The Whale has Wings

[AndyF]

The regrettable thing about almost all male competitive sports is that they're televised... Why encourage them? Except Ice Hockey... At least the fights are good
WOMEN'S competitive sports on the other hand, are a thing of beauty & elegance. There's nothing like watching an all-female scrum where the lasses come out with torn kit.
And have you ever watched a ladies hockey match? Never get in the way of a woman with a hockey stick!

[wietze]

Originally Posted by AndyF

The regrettable thing about almost all male competitive sports is that they're televised... Why encourage them? Except Ice Hockey... At least the fights are good
WOMEN'S competitive sports on the other hand, are a thing of beauty & elegance. There's nothing like watching an all-female scrum where the lasses come out with torn kit.
And have you ever watched a ladies hockey match? Never get in the way of a woman with a hockey stick!

thats why we got beachvolleyball on the olympics

[AndyF]

Originally Posted by wietze

thats why we got beachvolleyball on the olympics

The Ladies Beach Volleyball was the only Olympic event I actually watched...

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by RandomChance

A proper macho sport - not like that there American Football. We don't need those comic book helmets and shoulder pads. Limbs are meant to get broken sometimes.

Not to mention, the best Rugby is played in England. At Welford Road in Leicester, to be precise.

Make all the jokes you want, but in all seriousness how many people suffer brain damage, permanent career ending injuries, and even death in Rugby versus American Football? I think Rugby suffers too much with an obsession with tradition. Hopefully someday (probably decades from now) after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror, as Americans do with early to mid-20th Century American Football.

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by AndyF

The regrettable thing about almost all male competitive sports is that they're televised... Why encourage them? Except Ice Hockey... At least the fights are good
WOMEN'S competitive sports on the other hand, are a thing of beauty & elegance. There's nothing like watching an all-female scrum where the lasses come out with torn kit.
And have you ever watched a ladies hockey match? Never get in the way of a woman with a hockey stick!

Or for that matter, ladies basketball. I have a WNBA team right up the road. Of course, the most exciting things to see going on in those games are in the bleachers...

[Paulo the Limey]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Make all the jokes you want, but in all seriousness how many people suffer brain damage, permanent career ending injuries, and even death in Rugby versus American Football? I think Rugby suffers too much with an obsession with tradition. Hopefully someday (probably decades from now) after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety (and respect for human life and dignity) Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror, as Americans do with early to mid-20th Century American Football.

Far fewer than you'd think. You're taught from an early age how to play rugby safely.

Respect for human life and dignity- laying it on a bit thick aren't we?

[PMN1]

Originally Posted by iainbhx

(and the Viet Gwent).

When did you move the Birmingham?

[AndyF]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Make all the jokes you want, but in all seriousness how many people suffer brain damage, permanent career ending injuries, and even death in Rugby versus American Football? I think Rugby suffers too much with an obsession with tradition. Hopefully someday (probably decades from now) after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety (and respect for human life and dignity) Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror, as Americans do with early to mid-20th Century American Football.

The stats on both are about equal for injuries etc now; funnily enough they were much higher for pre-1950's American Football. Strange but true.
Incidences of brain damage during play are actually much higher in boxing
In Rugby they tend to take place in the bar after the game.

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Or for that matter, ladies basketball. I have a WNBA team right up the road. Of course, the most exciting things to see going on in those games are in the bleachers...

Really? What kinds of things? No, don't answer that...
Where was I? Oh yes! If your attention's on the stands, then the ladies can't be doing it right... a suggestion for bigger attendances would be tighter fitting uniforms.
Joking aside, I've seen some fabulously played women's rugby (league & union), association football & ice hockey matches. They tend to play with more effort (and better passing) than the overpaid male posers that play professionally. We're a little short on pro Basketball teams or Baseball teams (there are some amateur teams though) here, but they seem to be pretty close there too.

And on that subject, please keep the Beckhams, we don't want them back.

EDIT: PS I loved Major League

[AndyF]

Just caught this one.

Originally Posted by usertron2020

permanent career ending injuries

Alas, I think that no matter how much you try, professional sports will always include some of these. It goes with the territory, & I think that their salaries are ample compensation for the risk.

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Hopefully someday after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror

Funny you should mention that... Association football has had quite a few reforms in the last 60 odd years to cut down on the aforementioned career-ending injuries due to over-aggressive tackling. It hasn't made the fans think there were too many risks before; in fact it's led to the majority considering today's players to be overprotected wimps (& as AD pointed out, drama queens badly in need of acting classes). *shrugs*

[Sior]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Make all the jokes you want, but in all seriousness how many people suffer brain damage, permanent career ending injuries, and even death in Rugby versus American Football? I think Rugby suffers too much with an obsession with tradition. Hopefully someday (probably decades from now) after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety (and respect for human life and dignity) Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror, as Americans do with early to mid-20th Century American Football.

Rubbish! If a game is worth playing it's worth suffering for, not hideing behind padding and helmets.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Make all the jokes you want, but in all seriousness how many people suffer brain damage, permanent career ending injuries, and even death in Rugby versus American Football? I think Rugby suffers too much with an obsession with tradition. Hopefully someday (probably decades from now) after the sport has finally been reformed in the name of safety (and respect for human life and dignity) Rugby fans will look back at these times with horror, as Americans do with early to mid-20th Century American Football.

American football has it's fair share of morbidity and mortality and without one particular example , we wouldn't have the Miami Project and all the work it has done with regard to spinal cord injury.

all the padding in American football does is create a situation where big guys run into each to each other without concern for the outcome .

[iainbhx]

Originally Posted by PMN1

When did you move the Birmingham?

I'm only culturally English. 3 out of 4 grandparents were Welsh, the other one was Portuguese. At anything but Rugby I support England, but with Rugby some deep atavistic streak hits me as soon as I see a red jersey.

[general]

Rugby,soccer, gridiron (cannot dignify it with "football") meh.
Real men play Aussie Rules

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by AndyF

The stats on both are about equal for injuries etc now; funnily enough they were much higher for pre-1950's American Football. Strange but true.
Incidences of brain damage during play are actually much higher in boxing
In Rugby they tend to take place in the bar after the game.

You won't get me to defend boxing. I honestly think the problem with gridiron is made worse by organized sports turning a blind eye to illegal steroids and growth hormones. I can tell you that all the BS about how medical technology cannot adequately test for these substances is just that, BS. Do you want to know the cheapest most sure fire way to test athletes for juice? Shoe and hat size. You don't go from a size 10 shoe and 6 3/4 hat at age 18 to a 14 shoe and 8 1/2 hat at age 25. Or age 30, 35, or 40. All the exercise regimens in the world don't alter those sizes.

Really? What kinds of things? No, don't answer that...

*pant-pant* That is, if you IN to that sort of thing...

Where was I? Oh yes! If your attention's on the stands, then the ladies can't be doing it right... a suggestion for bigger attendances would be tighter fitting uniforms.

They are doing it right, but they are up against some pretty murderous (and just plain pretty) competition for fan attention during games. Maybe some enhancements of their own? Not steroids, but rather the sort of augments that would make seeing them trying to slam dunk the ball a whole lot more fun.

EDIT: PS I loved Major League

Don't watch Major League 2. It was so bad they sent the gang in Major League 3 to the minors.

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by Sior

Rubbish! If a game is worth playing it's worth suffering for, not hideing behind padding and helmets.

Easy to say for those of us out in the stands, and that was the same logic used for sports in Ancient Rome.

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by Paulo the Wise Critic

Respect for human life and dignity- laying it on a bit thick aren't we?

Yeah, I'll delete that part.

[Roisterer]

Originally Posted by general

Rugby,soccer, gridiron (cannot dignify it with "football") meh.
Real men play Aussie Rules

That's the only sport I've heard of (outside martial arts) where they teach people how to land on other people.... and hurt them.

I'll see your Aussie Rules, and raise you
Gaelic football

Regards

R

[kellineil]

Originally Posted by Roisterer

I'll see your Aussie Rules, and raise you
Gaelic football
R

They're pretty much the same

[Astrodragon]

16th May

The change earlier in the year to convoys and tactics on the East coast of the USA has made U-boat operations steadily more costly. Today the first of the new US converted escort carriers joins the escort forces. Doenitz is increasingly concerned at the rise in his losses and the steady fall in sinkings (even though these are in fact being exaggerated by his crews). He is starting to plan a withdrawal back into the Atlantic where the shorter range means more U-boats can be concentrated in an attempt to overwhelm a convoy's defences.

Admiral Somerville completes preparation for Operation Machete, landings on the coast of Borneo to destroy the Japanese on the north and east of the island. The operation will commence as soon as the Japanese fleet (expected to sail soon) is located.

18th May

The USAAF's 7th Air Force in Hawaii is placed on alert in anticipation of a possible attack on Midway Island. For the next ten days the old Martin B-18's will be used on sea searches to supplement the B-17's.The VII Bomber Command receives an influx of B-17's during this period, and one squadron is converted from B-18's to B-17's.

Meanwhile the Marine Corps is sending more Corsair fighters to Midway. Before the start of the war against Japan, the fighter, although showing very high performance, was considered dangerous to operate, and had been refused deck landing clearance. Since hostilities commences the peacetime rules have been relaxed, however the Marine squadrons flying the plane have been scattered and it is only with the expected invasion of Midway that they have been given priority to build up on the island itself. It is hoped to get at least one squadron onto the island in the next week.

Force Z arrives at Fiji, where a number of tankers have been sent to provide the force with fuel. The force pauses only to refuel and take on water, then heads north, destination Pearl Harbor

19th May

A strong German counterattack at Kharkov in the Ukraine against the Russians begins.

General MacArthur is recalled to Washington to discuss possible operational commands - there have been rumours circulating in the War Department about a new allied commander being needed in China.

21st May

TF 39 with the battleship USS Washington, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, the heavy cruisers USS Wichita and Tuscaloosa and six destroyers, arrives at Singapore after a high speed transit from Alexandria. The Task Force is assigned temporarily to work under Admiral Somerville while Force Z is with the USN. The opportunity is also taken to carry on the work started in the Mediterranean to integrate common procedures between the RN and USN to facilitate future combined operation

22nd May

Mexico declares war on the Axis from 1 June.

The German and Russian armies are involved in mutual offensives south of Kharkov. The Germans are in danger of surrounding part of Timoshenko's force, but he has to convince Stalin that the best course is to pull them back.

US submarines sail to patrol positions from Hawaii to counter the Japanese Midway operation.

23rd May

The Japanese 1st Carrier Fleet, under Admiral Nagumo, leaves the Inland Sea to begin their part in the Midway operation

24th May

The Americal Division of the US Army is constituted. It is organised as a square division, from units assigned to Task Force 6814.

The Japanese Invasion Fleet sails from the Marianas toward Midway.

25th May

The Japanese army issues orders to the Second and Seventh to begin preparing for an amphibious attack against Hawaii. Training for the assault is to be completed by September 1942.

Light cruiser USS St. Louis arrives and disembarks Companies "C" and "D," 2d Marine Raider Battalion, and a 37 mm gun battery of the 3rd defence Battalion. The aircraft ferry USS Kitty Hawk brings Marine reinforcements including a detachment of a 3-inch (76.2 mm) antiaircraft group of the 3d defence Battalion, a light tank platoon and additional personnel for Marine Air Group Twenty Two. The Japanese operation is now imminent, and this will be the last supplies to reach the island before the Japanese attack.

TF 16, carriers Enterprise and Hornet, return to Pearl Harbor. They are under orders to replenish as fast as possible and be ready to sail on the following day. This is disappointing to the crews, who had hoped for shore leave after their last mission. However no indication is given of the Midway operation until the ships are back at sea, to maintain security.

The remainder of the Japanese forces sail to join the Midway operation. This includes a number of ships tasked with diversionary missions.

[Sior]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Easy to say for those of us out in the stands, and that was the same logic used for sports in Ancient Rome.

Between bar fights and rugby I've broken my nose 8 times, fractured my clavical twice, dislocated my shoulder, dislocated and broken my fingers a number of times and lost all my front teeth! Great Fun!