The traditional war dances of the Maori and Indigenous people, going head-on into battle.
The Haka:
It is death! It is death!
It is life! It is life!
This is the hairy person Who caused the sun to shine!
Keep abreast! Keep abreast!
The rank! Hold fast!
Into the sun that shines!
"The Confrontation"
This sent shivers down my spine, watching it Live was one of the most memorable things I am ever likely to do.
I have gone face to face with a Haka and it is the most intimidating experiences i have ever felt. The passion, the sound, the echo, the impending death on their breath, wafting inevitably into your very soul...
The end is near, you feel it in your bones. their eyes stare straight through you like spears and burning daggers.
I am sick and tired of people taking easy and uneducated pot-shots at the Rugby League ‘World’ Cup!
People saying that it is a one-horse race and that there is no point… What about the damn Olympics? You know all that media driven hoopla about not winning but just the ability to compete? Where the hell is that sentiment, why oh why is this only reserved for the Olympics?
It smacks of hypocrisy, and I won’t stand for it!
Hear me out…
The Olympics has over 200 nations competing across 30 odd events… okay… 'World'… we get it… but wait just a minute, lets look deeper into this… How many countries realistically have a chance of winning Gold?
52 countries won a Gold Medal…. One in four… better that what I predicted… but often picked up in the more obscure sports that only get played once every four years to help the nations that would normally struggle. This also conveniently boosts tv ratings and sponsorship dollars… I’m not cynical at all…. Not one bit…
I’d like to point out for the record that I love the Olympics and am not trying to have a go…
Okay… having said that, how many of those sports does everyone play? Is there one event that everyone has a realistic chance of winning… Answer quite simply is no. Hence the 'spirit of competing' idelaogy was born.
Case in point… Athletics… more to the point… Running… Every person (disabled aside) in the world runs, it is the purest of sports, it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, every kid has the ability and indeed runs…
so… how many countries out of the 204 that competed in Beijing won a Gold in running? Guess?
Out of 204 Nations a whopping Nine countries won Gold medals in running events… nine!
You try explaining that to me? Why is this not written off as a one-horse race? Again, I am just venting as an example… Why does the League World Cup get ridiculed as a fore-gone conclusion when the showcase of the Olympics is constantly dominated by the same countries?
Oh, have you guessed the countries yet… most are pretty obvious, with a few surprises…
Ethiopia, Kenya, Jamaica, Russia, USA, Romania, Great Britain, Cuba and Bahrain…
Hmm… the Usual Suspects… For all our hype and gusto Australia rarely gets anywhere near a running Medal (God Bless Cathy Freeman)… Actually, it seems just getting out of the first heat is a major accomplishment, despite the millions of dollars us Tommy Tax Payers cough up to fund such expeditions…
Swimming is our go… funny, come to think of it there is a World Cup going on right now… (who knew)… similar problem, who swims? USA, Australia and the rest… not many nations get a look in, despite the millions of medals on offer (again the more races, the more finals, the more medals, the more you can charge Max Media and Sponsor Simon every four years)… Cynic, I know!
Which brings me back to my point… (do I have one?)
The Rugby League World Cup is in a rebuilding phase, but is in much better shape than when Rugby Union launched it’s first World Cup in 1987… They were so ambitious they actually played the final at Concord Oval! Must be a record for the world’s smallest venue for a World Cup Final… (perhaps…)
So we get to the 2008 Rugby League World Cup... Watching PNG tackle England filled me with a joy I wasn’t expecting, like picking up a pair of your jeans off the floor only to discover you’ve left 50 bucks in one of the pockets… It was one of the best feelings in the world, and even though they lost, they proved they belonged, that they in fact could challenge the top sides in the World.
Scotland too could easily have beaten the more fancied France if a few things had gone their way. And dare I say that the worst game of the World Cup to date has been the Australia New Zealand game? Yes I do, it lacked the excitement and heights that the three games before it had provided. Rugby League on the World Stage, everyone seems to be playing but the teams who are the ‘powerhouses’ and isn’t it Grand?
So what if there are only 10 teams competing? Over 120 countries have bought the tv rights and with action from the so called ‘minnows’ thrillingly exciting, the possibilities for an international game rebuilding are endless. Is it a one horse race? Probably, but not certainly.
And so what if Australia win this time. They bloody well should! But that should not distract you from what is really going on…
10,000 people were at Canberra Stadium to watch France and Scotland, expect that number to double next time around, because they put on a show, pure Rugby League, and with the game strengthening internationally, and more and more countries embracing it, the game is sitting on a revolution.
10,000 people to watch a game that not many have an active interest in. 10,000 people to Canberra Stadium, a traditionally cold, wet and miserable place that only die-hards trek to more than once.
In the immortal words of Rage Against the Machine “It has to start somewhere, it has to start some place, what better place than here, what better time than now?”
204 nations, nine picked up Gold in running…
10 nations, three with realistic hopes, two need a lot of luck, and the other five are preparing for the next World Cup… you do the math… I think you’ll find the one horse race has people jumping through rings… (Wait, that’ll be a sport soon…)
Give the Rugby League World Cup the credit it deserves, or atleast do your self a favour and flick over to it a couple of times, just like you would during the Olympics...
There is joy to be had, just watching the PNG team celebrate scoring a try was all the reasons i needed to think positively about this tournament. And what of Stanly Gene, the 40 year-old halfback who just won't quit. That is what sport is all about and i bet he is single handedly inspiring millions of people back in PNG.
I'm inspired, I love what the tournament has thrown up so far and I don't care who ends up winning, for the most part it is irrelevant.. it is what the tournament represents that should have all League fans jumping...
Something special is happening, and believe me the World is taking notice...
So don't bag the World Cup, these teams have earned the right to compete and will give you everything they have if you just give them a damn chance
While there are some really good and important posts out there, how do you attract people to read what you have to say? Why do some really good posts go unnoticed, while a copy and pasted piece of junk can rocket in the popularity stakes?
Is it all in the title? Or is there something underlying that attracts more comments and thus get more votes…
I direct you to the first question, something I wrote a while ago… Why do votes matter?
"I have come to a realization whilst using Orble. The eternal chase for votes is irrelevant. A part from an ego boost and the mandatory 10 (to get noticed) there is not much point in them..."
So do votes matter? Well if you want to get on the popular list, I guess they do… but this can be achieved a number of ways without writing anything of note…
*I am not having a go at anybody, just making a simple observation…
So what other methods are there to attract people to your posts? Perhaps it is an intriguing picture? Does a picture accompanied with a title make you more likely to read further? No doubt. But what picture is the best for what you are trying to say?
By far the most popular technique is to pose a question in the title… to set-up some sort of list… I experimented with these to see if people would bite… a post such as “Greatest athlete of all time?” will usually attract attention… but can be easily slapped together will little thought… Think we have established this…
The other obvious technique is to bait people – a popular ploy where you make your title provocative… just wait for people to tune in with their two cents worth! Add a provocative pic and you have a sure thing…
Then there are the perennial UPPER CASE TITLES…. Or the really really long titles with the theory being, how can you miss this title?
There is the saying less is more... in this case what it represents is that you can not keep using these tactics and attracting an audience… if you try to sell out, people will soon tire of it…
i.e if you use the same technique every time you can cheapen your work and then when you actually want people to read it, you might find that the cupboard is bare…
-think the boy who cried wolf…
The answers lies somewhere in being creative, and building up your reader base, interacting with fellow orbler’s will also introduce you and your work and you will get to know each other on some sort of level… making it more fun to read each others work…
You may find you have a lot in common with the community and you mind find that you have met certain bloggers before… its happened!
Getting more involved will mean people want to read your work and will also want to comment… Meaning your posts will become inherently more popular…
What are you trying to say? Why are you saying it? And why should other people read it?
Figure out this and your orble experience will be much more tangible, fun and much more rewarding…
1: Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella.
2: It is OK for a man to cry ONLY under the following circumstances:
(a) When a heroic dog dies to save its master.
(b) The moment Angelina Jolie starts unbuttoning her Blouse.
(c) After wrecking your boss's car.
(d) When she is using her teeth.
3: Any man who brings a camera to a stag night may be legally killed and
eaten by his friends.
4: If you've known a guy for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits
forever unless you actually marry her.
5: Moaning about the brand of free beer in a mate's fridge is forbidden.
However complain at will if the temperature is unsuitable.
6: No man shall ever be required to buy a birthday present for another man.
In fact, even remembering your mate's birthday is strictly optional. At that
point, you must celebrate at a strip bar of the birthday boy's choice.
7: In the mini-bus, the strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the
weakest.
8: When stumbling upon other blokes watching a sporting event, you may ask
the score of the game in progress, but you may never ask who's playing.
9: You may fart in front of a woman only after you have brought her to
climax. If you trap her head under the covers for the purpose of flatulent
entertainment (commonly known as a Dutch oven), she's officially your
girlfriend.
10: It is permissible to drink a fruity alcohol drink only when you're
sunning on a tropical beach ... and it's delivered by a topless model and
only when it's free.
11: Only in situations of moral and/or physical peril are you allowed to
kick another guy in the nuts.
12: Unless you're in prison, never fight naked.
13: Friends don't let friends wear Speedos. Ever. Issue closed.
14: If a man's fly is down, that's his problem, you didn't see anything.
15: Women who claim they 'love to watch sport' must be treated as spies
until they demonstrate knowledge of the game and the ability to drink as
much as the other sport watchers.
16: A man in the company of a hot, suggestively dressed woman must remain
sober enough to fight.
17: Never hesitate to reach for the last beer or the last slice of pizza,
but not both, that's just greedy.
18: If you compliment a guy on his six-pack, you'd better be talking about
his choice of beer.
19: Never join your girlfriend or wife in discussing a friend of yours,
except if she's withholding sex pending your response.
20: Never talk to a man in a bathroom unless you are on equal footing i.e.,
both urinating, both waiting in line, etc. For all other situations, an
almost imperceptible nod is all the conversation you need.
21: Never allow a telephone conversation with a woman to go on longer than
you are able to have sex with her. Keep a stopwatch by the phone. Hang up if
necessary.
22: The morning after you and a girl who was formerly 'just a friend' have
carnal, drunken monkey sex. The fact that you're feeling weird and guilty is
no reason for you not to nail each other again before the discussion occurs
about what a big mistake it was.
23: It is acceptable for you to drive her car. It is not acceptable for her
to drive yours.
24: Thou shall not buy a car in the colours of brown, pink, lime, green,
orange or sky blue.
25: The girl who replies to the question 'What do you want for Christmas?'
with 'If you loved me, you'd know what I want!' gets an Xbox 360. End of
story.
26: There is no reason for guys to watch Ice Skating or Men's Gymnastics.
Ever.
27: We've all heard about people having guts or balls. But do you really
know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, the
definition of each is listed below:
* 'GUTS' is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being
assaulted by your wife with a broom, and having the guts to say, 'are you
still cleaning or are you flying somewhere?'
* 'BALLS' is coming home late after a night out with the guys smelling of
perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife square on the
ass and having the balls to say, 'You're next fatty!'
There are many recipes, most of which have in common the following ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.
The Government today announced that it is changing its national symbol to a condom because it more accurately reflects the government’s political stance.
A condom allows for inflation,
Halts production
It was a hot sunny weekend in Newcastle in the early 90s. The all conquering West Indies side led by Richie Richardson was in town to play the traditional warm-up match against NSW at Number One Sports Ground. As a kid, it doesn’t get any better than that! Both teams were laced with stars and it could easily have constituted a Test Match.
Here are the amazing scenes you might have missed in the massive Grand Final Build up... the Gigantic 5 metre Telstra Premiership replica Trophy was taken out on Sydney Harbour past iconic ports and scenes including the ANZAC Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the famous Luna Park face.
What a pleasure and a privilege it was to be a part of something like this, the view was unreal, simply spectacular
Ian Constantine
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