Foreskin’s lament
The Waikato Chief’s mad Monday shows that Rugby’s attitude to women are still mired in the past and a threat to New Zealand’s interests, as well as an affront to all women.
Social issues
sport
Pack Mentality
The Waikato Chiefs rugby franchise have admitted two incidents of abuse at a drunken post season celebration. Their response to claims of sexual abuse? Blame the victim.
EDIT: The CEO accepts he got it wrong and has made a modern ‘if offence was taken’ style apology on Radio Sport. No direct apology to the woman concerned, however.
Chris Cairns: Song of the Tall Poppy
The Chris Cairns trial verdict seems to have surprised Kiwis. And some people don’t seem to want to accept he is not a match fixer. Are we that fooled by modern media that our usual decency and sense of fair play has deserted us?
Muslim Gives Away Medal.
For some, winning isn’t just about grabbing the glory.
ABs vs Australia
Will the All Blacks be the first team to defend a RWC title?
Is it time for progressives to love rugby?
Ad reflects on the relationship between the left and rugby since the springbok tour.
The politicisation of the All Blacks
All Black fan boy John Key opened up Parliament to allow the New Zealand Rugby Union announce this year’s world cup All Black squad on the weekend.
CWC15 Final
Big day for NZ cricket – all the best to the Black Caps!
I want one
I think you will want one too…
Base lies
So, Key’s over in Maine watching his kid play baseball (and, shush, taking the rest of the week off for another overseas holiday). Whatever. The thing that gets me is that he can’t help but lie to tell people what they want to hear. He’s told Maine media that the little leaguers getting to the world tournament is big news here. No, it’s not. It’s just news that our PM has gone to watch.
Sunday Reading
My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week: The Olympics, some interesting science on inequality and performance pay, and what does history look like when it’s not the propaganda of the victor?
Choices, choices: waste at Pukekohe
You know how the Government is so skint, and absolutely much get back into surplus by 2014/15, that it has cut education at every level, cut conservation, cut home insulation, cut Kiwisaver, cut Working for Families .. etc etc. They even created a new super-ministry to cut costs. And what’s the first action of Mobie Dick? $2.2 million sunk into Aussie V8s.
ImperatorFish: McCaw, Carter Supreme Winners At Literature Awards
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
Scott’s take on John Key’s contribution to The New Zealand Literature Heritage Trail booklet.
Glorious BlackCaps destroy Australia by 7 runs
Sorry to interrupt the politics with sport, but this is our first test victory in Australia since before our strike bowlers Southee and Bracewell were born. And only our 3rd victory in Australia ever.
Lying over Key handshake fail clip?
John Key’s try-hard failed handshake at the RWC has gone viral. What looked like a minor footnote to the affair came out last night, when it was reported that YouTube had taken down the clip at the request of the IRB. But today the IRB denied it.
Felicitations Thierry
Thierry Dusautoir thoroughly deserved the player of the year at the IRB awards last night. And how well he took it – with praise for the All Blacks, addressed to Richie McCaw, and with words from the heart spoken to his team. We all saw on Sunday what a player he was, and he showed us all last night what a leader he was. Grace in defeat does not diminish anyone. Grace in victory is important too – we could have done better.
ABs vs France
Now for the final – ABs vs France 9:00 pm at Eden Park – may the best team win.
[whew … that was close … imagine the national wailing and gnashing of teeth if the French had had a successful penalty kick in that last attack. Well done the ABs. Eddie]
RWC final highlights inequalities
A very thoughtful piece from Simon Collins in today’s Herald: “Deep divisions over $1000 for a Rugby World Cup game as poverty grows”.
ABs vs Wallabies
Here we are again. This time its ABs vs Wallabies 9:00 pm at Eden Park. May the best team win (but it better not be Wallabies!).
ABs vs Argentina
The ABs play Argentina tonight, 8:30 pm at Eden Park.
Rugby
Just flicked on TV1 to see what’s happening in the rugby. Host is a man who pushed his partner down the stairs. Kicked her as she lay. Broke her back in 4 places. Cause he’s ‘famous’ he got off with only 300 hours CS & a 10K fine. He bribed her to keep it out of the news. Tells me a lot that TVNZ thinksVeitch is an acceptable face of their station and of rugby. Then I switched off. [Fuck, Veitch is on Radiosport. It was Devlin on the TV. My point still applies to Radiosport]
Garner rips useless Nats
Duncan Garner has demolished the government’s disgraceful excuse-making over its woeful lack of preparation for the World Cup. “I was there. It was scary. It was a disgrace. There were few police. There were no barriers. It was NOT family friendly. It was a tragedy waiting to happen.And that’s just Party Central. That’s the bit the Government was responsible for. Don’t forget that.”
Resignation watch
Which minister(s) will John Key fire this week? Bill ‘Double Dipton’ English, is embroiled in yet another personal corruption scandal involving a job for his brother. Gerry ‘The VIIIth’ Brownlee’s Christchurch fiefdom is seeing a peasants’ revolt among redzoners. Murray ‘drowned rat’ McCully delivered Key a huge embarrassment on Friday at the RWC opening.
Go the ABs!
Non-political post, but I don’t think The Standardistas can ignore the small event starting in Aotearoa today. I’ve got my ticket to the opening game, and I’m desperately looking forward to cheering on the ABs, tonight and through to October 23.
Govt bans perks, but not for themselves
Just after we discover that National ministers and staffers have been accepting gifts from a bank wanting the government’s business and John Key says ministers shouldn’t take ‘too many’ Rugby World Cup freebies, we learn that civil servants are sternly banned from accepting any gifts. Do as I say, not as I do, eh?
Get well soon, Trev
As you know, Trevor Mallard is a keen cyclist. He touched wheels with another competitor in the R&R sports tour on Saturday. 3 cyclists went down at 40km/hr. Trev broke his femur and shoulder blade. It looks like he’s dealing with it OK. Maybe he should stick to leisurely rides on the John Key Memorial Cycleway in future.
Football news
New Zealand has won the rights to host the U20 Football World Cup in 2015.
Murray “The Meddler” McCully
Our Minister for Sport now gets to pick the teams. He’s pushing out two of our best ever Olympians from coaching, because Murray knows best.
India: Ignorance at a distance
It’s been pretty painful watching the media coverage of the Delhi games buildup over the last few weeks. What a lot of xenophobic nonsense we’ve been served up.
McCully backs down – for now
Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully says “we don’t need to have winners and losers here” but he has had to bow to […]
Williams and Haden
Minor bits of “people news” this weekend. Andrew Williams has thrown his hat in to the ring for Supercity Mayor. And Andy Haden has finally been fired resigned from his role as RWC Ambassador (exit stage right, still blaming the media).
Should’ve done it before, John
It seems John Key is now belatedly wading in to look at whether it’s at last time to cut Andy Haden loose as […]
Socialist football
I thought Germany were going to power in to the finals – but Spain had other plans! Funny old game. According to football legend John Barnes the best football teams are socialist in nature. They play for each other, and individual brilliance is often subservient to the common good…
All Whites game 3
Predictions anyone?
Go the All Whites!
Public holiday on All Whites win?
Asked if a win against Paraguay should warrant a public holiday, John Key replied “Damn fine idea. I want the country to enjoy this. They’ll be dancing all over the place”. Trevor Mallard has taken up the cause and will ask Parliament’s permission for it to debate a Bill that will create a one-off public holiday on Friday if the All Whites win. There’s strong public support.
All Whites game 2
No, I’m not staying up for it. Have fun, those of you who do! Guess I’ll be kicking myself if the All Whites […]