Random Stuff
Just Some Random Other Stuff
Here's a few outside of the box ideas and lists I've come up with.
Originally published November 9, 2017, for The Spinoff
Australian man gets the greatest ever Warriors-related tattoo
Billy Idol’s bizarre 2002 performance in Sydney was a seminal moment in NRL grand final history. Now, 15 years on, a Sydney journalist has commemorated the event by having Idol’s hovercraft performance tattoed onto his leg. Jamie Wall talks to Steve Zemek about his courageous move to immortalise this piece of rugby league history.
Originally published Aug 16, 2016 for The Spinoff
Great moments in Bledisloe Cup history: The 2000 TrueBliss vs Bardot national anthem sing-off
The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the 3rd-place playoff of the World Cup, after being unceremoniously dumped out by France in the semifinals. The Wallabies were the champions of the world and in the middle of a five-year Bledisloe Cup reign.
While our rugby team was a bust, the Kiwi music and reality television industries were booming. Somewhere in between the demise of McDonald’s Young Entertainers and the rise of New Zealand Idol emerged a show called Popstars, which blessed us with a singing group the likes of which New Zealand had never seen before. The name of the band was TrueBliss.
Originally published May 23, 2016 for Rugby Pass
Best Seat In The House: Is This The Easiest Job In Sport?
There’s one job in rugby that’ll land you on TV alongside the biggest stars in the game. The only qualifications required are the ability to carry a tiny flag (don’t worry, you don’t actually need to lift it up if you don’t want to) and the ability to shake your head and look confused.
It’s called being an assistant referee.