Sports

A review of the Highlanders’ Season

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 15th July 2012 by Gus Gawn

Best player: Aaron SmithWent from being underrated backup to best halfback in the country in the space of about six weeks. A rapid pass, good decision making, and an improving running game. Critic’s favourite Highlander is now everyone’s favourite Highlander. Best Win: Highlanders 27-24 Read more...

London – a sensible but boring Olympics?

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 15th July 2012 by Gus Gawn

Unfortunately, for most cities that win the right to host the Summer Olympic Games the blessing quickly becomes a curse. Enormous sporting organisations such as the IOC, FIFA, and the IRD operate by farming out the risk to the host countries while keeping all the goodies for themselves. The host Read more...

Woo Sports!

Posted 5:13pm Sunday 8th July 2012 by Gus Gawn

For Critic Issue 15 of 2012 I have compiled ten reasons I'm excited about sports in second semester. Semester One was okay I guess, but Semester Two is offering up an absolute smorgasbord of sexy sporting action to watch both locally and on the telly. So, in no particular order, here are some things Read more...

What does Sonny Bill Williams want?

Posted 5:13pm Sunday 8th July 2012 by Gus Gawn

Straight after winning a World Cup and killing it for the Chiefs this year Sonny Bill Williams might be quitting New Zealand rugby, at least for now. He’s been pretty damn good at everything he's tried, but what does Sonny Bill want to look back on when he retires from sport? What does Sonny Bill Read more...

Smashed Him Bro!

Posted 8:39pm Sunday 3rd June 2012 by Gus Gawn

This week we are going to talk about head injuries in sports. TVNZ's Sunday programme recently broadcast a shocking exposé on the reality of brain injuries caused by contact sports. Research in the US has shown that the repeated traumatic brain injuries often seen in contact sports can cause Read more...

Top 5 - sportspeople who changed their sport

Posted 7:40pm Sunday 27th May 2012 by Gus Gawn

When Anna Harrison of the Northern Mystics performed the “chair lift” or “lady lineout” to reject the Melbourne Vixens shooters, she changed the game. This manoeuvre had never been performed in competitive netball before, and people didn’t know what to think. The obvious road for netball to take Read more...

Critic’s favourite Highlander is now Critic’s favourite All Black (trialist)

Posted 7:40pm Sunday 27th May 2012 by Gus Gawn

Critic’s favourite Highlander Aaron Smith has hit the big time. Just as we predicted, Smith’s form has been too good to ignore, and he has been selected for the All Blacks training squad from which the team to play Ireland will be fingered. While Aaron is not getting too excited just yet, here at Read more...

Pucking Great

Posted 7:58pm Sunday 20th May 2012 by Gus Gawn

This week we go back to talking about students doing well at sports you don’t know much about … Ice Hockey. If New Zealand were a few degrees colder ice hockey would be our national sport. Just like rugby it is rough, tough, fast and exciting. Unlike rugby, nobody gets paid. In fact even the Read more...

Four Thoughts on City Winning the Title

Posted 7:58pm Sunday 20th May 2012 by Gus Gawn

You can still buy the titleJack Walker did it for Blackburn Rovers in 1995. Roman Abramovich did it for Chelsea in 2004 and 2005. Now Sheik Mansour has done it for Manchester City. The easiest way to turn a mediocre team into Premier League Champions is to spend shitloads of money on new players. Read more...

Critic Goes To Fight Night

Posted 7:08pm Sunday 13th May 2012 by Gus Gawn

The last golden era of heavyweight boxing is over. Mike Tyson is still in Vegas but he’s inexplicably hosting a one-man show. Evander Holyfield would get back in the ring if they would let him (he has at least nine kids to at least six different women so he needs the money for child support). Our Read more...