Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[beninho]

https://officiating.worldrugby.org/?module=3&section=36&subsection=129&language=en

"It is not mandatory for the team receiving the challenge to face it."

How many effing times. If they don't face it up silently and respectfully they get massive media criticism.

No they don't!

This is getting crazy!

[JAS]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

Indisputable that England are currently the best NH side. By a distance though, hmmm not so easy to quantify.
I would say that NO other NH side could/would have handed the All Blacks the kind of thrashing England did in the semi but in saying that SA made England and Wales look pretty similar.
So insofar as their capacity to dominate, yes they are well ahead, however in their ability to grind a plan B when Plan A starts leaking?? Hmmm, there’s not so much wiggle room between them & the others, infact in that particular aspect I’d possibly put wales slightly ahead of them.

Having said that, by the end of the 6 nations they well be recognised as being streets ahead of the rest, depending on how much of a hatchet job rebuild Jones decides to do and how much that will eat into performance
Wales will be in a post Gatland rebuild
Ireland will be in a post Schmidt rebuild
France will be searching high and low for that elusive confidence
Scotland will be searching high and low for that elusive consistency
Japan will be hard to judge due to a lack of interaction with the others
Italy will be busy adding another spoon to their collection if they get to play :-p

[McLaren]

Super

What you are failing to understand is that the racism I have called out on here has been blatant, it hardly needed the woke police to identify it. This is a golf board full of middle aged white men, do you really think the current standards of what counts as racsim will be adhered to? And again I am not talking super woke standards just what counts as racism in moderalty enlightened circles.

[JAS]

This is a golf board full of middle aged white men,

How dare you be so ageist and racist!! Besides... I resent being called white, I got a decent tan on holiday last week

[kwinigolfer]

And I resent being called middle aged . . . . . . .

[navyblueshorts]

By the way Mac, I hope you saw this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50239261

Massive kudos to Obama for stating this; virtually unchallengeable.

Yeh saw that Navy, it seems cool to slag Obama now or pretend he wasn't all that effective but clips like this show just how good he was at making his arguments and putting dumb ass ideas in their place.  I know you probably think that me calling out the blatant racism and the like on here is woke but my opinions align almost perfectly with Obamas. And it is the blurring of enforcing much needed political correctness, due to the generally low education of the population (what I try to do) and the ridiculous purity culture where the problem arises.  

Cool, but depends on one's view of some of your calling out here, doesn't it? Let's not re-visit though.

[navyblueshorts]

It's still so scary how the usa went from Obama, such a good politician to Trump, and even how we have Johnson. Crazy scary times.

ben,
As a devout Obama fan, it nevertheless makes one wonder why he was wasting his time going through "process" all the time to get things done.

Trump has done things his (despicable) way and undone Obama's work in a series of executive order strokes, plus sent the judiciary lurching to the right for generations to come.

Perhaps Barack wasn't such a good politician after all?

Or are the Congressional democrats just hopeless at mounting any effective opposition??

Nah. He did what he was supposed to, didn't he? Trump's simply a piece of work and the U.S. political system is severely broken. I thought the legislature, judiciary and executive were all equal, but separate partners? When did they all become the playthings of a given political party as has now happened? When did the GOP lose all moral compass and, apparently, ignore the behaviour of a Republican (apparently) POTUS in order to play power games? When did it become accepted for the SC to pass judgments exclusively, apparently, along party lines and justify it with BS legalese? I thought we had it bad here, just now...

[navyblueshorts]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

Swallowed the usual scheisse propaganda I see. Better 'arrogance' than nationalistic xenophobia.

[navyblueshorts]

FFS:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-50299642

I was, like, so spiel. I'm self-partnered, ya.

Spiel???? WTF does that even mean? **** off. No wonder you like her, Mac.

[McLaren]

Yeh the "spiel" thing confused me.

Although I'd happily watch her self partner.

[kwinigolfer]

It's still so scary how the usa went from Obama, such a good politician to Trump, and even how we have Johnson. Crazy scary times.

ben,
As a devout Obama fan, it nevertheless makes one wonder why he was wasting his time going through "process" all the time to get things done.

Trump has done things his (despicable) way and undone Obama's work in a series of executive order strokes, plus sent the judiciary lurching to the right for generations to come.

Perhaps Barack wasn't such a good politician after all?

Or are the Congressional democrats just hopeless at mounting any effective opposition??

Nah. He did what he was supposed to, didn't he? Trump's simply a piece of work and the U.S. political system is severely broken. I thought the legislature, judiciary and executive were all equal, but separate partners? When did they all become the playthings of a given political party as has now happened? When did the GOP lose all moral compass and, apparently, ignore the behaviour of a Republican (apparently) POTUS in order to play power games? When did it become accepted for the SC to pass judgments exclusively, apparently, along party lines and justify it with BS legalese? I thought we had it bad here, just now...

"The US political system" certainly "is severely broken", but why can't the Dem's counter that?
That's my issue with Obama, Pelosi etc - playing by the rules hasn't worked, has it? Does the US get to contaminate the world (in so many ways) with no checks and balances? From anyone??
That's not good enough.

It looks from 3,000 miles away that blowhard Boris is trying to do a Drumpf, only to find there still are democracies after all . . . . . . . . Drumpf rhetoric not helping, thank goodness!

[super_realist]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

If England are "easily" the best Northern Hemisphere team. Why didn't they win the 6 nations this year...…..or last year? They've also been beaten plenty times by teams from the Northern Hemisphere they are supposedly "easily" better than? Scotland, Wales, Ireland?

[super_realist]

https://officiating.worldrugby.org/?module=3&section=36&subsection=129&language=en

"It is not mandatory for the team receiving the challenge to face it."

How many effing times. If they don't face it up silently and respectfully they get massive media criticism.

No they don't!

Yes they do, or they wouldn't do just stand there.
If they didn't get criticised then Campese kicking the ball around would not have even been reported.

[super_realist]

Super

What you are failing to understand is that the racism I have called out on here has been blatant, it hardly needed the woke police to identify it. This is a golf board full of middle aged white men, do you really think the current standards of what counts as racsim will be adhered to? And again I am not talking super woke standards just what counts as racism in moderalty enlightened circles.

Yet you've never ever been able to call out any racism on this board because you've never managed to actually find any evidence. Doesn't stop you trying though.

You think that BECAUSE it's mainly a white middle aged man forum (which you also now are) HAS to be racist, so very much like a professionally offended millennial, you go looking for it HOPING to find some because you are desperate to prove that it exists somewhere where it doesn't.

You hate that you can't actually pin racism on anyone here so much so that you've tried to pathetically infer that simply being critical of someone of the opposite race/gender whatever is racism/sexism by default.

[super_realist]

FFS:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-50299642

I was, like, so spiel. I'm self-partnered, ya.

Spiel???? WTF does that even mean? **** off. No wonder you like her, Mac.

Another example of a stupid, self entitled, out of touch moron.

[westisbest]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

If England are "easily" the best Northern Hemisphere team. Why didn't they win the 6 nations this year...…..or last year? They've also been beaten plenty times by teams from the Northern Hemisphere they are supposedly "easily" better than? Scotland, Wales, Ireland?

Are they not the best team in the NH now, no?
The best teams in the world lose to ‘weaker’ sides at times. It happens.

Whose better than England in the NH then?

[Roller_Coaster]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

If England are "easily" the best Northern Hemisphere team. Why didn't they win the 6 nations this year...…..or last year? They've also been beaten plenty times by teams from the Northern Hemisphere they are supposedly "easily" better than? Scotland, Wales, Ireland?

Are they not the best team in the NH now, no?
The best teams in the world lose to ‘weaker’ sides at times. It happens.

Whose better than England in the NH then?

South Africa and New Zealand when they tour...

[westisbest]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

If England are "easily" the best Northern Hemisphere team. Why didn't they win the 6 nations this year...…..or last year? They've also been beaten plenty times by teams from the Northern Hemisphere they are supposedly "easily" better than? Scotland, Wales, Ireland?

Are they not the best team in the NH now, no?
The best teams in the world lose to ‘weaker’ sides at times. It happens.

Whose better than England in the NH then?

South Africa and New Zealand when they tour...

Well played

(Although maybe not NZ )

[pedro]

Super

What you are failing to understand is that the racism I have called out on here has been blatant, it hardly needed the woke police to identify it. This is a golf board full of middle aged white men, do you really think the current standards of what counts as racsim will be adhered to? And again I am not talking super woke standards just what counts as racism in moderalty enlightened circles.

Yet you've never ever been able to call out any racism on this board because you've never managed to actually find any evidence. Doesn't stop you trying though.

You think that BECAUSE it's mainly a white middle aged man forum (which you also now are) HAS to be racist, so very much like a professionally offended millennial, you go looking for it HOPING to find some because you are desperate to prove that it exists somewhere where it doesn't.

You hate that you can't actually pin racism on anyone here so much so that you've tried to pathetically infer that simply being critical of someone of the opposite race/gender whatever is racism/sexism by default.

Not facing the Haka must surely be racist since it's a maori dance?

[JAS]

Yeh the "spiel" thing confused me.

Although I'd happily watch her self partner.

Isn’t spiel German for play?

So she is saying she plays with herself?

Tissues for Mac!!

[JAS]

Meanwhile, I’m looking for a bit of advice/tips. Going on my first ever skiing holiday this Xmas to Banff in Alberta.
I’ve basically had 1 full day beginner lesson at MK snodome, (went well) going for a 2nd 3hr lesson in a couple of weeks and hoping to have a practice after that so I should be progressing when I get there.
I do recognise that I will still need lessons over there although I’d hope to progress through groups and be half decent by the end of the holiday.

First of all, has anybody been skiing (or boarding) to the Banff area?Do the lesson prices include lift tickets? any tips on getting discounts? Is it worth getting the skibig3 combined pass or focus on just one center and if so which one? Preferred restaurants? Good apres ski venues? Any info much appreciated.

[Be_the_ball]

Gulp!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/hand-of-missing-scottish-tourist-found-in-shark-off-coast-of-reunion

[navyblueshorts]

Yeh the "spiel" thing confused me.

Although I'd happily watch her self partner.

Isn’t spiel German for play?

So she is saying she plays with herself?

Tissues for Mac!!

[kwinigolfer]

Meanwhile, I’m looking for a bit of advice/tips. Going on my first ever skiing holiday this Xmas to Banff in Alberta.
I’ve basically had 1 full day beginner lesson at MK snodome, (went well) going for a 2nd 3hr lesson in a couple of weeks and hoping to have a practice after that so I should be progressing when I get there.
I do recognise that I will still need lessons over there although I’d hope to progress through groups and be half decent by the end of the holiday.

First of all, has anybody been skiing (or boarding) to the Banff area?Do the lesson prices include lift tickets? any tips on getting discounts? Is it worth getting the skibig3 combined pass or focus on just one center and if so which one? Preferred restaurants? Good apres ski venues? Any info much appreciated.

JAS,
Never been skiing there, but leave yourself a day or two to drive up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper:

https://icefieldsparkway.com/

Breathtaking scenery, pretty much in every direction.
Banff is a great place, plenty of restaurants and mouthwatering steaks. Enjoy.

[I'm never wrong]

JAS,
Never been skiing there, but leave yourself a day or two to drive up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper:

https://icefieldsparkway.com/

Breathtaking scenery, pretty much in every direction.
Banff is a great place, plenty of restaurants and mouthwatering steaks. Enjoy.

I second that. Did a flydrive a few years ago to Canada. Best part of the trip.

[kwinigolfer]

Another good night for the Scottish coefficient.

[McLaren]

Another good night for the Scottish coefficient.

Yes, decent performance by McTominay.

[JAS]

Super, your responses are getting repetitively boring now, well I say now but to be honest you’ve always trotted out the same negative Super enhanced drivel. There are some valid points among your anti Scottish football rants but the overall impression is just one of negative embitterment.

Can you refute any of what I've said? Just because you're a Rangers fan, doesn't mean you have to wear your blue tinged glasses and deny the blatantly obvious. What is the point in trying to be positive about a turd of a league?

Scottish football is unlikely to improve the coefficient because they are so terrible in Europe, the SPL is unwilling to do anything which will cause this to change. Scottish teams have proven they aren't good enough to be in the Champions League and are pretty hopeless in the EL too. They haven't done well in over a decade and look very unlikely to do so.


What is there to be positive about in Scottish football? Poor stadiums, poor players, poor quality of football. For the product it's also far too bloody expensive. Why would anyone waste their time following such poor quality football? If your golf club went downhill like the SPL you wouldn't pay your fees anymore, you'd find something else to do.

Couldn’t resist reposting this from back in August just for reference :-p Please keep those doom and gloom predictions coming Super, as well as being funny they’re also becoming quite reassuring as the opposite from what you predict usually happens.

[super_realist]

Navy

You seem to have taken England's humiliation graciously.

Hardly a humiliation Mc, they are the best team in the northern hemisphere by far and beat 2 out of 3 of the "big" southern hemisphere teams. Just ran out of steam coupled with a SA team who's tactics nullified their strengths.

Best by far? Are they? Did they win the 6 Nations this year? No, not since 2017.  Did they let go a massive lead against Scotland at Twickenham this year? Yes. They are only ranked fractionally higher than Wales so I would certainly not say they are "by far" the best team in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Typical English arrogance.

England are easily the best team in the northern hemisphere.
By a good distance I would say. Nothing to do with English arrogance, just the way it is.

The 6 Nations will be interesting next year to see how England go. Do they build on their good World Cup and win the grand slam, or will they fall just short.

They are home to Ireland and wales and away to the other 3.
Will be interesting. (If your a rugby fan of course).

If England are "easily" the best Northern Hemisphere team. Why didn't they win the 6 nations this year...…..or last year? They've also been beaten plenty times by teams from the Northern Hemisphere they are supposedly "easily" better than? Scotland, Wales, Ireland?

Are they not the best team in the NH now, no?
The best teams in the world lose to ‘weaker’ sides at times. It happens.

Whose better than England in the NH then?

THey might well be the best, and indeed the rankings show that they are. My issue was with the term "by miles" which evidently they are not.
If they were "by miles" the best they would dominate northern hemisphere Rugby, and they don't.

[super_realist]

Meanwhile, I’m looking for a bit of advice/tips. Going on my first ever skiing holiday this Xmas to Banff in Alberta.
I’ve basically had 1 full day beginner lesson at MK snodome, (went well) going for a 2nd 3hr lesson in a couple of weeks and hoping to have a practice after that so I should be progressing when I get there.
I do recognise that I will still need lessons over there although I’d hope to progress through groups and be half decent by the end of the holiday.

First of all, has anybody been skiing (or boarding) to the Banff area?Do the lesson prices include lift tickets? any tips on getting discounts? Is it worth getting the skibig3 combined pass or focus on just one center and if so which one? Preferred restaurants? Good apres ski venues? Any info much appreciated.

The lessons will not include lift passes unless stated. North American resorts compared to European areas are usually tiny, so if you are of any standard or think you'll progress quickly I'd get the wider area pass.

If you are stuck in one centre you'll be bored rigid. I made the mistake of going to Tahoe last year and the lack of connectivity and small size of the resorts there made it a misery.

[super_realist]

Super, your responses are getting repetitively boring now, well I say now but to be honest you’ve always trotted out the same negative Super enhanced drivel. There are some valid points among your anti Scottish football rants but the overall impression is just one of negative embitterment.

Can you refute any of what I've said? Just because you're a Rangers fan, doesn't mean you have to wear your blue tinged glasses and deny the blatantly obvious. What is the point in trying to be positive about a turd of a league?

Scottish football is unlikely to improve the coefficient because they are so terrible in Europe, the SPL is unwilling to do anything which will cause this to change. Scottish teams have proven they aren't good enough to be in the Champions League and are pretty hopeless in the EL too. They haven't done well in over a decade and look very unlikely to do so.


What is there to be positive about in Scottish football? Poor stadiums, poor players, poor quality of football. For the product it's also far too bloody expensive. Why would anyone waste their time following such poor quality football? If your golf club went downhill like the SPL you wouldn't pay your fees anymore, you'd find something else to do.

Couldn’t resist reposting this from back in August just for reference :-p Please keep those doom and gloom predictions coming Super, as well as being funny they’re also becoming quite reassuring as the opposite from what you predict usually happens.

Well at least I'm bold enough to make predictions. I think I was within the realm of sensibility given the laughable standard of the Old Firm in Europe in the past 5 years to predict that this year would be no different. However this year they seem to be sneaking results against teams they should probably be getting sore backs from picking the ball out of the back of the net.

I was wrong and they have done far better than expected. I don't think they will do well enough to sufficiently raise the coefficient to a level where they will have fewer qualification rounds for the CL or enough to have two teams enter the competition, but it's progress for sure.

[JAS]

Super, your responses are getting repetitively boring now, well I say now but to be honest you’ve always trotted out the same negative Super enhanced drivel. There are some valid points among your anti Scottish football rants but the overall impression is just one of negative embitterment.

Can you refute any of what I've said? Just because you're a Rangers fan, doesn't mean you have to wear your blue tinged glasses and deny the blatantly obvious. What is the point in trying to be positive about a turd of a league?

Scottish football is unlikely to improve the coefficient because they are so terrible in Europe, the SPL is unwilling to do anything which will cause this to change. Scottish teams have proven they aren't good enough to be in the Champions League and are pretty hopeless in the EL too. They haven't done well in over a decade and look very unlikely to do so.


What is there to be positive about in Scottish football? Poor stadiums, poor players, poor quality of football. For the product it's also far too bloody expensive. Why would anyone waste their time following such poor quality football? If your golf club went downhill like the SPL you wouldn't pay your fees anymore, you'd find something else to do.

Couldn’t resist reposting this from back in August just for reference :-p Please keep those doom and gloom predictions coming Super, as well as being funny they’re also becoming quite reassuring as the opposite from what you predict usually happens.

Well at least I'm bold enough to make predictions. I think I was within the realm of sensibility given the laughable standard of the Old Firm in Europe in the past 5 years to predict that this year would be no different. However this year they seem to be sneaking results against teams they should probably be getting sore backs from picking the ball out of the back of the net.

I was wrong and they have done far better than expected. I don't think they will do well enough to sufficiently raise the coefficient to a level where they will have fewer qualification rounds for the CL or enough to have two teams enter the competition, but it's progress for sure.

Fair play, takes a bit of character to hold hands up & say “yep, I was wrong” I did get the underlying points you were making and there was some validity behind some of them but I have sensed a turn in the fortunes of Rangers since Gerrard arrived. I have to say when they announced Gerrard I thought it was a HUGE and desperate gamble which had a slim chance of paying off. A year and a half down the line it’s looking like it’s paying off handsomely. I actually think Celtics result was the bigger one last night, dunno if Lazio are just poor but even if they are, for Celtic to beat them home AND away is impressive stuff.

I do think the coefficient improvement will now be reinforced. With Celtic already through I now fancy Rangers will join them. Dropping off the back end of the coefficient calculation each season now are the years when the Aberdeen’s, Hearts & Hibs as the 2nd team were getting pumped by diddy teams in the school holidays. Just hope the progress & raised confidence rubs off right through the league and not just the big 2.

[McLaren]

Well at least I'm bold enough to make predictions

More like ignorant and oblivious enough to continue to comment on a subject about which you are clueless.

[navyblueshorts]

Another good night for the Scottish coefficient.

Yes, decent performance by McTominay.

Mourinho giving him his first start not looking so stupid after all.

[McLaren]

Another good night for the Scottish coefficient.

Yes, decent performance by McTominay.

Mourinho giving him his first start not looking so stupid after all.

To be fair only after a call from super.

[JAS]

Meanwhile, I’m looking for a bit of advice/tips. Going on my first ever skiing holiday this Xmas to Banff in Alberta.
I’ve basically had 1 full day beginner lesson at MK snodome, (went well) going for a 2nd 3hr lesson in a couple of weeks and hoping to have a practice after that so I should be progressing when I get there.
I do recognise that I will still need lessons over there although I’d hope to progress through groups and be half decent by the end of the holiday.

First of all, has anybody been skiing (or boarding) to the Banff area?Do the lesson prices include lift tickets? any tips on getting discounts? Is it worth getting the skibig3 combined pass or focus on just one center and if so which one? Preferred restaurants? Good apres ski venues? Any info much appreciated.

The lessons will not include lift passes unless stated. North American resorts compared to European areas are usually tiny, so if you are of any standard or think you'll progress quickly I'd get the wider area pass.

If you are stuck in one centre you'll be bored rigid. I made the mistake of going to Tahoe last year and the lack of connectivity and small size of the resorts there made it a misery.

Thanks Supes, yep I checked when I bought my lift passes last night, lessons are an additional cost, crikey the whole thing ain’t cheap. Glad we got our flights sorted back in June, same flight is now double what we paid.
It does look like both Banff Sunshine & Lake Louise are BIG but Mt Norquay not so big. Also since my original post I’ve been recommended Sunshine for lessons but have at least 1 day at LL as it’s truly breathtaking scenic wise. Never skied in Europe so cant compare how big big is. I have been told that Canadian pistes do tend to be considerably wider than their European counterparts.

Thanks as well Kwini & Inw re the tip on having a gander at the icefields parkway

[navyblueshorts]

No pressure then, Tiger:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/50343834

[dynamark]

JAS this will probably be you best holiday to date forget golf .Guarantee
When you are skiing you cannot think of anything else a great experience trust your instructor and try to move up the groups quickly.Its a bit counter intuitive to lean forward weight forward when going downhill but it works.Finest holidays I ever had by a mile
Met Eddie the Eagle on one of trips way back to Igls truly great guy.

[super_realist]

Well at least I'm bold enough to make predictions

More like ignorant and oblivious enough to continue to comment on a subject about which you are clueless.

I'd forgotten how informed and erudite you were on all subjects Mac. I don't think I've ever heard anyone more of an ingenue on ALL subjects that you are.

[super_realist]

Meanwhile, I’m looking for a bit of advice/tips. Going on my first ever skiing holiday this Xmas to Banff in Alberta.
I’ve basically had 1 full day beginner lesson at MK snodome, (went well) going for a 2nd 3hr lesson in a couple of weeks and hoping to have a practice after that so I should be progressing when I get there.
I do recognise that I will still need lessons over there although I’d hope to progress through groups and be half decent by the end of the holiday.

First of all, has anybody been skiing (or boarding) to the Banff area?Do the lesson prices include lift tickets? any tips on getting discounts? Is it worth getting the skibig3 combined pass or focus on just one center and if so which one? Preferred restaurants? Good apres ski venues? Any info much appreciated.

The lessons will not include lift passes unless stated. North American resorts compared to European areas are usually tiny, so if you are of any standard or think you'll progress quickly I'd get the wider area pass.

If you are stuck in one centre you'll be bored rigid. I made the mistake of going to Tahoe last year and the lack of connectivity and small size of the resorts there made it a misery.

Thanks Supes, yep I checked when I bought my lift passes last night, lessons are an additional cost, crikey the whole thing ain’t cheap. Glad we got our flights sorted back in June, same flight is now double what we paid.
It does look like both Banff Sunshine & Lake Louise are BIG but Mt Norquay not so big. Also since my original post I’ve been recommended Sunshine for lessons but have at least 1 day at LL as it’s truly breathtaking scenic wise. Never skied in Europe so cant compare how big big is. I have been told that Canadian pistes do tend to be considerably wider than their European counterparts.

Thanks as well Kwini & Inw re the tip on having a gander at the icefields parkway

JAS, I forgot to say that it is sometimes cheaper to buy a SEASON ticket than it is to buy by the day/week.
When I went to Tahoe, I got a season pass for $600, and those cheeky gits would charge a walk in punter an extortionate daily rate of $154 for some of the worst and smallest terrain I'd ever seen. You can almost get a week in Europe for that and in a resort 10x bigger.
Not sure if Banff is one of those resorts owned by the "Vail" group though, so hopefully it isn't such a rip off for you as Tahoe was for me.

Another thing worth bearing in mind is that North American lifts are generally shambolic and antique. Where a European resort has 8 man heated chairs with windscreens, US resorts tend to be wide open, slow and very narrow and Canadian resorts can often be Baltic, so get some extra layers.

[JAS]

I did check that, paid CA$608 for a 5 day pass (can spread over 7). A season was $2400. And yes got myself the warmest Protest jacket (decent price for the quality - was quite shocked at The price of the likes of spider jackets

[kwinigolfer]

Not sure if Lake Louise is owned by the same people but, if so, it might be worth seeing if your pass got you a day there. It's a World Cup venue so probably has good facilities, and it's just an hour(ish) north of Banff on the Parkway (think that used to be called the Glacier National Parkway, but perhaps the glaciers are melting?), so you'd enjoy a change of pace & scenery at the same time. Then north to Jasper.

[super_realist]

I did check that, paid CA$608 for a 5 day pass (can spread over 7). A season was $2400. And yes got myself the warmest Protest jacket (decent price for the quality - was quite shocked at The price of the likes of spider jackets

Spyder jackets look like they are out of the 1980's anyway. Not a nice make.

[JAS]

Not sure if Lake Louise is owned by the same people but, if so, it might be worth seeing if your pass got you a day there. It's a World Cup venue so probably has good facilities, and it's just an hour(ish) north of Banff on the Parkway (think that used to be called the Glacier National Parkway, but perhaps the glaciers are melting?), so you'd enjoy a change of pace & scenery at the same time. Then north to Jasper.

Yes it is Kwini, the lift pass I’ve got is a skibig3 which includes Banff Sunshine, Mt Norquay and Lake Louise. We’re actually in a couple of Timeshare Condos, the first week is obviously in Banff, the 2nd week is a place called Fairmont Hot Springs in B.C. The 2nd resort has a small ski area nearby as well as Hot Springs, not sure how much we will ski in 2nd week but if we do and want more than just the local area then we are about half an hour away from Panorama or an hour away from Kimberley, both of which are reputed to be fantastic.

Another thing I noticed during the planning of the holiday is that snow tyres are not mandatory in Alberta but between November and April in B.C. they are. So had to make sure that picking up the hire car from Calgary airport, we’d definitely have snow tyres.

[kwinigolfer]

Snow tyres always a good idea!

It sounds as if you can't go wrong JAS, gorgeous scenery in (almost) every direction, skiing a bonus.

[McLaren]

Jas

Just a shame it isn't a golfing holiday.

[JAS]

Jas

Just a shame it isn't a golfing holiday.

I’m really glad it’s not a golfing holiday Mac, I can’t swing with several layers on, or having much feeling in my hands when it gets to about -10.

Looks like there are a few courses in the area where I’m going but I expect them to be under at least a foot or 2 of snow by Xmas. I guess a summer visit there would be very enjoyable too. Good thing about this time of year though is that most of the bears should be going into hibernation. Imagine straying of a fairway into trees the the summer only to come eyeball to eyeball with a grizzly

[George1507]

Jas

Just a shame it isn't a golfing holiday.

I’m really glad it’s not a golfing holiday Mac, I can’t swing with several layers on, or having much feeling in my hands when it gets to about -10.

Looks like there are a few courses in the area where I’m going but I expect them to be under at least a foot or 2 of snow by Xmas. I guess a summer visit there would be very enjoyable too. Good thing about this time of year though is that most of the bears should be going into hibernation. Imagine straying of a fairway into trees the the summer only to come eyeball to eyeball with a grizzly

You don't need to be in Canada to encounter bears. There are plenty roaming round in New York. I've seen a few in the Catskills over the years, on golf courses and in the woods close to villages.

Not grizzlies, but bears are bears. Oh and snakes too. Rattlesnakes, which are really scary and to be avoided, especially by me.

[super_realist]

Jas

Just a shame it isn't a golfing holiday.

Ski holidays are way better than golfing holidays Mac.

[McLaren]

Jas

Just a shame it isn't a golfing holiday.

Ski holidays are way better than golfing holidays Mac.

Depends if you like skiing or not. I tried it once and that will probably do for me.

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