Public Address | Cafe | Polity: The pantheon of sporting dominance https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/ en-us Copyright (c) 2026 Public Address Brent Jackson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=351461#post351461 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=351461#post351461 Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:12:55 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350871#post350871 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350871#post350871 Wed, 04 Nov 2015 10:35:08 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350869#post350869 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350869#post350869 but I don’t think the overall win percentage is a good measure.

Yes, I don't even know what we're measuring. "Dominance" is what the speaker called for. Define dominance and we get somewhere. We also need to define which subset of all sports competitions we're comparing to. In the end,…

]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2015 10:11:10 +1300 Rich of Observationz https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350863#post350863 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350863#post350863 Wed, 04 Nov 2015 09:22:32 +1300 Bart Janssen https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350862#post350862 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350862#post350862 Not even remotely true. Nearly all the All Blacks’ matches are against Tier 1 nations and most of them are in the Rugby Championship

Really? You're going to go with none of the tier 1 nations are easy wins? "history All Blacks vs ..." suggests that only four nations are…

]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2015 08:56:26 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350858#post350858 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350858#post350858 And this is a sport?

One of the oldest. It's not safe, certainly. Rousey scores most of her wins by virtue of her judo skills, rather than brain beating, though. Mostly arm bars, typically set up by dazzling throws, and contortions on the ground. Never seen such an amazing array…

]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:45:30 +1300 Ross Mason https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350853#post350853 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350853#post350853 She has never been beaten and has won all of her fights by knockout or submission.

And this is a sport? Beat the effing brains out of another human for the sake of a few bucks? At least rugby is beginning to understand the effects of brain trauma. These goons…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 21:37:33 +1300 Ross Mason https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350851#post350851 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350851#post350851 I don’t believe Australia has ever lost an international championship in Aussie Rules.

Don't they play a "World Series" of Aussie Rules just like the USA Play a "World Series" in Baseball??

It is a serious sport isn't it?

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 21:33:56 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350843#post350843 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350843#post350843 She’s also great to watch, a technically excellent competitor.

I mean seriously, any fight where her extremely experienced opponent comes flying in the first second with a knee, takes her down, and then we witness her escaping the takedown by somersaulting with a backwards cartwheel off her head to reverse…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 20:32:52 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350839#post350839 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350839#post350839 Ronda Rousey is totally dominant in women's MMA. She has never been beaten and has won all of her fights by knockout or submission. She is head and shoulders above all the other female fighters in her weight class. She's also great to watch, a technically excellent competitor.

But to…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 20:08:45 +1300 mccx https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350836#post350836 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350836#post350836 Yes, NZ is very good at rugby union, but as Rich said, doesn't our success have just as much to do with the relative lack of focus other countries put on rugby?

The All Blacks dominance is impressive, but it also makes it hard to get that excited about winning.…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 19:48:29 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350824#post350824 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350824#post350824 I kinda hate these stats for Rugby. People quote those percentages as if all those games are the same standard. The reality is there are only a handful of countries playing Rugby seriously and our stats against those countries are nowhere near as dominant. Essentially the numbers get puffed up… ]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:20:58 +1300 Bart Janssen https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350819#post350819 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350819#post350819 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:23:41 +1300 linger https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350813#post350813 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350813#post350813 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:49:19 +1300 Rich of Observationz https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350808#post350808 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350808#post350808 I don't believe Australia has ever lost an international championship in Aussie Rules.
Or the US in American Football (but not Baseball).

It's quite simple for a country to dominate a sporting code really – just choose a game that isn't the majority code in any other substantial developed country.

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:38:32 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350807#post350807 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350807#post350807 An off-topic question, but one that’s perhaps worth asking: When will New Zealand produce it’s first Asian All Black?

The team is a tapestry of shades of white and brown, but we’re more than that now (and always were, to greater and lesser extents). I expect it has more to…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:33:24 +1300 George Darroch https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350789#post350789 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350789#post350789 An off-topic question, but one that's perhaps worth asking: When will New Zealand produce it's first Asian All Black?

The team is a tapestry of shades of white and brown, but we're more than that now (and always were, to greater and lesser extents). I expect it has more to…

]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:42:58 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350708#post350708 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350708#post350708 The Black Ferns

sponsor's message: https://twitter.com/adidasWomen/status/660514253724622849

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 19:19:54 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350707#post350707 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350707#post350707 both the youngest (20) and the oldest winner (39)

hard to match. And who else can pull off this sort of freakish stuff?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WzlBhkZKrs

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 19:18:14 +1300 chris https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350701#post350701 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350701#post350701 How does Team New Zealand in the mad world of yachting stack up in this analysis?

The New York Yacht Club.

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 18:16:07 +1300 SteveH https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350696#post350696 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350696#post350696 The papers seem strangely reluctant to give any oxygen, let alone much coverage or comment, to Lydia Ko regaining her Number One position.
Heck they still seem to give more coverage to Tiger Woods’ ex-caddy!

I watched some of the Golf Channel coverage of her last few wins. They commented…

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 16:40:46 +1300 James Littlewood* https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350682#post350682 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350682#post350682 How does Team New Zealand in the mad world of yachting stack up in this analysis?

They've certainly made it through to more Americas Cup finals than any other team, and have won it more often than any other team, and – I think – have won more individual America's…

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:53:04 +1300 Brent Jackson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350647#post350647 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350647#post350647 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:04:29 +1300 Joe Wylie https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350646#post350646 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350646#post350646 Heck they still seem to give more coverage to Tiger Woods' ex-caddy!

Ah yes. I must have skimmed over that headline several times before realising that it wasn't Robbie Williams who'd been "'a slave' for Tiger Woods "

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:03:38 +1300 Brent Jackson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350645#post350645 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350645#post350645 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 09:41:46 +1300 Ian Dalziel https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350641#post350641 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350641#post350641 teed off...
The papers seem strangely reluctant to give any oxygen, let alone much coverage or comment, to Lydia Ko regaining her Number One position.
Heck they still seem to give more coverage to Tiger Woods' ex-caddy!

]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2015 06:35:16 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350640#post350640 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350640#post350640 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 23:38:31 +1300 Paul Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350639#post350639 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350639#post350639 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 22:48:38 +1300 Ross Mason https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350637#post350637 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350637#post350637 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 22:06:48 +1300 Stephen Judd https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350636#post350636 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350636#post350636 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 21:12:12 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350635#post350635 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350635#post350635 Football’s Real Madrid (European Cup 1955-60). If the test is winning knockout competitions against opposition that increases in strength with each round, they could boast 5 RWCs in a row – but only if the tournament is held every year. Tough to maintain over 20.

I guess another factor is…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 21:03:19 +1300 Keir Leslie https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350634#post350634 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350634#post350634 Merckx was definitely doping, but probably just speed or variants of, which are unlikely to have made any real difference to his performance. Certainly he wasn't doping in the way Armstrong was, and it was part of the peloton culture at the time.

But it's difficult to compare Merckx's dominance…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 19:37:17 +1300 simon g https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350631#post350631 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350631#post350631 Other contenders:

Football's Real Madrid (European Cup 1955-60). If the test is winning knockout competitions against opposition that increases in strength with each round, they could boast 5 RWCs in a row – but only if the tournament is held every year. Tough to maintain over 20.

Cricket's Australia in…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 19:10:36 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350630#post350630 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350630#post350630 But isn't it just that New Zealand is super good at rugby because it's a sport that's only played at elite level in a handful of countries and New Zealand throws huge effort at being really good at it?

Not quite, and that's what's fascinating. England, for example, has far…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 17:47:52 +1300 Hebe https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350629#post350629 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350629#post350629 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10405999 ]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 17:33:16 +1300 Robyn Gallagher https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350628#post350628 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350628#post350628 But isn't it just that New Zealand is super good at rugby because it's a sport that's only played at elite level in a handful of countries and New Zealand throws huge effort at being really good at it?

That is, if all of New Zealand's rugby resources went to,…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 17:26:50 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350627#post350627 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350627#post350627 This game completed an era. There is no doubt this year the All Blacks achieved the ultimate prize to confirm their world standing. Maa Nonu’s try from the ages and Beauden’s for the future. Two stunning tries.

And the other one wasn't too bad either. But yeah – there was…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 16:40:49 +1300 Andrew Geddis https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350626#post350626 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350626#post350626 Hamish Bond and Eric Murray:

Since Bond, a 29-year-old from Dunedin, and Murray, a 33-year-old who hails from the Hawke’s Bay, first united in the pair after the 2008 Olympics they have never been beaten. That’s a seven-year winning streak that includes 20 successive major international regatta victories, 57 races,…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 16:36:45 +1300 chris https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350625#post350625 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350625#post350625 90s era baseball

It’s probably easier to just twink over all MLB.

With that in mind, who honestly believes steroids didn’t start impacting baseball until the 90’s? To believe that requires the kind of gullibility usually only seen in victims of Nigerian email scams. Even the fact that baseball finally…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 16:11:55 +1300 Ross Mason https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350624#post350624 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350624#post350624 This game completed an era. There is no doubt this year the All Blacks achieved the ultimate prize to confirm their world standing. Maa Nonu’s try from the ages and Beauden’s for the future. Two stunning tries.
Whoever bet on A Yellow Card to Ben Smith would have made a…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 15:52:03 +1300 Rob Salmond https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350622#post350622 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350622#post350622 Statistically, we’re simply not comparing like with like. Features of the games themselves and the nature of the competitions will account for most of the differences. The low scores, the sheer number of people playing, the number of people on the field/court/pitch/whatever, and the level of exclusiveness to the play.… ]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 15:28:46 +1300 Rob Salmond https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350621#post350621 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350621#post350621 The Black Ferns win-loss-draw record is 62-8-1.

Wow – that's impressive! For all-time win percentage, they're up there with the US basketball teams, and beating out the All Blacks all time mark (although over their most recent 71 games the All Blacks are 63-6-2.) Hope the Ferns maintain their form…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 15:25:12 +1300 Rob Salmond https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350620#post350620 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350620#post350620 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 15:19:59 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350619#post350619 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350619#post350619 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 15:11:08 +1300 SteveH https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350617#post350617 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350617#post350617 Sun, 01 Nov 2015 14:56:06 +1300 Emma Hart https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350616#post350616 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350616#post350616 Black Ferns win-loss-draw record is 62-8-1. (Or, looking at that table more closely, 9. I’m not great at maths, but I can’t work out how 7+1+1 is 8.) ]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 14:53:27 +1300 George Darroch https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350613#post350613 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350613#post350613 Outside of team sports, I can only think of Eddy Merckx, whose domination of cycling between 1968 and 1973 was almost complete. He won four consecutive Tour de France, four Giro di Italia, and almost every stage race he entered. Unfortunately he was probably doping.

What speaks to me about…

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 14:39:05 +1300 Public Address https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350612#post350612 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/speaker-the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/?p=350612#post350612 Discussion from blog post.

]]> Sun, 01 Nov 2015 14:39:05 +1300