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Monday, April 19, 2004

Who do New Zealand teams represent? 

Well Ruben Wiki is almost certainly out of the test against the Kangarooters in the precise manner which my esteemed Rugby League journalist colleague said we would lose somebody. [although I note it is now being contested by the Raiders]

And he was in the form of his life by all accounts! I'd love to know how many we have had lost to suspension over the years versus the number OZ have lost for the same reason. [found it published in the NZ Herald the very next day..."Wiki will join an illustrious list if ousted - Jarrod McCracken, Stephen Kearney, John Lomax, Quentin Pongia, Ali Lauitiiti and Nathan Cayless have all been suspended out of test matches for offences committed in the NRL..."]. Either we are getting stiffed or we are a bunch of thugs. Somewhere in the middle I suspect. I'm with Selwyn Pearson on this one, I still don't think they should miss out on test matches and then be back in time to play for their club sides who they comitted the offence with in the first place.

I'll let Bennyasena sort you out on the test match goings on and get on to what I wanted to talk about...

Check out the ruddy names of the teams!

It's the Philips Kangaroos v the Lion Red Kiwis. Why in gods name do national teams have to carry corporate names? I know it's been around for a few years with the league but it FUCKING well shouldn't be (anybody under about 15 reading this should have stopped about a line ago).

They are national teams for christs sakes. Can you imagine the All Blacks trotting out onto Carisbrook with the ground announcer calling them The Warehouse All Blacks, hmmmmmm actually that's a reasonable name to call them without sponsorship. Or perhaps we could have the Burger King New Zealand Olympic Team with those very words emblazoned 'proudly' on their chests as they step up onto the podium to put a gold medal around an Australian athletes neck. Or maybe the Skycity Casino Black Caps, with the money some of them are on they've probably been there enough times (I wonder if they bet on black). Obviously these teams all have corporate connections through sponsorship, and getting some name association in this day and age is inevitable like it or not, but as far as I am concerned the connection should end completely when it comes to the print (or internet) media, and television. Let the commentators and officials chuck it in there now and then in the build up and let these companies put a few ads in the paper but just let a freakin line be drawn. And come match day they can get their dirty slobbering mitts off the team.

In full the match is billed thus:
Bundaberg Rum Rugby League Test Match between the Philips Kangaroos and the Lion Red Kiwis at Energy Australia Stadium

After reading all that I'm not totally sure what sport it is and who's playing! I think Bundaberg Rum are playing against a Dutch guy called Philip at Lion Red brewery in Newmarket at beerpolo in one of their storage tanks.



And on a more serious note. I don't know about you guys but Skippy would have to be right up there IMO.

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