Touch. What's that all about?

[Hitcher]

While leisurely completing my weekend's collection of Sudoku puzzles, I had the tele on, as you do. Bugger all on of any great interest, so I surfed onto a Sky Sport channel that had Touch on (No, it wasn't a documentary about Michael Jackson).

Anyhoo, the game was a women's final between Australia and New Zealand. I understood that, until I noted blokes on the field.

At this point too, I should note that in my past I have played a game involving a pointy ball, 15 players a side and inordinately complex tackled ball rules.

Touch too, I noted, involves a pointy ball, but bears more resemblance to the 13-player variant of the pointy ball game. A Touch "try" is worth one point. I understand that.

But I'm fucked if I know how a try is scored. In the game in question, players running the ball up would stop tantalisingly short of the line, as if they had collided with an invisible force field. Others holding the ball would run into the in-goal area, and then fanny around looking for somebody else on their team to pass the ball to. But others seemed to be allowed to score the "old-fashioned way" by diving over the line and forcing the ball.

And here's me thinking that Netball ranked up there in the stakes for the World's Dumbest Game (almost a photo-finish with Gridiron for this honour).

I would value an explanation of what goes on in Touch from somebody with more knowledge of its subtleties than I have.

[SARGE]

gridiron is NOT a dumb game you heathen ( i played for 5 years in school..you gotta understand it really)

Golf is a stupid game to televise..so is Fishing.. and that @#$%^ CURLING Bullshit has got to go

[Scorpygirl]

Golf is a stupid game to televise..so is Fishing.. and that @#$%^ CURLING Bullshit has got to go

Sychronised (sp) Swimming - now that is stupid!!! :lol: I think I'd rather watch paint dry!! :thud:

[SARGE]

i think they should make golf a full contact sport.. THAT i'd watch..


"Tiger Woods going for a Birdie puty on 9.. he lines up and OHHHH!!!!.. BLINDSIDED by MICHAEL CAMPBELL!!!... that's gonna hurt tomorrow Merv.."

[parsley]

Reminds me of when they used to show Kabaddi on English TV. Weird game, everybody holds hands and has to hold their breath when they're in the opposing team's half. I could never figure out how the ref knew you weren't breathing!

[SPman]

Sychronised (sp) Swimming - now that is stupid!!! :lol: I think I'd rather watch paint dry!! :thud:
Depends who you are watching the paint dry ON.............






right 3000 posts - I can fuck off now

[jahrasti]

But I'm fucked if I know how a try is scored. In the game in question, players running the ball up would stop tantalisingly short of the line, as if they had collided with an invisible force field. Others holding the ball would run into the in-goal area, and then fanny around looking for somebody else on their team to pass the ball to. But others seemed to be allowed to score the "old-fashioned way" by diving over the line and forcing the ball.


hey Hitcher touch is pretty simple if you are 'dummy half ' (the dude that picks up the ball after it has been played) you cant score and also if you are touched before you pass it then hand over to the other team.Once the dummy half passes it is like rugby/league in the fact you run/pass/score etc. if you are 'touched' then you have to play the ball from that spot,so if you over run the spoy yhen you must pull back to that spot.

[Hitcher]

gridiron is NOT a dumb game you heathen ( i played for 5 years in school..you gotta understand it really)

Golf is a stupid game to televise..so is Fishing.. and that @#$%^ CURLING Bullshit has got to go
Fishing cannot be a sport. I am at one with you there, brother.

Gridiron would be a great game if it didn't come to a complete stop after each "play" and you couldn't change teams depending whether you were attacking, defending or looking for weapons of mass destruction...

[Hitcher]

Sychronised (sp) Swimming - now that is stupid!!! I think I'd rather watch paint dry!!
And individual synchronised swimming. How does that work?

[Hitcher]

hey Hitcher touch is pretty simple if you are 'dummy half ' (the dude that picks up the ball after it has been played) you cant score and also if you are touched before you pass it then hand over to the other team.Once the dummy half passes it is like rugby/league in the fact you run/pass/score etc. if you are 'touched' then you have to play the ball from that spot,so if you over run the spoy yhen you must pull back to that spot.
An odd rule, but hey, it makes sense. Thank you for that.

I really like the "drop off" system for extra time. Soccer should do that too, instead of that inane penalty shootout system...

[myvice]

Cricket, don’t get it and I don’t want to!
I've had people try and explain the game but it just wont stick.
Full contact golf? With quad bikes on ice tyres? Heh heh heh...
Now THAT I'd watch! :devil2:

[Skyryder]

Fishing cannot be a sport.

It realy depends on the type of fishing that you are refering to. This in itself raises the question of what sport is or more impoartantly the meaning of the word sport. Like a lot of words in the English language the word sport denotes a variety of meanings. It can refer to an indavidual as in so and so's a good sport. But that is not the context that is under discusion.

It is not unreasonable to asume that some kind of competitive element is involved. This can be between two or more teams or a number of indaviduals competing for themselves. But where do we draw the line when a game is a sport and when it is not.

I looked up the Concise Oxford Dictionary and a precis of the meaning is as follows.

1a) a game or competitive activity where some physical exertion is required.

3) amusement, diversion, fun.

3b) a person behaving in a specified way,esp. regarding games rules etc.

3b covers a wide range of activities which would include fishing. Some fish species are clearly designated as a sportsfish where there are rules and regulations governing how the fish is caught.

Skyryder

[sels1]

But I'm fucked if I know how a try is scored. In the game in question, players running the ball up would stop tantalisingly short of the line, as if they had collided with an invisible force field. Others holding the ball would run into the in-goal area, and then fanny around looking for somebody else on their team to pass the ball to. But others seemed to be allowed to score the "old-fashioned way" by diving over the line and forcing the ball.
.

Briefly - Touch is basicaly tag rugby league with 6 per side.
6 tags and you hand over (possesion of the ball)
After a touch is made the ball is played back thru the legs league style
It is then picked up and passed by a "dummy half" (like halfback) who has to pass and cannot score. Sometimes the DH will make a break and reach the line but has to look for another played to pass to to score.
Mixed teams very popular 3 male 3 female.
Some competitions (like the social grade I play in) have 2 point trys for the girls so you might see a bloke get over the goal line and look for a female player to pass to for the extra point.

If you want more help swing by Mazengarb Park any Friday night at 6.30 and bring your shorts and running shoes. :lol:

[myvice]

[QUOTE=Skyryder
3b covers a wide range of activities which would include fishing. Some fish species are clearly designated as a sportsfish where there are rules and regulations governing how the fish is caught.
Skyryder[/QUOTE]

Sport fish? Full fairing fish with an uncomfortable seat and you get sore wrists and knees after 100ks of riding it?

[SARGE]

It realy depends on the type of fishing that you are refering to.
Skyryder


i was referring to the fishing shows on TV..BOOOORRRING!!

[TraD_MaN]

fishing is a (hobbie) sport, say no more... :yes:

[Virago]

While leisurely completing my weekend's collection of Sudoku puzzles.............
Never mind the monkeys chasing the funny ball around the paddock - have you ever managed to complete a 5-star Sudoku without cocking it up?

Up to 4-star I'm fine, 5-star has me beat every time!

[Hitcher]

Never mind the monkeys chasing the funny ball around the paddock - have you ever managed to complete a 5-star Sudoku without cocking it up?

Up to 4-star I'm fine, 5-star has me beat every time!
What's a "5-star" Sudoku? Same as a "diabolical"?

If so, yes. They just take a bit longer and sometimes require an educated guess somewhere in the solving process.

[Virago]

What's a "5-star" Sudoku? Same as a "diabolical"?

If so, yes. They just take a bit longer and sometimes require an educated guess somewhere in the solving process.
The way they appear in the Otago Daily Times, they're rated from 1-star (easy), to 5-star (incredibly hard). I'm determined to do a 5 rated one to completion, without having to "guess", and end up stuffing it up (or cheat and look at the solution in the next day's paper).:nono:

As I understand it, you should never have to "guess", but I'm damned if I can see a way forward through the hard ones.:thud:

[Swoop]

Cricket, don’t get it and I don’t want to!
I've had people try and explain the game but it just wont stick.
Full contact golf? With quad bikes on ice tyres? Heh heh heh...
Now THAT I'd watch! :devil2:

Cricket???
A game that can take up to a week to play AND still end up in a DRAW!!!:doobey:
AAAAND all the players wear the same colour uniform... WHITE?? What gives?:blink:

[parsley]

Cricket???
A game that can take up to a week to play AND still end up in a DRAW!!!:doobey:
AAAAND all the players wear the same colour uniform... WHITE?? What gives?:blink:
The secret to cricket is to take a very large, well-stocked hamper with a big stock of booze. I promise you the days will just fly by!

[Swoop]

The secret to cricket is to take a very large, well-stocked hamper with a big stock of booze. I promise you the days will just fly by!
Surely they could liven the boring old game up a bit....
Suggestion A: On an entirely random basis, release a tiger into the playing enclosure. Simple entertainment here really.
Suggestion B: Place land mines in a few random areas of the playing area. This would make the catchers take their eye off of the ball OR show the world how devoted to their game...
Suggestion C: Each spectator entering to watch the game would be in a Lotto type draw as to who would have to streak across the field... Hmmm maybe a pretty BAD idea - forget this one.
There must be a way to make boring sports watchable. Any other suggestions???

[parsley]

There must be a way to make boring sports watchable. Any other suggestions???
Replace the ball with a hand grenade? Then you could get calls like LBWATOSHIS - "Leg Before Wicket, Arm To One Side, Head In Stands".

[Goddess of Goof]

and that @#$%^ CURLING Bullshit has got to go


:Oi: Nothing wrong with CURLING! My son was in the Secondary School's Curling Team - and they won a closely fought Championship against mean rival schools. The game's about keeping cool under pressure...

It was mighty - and the drama! the strategy! the planning! the throws!

The nail biting finish ! You gotta be there to appreciate it.

Ancient Heathen Celt game, of course. You're right about that !

:wari:

[MisterD]

Reminds me of when they used to show Kabaddi on English TV. Weird game, everybody holds hands and has to hold their breath when they're in the opposing team's half. I could never figure out how the ref knew you weren't breathing!

I think you have to keep chanting "Kabaddi,kabaddi.." so unless you're one of the didgeridoo blokes that can breath in and out at the same time....but yeah weird as!

[MisterD]

I seem to remember some comedian suggesting combining the ski-jump and skeet shooting....."PULL!"....

[Colapop]

Is poker (ESPN) a sport? (he's all in?? - Sounds more like porn) Is NASCAR a sport? (Round and round and round and round....)

Grid Iron I get - it's kinda like rugby but with more pads and three teams each, And much better cheerleaders. Two Panthers cheerlaeders were arrested last week after a fight in a bar - they were having sex in a toilet cubicle and the chicks waiting got pissed off (better than being pissed on I say!)

[Swoop]

Is poker (ESPN) a sport? (he's all in?? - Sounds more like porn) Is NASCAR a sport? (Round and round and round and round....)

Grid Iron I get - it's kinda like rugby but with more pads and three teams each, And much better cheerleaders. Two Panthers cheerlaeders were arrested last week after a fight in a bar - they were having sex in a toilet cubicle and the chicks waiting got pissed off (better than being pissed on I say!)


Ahh yes, I forgot about "round sports" like 400m/800m running + nascar. Anything that goes around in a circle... horse racing, :thud: :thud: :thud:
They all need "spicing up"! ......... 400metres WITH the tiger released 10 seconds after the runners start...:blip:

[NC]

Sychronised (sp) Swimming - now that is stupid!!! :lol: I think I'd rather watch paint dry!! :thud:
They had skipping on ESPN the other day...They also televise Dodgeball..
America, fuck yeah.

[Colapop]

I've gotta say I DO like the cheerleading that they play. I've never seen one of those chicks get dropped - but I still watch in anticipation.

[Hitcher]

Cricket???
AAAAND all the players wear the same colour uniform... WHITE?? What gives?
The ones wearing the pads and holding bats are in the BATTING team. Only raving imbiciles need coloured clothing to figure out the difference...

[Hitcher]

NASCAR should have a figure-eight track, instead of a circuit.
There should be crocodiles in Olympic swimming pools.
Javelin should be a team event involving a a thrower and a catcher.
Cricket should have an oak tree at cover.
Rugby should have a moat dug through the centre of the pitch. Contents of the moat could be up to the hosts, to add variety and local flavour.
Netball should be played with a medicine ball.
Baseball should be played with grenades.
Soccer should be played on a steeply-sloped pitch.

[Swoop]

Raving imbecile? You called - I'm here!!!!!

I like the suggestions, especially the figure 8 track...... Has potential to be very entertaining!:blip:

[The_Dover]

Touch and Grid Iron are both for poofs.

One is non contact (other than a little tickle) and the others wear more pads than a simultaneously menstruating girl guide jamboree.

[Hitcher]

Thank you for that mental picture.

[sels1]

Touch and Grid Iron are both for poofs.

One is non contact (other than a little tickle) and the others wear more pads than a simultaneously menstruating girl guide jamboree.

Actually Touch is how rugby and league players,and netballers, keep their fitness and skills up over summer. You obviously are not in that catagory or you would have known that.

[The_Dover]

Get fucked mate, I play rugby but I hate touch. Complete waste of time unless you're a mincer that likes pussying around in the backs.

I keep fit over summer by running and hitting the weights. Touch is crap preparation for full contact rugby because it's an entirely different level of fitness. Sure it's a way to keep playing with oval ball when the ground is rock solid but that's where the similarity ends.

[Indiana_Jones]

STOP!

JONES TIME!

<img src="http://img.engadget.com/common/images/8784569580278779.JPG?0.7363945719167376" align="centre" vspace="10" hspace="10">

EVERYONE DO THE INDIANA BUMP!

-Indy

[mini_me]

What's a "5-star" Sudoku? Same as a "diabolical"?

If so, yes. They just take a bit longer and sometimes require an educated guess somewhere in the solving process.

I remember the first 5-star puzzle I completed, it took me around 7 hours and several attempts (it was the first sudoku I ever attempted)

[insert several attempts at easier puzzles]

the next one I managed to complete in one go, the trick I found is to copy it out onto an A4 sheet of paper and the use a pen for the ones that you "know" are correct and write all the possible combination in pencil and slowly eliminate them one-by-one until none are left.

m/m

[Virago]

I remember the first 5-star puzzle I completed, it took me around 7 hours and several attempts (it was the first sudoku I ever attempted)

[insert several attempts at easier puzzles]

the next one I managed to complete in one go, the trick I found is to copy it out onto an A4 sheet of paper and the use a pen for the ones that you "know" are correct and write all the possible combination in pencil and slowly eliminate them one-by-one until none are left.

m/m
Cheers - I'll try that.:blink:

[sels1]

Get fucked mate, I play rugby but I hate touch. Complete waste of time unless you're a mincer that likes pussying around in the backs.

Meh, your macho talk dosent impress. If you listen to Graham Henry, he prefers his players to be multi skilled. You can still do your weights and conditioning work as well.
Touch has one of the highest amount of participants of any summer sport - for obviously good reasons.

[The_Dover]

Yup, because fewer europeans are playing senior rugby. It's too physical. Junior grades sure, but as soon as you hit seniors it's spot the whitey. I'd rather condition in the off season and spend the pre season and training nights brushing up the real rugby skills and contact fitness. Half the shit you see on the touch field just does not translate to the real game.

[El Dopa]

Reminds me of when they used to show Kabaddi on English TV. Weird game, everybody holds hands and has to hold their breath when they're in the opposing team's half. I could never figure out how the ref knew you weren't breathing!

They were allowed to breathe when they were in their own half, but not when they were in the other teams half.

The ref knew they weren't breathing (in) because when they were in the other teams territory, they had to go 'kabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddi kabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddikabaddik abaddikabaddi'.

kabaddi is the national game of Bangladesh, fact fans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabaddi

[NordieBoy]

Touch has one of the highest amount of participants of any summer sport - for obviously good reasons.
Sponsered by pubs?
You get to "touch" wimmin without getting smacked in the head?
There are a lot of poofs out there pretending to be rugby/league players?

:lol: