Saturday, July 04, 2009
On the pain of 2nd prize
So, I am sure many of you are familiar with the concept of fantasy sport teams. You pick some real-life players from a given sport based on certain criteria, and then you get points depending on how those players perform in real life. He whom gets the most points over the course of a season/competition, wins.
I was invited to join such a competition with regard to the British & Irish Lions' tour of South Africa (rugby union). Entry was free, and I feel I know a fair bit about rugby, so I entered. I was doing surprisingly well, I was inside the top 50 (out of about 8,000) for most of the first third of the tour. The matches happened every Saturday and Wednesday, so I made sure to change my team before every game, as the teams were extensively changes for each match. However, about two thirds of the way through the tour, a game happened on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday! Also, it happened at lunchtime instead of the evening (I would've been more likely to pick up on the fact if it was an evening game due to my regular evening web-surfing). Consequently, I scored but a handful of points (as most of my players, whom I had selected for the previous game, did not play this time) and plummeted down to about 350th. I felt quite sad and a bit annoyed as I was doing so well up to that point.
However, I continued to pick teams for subsequent game and fought my way back up the rankings; first inside the top 100 , then top 50, then before the final game to 21st (top 3 get cool prizes; 4th to 13th a rugby top). The last match went well for me, and I finished inside the top 13, netting myself a rugby top.
IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE GAME THAT HAPPENED ON THE TUESDAY AND PICKED A TEAM FOR IT I WOULD'VE FINISHED 1ST AND WIN A HUGE TV, SPEAKERS AND A 12 MOTH PAY-TV SUBSCRIPTION!!!!!!
I'm so annoyed.
Link to my team
So, I am sure many of you are familiar with the concept of fantasy sport teams. You pick some real-life players from a given sport based on certain criteria, and then you get points depending on how those players perform in real life. He whom gets the most points over the course of a season/competition, wins.
I was invited to join such a competition with regard to the British & Irish Lions' tour of South Africa (rugby union). Entry was free, and I feel I know a fair bit about rugby, so I entered. I was doing surprisingly well, I was inside the top 50 (out of about 8,000) for most of the first third of the tour. The matches happened every Saturday and Wednesday, so I made sure to change my team before every game, as the teams were extensively changes for each match. However, about two thirds of the way through the tour, a game happened on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday! Also, it happened at lunchtime instead of the evening (I would've been more likely to pick up on the fact if it was an evening game due to my regular evening web-surfing). Consequently, I scored but a handful of points (as most of my players, whom I had selected for the previous game, did not play this time) and plummeted down to about 350th. I felt quite sad and a bit annoyed as I was doing so well up to that point.
However, I continued to pick teams for subsequent game and fought my way back up the rankings; first inside the top 100 , then top 50, then before the final game to 21st (top 3 get cool prizes; 4th to 13th a rugby top). The last match went well for me, and I finished inside the top 13, netting myself a rugby top.
IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE GAME THAT HAPPENED ON THE TUESDAY AND PICKED A TEAM FOR IT I WOULD'VE FINISHED 1ST AND WIN A HUGE TV, SPEAKERS AND A 12 MOTH PAY-TV SUBSCRIPTION!!!!!!
I'm so annoyed.
Link to my team
Labels: rugby
Monday, March 31, 2008
WALES - GRAND SLAM WINNERS 2008
It happened quite a few weeks ago now but I am still high as a kite!
CYMRU AM BYTH :D
It happened quite a few weeks ago now but I am still high as a kite!
CYMRU AM BYTH :D
Labels: Grand slam, rugby, Wales
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Birthday fun
Well I celebrated my birthday over the weekend before last, and it was probably my best birthday ever. All the sporting results went my way, and those who know me well know I can get quite excited about sport. First off, I went to watch Coventry play and they finally won after many attempts (see previous post), also Wales kept their Grand Slam ambitions alive with a win over Ireland, Scotland beat England (fantastic!), and then Chelsea got knocked out of the FA cup against the mighty Barnsley. Even more fantastic!
When we got home in the evening, I saw my wonderful birthday cake that my wife made - it was a christmas cake (at my request!) iced-up like the welsh flag - very impressive (pictures will be forthcoming). So all in all, the best birthday ever!
(A post saying "woo we won the grand slam" will be forthcoming soon, don't worry...)
Well I celebrated my birthday over the weekend before last, and it was probably my best birthday ever. All the sporting results went my way, and those who know me well know I can get quite excited about sport. First off, I went to watch Coventry play and they finally won after many attempts (see previous post), also Wales kept their Grand Slam ambitions alive with a win over Ireland, Scotland beat England (fantastic!), and then Chelsea got knocked out of the FA cup against the mighty Barnsley. Even more fantastic!
When we got home in the evening, I saw my wonderful birthday cake that my wife made - it was a christmas cake (at my request!) iced-up like the welsh flag - very impressive (pictures will be forthcoming). So all in all, the best birthday ever!
(A post saying "woo we won the grand slam" will be forthcoming soon, don't worry...)
Labels: birthday, cake, Coventry, football, rugby, Wales
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Six nations predictions 2008
Every year I make these predictions - but this year is pretty hard, practically anyone can beat anyone. However two firm predictions I will make...
- England will not finish in the top 2. They are a distinctly average team, who were very lucky to get to the World Cup final. Much of the country appears to have been duped into the illusion that they are suddenly a really good team, including the experts (see their predictions here).
- Some people are rubbishing the Scots - but I think they are slowly going places, and they will win at least 2 games.
Here, then are my tentative predictions (I made them before the first game by the way)
England v Wales... England
Ireland v Italy... Ireland
Scotland v France... Scotland
France v Ireland... Ireland
Wales v Scotland... Wales
Italy v England... England
France v England... France
Ireland v Scotland... Scotland
Wales v Italy... Italy
Ireland v Wales... Wales
Scotland v England... Scotland
France v Italy... France
England v Ireland... Ireland
Italy v Scotland... Scotland
Wales v France... France
Oh, and I don't care one jot I was wrong about the Wales - England game. Absolute credit to Wales for sticking at it - I am very, VERY happy right now :)
Every year I make these predictions - but this year is pretty hard, practically anyone can beat anyone. However two firm predictions I will make...
- England will not finish in the top 2. They are a distinctly average team, who were very lucky to get to the World Cup final. Much of the country appears to have been duped into the illusion that they are suddenly a really good team, including the experts (see their predictions here).
- Some people are rubbishing the Scots - but I think they are slowly going places, and they will win at least 2 games.
Here, then are my tentative predictions (I made them before the first game by the way)
England v Wales... England
Ireland v Italy... Ireland
Scotland v France... Scotland
France v Ireland... Ireland
Wales v Scotland... Wales
Italy v England... England
France v England... France
Ireland v Scotland... Scotland
Wales v Italy... Italy
Ireland v Wales... Wales
Scotland v England... Scotland
France v Italy... France
England v Ireland... Ireland
Italy v Scotland... Scotland
Wales v France... France
Oh, and I don't care one jot I was wrong about the Wales - England game. Absolute credit to Wales for sticking at it - I am very, VERY happy right now :)
Labels: 6 nations, rugby, Wales