Six Nations 2013

[amateur51]

Exciting 3rd Quarter, wasn't it? Multiple Beyoncé in the break obviously caused fuses to blow somewhere....

Almost makes me believe in Divine Intervention

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Almost makes me believe in Divine Intervention

randomness is clumpy .... events being adjacent so to speak ....

i missed the half time 'entertainment' in the firm view that it would maintain my enjoyment of the game to watch the rugby for half an hour ... the first seconds of Mss B confirmed that opinion strongly ...

[amateur51]

randomness is clumpy .... events being adjacent so to speak ....

i missed the half time 'entertainment' in the firm view that it would maintain my enjoyment of the game to watch the rugby for half an hour ... the first seconds of Mss B confirmed that opinion strongly ...

I've not watched Mercan football for many years - do the players and coaches still dispute decisions with the umpire? That's what I love about Rugby Union - make an untoward remark to the ref & you're off for ten minutes and your team & your fans suffer. Same for cynical misbehaviour - if only 'soccer' would learn that lesson

[vinteuil]

randomness is clumpy .... events being adjacent so to speak ....

...

... Calumese for the Poisson Distribution, I think...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisson_distribution

.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_analysis

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

perhaps locational rather than distributive although what is the difference .... let us leave the disputation to the mercan football gang eh ....... or entertain notions of skew etc ....

i would add that Cluster implies similarity whilst Clump implies adjacency ... how might we consider the bootilicious stage show and power failure elements in this case?

Mr McQuitty is a long standing guide for me .... i treasured roneo copies of his papers for decades ....

[gingerjon]

I've not watched Mercan football for many years - do the players and coaches still dispute decisions with the umpire?

Coaches can challenge by throwing a red flag before the next play. If there is incontrovertible (sp.) evidence to overturn the onfield decision then it is overturned - otherwise it stays with the original call.

Incorrect challenge leads to a loss of a time out.

I think all scoring plays are subject to an automatic review.

[amateur51]

Coaches can challenge by throwing a red flag before the next play. If there is incontrovertible (sp.) evidence to overturn the onfield decision then it is overturned - otherwise it stays with the original call.

Incorrect challenge leads to a loss of a time out.

I think all scoring plays are subject to an automatic review.

Thanks for the clarification,gingerjon

[scottycelt]

What I fail to understand (amongst many other things) is how the Americans can call this rugby-fork thing FOOTBALL! We see a guy kick a ball about every hour or so.

In proper football we have a goalkeeper who handles the ball much more frequently so, logically, I suppose 'soccer' should be re-termed HANDBALL?

Luis Suarez of Liverpool, for example, is an apparent enthusiast (at least in practice) for such a name-change ..

[Mr Pee]

What I fail to understand (amongst many other things) is how the Americans can call this rugby-fork thing FOOTBALL! We see a guy kick a ball about every hour or so.

In proper football we have a goalkeeper who handles the ball much more frequently so, logically, I suppose 'soccer' should be re-termed HANDBALL?

Luis Suarez of Liverpool, for example, is an apparent enthusiast (at least in practice) for such a name-change ..

And the thing that I fail to understand is why the winning team were hailed as WORLD Champions, despite the fact that not a single team from outside the USA participated.

But I suppose, rather like the so-called "World" Series of Baseball, it says plenty about America's view of the world and their place in it.....

[gingerjon]

What I fail to understand (amongst many other things) is how the Americans can call this rugby-fork thing FOOTBALL! We see a guy kick a ball about every hour or so.

In proper football we have a goalkeeper who handles the ball much more frequently so, logically, I suppose 'soccer' should be re-termed HANDBALL?

Luis Suarez of Liverpool, for example, is an apparent enthusiast (at least in practice) for such a name-change ..

Football - a ball game played on foot.

Until well into the 1920s, the Times used to list rugby union under the football scores. It being a code of football. Other codes of football: American, Canadian, Australian, Rugby League, Gaelic and Association.

Handball is played by Heide Loke and her Norwegian lady friends. Luis Suarez hasn't the balls to join in.

(The World Series thing ... well, why not? A bit of bravado from a salesman in the 1890s turned into a semi-official name when two rival leagues had a play-off to determine who was best in the 1900s. Despite that, baseball is more diverse than most people realise - certainly more so than rugby of either code. In the Amateur version the Cubans have won far more titles than the US and in the professional World Baseball Classic the only winners have been Japan (the third iteration is coming up in March).)

[scottycelt]

Football - a ball game played on foot.

Until well into the 1920s, the Times used to list rugby union under the football scores. It being a code of football. Other codes of football: American, Canadian, Australian, Rugby League, Gaelic and Association.

Handball is played by Heide Loke and her Norwegian lady friends. Luis Suarez hasn't the balls to join in.

Indeed, I'm well aware of the existence and history of these different codes, but outside of the US 'football' generally means one thing and one game as that was the code that deservedly triumphed and became by far the most popular throughout the world.

Rugby Union and Rugby League etc are identified as such and are never termed 'football' even by players and supporters. In fact, most of them appear to take a perverse pride in distancing themselves from being associated (no pun intended) with the world's most popular team game. Personally, I have no problem with that as I certainly wouldn't wish, in turn, that the civilized and skilful gentlemen's (and gentlewomen's) game of football to have any connection whatsoever with these minority ruffian codes,

Finally, the last time I had the pleasure of witnessing the game I did happen to notice that even handball is 'played on foot'.

[gingerjon]

Indeed, I'm well aware of the existence and history of these different codes, but outside of the US 'football' generally means one thing and one game as that was the code that deservedly triumphed and became by far the most popular throughout the world.

Rugby Union and Rugby League etc are identified as such and are never termed 'football' even by players and supporters. In fact, most of them appear to take a perverse pride in distancing themselves from being associated (no pun intended) with the world's most popular team game. Personally, I have no problem with that as I certainly wouldn't wish, in turn, that the civilized and skilful gentlemen's (and gentlewomen's) game of football to have any connection whatsoever with these minority ruffian codes,

Finally, the last time I had the pleasure of witnessing the game I did happen to notice that even handball is 'played on foot'.

Indeed – handball is played on foot. I did read though that the reason why the British derived games were called ‘football’ was because of it being “played on foot with a ball”. No doubt, the silly Europeans who came up with handball thought it best to draw attention to what you were meant to do with the ball during the game.

The first rugby match I went to was at the Willows. I walked past a new-looking sign announcing I was at “Salford Football Club”. This was in 1987. At the time, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester and Northampton all had “Football Club” rather than the word ‘rugby’ on their badges. You’ll still find your way to the Stoop by following a sign directing you to “Harlequin FC”. Internationals in rugby league are often referred to as “test football”; State of Origin is “rep football” and if you watch “Friday Night Football” in New South Wales it will be the NRL on screen.

But, I do agree, it’s not important. I just have a little trigger reflex.

It also comes out whenever anybody suggests that ‘soccer’ is not a traditional English way of describing the eleven-a-side game played according to the association rules.

(And my favourite aside: for reasons I really don't get Canadian Football was administered by the Canadian Rugby Union (as distinct from the rugby controlling Canadian Rugby Union, obviously) until the 1960s. Go Saskatchewan!)

[scottycelt]

The first rugby match I went to was at the Willows. I walked past a new-looking sign announcing I was at “Salford Football Club”.

Yes, you are right ... I've seen the same ridiculously pretentious sign.

Could be somewhat problematic for visiting fans (of both 'football' persuasions) if the idea were ever to be adopted in a town like Wigan ... ?

[gingerjon]

Yes, you are right ... I've seen the same ridiculously pretentious sign.

Could be somewhat problematic for visiting fans (of both 'football' persuasions) if the idea were ever to be adopted in a town like Wigan ... ?

If you want to annoy a Wigan rugby league fan (and it's something I take great pleasure in doing) just point out that Latics draw more in terms of both total and average gate.

[anotherbob]

If you want to annoy a Wigan rugby league fan (and it's something I take great pleasure in doing)

How are the pies in hospital?