Sorry for the ‘review being quiet lately – it seems one of the pre-requisites of a sports blog is *blogging*. I know. Here’s what’s been happening while real life has got in the way:
Not content with making those ghastly NZ Cricket uniforms, Canterbury have done a WStar (who still have S. Fleming and L. Vincent on their homepage) and released a shoddy ‘shaft the Beige Brigade’ shirt. This is cynical bullshit of the highest order, NZ Cricket gets a HUGE amount of free publicity, enthusiasm and goodwill from ‘ver Brigade, and deliberately cutting their lunch is unbelievably low. So – avoid this shit quality (and the shirt itself IS shit quality) cash-in like an Australian plague and DO NOT BUY! Go to the Beige‘s site and get a real one.
When me and a mate were trying to name the 1987 WC winning XV, John Drake was the last name we came up with – I only knew him much better as a commentator and columnist. I rate him alongside Tony Johnson as NZ’s best. Almost everyone paying tribute said he ‘had interests outside Rugby’, which is a sign of sanity. We’ll miss his thoughtful, forthright style in our house when Stu Wilson starts levering foot into mouth again next season.
Iain O’Brien’s blogging on Cricinfo now, and while JRod bemoans him jumping ship, it seems that Cricinfo are re-blogging Iain’s blogspot site, not the other way around. As Emma Hart said on Hadyn Green’s PA discussion, ‘I was listening to O’Brien getting the hell bounced out of him that day and thinking, wow, can’t wait to read his blog about this’. Too right.
Cockfighting aside, there’s no crueler game than golf – it was excruciating to watch Hamilton’s David Smail mess up the Australian Open yesterday evening. Brother of sportreview has played with David, and even with a hugely successful career in Asia, he’d have wanted to nail the Australian Open to go with his NZ Open. Still, Smail handled himself with dignity throughout, in that situation I would have definitely vomited.
Ben from Mike on Cricket now has his own pad @ Crucket. Get in there.
Sorry I missed Links on Friday this week. If I’d got around to it, the Wunder Boner would have probably made the cut.
You remembered Craig Green ahead of John Drake when naming the 87 winning side? Disgraceful.
By rating Tony Johnson as a commentator I assume you’re ignoring the gloating Tony Johnson that tends to turn up for any match against a UK side…
15 Dec 08 at 3:20 pm
Yeah I do quite like Johnson on re-union, he’s a bit more sensible there maybe.
And how could I forget Spurs grinding out a 0-0 at home at the weekend – when did our goalkeeper learn how to be a goalkeeper, then?
15 Dec 08 at 3:23 pm
Don’t forget TJ is an Arsenal supporter either.
The Nix gifting Perth their first away point of the season on Saturday night was pretty special too.
Especially Smelltz hitting the crossbar from 1 metre with the keeper beaten. Try doing that at home. Not easy.
Spurs unbeaten against the fat cats so far this season I think?
15 Dec 08 at 3:30 pm
Re: fat cats, is that right?
Bloody hell, inside that shit team is a decent team waiting to get out…
15 Dec 08 at 3:53 pm
So i jumped the gun a bit, but i can’t believe cric info is letting him have both.
16 Dec 08 at 3:25 am
[...]Richard Irvine of sportreview fame has a great and unique sense of humour. It’s like the X-Arm of blogs[...]
16 Dec 08 at 7:53 am
JRod – yeah it’s a strange set-up, eh? I bet O’Briensy drives a hard bargain.
Naly D thanks for the link, but WTF is X-Arm all about? I would have said sportreview was more like the winnebago man of blogs.
16 Dec 08 at 8:54 am
Shit, you know what Richard? You’re bloody right. Consider my post edited.
16 Dec 08 at 12:36 pm
Oh no, they’re talking about IOB’s blog on Radio Sport and comparing it to Waddle’s…
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/blog1rs.asp
16 Dec 08 at 1:55 pm
Jesus, Waddle’s isn’t even close.
I see he’s gone with the ‘soviet ruissia’ wordpress theme there.
16 Dec 08 at 2:15 pm
[...] to Richard for his kind words here. This is a disgrace. Not content with making those ghastly NZ Cricket uniforms, Canterbury have [...]
The Rave » Go f**k yourselves
16 Dec 08 at 11:27 pm
I like the sentences where he misses words out just to keep you on your toes: “There will one area to concern coach Moles in the lead up to the second test, will Ross Taylor be fully or will he make way for Jacob Oram as a batsman only.”
16 Dec 08 at 11:44 pm
And by the way, yes those CCC shirts are shithouse. Cricket needs to have a think about whether it gives a shit about the fans or not.
Anyway, off the high horse. We will have an amnesty for the first person unfortunate to get one for Xmas: simply send us photos of a CCC gift being burnt to a crisp and we will replace with a 100% Beige Brigade Kiwi made shirt.
16 Dec 08 at 11:48 pm