Weekend Review
OK, before you lot rip into me over my less than accurate previews prior to the weekend (especially ... ahem ... Hurricanes v Stormers), if we use the prices off Betfair immediately before kick-off the combination of results produced in the weekend's Super 14 was roughly a 120,000 to 1 shot. Even if we take the two draws out of the equation, getting the five remaining games correct was about 110 to 1.
Cue Twilight Zone theme music. Three South African teams winning on the road in one weekend. Two draws. The Lions winning three on the trot. The Crusaders blowing a lead after the final whistle. These things just do not happen - but it makes for a helluva interesting competition.
And if you can get it right on the punting front, a lucrative one. While backing the Force at $3 was kissing your sister stuff, the Lions and Sharks made for a nice weekend, even if the latter was a get out of jail result. Week 5 +5.77; season to date +17.40.
Right NZ readers, who is your least favourite ex-sportsperson so-called media expert commentator? For me, Mark Richardson. His latest piece in the Herald about the use of Hawkeye completely misses the point (for him, again). Comparing the use of Hawkeye in Tennis and Cricket is apples and oranges stuff - in tennis, it is used to clarify what HAS happened (i.e. a ball landing on the ground), while in cricket it is used to predict what MIGHT happen (i.e. the path of the ball if it hadn't hit the batsmen's pads).
You cannot (or shouldn't) use technology for making decisions that are predictive in nature; it's that simple, and a whole article starting with a recent controversial linecall in tennis as justification is a waste of space and reading time. I'll send him my bill.
While on the subject of tennis, shall we start a sweepstake on when Roger Federer will next lose a game?
Finally, on one of my trawls through the internet I came across a website of an American pro sports better, and found the following piece amusing:
One Sunday, my brother R.J. and I were watching NFL games on the big screens at Caesar's Palace when all of a sudden a man in the crowd jumped to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs, "FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK!," and headed for the exit. He went on to yell at the TV screen showing the Patriots-Jets' game, "YOU FUCKING LOSERS! YOU COULDN'T BEAT MY FUCKING GRANDMOTHER! FUCK YOU!.....FUCK YOU!" The New England Patriots had just scored to cover the spread and seal the game. The guy had obviously bet on the New York Jets. He went on to storm out of the casino, throwing a couple more "FUCK OFFS!" and "GO FUCK YOURSELVES!" to the security guards who descended to follow him out.
The story was related as an example of immaturity that is "proof he should stay away from sportsbooks and casinos".
Actually, I disagree. Betting on sports is an emotive business and one of the few times us neanderthals known as males freely express our feelings. I've learned that a few minutes of punching holes in the wall, kicking the cat or letting forth a stream of obscenities is infinitely more preferable than moping around the house for a couple of days thinking the world has ended.
Those residing in Wellington and Christchurch take note (heh).
Cue Twilight Zone theme music. Three South African teams winning on the road in one weekend. Two draws. The Lions winning three on the trot. The Crusaders blowing a lead after the final whistle. These things just do not happen - but it makes for a helluva interesting competition.
And if you can get it right on the punting front, a lucrative one. While backing the Force at $3 was kissing your sister stuff, the Lions and Sharks made for a nice weekend, even if the latter was a get out of jail result. Week 5 +5.77; season to date +17.40.
Right NZ readers, who is your least favourite ex-sportsperson so-called media expert commentator? For me, Mark Richardson. His latest piece in the Herald about the use of Hawkeye completely misses the point (for him, again). Comparing the use of Hawkeye in Tennis and Cricket is apples and oranges stuff - in tennis, it is used to clarify what HAS happened (i.e. a ball landing on the ground), while in cricket it is used to predict what MIGHT happen (i.e. the path of the ball if it hadn't hit the batsmen's pads).
You cannot (or shouldn't) use technology for making decisions that are predictive in nature; it's that simple, and a whole article starting with a recent controversial linecall in tennis as justification is a waste of space and reading time. I'll send him my bill.
While on the subject of tennis, shall we start a sweepstake on when Roger Federer will next lose a game?
Finally, on one of my trawls through the internet I came across a website of an American pro sports better, and found the following piece amusing:
One Sunday, my brother R.J. and I were watching NFL games on the big screens at Caesar's Palace when all of a sudden a man in the crowd jumped to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs, "FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK!," and headed for the exit. He went on to yell at the TV screen showing the Patriots-Jets' game, "YOU FUCKING LOSERS! YOU COULDN'T BEAT MY FUCKING GRANDMOTHER! FUCK YOU!.....FUCK YOU!" The New England Patriots had just scored to cover the spread and seal the game. The guy had obviously bet on the New York Jets. He went on to storm out of the casino, throwing a couple more "FUCK OFFS!" and "GO FUCK YOURSELVES!" to the security guards who descended to follow him out.
The story was related as an example of immaturity that is "proof he should stay away from sportsbooks and casinos".
Actually, I disagree. Betting on sports is an emotive business and one of the few times us neanderthals known as males freely express our feelings. I've learned that a few minutes of punching holes in the wall, kicking the cat or letting forth a stream of obscenities is infinitely more preferable than moping around the house for a couple of days thinking the world has ended.
Those residing in Wellington and Christchurch take note (heh).
Labels: post mortems
posted by Rob Crawford at 8:13 AM
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