Sports general discussion thread

[Brian Boru]

🏆 Well woohoo—my team Munster just won the URC final, away in Cape Town against the reigning champs! 🏆

First trophy in 12 years, nice—not that trophies matter to true supporters, but it's nice to shut the childish louts up once in a while.

Sure won this the hard way, last 5 games were away incl 3 in SA and one in Scotland… 4 wins and a draw from that run.

It's been a rebuilding transitional season after big changes to the coaching staff, and started unsurprisingly with 5 losses in the first 7 league games. A win over the touring South Africa A side in November signaled that systems were starting to gel, and we only lost 2 of the last 11 league games.

With the addition of SA teams 2 years ago, the URC has become probably the second-best rugby union league in the world—it now has 4 SA, 4 Wales, 4 Ireland, 2 Scotland, and 2 Italy. SA are current world champs, and Ireland current world #1 team, so top quality stuff.

🎈 🏉 🍺

 

[Zloth]

Wait, The Munsters are REAL!?

P.S. Every time I see Cryton on Red Dwarf, it reminds me of Herman Munster.

 

[Brian Boru]

The Munsters are REAL!?

Yep, since 1875—and officially 1879.

One of the finest sports clubs in the world

IMDB: Their Finest Hour

IMDB: Munster: The Brave and the Faithful

 

[Brian Boru]

Exceptional runner at recent Diamond League meets:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkQdxABUfJA

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jguxAPCXZpM

 

[ipman]

Some sports transfer to PC gaming with a little ingenuity. I'd like to try some marlin fishing virtually.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Qx_mFlz8c&ab_channel=HouleGames


(One thing I've noticed is that Covid lockdown gave animals in the wild like birds and fish a real chance to recover. Must start getting out into real world more and do some fishing).

 

[Brian Boru]

More Woohoo 🏆, my team just won their 4th-in-a-row All-Ireland Hurling title! That's only been done twice before since it started in 1887, and 5-in-a-row has never been done.

It's not like we are a dominant side—prior to 2018 win, our previous title was in 1973, and the one before that was 1940. So it is very sweet, for however long it lasts.

70-minute game, 2 almost non-stop 35m halves—remarkable for amateurs.

View: https://youtu.be/DgNsg2ebTqQ?t=1271

 

[Zloth]

I've never seen hurling before. It's like baseball, hockey, American football, and European football all got together, did some gene splicing, and had a baby! They've even got two different scores: American football goals and European football goals!

 

[Brian Boru]

Jason Statham was more succinct…
"a cross between hockey and murder"
…which I can let pass.

Even tho it seems Bruce Springsteen is a hurling fan and follows Limerick, I can't see the baseball or American football comparisons, while football can only compete in the individual ball skill aspect.

Hurling is considered by many to be the fastest, oldest and most skillful field sport in the world—for speed & skill assessment see the video above, while for age it's at least 3,300 years old in written mentions.

Lacrosse would be the one which can compete intermittently on speed, rather than hockey.

 

[Zloth]

Even tho it seems Bruce Springsteen is a hurling fan and follows Limerick, I can't see the baseball or American football comparisons, while football can only compete in the individual ball skill aspect.

They are hitting a ball with a bat - through a field goal!

 

[Brian Boru]

They are hitting a ball with a bat - through a field goal!

Oh, kinda like snooker + water polo—gotcha!

 

[ipman]

I used to watch football, it's almost compulsory here. Like if you don't support England you are not being patriotic. But it was often disappointing because of the play and results(I preferred watching Argentina or Brazil, don't tell anyone)

Now I'm all for equality, it works both ways as both men and women are freed from traditional stereotypes. It seems to me that women's football is revitalising the game. They won the Euros(and beat Germany which the men's team rarely could) and there is a whole legion of new fans watching the games and young women taking up the game.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO5iCG9YNI4&ab_channel=England

 

[Brian Boru]

women's football

I've only seen bits of the World Cup, but the quality is excellent.

 

[ipman]

I've only seen bits of the World Cup, but the quality is excellent.

Yes I haven't really been following football, but I am aware of the growing media coverage since the 'Lionesses' won the European championship and are progressing in the World cup. Also a growing mixture in the youngsters playing in the parks.

I was talking to a guy other days who was a gamer, it's a bit like talking to someone in our secret group.
He was telling me his sister is studying game development and had just spent nearly £3000 on a new system.

I think both in some sports and some professions there has been some exclusivity and also a whole wealth of untapped talent. No longer

 

[Zloth]

The Royals have a seven game winning streak! That's not normally all that noteworthy in baseball with its 162 game seasons. The thing is, the Royals stink this year. They weren't even winning 30% of their games!

You know, if they could win the remaining 51 games, they could make the playoffs....

 

[Brian Boru]

since the 'Lionesses' won the European championship and are progressing in the World cup

I haven't seen them or USA yet, just some highlights from Japan's games—don't recall what accident got me to click on them

It's definitely becoming more competitive now tho, with both Brazil and Germany failing to make the knockout stage for the first time.

Only a month away from Rugby World Cup now… 🏉

 

[Alm]

Looks like USA just got surprisingly knocked out by Sweden.

 

[Zloth]

Definitely not that surprisingly. They barely made it to the knockout stage. Most of the big names have moved on, so they are in a <shudder> rebuilding stage. They still did quite well, so I expect they'll do even better next time.

 

[Alm]

Ah, I was going off a news article rather than having any knowledge of my own!

 

[Brian Boru]

USA just got surprisingly knocked out by Sweden

As Zloth said, not a surprise, especially with the Brazil & Germany results I mentioned.

Sweden beat USA 3-0 in the last Olympics, so it's not like they're an underdog. Also USA were missing half their starters thru injury, incl the captain, so yeah, not a surprise.

Not good to miss 3 penalty kicks tho

 

[Brian Boru]

 

[ipman]

Although I have limited interest in sports, I do appreciate what atheletes achieve. Just try leaping over a 2.45 M high pole backwards or attempting a triathlon. And the passion when all their hard training pays off is palapable.

But I do find this cross over between gaming and sports intriguing. Like the angling simulators that sports shops now have so anglers can try out different equipment before buying.

This is the new Gran Turismo film, based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough who won the Gran Turismo gaming competition and went on to become a pro race car driver.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVPzGBvPrzw&ab_channel=SonyPicturesEntertainment

 

[Frindis]

There is only one sport that matter:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stKNJUCfSTs

 

[Zloth]

So that's not just a Final Fantasy 7 mini-game!?

View: https://youtu.be/hN-fENM7yL4

 

[ipman]

^I've never heard of the 'slap off' stuff. It sounds like something English or French gentlemen did before the invention of the duelling pistol.

I remember another factor that put me off football. Watching diving spoilt millionaires prancing around for the cameras.
But the women's game is fresh, they are talented (and fit), and even those traditionalists who resisit change are now letting patriotism win then over.

England semi final.

 

[Brian Boru]

the women's game is fresh

That's because it was banned until 50 years ago

How England became good at women’s football

More than 50 years after a ban on women's football was lifted, England are in to the World Cup final - but how did we get here?

www.bbc.com

Best of luck Lionesses!