A cricket paddle?

[innovan]

Why is there a cricket paddle (correction: bat) in the back against the wall in Hamster's blog post? He's from Columbus, Ohio. He's probably never played cricket.

(and given how long it takes to play a game, the war will probably be over before any game of cricket could finish)

[SteveMB]

Why is there a cricket paddle in the back against the wall in Hamster's blog post? He's from Columbus, Ohio. He's probably never played cricket.

(and given how long it takes to play a game, the war will probably be over before any game of cricket could finish)

I think it's more likely to be a sheathed broadsword (perhaps one of Jillian's "unrealistically oversized" ones -- Webinar's backup team recovered the one she lost when she got captured this time, but it could be from an earlier capture).

[factotum]

It's too short to be one of Jillian's--hers are slimmer and longer than the one against the wall. Likelihood is that it IS some sort of sword, though, unless Rob and Jamie are secretly cricket fans.

[SteveMB]

It's too short to be one of Jillian's--hers are slimmer and longer than the one against the wall.

Looking at the best views we've seen so far of Jillian's sword in its sheath (from Jillian's entry on the cast page and her first appearance on page 7), I think the proportions look about the same as the one we see here. Remember to allow for the different scale of this scene: Parson is about double Jillian's height (he's about double Wanda's height, and Jillian's height is about the same as Wanda's).

[Yuki Akuma]

P..paddle?

Bat, people. Cricket bat.

[ampcptlogic]

You'll have to forgive us Yanks. Cricket bats look a lot like boat oars and other variations on the paddle.

[Minchandre]

I'm of the opinion that it's Jillian's sword - it looks the same, and is the right size.

[Strengfellow]

You'll have to forgive us Yanks. Cricket bats look a lot like boat oars and other variations on the paddle.

I always wondered why Yanks have this blind spot to sports that they themselves don't play.

Your standard Yank is nice enough don't get me wrong here, pleasant and polite to a fault.

But still, on business trips to the US I look into the state of play in the various sporting activities dependant on city, state and season, as do other non US nationals with whom I work.

Sadly, this is reciprocated by less than would do the US credit upon a return visit to Europe.

So is this just a lack of forethought?

Or the evidence of deeper malaise?

Again i'm not looking to insult anyone, i'ts just something I have experienced.

[Scientivore]

I think that it's a simple lack of interest. We're hyper-competitive. If we're interested in a sport that we don't play, it's generally because of some kind of emotional identification with a university or city or state. If no entity that we identify with competes in a particular league or sport then meh.

Edited to add, I was going to school in Dallas when they got a hockey team, bought the Stars and moved 'em down. They were an instant hit even though no one there played hockey. It was apparently just the wonderfully violent competitiveness of the sport that drew those Texans in.

[Minchandre]

An interesting observation, but I rebut: how many Europeans are acquainted with the rules of baseball? American rules ("fake") football?

My theory is that people know the rules of sports around them, and that's about it.

[Maurog]

It's not Jillian's sword - Jillian's sword was found by Webinar on the spot she was captured - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0034.html.

[Om]

An interesting observation, but I rebut: how many Europeans are acquainted with the rules of baseball? American rules ("fake") football?

I'll add a further point: How many Europeans understand the rules of cricket? I'm willing to bet that its limited to a minority in England.

[Emperor Demonking]

We know the rules for baseball, you swing the baseball paddle trying to hit the ball and have three good throws to do so.

[Alex Kidd]

I'll add a further point: How many Europeans understand the rules of cricket? I'm willing to bet that its limited to a minority in England.

Minority naw, it's number two sport there Om. And if I remember right number 3 globally after Soccer and Rugby Union. It kinda helps being the only game in India/Pakistan.

Actually I'm a little suprised it's not bigger in the US given how huge it is the Carribean.

[Om]

Minority naw, it's number two sport there Om.

Really? I'd have thought that rugby was the larger. But then I would pay much more attention to rugby.

With regards its popularity in the Caribbean and US, sports in the latter took an almost completely different evolution to the rest of the world. So while cricket is popular in post-British colonial holdings and football is popular where the Spanish once ruled, neither have any real traditions in the US.

If we're interested in a sport that we don't play, it's generally because of some kind of emotional identification with a university or city or state.

And yet at the same time the US has given birth to the franchise system whereby teams can really move around the country at will. In Europe major teams are firmly rooted in the local community.

[Alex Kidd]

Really? I'd have thought that rugby was the larger. But then I would pay much more attention to rugby.

Oh agreed, rugby is the better game. I'm guessing this because the English domestic cricket teams have been stealing our people for years, while their Rugby teams have only just started to approach a level where they can do the same. Of course rugby IS far bigger domestically down here than cricket(League and Union are the 2nd and third, domestic cricket is smaller than soccer, and that's very small), we tend to only care about cricket at the international level.

[Yuki Akuma]

Rugby is basically American rules football, without body armour.

[KillerCardinal]

We know the rules for baseball, you swing the baseball paddle trying to hit the ball and have three good throws to do so.

Umm, I actually don't like baseball too much, but I have to comment on this.
First of all, if we get corrected that its a cricket bat instead of a paddle, its a baseball bat, not paddle. Second, there's a lot more than just trying to hit the ball within three throws. There are a lot more and complicated rules than just that.

[SteveMB]

It's not Jillian's sword - Jillian's sword was found by Webinar on the spot she was captured - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0034.html.

This isn't the first time she's been captured.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

And yet at the same time the US has given birth to the franchise system whereby teams can really move around the country at will. In Europe major teams are firmly rooted in the local community.

Hey, don't look at me. I'm a Wisconsin boy. That means Packers, all the way.

The Packers are currently the only non-profit, community owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Currently, a total of 4,750,925 shares are owned by 111,967 stockholders — none of whom receive any dividend.

They just ain't movin'.

First of all, if we get corrected that its a cricket bat instead of a paddle, its a baseball bat, not paddle. Second, there's a lot more than just trying to hit the ball within three throws. There are a lot more and complicated rules than just that.

I think that post was meant meant to be somewhat... facetious. At least the paddle part, anyway.

[Om]

Hey, don't look at me. I'm a Wisconsin boy. That means Packers, all the way.

Ahh you have to love wikipedia. The first line I say while following that link:

"The Green Bay Packers are the worst team in the world. thhey blow. a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin."

Seriously though that's the sort of community run club that I love to see. IIRC Barcelona operate with a similar setup in which the fans themselves own the club.

[KillerCardinal]

Hey, don't look at me. I'm a Wisconsin boy. That means Packers, all the way.

The Packers are currently the only non-profit, community owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Currently, a total of 4,750,925 shares are owned by 111,967 stockholders — none of whom receive any dividend.

They just ain't movin'.

Hehe, I'm one of those stockholders(well actually my parents are, but I'm the one getting it in the will )

I think that post was meant meant to be somewhat... facetious. At least the paddle part, anyway.

You're probably right. It just sounded a tad snide to me.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Ahh you have to love wikipedia. The first line I say while following that link:

"The Green Bay Packers are the worst team in the world. thhey blow. a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin."

Well, it wasn't there when I got the link, and it's already been reverted. So all is once again right with the world.

Seriously though that's the sort of community run club that I love to see.

Glad to hear it.

In truth, I don't even care for sports, but I at least give a bit o' moral support to the Packers largely because of the community involvement. I don't quite feel the same about other, privately-owned local teams.

[Constantinople]

An interesting observation, but I rebut: how many Europeans are acquainted with the rules of baseball?

Quite a few, but here it's called "Rounders" and it's a "girl's game", although enjoyable for both genders.

[innovan]

Rounders is underhand pitch only. There is a Gallic rounders leage here in the US, but its quite different from Baseball. A Rounder player would have an easier time with Softball --which is also underhand pitch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rounders
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball

[Yuki Akuma]

I love cricket. When compared to baseball, at least.

I have come to the conclusion that baseball players are pansies. If thye get hit by the ball, boo-hoo, they're so hurt they get to take first base!

In cricket, if the ball hits you... tough.

[One Skunk Todd]

That's interesting, if it is Jillian's sword I wonder how it wound up in Parson's room. And I wonder if Jillian will meet Parson when she comes looking for it after she escapes.

[SteveMB]

That's interesting, if it is Jillian's sword I wonder how it wound up in Parson's room.

If it is one of Jillian's swords sitting around the trophy room or whatever from a previous visit, Bogroll may have fetched it on the theory that an unrealistically oversized warlord ought to carry an unrealistically oversized sword.

And I wonder if Jillian will meet Parson when she comes looking for it after she escapes.

She wouldn't come looking for the sword she just lost (that was dropped at the scene), but if she does get out of the dungeon she might be reckless enough to poke around instead of just making a run for it.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

That's interesting, if it is Jillian's sword I wonder how it wound up in Parson's room.

I imagine it's just a similar style sword. i.e. Not Jillian's.

It's possible it's a sword made for larger creatures, such as Twolls. And that would explain where Jillian gets her swords.

[kpenguin]

I personally hope its a cricket bat. For humorous reasons. Everyone knows cricket is connect to eeeevil and having the paddle would prove that Gobwin Knob is on the bad side. (Anyone read Douglas Adams's Life, Universe and Everything?)