Posts by Hadyn Green
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Jason:
Given that every single played during the pool matches I think we are able to smooth out the results and claim that these number represent each countries form in the pool matches.Averaging averages is not as conclusive as you would have us believe. In fact there are certain situations where it is fine to do so. The only time I really did average the average was in the possession statistics and that was allowed as the denominator stayed the same throughout.
You would have been better to attack the fact that there was on a small sample (4 games) and that the games themselves were not of the best quality and that teams in different pools had different opponents.
I agree with you about "historical stats". We've never lost a test at Carisbrook...until we did. And I also agree that injuries affect the outcome of a game more than any other factor. However, currently every team at the world cup (and in many other tournaments) claim injuries when there really are none (locking crisis anyone?).
Danielle:
I never would've guessed that -
I'm just crunching the numbers at the moment strictly comparing France to New Zealand and it doesn't look like any kind of cakewalk*. I'll post those up soon.
*What does that mean? Cakewalk?
-
In comparison, France will only mishandle twice every five minutes.
My Bad, that should be "__once__ every five minutes", but you figured that out already didn't you?
-
doh, after a quick re-read it may sound a little like I'm having a "go" at Craig, not the intention. No retraction just a "no offence intended"
-
I'll be man enough to admit that I don't know what Craig meant when he paraphrased Elizabeth, but I'll give a go at my interpretation and hopefully clarify what I was trying to say.
I was meaning both the "Blatant Blatherskite" and his opposite. Both ends of the scale expect the average person to have a certain level of investment into things. And those that don't aren't "true kiwis" or are somehow lesser for following sport (I couldn't think of a good single phase).
A number of times when I have told people that I do a rugby podcast I have been told "Oh, I'd never pick you for a rugby-head". The implication being that if you like rugby you are a munter (or thereabouts). It becomes almost a classist argument.
And as for:
the alleged Kiwi qualities of pragmatic individualism, distrust of pretension and excessive enthusiasm and (above all else) just keeping things in perspective?
Who says we are not? Just because Weetbix or Powerade or Hamish McKay claim that every New Zealander is hyped up and tense during the World Cup, doesn't mean we actually are. And we are still in the days where you will be told to "sit down mate, it's a test" if you get too excited at a game (seriously, happened to an ex-flatmate).
The so-called funk after losing the World Cup is a slight myth (again I blame the media for telling how we should be feeling)...
Oh crap my laptop battery is dying
In short: supporting the All Blacks is not at all like anything political. It's just something that traditionally New Zealanders have been good at. And we can be proud that the team from New Zealand is always at (or near) the top of the world in this area. If your pride causes you to buy a silly little flag for your car, I'm cool with that. If you hate rugby and would rather go out and listen to music, I'm cool with that too. And as for the advertising...well, that'll teach you for watching TV :)
-
why can't we just appreciate the All Blacks as a team of remarkably talented and dedicated young men who are acheivers in their chosen field of endeavour?
I thought that's what we were doing? Except all of those young men are from our country and are representing us at a world event. So surely I'm allowed to invest some national pride in them. The amount of pride that I choose to put in them is completely up to me. The same goes for you.
I think we can all agree that it's the munters of this world who will try to tell us that exactly how much national pride is enough.
And as for the ads, won't advertisers use anything to sell to us. What's so different using the All Blacks from those tear-filled Air New Zealand ads with people flying to loved ones? Or anything that preys on our fears?
-
When it comes to the crunch, les Bleus know how to lift their game, and there's no bigger deciding match than against the ABs in the quarters.
Actually when it comes to the crunch, France fold like tissue. When there's nothing to lose they play like geniuses (ie. the 1999 RWC)
There was a definite unease this week when the Dropkicks went to pick the result of the French-AB quarterfinal. It's strange to be this nervous this early on in the competition.
And as for Stellenbosch, who is that idiot? Quite a few rules in rugby need a boot in the arse (dropkick rules anyone?) but making it more like league, how is that better?
-
or air hockey
-
I'm sure 'patrician' Key sends a serf to clear the mailbox
Didn't Key get his mail one morning dressed only in his dressing gown and moon some of his neighbours?
-
IO, I mean no offence when I say this but...you do have kids right?