Rugby is often seen as a tough-man's game, often populated with fights, under-punished by both on-field referees and off-field tribunals in the interest of the show going on.
Well, Italy's national side, in losing to England recently, may have had something to say about that, if the strategy discussed in this Deadspin article takes wider foot.
It may well open the game up and stop a lot of the cheap shots.
Basically, often what happens is when a player is downed in rugby, a complete mess with very few rules results as a number of players attempt to either contest the ball or keep the ball on their side. This mass of players, called a "ruck", often results in cheap shots, fouls (called or otherwise), and, eventually, fights.
The key rule here is, when a ruck is formed, no player from their own side of the ruck can pass over to the other side of the ruck.
So, what happens when there's no ruck on a tackle? That is, once a tackle is made, they just get off the guy?
Italy tried that against England, and pissed them off. The referee, however, correctly called that there was only tackles, no rucks, with Italy, and, hence, Italy could get on the offensive side of the ball and camp out there (a practice illegal if a ruck is formed).
England, after winning with three late tries, wants the rules changed to make that illegal too.
I like Italy's tactic here. Get the cheap-shot business off the field and let the game flow a bit more.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Ref Abuse: We Knew It Was Coming...
The NJCAA National Hockey Championship game was terminated and forfeited Saturday night when one of the players of one of the five schools of this division attacked a referee and was arrested.
We knew this was coming. There has been far too much referee abuse making the national media the last several years. We had to know it would get at least this far at some point.
The player, Brandon Day, has been charged with second-degree harassment, disorderly conduct, and fourth-degree criminal mischief under New York Law.
There is no apparent special reference in New York's Penal Code 120, for assault and other similar crimes, against a sports referee.
The disorderly conduct charge (240.20) is a minor violation. So is second-degree harassment (240.26).
It's the criminal mischief charge (145.00) that can get him one year in New York jail. I'm not clear why something in Penal Code 120 was not also invoked here.
In fact, reading 145.00 here, it sounds like Day is being mis-charged.
Since there were only five schools this year, the NJCAA has terminated sanctioning of men's ice hockey.Erie Community College (NJCAA) player storms out of penalty box to level referee late in 3rd period, ending national title game pic.twitter.com/UuJYjSER3K— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 26, 2017
We knew this was coming. There has been far too much referee abuse making the national media the last several years. We had to know it would get at least this far at some point.
The player, Brandon Day, has been charged with second-degree harassment, disorderly conduct, and fourth-degree criminal mischief under New York Law.
There is no apparent special reference in New York's Penal Code 120, for assault and other similar crimes, against a sports referee.
The disorderly conduct charge (240.20) is a minor violation. So is second-degree harassment (240.26).
It's the criminal mischief charge (145.00) that can get him one year in New York jail. I'm not clear why something in Penal Code 120 was not also invoked here.
In fact, reading 145.00 here, it sounds like Day is being mis-charged.
Friday, February 24, 2017
A "Danger, Will Robinson" moment for Brian Tuohy...
I'll let the man tell you himself...
When are people going to get smart and just shut down soccer in Italy to begin with?
Of course, this comes in the same week that Sutton United's reserve goalkeeper, Wayne Shaw, was caught spot-fixing, forced to leave the team, and permanently sullied one of the grand stories in the FA Cup.
(But there is another: Arsenal's next opponent is Lincoln City, the first fifth-level team to reach the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in over a century.)
The spot-fixing, if there is one thankful moment of this, was effectively taking advantage of that the match was at Sutton United, a similar fifth-tier side. At halftime, it was apparently being discussed at the sideline that 8-1 odds had been placed that the portly reserve goalkeeper (who I also believe was a coach) would eat a pie on the sideline.
So he ordered one and did just that!
Shaw is now under investigation by the FA, which as rules against such conduct in the top eight levels of English soccer. A conviction probably ends his career, as usual bans for this are multiple years.
Also, this week, it was revealed that at least 53 players have run afoul of similar regulations in just over two years of a Gambling Commission, including...
... wait for it...
Joey Barton!
We may finally be rid of him.
After his attempt to get Queens Park Rangers demoted from the Premier League in 2012:
The Football Association has evidence, so it claims, that Barton placed over 1,260 bets on soccer matches illegally over a 10-year period (2006-2016).
It is currently unknown where the process stands -- he has asked for mitigation in a personal meeting, but how Joey Barton is ever allowed on any football pitch in the world is beyond me.
And, given the scope of the betting illegalities, one can only re-ask the question regarding that (in)famous day at Manchester City.
Italy. AGAIN...So I got an email offer from someone in Italy asking for me to help fix a soccer match. Who should be most concerned? Me, the guy, FIFA...?— Brian Tuohy (@TheFixIsInTuohy) February 21, 2017
When are people going to get smart and just shut down soccer in Italy to begin with?
Of course, this comes in the same week that Sutton United's reserve goalkeeper, Wayne Shaw, was caught spot-fixing, forced to leave the team, and permanently sullied one of the grand stories in the FA Cup.
(But there is another: Arsenal's next opponent is Lincoln City, the first fifth-level team to reach the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in over a century.)
The spot-fixing, if there is one thankful moment of this, was effectively taking advantage of that the match was at Sutton United, a similar fifth-tier side. At halftime, it was apparently being discussed at the sideline that 8-1 odds had been placed that the portly reserve goalkeeper (who I also believe was a coach) would eat a pie on the sideline.
So he ordered one and did just that!
Shaw is now under investigation by the FA, which as rules against such conduct in the top eight levels of English soccer. A conviction probably ends his career, as usual bans for this are multiple years.
Also, this week, it was revealed that at least 53 players have run afoul of similar regulations in just over two years of a Gambling Commission, including...
... wait for it...
Joey Barton!
We may finally be rid of him.
After his attempt to get Queens Park Rangers demoted from the Premier League in 2012:
- He was fined 75,000 pounds, docked six weeks wages for another 500,000 pounds, and banned 12 matches for the incidents in a last-day match against Manchster City.
- He was loaned to Marseille in France for six months, banned to just the UEFA Europa League for the relevant twelve matches, and announced he would not return to QPR -- who were relegated in 2012-13.
- He was, by May of 2013, given a two-match suspended ban for an inappropriate remark about a player from Paris-St. Germain on Twitter.
- Barton, then, inexplicably, was allowed back to Queens Park Rangers for the 2013-14 season in the Championship (second-level to the Premier League). This, after he told the media he had only joined QPR for the money AND that QPR's chairman actually said that Barton's departure had a part to play in the team's demotion!
- He lasted two years, was sent off twice, and finally left QPR for Burnley in 2015.
- West Ham wanted to sign him, but fans protested, noting Barton's long indiscipline record.
- He largely stayed out of trouble at Burnley, being a major factor in their promotion in 2015-16 to the Premier League. He was actually named to the all-league team.
- At which point he left for Scotland and Rangers. He lasted the off-season and maybe a month of the main year. Banned for three weeks after a dispute with his coach, he was finally fired from the team after a one-match ban for gambling in November of 2016.
- Returning to Burnley at this first of this year...
The Football Association has evidence, so it claims, that Barton placed over 1,260 bets on soccer matches illegally over a 10-year period (2006-2016).
It is currently unknown where the process stands -- he has asked for mitigation in a personal meeting, but how Joey Barton is ever allowed on any football pitch in the world is beyond me.
And, given the scope of the betting illegalities, one can only re-ask the question regarding that (in)famous day at Manchester City.
Islam to become illegal in 3??? 2??? 1???
Muhammad Ali Jr. was detained for questioning at a Florida airport on February 7.
This makes the son of The Greatest almost-certainy the highest profile victim of Herr Troomp's Muslim immigration ban.
Of course, as the Deadspin article's commenters quickly note, Trump doesn't even understand Muslim sports heroes in this country...
Oh, like Jr.'s FATHER??? Or does Donald Trump actually believe that he was Cassius Clay -- Ali's "slave name".
This makes the son of The Greatest almost-certainy the highest profile victim of Herr Troomp's Muslim immigration ban.
Of course, as the Deadspin article's commenters quickly note, Trump doesn't even understand Muslim sports heroes in this country...
Oh, like Jr.'s FATHER??? Or does Donald Trump actually believe that he was Cassius Clay -- Ali's "slave name".
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Super Farce LI(E): Please tell me they're not doing this...
Brian Tuohy retweeted something this morning:
Oh. Dear. God.
Bleacher Report reported Thursday from Anita Busch at Deadline that a film and a book are being commissioned to take this entire fucking farce that is Tom Brady of the last three years (Deflategate to Super Bowl LI(E)) and turn it into a redemption story...
The jokes just write themselves.
Now all we need to know is when in about December or so the plans began...
So, time to click the URL in the thing to see if this is really happening...@TheFixIsInTuohy have you seen this? pic.twitter.com/eMTPVLq5fV— LooseCannon (@cklegend7) February 18, 2017
Oh. Dear. God.
Bleacher Report reported Thursday from Anita Busch at Deadline that a film and a book are being commissioned to take this entire fucking farce that is Tom Brady of the last three years (Deflategate to Super Bowl LI(E)) and turn it into a redemption story...
The jokes just write themselves.
Now all we need to know is when in about December or so the plans began...
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
And now we have another state wanting to join North Carolina in American Sports Apartheid...
The governor of the state of Texas, Transphobe Greg Abbott, wants passed an anti-transgender bathroom bill.
The NFL has told said state that such passage might well terminate any hope of Texas hosting the Super Bowl in the future.
The governor of the state has said, according to Deadspin, that the NFL is "walking on thin ice", also referencing the Colin Kaepernick debacle.
He may wish to talk to his religious brethren in North Carolina, who have lost:
Next year's Men's Final Four, however, is in San Antonio.
As such, I leave you with this message I have sent to the Governor of the State of Texas, both his news and personal Twitter accounts:
The NFL has told said state that such passage might well terminate any hope of Texas hosting the Super Bowl in the future.
The governor of the state has said, according to Deadspin, that the NFL is "walking on thin ice", also referencing the Colin Kaepernick debacle.
He may wish to talk to his religious brethren in North Carolina, who have lost:
- The NBA All-Star Game this year
- The ACC Football Championship Game, at least for this year
- At least one year of NCAA Championships, including one pod of the first two rounds.
- And as now threatened that, if their anti-transgender bill is not rescinded, that ban will until at least 2022, for ALL NCAA Championships. They have until the end of February, according to Deadspin.
- The Women's Basketball Final Four is in Dallas this year. (The day after the corresponding rounds of the Men's.)
- The Division I (FCS) Football Championship is held in Frisco, TX. (Was held on January 3, 2017)
- The Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Division I Championships are in College Station, TX this year. (Second weekend in March)
- The Men's Swimming and Diving Division III Championships are in Shenandoah, TX this year. (Third weekend in March)
- The Women's Golf Division III National Championship is in Houston this year (Second weekend in May).
- The Division II Baseball National Championship is in Grand Prairie, TX this year (end of May, first of June).
Next year's Men's Final Four, however, is in San Antonio.
As such, I leave you with this message I have sent to the Governor of the State of Texas, both his news and personal Twitter accounts:
@GovAbbott @GregAbbott_TX Just a reminder: If you sign that transphobic piece of shit bill, you lose next year's Final Four. #Fact— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) February 16, 2017
NHL Suspension Blotter: One Big One In, Another Bigger One Coming
- Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Nyquist got off light here.
He was suspended six games today after a phone hearing, and, if you see the shot Spurgeon took, should've been 10.
Of course, that's about half what another player might be expecting.
- Anaheim Ducks: Antoine Vermette.
Word is he's probably looking at 10 when the announcement comes tomorrow.
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