The Zone Virtual Sports Bar, Hamilton.

First topic message reminder :

Hello and welcome to the Zone Sports Bar, a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

This week the pub has set up in Sky City Hamilton, where the Crusaders take on the Chiefs in the Super XV semi final.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no tampering with the pictures of Bradley Wiggins, Ernie Els, Irene van Dyk, Sonny Bill Williams and his newly capped All Black team mate Sam Cane.



Previous pub. https://www.606v2.com/t32740-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-bridgend

What I really love about the games is not the 100m dash. That's all over too quickly for my liking... I prefer the long distance stuff anyway.

No, what I like is when you are waiting in a shop for your fish & chips (TV up on the wall somewhere) and the commentator's voice gets louder.... you look up and some Irish lass has just thrown the Bulgarian champ out of the ring in the taekwondo.

Dare to Dream!

Good man Rodders. I tried that so many times, but they kept buying me one 1st. That's my excuse anyway.

Night Pub. Love ye all. Slaap lekker jongens en meijses.

Youtube in the morning Rav for me. Can't be handling these late hours at all not after the emotional rollercoaster of tonight's Cork City match.

I Feicing Hate Shels

Spoiler:

One for the wall

"opening ceremony made british people feel happy about being british and foreigners feel fond of the british for what they've given us... "


Nice thoughts there and I would say it's spot on.

Well I thought that was phooking brilliant. I thought the 5 rings coming together was an incredible moment.

Also, a shout out to the Irish athlete who had a banner looking for sponsors with his email address on it. What a classic chancer.

It seems like I turned off the TV at the wrong time, I stopped watching when the teams were marching out! Muhammad Ali and Pink Floyd?? How did I miss that. Was it actually David Gilmour (legend) and co? What song did they do? Also Ali is just a complete inspiration to me. He really is one of the greatest sportsmen to ever live, and he always will be.

Looks like I will be watching this on BBC iplayer tomorrow!

Very drunk. How see the last few hours?

Having mused over all the aspects of that OC, I think Danny Boyle is one smart cookie, in terms of the future of Britain.

He's probably done more to boost us than any politician could dream of.

I could elaborate on that but it's way too late.

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Having mused over all the aspects of that OC, I think Danny Boyle is one smart cookie, in terms of the future of Britain.

He's probably done more to boost us than any politician could dream of.

I could elaborate on that but it's way too late.

you are such a nice man. No need for elaboration. Just make sure your plans for next year include a trip to Chefs in August. A few of us will be getting together next weekend and next year would be epic if others from this pub could actually get down there.
Just spoken to Gibbo. He and I will be supping the armangnac this time next week. Happy Days. Night all

So I didn't make it to the end of the opening ceremony. I think I started dozing off around the Vs... and it sounds like I really missed out

Marina Hyde in the Guardian made me laugh;

I'm still reeling that a country that can put on a show that hilariously bonkers is allowed nuclear weapons.

Indeed! It was pretty idiosyncratic alright. Memorable. My big criticism is it was maybe too inward looking. Felt like a celebration of Britain for Britain- not for the benefit of the World at large.

In work this morning so I got about half way through the athletes. I thought it was brilliant!

BTW I liked the team that had the athletes in wellies, Czech Republic or Hungary I think! Nice touch....

Gonna watch Cav at Putney bridge when they come over in 30 mins. Manx missle for the win

Morning all.

Just got up having watched the opening ceremony to the very last second.

I thought it was fantastic. A real triumph, and hopefully we can now put on a games that does it justice.

Notch wrote:So I didn't make it to the end of the opening ceremony. I think I started dozing off around the Vs... and it sounds like I really missed out

Marina Hyde in the Guardian made me laugh;

I'm still reeling that a country that can put on a show that hilariously bonkers is allowed nuclear weapons.

Indeed! It was pretty idiosyncratic alright. Memorable. My big criticism is it was maybe too inward looking. Felt like a celebration of Britain for Britain- not for the benefit of the World at large.

Yep, you and the Guardian, who'd have thought it.

Who needed the Industrial Revolution anyway? Wouldn't we all be so much better off without steel?

Without such great music to listen to whilst not doing things with stuff that isn't made of steel, whilst not playing sport that the rest of the world didn't need, or wasting our time discussing it over the World-Wide-Web?

I guess the biggest problem here is that the rest of the world probably didn't know how much Britain had contributed till last night.

I don't see how last night's OC differed from all the others I've seen in terms of celebrating the host nation, except for that there was so much to celebrate and so little time...

It celebrated irreverence

Cycling on now will go on for a long time but Ireland have a slim shot at a medal.

Gwan Oirland!

Some of the music was fantastic I enjoyed it immensely other bits I wasn't a huge fan of I didn't like Boyle plugging his movies.

I saw this said and I think it sums it up fairly well:

opening ceremony made british people feel happy about being british and foreigners feel fond of the british for what they've given us...

Shocker, right PJ?

It did Glas. And I think that was the most wondrous element of it. I was mightily impressed with large sections. And the more I think of it, I'm not so sure my criticism is such a criticism. It could have been a boastful list of achievements. It could have been a bloated projection of how the British government wants the country to be seen overseas. Instead it was a reminder of many of the positive aspects of the country, irreverent and independent from outside interference it would see.

26.9 million people watched the OC last night on the BEEB(at its peak)

Also was I the only one who notcied there was kind of a Nazi salute when the Germans came in?

Spoiler:

I love UPC and they have been getting better and better but I'm annoyed we don't have the red button. I have no interest in cycling or swimming. There is table tennis on though supposedly.

Munsty, can you add channels on UPC? If you can (you can do it on Sky we don't get the 24 channels) BBC are running 24 channels for the Olympics.

Frequencies: http://en.kingofsat.net/channels_B.php

Scroll down to BBC Olympics. Not sure if all the numbers are correct but I don't think that's a big deal really.

Feic cycling and swimming. I'm all about the judo today

This is the big one today lads.

http://www.london2012.com/judo/event/women-less-than-48kg/match=juw048406/index.html

Lisa Kearney, Ireland first female competitor in Judo and good Belfast lass. She's on imminently on the red button.

Bore da pawb / good morning all, lovely day in the 'Port!

Thomond wrote:Also was I the only one who notcied there was kind of a Nazi salute when the Germans came in?

Spoiler:

I noticed that too, Thomond. The commentators went quiet for a bit!

Speaking of the commentators, Trevor Nelson couldn't have been more superfluous, could he? Hazel Irvine was class, as always.

The best part for me was the athletes parading in to the stadium. So much excitement at being part of the Games, if anyone was still cynical after that then they'll never understand the magic of sport.

The athletes parading in was also the worst part of the ceremony. You'd get a few seconds' sight of some eye candy but no names or anything. I'm far too lazy and forgetful to go through the list of competitors to find out who was who.

Notch, have we had a male competitor in it? Roche is probably our best shot today. Best of luck to Kearney though.

I assume so, yes

Kelly Edwards of GB just lost out to a very highly-rated Japanese contender. Good effort but not enough; she was always the underdog.

Lisa Kearney will likely be equally up against it, facing an athlete 10 places above her in the World Rankings. And I believe she's on after this.

Right will have a quick sconce before I head out.

Hmmm, it appears I miscalculated. I don't understand this schedule at all.

http://www.london2012.com/judo/schedule-and-results/day=28-july/index.html

I actually think it's going to be on the other mat. I hope they cut across and show it.

I'm guessing it was delayed?

On the other side of the draw they're on Menezes vs Payet now.

FFS it is Day 1 of the Olympics and an Irish athlete has been caught out for betting on themselves to lose which would net them nearly €4,000

Really, Stag?

Yeah, it's not going to be shown. They're showing the Mens Round of 16 on Mat 1 now. Shame.

The bout has started but it's not televised...

Kearney has given away two penalties, which is scored as a yuko for her opponent, so not going well. Must be finished by now.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Really, Stag?

Unfortunately yes.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2012/0728/330921-betting-scandal-claim-hits-team-ireland/

So they're naming no names yet, at least.

In the end Lisa Kearney lost out to an Ippon. Which is a shame; wish I could have seen her compete like.

'Fnoon all, really enjoyed the opening ceremony, completely different to what we saw in Beijing, Athens or Sydney, but to be honest, it had to be. I admire Boyle's vision to have really focused in on the Industrial Revolution and onwards, to not duck the tough topics (suffragettes - why ever did we give wimmin the vote?! ), and to finish with a salute to youff - fantastic stuff

Have spent the morning clearing the pond, which was totally overgrown, preparing for the arrival of 3 Cayugas to their new home in the duck house (one drake, and two lasses). Now we're debating names here - so far I've come up with Peking, Roast, Crispy and A l'Orange, Niamh would like Jemimah, Rebecca, and Mr Drake, and Finn is more in favour of Daffy, Dippy and Donald. I'm very happy to take outside suggestion tho, so over to my pub chums ...

Darkwing is a must, surely?

Just off the top of my head? Zipper, Fizz and Bailey. Don't ask why. But I think Niamh and Finn should have the casting votes here

Daffy, Dippy and Donald would get my vote!

I agree with CJ.

Darkwing all the way.

"Lets Get Dangerous"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=375ENQbru8s

Waddles, Daddles and Puddles

I think we could call them "Eoin, Niamh and Finn"

It would really make things confusing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW4qiJuZs6Q

Out walking the other day and met coming the other way this guy with three Great Danes (Red Stag nightmare scenario). Names? Dave, Norman and Robbie. Why, WHY, would anybody want THREE huge, ugly, slobbering beasts like that? He used to bring them into the pub when he first arrived in the village untill they were banned for taking up half the bar! Stick to ducks, As.

Puddle, Paddle and Piddle

I've just watched some Handball, never seen it before. It was on the red button and there was no commentary but I think I got the general gist of it. One of the South Korean ladies was taken off on a stretcher, didn't see what happened but hope she's ok.