The England 'scandal' bandwagon: is it ruining the world cup for anyone else?

First topic message reminder :

I am unbelievably sick of the ‘scandal’ surrounding the England team. I think it's criminal that the English media can get away with this spin and fabrication, and - what's more - sickening that they should actively seek to bring down their own team. There hasn't been a single slice of genuine wrongdoing in my opinion, yet half the world (including my mrs - who got wind of the 'scandal' via heat magazine!) are now firmly on the 'England are a bunch of ill-disciplined, immoral miscreants' bandwagon, and that's before you even look at the often insanely over-the-top, doomsday analysis of our performances:

• Bungee jumping: so what? They’re grown men. They’re in the adventure sports capital of the world. They physically can’t train all the time. It’s not just that I have no problem with it, I actually think it’s a good idea and Johnson should be commended for letting them go!

• Lawes ban: Shouldn’t have been a ban IMO. Accidental and harsh - even if it was a ban, it certainly wasn't cynical foul play, and doesn't warrant the moralising.

• The mad midget weekender: They had over a week off, they went for some beers. The bar manager said they were good as gold. Zara Phillips said that bird who kissed Tindall’s head (sex crime?!) was an old friend. Case closed. No scandal.

• Armitage’s ban: Again, massively unlucky. If it’d been spotted during the game it would have been a penalty and a talking-to. I’ve seen much more malicious high tackles receive much more lenient sanction.

• ‘Harassing’ the hotel maid: Transparently overblown. Some rugby lads make sexual innuendo to a fit bird – STOP THE PRESS!! The fact that the world “only realised how upset the female had been by the incident” several days later – after an apology had been made and everything was sorted – should tell everyone everything they need to know about that invented ‘scandal’.

• Tuilagi’s shameless advertising infringement: The best yet. The guy has been wearing the same gum shield for over a year!! He had no idea – something that the IRB have acknowledged! As soon as he realised, he coloured-in the sponsor's name. But the bandwagon is in motion: just another disgusting chapter in the ‘ill-disciplined England’ saga.

I would be tempted to say that the IRB and New Zealand are being anti-English, but the truth is that 90% of it is our own media's doing!! There is nothing in the world I hate more than a moralising journalist: in my mind it's principally akin to a self-righteous murderer, or a feminist naughty person. It's a world cup - something every fan looks forward to, and a cause of celebration. I buy the paper wanting to get into the action, read the latest news, the pre-match hype, the analysis......and instead I have to read speculation about whether Mike Tindall got a kebab on the way home from his night out or not.

I'm emigrating.

Can't access Wiki at work... damn IT department!

Is Godwins law the one about once you start comparing someone to a Nazi you've lost the argument?

That's hardly fair on TGG. He's not racist, just xenophobic.

( and that is mostly just a ploy to get reaction from you all )

When he's not got that evil grin on his face tapping away with the next in a long line of barberous comments you can actually have a decent conversation with the chap.

He just loves to WUM and we keep biting.

It's rude to talk about a current thread participant in the third person.

That's the one Metal Tiger...

Speak for yourselves, I don't bite. You're one of my favourites TGG.

Speak for yourselves, I don't bite. You're one of my favourites TGG.

bit creepy to write it twice PJ. There's liking someone and thens there's just desperation....

Still can't get used to posting from my mobile telefunken.

What's your avator/icon thingy PJ? It's too small to make out.

Barf

No, really, it is - Barf RFC

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:No, really, it is - Barf RFC

Yesssireee bobtail, Asbo has it - Bath Rugby.

PJ,

A Bath fan!
You going to the Bath v Leinster HC game in December mate? If so, lets meet up fer pints. A load of us from the Pub are meeting up.

Gibson wrote:PJ,

A Bath fan!
You going to the Bath v Leinster HC game in December mate? If so, lets meet up fer pints. A load of us from the Pub are meeting up.

Well that sounds like a winner to me Gibbo, count me and Mrs Holybloke in I'm not allowed to go to Bath without the gaffer, she likes the shops you know.

Excellent.
I may have MrsGibbo with me too pal. Told her Bath was lovely and the shopping was good. She's not a big rugby fan. But, I'll make the effort to get her to come along.

Asbo, Hound of Harrow, Hughie1988, Mickado, Kiarose and a host of others meeting up. Always a blast. Be great to meet you mo chara. I love going on Tour in the HC. Been doing it for yonks now.

TheGreyGhost wrote:Just two pages of post and we're almost at Godwin's law. Come on, some one say it.

Pah, a full two pages, took them just under a page on the tennis section