Queenslander
21-05-07, 11:46 AM
Blues’ claim is Mickey Mouse
By Barry Dick
Monday, May 21, 2007 at 11:49am
IT was State of Origin rugby league’s most embarrassing moment but the Blues are so desperate for interstate supremacy yhey’re trying to claim it as the real thing.
I’m talking about the one-off attempt 20 years ago to export the code’s No.1 showcase event to the United States with an exhibition game played at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, California on August 6, 1987, a ``game’’ NSW insists should be counted in official Origin records.
As an experiment the ``Mickey Mouse game’’ (as it has become known thanks to the great picture of Cliffy Lyons and Peter Sterling with Mickey at Disneyland) was a failure _ 12,000 people turned up after 20,000 free tickets were sprinkled around the town _ and as a game it was even worse with one side (NSW) serious and the other having some fun.
It is a disgrace to even contemplate including Long Beach in the Origin records and the Queensland Rugby League is to be congratulated for removing it from the players’ appearances. But there it is, year after year, in the official Origin program and the year books.
What a joke. A couple of years ago, I asked some of the players who took part in the exhibition game what they thought of it being included in the official results, here’s what they said:
Former NSW star Michael O’Connor (laughing): ``It was only a promotional game, mate. I remember we weren’t allowed to drink on the way over but the Queenslanders certainly made up for it.’’
Steve Roach: ``It’s ridiculous to count it.’’
And former Queensland star Tony Currie: ``Tell ‘em they are California dreaming. It was an exhibition game and that’s that.’’
So when you see the ``official’’ game tally being listed as Played 78, Queensland 38, NSW 38 and draws 2; make your own deductions it should be Played 77, Qld 38, NSW 37, Draws 2.
www.thecouriermail.com.au
By Barry Dick
Monday, May 21, 2007 at 11:49am
IT was State of Origin rugby league’s most embarrassing moment but the Blues are so desperate for interstate supremacy yhey’re trying to claim it as the real thing.
I’m talking about the one-off attempt 20 years ago to export the code’s No.1 showcase event to the United States with an exhibition game played at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, California on August 6, 1987, a ``game’’ NSW insists should be counted in official Origin records.
As an experiment the ``Mickey Mouse game’’ (as it has become known thanks to the great picture of Cliffy Lyons and Peter Sterling with Mickey at Disneyland) was a failure _ 12,000 people turned up after 20,000 free tickets were sprinkled around the town _ and as a game it was even worse with one side (NSW) serious and the other having some fun.
It is a disgrace to even contemplate including Long Beach in the Origin records and the Queensland Rugby League is to be congratulated for removing it from the players’ appearances. But there it is, year after year, in the official Origin program and the year books.
What a joke. A couple of years ago, I asked some of the players who took part in the exhibition game what they thought of it being included in the official results, here’s what they said:
Former NSW star Michael O’Connor (laughing): ``It was only a promotional game, mate. I remember we weren’t allowed to drink on the way over but the Queenslanders certainly made up for it.’’
Steve Roach: ``It’s ridiculous to count it.’’
And former Queensland star Tony Currie: ``Tell ‘em they are California dreaming. It was an exhibition game and that’s that.’’
So when you see the ``official’’ game tally being listed as Played 78, Queensland 38, NSW 38 and draws 2; make your own deductions it should be Played 77, Qld 38, NSW 37, Draws 2.
www.thecouriermail.com.au