10.23.08 MOST AWESOMELY VIOLENT SPORT EVER?
Gaelic football and Australian Rules are similar sports, both falling within the realm between rugby and American football. But they’re still different enough that a hybrid, International Rules, was developed to let the Australians and Irish compete against each other.
The International Rules Series kicks off tomorrow for the first time since 2006 (it’s supposed to be an annual event), and given that drinking and fighting are the only things the Irish and Australians are good at, you can guess how this series goes. The reason it wasn’t played last year: a series of on-field brawls and assorted violence put the event’s future in doubt. Not sure why that’s seen as bad. I’d pay good money to watch Irish and Australians fight. “Fight! Fight, you curs! Winner gets a mug of ale!”
(You can watch the goodness in the video above, but I strongly recommend muting your computer, as it’s unfortunately set to Limp Bizkit or some similar insult to your ears and intelligence.)
[Dave's Football Blog]
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![[image]](http://cdn.wl.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2009/07/jewish_olympics-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.wl.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2009/02/bikini-football-150x150.jpg)
There are 12 comments about:
MOST AWESOMELY VIOLENT SPORT EVER?
This sport walks the tightrope between violently cool and violently gay. “AARRGH MATE!! TASTE MY BALLZ!!!”
Not sure why my imaginary Australian guy talks like a pirate and misspells “balls”, but trust me, he does.
Im gonna sound like an American homer but football is way more violent. I see a lot of laying on guys on the ground and grabbing each others shirts
WDYA, you’re all fur coat and no trousers.
@Enrico: Thanks?
The night air is tinged with anticipation. It’s time to meet The International.
Nice editing. I like how the lyric “Boom” syncs with the half-hearted elbowing.
I guess in the effort to find common ground between the Aussies and the Irish, they made the referees have all the stopping power and aggression of an English bobby.
“Stop, or I shall say stop once more!”
Ufford’s right - the arcade fire would have been more appropriate
i’ve been to gaelic football matches and it is violent as hell but i’d have to put it behind hurling, which is pretty much a bunch of drunk irish guys beating on each other with sticks. aka a typical night in boston.
One day a little unnecessary violence is a reason to hate a sport the next day its a reason to love it.
Hines Ward would kick those pussies’ ass.
I’m not going to say that GAA, AFL or International Rules is the most violent (or hardcore) sport going - in fact as entertaining as it may be to watch most of that video comprises of off-the-ball fights and illegal maneuvers which can get equally ugly in even the tamest of sports. (Although they tend not to get too heavily punished for these actions, even if they are illegal).
That said you cannot pretend for a minute that American Football is more violent or hardcore - they’re not putting their body on the line nearly as much.
For what it’s worth I’d say Rugby is probably one of the most hardcore sports in terms of what you can legally do to other players… just check out some of the tackle videos of Sébastien Chabal on YouTube if you want to see what I mean.
Hurling is pretty hardcore too, simply because it involves wooden sticks, a ball that’s harder than a baseball and minimal protection - all of which are moving at the highest speed recorded for an on-grass sport. It may allow for the kind of tackles that Ice Hockey does but I think it takes more bravery to play.
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