World Cup blow for SA hotels

500 000 tickets still up for grabs.

Guys and gals,

Hotels are not as full, flights are bringing down their prices and there is some super deals on the outfitters section. The World Cup will not affect your hunt come over and have some fun HUNTING.

Only final game has been sold out thus far and that is only 58 days till world cup starts.

I appreciate, to a limited extent, the World Cup and soccer. However, I doubt I would walk across the street to watch a game or scrum or whatever it is called. The same for the NBA, WNBA, NFL and any other "pro" athlete type sport.

I got excited about the Rugby World Cup a few years ago and then saw that the players were not from the country they represented. I saw bunch of Nigerians on the French team as well as the British team. Go figure. So much for "world" anything.

Give me the amatuers any day.

Dogcat,

Nigerians on the French National Rugby team? I think you may have your sports mixed up.

That was in 2000. I haven't watched since.
And you are correct, I could have the sports mixed up. But there were Nigerians on teams not from Nigeria. I have nothing against Nigerians or French or whoever. My irritation is that I cannot get into sports that are supposed to represent a country and they have guys from all over on the team. I guess my American bias is showing as I am too unknowledgeable about soccer to talk about it. So - feel free to disregard my post, I did not intend to offend, just vent.

I sincerely dislike soccer and will try to post a little video clip which will explain why - rugby and US gridiron football are real sports.

However tha above criticism from an American is unwarranted and actually quite hilarious. The World Cup Soccer is THE BIGGEST SPORTING TOURNAMENT IN THE WORLD - on several levels. Far more people watch and follow it than even the Olympics.

So criticism from a man who's country holds a "WORLD SERIES" baseball - a totally UN-international sport - is laughable at least...

Soccer - a gentlemen's sport played by barbarians.

Rugby - a barbarians' sport played by gentlemen.

JPK

They're all a bunch of overpaid, nomadic mercenaries.

I do appreciate their skill, of course.

But beyond secondary school, there's no such thing as a "home team" anymore.

I'd rather spend time outdoors than watch any ball game anywhere.

I will stop now.

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Soccer - a gentlemen's sport played by barbarians.

Rugby - a barbarians' sport played by gentlemen.

JPK

I don't want to totally disagree with your assessment, but I tend to think it (soccer) is a sport played by effeminate men and often watched by barbarians.

A soccer player could not even walk onto a rugby field without shitting his fluffy panties.

What a bloody girls game.

quote:

Originally posted by John Frederick:

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Soccer - a gentlemen's sport played by barbarians.

Rugby - a barbarians' sport played by gentlemen.

JPK

I don't want to totally disagree with your assessment, but I tend to think it (soccer) is a sport played by effeminate men and often watched by barbarians.

A soccer player could not even walk onto a rugby field without shitting his fluffy panties.

What a bloody girls game.

I will agree to your proposed amendment.

Soccer - a gentlemen's sport played by fairies and watched by barbarians.

Rugby - a barbarian's sport played by gentlemen, who do not give a damn who is watching.

JPK

Guys, I don't think Frederik was soliciting editorials on soccer or rugby, I think he was trying to encourage the hunting world to come to RSA during the World Cup time to hunt because the expected congestion is not materializing.

Getting back to the purpose of the post, I do think a lot of hunters are avoiding the dates because of the cost of flights. Even if one is just heading to Zim or Moz, the flight through Joberg is daunting during the world cup.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
Getting back to the purpose of the post, I do think a lot of hunters are avoiding the dates because of the cost of flights. Even if one is just heading to Zim or Moz, the flight through Joberg is daunting during the world cup.

Thanks Bwana,

Shopping around you will find that prices have gone down since they need to fill the planes the guys who paid a lot of money are the ones who booked long in advance.

It may still be a bit higher than normal rates but with the savings you make on the hunt itself you still have a bargain. Dont let the world cup deter you from hunting in Prime time June July.

Look what I found last week just to make you guys longing.

This is one of 4 mature bulls that I found while looking for the old wildebeest and its still very green and difficult to spot game. I'm sure we have a good chance of pulling out a 60" again this year.


Another one sorry for bad picture quality but the light was bad and was the best I could do with my 400 mm lens and still cropping it.

Hi frederik

it looks like those necks are thickening already - when do you normally get the kudu rut down there - nice bulls BTW

Are the airlines still showing full flights?

quote:

Originally posted by JTHunt:
Hi frederik

it looks like those necks are thickening already - when do you normally get the kudu rut down there - nice bulls BTW

The Rut starts now till end of May begining of June. Sometimes till end of June depening on the area and the rainfall they had.

Heard kudu bulls fight last week already while around the fire not 200 meters from us.

Bryan, shop around you will be surprized especially SAA but dont book trough agent check online. Flights are not fuill anymore since FIFA cancled a lot of the seats.

JTHUNT,

You need to get out more! Baseball in the USA is dying. Some of the teams pay almost as much for one player as some other teams pay for their complete roster. Parity? Not so much.

Fidel Castro correctly said that the best baseball is now played in asia(japan) and S. america(cuba etc).

No matter where it's played only soccer is more boring to watch. I would rather hunt, even with an anti-american.

Regards,
Adrian

Well just for giggles, I went to SAA's website and priced fares from Washington, DC (Dulles) to Joberg. Leaving 6/17/2010 and returning 6/28/10. R/T airfare came to $1,691.44.

quote:

Originally posted by Labman:
Well just for giggles, I went to SAA's website and priced fares from Washington, DC (Dulles) to Joberg. Leaving 6/17/2010 and returning 6/28/10. R/T airfare came to $1,691.44.

Exactly the fair is not bad at all.
We still have some good spots to fill between the World Cup.

quote:

Originally posted by Adrian Parham:
JTHUNT,

You need to get out more! Baseball in the USA is dying. Some of the teams pay almost as much for one player as some other teams pay for their complete roster. Parity? Not so much.

Fidel Castro correctly said that the best baseball is now played in asia(japan) and S. america(cuba etc).

No matter where it's played only soccer is more boring to watch. I would rather hunt, even with an anti-american.

Regards,
Adrian

Thanks and good point. I am an avid sports fan as well as bush lover - there is a wonderful book about this point you made - you should read it - called Moneyball by Michael Lewis - who also wrote "The Blind Side" of recent movie fame. fascinating stuff on pro sports in USA.

Check - which forum are we on anyway...SORRY

PS - I am really not anti American - just try to keep those of you in the land of the free (which it is even now) cognisant of the fact that there is a whole world out there beyond your borders.

Couldn't agree more about soccer, and love gridiron - was a Cowboys Fan all thru the Johnson/Aikman years - but loved the Saints victory this year...

SAA is advertising a $750 fare round trip for June and July. I guess the reality is sinking in ... build it and they won't come, not as long as Malema is running around inciting genocide.

Now wait a minute! I thought that the most boring sport to watch in the entire world was.....Cricket!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
That was in 2000. I haven't watched since.
And you are correct, I could have the sports mixed up. But there were Nigerians on teams not from Nigeria. I have nothing against Nigerians or French or whoever. My irritation is that I cannot get into sports that are supposed to represent a country and they have guys from all over on the team. I guess my American bias is showing as I am too unknowledgeable about soccer to talk about it. So - feel free to disregard my post, I did not intend to offend, just vent.

The French have Algerian players while England had a Nigerian. The Australians have used South Africans, Kiwis, Argentinians etc. The Welsh, Scotts & Irish have some kiwis playing for them as do the Italians. The New Zealand team has a lot of Samoan, Tongan & Fijian players who are NZ citizens.

Rugby has become a gentleman's sport after very detailed TV replays now catch anyone biting, punching, kneeing in the face, eye gouging, ball grabbing etc.

Correction, that's $750 EACH WAY ... not so cheap after all. I think there will be some better fares come August and into Sept/Oct/Nov.

It sounds cheap to me. The first time I went to Zim was in 1988. I paid $1,900 back then. It is $1,500 now. Sounds like a deal to me.

Larry - That $1500 special is only for fares to Joberg. Going on to Zim will cost you some extra $$.

Soccer.....I can never bring myself to watch a sport that can go on for hours and end in a draw! The one good thing about baseball is that there will, absent rain, absolutely be a winner at the end of the day (or sometimes the next one)!

http://www.baseball-reference....major_league_history

Don't forget the taxes on those flights boys...I've seen them run...$7-800 so the flights are in NO way a deal... I got my fare for july 14, 3 days after worldcup, and got it for just under $2400 but that was like 6-7 weeks ago. That space is completely gone now. Most of july and august is seriously booked up...so good luck to all who think they will be able to get a flight at a decent price.

They may have appeared to be booked up at the time for low cost seats but I bet more seats are available than you think and will come available. I got quotes two days ago during the midst of the World Cup between Atlanta and J'burg for $2,380 and $2,450.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
That was in 2000. I haven't watched since.
And you are correct, I could have the sports mixed up. But there were Nigerians on teams not from Nigeria. I have nothing against Nigerians or French or whoever. My irritation is that I cannot get into sports that are supposed to represent a country and they have guys from all over on the team. I guess my American bias is showing as I am too unknowledgeable about soccer to talk about it. So - feel free to disregard my post, I did not intend to offend, just vent.

The French have Algerian players while England had a Nigerian. The Australians have used South Africans, Kiwis, Argentinians etc. The Welsh, Scotts & Irish have some kiwis playing for them as do the Italians. The New Zealand team has a lot of Samoan, Tongan & Fijian players who are NZ citizens.

Rugby has become a gentleman's sport after very detailed TV replays now catch anyone biting, punching, kneeing in the face, eye gouging, ball grabbing etc.

.....which does take some of the fun out of the game.

Regardless, it's still not a game for pansies.

Bring back the "biffo".

Okay here I go again - only just closer to following the "THREAD" and still a bit OCD for a relaxed African.

It is FARE not Fair. If you get charged $5000 to fly New York JFK to Dulles Washington DC it ia a FARE but it is not fair.

OK bedtime JT...

I don't watch baseball. It is boring and any how can a sport call a game for rain?

However, golf is even more boring.

I don't watch pro sports anymore. The waterboys make more than I did as a 747 captain. Bread and circuses to keep you from doing something constructive, like paying attention or hunting kudu.

I do believe golf and baseball are the most boring sports to watch. Nascar comes in third and would be first if it weren't for the crashes.

quote:

Originally posted by John Frederick:


Regardless, it's still not a game for pansies.

Really?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwVVPkQEJs

I'm with those who don't watch pro sports. I've even given up on many high school sports due to the idiocy and total disrespect of parents! However, being a grandfather with a grandson who is highly rated as a lineman in the state, I've got to go to his games.

If it were not for that, I'd rather watch Mark Sullivan videos (did I just say that?) on TV than any pro sport.

quote:

Originally posted by John Frederick:

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
That was in 2000. I haven't watched since.
And you are correct, I could have the sports mixed up. But there were Nigerians on teams not from Nigeria. I have nothing against Nigerians or French or whoever. My irritation is that I cannot get into sports that are supposed to represent a country and they have guys from all over on the team. I guess my American bias is showing as I am too unknowledgeable about soccer to talk about it. So - feel free to disregard my post, I did not intend to offend, just vent.

The French have Algerian players while England had a Nigerian. The Australians have used South Africans, Kiwis, Argentinians etc. The Welsh, Scotts & Irish have some kiwis playing for them as do the Italians. The New Zealand team has a lot of Samoan, Tongan & Fijian players who are NZ citizens.

Rugby has become a gentleman's sport after very detailed TV replays now catch anyone biting, punching, kneeing in the face, eye gouging, ball grabbing etc.

.....which does take some of the fun out of the game.

Regardless, it's still not a game for pansies.

Bring back the "biffo".

No camera can see everything that goes on in a scrum, ruck or maul.

However, when I was playing, and I played well into my thrities, with some tournament international play, there was almost never any ball grabbing, very little biting, and only rare eye gouging. Plenty of elbow, knees, short tight punching, and lot of raking with cleats.

Interestingly, it was the French who I found to be the dirtiest players and teams, and who did all of the ball grabbing and most of the biting I ever encountered. And damn did they whine about getting hit. these were universal traits across all French teams I ever played against.

The English and Irish were the worst punchers and gougers.

Also interesting is that the Aussies, Kiwis and South African teams or players were the best, and the cleanest.

JPK