Birthday for Gean

[John McManus]

Col, I like your thinking regarding the Champions League, although the potential semi against Schalke will be tricky and united have an appalling record against german teams in the latter stages of the CL (barring the 99 final of course!)

I too hate the term soccer!

Lorin I do believe that aussie rules could well have evolved from gaelic football, it is a logical assumption given the similarities between the two games and the amount of irish that immigrated down under even before the potato famine.  

Sandra they are all bloody thugs and crooks, mainly because the commercialisation of mainstream sports has intensified the need for success and so people tend to do 'whatever it takes' to get their team a win. I was an academy player for my local football team Carlisle United, and I can tell you that they taught us how to dive, and how to waste time in order to win a game. Sad I know, but it's the truth!

Regards,
John    

[Don Baird]

"Three Cheers to the Gean!!!
;D

Great job Col and team.  You all rock!!!

[colin stewart jones]

ah don true,

but you da man!

col :)

[sandra]

Ah boofheads - there's a word I haven't heard in a while.

Course the union players used to look down their noses at league ... then figured how much they could make playing league, esp in Oz, and switched codes ... then union went pro and some of the came back again.

And then you've got someone like Sonny Bill who just can't make up his mind what he wants to be - union, league, union ... boxing!

[sandra]

Hi Colin,

The pool match draw is here:

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/pools/index.html

England and Scotland are in the same pool, along with Argentina so that might muck things up a bit.

The top of the table in the other 3 pools looks to be pretty clear cut. Go Georgia!

[sandra]

Hey John, you don't have to tell me what professionalism has done to union. Combine that with crowds that like to see players show a bit of "mongrel" and it's a blood sport! (League's worse though, I think.)

My son chose hockey as a 5-year-old and I wasn't a bit sad ... except when three seasons ago he decided to volunteer to be the goalie! However, he's done some training with an ex-Chile rep goalie and who's now a Master level goalie and that's certainly helped.

It was when she dropped to the ground in her full kit and did one-arm push-ups that he began to realise it might be a bit more serious than he thought! :)