Thanks for confirming our points. Rugby is a man's game, but parents aren't afraid of life threatening injuries from it. It can be played safely and the kid can have a lot of fun playing it. Sports like Aussie Rules, American football and hockey are sports that parents don't want their kids playing, as they often lead to longstanding injuries due to their violent natures.

I think a lot of parents want their kids to play those sports, in the hopes they will be a success and make big money. However, a lot of those same parents don't want to pay for the equipment needed, which is why sports like Basketball and Soccer are so popular. Costs very little to play those sports.

I don't hear (or see) too often where parents complain about the potential for their kids to be injured. Most of the bitching that I've seen/heard from parents has to do with coaching/coaches, rules and petty bickering over matters they think are the cause for their childs lack of success (it's never due to a lack of talent on behalf of their child of course, it's always someone else fault that their child isn't a superstar, and might not make it to the big money leagues).

Thanks for confirming our points. Rugby is a man's game, but parents aren't afraid of life threatening injuries from it. It can be played safely and the kid can have a lot of fun playing it. Sports like Aussie Rules, American football and hockey are sports that parents don't want their kids playing, as they often lead to longstanding injuries due to their violent natures.

I think a lot of parents want their kids to play those sports, in the hopes they will be a success and make big money. However, a lot of those same parents don't want to pay for the equipment needed, which is why sports like Basketball and Soccer are so popular. Costs very little to play those sports.

I don't hear (or see) too often where parents complain about the potential for their kids to be injured. Most of the bitching that I've seen/heard from parents has to do with coaching/coaches, rules and petty bickering over matters they think are the cause for their childs lack of success (it's never due to a lack of talent on behalf of their child of course, it's always someone else fault that their child isn't a superstar, and might not make it to the big money leagues).

In some of the smaller cities in the US, where HS football is king, then yes, parents push kids to play football. In these areas Friday night football is simply a way of life. This football culture even spawned a TV show on NBC called Friday Night Lights. However, in the bigger cities where parents now have greater choices, most prefer their kids to play other sports due to the potential for broken bones, torn ligaments and spinal injuries that too often happen in sandlot football. To get a better idea of the violence of sandlot football see the movie Invincible about Vince Papale. After seeing that tell me which parent in their right mind would want their kids playing American football?

Thanks for confirming our points. Rugby is a man's game, but parents aren't afraid of life threatening injuries from it. It can be played safely and the kid can have a lot of fun playing it. Sports like Aussie Rules, American football and hockey are sports that parents don't want their kids playing, as they often lead to longstanding injuries due to their violent natures.

I think a lot of parents want their kids to play those sports, in the hopes they will be a success and make big money. However, a lot of those same parents don't want to pay for the equipment needed, which is why sports like Basketball and Soccer are so popular. Costs very little to play those sports.

I don't hear (or see) too often where parents complain about the potential for their kids to be injured. Most of the bitching that I've seen/heard from parents has to do with coaching/coaches, rules and petty bickering over matters they think are the cause for their childs lack of success (it's never due to a lack of talent on behalf of their child of course, it's always someone else fault that their child isn't a superstar, and might not make it to the big money leagues).

In some of the smaller cities in the US, where HS football is king, then yes, parents push kids to play football. In these areas Friday night football is simply a way of life. This football culture even spawned a TV show on NBC called Friday Night Lights. However, in the bigger cities where parents now have greater choices, most prefer their kids to play other sports due to the potential for broken bones, torn ligaments and spinal injuries that too often happen in sandlot football. To get a better idea of the violence of sandlot football see the movie Invincible about Vince Papale. After seeing that tell me which parent in their right mind would want their kids playing American football?

I cannot call the fiasco called American Football, a game.

So many guys get mashed, and have never touched a ball during a session of mayhem, called a agme.

Shame on you AFL & NFL.

Apologies for being late on parade for this thread, been busy the last few days soaking whinging septic poofs.

If you want to know who is the hardest, try playing in the front row in a Devon v Cornwall county championship. I came out of that game with more injuries than you would get from 20 yaba'd up thai guys with sticks, knives and bottles.

To make it easier for the enemy I even took my arms out of the fight and put them around 2 big guys. Anyway, a broken foot, detached retina, and 6 stiches in my head did not deter me. Funnily enough it didn't even hurt (until after), and to show pain in the front row is as good as signing your own death warrant.

The yanks are indoctrinated with false sports (look at wrestling - absolutely ridiculous, but they still love it). They wear helmets and shoulder pads because they would just start crying if they had to play a real mans sport. They play for a few minutes then go and have a rest. We get a slice of orange after 40 minutes, and a punch in the face from fellow team mates who feel we could have tried harder.

Carry on deluding yourselves, that's what you septics are good at. If you lose the arguement you can always start a war

As former #8 I have had cracked ribs (taped up at half-time) and continued, dislocated shoulder (several times) (pulled back into place on the field each time) and so on. And played the game for fifty years - played for Wasps in my early twenties, taught Libyans, Hong Kong Chinese and many others to enjoy the game.

Up to a few years ago there were representative teams for UK playing tours in the States - probably stopped with the advent of the professional game. These tours usually finished with a couple of matches against top-ranked American football teams - playing one match of Rugby, one of American Football. Although the septics would sometimes win their own game, they lost all rugby matches and several AF matches.

Let's face it AFL is designed for television sponsors to get in as much advertising time as possible. It is it's only reason for existence.

Apologies for being late on parade for this thread, been busy the last few days soaking whinging septic poofs.

If you want to know who is the hardest, try playing in the front row in a Devon v Cornwall county championship. I came out of that game with more injuries than you would get from 20 yaba'd up thai guys with sticks, knives and bottles.

To make it easier for the enemy I even took my arms out of the fight and put them around 2 big guys. Anyway, a broken foot, detached retina, and 6 stiches in my head did not deter me. Funnily enough it didn't even hurt (until after), and to show pain in the front row is as good as signing your own death warrant.

The yanks are indoctrinated with false sports (look at wrestling - absolutely ridiculous, but they still love it). They wear helmets and shoulder pads because they would just start crying if they had to play a real mans sport. They play for a few minutes then go and have a rest. We get a slice of orange after 40 minutes, and a punch in the face from fellow team mates who feel we could have tried harder.

Carry on deluding yourselves, that's what you septics are good at. If you lose the arguement you can always start a war

As former #8 I have had cracked ribs (taped up at half-time) and continued, dislocated shoulder (several times) (pulled back into place on the field each time) and so on. And played the game for fifty years - played for Wasps in my early twenties, taught Libyans, Hong Kong Chinese and many others to enjoy the game.

Up to a few years ago there were representative teams for UK playing tours in the States - probably stopped with the advent of the professional game. These tours usually finished with a couple of matches against top-ranked American football teams - playing one match of Rugby, one of American Football. Although the septics would sometimes win their own game, they lost all rugby matches and several AF matches.

Let's face it AFL is designed for television sponsors to get in as much advertising time as possible. It is it's only reason for existence.

Good onya matey, salt of the earth rugby man.

I was just looking at Wikipedia.

The story is very US biased, the game came from Canada, and changed. Guess that makes it American, typical of yankees.

Game duration

A standard football game consists of four 15-minute (typically 12 minutes in

high-school football) quarters, with a half-time intermission after the second

quarter.

The clock stops after certain plays; therefore, a game can last

considerably longer (often more than three hours in real time), and if a game is

broadcast on television, TV timeouts are taken at certain intervals of the game

to broadcast commercials outside of game action.

What a pack of blouses.

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

Apologies for being late on parade for this thread, been busy the last few days soaking whinging septic poofs.

If you want to know who is the hardest, try playing in the front row in a Devon v Cornwall county championship. I came out of that game with more injuries than you would get from 20 yaba'd up thai guys with sticks, knives and bottles.

To make it easier for the enemy I even took my arms out of the fight and put them around 2 big guys. Anyway, a broken foot, detached retina, and 6 stiches in my head did not deter me. Funnily enough it didn't even hurt (until after), and to show pain in the front row is as good as signing your own death warrant.

The yanks are indoctrinated with false sports (look at wrestling - absolutely ridiculous, but they still love it). They wear helmets and shoulder pads because they would just start crying if they had to play a real mans sport. They play for a few minutes then go and have a rest. We get a slice of orange after 40 minutes, and a punch in the face from fellow team mates who feel we could have tried harder.

Carry on deluding yourselves, that's what you septics are good at. If you lose the arguement you can always start a war

As former #8 I have had cracked ribs (taped up at half-time) and continued, dislocated shoulder (several times) (pulled back into place on the field each time) and so on. And played the game for fifty years - played for Wasps in my early twenties, taught Libyans, Hong Kong Chinese and many others to enjoy the game.

Up to a few years ago there were representative teams for UK playing tours in the States - probably stopped with the advent of the professional game. These tours usually finished with a couple of matches against top-ranked American football teams - playing one match of Rugby, one of American Football. Although the septics would sometimes win their own game, they lost all rugby matches and several AF matches.

Let's face it AFL is designed for television sponsors to get in as much advertising time as possible. It is it's only reason for existence.

Humphrey, your comment that UK rugby teams played matches against top-ranked American football teams is rather puzzling. If these games indeed ever took place, it must have been around 1908. Frankly, I don't think that any "top-ranked American football teams" have ever competed in these types of matches...otherwise we would have heard about it. As to which athletes are tougher, we can argue that until the cows come home. Let's just say that players in both sports are tough men who sustain a lot of battle damage.

By the way, I recently was in Iraq conducting some training and I can tell you I was in the company of a lot of tough, brave men who put themselves in harms way every day.

The only times I've ever seen any one hit so hard that they came out of their shoes, was when a speeding car hit a motorcyclist and during American Football matches. The force is that great. None of this is meant to dismiss the other sports of rugby or aussie rules football. Only to point out they are different games. Certainly rough, but in a different way IMO.

^^^^Can you post a link to the rugby players beating a professional football team please?

Humphrey, your comment that UK rugby teams played matches against top-ranked American football teams is rather puzzling. If these games indeed ever took place, it must have been around 1908. Frankly, I don't think that any "top-ranked American football teams" have ever competed in these types of matches...otherwise we would have heard about it. As to which athletes are tougher, we can argue that until the cows come home. Let's just say that players in both sports are tough men who sustain a lot of battle damage.

This was going on in the early eighties, but I lost touch with a lot of people then, because I spent more than ten years in Libya and there were only international calls from monitored call-booths.

By the way, I recently was in Iraq conducting some training and I can tell you I was in the company of a lot of tough, brave men who put themselves in harms way every day.

And also the Americans??

(Just joking)

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

No, soorry - the word is "Septic" - rhyming slang - septic tank = yank.

('cos it's full of you-know-what)

Not septic tankers!?!?

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

No, soorry - the word is "Septic" - rhyming slang - septic tank = yank.

('cos it's full of you-know-what)

And Brit rhymes with shit, so what's your point?

The only times I've ever seen any one hit so hard that they came out of their shoes, was when a speeding car hit a motorcyclist and during American Football matches. The force is that great. None of this is meant to dismiss the other sports of rugby or aussie rules football. Only to point out they are different games. Certainly rough, but in a different way IMO.

^^^^Can you post a link to the rugby players beating a professional football team please?

AFL & NFL are just bashem up confrontations for most guys on the field.

Note, not players.

Gladiators, and stupid ones at that.

Union and League are far better, at least everyone can get a chance to carry the ball.

NOT SO in yankee confrontations.

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

No, soorry - the word is "Septic" - rhyming slang - septic tank = yank.

('cos it's full of you-know-what)

And Brit rhymes with shit, so what's your point?

Well I'm Irish and I can't think of anything that rhymes with that!

Where's Taddy when you need him?

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

No, soorry - the word is "Septic" - rhyming slang - septic tank = yank.

('cos it's full of you-know-what)

And Brit rhymes with shit, so what's your point?

Well I'm Irish and I can't think of anything that rhymes with that!

Where's Taddy when you need him?

Sorry, I was asleep, the main problem of being narcoleptic.

Have any of you actually seen a playbook from a NFL team?

Defensive or offensive.

The dullards playing Rugby and Aus rules wouldn't last a minute in the play and formation rich NFL, god forbid they would have to use their brains .

It takes more brains to play in the NFL than it does in the mindless rugby and aus rules leagues. NFL is not just brawn, but also brains. Can't say the same for the aforementioned girls sports from the UK and Aus.

PS: The word is , SCEPTIC, septic, which your cuts etc may become.

On 2nd thoughts that sound better to describe AFL & NFL players......lol

No, soorry - the word is "Septic" - rhyming slang - septic tank = yank.

('cos it's full of you-know-what)

And Brit rhymes with shit, so what's your point?

Well I'm Irish and I can't think of anything that rhymes with that!

Where's Taddy when you need him?

Sorry, I was asleep, the main problem of being narcoleptic.

Still can't think of anything that rhymes with Irish then?

A true " oirish " man would know that the only thing that rhymes with " Irish " is " Apple Tree ". ( That's why they're Irish ....silly )

OK, so nothing rhymes with Irish. But if you're Irish and feeling famished, or even peckish, you need one of these:

http://www.obrien.ie/book138.cfm

OK, so nothing rhymes with Irish. But if you're Irish and feeling famished, or even peckish, you need one of these:

http://www.obrien.ie/book138.cfm

Love it, can't wait to get a copy...

Potato Soup

You will need:

2 lbs/908 g potatoes

2 onions

1 pint/568 ml/2½ cups vegetable stock

1 pint/568 ml/2½ cups milk

3/8 pint/213 ml/1 cup cream

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

6 streaky bacon rashers

Potato Soup you'll love, and make it often;

Peel onions and potatoes, and slice them small,

And heat in melted butter until they soften,

But make quite sure they do not brown at all.

Now add the milk and stock, with herbs to season,

And bring the mixture quickly to the boil.

Then turn it down at once -- it stands to reason

Unless you heat it gently, it will spoil!

Thirty minutes on low heat is what you give it,

And since it will be rather thick to pour,

At this stage you should liquidise or sieve it,

Then add the cream and heat it up once more.

You'll sure get a lot of praise, and you'll deserve it,

By ensuring your Potato Soup is topped

With a really tasty garnish, when you serve it,

Of bacon rashers, crisply fried and chopped.

Poetry Tiggs, pure poetry.

Have any of you actually seen a playbook from a NFL team?

Defensive or offensive.

The dullards playing Rugby and Aus rules wouldn't last a minute in the play and formation rich NFL, god forbid they would have to use their brains .

It takes more brains to play in the NFL than it does in the mindless rugby and aus rules leagues. NFL is not just brawn, but also brains. Can't say the same for the aforementioned girls sports from the UK and Aus.

Only the brainless mentally challemged would think rugby players need a book on how to play their game.........<deleted>

Only the brainless mentally challemged would go and watch guys playing NFL et al.

At least you admit rugby players have brains, more than I will say about you apparently, a suppoter of the brainless brawn basins.

Having been a Rugby player ( both casual and reresentative ) all my life, I used to hold similar views to ZP. However, a few years ago I had the opportunity to watch a game in the NFL live.

Sorry, learning play-books is not a sign of intelligence, just a sign that the players have to have someone to do their thinking for them on the pitch. However, the hits were truely awesome. Those guys were in no way girlies and the force of the tackles made me wince from the back of the stands.

Each to their own, i'll stick with rugby, which until the super 14 crowd turn it into an extention of touch rugby ( which it resembles more each season, taps and blokes the size of fly-halfs in the front row !!! No wonder you lot never come close in the world cup ), is by far the "thinking man's " physical game.

Having been a Rugby player ( both casual and reresentative ) all my life, I used to hold similar views to ZP. However, a few years ago I had the opportunity to watch a game in the NFL live.

Sorry, learning play-books is not a sign of intelligence, just a sign that the players have to have someone to do their thinking for them on the pitch. However, the hits were truely awesome. Those guys were in no way girlies and the force of the tackles made me wince from the back of the stands.

Each to their own, i'll stick with rugby, which until the super 14 crowd turn it into an extention of touch rugby ( which it resembles more each season, taps and blokes the size of fly-halfs in the front row !!! No wonder you lot never come close in the world cup ), is by far the "thinking man's " physical game.

I fully concur.

Never imagine rugby guys sitting around reading books about plays, be too heavy to lift.........lol