LOL. Athers casts the rod, and Langer takes the bait

by Henry Sat 08 Jan 2011, 21:58

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-ashes/aussies-incensed-over-mike-athertons-baggy-green-cap-slur/story-fn67w6pa-1225981913596

The story is a few days old now but it's funny.

"Try telling every young kid playing in Australia that a baggy green isn't something to aspire to," Langer said.

"It's like telling your own kids there's no Santa Claus, monarchists that the crown jewels are a load of rubbish or a Christian that there is no God."

No exaggeration at all there from Langer........

Proves Athers' and Nass's point completely. It's a lot of over-hyped nonsense.

by Basil Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:07

The only person to demean the Baggy Green in recent weeks has been Hilditch by handing one out to the likes of Doherty and Beer.

by Guest Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:19

Langer speaks far too much in the press. He should concentrate on batting coaching, i.e. his farking job.

by Basil Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:45

Yeah, it was strange that (among other things) he had a daily article on the BBC website during the series

Has anyone seen an article penned by Saker - come to think of it, has anyone heard him speak?

by Henry Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:48

Only to say that he will be staying with England for the next three years.

Langer's appointment as batting coach was clearly a case of 'jobs for the boys.'

by Basil Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:51

Too soon after his retirement I would have thought - it's not so long ago that these players (or most of them) were his team mates.

by Henry Sat 08 Jan 2011, 22:54

Steve Waugh is apparently willing to play some sort of role....but no one has asked him.

by ever hopeful Sun 09 Jan 2011, 00:15

I liked this bit,

"Maybe that's why he is sharing his opinion now. I'm amazed, but not surprised, he's said that."

How can you be amazed but not surprised, Justout?

by Henry Sun 09 Jan 2011, 00:17

He's a bit dim, Langer. Took a few knocks on the head during his career, the poor lad....

by Guest Sun 09 Jan 2011, 00:44

Just read his column on the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/9350368.stm

He appears to have written an article about the 2006/7 series. For someone who is actually a part of the Australian set up I'm in slight disbelief that all he seems to be doing is pining about years gone by in the press.

by Fred Nerk Sun 09 Jan 2011, 02:45

ever hopeful wrote:I liked this bit,

"Maybe that's why he is sharing his opinion now. I'm amazed, but not surprised, he's said that."

How can you be amazed but not surprised, Justout?

Bear in mind it's the bloody LMPFSP - the Melbourne version of the dreaded Daily Mail..

Langer may have said it as reported, but it's at least equally likely that the crayon-sucker recording JL's pearls of wisdom for future generations got it wrong and the sub-ed left it in, either not picking it up either or not bothering to check, figuring there was no way Langer could raise it without looking like a pompous anal dickhead.

In either case, WGAF?

by ever hopeful Sun 09 Jan 2011, 13:15

Fair point. No one was ever quoted accurately in an english paper.

by taipan Sun 09 Jan 2011, 15:20

well at least Ather's comments inspired the fight back.

by taipan Sun 09 Jan 2011, 16:23

And to be pedantic. Why would he cast the rod?

by Basil Mon 10 Jan 2011, 01:17

taipan wrote:And to be pedantic. Why would he cast the rod?

It's not the first time that he's commented about the Aussies wearing their caps at Pat Wrafter's match.

by horace Mon 10 Jan 2011, 03:20

poor Athers - the decent but consummate failure as a captain - I think he seeks redemption by grasping at the coat tails of those who are/were more successful

by Fred Nerk Mon 10 Jan 2011, 07:57

And WTF is it about Steve Waugh and co's choice of attire for a tennis game between Australia and some otherr crowd besides his, in 2001, that Atherton felt the need to get his corset so rattled about anyway?

A well-known bookkeeping software system, known mainly by its ititials, comes to mind....

by Jontyh Mon 10 Jan 2011, 09:57

Athers occasionally might need to scratch the scars inflicted over the years by the Aussies for which he never got redress in his playing days (and also those from dealing with our own ECB - which was as myopic and truculent as it's ever been during Athers' tenure). Even so, I still find him to be one of the more balanced and articulate of commentators and journos.

by Hass Mon 10 Jan 2011, 10:02

What was wrong with wearing baggy green caps to the 2001 Wimbledon final?

Pat Rafter thought it was an absolute hoot and that's all that should matter - they were there to support him.

Some of this backlash against the baggy green is wowserish nonsense. OK, the baggy green cap doesn't have magical powers, but there's something pretty cool about being selected for Australia, putting the cap on your head and thinking, "Wow, Don Bradman wore a cap just like this!" Of course Australian cricketers all over the country aspire to wear one.

by Jontyh Mon 10 Jan 2011, 10:51

Was Athers' point not that the mystical appeal of the baggy green is meaning progressively less to young Australians?

by Eric Air Emu Mon 10 Jan 2011, 10:57

I think it's an English thing of not being seen to be too fanatical about anything. The way that the baggy green was elevated to almost a religious icon under S Waugh really set off the the 'oh come off it' alarms for many of us poms. Oz is a young country and so needs to create it's cultural touchstones I guess.

Baggy greens apart though the Aussies did get arrogant, deluded and downright nasty too often under Waugh so they're fair game. I dare say even they discredited the institution of the baggy green.

by Henry Mon 10 Jan 2011, 15:46

Most of the cricketers pre the Waugh era didn't really give a f*ck about the baggy green. They received it in the mail prior to their debuts, said, "Oh, that's nice" and tossed it in their kit bags. Most of them have sold their caps since they've retired to help pay the bills.

I don't think you need to wax lyrical about a cap to be proud to play for your country, and I think you'll find most of the former Aus players prior to the Waugh era thought the baggy green worshiping was a load of nonsense as well. I know Chappelli thinks so.

by Fred Nerk Mon 10 Jan 2011, 20:18

And you'd know of course......

by Gary 111 Mon 10 Jan 2011, 21:55

Fred Nerk wrote:And you'd know of course......

FORMER Test skipper Ian Chappell has joined the baggy green debate, labelling it a "$5 piece of cloth" overly glorified under Steve Waugh's captaincy.

"There is too much made of the baggy green," Chappell said.

"All touring players used to wear it whether they played a Test or not. It has been overdone.

Chappell said reverence for the baggy green, inspired by former captain Waugh, bordered on overkill.

"It is a cap, a nice cap, but has only become more than a cap since Steve Waugh started to jump up and down about it," said Chappell, who retired in 1980.

"Cricket memorabilia has also played its part, going for ridiculous prices. It is a $5 bit of cloth. I haven't got one, haven't had one since the day I finished. I don't need to look at an Australian cap to remind me of what I did."

by Zat Mon 10 Jan 2011, 22:14

Eric Air Emu wrote:I think it's an English thing of not being seen to be too fanatical about anything.

Yet it's OK for an Englishman to travel halfway around the world, dress up like a chick, get chock full of piss, chant out mind-numbingly-dull obnoxious chants all day, and say that's not being too fanatical? Gotcha.

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