12/18/24
Recent Posts by rodgerd
August 05, 2012
I realise this will probably sound appallingly sexist : ...and that would be because it is.
posted by rodgerd to olympics at 06:40 AM - 16 comments
August 02, 2012
The oldest olympian: : Hiroshi Hoketsu first competed in the Tokyo olympics in 1964; 48 years later, he is still gives his best in dressage.
posted by rodgerd to olympics at 07:48 PM - 3 comments
June 20, 2012
"He's in pain, he's risking his career... and he's doing it for someone else.": Olympic lifting is not the easiest of endeavours. Getting 157 kilos over your head would be a challenge at the best of times. But imagine, for a moment, you were trying to execute a clean and jerk with a torn quadracep that has left you barely able to walk. Would you do that to qualify for the Olympics? Would you do that for someone else to qualify? Tevita Ngalu did.
posted by rodgerd to other at 06:59 AM - 4 comments
October 08, 2008
NFL Union Screwing Players?: The folks over at ArsTechnica have focused on an interesting story: claims that the NFLPA and Players Inc. unilaterally made a decision to take $8 million dollars of the gross licensing revenue that should have been shared with retired players and reallocate it to the administration of the NFLPA and Players Inc.", while negotiating ridiculous royalities for older players.
posted by rodgerd to football at 11:04 PM - 9 comments
November 22, 2006
Wake up, you're off!: To quote the New Zealand Herald: Ah, the irony. Welsh lock Huw Richards was having a pat-a-cake struggle with Gary Whetton during the 1987 World Cup semi in Brisbane [...] Richards was revived by the side of the pitch just so he could be shown the red card for giving Whetton a few handbags before Shelford arrived with his peacemaker.
posted by rodgerd to other at 01:55 PM - 3 comments
March 06, 2006
Novel excuses for losing: Well, I've heard a few, but how about "Town was too boring"? That's right: after a hiding in Hamilton, the Queensland Reds have blamed the city for being so boring as to put the players into a snooze before the big game. But how boring is Hamilton, really? After all, Waikato and All Black half-back Byron Kelleher seems to keep himself amused.
posted by rodgerd to other at 04:26 PM - 7 comments
November 28, 2005
The end of an era.: Australia's rugby leage team have not been beaten in an international series in more than twenty years; New Zealand has not prevailed over their neighbour in over fifty. That ended this past weekend with a crushing victory in the Tri-Nations final in England. Aussie players are embarrased, Kiwis delirious with joy.
posted by rodgerd to other at 06:28 PM - 4 comments
November 15, 2005
"Hacking at my tackle": When devotion becomes insanity,
posted by rodgerd to other at 05:36 PM - 28 comments
October 31, 2005
Formula Ferrari: After Bridgestone's inability to provide decent tyres to Ferrari for the 2005 season, Max Mosely decides to revoke the rule change that left them unable to compete with Michelin. 50% of the F1 revenue stream isn't enough of an advantage?
posted by rodgerd to auto racing at 04:22 PM - 5 comments
January 21, 2005
New Zealand wins, charity profits: In a follow-up effort to the magnificent ten million dollar match held earlier this month, the the first of the three match series between New Zealand and a World XI played today. New Zealand won the matchg, but the proceeds will go to Tsunami relief. The series features the return of dual-sport international Jeff Wilson to international cricket, and likely the only series when the two highest wicket takers in cricket will play together.
posted by rodgerd to other at 10:56 PM - 6 comments
December 14, 2004
"Everybody would get a turn.": Kris Benson's wife thinks she has the deterrent to sports star infidelity.
posted by rodgerd to baseball at 12:25 PM - 20 comments
August 19, 2004
World Champs go down.: Minnows New Zealand take down the basketball world champs 90-87.
posted by rodgerd to other at 09:44 PM - 6 comments
April 08, 2004
The pinnacle of two wheeled performance.: MotoGP bikes. Weighing in at less than 150 kilos and producing over 200 horsepower. Wrap yourself in leather, hold on, and hope nothing bad happens.
March 16, 2004
Sometimes, taunts get what they deserve.: Ever wondered why, when a boxer starts dogging his opponent by dropping his hands, the other guy doesn't just nail him? Robbie "The Bomber" Peden did. Now he's looking at a title shot.
posted by rodgerd to boxing at 01:10 AM - 5 comments
March 14, 2004
Assault. It's not just for hockey players.: You can even watch it on video. Some people think his punishment and apology are spot on; others are unconvinced.
posted by rodgerd to other at 02:11 AM - 3 comments
March 03, 2004
Professional athletes: problems the world over.: It seems to be a lethal combination: money and sports. The latest scandal concerns an Australian rugby league team already in trouble in the past for salary cap violations and alleged fraudulent dealings are now facing claims of players involved in pack-rapes. While the club seems to be taking it seriously, the players do a good impression of treating it as a bit of a joke.
posted by rodgerd to other at 08:03 PM - 3 comments
October 15, 2003
USA! USA! USA! Not quite, but oh so close.: Oh, so close. In the 81st minute, the Eagles score a try against Fiji to bring the scores to 19-18 with a conversion to come, but Kort Schubert's kick went wide. An upset goes begging. Of course, years and millions of dollars havn't made soccer a premier sport in the US, so it's unlikely a step up by the rugby team would have made a dent in the national consciousness.
posted by rodgerd to other at 11:11 PM - 16 comments