04/24/24
October 15, 2003
USA! USA! USA! Not quite, but oh so close.: Oh, so close. In the 81st minute, the Eagles score a try against Fiji to bring the scores to 19-18 with a conversion to come, but Kort Schubert's kick went wide. An upset goes begging. Of course, years and millions of dollars havn't made soccer a premier sport in the US, so it's unlikely a step up by the rugby team would have made a dent in the national consciousness.
This tournament has been getting huge coverage in Japan, where I happen to be right now. I have been enjoying watching the games...violent competition at it's finest. Jesus Christ some of the Fijian players are MAMMOTH and not a single US player was afraid to make a tackle. I only figured out at the very end that wherever the player crosses the end line is where the extra kick (the "try") is attempted from, so you want to score towards the middle of the field. Valiant effort by the Eagles.
posted by vito90 at 11:55 PM on October 15, 2003
vito90: The extra kick's the conversion; dotting the ball down is the try.
posted by rodgerd at 01:00 AM on October 16, 2003
Um, was this posted to make Americans more aware that we really suck at rugby on the world's stage? Or that we all of the son's of recent immigrants and the best whitebread surburban athletes (who weren't big or talented enough to play football, baseball, basketball, hockey, or lacrosse) that make-up the MLS and the US nat'l team still can't stack up against the rest of the world. (except for Mexico, we kick their butt all the time now...well, most of the time, especially when we hold the match at kickoff temps 45F or less and/or places that have really lousy Mexican food...you make the connection Dusty Baker) But hey, the high-profile US women soccer team is the best...er, well, 3rd place... in the World Cup tournament with 5 decent teams. Damn, how are we in cricket? How about the Women's Rugby World Cup?
posted by GoDizzGo at 03:26 AM on October 16, 2003
Congratulations to the reigning Olympic Champions for a good game against a tough Fiji side. Fiji never look quite up to the grade in the 15s, but they have a great 7s side and can play some explosive rugby. The Eagles played their hearts out though, and should have got a result. I caught some highlights last night and it looked brave stuff. Gutting when that kick drifted wide at the death.
posted by walrus at 03:49 AM on October 16, 2003
BTW, in the US, the games are delayed 72 hours. Fiji-USA isn't being shown until 10/18. So by putting the result in the post, you may have pissed off any of the rugby fans the US does have.
posted by Smackfu at 09:45 AM on October 16, 2003
SpoFi: We piss off American rugby fans just for fun!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:37 PM on October 16, 2003
Let me be clarify that I'm not personally upset, because of course I'm an American, and don't care about rugby.
posted by Smackfu at 02:44 PM on October 16, 2003
"rugby fans" i think would be passionately following the results online or by any source they have rather than waiting for a 3 day time delay to lift. that said, a 72 hour time delay would be news to me (if I lived in the states and had a tv and wanted to watch the rugby and all that). is it on espn classic or something?
posted by gspm at 05:04 PM on October 16, 2003
American Rugby's Dream Team: Ray Lewis Derrick Brooks Dante Hall Brian Urlacher Ricky Williams Randy Moss Keyshawn Johnson Michael Vick Donovan McNabb Dante Culpepper LaDanian Tomlinson John Lynch Charles Woodson Eric Moulds If they played rugby instead of gridiron, no one would stand a chance!
posted by jasonbondshow at 05:33 PM on October 16, 2003
Rugby's a sport for hard (and posh) men not a bunch of padded-up nonces. I'm afraid England would eat 'em up and spit 'em out.
posted by squealy at 05:56 PM on October 16, 2003
Fox Sports World actually. With the football and the cricket.
posted by Smackfu at 10:18 PM on October 16, 2003
Sorry, jasonbondshow. Rugby and American Football are two totally different sports. It's quite possible that the athletes you named could play rugby if given enough time and practice. Then again, it's just as likely that rugby players like Martin Johnson and Ben Cohen could play American football. Athletic guys are athletic guys, but when the sports require a high degree of technical ability and tactical nous, there's no way you can step from one to the other. Even rugby league players, like Jason Robinson, Iestyn Harris and Wendell Sailor have taken time to adjust. All three are backs, which is where there is the most crossover between the codes. I can't imagine any other sport which would be a good grounding for playing prop, for example.
posted by salmacis at 04:35 AM on October 17, 2003
What puzzles me, in the sense of crossover, is why the NFL doesn't bring over some of the Aussie Rules players because those boys can kick the shiznit out of a football. Can't imagine that being a punter or PK in the NFL wouldn't pay a whole lot more, either.
posted by billsaysthis at 02:12 PM on October 17, 2003
bill, I think its because the Aussie players understand the connotations of being a punter here in the U.S. :)
posted by lilnemo at 02:40 PM on October 17, 2003
Think of the money--those are US dollars and not the Australian half-priced imitations--though I admit I would gladly move to Oz if someone would just hook me up with a reasonable job.
posted by billsaysthis at 06:06 PM on October 17, 2003
I will say this about rugby...when nothing else is on TV, there always seems to be a rugby game on some Fox Sportsnet channel. I can kinda pick up some rules, but it just seems to be an odd mix of soccer and football to my non-rugby-educated eyes.