The sports thread...

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

The intended purpose of this thread isn't really to discuss who beat who at the weekend, instead, I thought it would be interesting to hear about what kinds of sports other boarders are interested in.

What sports do you play, what sports do you watch?

Rugby Union's my sport. Played it at school, and it's always a nice wee treat to go and see Ulster play on a Friday night at Ravenhill.

I do like football, but I'm not really interested in the Premier League, not since the days of Eric Cantona. World Cup's always good for a laugh, England are comedy gold. Derry City's my team.

The GAA's always entertaining.

Snooker is the comfort food of spectator's sports. Something to be enjoyed on a Lazy Sunday. 'Chewing gum for the eyes'. 'No thanks Ted'.

What about you? Has anyone ever participated in that brilliant chasing-cheese-down-really-steep-hill race?

[Nap Normal]

I play badminton once a week and tennis a couple of times a month but I don't watch either sport  on telly. I support Crystal Palace FC and go and watch them half a dozen times a year. The main sports I watch on telly are Formula one and boxing so this weekend is a really good weekend for me with the China Grand Prix and Amir Khan vs Paul McCloskey and also Andre Berto vs Victor Ortiz. I also watch the Ashes cricket and the Rugby six nations when they are on (I always support England). So I guess overall I'm quite a big sports fan.

Bw
Nap

[Daveycandlish]

I've not done the chasing cheese lark, but I do the Great North Run (half marathon) every year which has a steep decline at the twelve mile mark which makes your legs go a bit wobbly and feels a lot steeper!

Other sports? I love speedway; four brakeless bikes being flung round a dirt track. It was hugely popular in the 70s. Anyone remember watching this on World of Sport back then? The crowds have really tailed off since then though.

And I support Newcastle United FC, but don't watch any other footie on the TV as I hate all the whining, diving prima donnas that inhabit the Premiership

[Kerrin]

I sometimes go to watch my local football team The Mighty Hornets, Horsham FC (sadly languishing just above the relegation zone in whatever godforsaken backwater league we're in at the moment). Other than that, I like to watch major rugby and football tournaments on the TV, usually in the pub. Formula 1 car racing I'll watch occasionally but it's a bit of a procession these days.

For me, the only thing I'll actually set the Sky+ box for is motorcycle racing. Moto GP, GP2, World Super Bikes, British Super Bikes, the Isle of Man TT, I love 'em all.

[JOE SOAP]

Darts.

[Albion]

I support Brighton & Hove Albion (hence the forum name)who have had an amazing season this year and are already promoted. Sadly I have barely been to watch them since the Goldstone Ground was shut in 1997, I was a season ticket holder until then, but hope to see a few games at the new stadium next season. If I can get a ticket that is, 22000 capacity stadium and 16000 season tickets already sold! I have a few friends who are season ticket holders and sometimes get offered a ticket if someone cant make it.

My interest in football has diminished a bit over the years and I rarely watch it on TV, usually just England games and the World Cup.

That's about it for me but I will occasionally watch Formula 1.

[SuperSurfer]

Tottenham Hotspur fan. Went to see them in February for first time in years. Got more into football in last few years due to quite a few people at work who are passionate about it. I don't go out of my way to watch any other sport, though I did go to watch the Olympics in 2004.

Train/teach karate two times a week (not actually a sport though), I jog to karate lessons, go to gym 1-2 times a week. In fact, signing off right now as that's where I am heading.

[Something Fishy]

for me rugby, played and love and son plays it.

Cricket, love it and son plays.

Also keen on cycling, swimming, Tennis and Badminton, the wife is also very keen on Badders.

[vzzbux]

Most skiing mainly alpine.
Was a keen skier when in the army but haven't been on the piste since 1993.





V

[exilewood]

I'm an Arsenal fan (sorry to hear of your affliction Supersurfer! )- as is my all time 2000ad hero Mike McMahon! Love watching cricket too.

Don't play any sport - it'd get in the way of the smoking & drinking.

[Dandontdare]

On behalf of the blue half of Manchester may I say..

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[The Legendary Shark]

My sport of choice is Rugby League. I just watched yesterday's match between Hull and (my team) St Helens and it contained just about everything that I love about the game.

With about seven first string players out injured, Saints fielded a weakened team bolstered by youngsters from the second team and for the first thirty or so minutes strained against a monstrous Hull attack and broke ineffectively against a huge Hull defence. In an 18-0 hole, Saints could only stagger to an 18-4 half time score.

Second half saw both teams playing some heroic football - proper blood, snot and crunch stuff - until Saints pulled out 18-22 after a truly magnificent fightback. Hull looked like they were going to snatch it when they moved out to 24-22 but a controversial penalty near full time saw a breathless scramble to a 24-24 full time score. Simply breathtaking skill and determination from both sides. Magnificent.

I can hardly describe why I love this game so much without tipping over into my trademark hyperbole, but it really is a sport of monsters. Unlike the stop/start confusion that is Rugby Union or the free-form ballet of football, Rugby League is fast, ferocious and flowing. Depending upon the quality of the teams, which year on year improves more and more, matches can go twenty minutes or more with no significant break in play. That's when you see how hard this game is to play - with twenty six men running their blood to water for one more tackle, one more break, one more kick, one more charge when every muscle in their bodies must be screaming and every nerve afire. It's a game of power and precision, of stamina and resilience, of guile and just plain pig-headedness.

I know you all will disagree, but in my view Rugby League is quite simply the best game on Earth.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I respectfully disagree. Union is better. But I played flanker and league doesn't have those. It was the rucking/mauling that I enjoyed. I'll admit that sort of thing slows the game down, and indeed the International ruling body is constantly futtering with the rules to speed the game up and introduce more flowing play. But here's the thing, if I wanted to see fast flowing rugby, I would prefer League. I think it's fair to say that Union is a more physical version of the game. It's more about brute force and ignorance. I appreciate the way league players try to run clever lines to cut open defenses, but I prefer the way Union players try and punch holes in it.

Having said that, scrums are forever collapsing in Union at the minute. Union could learn a thing or two from League about setting up scrums...

[The Legendary Shark]

See? I knew you'd disagree ;-)

[O Lucky Stevie!]

Anyone else click on this thread withe the expactation of it being an appreciation of all things Rolf Harris?