Rugby - The Lull After The Storm

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

Fair enough – I should recoup it in June anyway if the proposed fixture comes off.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak

And his Bon Mot cannon as well Tamerlin.

He is cheating, it is his job...

Did I see that you had some concerns about the current performance of mighty Toulouse whilst I was missing?

I was complaining about the poor performance of the Stade Toulousain at Biarritz and about the poor overall quality of game in the French Championship. With such a low level championship it is no wonder the French Team can't compete against the major ones.

First day back guys – the pressure got to me all right. By 3pm I wanted a drink.

My name was on the refusenik list leaked in December – anything less than a Dukedom is insulting to a man like myself who has done so much for the Leisure (brewing) Industry.

Makes me think about The Duke in "the Big Lebowsky"...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
The locals have taken to writing Putain les Anglais on walls around the town.

They are poor illiterate sods, they should write Putain d'Anglais...

I would like to say that this does not reflect my opinion at all...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
If he doesn't travel to away matches, he's not a true supporter, therefore he's disqualified from an opinion!

Tell us Finbar, when have you been to the stadium for the last time to support your favorite team? And don't lie about the century!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


Tell us Finbar, when have you been to the stadium for the last time to support your favorite team? And don't lie about the century!

I don't have a favourite team in club football!

And here's a special smilie just for you!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


He is cheating, it is his job...

Stop interrupting me by forcing me to check whether you've posted!

Makes me think about The Duke in "the Big Lebowsky"...

Mmmm. One of their lesser films, IMHO.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


They are poor illiterate sods, they should write Putain d'Anglais...

Put it down to the altitude.

I would like to say that this does not reflect my opinion at all...

[Havak]

With such a low level championship it is no wonder the French Team can't compete against the major ones.

The English Premiership is actually very strong right now, one obvious team excepted.

Makes me think about The Duke in "the Big Lebowsky"...

That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

I am by the way totally against Brits buying up holiday homes in France if it prevents locals finding affordable places to live. I only waive this principle when a friend has a pad they allow me to crash at when on tour.

Here’s a thought for you – given what he has achieved with Wasps what odds on Warren Gatland being the next AB coach, possible as early as this September?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak

The English Premiership is actually very strong right now...

This is exactly what is telling me my stepfather (with whom I am going to the Stadium), the English Championship games are broadcasted on Cable TV and he is watching them. He says that they have nothing to do with the French Championship in terms of speed, skill, efficiency and playing time.

When I compare the skill and tactics of the Stade Toulousain in 1996 (year of the first European title coupled with another French Championship title), and more generally the level of the French Championship at this time, with what I am seeing now, I can only say that there has been a constant decline of the quality and an impoverishment of the game.

At this time there was something called the French Flair, the "Jeu à la Toulousaine" or the "Jeu à l'Agenaise"... where have all these things gone. To the garbage...

Obsessed with the athletic performances, the coaches and players worked hard to improve the said athletic performances in order to catch up with the bodybuilders of the Southern Hemisphere... to the detriment of the technical skills of the players. The English never forgot that the technical skills are as important as the athletic performances if not that the second are at the service of the firsts.

What do we see in the French Championship. A stereotyped game a bit like what was played two or three years ago in the Southern Hemisphere (though we still have real forwards, scrums and mauls) but with less skilled players. Our centers are no more able to dodge or avoid a defender, the only thing they know how to do is to bump into the defense. Many athletic players are making a knock on each time they have to catch a ball or handle the ball... they lack the needed technical skills.

If you add over this numerous stupid fools and the poor quality of our referees, who are often "butchering" a promising game, you should have an adequate picture of the current nightmare.

There are a few lightnings though as the Stade Toulousain is sometimes able to show brilliant things... one game out of two.

That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

I hope so... About the Cohen brothers, though I like The Big Lebowsky I prefer Fargo and O'Brothers.

I am by the way totally against Brits buying up holiday homes in France if it prevents locals finding affordable places to live. I only waive this principle when a friend has a pad they allow me to crash at when on tour.

I understand your point of view...

The problem is the same in the Pays Basque where Spanish are buying holiday homes here. The prices have climbed so high the locals can no more afford themselves to buy a house here. This is the trouble when you have a "Green and Pleasant Land"...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

Speaking of which, I had you in mind tonight when watching one of Rick Stein's cooking shows on cable. He prepared Cod braised in Cabbage, Bacon and Suffolk Bitter. Presumably you'd throw away the Cod, Cabbage and Bacon. I'd throw away the Cod and the Suffolk Bitter.

Here’s a thought for you – given what he has achieved with Wasps what odds on Warren Gatland being the next AB coach, possible as early as this September?

Send him to Saracens.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
About the Cohen brothers, though I like The Big Lebowsky I prefer Fargo and O'Brothers.

Yes, I think Fargo tops the list. Barton Fink is a wonderful film about a writer but probably really only appreciated by other writers. I couldn't get into Hudsucker Proxy. I still think Raising Arizona is a wonderful film. Quite enjoyed their last one, Intolerable Cruelty, but it's not a classic. The script, written by others, had been around for ten years and they'd been fiddling with it. George Clooney read it and loved it, thus it was made.

One of my proudest possessions is their autographs. A friend of ours here hosts a movie review show on TV and goes to all the film festivals. Luckily, she remembered they're my filmmaking and writing heroes when she interviewed them.

The problem is the same in the Pays Basque where Spanish are buying holiday homes here. The prices have climbed so high the locals can no more afford themselves to buy a house here. This is the trouble when you have a "Green and Pleasant Land"...

Just wait till I buy up most of Toulouse and squeeze you out of the property market!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar

Yes, I think Fargo tops the list. Barton Fink is a wonderful film about a writer but probably really only appreciated by other writers. I couldn't get into Hudsucker Proxy. I still think Raising Arizona is a wonderful film. Quite enjoyed their last one, Intolerable Cruelty, but it's not a classic. The script, written by others, had been around for ten years and they'd been fiddling with it. George Clooney read it and loved it, thus it was made.

I have heard about Barton Finks and Raising Arizona but I have not seen them...

Intolerable Cruelty has been removed from the screens before I had the opportunity to go for it.

I suppose that the big calibers like The Return of the King, Matrix 3 and Nemo has been fatal to the movie.

Luckily, she remembered they're my filmmaking and writing heroes when she interviewed them.

Just wait till I buy up most of Toulouse and squeeze you out of the property market!

It does not bother me as I have renounced to be the owner of my own home a long a time ago...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I have heard about Barton Finks and Raising Arizona but I have not seen them...

I don't think they're on DVD. Not a lot of their stuff is, at least not available here anyway. Raising Arizona is certainly on video. Barton Fink should be. I think you'd like Barton Fink. Quite surreal in parts with some wonderful allegorical flashes. It has one of their classic "what does it really mean?" elements running through it. John Goodman is wonderful in it. Goodman was out here a couple of years ago to make a film with which Mrs finbar was involved. I met him. Nice man, if, um, a bit strange.

In my list yesterday, of course, I somehow omitted what I think is their greatest achievement. Millers Crossing. I think I've seen it about fifteen times. Wonderful, wonderful film with Gabriel Byrne and Albert Finney. It's on DVD. See it! Unfortunately for the film, it was originally released at the same time as Scorsese's Goodfellas, another of my all-time favourites. Millers Crossing and Goodfellas are in the same "gangster" genre, although entirely different, and Millers Crossing unfortunately got lost in the fuss over Goodfellas.

Intolerable Cruelty has been removed from the screens before I had the opportunity to go for it.

It was nothing to get excited about. It's their take on 1930s "screwball comedy" with George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones. Entertaining enough, but with some transparent plot twists.

I suppose that the big calibers like The Return of the King, Matrix 3 and Nemo has been fatal to the movie.

It was, theoretically, with Clooney and Zeta Jones in it, potentially their most commercial movie for a while. But, for some reason, it didn't really work commercially. It's certainly better than a lot of the crap that does work commercially. It's interesting that Fargo, their biggest hit by a long way, succeeded via word-of-mouth. People saw it, loved it, and told other people about it. Look at it objectively and you'd never predict it would be a commercial hit. That's what word-of-mouth can do for a film. It's the great unknown quantity in film making.

It does not bother me as I have renounced to be the owner of my own home a long a time ago...

Yes, but I'll also push the rental prices through the roof.

[Tamerlin]

I would move away rather than paying you a rent...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
I don't think they're on DVD. Not a lot of their stuff is, at least not available here anyway. Raising Arizona is certainly on video. Barton Fink should be.

I think that one of my friends should own the DVD... it might also be true for Millers Crossing

Nice man, if, um, a bit strange.

It does not surprise me...

Millers Crossing and Goodfellas are in the same "gangster" genre, although entirely different, and Millers Crossing unfortunately got lost in the fuss over Goodfellas.

The problem is that the French title of Goodfellas could well be very different, perhaps have I seen the movie... I will check.

It's interesting that Fargo, their biggest hit by a long way, succeeded via word-of-mouth. People saw it, loved it, and told other people about it. Look at it objectively and you'd never predict it would be a commercial hit. That's what word-of-mouth can do for a film. It's the great unknown quantity in film making.

I agree word-of-mouth can do some miracles, and it is a very good thing as IMO the maintsream movies are generally real dogs.

I have watched Takeshi Kitano's Battle Royale this afternoon, a very disturbing and good movie as far as I am concerned.