Saturday, December 05, 2009
2010 World Cup Draw
Bloody hell, that dragged on and I was fast-forwarding through most of it thanks to MYSKY.
Here's the Pools along with the current fifa rankings to give an idea of which pools really are strong. The number on the left is their total ranking points and I've re-sorted them so the toughest pool is top and the weakest pool is at the bottom. It can be a bit deceiving because some names look imposing but the current team isn't so flash and some teams have never done anything but are ranked quite highly.
74 Group H: Spain (1), Switzerland (18), Honduras (38), Chile (17)
83 Group E: Netherlands (3), Denmark (26), Japan (43), Cameroon (11)
84 Group C: England (9), USA (14), Algeria (28), Slovenia (33)
84 Group D: Germany (6), Australia (21), Serbia (20), Ghana (37)
94 Group B: Argentina (8), Nigeria (22), South Korea (52), Greece (12)
107 Group G: Brazil (2), North Korea (84), Côte d'Ivoire (16), Portugal (5)
127 Group A: South Africa (86), Mexico (15), Uruguay (19), France (7)
145 Group F: Italy (4), Paraguay (30), New Zealand (77), Slovakia (34)
So looking at all that NZ is in the weakest group but that's largely because we are in it. In saying that though we have the lowest ranked European team in Slovakia and the 5th ranked South American team with only Honduras ranked lower. We have drawn the current WC champions and they'll probably put 6 past us but they aren't the best side in the world at the moment, ranked 4th.
The best looking group in terms of rankings is Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile which would probably be the least interesting looking group in terms of who the fuck is in it. The current number one ranked team is Spain on the back of an unbeaten qualifying campaign and their Euro 2008 win.
For me the toughest group is Group G where you have 3 teams ranked in the top 16, with Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast up against N Korea. It will be a 3 horse race but those 3 horses are tough as fuck and there's the added fact that N Korea will be beaten to death if they don't get a point somewhere. Not actually true but people will make that joke constantly for the next few months. Provided they put up some respectable efforts they will be allowed back home no probs.
Group A may also be tricky because you have 3 highly ranked sides (France, Uruguay and Mexico) up against the hosts S Africa. S Africa are absolute mud at the moment but with a huge home crowd cheering them on they will grow another leg, plus the ref probably won't be too stiff on them. France would have been stoked to get in that pool but remember what happened in 2002 when they went as reigning champs? No goals in 3 matches and an exit faster than they arrived.
I guess now things will turn to who wants to play who in the warm up matches. I'm sure the NZ officials will be tapping Germany on the shoulder who have drawn Australia. At the last WC in Germany the Brazilians lined up NZ in a warmup game so they could get an idea of the style that they would come up against in the group game v Aussie. So Serbia and Ghana would be other sides who might be interested in playing us. Meanwhile Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia will probably all be asking Aussie for a showdown. Though Italy played us not too long ago and learnt that we aren't as shit as you'd expect. Though still pretty shit.
Here's the Pools along with the current fifa rankings to give an idea of which pools really are strong. The number on the left is their total ranking points and I've re-sorted them so the toughest pool is top and the weakest pool is at the bottom. It can be a bit deceiving because some names look imposing but the current team isn't so flash and some teams have never done anything but are ranked quite highly.
74 Group H: Spain (1), Switzerland (18), Honduras (38), Chile (17)
83 Group E: Netherlands (3), Denmark (26), Japan (43), Cameroon (11)
84 Group C: England (9), USA (14), Algeria (28), Slovenia (33)
84 Group D: Germany (6), Australia (21), Serbia (20), Ghana (37)
94 Group B: Argentina (8), Nigeria (22), South Korea (52), Greece (12)
107 Group G: Brazil (2), North Korea (84), Côte d'Ivoire (16), Portugal (5)
127 Group A: South Africa (86), Mexico (15), Uruguay (19), France (7)
145 Group F: Italy (4), Paraguay (30), New Zealand (77), Slovakia (34)
So looking at all that NZ is in the weakest group but that's largely because we are in it. In saying that though we have the lowest ranked European team in Slovakia and the 5th ranked South American team with only Honduras ranked lower. We have drawn the current WC champions and they'll probably put 6 past us but they aren't the best side in the world at the moment, ranked 4th.
The best looking group in terms of rankings is Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile which would probably be the least interesting looking group in terms of who the fuck is in it. The current number one ranked team is Spain on the back of an unbeaten qualifying campaign and their Euro 2008 win.
For me the toughest group is Group G where you have 3 teams ranked in the top 16, with Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast up against N Korea. It will be a 3 horse race but those 3 horses are tough as fuck and there's the added fact that N Korea will be beaten to death if they don't get a point somewhere. Not actually true but people will make that joke constantly for the next few months. Provided they put up some respectable efforts they will be allowed back home no probs.
Group A may also be tricky because you have 3 highly ranked sides (France, Uruguay and Mexico) up against the hosts S Africa. S Africa are absolute mud at the moment but with a huge home crowd cheering them on they will grow another leg, plus the ref probably won't be too stiff on them. France would have been stoked to get in that pool but remember what happened in 2002 when they went as reigning champs? No goals in 3 matches and an exit faster than they arrived.
I guess now things will turn to who wants to play who in the warm up matches. I'm sure the NZ officials will be tapping Germany on the shoulder who have drawn Australia. At the last WC in Germany the Brazilians lined up NZ in a warmup game so they could get an idea of the style that they would come up against in the group game v Aussie. So Serbia and Ghana would be other sides who might be interested in playing us. Meanwhile Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia will probably all be asking Aussie for a showdown. Though Italy played us not too long ago and learnt that we aren't as shit as you'd expect. Though still pretty shit.
Labels: 2010 south africa, all whites, fifa, football, football world cup, soccer
Friday, November 27, 2009
I'm trying to be sympathetic but seriously
In todays Herald.
The story of a couple who are barely making ends meet on a combined income of about $50 MORE than my household earns a week.
and it goes on...
FFS, some free financial advice. Instead of spending $600 a week on your mortgage, sell the house and move into a $400 a week rental giving yourself an extra $850 a month to pay for the shit you are struggling to pay for and to clear some of your debts which are crippling you. Once that's done THEN look at saving a deposit and buying a house. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE HOMEOWNERS IN YOUR CURRENT SITUATION. Join the tens of thousands of others who earn what you earn living in rental properties.
This is coming from someone who earns less than you two but lives in his own home with stay at home mum and child because I'm not carrying round an anchor of stupid debt.
The story of a couple who are barely making ends meet on a combined income of about $50 MORE than my household earns a week.
Their combined incomes of just $933 a week after tax, averaged over the year and excluding overtime, gives them just $33 a week for food, petrol and other living costs after meeting their automatic payments of $1800 a fortnight for the mortgage, rates, insurance, a car loan and hire purchases on a fridge and washing machine.
and it goes on...
Until 2006 they were renting, but the house was damp and Mrs Victory and her daughter Shontelle were constantly sick. When the landlord raised the rent, they applied for a state house.
"They asked, 'Are you on a benefit?' 'No, we both work,"' she said. "'Well, you don't qualify' they said.
"So then we thought about trying to buy our own house and were lucky enough to get a mortgage broker who secured it against my parents' house. We had no deposit. We had huge loans from our wedding. We consolidated the loans into the mortgage."
They bought a modest house in Papatoetoe for $279,000, paying off the mortgage at $1200 a fortnight. The interest rate dropped this year. But they used the difference to take a new loan for a car.
FFS, some free financial advice. Instead of spending $600 a week on your mortgage, sell the house and move into a $400 a week rental giving yourself an extra $850 a month to pay for the shit you are struggling to pay for and to clear some of your debts which are crippling you. Once that's done THEN look at saving a deposit and buying a house. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE HOMEOWNERS IN YOUR CURRENT SITUATION. Join the tens of thousands of others who earn what you earn living in rental properties.
This is coming from someone who earns less than you two but lives in his own home with stay at home mum and child because I'm not carrying round an anchor of stupid debt.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Just say no to puff pastry (oh yes, and Nick Smith)
National Herald political columnist's puff piece on the abominable Nick Smith had our readers reaching for their vomitories. Instead of stating the obvious - that everything the erratic member for Nelson touches turns to poo, and that he lacks the intellect, the temperament and management skills to be sitting within 500 metres of any Cabinet table, Armstrong heaps on the praise. He's "self-disciplined", "self-confiden[t]" and "slippery". The latter apparently being a good thing.
One of our long-time readers, who wishes to be identified only as a prominent Hawkes Bay bee-keeper - was spluttering with outrage into his morning coffee. The following alternative adjectives were subsequently suggested for this one-time deputy leader of the National Party:
"liar"
"cocksucking little bottom-feeder"
"rat bastard mofo"
"despicable turd"
Now, if you'll excuse me I'm off to read some grown professionals a story about a rat, in the tradition of that nice Mr Key's other star minister, Anne "dullard" Tolley.
One of our long-time readers, who wishes to be identified only as a prominent Hawkes Bay bee-keeper - was spluttering with outrage into his morning coffee. The following alternative adjectives were subsequently suggested for this one-time deputy leader of the National Party:
"liar"
"cocksucking little bottom-feeder"
"rat bastard mofo"
"despicable turd"
Now, if you'll excuse me I'm off to read some grown professionals a story about a rat, in the tradition of that nice Mr Key's other star minister, Anne "dullard" Tolley.
Labels: Anne Tolley MP, bee-keeping, lickspittle herald watch, national, Nick Smith MP, outrage
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Compliant media trots it out
Yes, you saw it here second: "Shoppers remain cautious as Christmas approaches" bleats the DomPost.
As we have noted in the past, this will inevitably be followed up with: "NZ retailers relieved by last-minute spending spree."
The same thing they say every year, Pinky.
As we have noted in the past, this will inevitably be followed up with: "NZ retailers relieved by last-minute spending spree."
The same thing they say every year, Pinky.
Monday, November 23, 2009
TRY harder
A statistical analysis of why rugby is fucked to watch.
So far in the NH tour (excluding the horrible Beldisloe test in Tokyo so I can keep it comparable to AB v NH opposition from previous tours) there have been a whopping 3 tries in total from either team in 240 minutes of rugby.
Now I posted here a while back about how awful rugby has been to watch this year since they ditched the by and large decent ELVs and went back to the tried and failed of the past so I won't bother to get into that again but rather serve up a few stats to highlight how awful this shit is to watch (probably why fuck all are bothering to tune in or ever talk about it at work, school or even sports forums where test matches are often passing by with next to no notice).
So here goes
1998 - 4 matches
24 TRIES (6 ave per match)
2000 - 3 matches
20 TRIES (6.7)
2001 - 3 matches
16 TRIES (5.3)
2002 - 3 matches
17 TRIES (5.7)
2004 - 4 matches
30 TRIES (7.5)
2005 - 4 matches
19 TRIES (4.8)
2006 - 4 matches
23 TRIES (5.8)
2008 - 4 matches
12 TRIES (3)
2009 - 3 matches (so far)
3 TRIES (1)
And in the past 7 AB tests in NH tour matches they have not had their tryline crossed. Thats 560 minutes of rugby.
So far in the NH tour (excluding the horrible Beldisloe test in Tokyo so I can keep it comparable to AB v NH opposition from previous tours) there have been a whopping 3 tries in total from either team in 240 minutes of rugby.
Now I posted here a while back about how awful rugby has been to watch this year since they ditched the by and large decent ELVs and went back to the tried and failed of the past so I won't bother to get into that again but rather serve up a few stats to highlight how awful this shit is to watch (probably why fuck all are bothering to tune in or ever talk about it at work, school or even sports forums where test matches are often passing by with next to no notice).
So here goes
1998 - 4 matches
24 TRIES (6 ave per match)
2000 - 3 matches
20 TRIES (6.7)
2001 - 3 matches
16 TRIES (5.3)
2002 - 3 matches
17 TRIES (5.7)
2004 - 4 matches
30 TRIES (7.5)
2005 - 4 matches
19 TRIES (4.8)
2006 - 4 matches
23 TRIES (5.8)
2008 - 4 matches
12 TRIES (3)
2009 - 3 matches (so far)
3 TRIES (1)
And in the past 7 AB tests in NH tour matches they have not had their tryline crossed. Thats 560 minutes of rugby.
Darth Watch: The horse has bolted!
Darth's latest offering returns to one of his favourite topics: DOOM! Or is that: GLOOM! Or is that: THE END IS NIGH!
If it's not the bloody Labour Party and political correctness bringing this country to its knees, it's ... [insert dramatic drum roll here to indicate suspense] ... DRUGS!
Well, the illegal ones, anyway.
Opines Darth:
Darth, "the coke" and "the horse" do not flow freely in New Zealand, by any stretch of the imagination. In that they are both relatively scarce and bloody expensive. Also, no one has called heroin "horse" since you were a pup reporter on the crime beat.
Darth excludes his favoured substance (tobacco) from the list of "murderous" substances because, umm, well, it's umm legal and umm therefore not immoral or umm something.
Nevermind that rational analysis of drug harm by people who actually know their shit (Nutt et al. in the Lancet (2007)) leads alcohol and tobacco to be ranked (considerably) more highly than many illegal recreational drugs, including cannabis (well d'uh), LSD, GHB and Ecstasy. And FYI, George, amphetamine ranks below alcohol but above tobacco in terms of harm.
Nevermind, George is earning his keep this week via a blunderbuss approach to, err, listing social problems.
If the problem is drugs one paragraph, it's violence against children the next, investor rip-offs after that, and race relations (courtesy of a well-known half-brown motherfucker) bringing up the rear.
At which point Garth actually makes an interesting and likely valid point: " his [Harawira's] latest outburst reveals is that there is among many Maori an abiding and malevolent antipathy towards Pakeha, which is far more widespread than we're prepared to acknowledge" - the counterpoint of which is "a corresponding bitter antagonism to Maori on the part of many Pakeha."
But just when you think Ole Smokey might be on to something, he finds he has nothing more to say, and pads out his remaining space with 127 - yes, count 'em, 127 - consecutive words taken verbatim from the King James Bible he always has to hand.
I hope Isaiah is being handsomely reimbursed for such extensive - and entirely irrelevant - borrowing. There's nothing like a trite Bible phrase or two to complete one's weekly literary offering to the nation, followed by a pithy summary from the moustachioed one himself: "Fat chance, but the offer is still open."
True to form!
On a brighter note, doesn't Santa look awesome!?! Nothing like the 75-year-old alcoholic he previously resembled - he's now bright of eye, clear of skin, and confident of beard.
If it's not the bloody Labour Party and political correctness bringing this country to its knees, it's ... [insert dramatic drum roll here to indicate suspense] ... DRUGS!
Well, the illegal ones, anyway.
Opines Darth:
Sure, the police and Customs do their damnedest to stem the flow of illegal substances into this country, but they're obviously fighting a losing battle, and the pot and the P and the coke and the horse still flow like a river.
Darth, "the coke" and "the horse" do not flow freely in New Zealand, by any stretch of the imagination. In that they are both relatively scarce and bloody expensive. Also, no one has called heroin "horse" since you were a pup reporter on the crime beat.
Darth excludes his favoured substance (tobacco) from the list of "murderous" substances because, umm, well, it's umm legal and umm therefore not immoral or umm something.
Nevermind that rational analysis of drug harm by people who actually know their shit (Nutt et al. in the Lancet (2007)) leads alcohol and tobacco to be ranked (considerably) more highly than many illegal recreational drugs, including cannabis (well d'uh), LSD, GHB and Ecstasy. And FYI, George, amphetamine ranks below alcohol but above tobacco in terms of harm.
Nevermind, George is earning his keep this week via a blunderbuss approach to, err, listing social problems.
If the problem is drugs one paragraph, it's violence against children the next, investor rip-offs after that, and race relations (courtesy of a well-known half-brown motherfucker) bringing up the rear.
At which point Garth actually makes an interesting and likely valid point: " his [Harawira's] latest outburst reveals is that there is among many Maori an abiding and malevolent antipathy towards Pakeha, which is far more widespread than we're prepared to acknowledge" - the counterpoint of which is "a corresponding bitter antagonism to Maori on the part of many Pakeha."
But just when you think Ole Smokey might be on to something, he finds he has nothing more to say, and pads out his remaining space with 127 - yes, count 'em, 127 - consecutive words taken verbatim from the King James Bible he always has to hand.
I hope Isaiah is being handsomely reimbursed for such extensive - and entirely irrelevant - borrowing. There's nothing like a trite Bible phrase or two to complete one's weekly literary offering to the nation, followed by a pithy summary from the moustachioed one himself: "Fat chance, but the offer is still open."
True to form!
On a brighter note, doesn't Santa look awesome!?! Nothing like the 75-year-old alcoholic he previously resembled - he's now bright of eye, clear of skin, and confident of beard.
Labels: alcohol, darth george, drugs, Santa, smoking
