One for the sports fans!

There is nothing more that bugs me now in sport is cliched commentary and post-game interviews by players who read from a script. Let me focus my example on the great 15-man game of sport called, rugby (union).

Now to most people rugby looks like a game depicted in this classic picture on the right. In fact:

Rugby is the hooligan sport, played by gentleman, while soccer is the gentleman's sport played by hooligans.

Let me focus on the post-match interview, with the players. We all know that rugby players are not the sharpest tools in the shed, and we are told how aside from all their physical training they also get media and psychological training for all the pressures they face. So this is basically what they are taught about media training. When you get interviewed say it was a tough game, thank the opposition and commend their players, be humble about your own play and give the credit to your team mates then thank the crowd and the sponsors, if you have some religious belief don't forget to look to the heavens and biet (prayer) to God. BORING!

I propose to spice it up a bit more, start blogging some real behind the scenes info what the team was doing before (and after) the game (Tennis is doing this well lately i have noticed see this blog), call the game how it is, criticise mistakes in the game, go against referee decisions. Come on spice it up a bit, now I am not saying over the top WWF Wrestling style but I am saying give it more intellectual, real, analysis and interest for the viewer and supporter, because in my view from on top of this world, post-match sports interviews are a total waste of time and full of cliched crap.

Aside from players interviews, commentators are also bad sometimes. Every South African knows the classic Trevor Quirk (or Jerk to many) opening line "It's a glorious day here at Newlands today. That is a splendid shot through the covers for four."

However commentators can be original and often humorous. Now without choosing all the classic commentary quote with sexual connatations were are some of the more "clean" ones with a biased side towards classic New Zealand wise cracks:

• "He scored that try after only 22 seconds - totally against the run of play." (New Zealand Commentator - Murray Mexted)
• "We actually got the winning try three minutes from the end but then they scored." (Phil Waugh - New South Wales Warratah)
• "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body." (Jerry Collins - NZ All Black)
• "That kick was absolutely unique, except for the one before it which was identical." (Tony Brown - NZ All Black)
• "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father." (Tana Umaga)
• "Well, either side could win it, or it could be a draw."(Murray Mexted)
• Murray Deaker: "Have you ever thought of writing your autobiography?"Tana Umaga: "On what ?"
• "Well, either side could win it, or it could be a draw."(Murray Mexted)
• "Strangely, in slow motion replay, the ball seemed to hang in the air for even longer."(Murray Mexted)
  
• "Both teams are here to play rugby today" -(Murray Mexted)

To end of on a more personal note, with limited coverage of rugby on Israeli sports channels, especially Currie Cup (local provincial rugby), I some how landed up "watching" a Currie Cup 2005 final last year. The Blue Bulls vs the Freestate Cheetahs played at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria. Now the Bulls were the favourites and had won the last 3 titles. I mean that I was "watching" the game on a line by line (minute by minute) typed out commentary from a website. A revolutionary new form of supporting a sport, but hey I had no other option, so the Bulls were winning comfortable with about 20 minutes to go and the website it was Mark Keohane's rugby blog site www.keo.co.za my loyal friend and fanatical Cheetah's supporter (he was born in this region) Wayne, who was at the game for a confirmation. I received an ecstatic was automatically updating itself every few minutes, when suddenly I noticed a few words in CAPTIAL LETTERS and a few exclamation marks!!!!!!, what was happening a cheetahs turn around? I became glued to the one line text on my screen for 20 minutes pressing the refresh button frantically, to get an update, blistering my finger just to get the latest kicks and passes, and yes it happened a magical sporting moment the underdogs clawed back and took the lead and it was over they had won 29 - 25, I could not believe it I had "watched" it with the passion and excitement (and imagination) I had to verify that this actually happened I did not believe it and smsed my loyal and die hard Cheetah supporter Wayne who replied with seer esctasy saying "The greatest moment in my sporting life - and that is no hyperbole" I then knew what I had witnessed and experienced had been true and one of those magical sporting moments...