(Small but) Wide World of Sports
(Dad - good question! I told you it would end up here!)
I now understand the World Cup Soccer nuts. I played soccer for over 10 years, but I was not one to wake up at 4am to watch a World Cup game before work. (Ok, maybe a couple times).
I woke up at 4am to watch the last 2 or 3 hours of each Masters round live from Augusta, GA. The Masters feed was broadcast straight from ESPN on Thursday Friday and straight from CBS on Saturday Sunday. I should say "almost" straight feed. Every once in a while an Australian voice would come on to tell us that Robert Allenby (Thursday) or Stuart Appelby (Sunday) is the current top Australian just 5 strokes back from Trevor Immelman and a stroke behind Tiger Woods. Had I known I'd have woken up early just for that. Hilarious touch. I wonder if that had Cliff Claven pop in during opening day in Japan to do the same thing for the Boston fans...
US sports are not on TV here generally.
I listen to the Red Sox radio broadcast every day including Monday's Patriots Day game (Eric Plant you saw a GREAT game!) which started at 11pm here. Most of the games are at 7am here which is perfect - I'm just getting to work and I'm already bound to a desk. When Joe Castiglione starts yelling I pay attention.
I called it the SMALL wide world of sports: I was at The Footie last weekend (thanks to Dave at work who gave me tickets!) watching Fremantle get pummeled by Richmond. Yeah, that's a picture of a kid in a Dice-K jersey!
The rookies are sensational. Ellsbury was great in that game (and now last night with 2 HR's and scoring the winning run from first on a ball hit to LEFT??), drawing walks, stealing bases. We've finally replaced Damon in the leadoff spot - that took years of what turned out to be bad moves although Coco and JD Drew are both hitting right now when they are in the lineup. Pedroia is a nasty hitter (three doubles last night) and an excellent fielder - I can't believe they knew to stick with him last year with Cora hitting so well. Dustin with his clean, never been on base, pants just looked like a small guy with a good swing if he'd ever hit the ball. Now he can't stop.
Patriots Day is such a great Boston day! Just from listening to that game: I know that Pedroia's girlfriend finished after my friend Katie (see K Smith from Lexington, that's who I ran the Falmouth Road Race with) in the Boston Marathon. I know Robert Cheruiyot won the marathon again and that Tune bearly beat out a close second place in one of the tightest finishes in Boston Marathon history. Frankly there is nothing like a Sox game on the radio. Joe Castiglione sounds exactly like I feel when I'm at the game (Plante said that first, I'm just agreeing). Is he that good or have I just been listening to him for too long?
I watched the NCAA finals on Gamecast which isn't great but I got used to it in college, that's how we all watched baseball in the computer labs before the radio feed was online. The Gamecast only mentions shots, turnovers, and timeouts. I couldn't see if Memphis was in a press in the last couple minutes or even if there was an inbound pass coming up, nothing. Shots, turnovers, timeouts. I was rooting for Memphis having adopted John Calipari as a UMass alumn. It was a nice feeling of devastation when they lost. Apart from the Superbowl this year, which I can't believe I even just mentioned, I hadn't felt that in a while with all the Sox, Pats, and the C's have done for Boston suddenly.
I read an article that the C's beat the hell out of the Hawks in the first game. I'll start listening to those games now. Also the Bruins are in a Game 7 against the Canadiens??? I can't believe the Bruins are even in the playoffs - didn't know until they won game 6.
The internet helps make the sports world a little smaller for me.
I do miss the hallway banter with the Yankees fans at work. Every win I look forward to giving them hell and every loss I just bring a lunch and stay at my desk to limit my exposure (to my golf partner, who even though he is a Yankees and Jets fan manages to be a helluva guy).
This weekend was full of rain. I watched some of "The Footie" on the "tele". I still don't understand the penalties but the strategy is becoming more clear through the play by play. The referees are miked from the field which didn't help me understand the penalties, but it did help me understand why I don't udnerstand the penalties. They just don't seem to have clear penalties like in Gridiron. They say "oh no, no, Nigel, you've just pushed him too hard. Give him the ball." "But Richards was right in my face!" "No, Nigel, I didn't see that, I saw you. That's why we don't retaliate. Now give him the ball. There, that's better." Basically it sounds a lot like daycare - first names, stern voices, imperative speech.
Homework for today: Look up Anzac Day. It's Friday.
Later
-Ev
I woke up at 4am to watch the last 2 or 3 hours of each Masters round live from Augusta, GA. The Masters feed was broadcast straight from ESPN on Thursday Friday and straight from CBS on Saturday Sunday. I should say "almost" straight feed. Every once in a while an Australian voice would come on to tell us that Robert Allenby (Thursday) or Stuart Appelby (Sunday) is the current top Australian just 5 strokes back from Trevor Immelman and a stroke behind Tiger Woods. Had I known I'd have woken up early just for that. Hilarious touch. I wonder if that had Cliff Claven pop in during opening day in Japan to do the same thing for the Boston fans... US sports are not on TV here generally.
I listen to the Red Sox radio broadcast every day including Monday's Patriots Day game (Eric Plant you saw a GREAT game!) which started at 11pm here. Most of the games are at 7am here which is perfect - I'm just getting to work and I'm already bound to a desk. When Joe Castiglione starts yelling I pay attention.
I called it the SMALL wide world of sports: I was at The Footie last weekend (thanks to Dave at work who gave me tickets!) watching Fremantle get pummeled by Richmond. Yeah, that's a picture of a kid in a Dice-K jersey!The rookies are sensational. Ellsbury was great in that game (and now last night with 2 HR's and scoring the winning run from first on a ball hit to LEFT??), drawing walks, stealing bases. We've finally replaced Damon in the leadoff spot - that took years of what turned out to be bad moves although Coco and JD Drew are both hitting right now when they are in the lineup. Pedroia is a nasty hitter (three doubles last night) and an excellent fielder - I can't believe they knew to stick with him last year with Cora hitting so well. Dustin with his clean, never been on base, pants just looked like a small guy with a good swing if he'd ever hit the ball. Now he can't stop.
Patriots Day is such a great Boston day! Just from listening to that game: I know that Pedroia's girlfriend finished after my friend Katie (see K Smith from Lexington, that's who I ran the Falmouth Road Race with) in the Boston Marathon. I know Robert Cheruiyot won the marathon again and that Tune bearly beat out a close second place in one of the tightest finishes in Boston Marathon history. Frankly there is nothing like a Sox game on the radio. Joe Castiglione sounds exactly like I feel when I'm at the game (Plante said that first, I'm just agreeing). Is he that good or have I just been listening to him for too long?
I watched the NCAA finals on Gamecast which isn't great but I got used to it in college, that's how we all watched baseball in the computer labs before the radio feed was online. The Gamecast only mentions shots, turnovers, and timeouts. I couldn't see if Memphis was in a press in the last couple minutes or even if there was an inbound pass coming up, nothing. Shots, turnovers, timeouts. I was rooting for Memphis having adopted John Calipari as a UMass alumn. It was a nice feeling of devastation when they lost. Apart from the Superbowl this year, which I can't believe I even just mentioned, I hadn't felt that in a while with all the Sox, Pats, and the C's have done for Boston suddenly.
I read an article that the C's beat the hell out of the Hawks in the first game. I'll start listening to those games now. Also the Bruins are in a Game 7 against the Canadiens??? I can't believe the Bruins are even in the playoffs - didn't know until they won game 6.
The internet helps make the sports world a little smaller for me.
I do miss the hallway banter with the Yankees fans at work. Every win I look forward to giving them hell and every loss I just bring a lunch and stay at my desk to limit my exposure (to my golf partner, who even though he is a Yankees and Jets fan manages to be a helluva guy).
This weekend was full of rain. I watched some of "The Footie" on the "tele". I still don't understand the penalties but the strategy is becoming more clear through the play by play. The referees are miked from the field which didn't help me understand the penalties, but it did help me understand why I don't udnerstand the penalties. They just don't seem to have clear penalties like in Gridiron. They say "oh no, no, Nigel, you've just pushed him too hard. Give him the ball." "But Richards was right in my face!" "No, Nigel, I didn't see that, I saw you. That's why we don't retaliate. Now give him the ball. There, that's better." Basically it sounds a lot like daycare - first names, stern voices, imperative speech.
Homework for today: Look up Anzac Day. It's Friday.
Later
-Ev
Comments
Great stuff, Evan.
When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula, under a plan by Winston Churchill to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and their future.
They lost, that's like use having vietnam day. Strange.
What I learned this weekend about Anzac Day by Evan Hickok
The importance of Anzac day to Australians is that they lost 10,000 soldiers from a very young army as Australia had only been a nation for just 15 years. That sacrafice was the unfortunate outcome of an incredibly brave undertaking, especially for such a young nation. It's not about the battle, it's about the men. And it's a great ceremony! Sunrise rememberance followed by a gunfire breakfast, and beer at 8am!
One of the bravest moments of the American Revolution was actually a midnight RETREAT from Staten Island during the Battle of New York. It saved the young American army.
Eric - Yeah, I also spelled Cheruiyot wrong. Thanks for helping me edit :-p
Lloyd - Nice research! Thanks for the comments and your dedicated readership!
I just want to let you know that when you try to call us, the caller I.D. just says 'Out of Area". Email me a way to call you, the girls want to talk to you. They don't really understand the blog but they like looking at the pictures of you. Chloe has requested that you bring back a kangaroo for the Buttonwood Zoo, "The kind with a baby in its pouch." And Leah has been putting together a package to mail you filled with lots of papers with "Leah" written everywhere! Her new favorite thing to do, and she makes capital E's like you did, with a million lines! LOL I told her you can't receive mail, so you'll get it when you come back. And Owen can wave, clap, crawl, stand up and shake his head 'NO' all in one week!
We all miss and love you but I have to admit, Lloyd is definitely your biggest blog fan!
Love,
Little Sis A.K.A. Stinko