Dravid - War Memorial Speech

[Himannv]

Save the sarcasm for later when you have actually understood my point.

No sarcasm at all. I meant what I said there.

 

[NasserFan207]

Your mob was killing them, that's why

Eh, our 'mob' moved to Glasgow long since anyway

 

[Flem274*]

This is going to be a pretty touchy thread, if the stuff I've just read is anything to go by, so after last nights fantastic advertisement for CW in the Harbhajan thread, the slightest hint of trolling in here will see you in the deep end (on top of what may already be coming your way), and this applies equally to all nationalities as always.

 

[Jono]

Rahul, just a great man.

 

[Nate]

Rahul, WAG.

Thoughts on the war reference?

 

[zaremba]

Pass the sick bag. Not because of dear old Rahul, who's great, but "the Bradman Oration", a title which, rather like "the Allan Border Medal", positively gushes with pompous self-importance. Pointlessly retro and has the simpering smack of a Mark Nicholas brainchild. Vile.

 

[Burgey]

Pass the sick bag. Not because of dear old Rahul, who's great, but "the Bradman Oration", a title which, rather like "the Allan Border Medal", positively gushes with pompous self-importance. Pointlessly retro and has the simpering smack of a Mark Nicholas brainchild. Vile.

Intreresting take on it mate.

 

[zaremba]

"The Cowdrey Lecture" is almost as bad, of course. Although, creepy though it is to have a lecture named after someone, at least "lecture" is an ordinarily understood word, unlike "oration" which has obviously been chosen just to make the event sound especially important and grand. Bunch. Of. Arse.

 

[Burgey]

"The Cowdrey Lecture" is almost as bad, of course. Although, creepy though it is to have a lecture named after someone, at least "lecture" is an ordinarily understood word, unlike "oration" which has obviously been chosen just to make the event sound especially important and grand. Bunch. Of. Arse.

Ah I see what you mean now.

Shouldn't have a problem with the AB medal though, surely? If it was the AB Victoria Cross* I could see the aggrandising mind.










*Not that he didn't deserve one.

 

[zaremba]

The "medal" thing irks me too. Medals are for athletics and soldiers. In cricket it's just a retro affectation.

The AB Queensland Cross maybe?

 

[Burgey]

Amazing speech apart from the WW reference. Loved the bits where he talked about Indian cricket and its caricature. The people who like to parade that they are not anti-Indian cricket by saying how much they love the man, should actually try reading and understanding that part. Might just have a bit more appreciation for what even a guy like Harbhajan goes through...

I only just read this post.

Extraordinary from you again.

 

[Burgey]

The "medal" thing irks me too. Medals are for athletics and soldiers. In cricket it's just a retro affectation.

The AB Queensland Cross maybe?

The AB Sweaty Box.

 

[Top_Cat]

The highest honour AB could bestow upon an Aussie cricketer is a sip of champers from his old box, tbh.

Personally, think Dravid's missing the point regarding why people aren't going to Tests and ODI's. The part about fitting around schedules has some merit but, tbh, live games in general are just less fun to go these days. No smoking/drinking too much/outside food/swearing/Mexican waves/beer snakes/beach balls/etc. just sit there quietly for 6+ hours, buy the rubbish/triple-priced food on offer and appreciate the magnificence of the green, green grass and pay more than you would for a footy match for it? Serious? Only diehards would ever subject themselves to that sort of crap.

T20 is fun to go to, it's an occasion and watching it on TV, you're missing a lot what makes it what it is. ODI's and Tests are not as much fun any more and you get a lot more out of watching on TV than going to the ground. Fix that and people will come back.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

The highest honour AB could bestow upon an Aussie cricketer is a sip of champers from his old box, tbh.

Personally, think Dravid's missing the point regarding why people aren't going to Tests and ODI's. The part about fitting around schedules has some merit but, tbh, live games in general are just less fun to go these days. No smoking/drinking too much/outside food/swearing/Mexican waves/beer snakes/beach balls/etc. just sit there quietly for 6+ hours, buy the rubbish/triple-priced food on offer and appreciate the magnificence of the green, green grass and pay more than you would for a footy match for it? Serious? Only diehards would ever subject themselves to that sort of crap.

It's certainly that way in Australia and the UK - having been to numerous Test matches in both. Sydney in particular was very po-faced. However, in NZ - at the Basin Reserve and Seddon Park at least (for Test matches), it's still really relaxed. You can go on the field at the lunch break with your bat and tennis ball and have a hit, there's no constant reminders that IF YOU GO ON THE FIELD YOU WILL BE FINED $10,000. I think cricket has legislated for the small minority of imbiciles who ruin it for everyone. Rather than worrying about the occasional streaker, just remind yourself that it's all part of cricket's rich tapestry. The crowd are there to have fun as much as be entertained.

 

[Burgey]

It's certainly that way in Australia and the UK - having been to numerous Test matches in both. Sydney in particular was very po-faced. However, in NZ - at the Basin Reserve and Seddon Park at least (for Test matches), it's still really relaxed. You can go on the field at the lunch break with your bat and tennis ball and have a hit, there's no constant reminders that IF YOU GO ON THE FIELD YOU WILL BE FINED $10,000. I think cricket has legislated for the small minority of imbiciles who ruin it for everyone. Rather than worrying about the occasional streaker, just remind yourself that it's all part of cricket's rich tapestry. The crowd are there to have fun as much as be entertained.

I think a lot of it is the absence of hills and grassed areas in most grounds here these days. Adelaide, Hobart and Perth have them, but the MCG, SCG and Gabba have lost what ever green spaces there used to be.

It makes it more comfortable when it's packed to have your own seat, but as a kid to be able to take your bat and ball and have a game was fantastic. That combined with what T_C said about the over-regulation of crowds, and it's not all that fun a day to take the kids to.

I agree about the luncheon thing too, and after the game. They should fence off the square, and let kids have a run around til say 10 minutes before hand. There's enough bloody guards there, let them stand and watch the pitch.

Mind you, it's not a new thing. I was talking to an older mate of mind the other week who told me he went to the cricket in the late 50s or early 60s with my grandfather and there was a delay for bad light and then weather. They'd been drinking for ages handing their glasses back and forth over the bar, when my grandfather decided he'd had enough and thought they should be playing, so he jumped the fence to go and assess the conditions himself and to suggest to the players they come back on.

Early day.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeh, it's quite funny to see administrators make no bones publicly about the fact that they essentially ban bogans, it's a family-friendly day out, etc. and then bitch when people don't come along.

Can't have it both ways, people are incentive based. Remove any incentives to go for a totally voluntary activity and, well, people just won't bloody go! It's really not that hard. That it hasn't been changed makes me wonder if CA, the ECB really are that concerned with saving Tests. Certainly doesn't make them any money.

 

[Burgey]

Yeh, it's quite funny to see administrators make no bones publicly about the fact that they essentially ban bogans, it's a family-friendly day out, etc. and then bitch when people don't come along.

Can't have it both ways, people are incentive based. Remove any incentives to go for a totally voluntary activity and, well, people just won't bloody go! It's really not that hard. That it hasn't been changed makes me wonder if CA, the ECB really are that concerned with saving Tests. Certainly doesn't make them any money.

It's the same with a lot of sports though. I heard Brian Waddle talking about the RWC in NZ. He mentioned for a lot of the games not involving the hosts or other top countries, they still had expensive seats. He made the point I've heard raised however many times by commentators in every sport - it's surely better to have a ground full with 30,000 at $10 or $20 each than to have 5,000 there at $50.00 each.

Never seems to get through though.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I think a lot of it is the absence of hills and grassed areas in most grounds here these days. Adelaide, Hobart and Perth have them, but the MCG, SCG and Gabba have lost what ever green spaces there used to be.

This is probably a very fair point. You're allowed on the field at the Basin and Seddon Park - grounds specifically for cricket, grass banks etc. However, at multi-sport stadia like Eden Park, Westpac Stadium, Lancaster Park etc. there wouldn't be a chance in hell. The SCG and MCG really aren't only cricket grounds any more. Places like Hobart should be specifically for the sort of laid back, picnic on the hill, bat and ball on the outfield fun day out. I wonder who is dictating these terms and conditions. The ACB, or the Trustees of each ground?

 

[Top_Cat]

Can promise you the advent of drop-ins and installation of new stands at Adelaide Oval was not driven by big cricket crowds (especially with AAMI stadium closed). Matter of time before, like in Melbs and Sydney, Shield and OD games are banished to suburban grounds.

Which would be awesome, tbh.

 

[Burgey]

This is probably a very fair point. You're allowed on the field at the Basin and Seddon Park - grounds specifically for cricket, grass banks etc. However, at multi-sport stadia like Eden Park, Westpac Stadium, Lancaster Park etc. there wouldn't be a chance in hell. The SCG and MCG really aren't only cricket grounds any more. Places like Hobart should be specifically for the sort of laid back, picnic on the hill, bat and ball on the outfield fun day out. I wonder who is dictating these terms and conditions. The ACB, or the Trustees of each ground?

I suspect the GayFL via the Trustees of the grounds.

The funny thing is, you can often get onto the ground after a game of AFL for a kick.