Just not cricket

[tigger2376]

Theyve just announced that Bob Woolmer, the pakistan cricket coach,and lifelong respected player of the game, was murdered.
Am I alone in thinking that this is SPORT...entertainment, fun, supposedly a pleasurable thing.
While so much money is paid to sportspeople (ashley cole, chelsea soccer star £125000 A WEEK, and don't even get me started on Beckham), things like this will happen, its obscene.
Yes, I know since caveman days, we've been betting half a mammoth that Ug can piss higher up the wall than Ug Ug, human nature, but how did this happen?
There are people starving, while others live high on the hog just due to a talent for kicking a ball around a piece of grass. Don't get me wrong, if your'e good at something, you should be rewarded...but this is no cure for disease...it supposed to be for fun
My heart goes out to his wife and family. I know I can't change the world
as my boyfriend says about football, aresenal to be precise 'its not an obsession, its a religion'...and how many people get killed each day in the name of that?
Sorry, needed a rant, just make me want to scream

[Robert]

Yeah, I heard about this on the radio too.  Aren't they having the World Games of Cricket now over in the Caribbean someplace?  Do you think he was murdered because his team lost?  (I have no idea, they may have won and then in that case maybe he just picked up the wrong kid to celebrate with)

Steven (fearless)  you're our "in-house" cricket expert.  What do you think?

robert

[tigger2376]

Its supposedly some far eastern betting syndicate..conspiracy abounds! Even though I'm english, not really into cricket, too slow for me, but may have also had something to do with his rated team getting beaten by the irish, that well known sporting nation
Its just so sad, someone is dead because sport has become SO important
There again, recreational activities have been known to be bad for you

In all seriousness, what do people think? Beckham worth $120million? Someones life ends because of what should be a pastime?

[aupointillimite]

It's completely ridiculous that anyone gets paid that much to have decent hand-eye coordination.

I've never quite understood the obsession with spectator sports.  I was a swimmer when I was a teenager... which is much more individually oriented... people tend to swim competitively to beat their previous records more than anything else.

I'm not one to begrudge anyone a hobby... but the amount of time and money our societies throw into watching other people exercise is a little silly. 

[fearless]

Bob Woolmer was murdered after Ireland beat Pakistan in the World Cup, being held right now in the West Indies (various Carribean countries).

Pakistan is considered one of cricket's dominant teams, whereas, the Irish have never played at the World Cup and don't play recognised international matches. They are a very minor team, so it was a great shock that they beat Pakistan (on St Patrick's Day, no less). In losing, Pakistan was knocked out of the World Cup.

Woolmer,an Englishman, was the coach of the Pakistan team. From what I understand, the police are currently questioning members of the Pakistan team.

There are many unsubstantiated rumors and what not flying around at the moment. But, betting on cricket matches, and match fixing scandals have plagued cricket on the Indian/Pakistan sub-continent for years, so there are theories that this has something to do with that sort of thing, but who knows.

Tigger, your boyfriend is right about it being a religion (and, being a Gunners fan, he just got 10 points in my book).
Benj, spectator sports aren't everyones cup of tea. I understand that plenty of people just don't get it, just like religion. But if your hooked, there is nothing better than the thrill of the crowd, the spectacle. It's a great release for many people. I can think of nothing better than a sunny winter's afternoon on the hill at Leichhardt Oval (my teams home ground) watching 26 men run around trying to knock each others heads off. grrrrr It's just a watered down version of what the Roman's used to do in the Colosseum.

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[aupointillimite]

Actually, last summer... my friends took me with them to see the DC Nationals play baseball.

The Nationals are the first major league baseball team that DC's had in decades... and I was born in DC. 

You see where this is going.

I swear, I was expecting to be bored out of my mind... but within twenty minutes, I was screaming, heckling, and getting into it with the best of them.  I was shocked... I had an awesome time.  Although my friend said that she had never heard someone yell, "You are all obviously retarded!" at the opposing team as a heckle.  That was all me.  Oh yes.

I also had several beers... which helped... but to be there made it extremely enjoyable in a weird way.  It was great!

[fearless]

Cutest heckle I heard last year was, "Clarke, you don't need a long neck to be a goose".

My sport is rugby league, which has is roots in working class Sydney. I barrack for the Tigers, and we are battlers from the Western Suburbs of Sydney. It's quite acceptable to yell out things like "Rip his bloody head off", "Your a di@#head", "Your an f... wit, ref" etc. They've banned us from throwing things these days. 
 

[Queen Tokelove]

You know this is really sad that people are getting murdered behind sports events. I may be wrong and just assuming that maybe some of these people just might have gambling problems.