Guestblogging for Tom Tomorrow over at This Modern World, Bob Harris goes overboard with his analysis of a photo of a future commander in chief slugging an opponent on the Rugby pitch:
Incidentally, while rugby is a contact sport, every player knows that tackling above the shoulders is a foul. So is leaving your feet during a tackle. Either of these is serious enough that the other team is immediately awarded a penalty kick, often directly resulting in points for the other team.So even without throwing a punch, Bush is already well outside fair play.
Grasping an opponent by the back of the head and punching him in the face is beyond the pale -- I've watched rugby avidly for years, and I've never seen it during an open-field tackle like this, honest -- and will typically result in a player being immediately sent off. . .
Decide for yourself. Either way, both incompetent and dirty.
To which I respond, oh please, spare me. As someone who's dabbled in just about every sport imaginable, including a semester with the "B" side of Catholic University's Rugby Club in the mid-80s, I must confess to seeing and enduring, much worse behavior than this on the pitch -- including more than my fair share of high tackles. Hits that, surprise, surprise, didn't elicit anything from the referee other than a warning.
Can you imagine anyone ever describing cross-checking as "incompetent and dirty"?
How about just part of the game? For a look at Senator Kerry's high school ice hockey career (equal time and all), click here.
Have you ever played Rugby, Bob?
Thanks to Colby Cosh for the link.
UPDATE: Here's a link to an old Baseball Musings post where Dave Pinto quotes Peter Gammons saying that Kerry was "the dirtiest hockey player he ever saw." Thanks to Baseball Crank for the link.
He’s definitely Incompetent! Look at that! That’s a horrible tackle!
True, although on closer study, it looks like an attempt to strip the ball gone slightly awry… even if it isn’t, it’s pretty goddamn tame by rugger standards. Our elementary-school games on the playground had worse stuff than this.
I showed it to my rugby-veteran wife, who shrugged and said, “Whatever. I thought he was just a cheerleader.”
Equal time? Eric, I know I work for a gutless industry whose inability to stand up in the face of spin machines is beautifully lampooned by Jon Stewart and company each night, but do you HAVE to remind me?
I have never played rugby, but this is my favorite photo of all-time:
http://www.pbase.com/pj48/image/29273552
Is stiff arming someone into the ground “well outside fair play” for women’s rugby?