who wears short shorts?

April 8, 2003 7:18 AM

It's a sport with a proud history played on a big field, with big scores and grown men in tiny pants. It's got scandals, bizarre rules, and a few colourful characters. It began in Australia, but it's spreading
posted by backOfYourMind (12 comments total)

An idea of how this craziness began is available here. And for a more comprehensive idea (with pictures) of the skills involved in the game.
posted by backOfYourMind at 7:29 AM on April 8, 2003

nice post. I was one of those who was sure that Aussie Rules was a descendant of Gaelic football, but have now been proved wrong. For those who can, the Compromise rules tournament which has a mixture of rules from both sports is well worth watching each summer. Many drunken summer days have gone by watching both teams knock the living shite out of each other, a great day out for all.
posted by kev23f at 8:05 AM on April 8, 2003

My father was a professional cyclist, a sport underappreciated in Australia, and perhaps as a result I was never interested in Aussie Rules (well, the only sports I ever really cared for were professional wrestling and chess).

Imagine my surprise when I was finally forced to watch a whole game of Aussie Rules on the telly: guys kissing each other and grabbing each other on the bum, like so many repressed homosexuals. It was all so gay...and these were the same guys who called me a poofter when I was in high school because I liked to read books.

I still don't get it. But at least I never had to play rugby in PE class. Rugby is really brutal.
posted by chrisgregory at 8:47 AM on April 8, 2003

I love Aussie Rules football. Where else can you see guys take a spiked shoe to the head, shake it off, and keep running full tilt forever and a day? Or dribble an oblong ball?

American football players in their full body armor are pussies in comparison. 8)

It's just too bad I live in the US, and don't get to see it as much as I'd like.
posted by Cerebus at 9:02 AM on April 8, 2003

Carn the Hawks!
posted by GrahamVM at 9:21 AM on April 8, 2003

Oh yes, while we're at it, lest we forget Daniel "Nine-Fingers" Chick.
posted by GrahamVM at 9:29 AM on April 8, 2003

I've always enjoyed watching Aussie football when I've seen it on cable. But man, this has to be one of the most brutal games I've ever seen. And I'm not just talking about the players. I remember watching one night, and strewn about the field were what appeared to be the carcasses of 5 or six dead gulls. Were they hit by flying balls? Thrown by rabid fans? Or caught midflight by the players, who then did their version of an "Ozzy Osbourne" on them?

Nightmarish...
posted by Windopaene at 9:41 AM on April 8, 2003

Cerebus - not to underrate the violence of Aussie rules, i'd just like to point out that the pads worn in American football allow for harder hitting. wearing pads doesn't stop the hurt when you're walloped by a 250 lb safety.
posted by gnutron at 10:42 AM on April 8, 2003

Prefer my sport from Sydney rather than Melbourne. Rugby League rules! :)
posted by vbfg at 11:57 AM on April 8, 2003

What is it with mate mate mate mate mate culture obsessed Australia and its predilection for intensely homo-erotic sporting spectacle?
posted by Sonny Jim at 3:07 PM on April 8, 2003

We're just comfortable with our bodies.
posted by GrahamVM at 7:11 PM on April 8, 2003

Could we please use AFL's proper name, "aerial ping pong"?
posted by Neale at 9:58 PM on April 8, 2003