Grab Bag Of Random Posts

[SE6Ajacied]

This should maybe go in the music thread, not sure but wanted to share it. Just bought a wonderful gadget, an internet radiio. Truly superb, had always listened to radio over the internet on the PC but this is a proper radio with thousands of stations pre-programmed in. Have listened to a latin sounding station from French Polynesia, something from the Netherlands Antilies and now something playing pretty standard pop from Belarus. Not sure it's worth starting a "gadgets" thread but just wanted to share this . There was always something a bit wierd about listening to radio on the PC imo

[ajaxusa]

And what is the make and model of this magnificent machine?

[Orange14]

And what is the make and model of this magnificent machine?

see: http://www.ccrane.com/radios/wifi-radios/ Our local Public Radio station is offering one during pledge week if you give the station a lot of $$$s.

[SE6Ajacied]

And what is the make and model of this magnificent machine?

It's a Roberts Stream 205 - not the cheapest but it's a new model and had consistently good reviews.

[Manneken Pis]

And what is the make and model of this magnificent machine?

It's a Roberts Stream 205 - not the cheapest but it's a new model and had consistently good reviews.

I got a Quattro from Tangent several yaers ago to listen to international stations in the kitchen while cooking...

Two issues in my specific case:
- Reception can be dodgy (could be the thick walls in the house but I don't have the same problem with other wifi appliances), and always stops working if I use the microwave.
- If you're getting it for football commentary some stations block it (e.g. BBC) form their internet transmitions, but that could be because I'm in Belgium.

[SE6Ajacied]

If you're getting it for football commentary some stations block it (e.g. BBC) form their internet transmitions, but that could be because I'm in Belgium.

Yeah I've had that trying to watch stuff on football on BBC Scotland before. Got it for all sorts really. I listen to music of course but also talk radio and the choice here can get a bit jarring (I don't always want to be a 24/7 "lad" on Talksport) so it's good to listen to what other countries are talking about....

[aveslacker]

England currently getting worked over by Holland... in the cricket world cup!

[Amol]

They just managed to sneak through somehow. They better pull up their socks this weekend against the Indians.

[Manneken Pis]

A magnificent effort by the Dutch cricketers!
Frankly, a bigger achievement than beating England in the 20/20 in 2009...

As Bill Clinton would say; "Close but no cigar!"

[Amol]

England in a spot of bother against the Irish. What a comeback by the Irish!!

[Amol]

Wow - England beaten by Ireland. Damn!! Biggest upset of the WC so far.

[aveslacker]

It's amazing that England can go from absolutely dominating the Ashes to being one day patsies in such a short period of time.

[Over Pasanens Head]

It's amazing that England can go from absolutely dominating the Ashes to being one day patsies in such a short period of time.

Totally different types of games with a number of different players that are meant to be 50 over specialists.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Interesting article on COYS website. Don't necessarily agree with all the points but a most hit home


Role Models - Rugby vs Football
By Stu Whitefield
March 2 2011
Stu Whitefield (Former Hollywood Saint) talks about role models in British life, and why people choose football even though it is far more negative than it's oval-balled cousin. And, more importantly, what football should learn from rugby... Role Models - Rugby vs Football



We live in an age at the moment where people are heavily influenced by what they see on television. They form role models. Women have a general role model in pop stars and actresses, which some argue give a bad impression on people. We are forever reading about celebrities falling out of clubs in the early hours of the morning with about six drinks too many. However, this doesn’t stop women idealising them. Men on the other hand, turn to sport. Football is by far and away the most popular sport in Britain right now and men tend take what they see on the pitch and transfer it to their own lives. We wonder why Britain is ‘broken’ at the moment and we blissfully blame the government. I should at this point tell you that I am not extracting them from blame, just taking some of it from them. The answer to why we such an anti-social nation right now, may point at Football. This is a great time in the year that football has to share the sporting stage in Britain with rugby. Rugby seems to come in as a breath of fresh air, with gentlemen who play the game like it should be. The comparisons are quite obvious when you study the two.

Firstly: the referees. In football, a few times per match the referee will give a decision that to anyone with a couple of brain cells looks like an obvious foul. Sixty thousand people see the player lunge in wildly at another man’s legs and a free kick is given. The next minute or so will be the former screaming at the referee that he hasn’t done anything and will go on to use various expletives to demonstrate his point. If his point is not heard, then more of his colleagues will join in and do the same. Rugby however, is conducted with a bit more decorum. A penalty is given; the player in question helps the opposing player up and silently walks back to his own side. Even when a player is yellow or red carded, they accept it and simply walk off without a remark to the referee.

Then we move onto the fans. Firstly, in football fans are penned in within human fences with stewards separating the two screaming fans. Also, hardly any drink is consumed on the premises and there are armies of stewards and police to stop any trouble. In rugby, fans sit and stand together and swap stories about what their relevant team is doing. Drinks flow, the stewards only help people get to their seats and the police (if any at all) are there to help traffic flow. At my local club Northampton Saints, in the European Cup there was an away trip to Biarritz in the south of France. The French fans got in touch with the supporters club at the Saints and told them that they would put up travelling fans in their own homes when they come down for the visit. The favour was returned when the Biarritz fans came up to Northampton.

Now answer me this: Would that happen in Football? Not without many deaths or casualties afterwards.

It is interesting to see the nation get behind the Home countries during the Six Nations at the moment as we see the young guns of England bring them in to a new era of actually winning consistently and as opposed to the football team: trying. The Welsh and Scots as well as the Irish always have a fearsome support too, and their player ball out the national anthems with tears in their eyes. But at the end of the day, all supporters will be in the bar together having a drink. The FA recently announced that they wouldn’t want to work with the other home nations for a GB Football team at the Olympics. Hardly a cry of togetherness is it?

Another situation I noted recently was the Wayne Rooney incident during last weekend against Wigan. He ran past someone twenty yards away from the ball and accidentally elbowed the player in the head. What happens? Nothing. Another one today is Ashley Cole shooting someone with his air rifle in Chelsea training ground. Again of course, this was only an accident. Of course it was, because everyone carries a rifle to football training. Again, would this happen in Rugby? No.

If the public were to realise that the nature of football is what is dragging some people down, then they can possibly do something about it. People should start to look at who they see as positive role models. Furthermore, they should see who the right role model is for them.

A lasting point was made by the FIFA a few months back when they said that they didn’t want video referees or access to replays as ‘it would be too much like Rugby’. If I was one of them, I would want to change to follow rugby’s example.

[Amol]

Nice read.

[SPL]

Yes a very interesting read .Cricket fans in this country tend to be like rugby as far as other fans are concerned. I am refering to county games which last 4 days and supporters of both teams always mix with no problems.

[aveslacker]

It's amazing that England can go from absolutely dominating the Ashes to being one day patsies in such a short period of time.

Totally different types of games with a number of different players that are meant to be 50 over specialists.

Yeah, but how many regulars from the Test side feature in the one day side? By my count: Strauss, Pietersen, Trott, Prior, Anderson, Swann, Broad, Collingwood (before he retired from Tests), Bell and Bresnan. And that doesn't include Morgan (the Irishman, lol) who has started seeing some Tests. That's basically the same unit that crushed the ever-living shit out of the Aussies in the Ashes, with the exception of Finn and Cook. The only 50 over specialist that played in this game was Yardy.

I think the problem is (and this is the main difference between the English and the Aussies) that England only seem to able to focus on one big objective at a time, whereas Australia just want to destroy everything in their path every time they play. England just seem prone to have big letdowns after they do well (like when they won the Ashes in England in 2006 and then got wiped off the map in the return in Australia).

[SE6Ajacied]

Interesting article on COYS website. Don't necessarily agree with all the points but a most hit home

Interesting read but just a bit biased - the writer is obviously a Rugby Union fan (he describes his 'local' team) and I don't think he actually likes football. I'm not aure anyone over primary school age would see either Ashley Cole or Wayne Rooney as any type of role model for ther behaviour off the pitch (and in Rooney's case apparently on it when he's not scoring goals). With very few exceptions as well the cameraderie between fans that he describes could also be applied to football at lower league and certainly non league levels.

He's obviously forgotton about "bloodgate" as well (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... olded.html) and of course Rugby players have such a good reputation for not trashing hotels, getting into boozy fights etc etc. As he states, the main difference is football's popularity, the consequent riches of the players and the consequent 'celebrity' status of the players. Rugby players boozing it up just don't sell papers as much so we don't see it.

Not excusing football of all it's ill's, it just winds me up to see this type of article. Of course it helps for the steriotypes displayed here that football is very much the working class game in this country (with everything good and bad that comes with that status) whereas Rugby Union definately is not.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Interesting article on COYS website. Don't necessarily agree with all the points but a most hit home

Interesting read but just a bit biased - the writer is obviously a Rugby Union fan (he describes his 'local' team) and I don't think he actually likes football. I'm not aure anyone over primary school age would see either Ashley Cole or Wayne Rooney as any type of role model for ther behaviour off the pitch (and in Rooney's case apparently on it when he's not scoring goals). With very few exceptions as well the cameraderie between fans that he describes could also be applied to football at lower league and certainly non league levels.

He's obviously forgotton about "bloodgate" as well (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... olded.html) and of course Rugby players have such a good reputation for not trashing hotels, getting into boozy fights etc etc. As he states, the main difference is football's popularity, the consequent riches of the players and the consequent 'celebrity' status of the players. Rugby players boozing it up just don't sell papers as much so we don't see it.

Not excusing football of all it's ill's, it just winds me up to see this type of article. Of course it helps for the steriotypes displayed here that football is very much the working class game in this country (with everything good and bad that comes with that status) whereas Rugby Union definately is not.

Well you shouldn't let somebody elses opinion wind you up.

As one that that regularly attends both sports I would say that there is a world of difference between the attitudes displayed by both sets of fans.
As an example, on the road from Northampton station to the ground there are a number of pubs. However, there are no pubs set aside for home and away supporters as both sets mix, there are no bouncers on the doors or a police presence at all and zero trouble. Is it like this for football - no it is not. So it cannot be the drink as rugby fans have been known to down a few pints - so what is it?
The atmosphere in the ground displayed by the fans is very friendly with good banter, now cut to football with segregation and the amount of frustration and pent up anger being released within sections of the crowd - yet again rugby wins hands down for a good day out.
As an aside my eldest son has grown up going to football with fences, segregation etc. and guess what when he went to a Leeds vs Saints rugby game last year he was totally freaked out because there wasn't any segregation. He just wasn't used to it. What does that say about the state of football.

[jamcocteau]

Mate, being honest I thought article was OTT too. I have travelled all over Europe on many occassions watching football both at international level and club level and funnily enough the only places I have seen where fans were not drinking together was here in Netherlands, Italy and in England too. Maybe something too with draconian attitudes shown by authorities in these countries than anything else towards football fans.

The author then goes on to mention about deaths and serious injuries if football fans are together. Jesus, does he think we are barbarians. More people travel across nations to watch football on a regular basis than do for rugby and there is hardly ever any reports of trouble. Maybe because there isnt any because people are quite happy to mix together, have a beer and talk.

i will be approaching my 50th 'away" game watching Scotland this year over a period of 25 years. Would I carry on doing this if I thought it would endanger my life or I was having no enjoyment

Other bits of article being honest were just plain ridicoulous and not very well researched which I shall come on too.

It is interesting to see the nation get behind the Home countries during the Six Nations at the moment as we see the young guns of England bring them in to a new era of actually winning consistently and as opposed to the football team: trying. The Welsh and Scots as well as the Irish always have a fearsome support too, and their player ball out the national anthems with tears in their eyes. But at the end of the day, all supporters will be in the bar together having a drink.

This is some of the biggest drivel I have read in a long long time - has he ever travelled to World Cup or European Championships where he will find vast majority of fans from competing nations quite happily mix together apart from fans of one or two nations who seem to have a superiority attitude towards other nations. Mmmm wonder which ones I mean.

I stayed beside Murrayfield for years and funnily enough supporters of the English rugby team were generally as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit in most bars because of the arrogance shown by them. The author really needs to get out a bit more before writing such drivel.

The FA recently announced that they wouldn’t want to work with the other home nations for a GB Football team at the Olympics. Hardly a cry of togetherness is it?

Now this really made me laugh. So it is the English FA who have made the decision about the team GB football team at the Olympics. I must have been missing something over the years. The football association of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland have been opposed to Team GB since the announcement of London getting the Olympics. This is on two reasons - one political, a GB team at the Olympics will inevitably means calls that if we can compete at the Olympics as GB then we should also compete in FIFA and UEFA international competitions as one nation. Secondly, who will choose the team as I am sure it would not be representative of the 4 nations but be more Anglicised than anything. The supporters of these nations want nothing to do with it. It is only the English FA who wants a team GB together with a few Labour politicians pursuing the usual Unionist agenda.

As a Scottish football fan I would rather eat my own shite that support a team at the Olympics flying under the Union flag.

Sorry mate but I have to agree largely with SE16 - this is a piece written by some English middle class twat who is prejudiced in his views and has decided to put them to paper. This the kind of nonsense I would have expected to be written years and years ago.

Anyway hope to catch up with you on Sunday - you never know I might even buy you a beer and have a nice chat

[Over Pasanens Head]

I will hold you to that drink - lets hope it is to celebrate a victory.

As to your statements you are entitled to your views (even though you are Scottish) just as the middle class twat is.

BTW it seems that you are categorising rugby fans into middle and above - I can assure you that at least at the Saints and Gloucester this is just not the case

[Over Pasanens Head]

So Jamcocteau there are no problems in the likes of Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Poland, Russia, Germany and Belgium then.

[Frans]

The one thing I would definitely agree with the article about is the way the referees are treated in each sport. This is one area where football could definitely take an example from rugby...

[SE6Ajacied]

this is a piece written by some English middle class twat who is prejudiced in his views

I think I probably wrote all I needed to last night. OPH, appreciate what you're saying about certain RU teams/supporters - not my experience (though I admit I don't follow RU so don't have particular first hand knowledge of actually attending games)

[Amol]

Terrible earthquake in Japan. Hopefully they make it through this tragedy without scary losses of life.