Month: May 2013

You spin me round like a GIF

Once, GIFs were simply jokey pictures on the internet, like so:

 

Now, the whole internet is GIFs. Which is great, because a GIF’s repetition allows you to appreciate the intricacies and combinations of skill that make up a goal, for example.

 

Or combining the action to highlight Things Like This, tough to do in any other medium:

 

It’s a new way of telling a story. It’s also a new and great way of making sportsmen look silly.

 

They’re also wonderful for making poetry from easily missed moments off-field, like crowd catches…

 

…on-field catches…

 

….people getting hit in the face…

 

…and Arsene Wenger having trouble operating a pocket competently.

 

There’s obviously room for the weird and wonderful. This is quite fantastic:

 

As is this. Sign him up.

 

And in case you ever wondered if Batman colour co-ordinates his boardies to his utility belt when surfing, now you know.

 

 

MCC fashion: Tremendous or Poor Show?

The Lord’s test has revived my love for the MCC members and their attire.

 
 David Shepherd – “Oi mate, you’re not getting in here without one of these.”

The Marylebone Cricket Club colours are a kind of orange-y red and a kind of mustard-y yellow, generally worn on a tie or a blazer on match days at Lord’s.

Despite belonging to one of the most traditionally rigid sporting bodies on the globe, deep down MCC members are non-conformists to a man (or a lady), chortling at the constraints of conventional fashion and incorporating the famous ‘bacon and egg’ colours into a galaxy of garments and accessories.

And so, sportreview.net.nz presents a review of the MCC’s most fashion forward accouterments – rated ‘Tremendous’ or ‘Poor Show’.

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Sometimes, you just have to go classic. Hat, tie, blazer. Daily Telegraph. Umbrella. Binoculars. Red pants. If this isn’t the first result when you Google Image Search ‘MCC Member’, it flipping well should be. Tremendous.


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This photo was taken during a T20 World Cup match between England and the Netherlands at Lord’s. If you’ve ever questioned the great institution’s willingness to move with the times, a couple of members photographed in full Hat / Tie / Blazer (HTB from now on) with facepaint and a pop singer should answer it pretty sharpish, mate. Tremendous.

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Bacon and egg gloves? No-one likes a clever dick. Poor Show.

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Lord’s photography 101 is a picture of the members queueing up and reading newspapers. This example nails it, AND takes it to the next level by featuring bacon and egg socks. I just like saying it. Bacon and egg socks. Tremendous.

 

Records reveal ‘Yo dog’ has never, ever been uttered in the Long Room. I’m going out on a limb and labeling these ‘unofficial’. Poor Show.

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Grand-daddy of the lot. Sure, I’ve got a cricket jumper sleeve on my head. What of it? Tremendous.

You wait for ages, then two podcasts come along at once

Two podcast related things.

1. I was on the New Zealand Digital Podcast with Paul Spain and Sim Ahmed, chatting about my role at NZC, and sportreview, among other things. You can listen to my episode in a variety of fashions here.

2. I submitted a ‘book nook’ entry to top cricket podcast, The BYC Podcast.

I reviewed The Art Of Captaincy by Mike Brearley, it went as follows:

You’ll love this book if you’re into tales of early 80s country cricket – it`s chocka with cracking dressing room quips by legendary players in damp knitwear waiting for the rain to stop and is reportedly one of Stephen Fleming’s big influences.

There’s straightforward and timeless advice on selection, field placement and batting orders – but it gets really interesting in the chapters on harnessing aggression and trying the unexpected. Brearley advocates underarm bowling in the right circumstances, a controversial stance in this country to say the least. There’s plenty on wrangling dressing room personalities, a possible pointer to Brearley’s post-cricket career as a psychologist,

Brearley played with and against some of the greats – Botham, Boycott, Greig, the Chappells and the dream West Indian pace attack are all used as examples. The contrasts between this era, when Boycott would open for England in limited overs matches, and today are fascinating.

Mike will be pleased to know there are lots of pictures.

9/10 – definitely made me feel more intelligent after reading.

Definitely listen to The BYC Podcast though, they made it loads better. And listen to it every week while you’re at it, it’s a must-listen chez moi.