Aussie Rules Football

[Adam Went]

Hey Steady,

Yeah it seemed you guys were on a bit of a roll there for a while, until last weekend - at least you're improving, that's the main thing. Got a lot of promising young players there which is good, as you don't want to be relying on the veterans too much.

Very nervous about taking on the Swans this weekend at home, should be a good game and we should be alright given we've had the bye but after the Port Adelaide match, just not sure!

Tried to watch a US baseball match on TV the other day. Still can't understand it, haha.

Hope you've been well and talk to you again soon (jersey shouldn't be far away now!)

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steadmund Brand]

Oh yeah? they do broadcast baseball over there.. God I love that game..I know it seems confusing.. but it's really not that bad.. just so many little rules any idea who the teams playing were?

Ohhh good luck with the Swans.... beat them like we should have please!! hahaha.. we got Carlton... so.. we'll see

now I wish I were watching baseball now instead of being back at work hahaha.....Good to hear from ya and talk soon eh!!


your friend--Steadmund

[Zodiac]

Its just not Cricket!!!

Oh yeah? they do broadcast baseball over there.. God I love that game..I know it seems confusing.. but it's really not that bad.. just so many little rules any idea who the teams playing were?

Ohhh good luck with the Swans.... beat them like we should have please!! hahaha.. we got Carlton... so.. we'll see

now I wish I were watching baseball now instead of being back at work hahaha.....Good to hear from ya and talk soon eh!!


your friend--Steadmund

Hi Steadmund, hi Adam,

I too sometimes watch Baseball, it looks a lot like what we used to call "Rounders" when I was at school!!! Still, at least it gives us Poms, like me, and the Ockers, like Adam, a bat and ball sport that we can both agree about not understanding and thus come together in a spirit of mutual bemusement!!!

If only our American cousins could understand the true beauty, purity and simplicity of the great game that is... "Cricket". I mean the rules of the game are really so clear, simple and easy to understand. Allow me explain...

The basic rules of Cricket, for Americans.


You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.

Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out.

When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.

There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.

When both sides have been in and all the men have out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!!!

I hope that makes it all clear...

Best wishes,
Zodiac.

[Steadmund Brand]

Hi Steadmund, hi Adam,

I too sometimes watch Baseball, it looks a lot like what we used to call "Rounders" when I was at school!!! Still, at least it gives us Poms, like me, and the Ockers, like Adam, a bat and ball sport that we can both agree about not understanding and thus come together in a spirit of mutual bemusement!!!

If only our American cousins could understand the true beauty, purity and simplicity of the great game that is... "Cricket". I mean the rules of the game are really so clear, simple and easy to understand. Allow me explain...

The basic rules of Cricket, for Americans.


You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.

Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out.

When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.

There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.

When both sides have been in and all the men have out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!!!

I hope that makes it all clear...

Best wishes,
Zodiac.

Thanks Zodiac... now I get it!!!! hahahah actually we were going back and forth about cricket a bit ago.. I watch it but just will never understand it fully...where as baseball now thats a game I will admitt that I have been picking up a bit more on the cricket thing as we were getting a good amount of coverage for a while.. just those games that last days.. no I'll never understand haha..

I do want to say welcome to the board.. now are you an Aussie Rules fan, and if so, who is your team... more fans the better for the board.

Steadmund Brand

[Adam Went]

Zodiac:

Excellent post. And good timing too, because I heard earlier today that the powers that be are considering making cricket - specifically Twenty20 cricket, a sport at the Olympics.

International cricket of course well and truly precedes even the first modern Olympic games in 1896, so it has history on its side, and many countries participate in Twenty20 cricket even if it's not always at the international level. Would be an interesting and refreshing inclusion, I think!

All the better, Steady, because i'm sure even you would find the constant humiliations of England very amusing.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steadmund Brand]

Wait... cricket in the olympics... hmmmm I think I am going to study up on this and try and form the American Cricket team!!! the best part is, we could get beat and nobody would care as we wouldnt be expected to win anything (plus I'll fill the team with baseball players who will hit the ball out of the park everytime hahaha)

Steadmund Brand

[Zodiac]

Zodiac:

Excellent post. And good timing too, because I heard earlier today that the powers that be are considering making cricket - specifically Twenty20 cricket, a sport at the Olympics.

International cricket of course well and truly precedes even the first modern Olympic games in 1896, so it has history on its side, and many countries participate in Twenty20 cricket even if it's not always at the international level. Would be an interesting and refreshing inclusion, I think!

All the better, Steady, because i'm sure even you would find the constant humiliations of England very amusing.

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi Adam,

Now Adam, you're being a very naughty boy again, aren't you!? Truthful and factually accurate, of course, but still very, very naughty!!! Oh dear, I think someone just broke a window!!!

Best wishes,
Zodiac.

[Zodiac]

Wait... cricket in the olympics... hmmmm I think I am going to study up on this and try and form the American Cricket team!!! the best part is, we could get beat and nobody would care as we wouldnt be expected to win anything (plus I'll fill the team with baseball players who will hit the ball out of the park everytime hahaha)

Steadmund Brand

Hi Steady,

I think that you, the U.S of A, should go for it, why not? The more the merrier right? Besides, we, England, need all the not cricket playing nations we can get to take part, if we are to have so much as even an outside chance of not getting our arse handed to us on a plate in the very first round!!!

Best wishes,
Zodiac.

p.s. Adam.... Don't you say a f*cking word!!!

[Adam Went]

Steady:

Pretty sure the USA already have an Under-19's cricket team as they played at the Under-19's World Cup a year or so ago. A lot more lesser known nations are becoming involved in the game these days and Twenty20 cricket gives everybody a chance, even the "minnow" teams have beaten the best teams in the world several times now. So I hope it does become an Olympic sport actually, it would be good for everybody.

Zodiac:

Well at least you're honest. I was expecting more of a Monty-esque response....

Cheers,
Adam.

[Zodiac]

Steady:

Pretty sure the USA already have an Under-19's cricket team as they played at the Under-19's World Cup a year or so ago. A lot more lesser known nations are becoming involved in the game these days and Twenty20 cricket gives everybody a chance, even the "minnow" teams have beaten the best teams in the world several times now. So I hope it does become an Olympic sport actually, it would be good for everybody.

Zodiac:

Well at least you're honest. I was expecting more of a Monty-esque response....

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi Adam'

Thanks mate. I can only speak the truth, as I see it, no matter how sad that may be for me to admit and the truth is that, right now, we just can't seem to get it together when it comes to the shorter formats of the game!!! Our only conciliation, I suppose, is that in the true format of the game, the true test of cricketing skills and ability, i.e. the "Test Match". Let us say, for example "The Ashes", we still seem to be doing rather better that some of our detractors!!!

Best wishes,
Zodiac.

[Adam Went]

Hey Zodiac,

Yes, you definitely are doing better in Test cricket. Though I grind my teeth while saying it, it can't be denied. Have to say that I was somewhat surprised when the Aussie selectors announced that Simon Katich had been dumped from the Aussie cricket team set-up when the latest round of contracts was announced. Katich has been one of our rare consistent performers and a decision based on age is probably not the right one at this point. After all, Sri Lanka have just recalled soon-to-be 42 year old Sanath Jayasuriya to their limited overs squad....each to their own, I guess.

Good luck this weekend, Steady. Not sure who the Lions have but we don't play till Sunday, so an extra couple of days to wait until what will probably be another loss.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steadmund Brand]

Oh was another bad loss for my Lions this week.. but we were playing the Blues.. so I didn't expect to win.. now this week... I feel very good about the Lions chances...

actually just got back in town tonight, was at the International Boxing Hall of Fame inductions (something I do every year.. as I may have mentioned before...I do a bit of work in the boxing field and well.. I am a huge fan, that is my #1 sport by far) I got to spend a bit of time with a few Aussie legends, the greats Kostya Tszyu and Jeff Fenech.. super guys really, have met Fenech several times over the years this was my first time meeting Tszyu.....sad to say Kostya is a Swans fan haha (Fenech is a Magpies guy)...nothing like talking a bit of AFL with two boxing legends haha (and they are always shocked to be talking AFL with an American!!)....

well for now I must be off as I am dead tired..no sleep in the last 4 days or so...any sign of your Yankees Jersey yet?

good luck with your match and get ready to lose to Brisbane

your friend---Steadmund Brand

[Adam Went]

Hey Steady,

That's brilliant that you got to spent some time with Kostya and Fenech. I bet they were a bit bemused to be talking AFL with an American in New York, haha! We've had a fairly decent crop of boxers over the years actually - aside from those guys, in recent years, Daniel Geale, Anthony Mundine, Danny Green, etc.
Anyway, what a great experience eh!?

Such a shame that Richmond will be putting a stop to your enthusiasm this weekend.
(Mis-placed confidence probably, it's been about a month since we've had a win now and it feels like a decade.)

Cheers,
Adam.

P.S. No jersey just yet, waiting patiently.

[Steadmund Brand]

Wow.... we can't catch a break in Brisbane!! 125-94 ouch.... i'm still sore hahah.. but to you Adam.. congrats on another win!!!!


Steadmund

[Adam Went]

Very happy today, Steady. Great win and all the better because it was some of our young guns that really stood up, especially Dustin Martin - what a star. Popular choice for the best young player in the entire AFL at the moment.

Having said that, the scoreline doesn't really do a lot of justice to the Lions to be honest, the scores were never seperated by more than a couple of goals for almost the whole game, it was only in the last 8 or 9 minutes of the final quarter that we started to run away with it - thankfully! Other than that it was a pretty good game, and a very rough and tough one as well.

There's always next year, Steady....

Cheers,
Adam.