akd545
NormG.W. Bush: A nuggety opening batsman
December 14th 2008 22:51
Did anyone else see the footage of George W. Bush evading a pair of size 10 shoes, hurled at him by an angry Iraqi journalist yesterday? According to newspaper reports, soles of shoes are the ultimate insult in Islamic culture - just nudging out Danish cartoons and naming teddy bears after the prophet Muhammad.
The thing that went unnoticed was, of course, the sublime way in which Bush evaded the size 10's. Bush watched the shoe the whole way, effortlessly weaving under the threatening missile and allowing it to pass through to the 'keeper. Bush was up straight away, ready for the next round of "chin music" which sailed harmlessly to his left. Indeed, at this point Bush was seeing the shoe so well that he didn't even duck the second bullet, simply swaying nonchalantly to his side and offering a glare that Viv Richards would have been proud of.
After a strong start and a ferocious sledge, "It's the farewell kiss, you dog", the Iraqi bowler faded out of the attack after a brief but memorable spell.
As an avid cricket fan, SportingMind is forever looking outside the square for the "next big thing" in Australian cricket. Sure, we have various youth programs, cricket academies, a robust domestic competition and possibly the strongest level of amateur cricket in the world in the form of the Grade competition, but is it time that we look to America for cricketing exports?
The report says that the shoes were thrown from a distance of 25 feet and clocked at a speed of 60 km/h. Roughly translated, that is a distance of 7 metres - not a lot of time to negotiate a missile travelling at such a speed. I am no mathematician, but I calculate that the shoe was travelling at the rate of roughly 16.66 metres per second, giving Bush about 0.4 of a second to react to the delivery.
With the WACA test looming against the Proteas, the focus is firmly on South Africa's three-pronged pace attack. Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini will be targeting the heads of the Australian openers, looking to expose a top order in fragile form - bar the irrepressible Simon Katich.
All I'm saying to the selectors is: let's think outside the square.
-SportingMind
The thing that went unnoticed was, of course, the sublime way in which Bush evaded the size 10's. Bush watched the shoe the whole way, effortlessly weaving under the threatening missile and allowing it to pass through to the 'keeper. Bush was up straight away, ready for the next round of "chin music" which sailed harmlessly to his left. Indeed, at this point Bush was seeing the shoe so well that he didn't even duck the second bullet, simply swaying nonchalantly to his side and offering a glare that Viv Richards would have been proud of.
George Walker Bush. RHB, average 51.46.
After a strong start and a ferocious sledge, "It's the farewell kiss, you dog", the Iraqi bowler faded out of the attack after a brief but memorable spell.
As an avid cricket fan, SportingMind is forever looking outside the square for the "next big thing" in Australian cricket. Sure, we have various youth programs, cricket academies, a robust domestic competition and possibly the strongest level of amateur cricket in the world in the form of the Grade competition, but is it time that we look to America for cricketing exports?
The report says that the shoes were thrown from a distance of 25 feet and clocked at a speed of 60 km/h. Roughly translated, that is a distance of 7 metres - not a lot of time to negotiate a missile travelling at such a speed. I am no mathematician, but I calculate that the shoe was travelling at the rate of roughly 16.66 metres per second, giving Bush about 0.4 of a second to react to the delivery.
With the WACA test looming against the Proteas, the focus is firmly on South Africa's three-pronged pace attack. Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini will be targeting the heads of the Australian openers, looking to expose a top order in fragile form - bar the irrepressible Simon Katich.
All I'm saying to the selectors is: let's think outside the square.
-SportingMind
| 165 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
It's funny to think that a batsman could deliver a sandshoe-crusher, but I think in the sandy soiled (oil)fields of the Middle East, George Walker has at least shown he can dodge a desert-boot. He certainly picks up the line of the shoe early.
Maybe, just maybe, he could fill Matty Hayden's boots when he reitires. If I was to face Dale Steyn I think we can be sure I'd fill my own boots.
Comment by David Edwards
It's important to remember that these were size 10 Iraqi shoes, not U.S. size. Iraqi size 10's are roughly the size of a 156 gram "four-piece ball". When scuffed up enough on the tough desert terrain, they actually swing "Irish".
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
When you mentioned Waugh, my mind remembered his first tour of Iraq diary: "Brideshead Revisited" in which Imran Khan, playing for NSW, taught Steven about letting your twin out first: have your twin bat at four and bat yourself at 6.
Comment by David Edwards
Portraying Imran Khan's struggle with his sexuality in "Brideshead Revisited" marked Waugh as one of the great writers in modern times.
My favourite Tour Diary has to be "Catch 22", the classic novel by Joe Heller. Depicting Hansie Cronje's indecisiveness regarding match-fixing and winning the game for his team.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by damian
Urban Telegraph
The Squirter McGee Diaries
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Money Whither
Comment by hassam
Gamers Jar
Tech Toes
Places Facts
Sci Facts
Comment by Wilson Pon
Health 2 Know
Adventure Toes
boxing sound
Business Rope
Fun Places 2 Travel
Like hassam said, maybe we will see the shoe being bidded in the ebay soon... ;P
Comment by David Edwards
For the record, Bush hit 70 in the first dig and 56 n.o. in the second. Howard went for 2/359 in his match total of 61 overs, picking up the crucial wickets of recently retired Indonesian President Soeharto and the dashing Donald Rumsfeld.
The book "Brideshead Revisited" may have been attributed to Mark Waugh, but it is fact that it was ghost-written by Steve Waugh and his ex-wife Evelyn.
And while those shoes are rumoured to be on Ebay, I'm more interested in a limited edition photo montage of the event, signed by G.W. for only $299, or $349 framed. Watch for Tony Greig and Bill Lawry to be spruiking the memorabilia this summer during the South Africa test series.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
If it wasn't for the Richie Richardson-like restraint of the Curtly Ambrose-like journalist It could have been much worse: he could have gone the socks too.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
As only a fan of one day events (and only usually in the afternoon ~ for the sencond half)...I have to say that I enjoyed this attempt at a quick six.
Hahahahaha
You'd think though that Bush would be good at doging anything with all the training hes had. Bit dissapointing to have to still be looking at his mug shot though, I must say; having breathed a final sigh of relief that it had vanished once and for all ... just like a plague of locusts across a cricket pitch .. gone to munch new fields.
Lilla ...
Comment by David Edwards
You're right, Bush does know how to duck, weave and dodge. Whether he's skipping military duties, covertly snorting coke or just misfielding questions from the press gallery; he knows where his off-stump is. As Michael Slater would say, "the mark of a good batsman is to know when to leave". Unfortunately, Bush should have left before he even took the crease, politically speaking.
Norm, your ability to make one sentence have several different meanings is suited to the field of sports journalism. I think I saw the journalist take off his brown sweat bands after Dubya complained that they were obscuring his vision of the shoe. Indeed, Bush was seeing the shoe like a "Sherrin"; as opposed to a watermelon - which is how Barack Obama reportedly sees the shoe when he's in good touch.
I don't even know what that means but I've heard it's a controversial thing to say.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
would this be the nearest Bush has been to possessing a soul?
Luckily for Bush, that this ancient insult custom only involved shoe tossing and not javelins!
I must admit, Bush does show great potential and formidible form, compared to our own sorry assed bunch of Sunday sloggers.
Did you know, originally, America played cricket? If the English had not refused America entry into the international competition, (only member nations of the British Empire could join they decided), America would be a world ofrce in cricket today, which is probably why the Poms banned them, cos they knew they would eventually whop their arses, like we do, well, used to do...
cheers
fog
Comment by Wang
George W. Bush is a raging racist.
George W. Bush committed hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism (indicated in my blog).
George W. Bush did in fact commit innumerable hate crimes.
And I do solemnly swear by Almighty God that George W. Bush committed other hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism which I am not at liberty to mention.
Many people know what Bush did.
And many people will know what Bush did—even to the end of the world.
Bush was absolute evil.
Bush is now like a fugitive from justice.
Bush is a psychological prisoner.
Bush has a lot to worry about.
Bush can technically be prosecuted for hate crimes at any time.
In any case, Bush will go down in history in infamy.
Respectfully Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
(I can type 90 words per minute. In only 7 days, posts basically like this post of mine have come into existence—all over the Internet (hundreds of copies). One can go to Google USA right now, type “George W. Bush committed hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism,” hit “Enter,” and find more than 350 copies indicating the content of this post. All in all, there are probably more than 1,000 copies on the Internet indicating the content of this post—it has practically become headline news. One cannot be too dedicated when it comes to anti-Bush activities. As I looked back at my good computer work, I thought how fun and easy it was to do it.)
“GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
_________________
I am not sure where I had read it before, but anyway, it goes kind of like this: “If only it were possible to ban invention that bottled up memories so they never got stale and faded.” Oh wait—off the top of my head—I think it came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.