Author: Richard Irvine

Welcome to sportreview.net.nz - here's a bit about the site. Here I am on Twitter, or email me at richard (at) richardirvine dot com.

Links on Friday

It’s alright, I’ve found goal of the season already. Real Madrid’s horrible Arjen Robben thinks he’s scored and heads for the corner, unaware the goal’s been ruled out. Lowly Getafe take a quick free kick, and break away to score. Marvelous.

The Dropkicks showed a keen eye for esoteric stats during the Rugby World cup, so check out their Rugby wiki. Get involved, go write up your team before some bitter Highlanders fan does.

Heh – lower division football manager resigns, much to the laughter of his players.

Forumwarz is the whole internet in one site. Spookily accurate.

Herald on Vincent – that’s cleared that up, then


This was the Herald’s homepage this evening. I reckon Herald Staff have been:

A. Unfair with their choice of photos. Vincent’s batting with his eyes shut in one, and has this kind of “LOL! loadsa money Lou!!!!” look in the other. And…

B. Presumptuous to say he’s declared himself cured of depression. There’s no comment from Vincent or representative here at all.

OK, so taking the money and running is not a good look after much publicised mental health issues (it’s a shame he won’t play for New Zealand), but still. This story just doesn’t feel right to me – I thought it was one of mine at first.

Yay!


And we’ve got silverware again. It’s been a little while. Ramos has fully sorted out that beating the top four thing Jol struggled with so much. Spurs look creative, fit, and organised, and we’ll be in Europe again next year.

Gotta say, this trophy feels much better than the last one, the dour George Graham-inspired 1-0 over Leicester with a goal from the horrible Allan Nielson.

Links on Friday

– Gordon Strachan is the undisputed master of the press conference – it’d be nice to see someone give Smithy a bit of this

– Sad to see Stephen Fleming retire, but this guy won’t be too upset. Still, I wouldn’t want to piss him off

– Remember Zidane headbutting Materazzi in the World Cup final? It’s fair to say he had some form

– On Facebook yet? It’s… OK, now I’ve started blocking people with the Vampires and fighting and that. This looks way better

IPL franchise CEO wakes up with hangover, Nathan Bracken

SRPA: Ever woken up racked with dread, wondering what you did last night? Bangalore franchise CEO Charu Sharma can empathise. He woke up this morning with a mind numbing hangover. And Nathan Bracken.

“What have I done?” said Sharma, after a prolonged bout of moaning and finding a cool, damp towel for his forehead. “Last thing I remember was enjoying the canapes and a little wine in reception. Next thing I have this guy in a headband sitting in my hotel room. What a horrible, horrible situation.”

An clearly tired and emotional Sharma bid $325,000 USD in last night’s Indian Premier League player auction, picking up Bracken unopposed while shouting “The headband! I want the headband! Hahahahahahahaaa!” After some strong black coffee Sharma was looking on the bright side this morning. “I guess I can use him. Fielding at cow corner. Shoring up an end. Mowing my lawn. Everyone’s good at something.”

Being there: Chiefs v Blues, Super 14

Friday, I was at Eden Park for the Cricket, but if this is Saturday, it must be Rugby.

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Last year’s Super 14 was the testing ground for ‘Look, Ma, no All Blacks!’. This year we’re testing the Experimental Law Variations (or something). The players all looked like they’d been in the gym. There were some really big hits.

They’ll need to be fit, cos the new rules make the game FAST. There was lots of sevens-style chasing after the ball slowly, forcing the opposition to cover you all the way back.

There was a lot of kicking. The forwards spent much of the game wandering around the half way line like a Zombie hoard while the full backs and wingers played force back over their heads.

The Chiefs have a great team – Mils, Sivivatu, Anesi, Kahui, Donald, Leonard, Messam, Gibbes, Luaki, and Willis… that’s a really solid spine, with some real experience tucked in there. The only thing we’re missing is a couple of massive, hairy props, which is strange, as Waikato teams are usually renowned for its great hairy props.

Eden Park seems to be taking the threat of cinemas seriously in it’s bid to retain the title “Biggest, evilest rip-off merchant of the year, Food and Drink”. I’ll review the items one by one.

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– Chips – these are OK. Still. Four bucks.
– Battered Hot Dog – Horrible, pitiful, pitiful amount of sauce, and a round stick. A round stick just seems wrong.
– Fish and Chips – I’d rather have gravel and chips than pay $8.50 for fish and chips at a rugby ground.
– Calamari and Chips – No way. Just… no way.
– Soft drink / water – Jesus, don’t leave yourselves short, will you?

Overall, it was a fun, low key night out, and Eden Park is not a bad place to be of a balmy February evening. The Blues will do well this year, and it’s only early days for the Chiefs. It did make me feel I need to make the most of what’s left of this summer, though.

Links on Friday

– American Football is so hot right now, with yer Giants, Brady, and second and seven and all that. I still reckon the Glasgow Diamonds are the best, though. They’re here to play football. And rap.

– Scotty Pippen gives Spike Lee what-for

– Out of context takes your Hollywood movie stars and makes them look like dicks – contains spooky foreshadowing of Tom Cruise’s Scientology rant

– Sandwich encyclopedia – for those of us that think bread and dead animal are the cornerstone of any delicious meal