Ignorant American question about European sports...

[geoschmo]

So I am watching TV and there is this commercial for Guiness beer and it's got this sport that I don't recognize. The dude has a stick with a little basket on the end, but it's not lacrosse I don't think. At least it doesn't look like the lacrosse I have eseen on ESPN2. The stick is thicker, like an american baseball bat, and the basket is smaller and the ball looks like an american baseball. The guy is standing a few yards, meters ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif , from what looks like a soccer, sorry football http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif , goal and several guys from the other team are standing in the goal trying to block his shot. He picks the ball up with the basket and flips it in the air and then hits it like a baseball towards the goal.

What is this sport? It looks very rough. Like rugby, but with sticks so you can to beat each other too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Geoschmo

[Jmenschenfresser]

The Story

Just one minute of injury time left in a tied up in a championship hurling match and a vicious foul creates a chance for the commercial’s protagonist to hit the game winning shot. Stepping up to take the shot as the crowd goes wild, our man's mind spins out of control. His doubts turn the opposition into gladiators bristling with steel in an impossibly distant goal, the spectators on the sideline take the form of Gunmen and bared-teeth primates looming menacingly.

With a deep breath the player looks down. He sees himself and the coveted championship trophy held aloft on the shoulders of exuberant fans, victoriously sipping a well-earned pint of creamy GUINNESS® stout. Inspired by the vision of success he whips the ball up off the ground.

If you want it, you've got to believe.

In case you don't know much about hurling - one of Ireland's two national sports and one we're proud to sponsor over there - it's considered to be the world's fastest ball game. Two teams of 15 armed with wooden sticks (hurleys) chase a small leather ball (the sliothar) aiming to drive it over the bar of the opposition’s goal for one point, or into it for three. Think hockey with a high bouncing ball and you'll get the general idea. It's no game for the faint-hearted though, and can be as aggressive and violent as it is graceful and exciting. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is taken directly from the Guinness website about that ad.

[geoschmo]

Doh! I could have checked their website. :sheepish:

Hurling. Now that you mention that I think I remember hearing that word in the commercial but didn't realize it was the name of the sport. Looks nasty. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

[Jmenschenfresser]

Looks like Rugby with sticks.

Or a sick Version of baseball where one has to knock the ball down...without the use of a glove.

Come to think of it, everything about this sport seems intent on inflicting pain.

[geoschmo]

Actually it looks to have a lot of similarities with lacrosse. Except in lacrosse I don't think you hit the ball with the stick, just the other players. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[dogscoff]

Come to think of it, everything about this sport seems intent on inflicting pain.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">All the best sports are http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
I'll be posting a new courier story soon, and you can read a bit about a lovely, violent futuresport I've invented.

[Slick]

I thought "hurling" was a sport you picked up first thing in the morning after a long night of drinking games?!

Slick.

[Unknown_Enemy]

That should be cricket.

Do not call it an european game.

It's english. Only them play it, with a few countries from the commonwealth.

[tesco samoa]

The Irish sport is fun to watch...

[Kirok]

When I first saw it I thought it was Shinty.

[Narrew]

I thought hurling (besides what Slick's comment) was that big stone on ice with all the brooms, haha, see what kind of things people thought up during the middle ages http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[General Woundwort]

Originally posted by Narrew:
I thought hurling (besides what Slick's comment) was that big stone on ice with all the brooms, haha, see what kind of things people thought up during the middle ages http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's curling. One of the more (un)interesting "sports" to be displayed at recent Olympics, along with 'synchronized swimming'. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Ed Kolis]

Sliothar? Sounds like a good name for an evil reptilian race... Atrocities!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[TerranC]

Originally posted by General Woundwort:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Narrew:
I thought hurling (besides what Slick's comment) was that big stone on ice with all the brooms, haha, see what kind of things people thought up during the middle ages http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's curling. One of the more (un)interesting "sports" to be displayed at recent Olympics, along with 'synchronized swimming'. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Geo, to answer your question, yes, that is cricket. But it's not really a british sport anymore, but rather, a colonial game, where the biggest contenders are India and Austrailia.

And Woundwort: What's wrong with curling? What is so dull about curling that you label it uninterresting? I fail to see Curling uninterresting, nor do almost all canadians who play the sport. (Although it has to with the fact that Canada won the gold in Women's Curling in Nagano. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

[ May 06, 2003, 00:47: Message edited by: TerranC ]

[General Woundwort]

Originally posted by TerranC:
What's wrong with curling? What is so dull about curling that you label it uninterresting? I fail to see Curling uninterresting, nor do almost all canadians who play the sport. (Although it has to with the fact that Canada won the gold in Women's Curling in Nagano. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I grant that there is skill involved in smoothing the ice for a big moving block of stone, but it's not something I'm interested in watching on TV. And it's not an anti-Canadian thing either - I have the exact same mindset about bowling and golf. It may be fun for the participants, but what's the point in televising it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[kalthalior]

General, the point in televising things like gold & bowling is that a lot of people (more than you might suspect) participate in those sports, and take an active interest in "how the pros" perform & approach different situations that arise in their sport.
Personally, for example, I am in a bowling league, so I watch the bowling tour, and get pointers to improve my game --- mostly from observation, sometimes from a "tips" segment. I have a friend who golfs, and he watches the golf tour religiously (when he isn't playing). It may not interest most people, but there is a segment of the population that cares, or it wouldn't be on TV.

EDIT(response to above): No prob GW, just trying to answer your question. Didn't mean to come across as indignant -- however, I DO enjoy bowling.

[ May 06, 2003, 19:05: Message edited by: kalthalior ]

[General Woundwort]

Okay, okay. I was just expressing my opinion. No personal attacks intended. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

[Narrew]

hurling? curling? I still say that the middle ages must have sucked to spawn these games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif I mean, "ohh lets take the heads of our foes and slide them on the ice, and lets have peasants with brooms 'smooth' the ice". Yep, those were the days http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

note: the above is just a joke, probably funny only to myself, this is by NO means the offical history of these FINE *cough* games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[GMLocutus]

huh

[ May 08, 2003, 00:57: Message edited by: GMLocutus ]