I detest the America's Cup thingie.

290 replies · 59,196 views

over 12 years ago

I think if you're baiting people about something you don't care about you're as bad as people bandwaggoning a sport they know nothing about. On a human level you have to feel for the guys involved with the team. They will genuinely feel they are letting the whole country down. There is so much to dislike about this whole event but I still think you have to keep that in mind.

But I do care about it - I care about Oracle winning.

There is bandwagon jumping in every country, but I am pretty sure it is not to the extent you get here. The media are the people that fuck me off the most - it is a globally insignificant event, that I am going to suggest that about half of the population here do not care about (for every horray henry cunting about at Shed 10 for the media or excitable Dorris in the work place, I would suggest that there is someone like the majority of people on here, a farmer in rural NZ or or a family in Soth Auckland who are completely bewildered by all the fuss), yet it is headline news, pushing major terrorist attacks in other parts of the world to bit-part stories. It is mental. The sooner we lose, and the whole thing is swept under the rug, the better.

Band wagoning yourself ?
How long does the shooting in Nairobi have to be the headline ?? Headlines come and go
Most of the 3000 members the Phoenix have are quietly waiting till the start of the season, then they will be along stamping and cheering. Then quiet again till the next season. Similar situation here, esp in Auckland.

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over 12 years ago

But most of these people seen crying when we lose, aren't yachting fans. You have to admit its quite bizarre.

Allegedly

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over 12 years ago

As bizarre as people crying when Princess Di died. Who knew her ?

At least we know these kiwis / this boat

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over 12 years ago

Did they die?

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over 12 years ago

We also don't know them any better. Everyone knows of them, and what they do, but don't know them personally. Same with princess di.

She also did a lot of charity work etc and actually did some good, so the world was a worse off place by her death in people's eyes.

But the world isn't worse off if TNZ win a race that a month or so ago didn't even know about in a sport that they don't even follow.

And yeah, as 2B said, they're not dead.

So pretty strange comparison to make.

Allegedly

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over 12 years ago

If Team Emirates win tmr, or next week, or whenever...I'm thinking of starting some kind of Yellow Fever rebirth of "Blackheart"...just need a song, shirt sales?!?!?! HOLY......wot a winner!!!! $$$$$$$$$$$)...what do you reckon? SERIOUSLY - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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over 12 years ago

The point I am making is people identify with things and get emotional over them. You dont have to be an expert or a long term supporter in everything you decide to follow for a period of time

I havent seen anyone cry yet, must have missed it.

It is hyped up, and that is how it goes these days

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over 12 years ago

How long do you have to be interested in something before you can get excited about it?

Is there a table? Is there a written guideline?

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over 12 years ago

I'm not making law here, just saying I find it bizarre and that I don't understand it.

Allegedly

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over 12 years ago

At worst we will finish 2nd!! We hold the Louis Vuitton Cup !! So no big deal !!

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over 12 years ago

not really sure. I suppose it is a little bit longer than the period of time where you know nothing about something that has long existed (but not been in the news), get all excited because that is what the media tell say you should feel like, and look like a total cunt.

All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight

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over 12 years ago

hepatitis wrote:

I havent seen anyone cry yet, must have missed it.

Definitely crying...

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over 12 years ago

Sorry, this crying thing, so people are crying because of a Yacht race? Is that it?

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over 12 years ago

Tegal wrote:

dairyflat wrote:

Kiwis happy to support a America's Cup defence

Really?

There is also an obviously huge bias in the timing of the survey. If you asked people next year, it'd be very different.

... or tomorrow.

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over 12 years ago

Close up...

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over 12 years ago

Thats a woman with a bad cold, come on

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over 12 years ago

hepatitis wrote:

Thats a woman with a bad cold, come on

I never understand these episodes of mass hysteria

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over 12 years ago

ForteanTimes wrote:

Sorry, this crying thing, so people are crying because of a Yacht race? Is that it?

No, they are crying because they just invested $30 in red socks and it didn't help. Be kinda fun to be in shed 10 and start a chorus of "You're not singing, you're not singing, you're not singing anymore..."

My regret is still not putting a tenner on ortacile when it was 6-0 to NZ. grrrrr.

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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over 12 years ago

hepatitis wrote:

As bizarre as people crying when Princess Di died. Who knew her ?

At least we know these kiwis / this boat

As weird, yeah.

I worked on her funeral & that massive line up of loonies that lined up for her book of rememberance at St James Palace.

A London bloke I worked with there thought we should check their pupils to see if they were the same as ours (circa MIB).

"Sharing rewards the weak"- Steven Colbert

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over 12 years ago

sthn.jeff wrote:

How long do you have to be interested in something before you can get excited about it?

Is there a table? Is there a written guideline?

I was a bit taken by SthnJeff's comment. It started me thinking.
Randomly..

Who are we to say how involved someone should be? Emotion is not an exact science. That said, when a surge
like this comes pretty much out of nowhere I know I tend to be puzzled by it. Mind you if I took someone to a Phoenix game, for their very first match, and they were, say, weeping at full time I'd be a tad questioning...

How about these thoughts?
If this boat was just called the Matilda and was racing under plain white sails for, say, the Auckland Yacht Club, would people be so excited?

If the New Zealand flag was not in sight would people be so excited?

If a NZ flag is wrapped around something is that enough for people to get excited?

Is interest in this event top down or bottom up? That is, was there a groundswell of popular support that TV/Radio/Papers saw the need to cover? Or was it it top down and the media/marketing world created the hype?

Is this sincere interest (what is sincere?) or is simply driven by media messages and images? If TV/Radio/papers weren't covering the event would hundreds of NZers be pressuring them for coverage? If they weren't covering it how many NZers would pay any attention at all?

How much of this is simply just nationalism? Am emotive resonse garnered by putting the NZ flag on a yacht?

Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe.
20/5/20

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over 12 years ago

tl;dr

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 12 years ago

Frankie Mac wrote:

One of the women in the office this morning said she saw some Americans tourists who were down at Shed 10 on TV, and they said that most of America doesn't even know this is taking place. It is as if people are completely blind to how insignificant this is outside of this piss-pot little country.

Why does what America thinks matter to us? If we like it then who cares?

Honestly I'm sick of this small island mentality.

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over 12 years ago

Recommend that Team NZ get totally hammered tonight and listen to Lamb of God "redneck" @ full fuckin throttle .....

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over 12 years ago

terminator_x wrote:

[quote=hepatitis]

I havent seen anyone cry yet, must have missed it.

Definitely crying...

[/quote : Lady and Little girl " Oh my Fuck, they're going to unleash Dave Dobbyn on us, we beg of you please don't......!!!! LOL

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over 12 years ago

I just heard Martin Tasker say "this is the biggest event in New Zealand history"...

Words fail me...again

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over 12 years ago

This is off topic but Frankie just reminded me. They kiwi guy who got shot in Kenya. Did anyone here know him ? I saw his picture on the news and he was wearing a Yellow Fever t-shirt.

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over 12 years ago

terminator_x wrote:

hepatitis wrote:

I havent seen anyone cry yet, must have missed it.

Definitely crying...

Wimps!

I didn't cry in 1977 when Spurs got relegated, in 1978 when the Toon followed, or in 1989 and again in 2009.

Harden up boaties.

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 12 years ago

Banzai!...AIEEE!!! wrote:

I just heard Martin Tasker say "this is the biggest event in New Zealand history"...

Words fail me...again

Indefensible. Almost as good as the American commentators we get in the UK saying "Oracle are now closer to the most important trophy in international sport".

However, some of this is a bit harsh. You can definitely be an "Americas Cup Fan" without being a big time sailing fan. It's a very historical event and one which NZ has had a long history in

I would say to all you Haterz I hope none of you get into the Olympics once every 4 years...

Normo's coming home

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over 12 years ago

dairyflat wrote:

sthn.jeff wrote:

How long do you have to be interested in something before you can get excited about it?

Is there a table? Is there a written guideline?

Good post, great questions posed. Regardless of the answers, the media have a lot to answer for

Grumpy old bastard alert

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over 12 years ago

james dean wrote:

Banzai!...AIEEE!!! wrote:

I just heard Martin Tasker say "this is the biggest event in New Zealand history"...

Words fail me...again

Indefensible. Almost as good as the American commentators we get in the UK saying "Oracle are now closer to the most important trophy in international sport".

However, some of this is a bit harsh. You can definitely be an "Americas Cup Fan" without being a big time sailing fan. It's a very historical event and one which NZ has had a long history in

I would say to all you Haterz I hope none of you get into the Olympics once every 4 years...

Fair call for a few. I'll admit I watched and enjoyed the last one, without really caring if 'we' won or lost mind you.

But it does seem the majority only became fans once the media really latched onto it (when we were winning), and are now hysterical despite not really understanding what is happening or having never really heard of the Americas cup. I'll never understand it.

Allegedly

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over 12 years ago

Like I said at the start, I was a massive sceptic and pretty much against the whole thing. But honestly watching now it's one of the best sporting events I've seen - it genuinely has it all - and I don't know an awful lot about sailing (although I did used to sail when I was younger). If this was going on in Auckland Harbour you'd have to have a very hard heart not to enjoy the show.

The crying and saturation coverage is all pretty pathetic, but it has been a great event and I'll feel really sorry for them when they lose tomorrow. I don't think it's been a choke either by the way, you're seeing an absolutely epic comeback from the yanks.

Normo's coming home

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over 12 years ago

The thing I hate the most is probably Hilary Barry's sappy coverage. "The hearts were in our mouths as a nation - the nation stopped". Continually referring to ETNZ as "we" or "us" drives me up the wall, so much for impartial journalism.

I don't mind watching a report on how we won or lost, and then have Barker or Dalton or Davies talking, but all these general news stories are just shocking.

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over 12 years ago

N-Bomb wrote:

I don't mind watching a report on how we won or lost, and then have Barker or Dalton or Davies talking, but all these general news stories are just shocking.

And you've only just noticed this now? The NZ Media (with exception of people like Jason Pine) are a fucking disgrace! I can't wait to see how long it takes for Campbell Live to run a story on just who's fault this whole fuck about has been and who should have to pay for it!

"Ive just re-visited this and once again realised that C-Diddy is a genius - a drunk, Newcastle bred disgrace - but a genius." - Hard News, 11:39am 4th June 2009

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over 12 years ago

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch

Mediawatch for 22 September 2013

(also listen to the previous one, 15 Sept, about different perspectives on Nth Korea)

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 12 years ago

Today's three biggest news stories:

1. John Key gets diarrhoea

2. Anna Guy wants to share her joy

3. America's Cup choke job

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over 12 years ago

terminator_x wrote:

Today's three biggest news stories:

1. John Key gets diarrhoea

2. Anna Guy wants to share her joy

3. America's Cup choke job

Sounds promising. Go on...

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 12 years ago

I don't think it's a choke either. Since the start of racing when emirates tnz were clearly a faster boat than oracle, oracle started working over time on making their boat faster. It took about 8-9 races before they got it right but since then they have been pretty much unbeatable. Rumours are that oracle observed emirates tnz's boat as it was put in and out of the water each day and figured out why etnz's foils worked better and then made new ones (thanks to Warkworth boat builders and at about 2 mil a pop) which now means they have foils for all conditions and etnz only have a couple of sets. They also watched etnz sail their boat and learned a few tricks off them. So all in all I think it's mostly a combination of boat improvements, improvements in the way they sail it, and Ben Ainslie coming in because he has been far smarter than Ray Davies. Its less of a choke and more of a comeback which could only be possible with the money available to oracle. Etnz don't have the same ability to make the changes oracle do which is exactly why they've been "blown out of the water" - sorry but very apt you have to admit!

Fruglo on 15.01.2013 wrote:

Fuck this stupid game

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over 12 years ago

Junior82 wrote:

terminator_x wrote:

Today's three biggest news stories:

1. John Key gets diarrhoea

2. Anna Guy wants to share her joy

3. America's Cup choke job

Sounds promising. Go on...

Page 3?

"Ive just re-visited this and once again realised that C-Diddy is a genius - a drunk, Newcastle bred disgrace - but a genius." - Hard News, 11:39am 4th June 2009

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over 12 years ago

Page 3 is usually reserved for a bunch of tits - so maybe pics from shed 10?

(sorry - that was uncalled for)

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 12 years ago

Junior82 wrote:

Page 3 is usually reserved for a bunch of tits - so maybe pics from shed 10?

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