FACup draw an embarrassment.

[Rjk]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

They're just trying to make what is traditionally an all male sport feel more inclusive to women, and by having a woman involved in the commentary team it probably does do that. She might not have been a Lion but she played rugby at international level, and if every commentator had to have played the sport at the exact level they're commentating on then there'll be a lot of fellas at the job centre tomorrow.

I've just had a look at the Sky team for the Lions series:

Sam Warburton (male)
Bryan Habana (male)
Ronan O Gara (male)
Will Greenwood (male)
Sir Ian McGeechan (male)
Nigel Owens (male)
Scott Quinnell (male)
Maggie Alphonsi (female)

How anybody can look at that lineup and their only takeaway is a moan about one woman being there is beyond me

she's not a lion because there IS no Lions women's team. if there had been one when she was playing then she would definitely have been in it.

[dembethewarrior]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

They're just trying to make what is traditionally an all male sport feel more inclusive to women, and by having a woman involved in the commentary team it probably does do that. She might not have been a Lion but she played rugby at international level, and if every commentator had to have played the sport at the exact level they're commentating on then there'll be a lot of fellas at the job centre tomorrow.

I've just had a look at the Sky team for the Lions series:

Sam Warburton (male)
Bryan Habana (male)
Ronan O Gara (male)
Will Greenwood (male)
Sir Ian McGeechan (male)
Nigel Owens (male)
Scott Quinnell (male)
Maggie Alphonsi (female)

How anybody can look at that lineup and their only takeaway is a moan about one woman being there is beyond me

That's the standard set for the Lions over the years. Not mentioned it should be the standard across the sport.

Would somebody have been left out to include her?

Like I've said before, she won't have a clue about what the whole tour experience feels.like, uts not like playing international rugby, she can't comment on any of that, which is what they do before and during games.

In some cases it seems like they try too hard to include women. I didn't say I was against women being included, but I do think they try too hard, fitting round pegs in square holes if you will, on occasion.

[dembethewarrior]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

she's not a lion because there IS no Lions women's team. if there had been one when she was playing then she would definitely have been in it.

Bingo.

If she had been on a women's tour I don't think you'd see me having a moan at her inclusion.

When they day comes, you could say her inclusion is merited, and not a token to appease watching fans, or they're scared that other sports/channels do it so they need to or people will call them out on it.

[delmbox]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

That's the standard set for the Lions over the years. Not mentioned it should be the standard across the sport.

Would somebody have been left out to include her?

Like I've said before, she won't have a clue about what the whole tour experience feels.like, uts not like playing international rugby, she can't comment on any of that, which is what they do before and during games.

In some cases it seems like they Tey too hard to include women. I didn't say I was against women being included, but I do think they try too hard, fitting round pegs in square holes if you will, on occasion.

Who cares if she doesn't know what the whole specific Lions tour experience feels like I don't watch the Lions because I want to know what it's like having breakfast with Jamie Roberts

And even if you care about that do you're covered by the SIX other men there who can tell you about that (the 7th, Nigel Owens also doesn't know what a specific Lions tour experience feels like)

Seems like grasping for reasons to justify the fact that you just feel a bit weird about having her there to be honest

[Rjk]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

Bingo.

If she had been on a women's tour I don't think you'd see me having a moan at her inclusion.

When they day comes, you could say her inclusion is merited, and not a token to appease watching fans, or they're scared that other sports/channels do it so they need to or people will call them out on it.

she's won the world cup, 6 grand slams, and been voted by journalists as the best player in the world, pipping Richie McCaw to that honour according to her Wikipedia page, and she's in the world rugby hall of fame.
of all the female pundits you could have mentioned she seems better qualified than most to be honest.

[delmbox]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

Bingo.

If she had been on a women's tour I don't think you'd see me having a moan at her inclusion.

When they day comes, you could say her inclusion is merited, and not a token to appease watching fans, or they're scared that other sports/channels do it so they need to or people will call them out on it.

It's not to appease though, it's to include, I don't see why this is so hard to understand.

Sports like rugby and football have traditionally been the domain of men, nowadays people are realising that women actually might quite like them too, so channels include women in the coverage. Truth is a lot (not all) of the men kicking off about that are doing so because they want it to still be the domain of men, but that's dressed up with spurious justifications about why they're annoyed by it.

My 9 year old niece is mad about football - she plays for a team, goes to Wales games. My sister wouldn't have even considered doing those things because they weren't really on the table for girls when she was growing up in the 80's/90's. The world's been geared towards men our entire lives and things are beginning to shift and balance out a bit. Part of that is more female presence on the commentary teams, it's not like men are under represented so I really don't see the issue personally

[binman]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

I'm getting on now but throughout my life the only time I've heard a woman's voice when it comes to football has been negative

None of my mother sister, wife, aunties, sister in law's etc had any interest in football whatsoever. The only time they'd comment would be to turn it off, why is football always on and why waste your time watching that crap. Don't go to the football we have to do something which I hate.

I also had a few girlfriends who told me it was either them or Cardiff City - I always chose the City.

Maybe sub consciously if I hear a woman's voice with football it's deriving a negative response from me cos that's all I associate it with over the years 😃

Anyway it's pointless now - it's here to stay

None of them will ever be as bad as Garth Crooks or Mark Lawrenson either

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

Thank you. I even gave an example with the lions presenter, a classic case of having her there just because shes a woman.

I'm not really arsed about them in football commentary, my point about Scott and the over analysis she does on micro incidents was a criticism of that and not BECAUSE she is a woman

The reaction of a few on here is ****ing hilarious to be honest.

I think you come over as a bit polarised yourself at times, old fruit

[dembethewarrior]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

I think you come over as a bit polarised yourself at times, old fruit

Will not deny. It is what it is.

[dembethewarrior]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

Who cares if she doesn't know what the whole specific Lions tour experience feels like I don't watch the Lions because I want to know what it's like having breakfast with Jamie Roberts

And even if you care about that do you're covered by the SIX other men there who can tell you about that (the 7th, Nigel Owens also doesn't know what a specific Lions tour experience feels like)

Seems like grasping for reasons to justify the fact that you just feel a bit weird about having her there to be honest

The men in the pub watching the rugby.

[delmbox]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

The men in the pub watching the rugby.

I don't get what you're saying here sorry mate, what's this in relation to?

[az city]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

I don't know I'm not sexist.

Fair play that’s ripe for the “Eats shoots and leaves” treatment.

[Croesy Blue]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

So, anyone who has a daughter cannot be sexist?

Isn’t there a joke in the office about this “how I can be sexist, my mum’s a woman”

[Croesy Blue]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

Also every time there’s a thread that’s a big off, i.e a bit sexist, racist etc.

It’s always the exact same people who are twats. I cannot imagine how miserable monkfish, LoM etc must be with how ****ing miserable their opinions are.

[Croesy Blue]

Re: FACup draw an embarrassment.

I don't get what you're saying here sorry mate, what's this in relation to?

I think it’s in response to who cares if she doesn’t know that the tour is like. Which is maybe the weakest argument to anything I’ve ever heard.