Oct 20 2008

links for 2008-10-20

Published by Fence under Clickies

Tags: autumninternationals08, biograph, Brian O'Driscoll, Budget 2008, da budget, feminism, Halloween, hamser, health cuts, injury, Irish politics, John Williams, Leinster, LeinsterVWasps, Mary Harney, Munster, MunsterVSale, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, social welfare, Stoner, thats just taking the piss, The Road, The Road(film), wtf!

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Feb 09 2008

wtf?

Published by Fence under Sport

I’m speechless. I have no idea what to say after that match. The first half was so horrible. Unless you were French[1] of course. What is with Ireland and first halves in France? Remember 2 years ago? Although this was worst, because right up to the final whistle the hope was there.

And let me tell you hope is a killer.

French fuckers.

Still, lets look at the positives; the scrum. Yes, I said the scrum, imagine that, an Ireland scrum that was going forward. That dominated the French pack! That led to a penalty try. The forward pack had a great second half. ROG too had a great game, kept us in touch, barely, in the first half. But on the wings[2] we’re a bit “who’s supposed to be playing there”. I also think that the lineout, at first, wasn’t great, but it did improve as the match went on. BOD was his usual hard-working self, but Trimble was very quiet. I don’t think he is good enough for the likes of France. Interesting to see who O’Sullivan will select for the next match against Scotland.

Sport really is a roller-coaster isn’t it?

Final score, btw, was France 26 - Ireland 21 and I officially hate Vincent Clerc.

Linknotes:
  1. mumbled, ungracious congratulations
  2. will Bowe be called in I wonder
Tags: 6nations2008, Andrew Trimble, Brian O'Driscoll, Eddie O'Sullivan, fucking french fuckers, Ireland V France, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, Six Nations, Vincent Clerc

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Sep 21 2007

Shoulder to shoulder

Published by Fence under Sport

I am not, in general, an overly optimistic person. Especially where Irish sport is concerned. Hopeful, always, but confident that we’ll win? Rarely.

And this isn’t a new thing. Back in the heady days of Italia ‘90 when the entire country was caught up in football-fever I can remember being asked if I though we’d win our next match. Against Italy. I answered confidently, telling my uncle that we hadn’t a hope. My mathematical prowess tells me that for the world cup in 1990 I was all of 11. Eleven years of age and already I was a cynical little git who knew we couldn’t win.

And yet for some reason I have a good feeling about tonight’s match. I may be proven wrong. France may run riot. Eoin Reddan may have a mare of a game. Ronan O’Gara may continue with the terrible kicks. The pack may continue to stand around waving their hands in the air instead of getting stuck into rucks. But if that happens I will simply accept the slagging at my optimism, because I’m confident that the Irish team has enough talent to win this match. I’m not predicting a bonus point win, although that would be nice, but I think we’ll “get it done”.

I may deluded and crazy. Given the recent performances there is no real reason to forecast an Irish victory. And France need to win. If they lose they are out. If we lose there is still the vaguest of chances we can progress, depending on our Argentina match. But for the hosts, for France! to go out at the pool stage. Well, there are upsets and then there are upsets.

Wouldn’t it be nice though?

Maybe it is because I’ve gotten used to the rugby crowd performing well, and even winning major competitions. And maybe it is misplaced because we can only judge ourselves against the other Six Nations teams. But for once, I’m remaining hopeful. I remaining positive. I may be deluded and irrational but isn’t that what sport is all about?

And any supporters in France are being asked to head down to the team hotel (Sofitel Porte de Sevres, 8-12 Rue Louis Armand, 75015, Paris) and show your support before they leave for the stadium.

Tags: 2007RWC, deluded, Eoin Reddan, France, Ireland, Italia ‘90, optimism, Ronan O'Gara, rugby

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Mar 16 2007

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Published by Fence under Ramblings

ROG has let himself go a little

Yeah, so I’m a day early, but I won’t be here tomorrow. So instead we are going to pretend that tomorrow is today. Which of course means only one thing. Rugby!

Oh and some parades and stuff.

There are construction workers all over the shop, hard at work Prep- Man At Work putting up the fun fair. And the luminarium. And probably a lot of other stuff. Even one of the sex adult shops nearby has decorated for St. Patrick’s day. Which strikes me as slightly odd. I mean are leprechauns sexy? I’m shuddering having just typed that. And now thinking about that episode of The Simpsons, you know the one with the fortune teller who puts a curse on the family and Bart drowns in a bowl of cereal? And the leprechaun gets it on with the fortune teller, right there on the wedding alter. Sex and leprechauns, who’d've thought it was so commonly represented in modern pop culture.[1]

I’ve decided to take Tues off as well, so a lovely long weekend for me. I just couldn’t face the hassle of travelling back to Dublin on Bank Holiday Mon. I’m also thinking that a fair few students are going to show up on Monday, surprised that the college aint open. I’d make my usual “furriners” snort of amusement, only a couple of the Irish girls have mentioned coming in to study then. So instead I’ll just go with a more ethnically inclusive snort of “idjits”

In more disturbing news[2] it appears that there may be snow this weekend.

Snow is possible on high ground in parts of Ulster and Connacht. Still very cold on Tuesday, but not as windy or as shower

Dude! Cad faoi sin. I mean, I know it only says chance, and we all know that chance’d be a fine thing, but still. Snow, after St. Patrick’s day? What is the world coming to?

Also, is this not the coolest thing ever: OCLC’s Dewey Web Browser.
Okay, maybe if you aren’t a librarian it isn’t as cool. But look, you just stick in some book details, like Blink Gladwell and it shows you exactly where it gets the Dewey number from. Coola-boola. Course, if you put in something like Michael Collins then you’ll see why some people think the DDC needs to be looked at again, as after clicking on the history option, and then the European option you get to see that “British Isles” is listed, but not Ireland. Oooooh, contentious.

Linknotes:
  1. and god knows what this post is going to do to the referral stats
  2. I have no idea what the more refers to, I mean, yes the leprechaun-sex stories were disturbing, but they werent news
Tags: as gaeilge, flickr, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, St. Patrick's Day, weather

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Mar 14 2007

Judging you, judging me

Published by Fence under Musing, Sport

Yesterday at work Bhí cúpla caílíní ag suigh in front of the desk. Psychology students. And as they were studying they were chatting[1] and got on to discussing suicide.[2] Now I’ve always felt that suicide is something of a selfish act, because lets face it, it is the people left behind who have to deal with the aftermath. But at the same time, if someone is contemplating suicide then obviously they have problems.

But one of the girls was dead certain that it was only ever selfish people who committed suicide.

Some of the others made half-hearted attempts to persuade her that usually those with suicidal tendencies weren’t ag iarracht daoine eile a gortaithe but she was having none of it.

And her a psychology student! Lack of understanding of what.

Since the O’Gara-incident[3] I’ve been reading a few comments from those on both sides of the argument. And it never ceases to amaze me how vitriolic people can be in defence of something they know nothing about.

First of all nobody, apart from those actually involved know what happened. You can watch all the you tube vidjos you want, they don’t show what happened. And they don’t show the mental processes of what went on. They do however show Donncha O’Callaghan being punched in response to him holding on to a jersey, is this acceptable behaviour I wonder?

But for all the people screaming that Eddie O’Sullivan should resign and utter a grovelling apology to all Scotland? Well, ye can dream on. Not going to happen. Do I think O’Sullivan should’ve said what he said? No, not so soon afterwards, not until he knew as much as possible. However, presuming that what he said was true then he would have been remiss if he had said nothing. As for the Scottish players? Well, they are all innocent until proven otherwise, and nothing has been proven. So therefore, they are innocent.

And comments about smoke and fire are never welcome.

If it ROG really was choked deliberately, and if the players think that that happened, I think we’ll all find out about it the next time Ireland play Scotland.

Then again, life is so much more entertaining when you leap to conclusions without thinking. Let’s all shout Dúnmharú! nó iarraidh dhúnmharaithe without thinking. Accusations are what make the world go round after all, don’t you agree.

fx: gollum-type-voice “dúnmhartóir! fuathaím thú”

Linknotes:
  1. this is allowed in the front section, so I wasn’t shushing them
  2. as you do
  3. the poor lad
Tags: 6nations2007, as gaeilge, Donncha O'Callaghan, Eddie O'Sullivan, Ireland V Scotland, Ronan O'Gara, Scotland, suicide, vidjo

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Mar 11 2007

How do you spell controversy?

Published by Fence under Musing, Sport

Well now, what to say about Saturday’s rugby? Do I use the old “a win is a win” cliché? Or the fact that Ireland won despite not really playing well is a sign of a good team? Or do I moan that they didn’t prepare and never looked like the team that played against England?

Or do I skip all that and ask did a Scottish player try, allegedly, to kill Ronan? Or what was Eddie hoping to achieve by bringing that up in a press conference? Or should I simply despair of RTE’s commentators who didn’t see the incident at all. Supposed to be watching the match they made no mention of ROG going limp on the pitch, or of John Hayes putting him in the recovery position, or of that seeming to be the reason the ref blew up when he did? Maybe they have the excuse that they were watching the play continue, but that doesn’t really work because Ronan was at the bottom of the pile of bodies, and I could clearly see that something was very wrong. As could everyone else around me. And we were watching in a pub, with not a fantastic view.

Or maybe we’ll just ask, how upset would you be if you were Welsh? Or should you have known that it’d take longer than ten seconds to make it to the line-out and so you should have gone for the draw?

Talking points that I’m sure will fill column inches.

Tags: 6nations2007, Eddie O'Sullivan, Ireland, Ireland V Scotland, John Hayes, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, Scotland, Six Nations

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Mar 04 2007

Week 213

Published by Fence under Sport, Weekly memes

But first:Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Jonny Wilkinson may be out injured again. Seeing as how he is an English rugby player, I shouldn’t be fan[1] but I just find this really sad. He is such a fantastic player. I wouldn’t say he is better than Ronan, cause that’d be a traitorous action, and I really dislike the way England played to win the World Cup. You know, all forward play[2] and penalty and drop goal kicking. You can’t blame Wilkinson for that though.

But to have his career blighted by so much injury? You’d really have to wonder has some gypsy out a curse on him, or does he simply not have the fitness/medical team around him. Is he needed so much as a player that his various coaches don’t let him recover enough from an injury before rushing back into play? Or is it simply his style of play. After all out-halves aren’t usually known for their defensive work, but Wilkinson is not lacking in that department[3] Whatever the reason, it is a pity.

Luna Nina says:

  1. Nude ::
  2. Support ::
  3. Rachel::
  4. Crane ::
  5. Candy bar ::
  6. Material ::
  7. Mind games ::
  8. Eviction ::
  9. Produce ::
  10. Joke ::

Continue Reading »

Linknotes:
  1. Martin Johnson anyone
  2. some is vital, obviously. And I love forward play, but you need back play for a great match. You know, balance
  3. YouTube link
Tags: 6nations2007, England, Jonny Wilkinson, Luna Nina, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, Six Nations, vidjo

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