Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Winning the RWC: it's complicated

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  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Yamis,

    Came out the next day that he had the bot.

    A Tangi requires a fair bit of close contact, hongi's etc. But I bet he played for his Dad Sunday after putting him to rest. Nice to see tshirts at the pub declaring their respect for him. He would have had a big week, not just Rugby.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Rich Lock,

    That's part of the joy, yes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to BenWilson,

    Boom box on the ear...

    Really should learn what dubstep actually is
    It’s the perfect music for boxing training.

    So more Rocky 'n' Role then?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Boom box on the ear…
    So more Rocky ‘n’ Role then?

    London's calling NZ

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • 3410,

    that half the country didn’t even watch last night’s match

    Your point of course being that half the country did

    My point was that liberal grousers were, I suspect, not arguing that the All Blacks are not culturally important to New Zealand. ("That would be silly".) Rather, that there are very large segments within NZ for whom it's not important.

    Watching a World Cup semi-final against the Wallabies is a pretty low bar for testing interest, and the results do show that half the country does not care enough to even watch arguably their most important match in years.

    :)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Chris Bowden,

    Do the TV figures capture those people that watched it at the game, at the Fan Zones, in pubs and bars, and around at other people's places? I mean, I watched it at a friend's house, so if there was a meter on my TV would that mean I would be counted as not having watched it? Frankly, I suspect that more than 50% of people 15 yrs + would have watched the game, although I only have my own experiences with people to back that up (everyone at my work, even the non-rugby people, watched it, although one fell asleep at half time).

    Auckland • Since Apr 2011 • 27 posts Report

  • Tom Beard, in reply to Emma Hart,

    But I’ve never been able to work out what it was Mike Tindall did (besides marry a royal) that’s caused so much fuss.

    Greeted an ex-lover with a little kiss and a bit of motorboating. Which in some circles counts as cheating, but in Wellington would just be the traditional way to say hello.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to 3410,

    Rather, that there are very large segments within NZ for whom it’s not important.

    And my point is that if anything … absolutely anything, is important to half the people in this country then it important to the country as a whole. If you don’t care about Rugby then you ought to care about the other half of the people in NZ who do care about Rugby.

    If 10% of people in NZ are passionate about something, anything, then it deserves the attention of the rest of us. Less than 10% of NZ will be directly affected by the oil spill in Tauranga, but that’s enough to make it important to all of us.

    Part of “not being a dick about it” is understanding that others care and holding their emotional investment as an important thing … even if (especially if) you personally don’t give a rats arse.

    Argh way way too preachy

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Beard,

    but in Wellington would just be the traditional way to say hello

    Have to stay warm somehow, right?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Less than 10% of NZ will be directly affected by the oil spill in Tauranga, but that’s enough to make it important to all of us.

    I was struck that the TVNZ Q&A show's panel and even their host were all noticeably angry about it. Environmentalism runs deep here.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Sacha,

    However we seem more happy to tolerate this sort of thing.

    The Government has slashed the number of food grants to needy families by 20 per cent, driving record numbers to seek food parcels from charities instead.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to 3410,

    Watching a World Cup semi-final against the Wallabies is a pretty low bar for testing interest, and the results do show that half the country does not care enough to even watch arguably their most important match in years.

    Yes, I expect reality to intrude very sharply after the final. It intruded enough on me on Sunday night - I was all up for partying into the night. Everyone else went to bed, needing some rest before work the next morning. I was left alone with the internet. Then my brother called from darkest Sarawak, hooting with delight, which was great except for the fact that he was clearly on his way to becoming incoherently drunk, something I had hoped he was doing less of.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • 3410,

    And my point is that if anything … absolutely anything, is important to half the people in this country then it important to the country as a whole.

    (Part of) my point is that no one is denying that.

    (And, Bart, without wanting to make a thing about it, your last paragraph was unjustified in at least three different ways).

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Sacha,

    but in Wellington would just be the traditional way to say hello

    Have to stay warm somehow, right?

    I motorboated both my Best Friends during the All Blacks Japan game. I was both in Wellington and not feeling the cold. We could have a theory going here...

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Emma Hart,

    I motorboated both my Best Friends during the All Blacks Japan game.

    niche fiction in the offing..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Nah. Playing rugby was one area where I had to work hard just to be okay at it. As a kid who found most other things at school relatively easy, that was character-building.

    Yup. After years of piano lessons, I fairly quickly realized that I was never going to be Michael Houstoun. Doesn’t mean I can’t fully appreciate the musicality and even sheer physical discipline and persistence required to do this to a profession standard:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=u03CVcp6IU0&gl=US

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

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Nah. Playing rugby was one area where I had to work hard just to be okay at it. As a kid who found most other things at school relatively easy, that was character-building.

    Yup. After years of piano lessons, I fairly quickly realized that I was never going to be Michael Houstoun. Doesn't mean I can't fully appreciate the musicality and even sheer physical discipline and persistence required to play at a profession standard:

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

  • Marcus Turner, in reply to Tom Beard,

    I may be missing a euphamism here, but the idea of Wellingtonians saying hello by motorboating rather appeals.

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report

  • Marcus Turner,

    Just looked it up.....

    Righto ...

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    ships in the night...

    Which in some circles counts as cheating,
    but in Wellington would just be the traditional
    way to say hello.

    It was never a town to harbour a grudge...
    of course Queenstown is more of a Jet Boat scene!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Marcus Turner,

    I liked the other idea though …

    But it's rather onomatopoeic in it's more recent definition, isn't it?

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Ah, grasshopper. Lose all distractions of ego, analysis and self-referring thought, immerse yourself and become the activity. Let the purity of your action be unsullied by conscious thought.

    Richard Loe, right?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Marcus Turner,

    Just looked it up…..

    Righto …

    I literally LOLd.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to izogi,

    particularly (so I hear) domestic violence fluctuate depending on whether a particular rugby team is having a good season

    One of the directors for a play festival I'm involved with works for a counselling service as her real job, and had to produce a "What to do if the All Blacks lose" sheet for the counsellors. She felt like a heretic, being a huge rugby fan (I think a lot of it has to do with SBW's shirt), but also conceded the point when I said "It shows you how thoroughly fucking unbalanced our national psyche is that you even have to do that."

    After all, when was the last time the collective nation got overwrought to the point of violence and depression because a Kiwi didn't win a Nobel Prize for which they'd been nominated?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    of course Queenstown is more of a Jet Boat scene!

    And other things :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

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