McGeechan set to be the Lions king
On Wednesday week the British and Irish Lions will clear a little space for themselves in the title-winning congestion of the 2008 club season by announcing the name of the coach for their 2009 tour to South Africa.
It was not supposed to be a very dramatic occasion, since Eddie O’Sullivan for a considerable time was down in fairly heavy pencil for the job. But this season turned cruel for the Irishman. The Ireland he had previously taken to the edge of wonderful things were suddenly without spark at the World Cup and barely more animated in the Six Nations.
Having been principal assistant to Sir Clive Woodward on the tour to New Zealand in 2005, O’Sullivan went from heir apparent to coach without inheritance, his fall from grace revealing just how volatile the coaching world now is in Europe.
This time last year, the coaches of the Six Nations were Brian Ashton (England), Bernard Laporte (France), O’Sullivan (Ireland), Pierre Berbizier (Italy), Frank Hadden (Scotland) and Gareth Jenkins (Wales). All but Hadden have gone and, after Scotland’s single win in the championship, albeit over England, his attachment to his post is hardly that of a limpet. A track record of sorts helps with the Lions.
O’Sullivan went before he was pushed, Laporte was booed out of rugby into French politics, Jenkins was given the simple heave-ho, while Ashton suffered a more protracted and public ejection. Only Berbizier left on his own terms. When the rest of us make the Italians seem a model of gentlemanly conduct, you know that coaching can be a treacherous business.
The Lions, who have traditionally force-fed themselves the nutrients of good fellowship as they try to blend in a matter of days the players of four countries into one team, have equally found that coaches can trigger indigestion.
Tags: o, win
what’s “famaly” ?
Yeah, I went to a show recently . That band is seriously lite-rock at best. Typical deal, of a band that only attains enough marginal success in order to perpetuate themselves, into their 40’s. Serious barometric pressure suck, I felt cheated out of admission. Hard Rock, my ass.The guitarist blue-tinted John Lennon glasses, in combo with his “Beatles” T-shirt, really provided me with a perfect example of his sensible 40’s something credibility. Not since Oasis have I been more mystified by an approaching golden web cascading from Kings X piss bucket. More “scene” then “music”.
Really? pot? I would have thought the fans would have been dropping acid, that’s the only way Grateful Dead songs sound any good … or so I’ve been told.
That is true, but Bobby’s got the better voice.Oh and upmodded because you have “box of rain” as your name.
That’s funny. I feel that Phil takes the show to a whole different place and there’s no surprises with Bobby, lol. Oh well, I guess we agree to disagree. We’re actually arguing over minutia, though. If I can’t be at a Phil show, I’ll be at a Bobby show. I’m sure it’s visa versa for you.I’m really digging some of the “newer” jam bands out there. The scene is getting hot.
phil does have a good band, but he’s falling apart (at least, imo, bobby looks and plays better than he does). also, pl&f shows are too strict– i mean, it sounds way like the dead, but it’s not. there’s not much surprises.bobby takes the music to a whole different place though. the bluesy, jazzy, jammy place. and, he sings differently than he did w/ the dead.better show, imo.
i personally don’t think this article is notable, but it’s entertaining. i’ve seen phil a few times; good shows, although not as good as ratdog, imo.it doesn’t require being high on acid to appreciate the dead. listening to a few good ‘69 shows makes you feel like you’re on acid. those were some psychedelic jams… really crunchy material.
pretty blatant
i’m not a huge phan of most the jam scene today. ie. umphrey’s or the biscuits. although they jam hard, i don’t feel like there are enough peaks and lulls in their performance (i.e. i’d rather hear crescendos instead of one long heavy jam). i like the current bluegrass scene a lot (trampled by turtles, pertnear sandstone, railroad earth, etc., etc.). re: jam these days, cheese was the best we had. i was fortunate enough to catch them 4x this summer.i’m huge into dumpstaphunk and greyboy allstars (and their associated acts). funk/jazz/blues/jam.
looks like sex with an animal to me.