time I've wanted to hear from Greg O'Connor.

He's claiming our geneal Police…

he is going to have to be real careful for the rest of the series

Nah he's all good, the suspension sets him back to nil, so he's only 1 yellow card in.

Having watched some of the earlier games, I reckon it is time (if they haven't done so already) they introduced the yellow card for some Australian netballers!

I've watched a fair number of games between NZ and Aust, including a few here in Sydney: there'd be a good number of…

Brad Thorn got one in the super 14 final and one the other night,he is going to have to be real careful for the rest of the series.Judging…

He has alleged that the government has ordered the police to police the law loosely until the election.

He has implied that because 1000 primary school kids were excluded last year, the answer is to…

Lets see if we can't restore some trans-Tasman balance by beating them tonight!

Amen to that, go the Magic.

I've long admired Nelson. All of her views are well thought out, clearly expressed and backed-up with numbers.

I might even go so far as to say she knows more about rugby than anyone I've ever met.

Still, it's Waikato/BOP versus the Swifts tonight... I was offered tickets but have no babysitter!

Lets see if we can't restore some trans-Tasman balance by beating them tonight!

As for a possible replacement, what about Deans? Sports contracts aren’t worth anything these days

Joubert missed that one too — and,…

Which seems a little harsh, we did, after all, have four years of bliss. Though, like players, coaches do eventually go past their use-by date.

If we were to cull…

Oh, and Tracey has not only her game stats but a column:

I've long admired Nelson. All of her views are well thought out, clearly expressed and backed-up with numbers. She's easily one of the most astute writers around, why no weekly column I ask?

Carter's line breaks were scintillating. They should have come to more — unfortunately, his teammates' support play was as bad as their ball handling.

Agreed, and it was surprising which tacklers he elluded.

LB, yeah, Cowan did seem to be going well.

Russell, that rather good assessment is from Inky, a Kiwi.

So it is — I missed the byline. I know Inky in real life.

No, he had a crap game because he gave away the ball nearly every time he received it. Literally.

That was predestined.

He is a line breaker, but that isolates him from the support and it takes good loose forward cover to get to him to secure the next phase.…

The frightening thing is, Australia did nothing amazing or out of the ordinary to beat the All Blacks. They just played simple, structured rugby and forced the All Blacks into making mistakes. Other than a couple of linebreaks by Tuqiri,…

They’ve produced so many loose forwards who are unable to make the step up.

Ouch. Duane Monkley hates you now. I can't see why the selectors won't pick Liam Messam – he seems like a real #8, unlike the one…

Except Stephen Donald presumably would have replaced Carter, and he was a bright light amongst a dim All Black performance.

Carter's line breaks were scintillating. They should have come to more — unfortunately, his teammates' support play was as bad as their ball handling.

PW, Cowan went well until he broke.

Outplayed Conrad Smith.

Well that's a little hard to argue. Smith played well against RSA but certainly Kahui played well on the w/e. The point is that not one substitute played well.

I don't disagree with any of this commentary but Braid wasn't turning over much ball so I suspect that Henry thought to give Lauaki some time to see what he could do.…

Then on came Lauaki for Braid.

Ellis was also subbed off for Jimmy Cowan, in the first of no less than three All Black halfback swapsies in the second half that the Wallabies looked justifiably angered…

He carried the ball six times and lost it five of them.

As a Waikato and Chiefs fan, I do have to admit that Luaki was pretty crap on Saturday. When he is good, he is very good; when he is bad, he is appalling.

But no one has mentioned…

Lauaki had a bad game, he's had good games before

Not many.

But it’s not a Pacific Island thing, it’s a Waikato thing.

They’ve produced so many loose forwards who are unable to make the step up. A recent former All Black coach being an example that springs to mind.…

Personally I don't think he's a 2nd five. He's a 13. His physical strength is more likely to be bust the line further out where he'll hit a 2nd five or centre rather than further in where there's more likely to be forwards tackling him.

Nonu has also become a…

Also looking forwards…

They are big and one dimensional, and everyone is their size at international level – only the other guys are mentally tougher and have a greater skill set.

Bollocks. Nuf said. There's simply too many players who prove this wrong to respond further.

Lauaki had a bad game, he's had…

But I do understand The Turnaround..you lucky bastard Russell...I always try to time my trips to Auckland to coincide. It feels like family.

It really did. My old friend Mere waved me through the door (with a +1) when we arrived, and when I mentioned to her that it was…

Sione Lauaki is a very good player, he is ideally suited to breaking structured defences

He carried the ball six times and lost it five of them. That's simply hopeless, and it was really the final nail in the coffin.

and providing defence close to the ruck.

He was on…

The Jacquie Brown Diaries works — it really works!

I wouldn't go quite that far. It has promised and some really good bits but seemed to try a little hard in places. Doesn't "New Zealand's best light news presenter" smell a little like "New Zealand's 4th best comedy folk duo"?…

On the bright side, the Dark Knight is really good.

Although Christian Bale's Deep Growly Batman Voice is so ridiculous that I can't quite handle it.

(Still, seeing the Dark Knight on Saturday was a great substitute for enduring the other Dark Night: the one at my house. We lost…

Don't get me wrong, I would never support another team over NZ.

TV3 sent at least two camera crews to Canterbury last week trying to find Kiwis supporitng Australia – they came up short both times.

And on Luaki – someone needs to tell the human wrecking ball he needs…

Why was Braid replaced in the 50th minute?

Up until that point the game was messy with lots of turnovers which seemed to be a trend, because afterwards it was messy with lots of turnovers – pity we didn't have an openside.

Our refusal to kick it out…

Kyle, time to wake up. Lomu would have been a phenomena of any time, but today he would be less effective.

In his prime he'd absolutely make this team (or indeed last year's world cup team, which was much better), and be one of the best five players on it.…

Ahh, come in Christchurch… (although you have a point.)

I only live here, I don't even support Canterbury OR the Crusaders. But Tuiali'i just gets on and does the job asked of him and doesn't swan around with the ball in one hand, just asking to have it taken off…

"...New Zealand were once again revealed as possessing terrific effort and commitment, yet very little in terms of true world class. They were also shown to be a one-trick…

But I do understand The Turnaround..you lucky bastard Russell...I always try to time my trips to Auckland to coincide. It feels like family.

But, is there a decent 2nd five in NZ who can kick?

Stephen Brett?

Anyone can jump, anyone can kick. What I am saying is the system used by the NZRFU to identify elite players has a rational bias in favour of a particular style and type of player.

No it doesn't. The same system that produced Nonu, produced Dan Carter, who's about as…

the officials inexplicably failed to award a penalty try

Has there ever been a rugby game which NZ lost (or failed to win by a suitable overwhelming margin) where people haven't whinged about the ref?

You don't remember Maradona for the marvellous headers, do you?

I do; except it wasn’t his head that touched the ball...

I do find it odd that Mains is running around barking that a #12 must be able to kick, given that he picked Eroni Clarke there.

... an Alastair Cooke documentary I'd downloaded...

Are you talking about The Unseen Alistair Cooke ?

They have a thrilling physical genius, but physical genius doesn't win professional sports encounters at the very highest level.

Sure, I mean look at Lomu. I always said he wasn't a good professional, and he certainly was no gamebreaker.

Has to be the silliest statement I've read all month. All…

Anyone can jump, anyone can kick. What I am saying is the system used by the NZRFU to identify elite players has a rational bias in favour of a particular style…

But, is there a decent 2nd five in NZ who can kick?

Only one.

Dan Carter.

I’m glad I didn’t hear it, but apparently Phil Kearns spent the whole game proclaiming that the AB’s were offside

He did. Other than that though, the Aussie commentators are lightyears ahead of the Kiwi mob.

Alluded to above somewhere, was the advantage the left-foot, right-foot kicking options the Aussies…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hQC3nkftrk

Two coaches enter! One coach leaves!

and that the Wobbly scrum was starting to dominate (rather than Baxter just kneeling down every time the ball was put in).

Now that did annoy me. There were repeated scrums where they went down, effectively foiling any push from the ABs, and play was allowed to continue.

Though to be honest, my…

Later on, after lamb and lentil stew, we watched an Alastair Cooke documentary I'd downloaded — I hadn't appreciated what a rake he'd been as a younger man

Not quite the impression you get watching Alistair Cooke's America ... which provides me an excellent opportunity to recommend that you all…

It was painful.

What I am saying is our system favours a type of player that is no good at the very top, and it just…

According to Peter Fitzsimons on NatRad he was the first foreign player to ever play for his old French club team. This season, 36 out of the 40 players in that team are not…

But seriously, poor old Sione, that performance is destined for folklore.

It was just like watching the Crusaders playing the Hurricanes.

I’m glad I didn’t hear it, but apparently Phil Kearns spent the whole game proclaiming that the AB’s were offside (as if Nathan Sharpe wasn’t spending…

To paraphrase, are you really calling "All islanders big, lazy and lacking mental toughness and cunning"?

That doesn't sound like Tana Umanga, or does being born in NZ suddenly change things?

I think we're in the sh*t in a big way though with our loose forwards.

Rodney and Richie are stand-out but Jerry's departure is a bigger deal than I had imagined. Who's the 3rd member?!

Halfback is also a worry, Piri has…

Oh and Chris Rattue should be doing the political coverage in the Herald, where his balanced views will be much appreciated.

I dunno, he's got some pretty stiff competition in that field.

Here's a question that I've pondered for a long time – why is Sione Lauaki an All Black and Mose Tuiali'i not?

Ahh, come in Christchurch… (although you have a point.)

It’s hard to see how they can add any non-Maori to the squad at the moment though. Another muck-up…

So, even if we go on to retain the Bledisloe Cup, and win the Tri-Nations, he'll still be right!

Yup.

Personally I think Deans coaching Australia is a good thing. Now he gets to prove to the NZRU just how good he really is and just how useless they are.…

What pisses me off is we still find it acceptable that a highly paid professional player selected as a back that can't kick. The Super 14 showed us the ELV's encourage a kick…

This goes back to 'Boot Money' paid to the amateur league players. Many & any good players took a pay cut in the days League went from amateur…

And if anyone is feeling ever-so-slightly bitter and twisted about the Saturday result, they have nothing on Chris Rattue.

God he's a dick. Sayeth the Rat...

Sydney was such an Aussie triumph and All Black disaster that it has proved already that the Deans supporters were absolutely right, no matter…

And if…

Sione brother does the same mistakes for the warriors.