Caps to sell out The Palace?

Gobbo @ #24 +1

Were you always picked last Emlyn? I’m sorry.

“Most sport is a profoundly anti-intellectual and an intrinsically worthless enterprise.”

You’ve obviously never hung around the ANU much. More than half the place plays football (soccer) on a regular basis.

I’m astounded that anyone would assert that sport is ‘anti-intellectual’. Some people who like sport might be anti-intellectual, but that’s got nothing with sport being anti-intellectual.

Camus (amongst many other public intellectuals) has written at length on the benefits and joys of sport.

I don’t wanna be rude, but your argument sounds driven by prejudice (and not a small bit of snobbery) rather than an intellectual argument.

As for the ‘intrinsic worthlessness’ of sport: regular exercise is essential for the proper functioning of the brain; team sport is a valuable way for people to learn and hone social skills, negotiation techniques and leadership abilities; it’s great for hand-eye coordination; etc. etc.

yes, a little bit of perspective lost here. couple of points a) the capitals are hardly overpaid sportstars. only a couple of them don’t have to work full time as well as play. which i guess was my point about them being an inspiration – they aren’t incorrectly focusing all their efforts on sport b)china is also sports/physical activity mad

all things in morderation indeed – physical inactivity costs taxpayers millions. and things like games and sport help to in fact build intellect – look up all the countless studies on it emlyn…. and i know heaps of nerdy smart over achieving friends who play/interested in sport

Emlyn Ward said :

Pommy Bastard, your assertions on sport are simply that: assertions. Part of growing-up means finding more important ways to develop as a person than playing silly games.

Most sport is a profoundly anti-intellectual and an intrinsically worthless enterprise.
This country is obsessed with sport, and as a result all we do here in Australia is dig-up our outback to ship minerals to China where real people with real skills turn it into real things with real value.

right. go to the gym, do you?
walk on a track to exercise?

I am not obsessed with sport, but i love kicking the old football (read soccer)with my kids. I have to exercise to keep up with the buggers. if my kids want to play sport into their adult years, good on them. at least they won’t be filling up the lounge and waddling to the fridge…

and we ship minerals everywhere. the fact that one place is china, where they are also into sport, is just good luck for us.

Emlyn Ward said :

Pommy Bastard, your assertions on sport are simply that: assertions. Part of growing-up means finding more important ways to develop as a person than playing silly games.

Most sport is a profoundly anti-intellectual and an intrinsically worthless enterprise.
This country is obsessed with sport, and as a result all we do here in Australia is dig-up our outback to ship minerals to China where real people with real skills turn it into real things with real value.

The Mining Boom.
Brought to you by the Australian Sport’s Commision.

I’m sorry I won’t be seeing you at the Palace on Friday night Emlyn. If you end up seeing it on telly, I will be the one that is cheering madly for the Caps to win.

🙂

Now, wasn’t this topic about a sell-out grand final rather than why Emlyn can’t stand sport?

Emlyn Ward said :

Pommy Bastard, your assertions on sport are simply that: assertions. Part of growing-up means finding more important ways to develop as a person than playing silly games.

Most sport is a profoundly anti-intellectual and an intrinsically worthless enterprise.
This country is obsessed with sport, and as a result all we do here in Australia is dig-up our outback to ship minerals to China where real people with real skills turn it into real things with real value.

I think you’ve lost perspective here. Australia is no more sports interested than most other countries.

All things in moderation…

Pommy Bastard, your assertions on sport are simply that: assertions. Part of growing-up means finding more important ways to develop as a person than playing silly games.

Most sport is a profoundly anti-intellectual and an intrinsically worthless enterprise.
This country is obsessed with sport, and as a result all we do here in Australia is dig-up our outback to ship minerals to China where real people with real skills turn it into real things with real value.

Emlyn Ward said :

John-boy – Yes! Sport is great for children, but is a vastly over-emphasised adult activity in our media.
And the constant litany of overpaid footballers getting caught up in alcohol/drugs and sexual assault stories (and their supporters in brawls) doesn’t do much to convince me I might be wrong.

Just because the importance of sport is overemphasized in Australian society doesn’t mean that the correct response is to underemphasize it’s benefits (for adult and child alike).

I think that engaging in sport is highly beneficial for adults. Watching it all the time less so.

chewy14 said :

PB,
please tell me you don’t go to the basketball for the view.
*shudders*

“Chantella Perera”, the defense rest’s its case M’lud.

John-boy – Yes! Sport is great for children, but is a vastly over-emphasised adult activity in our media.
And the constant litany of overpaid footballers getting caught up in alcohol/drugs and sexual assault stories (and their supporters in brawls) doesn’t do much to convince me I might be wrong.

“Emlyn”, sounds Welsh to me (never trust the Welsh).

Emlyn Ward said :

Get real! Female Basketball players are hids!

In any case, at some stage towards the end of adolescence, we mature and stop playing games in order to engage in more adult pursuits.

Not if we want to carry on developing as a person we do not, play and games are a lifelong and necessary part of human development. Stopping them, or refusing to adapt them, means a stunted growth.

We may change from Basketball to ballooning, or from soccer to paragliding, but we never stop playing. Not if we have an sense of value of self.

Personally, I find women attractive if they are smart and personable – neither characteristic applies to these over-muscular and monosyllabic women

I cannot imagine where you get your ideas from, if you do not watch the sport how do you know these women are “over-muscular and monosyllabic”?

They are neither in fact, except in your jandiced and prejudiced eye.

I’m not saying they are all stunners, but they are in the main, intelligent and athletic.

who continue to play children’s games long into adulthood.

See above. It must be your refusal to play which has led to your poverty of thought.

PB,
please tell me you don’t go to the basketball for the view.
*shudders*

The same argument could be made of male athletes surely?

So you’re just anti-sport?

Get real! Female Basketball players are hids!

In any case, at some stage towards the end of adolescence, we mature and stop playing games in order to engage in more adult pursuits.
Personally, I find women attractive if they are smart and personable – neither characteristic applies to these over-muscular and monosyllabic women who continue to play children’s games long into adulthood.

why is whether it’s american relevant? other than AFL, no sport/game is indigenous. ignorant comment. i’m not american by the way, but i just fail to see the point here. isn’t cricket also an imperialistic tool? 🙂 the girls playing is also better live and better than guys basketball (although NBA is a bit more exciting than the australian mens league) it’s not run up to the basket, dunk, rup to the basket, dunk, it’s a bit more skillful than that… and besides, pommy bastard puts it the best – there’s loads of girls out there who find these guys inspirational – that’s their fan base and who they play for every week. it’s also good that ALL kids have someone to look up to other than people who wee all over others in pubs and alleged rapists. especially a successful canberran sporting team…

Emlyn Ward said :

I find it very difficult to understand how Canberrans could stoop to following such a bland bit of Americana as Basketball. It’s less interesting than watching Golf, even. I guess that’s the power of advertising – people are suckers for it.

My daughter plays it, it’s been a very worthy activity for her in terms of both her physical and social development. Watching the Capital is inspirational for her.

As for me, I find it hard to see how anyone (male) can find ten fit, and very tall / leggy, healthy young women running around and getting a sweat on unentertaining

Emlyn Ward said :

I find it very difficult to understand how Canberrans could stoop to following such a bland bit of Americana as Basketball. I guess that’s the power of advertising – people are suckers for it.

Or perhaps it is just because I enjoy playing the sport myself and appreciate watching people who can play the game far better than me.

🙂

I gots me tickets!

I also find basketball a completely unentertaining sport. This view was moderately affected by lycra for a while, though.

Emlyn Ward said :

I find it very difficult to understand how Canberrans could stoop to following such a bland bit of Americana as Basketball. It’s less interesting than watching Golf, even. I guess that’s the power of advertising – people are suckers for it.

Perhaps being pushed night after night on WIN News as well as the politically correct push to promote women’s sport has a lot to do with it.

I find it very difficult to understand how Canberrans could stoop to following such a bland bit of Americana as Basketball. It’s less interesting than watching Golf, even. I guess that’s the power of advertising – people are suckers for it.

Does this include all the tickets being given away by radio stations and The Canberra Times (not to mention seating for the various sponsors and their staff and families)?

Got mine too. It was a farking debacle the way season and supporter ticket holders were handled (cheers again for that Basketball Canberra) but I’m over it now and just sick with excitement about the GF!

I’ve got my tickets!!