Again I will state I cant stand the gossip columnist, bourbon bekky.
But read the article by Walter, paid to go over by souffs to cover the phonechukka cup.
Ive bolded the important bits, the rest is fluff.
I asked these questions repeatedly to souffs fans to be met with were promoting the game, the fantastic expierence, were getting on US TV etc propaganda garbage.
Again I ask why is this being even played???? Its a disruption to the preseason, the coach doesnt really want it, the players arent training anywhere near the standard they would at home, theres been injuries to key players b4 the games on and its only a MAYBE the game will be covered on TV (I got that info from the souffs site).
And it would seem even though I agree bourbon bekkys tripe was hate and garbage mostly, she isnt incorrect in what she said with some of the facts.
The phonechukka ego cup. :crazy:
Link:
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/bunnies-bond-amid-glitz-and-wealth-of-american-football/2008/01/25/1201157667336.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Bunnies bond amid glitz and wealth of American football
Brad Walter in Jacksonville | January 26, 2008
WHEN Russell Crowe first told Jason Taylor he wanted to take South Sydney to the US for a pre-season camp,
the coach had some reservations about how it would affect their preparations so close to the premiership kick-off.
But any
drop off in the intensity of training has been more than compensated by the way the players have bonded during the 10-day trip, and Taylor believes that will prove invaluable during a long, hard NRL campaign that begins for the Rabbitohs with this weekend's match against Super League champions Leeds at the University of North Florida.
"
With the weather and the time difference, we haven't been able to get the quality in our sessions that we would have at home, and that was a concern of mine at the start, but the time the guys are spending with each other and the things we're getting to do here are right now top of the list for me," Taylor said after touring the facilities of local NFL side, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"There's great spirit here, and everyone we come across, including the guys at the Jaguars, have said that they can tell there is a great chemistry with the guys, and that's what we're trying to build because if you've got a team that loves spending time together and wants to play for each other, that's a big step.
"
This whole thing was Russell's idea, and one of the things he said was that when you ask a player years after they retire about the highlights of their career, they talk about Test matches and grand finals, and the next thing they'll talk about is trips that they went on, so for us to do this at this time of the year … and take that sort of feeling into the season is massive."
Centre Nigel Vagana believes the camp has refreshed the players when they would usually be tiring of the off-season routine.
"Most years at the end of January, you're still slogging away on the sandhills at Wanda and thinking, 'How am I going to do this?', so it's great to be in a different environment, and everyone has got a new lease of life," he said.
Vagana described the visit to the Jaguars headquarters at the 67,000-seat Jacksonville Municipal Stadium as his highlight of the trip so far. Players spent over two hours touring the facilities, and were allowed to try on the helmets, shoulder pads and playing uniforms of their NFL counterparts. They were also shown the lecture theatre-styled rooms where the Jaguars players meet for about four hours a day, including one boasting the biggest high-definition television screen in the city. The whole set-up resembled a theme park for athletes. The Rabbitohs were soon digesting plenty of statistical curiosities - such as how Jaguars players are given two new pairs of training shoes each week, have their helmet replaced after every game and used 190 miles (306km) of strapping this season.
But what really caught their attention was hearing the salary cap for the 53 players on each NFL team is about $US110 million ($124 million), with a minimum wage of $US385,000.
"What you get for a year, that's what our whole team gets," Taylor joked with star defensive linebacker Mike Petersen, who responded by declaring that NRL wages should start at $300,000.
Vagana said their visit had given the players plenty to aspire to, but Souths' more immediate concern was playing a Leeds side missing only one player from the team that beat St Helens in last season's Super League grand final.
The Rhinos' line-up features Great Britain stars Jamie Peacock, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow, Gareth Ellis and Kevin Sinfield, and Kiwis Brent Webb, Ali Lauitiiti and Clinton Toopi.
Craig Wing (Achilles strain) is one of a number of players with niggling injuries. Taylor is undecided whether Wing will make his first appearance for the club since 1999. Scott Geddes, Dean Widders, Ben Rogers (all hamstring), Eddie Paea (groin) and Fetuli Talanoa (finger) are in doubt, while Nathan Merritt is recovering from a knee reconstruction. David Fa'alogo has returned home for personal reasons.
Brad Walter's trip to America was funded by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
:lol: :lol:
