BS: Never heard of him!

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 01 May 07 - 06:47 PM

G'day again Uncle Phil,

I'm not the "cricket tragic" that my wife Patricia is ... but I do (distantly) remember when cricket was a long-drawn-out affair of 5 days ... and only the last day was of interest ... when all the previous 4 days' strategy and tactics began came to fruition.

Today's game - since the rise of 50-over "one-day" cricket (and the recent novelty of 20-over "20-20" matches) bears about as much resemblance to those days as modern sports car does to a horse-drawn dray! Unfortunately, it's only available on commercial television ... punctuated by mind-numbing pap that supplies names and products to your "never buy!" list.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 09:37 PM

G'day Bob –
I remember watching cricket the first time I was in Oz. After a few ice-cold VBs I commented to the natives about what a slow-moving game I thought it was. They all laughed at me. We were watching a 'highlights' show.
- Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 01:04 AM

G'day Uncle Phil,

That's a very old joke ... the ABC doesn't show any cricket ... the commercial stations long ago stumped up mega-millions to outbid them for the broadcast rights ... so I have to (occasionally) absorb the odd commercial break ... though only as I walk past the living room ... in the cricket season (... or the English Cricket season ... or the World Cup Season ...) ... and usually without the inane sound, as Patricia hits the MUTE button pretty quickly!

Regard(les),

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 02:56 PM

We finished the annual DNCFR here about a month ago. It bears little relationship to cricket, other than both are played on the ground. In the case of rodeo, sometimes IN the ground.

Now for really exciting television, may I suggest the Chess Channel or the maybe the Target Shooting Network?

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 02:43 PM

Q -
Oh come on now, Bob Lillee was HUGE star on the Autralian Pro Bowlers tour, after retiring from a successful career in slowpitch softball.

Actually I kind'a like cricket. It's long, mostly dull, and pointless, but then I like to watch baseball, particularly when it's the only thing on. The old joke is that the ABC isn't an acronym for Australian Broadcasting Corporation, it really stands for All Bloody Cricket.
- Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 12:47 PM

There's no shortage of baseball fans every June, here in Colorado at the Junion College World Series, but unless it is that week and I've been watching the news, I couldn't name one of the athletes involved. The whole area is jam-packed with their fans, though.

Like Bill, I might know of a few from the Olympics, otherwise I really don't care or pay much attention to them.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 12:19 PM

I fear, however, that I shall never understand cricket ;>)

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 12:16 PM

Well...due to the Olympics and internet, I am familiar with the basic names and reputations of many athletes from around the world, even though it is work to follow them in detail most of the year.

Sadly, the US just has too many sports competing for TV time to give significant amounts to Rugby, 'Soccer', Cycling, etc...but Soccer/Football is gaining and there are many matches televised.

I would LOVE to have special TV channels for those 'other' sports.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 12:09 PM

Uncle Phil, there used to be a ten-pin bowling program on TV, but I don't remember any Australians.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 11:08 AM

Wayne Rooney, Manchester United Striker; Dennis Lillee, Australian fast bowler.
- Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 04:58 PM

Ever hear of Peter Westbrook?   He's about the only American athelete I can name right off hand.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 02:37 PM

Well - I can remember Roger Bannister from Brit sports, but only 'cause I "met him" when he "worked out" with us once in Wichita, Kansas back in the late 50s.

Do you guys and gals have some others?

(Come to think of it, I'm not sure I can name any current US athletes.)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Becca72
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 02:36 PM

Nope, I'm in the US where very few people actually watch ice hockey, sadly.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 02:33 PM

I take it you're not living in Canada ...

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Becca72
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 02:01 PM

You're right, Tunes...I can't name more than Beckham for UK sports figures...and I don't even know what his first name is. Nor do I care, really.

the only sports I follow are ice hockey and very little heavyweight boxing so I'm used to the general public not knowing who I'm talking about.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Alice
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 01:06 PM

Tunesmith, seriously, the only UK sportsman I can name is Beckham, and that is mainly from the title of the kid's movie, "Bend it Like Beckham".
Americans are not into sports as much as they used to be. The basketball "March Madness" is hardly recognized by most of the public. Baseball fans are dwindling.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 12:57 PM

If I had to guess, I would say that - to the average UK citizen - the most famous American sportsman is Tiger Woods.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Alice
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 12:46 PM

Sports? What's that? ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 12:36 PM

I'm not a sports fan and in never ceases to amaze my that otherwise civilised people idolise these grunts - whichever territory.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of him!
From: Peace
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 12:11 PM

Well, you're over 50 anyway. Have you heard the dog joke about that?

Subject: BS: Never heard of him!
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 11:21 AM

I bet Americans would be surprised how little the fame of their sports' star has travelled. For example, I'm a sports' fan, but I can't name one current American baseball, basketball or football player. Infact the only baseball players I know are Babe Ruth and Joe Dimaggio( Monroe connection), from basketball Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, and in American football, O J Simpson, Jim Brown and, Olympic sprinting great, Bob Hayes. Of course, the reverse is undoubtedly true i.e. Americans won't know any of our star soccer, cricket and rugby players..