The Six Nations thread | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

ludoo · Feb 2, 2009 at 1:41 PM

With the Superbowl over, let's talk about a *real* contact sport where players manage to play 80 consecutive minutes without a helmet, extensive padding, and needing to breath oxygen after each 10-yards run. (I know, cheap flame but I could not resist).

The Six Nations tournament is starting this Saturday, and I for one would love to chat the games with fellow hfiers. I will cheer Italy but since we generally suck and have zero chances for victory, I will also cheer Wales, my second favourite team and the one that plays the most spectacular rugby in the Northern emisphere (and has less different surnames in the whole squad).

Any other rugby fans around?

Duggeh · Feb 2, 2009 at 3:11 PM

I favour no team in the competition because of my unionist beliefs and fondness for all the countries and just enjoy the play. That said its not going to be Scotland or Italy that will win. The tournament usually culminates around the time that the univeristy ale society undertakes its annual monster pub crawl too so thats always a fun bonus to the day.

krmathis · Feb 2, 2009 at 4:52 PM

Running around chasing a ball for 90 minutes seems just weird to me.
God bless winter and motor sports. :

noremedy · Feb 2, 2009 at 5:43 PM

Well the superbowl was enjoyable, but as a rugby player myself I have to agree that its a far superior sport with some real contact!

Uncle Erik · Feb 2, 2009 at 6:11 PM

Not to derail the thread, but American football becomes much more interesting once you begin to understand the rules, plays, strategies and coaching aspect. It's more like a chess game than just beating the hell out of each other. I realize that you probably have to have been brought up here to fully appreciate the game, much like baseball. The same is true of other sports, so I'll refrain from taking a shot at soccer, etc.

IceClass · Feb 2, 2009 at 6:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Running around chasing a ball for 90 minutes seems just weird to me.
God bless winter and motor sports. :

As someone who managed to get his nose busted twice in a single season of high school rugby participation and as one who has since discovered the joy of high powered snowmobiles, I must agree.

ludoo · Feb 2, 2009 at 6:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noremedy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Well the superbowl was enjoyable, but as a rugby player myself I have to agree that its a far superior sport with some real contact!

Exactly. England has had more downs than ups lately, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Not to derail the thread, but American football becomes much more interesting once you begin to understand the rules, plays, strategies and coaching aspect. It's more like a chess game than just beating the hell out of each other. I realize that you probably have to have been brought up here to fully appreciate the game, much like baseball. The same is true of other sports, so I'll refrain from taking a shot at soccer, etc.

I used to love American football too, it's true there's a lot of strategy, some wonderful skills, a very nice choreography to the games, and some pretty tense moments. But I find it too slow, like a battle fought from HQ. Rugby is fast, has the same depth of strategic thinking, but everything has to be done at breackneck speed, and with no pauses. It's also much more complex to understand and play, and much less ritualized, which leaves a big window open for spurs of creativity. And, perhaps more importantly, there's a real moral code in rugby which is usually understood and shared among players and fans at any level, something which is missing from most other sports.

mark2410 · Feb 2, 2009 at 7:21 PM

i agree, rugby tends to be rather civilized, players and more importantly the fans, quite unlike football which is just endless thuggery. competing countries have fun and get drunk together where as football fans get drunk then go to hospital together