New Zealand nominated for Laureus Team Of The Year Award

First topic message reminder :

Laureus World Team of the Year nominees:

All Blacks (NZ) Rugby Union - first time a national team achieved a 100% record in professional era
Bayern Munich (Germany) Football - won Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble
Brazil Men's Football Team - won Confederations Cup, beating World Cup holders Spain in final
Bob & Mike Bryan (US) Tennis - completed doubles 'Golden Slam' - four Grand Slams and Olympic gold
Miami Heat (US) Basketball - won NBA title for second straight year, beating San Antonio Spurs in final
Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing - won fourth straight Formula One Constructors' World Championship

Guess those Bryan boys would be the biggest rivals. Bayern had a stellar year too and are obviously in the biggest sport, but you can't do any more than have a 100% record can you? Especially not in a sport as competitive as rugby.

Who would you guys want to win? Interesting to see the opinions of those non-Kiwis where rugby is their favourite sport.

Not a fan of the Bryan twins getting it. Doubles is 2nd tier.... if the best male solo players played doubles they would probably be amongst the best. The davis cup often proves this.

its like giving the IRB giving a club of the year award to the wnners of the HC!

Taylorman wrote:So what makes B Munichs CL win last year different from any other CL win? In other words, why doesnt the CL winner win this every year? They lost a pool match so it can't be an unbeaten thing? And how is the CL the toughest competition in the world- is the World cup easier? Or are we splitting hairs...club vs national? there are different grades of toughest in the world in this sport?

well from a fans POV. they did play exceptionally good football.

Chelsea won the year before- but in a very attritional way.

I still agree with your sentiment though.. It isn't really any better than any other team winning it.

yeah its a good discussion I suppose but sooooo subjective. A little like the IRB player of the year but at least its the same sport and the judges are familiar with it. And even they get it wrong sometimes. Would love to hear the supporting tennis pair judges convincing discussion with the Bayern M one.

I'd always rate international success over club success given clubs can buy theirs in modern sport. Don't get me wrong though, I still celebrate club sport and particularly epl. But the Man City, Chelsea, Real, Bayern Munich et al. of the world take a bit of fun out of club sport by mopping up the best players. I doubt the ABs will win.

Yeah I suppose there's got to be credibility. Football fans will call it the mickey mouse awards should the tennis pair get it, perhaps less so the AB's.

The power of clubs and their money to undermine International sport by not being restricted to a players residential circs is plaguing every major sport- Football is the spearhead, but Cricket, Basketball, League, Rugby etc are all being undercut by club competitions.

Football is fixed anyway.

mystiroakey wrote:SA cricket team should have got a Nom!

Shut the front door!

What about the Dove Men's Care Award... who would be the nominations for that?

Dove mens care award- even if i google that I doubt it will tell me anything substantial. What are you on about dude?

You Googled it?   

No i didnt!

thats my point. What the heck are you on about bud!

SA test team got to number 1 in the world by beating the no.1 team in there own back yard- that for my money is a very big deal and much better achievement than the tennis pairs or Brazil basically non year.

But Dove mends care awards- what the heck are you on about?

Linebreaker wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:SA cricket team should have got a Nom!

Shut the front door!

What about the Dove Men's Care Award... who would be the nominations for that?

Liftetime achievement award: Larry Bird

Avian flu award for disservice to birds: Chris Ashton

Dove Men's Care Awards:

Coach of the Year: Steve Hansen (Shag)

Rookie of the Year: Dominic Bird

Player to return from injury: Cory Jane

TGIF   

  Now you're talking!

Working from home today mate?

I wouldn't call what I do work.   

Its either me being completely thick (probably) or you lot going crazy or minor crazy with some odd antipodean talk..

It's definitely one of those mate.   

Well done Bayern Munich...fantastic ambassadors for the trophy!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2616240/Bayern-Munich-0-4-Real-Madrid-Cristiano-Ronaldo-Sergio-Ramos-double-Los-Blancos-make-Champions-League-final.html

(perhaps they should give it back?)

They were several steps ahead last year particularly under Heynckes and have lost 6 times (?) this season. Still a fantastic team.

When it comes to football all of rugby union takes 2nd place never mind on team. When it comes to world popularity the AB's would be well down the league behind many many football clubs, both in support and finances.

mystiroakey wrote:SA cricket team should have got a Nom!

  

Any international side is going to have to do something really exceptional to get ahead of a club side ie world cup year as they play so few matches in comparison.

How about the Roos keeping the Kiwis tryless in the RLWC? Phenomenal performance.

That was the most comprehensive display I've ever seen in either a rugby union or rugby league match against relatively strong opposition... (supposedly).

Biltong wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:SA cricket team should have got a Nom!

  

true! if a champs to chumps team like BM can win it...well...who can't? Did Eddie the Eagle win this?  

Atletico should be there! To be pipped by the ABs. For all the rest, there's MasterCard.

Taylorman wrote:

Biltong wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:SA cricket team should have got a Nom!

  

true! if a champs to chumps team like BM can win it...well...who can't? Did Eddie the Eagle win this?  

Champs to Chumps? I'm guessing you don't follow football much.

Yes, they were outstanding last year and did the European treble. Champs definately.

This year, they won the Bundersliga in a record fewest number of games without losing a game until after the title was won. They made the last 4 of the Champions League which is the highest standard tournament of the most competitive game on the planet. They are in the final of the German Cup. So could still win a domestic double.

Not as good as last year but Chumps they ain't. Most teams in any sport would love to have a season like that!

Linebreaker wrote:How about the Roos keeping the Kiwis tryless in the RLWC? Phenomenal performance.

That was the most comprehensive display I've ever seen in either a rugby union or rugby league match against relatively strong opposition... (supposedly).

Wouldn't that be a bit like awarding the USA Basketball/Baseball team the trophy for any respected tournament win. When their are only 3 serious teams in a global competition.... its not really a competition.

Linebreaker wrote:How about the Roos keeping the Kiwis tryless in the RLWC? Phenomenal performance.

That was the most comprehensive display I've ever seen in either a rugby union or rugby league match against relatively strong opposition... (supposedly).

Whats rugby league???

It's like rugby union, if the flanks got red cards

It's like rugby union, if the flanks got red cards

one game is like chess the other is like draughts.

or even plain old checkers

morel like connect 4 if you ask me   

or ker plunk...

Buckeroo

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:How about the Roos keeping the Kiwis tryless in the RLWC? Phenomenal performance.

That was the most comprehensive display I've ever seen in either a rugby union or rugby league match against relatively strong opposition... (supposedly).

Whats rugby league???

You get this when its a sport only two country's ever play LB...  

3.25 including England and Ireland...   

sssh...was waiting for a bite!....

Must be hard to get up for international games for the Kangaroos, they're so good. They have a couple of plays that they unleash that are dead cert tries. It's just a formality. Quite depressing for opposing fans but you have to give the Australians credit for being in a league of their own. Last night, the kiwis played with passion and had a sniff but all along there was that feeling of dread.

Kangaroos will never get nominated. Leagues to small a sport and the international game is a bit of an afterthought. Home refs, players unavailable, scheduled when they can be bothered. Love watching the game, but it's not going anywhere at the moment. Probably a great example of why you have to have a viable international game if you want to expand your market. Cricket has been in the awards, one of the Aussie teams won in the past.