Back in the world of real sport, this might be just about the best time of the year. The baseball season is well under way and most of the rust is just about shaken off and we can start to see what’s what, Moto GP and WSB have a few races under their collective belts and the delayed start to the Bennett’s British Superbike season kicks off at Thruxton this weekend, absence of blizzard permitting. And if that’s not enough the bikes are at Le Mans for the first endurance World Championship round. There’s plenty of other stuff going on, Snooker World Championship starts today, the interminable football season still rolls on, 20/Twenty cricket in the IPL is kicking up the dust in the established cricket hierarchy and talking of dust, the old goats at the RFU are seemingly very busy trying to retrieve a little dignity after the shoddy way they gave Ashton the shaft. But, head and shoulders above all these, are the Stanley Cup playoffs. If you think that the players are committed to the prospect of having their names inscribed on Lord Stanley’s Cup during the regular season, you should see it now! The only disappointing match up is over already with the sorry Ottawa Senators contemplating a summer where they need new coaches and new ideas, they looked like the closest I’ve seen to a playoff team mailing it in. Pittsburgh are a good team, but still lacking in playoff experience with key players and Ottawa looked to have gone out there without any semblance of a game plan. I’m a bit behind on exactly where we are today, I’ve got about half a dozen games still to watch, Sky+ permitting, so the Stars may have rolled over the Ducks by now, but I hope not as the games I’ve watched so far have been exemplary as was the single game of the Sharks/Flames that I’ve seen so far. The Red Wings continue to mystify, as they do so often when they win the Presidents Cup, taking OT and about 60 shots to get just two behind Dan Ellis. This is raw, passionate and committed sport with fans to match but come on guys, with all the testosterone flowing the playoff beards should be making a much better showing by now, even if it is the first round.
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- Saturday, 19. Apr, 2008 @ 20:51:40
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Not seen any so far but the atmosphere must be great. I've got no objection to it, the only impact here will be with the county game and that's needed a long hard look for many years.
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- Sunday, 20. Apr, 2008 @ 18:06:36
Yeah, the atmos is good. More or less what you would expect from that part of the world really.
As you say, the English County game has needed a big shake up for years! They should look to forming regions like they have done in welsh rugby union. Hardly anyone turns up anyway, so it wont alter the attendance at all. Might even inject some interest in the thing.-
My feelings exactly. Can't deny that had I got the time I would far rather watch a 3 or 4 day game but the counties & the ECB all know that the money comes in from the shorter versions of the game and, if they really needed an excuse, they can now reshape their schedules to maximise this income.
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- Sunday, 20. Apr, 2008 @ 18:23:27
There is more than enough room for all 4 formats of the game. Its all about the promotion of the sport. This IPL is the most significant thing to happen to cricket since the world series in the 70s and the world cup in 1992 (coloured clothes and floodlights).
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No question, but will the cricket authorities in this country know how to handle it, the financial clout in the game is now on the sub-continent and providing this is understood the opportunities to improve the financial basis of the game in this country are going to open up providing they don't try to bang heads directly with IPL.
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- Sunday, 20. Apr, 2008 @ 18:45:30
Of course you know full well that the ECB and ICC will end up banging heads with the IPL and end up with egg on their faces and less of their best players.
Based on what happened in the mid 90's with both rugby league and IndyCar racing, what we know is that when a sport has a civil war some very good things can come from it, but at a heavy price.-
The potential exists for everyone to win, granted some more than others, but the benefits can be gained without the bloodshed, providing the ECB etc don't try to deny the reality of the numbers. It will require nous and flexibility and should indicate if they are ready for the 21st century.
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- Sunday, 20. Apr, 2008 @ 19:10:16
The words ECB and intransigent are often used in the same sentence. Come to think of it so are the words RFU, Twickenham and intransigent.
Let us rejoice that 2 of our major sports are run by buffoons!
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Yes, the RFU havent covered themselves in glory have they, its been a huge shafting!!! The decent thing would have been to have made a proper change following on from the world cup really. That would have been the best time to do it.
As for the IPL, well, ive watched 2 games so far and i think its a great idea and so far its well executed! Im all in support of it.