TAI is live courtesy of donbest.com and in addition to all of the pro and college lines hot off the presses, tune in to hear the agony/joy of Tommy Dutch as he sweats out the Broncos game and the World Series match up announced live on the air.
Other topics include to tape or not to tape, the Notre Dame punter getting some love, the curse of the college football #2, professional handicapper Mike Davis gives another free pick, and week #1 of the TAI survivor contest. I don’t need someone getting sick from the kippers.
Email: Brian Mollica brian@notiowa.com and Tommy Dutch tom@notiowa.com Give us a call 206-203-Iowa
It’s interesting that American Football and Rugby are so similar yet so far apart in so many ways.
To us in Europe American Football is a dis-jointed affair played by big guys who need more padding than Joan Cillons, lots of make-up (those funny stripes they paint on to look hard – ooh scary!) and no real fitness level due to the constant breaks to allow TV advertising to ruin the whole gamea and for the players to touch up their make-up.
The European version, Rugby Union (and League) is played by super fit guys who need no real protection and who can get battered, clattered, punched and run constantly for 80 minutes with only a short break in the middle. The team work involved is immense and it stirs real emotion to see players protecting their team mates at all costs.
So, would an American Footbal team beat a Rugby team at Rugby? Absolutely not, never, it’s just not possible.
Would then an American Football team beat a Rugby team at American Football? I’m guessing here but I would say again it’s not likely, once the rugby players have spent 5 minutes (maybe 6) reading up on the rules and making up a basic stratedgy.
Any thoughts on this?
Ps. Can anyone explain to me “THE WORLD SERIES” , isn’t it just you guys that play in it ???
And just to end on a comical note………
How many senior Presidential Aides does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They’re supposed to keep the President in the dark.
S-In-S, I spotted a minor typo in your post. I think it should have read:
1st cab off the rank
But on the Rugby vs American Football it’s an interesting idea.
The Rugby match would be a no contest, rucking and mauling would be so alien to them. And that’s before we get on to anything complicated like a scrum or a line out.
That said in American Football game I’d probably put my money on the American Football team. Mostly down to the need to defend a forward pass. It one thing to defend when you can see the man in front of you, but another when he’s running past you and the ball in in the air over your shoulder.
Though I’d imaging the Rugby teams use of the lateral pass and a proper chase for a punt return would make the game pretty good to watch.
Incidentially I’ve played both, rugby at school (loose forward – it was league) and American Football (running back) at University – neither to any great success. I always thought there were parallels when playing the two games but I would much sooner play Rugby. Though that’s mostly down to always having the chance to be involved in the game instead of sitting large parts out.
Interesting comparison indeed but i dont think you can really compare to be honest.
Id say American Footballers would easily account for rugby players at American football and vice versa.
Both games have their own intricacies that players of the other sport would need time to adapt to.
Id be very keen to see some of the running backs play rugby at inside or outside centre though not sure how they would cope with having to defend. Would also like to see a linebacker or two lineup on the side of a scrum and try a ‘blitz’ to take the head off the opposition flyhalf.
I, being a rugby player for over 20 years, prefer rugby but I still like watching american football when i can.
Bob – poor match i thought for a world cup final though, as predicted, very low scoring and teams both trying not to lose…. I think the better team won and that they derved the world cup – glad you won some cash on it too
Pmac, sadly the final wasn’t a great game but sadly they very really are. I’d have won more on an England win but my liver for one is thankful for that.
Overall I finished with 20-15-0 as I sneaked a first score bet in as well.
Just started to listen to the show as I missed it live (it was the show or an extra hour in bed and you can guess who won) and I’ve gotta say it’s by far the best sounding show yet.
Steven in Sweden – are you really in Sweden? If so whereabouts are you and ‘pratar du Svenska’??? If youre Swedish then I guess you do but if you are not Swedish then Im just curious. I lived in Sweden for a year and loved the place.
YEAH! Post #7! Suck it bitches.
Great post Steve. The difference between rugby and American football are that it’s a speed game vs. a power game. There is no way that our football players could keep up with the pace of a rugby match, but at the same time I don’t see a rugby player blocking a 6’7 320 lb. roided up defensive end.
And of course I ment post #8
and 9 and 10
Dutch, were you refering to the Soaring Eagle casino? That dump took a little of my cash as well.
I have never heard of taping wiffle balls. You are tainting the game with you performance enhancing tape.
Hej Pmac,
Nej, jag ar inte Svensk, jag komma fram Storbritannien men jag bor i Stockholm. Jag har varit har nastan fem ar, det ar en helt fantastisk plats till bor.
No I am not swedish, I come from england but have lived in Stockholm for over five years, I am married to a Swedish girl and yes I agree it is a great place to live, only down side are the long cold winters.
Steven
Jag forstar du jattebra. Min svensk ar inte sa bra nu men nar jag bor i sverige och blir drunkade min svensk blir mycket battre.
Even that would be full of grammatical errors etc but just wanted to test myself out again….
Adding some foreign language to the message boards cant be a bad thing…
Om du har varit i Sverige bara for ett ar, det ar jatte bra pa Svensk, det har tog mig tva eller tre ar innan jag kunde forstar nagonting och jag absolut samtycka, efta nagra ol jag kan ocksa prata bra rysk, fransk och tysk…. Trevlig Kvall
hahaha nice one… beer always does aid in the speaking and understanding of foreign languages….
Pmac / S-in-S,
Well you can colour me impressed I can manage hello but after that I’m lost. Although I do find this fairly useful:
Tva ol behaga, min van vilja betala
I try to learn that for anywhere I’ve been to.
Yeah its even better when ur alone at the bar and motion that the random guy next to you is said friend….. then grab ur drinks and get out of there…
As far as learning Swedish goes though, Im still conversational but its just useless as all the Swedes speak perfect english. My ex (a swede) would often point out faults with my Aussie-tainted english….On the otherhand, when in Sweden, knowing their language always ensured that I had many drinks bought for me by impressed drunken swedes….
On the Rugby vs American Football I was looking for some stats to counter Brian argument about speed vs power and stumbled on to an article from back in 2001 about Martin Johnson (6?7 – 260 lb ex-England captain and World Cup Winner) and a visit he made to see the 49ers train.
Makes for interesting reading, especially when he tries his hand at some tight end practice runs.
Full article:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,543952,00.html
brian, what’s with the rash of postings? are you just amped up about the new job, or have you been fired already and have nothing else better to do?
I’m thinking the same thing, fobes. Either that, or they stuck him somewhere out of the way with nothing to do. If he’s not careful, he may get the internet banned for the rest of the employees (ahh, the infamous bank temp job).
A wiffle ball game with an untaped ball will be the most boring thing I’ve ever done in my life. I really question if the voters have ever played the game.
If we want to play like girls we could just go over to Fobes and watch the Gilmore’s. I’ll bring the Zima.
screw you dutch, i am watching the Gilmore girls under duress, you chose to watch that show season after season.
i think we need a practice session to iron out these details. i’ve never heard of this tape thing and need to see it action to make a clear determination.
anyone else watch the $9mil high stakes golf match with doyle brunson & all the other poker pro/golf gamblers on ESPN yesterday? i loved all the weird gambler’s rules – teeing up from any position, greasing the ball, etc. i thought it was entertaining.
dutch, i thought you were a national league fan and appreciate pitching and now you say you want to juice the ball and have a home run derby. that is what’s wrong with baseball today, home runs, home runs that is all anyone cares about these days, tragic.
Steve in Switzerland, interesting post – but I’m not sure you really understand what it takes to be an NFL (american football) athlete. These guys are the 1/1000th of 1% biggest, strongest, fastest atheletes around (with or without HGH).
I want you to think about a 350lb man (what’s that in liters?) that can run 40 yards in 5.2 seconds and then bench press 800 lbs…. all due respect – any NFL team (and most top college teams) would beat the shit – and run rings around most rugby teams….. but I’m sure the rugby team would kick the ball better…..
Tommy says he’s a purist, but when push comes to shove, he is all about the long ball……….
http://stores.ebay.com/EXCURSIONS-Journey-to-Health/OFFICIAL-Wiffle-Ball-Rules.html
Shall be the Official Wiffle®ball (baseball size);
May be scuffed between innings only;
May have no foreign substances applied to it;
May be kept exclusively in the possession of the pitcher;
Only one ball shall be allowed on field during game play.
Any ball with a crack greater than a 1/4″ shall be, upon appeal, deemed illegal and immediately removed from the game.
The legality of the ball must be questioned before the pitch is delivered.
I always had tape on the ball if it was windy or if you were trying to play a real game. The outfielders dont do anything if the ball isnt taped. You should tape the ball if you want a more realistic game. Plus its hard to throw across the diamond without tape on the ball. You might as well play in someones backyard if you dont tape the ball. Duct tape or athletic tape is best.
Scott J,
You O.K. Man? It looks like San Diego is burning down.
First, English Bob’s post #2 did make me laugh out loud.
BMO, you can’t be happy with post #8 after you made a big stink about there already being numbers next to the postings on the last episode thread. Good recovery on 9 and 10 though
Regarding Rugby vs. US football, I feel compelled to post. I generally agree with English Bob and PMAC as they presented a balanced view of things.
I started to appreciate, and than really like Rugby when I started travelling to the UK about 10 years ago. The six nations event (five at that time I think prior to Italy) was underway and I could either choose to engage and enjoy it or not. I became a fan of Rugby (both Union and League) in part because I enjoyed the sport and in part to participate in the social discussions that go with any sport.
I believe Rugby, from a US Football view, is often like a continuous option play. Very entertaining. I also believe all the athletes on the Rugby fields are unquestionably at a high level of fitness in terms of endurance and strength. In US football the skills vary more from position, 325 pounds may be average for a O-lineman, to a relatively thoroughbread-type build of a return specialist).
I think both Rugby and US Football, played at the highest levels, require a tremendous amount of technique and subtle skill that we as fans do not really see much of the time. To really think that a team from one sport would fair well against a equal level team of the opposite sport is a bit far-fetched in my mind.
While a Rugby fan, I claim US Football as my favourite for various reasons, some to do with the sport itself, some with my personal knowledge and experience of its history, and other reasons because I enjoy the social activities around it. Much like English Bob and PMAC who appear to like US football even though Rugby is their favourite.
I think most, but perhaps not all, US Football fans, in the right environment, would enjoy Rugby after watching with someone who appreciates the subtleties and understands the rules. I think the same would occur for Rugby fans that are not familiar with Football. At a minimum, both games deserve respect for what they are and the skill involved. They are simply different games with some similar elements.
I believe arguments simply based on ‘my favourite sport is better than yours’ prevent the popularity of each from spreading. The worst of these, in my opinion are (from the Rugby side) Rugby Players don’t wear body armour so therefore they are tougher. And (from the US Football Side) if Rugby Players don’t even need pads to prevent shattered bones on every play, they must not hit very hard.
So Steve-in-Sweden-but-not-Swedish, you asked for comments and those are mine. I hope you find them fair and will watch a US Football game with a long-time fan and an open mind (including not simply contrasting it to Rugby) next time you get a chance.
With regard to the World Series, you are right, there is no defence for that.
piercedrugby,
Yes, the Soaring Eagle and it’s not the dump it used to be. Arguably the nicest gaming property I’ve been to outside of Vegas.
Wiffle Ball Purists,
I missed the official rule saying all players over 8 must leave the playground immediately. Maybe we should play a game of nerf football while were at it.
I guarantee all players will vote for tape after the first inning. I’ll just let nature take it’s course rather than continue this here.
If we don’t tape the ball we should play fast pitch. A three on three game with pitchers on the defending team could work in a small area.
I haven’t heard the show yet, so I’m not complete sure of the origin of the argument. However, I was appalled to see the poll question. I can’t imagine EVER taping a whiffle ball. There’s a distinct purpose for the “whiffles” and taking them away is reDONKuluous. It’s equivalent to shaving one’s balls. I heard Brian saying that he wanted to play “slow” pitch. I guess we need to define this further. Are you talking underhand like a bunch of commie girls? I’ve always played pitching overhand..so you can throw the curves and screws. You can throw them “slow” as well. Having the whiffles makes the batted balls go crazy and harder to field as well. Win/Win.
PS. I am assembling my team. The two other dudes are actually from Minneapolis…so it’s an intraracial marriage of metropolitan areas. I used to live there so I’ll gladly play for “Minneapolis”, but I do like the title of the “Vegas vs Seattle Battle”.
Tommy, if you bring the Zima I’ll bring the Jolly Ranchers.
Nerf Football?
BOOK IT!
We’ll play that too brother. I’ve seen your two teammates bro.. Not exactly Moss and Rice caliber. Loser buys KFC famous bowls.
maybe you guys need to agree on some rules (i could be wrong)… Whiffle ball in my white-trash, cut-off shorts wearing neighborhood was always in the ‘V’ shaped field – where hits/runs depended on the distance you hit the ball…. tapped ball would seem to be a lot of HRs…. good luck. Tackle Nerf? now I’d want to see that!
Airforce +6
USF -4.5
Wake -6
Pitts +11
Kentucky -13.5
Buffalo -1
Arkansas -39
Cal +3.5
clemson -3
oh…and
Rutgers +6.5
NCAAF: 22-12
NFL: 10-10-1
Hey boys…I was just stoping in to see if we have a set date for the TAI vrs. Aussie game. I might just have to make sure I am in Vegas that day. I would love to be out there cheering you all on, too bad I don’t still have my old cheer uniform.
Tommy D. So Cal isn’t totaly burning down yet, but if this damn wind doesn’t let up soon it will be.
i see your tackle nerf football and raise you …
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lady grey, i’ll spring for a new cheerleader outfit if you promise to wear it to cheer us on.
I think that I will just have to get a TAI tank top made….
We should pick team colors, so I make sure I have the right color tank when I get there.
Sorry guys been busy and still catching up from last week. Anyhow, here is the exact text from the back of this Paris ticket:
“Please check ticket for accuracy before leaving the wagering window. Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas assumes no responsibility for miswritten, lost, stolen, mutilated, forged, or altered tickets. The Nevada State Gaming Control Board has the sole jurisdiction over any dispute arising as a result of this wager. Pari-mutuel tickets are valid for 120 days after the date of purchase or 30 days of close of meet, whichever occcurs first. All non pari-mutuel tickets are valid for one year. Winning tickets are paid in accordance with posted house rules and may be mailed in for collection. Please write MAIL PAY on the back of the ticket and complete in ink.” (form, then address for registered mail.)
So I think it’s good for a year, right? I should be able to cash it in January?
As for the Rockies pick, I got them at the end of June right after they won 8 in a row and were about 6 games out of the division lead. 75/1 just seemed like a huge price to me. Being a fan of the Rockies (and Colts and WVU, man it’s been one of those years you just dream about), I figured I’d never miss the $5 if it was gone, and it would be a great payday if it came through. 75/1 seemed like a long number then and I certainly wasn’t shopping for one – I happened to be playing poker at the Paris after busting out of the WSOP. By early August they were down to 20/1. I have no idea what the numbers were/would have been at the Hilton.
i say the americans wear green and the aussies wear black and white.
KGB,
That language is a bit confusing but it sounds like you’ll be good. I didn’t mean to burst your bubble with all that Hilton talk, I just want to get that message out. You obviously plucked a great number at a great time. Congrats, and good luck to your boys in the series. Hope to see you in January.
#42 or there abouts
Hey guys – I haven’t listened to the show yet either but it sounds like this wiffle ball games are heating up. we don’t play the game here so we’ll leave the specifics up to you guys.
Lady Grey – i put down for thanksgiving but not sure if that suits the LV guys. we’re there from the 19th thru the 27th. the only day that doesn’t suit us is the 21st.
I completely support Patch’s Wiffle Ball position in Post 31.
btw i am leaning towards ghostrunners just so i don’t have to bring runners.
who’d a thunk it – Viva Laughlin canceled after only 2 airings. ok, folks in Britain – any of seen this Viva Blackpool, could it have possibly been any good?
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The music has stopped for “Viva Laughlin,” an offbeat song-and-dance drama that drew such low ratings it was canceled by CBS after two airings.
Even having film star Hugh Jackman (“X-Men”) aboard as executive producer and cast member couldn’t save the series. It was the second cancellation of the young season, after CW’s “Online Nation,” and the first scripted show to be yanked.
“Viva Laughlin,” based on the hit British series “Viva Blackpool,” debuted last Thursday with 8.4 million viewers – a pittance compared to the 21.2 million viewers that watched the CBS show preceding it, top-rated “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”
Moving to what was intended as its regular time slot, 8 p.m. EST Sunday, “Viva Laughlin” dropped to an estimated 6.8 million viewers. The show starring Lloyd Owen as a small-time gambler caught up in a murder investigation drew mostly drew largely poor reviews.
When is this Wiffle ball game going on? and we’ll this be available in ipod videocast?
um we’ll should be will, god I need to get off this crack….
Holy shit! Did you know they make you work all 8 hours in a row? Hasn’t the Chamber of Commerce ever heard of a siesta?
Slashdog, is there anyway we can get you on a more regular posting schedule? These once a week editions of War and Peace you’re throwing up there are killing me.
Haha tough schedule BMo. Here we choose to operate on ‘island time’