NZ Munster signing criticises the critics

TarfHead · 12-10-2009 3:04pm #1

I read this in the Irish Times this morning and am not sure who it is ???

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1012/1224256436788.html

Enough is enough you no talent tossers. I am sick to death of your articles over the last few years bagging me and my time in Munster. It seems to me your lack of reporting talent is reflected in the fact that in all your criticism of my time with Munster you have failed to speak with the then doctor and realise I sustained a serious ankle injury eight weeks into my time there ..

Aidric · 12-10-2009 3:32pm

I severely doubt that's genuine.

chupacabra · 12-10-2009 3:33pm

Cullen??

He is the only former player from NZ who was under some criticism while playing with munster i can think of.

RuggieBear · 12-10-2009 3:36pm

yeah i reckon it's a pisstake

mind you why would they publish it unless thay thought there was a vague chance it might be genuine.

RugbyFanatic · 12-10-2009 3:39pm

If it is a piss take then its quite odd that they printed it. I think it's Cullen to be honest.

Amazotheamazing · 12-10-2009 3:45pm

It's not Cullen, Cullen arrived injured, he didn't get injured 8 weeks after he got here. He did his shoulder in the cup final before he came out.

TarfHead · 12-10-2009 3:47pm

My first thought was Cullen, but I thought that Irish Times journalists were generally positive towards his efforts to play while in Munster. A common remark in match reports was that Cullen was running great lines but that the ball never got to him in time.

And wasn't it his shoulder that cost him time there ?

And surely he has achieved too much in the game, apart from with Munster, to be bothered by some snide remarks ?

I can't think who else, apart from Clinton Huppert, but IIRC it wasn't injury that meant he didn't last in Munster - didn't he struggle to hold down a place with Shannon ???

Chucky the tree · 12-10-2009 5:55pm

So Christian Cullen lets all this boil up over the years and then finally snapped and emailed them last week? I doubt it somehow.

CJhaughey · 13-10-2009 1:55pm

That doesn't even look as though it came off the hand of a Kiwi, Tosser is not really Kiwi idiom nor is bagging.
I reckon this is a windup.

OldJay · 13-10-2009 2:04pm

RuggieBear wrote: »

mind you why would they publish it

Writer's block?

RuggieBear · 13-10-2009 2:07pm

Justind wrote: »

Writer's block?

all it does for me is just confirm the increasingly low standards creeping into Ireland's only quality broadsheet.

CJhaughey · 13-10-2009 2:11pm

Paper never refused ink, or screens never refused pixels.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 2:44pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

That doesn't even look as though it came off the hand of a Kiwi, Tosser is not really Kiwi idiom nor is bagging.
I reckon this is a windup.

Any other newspaper than the Irish Times and I'd agree it was a wind up but not in this case. I reckon it was Cullen but then why not publish his name if it was?

''he cruelly damaged his ankle in the second game against the Ospreys and missed out on a prized appearance in the Heineken Cup final against Biarritz.''

So a former kiwi who played for Munster, suffered an ankle injury and with an ego big enough to write such a response...... wind up or not the writer is or is meant to be Christian Cullen

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 2:50pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Any other newspaper than the Irish Times and I'd agree it was a wind up but not in this case. I reckon it was Cullen but then why not publish his name if it was?

Why do you reckon it was Cullen?

I don't, a) because his injuries don't tally with the above quote b) because the papers here usually describe him as unlucky with injuries, this player clearly feels the fact he was injured is overlooked by the papers, c) Cullen has still maintained strong links to Munster and has helped them scout for players in NZ, hardly the actions of a guy who left on bad terms.

So, apart from the fact he's from NZ, why do you think it's Cullen. It's far more likely to be a wind-up or hoax, imo.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 2:55pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Why do you reckon it was Cullen?

I don't, a) because his injuries don't tally with the above quote

Yes they do, he had a shoulder injury at the start of a season which kept him sidelined for the majority of it

b) because the papers here usually describe him as unlucky with injuries, this player clearly feels the fact he was injured is overlooked by the papers

Usually being key here. Perhaps one journalist had a pop and he went off on one?

c) Cullen has still maintained strong links to Munster and has helped them scout for players in NZ, hardly the actions of a guy who left on bad terms.

But who says he has a problem with Munster? Its the Irish Times who he is taking issue with.

So, apart from the fact he's from NZ, why do you think it's Cullen. It's far more likely to be a wind-up or hoax, imo.

As Cullen sustained a shoulder injury at the start of the season and everything fits into place with the quote. I really doubt the Irish Times would succumb to this to be honest.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:03pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Yes they do, he had a shoulder injury at the start of a season which kept him sidelined for the majority of it

Usually being key here. Perhaps one journalist had a pop and he went off on one?

But who says he has a problem with Munster? Its the Irish Times who he is taking issue with.

As Cullen sustained a shoulder injury at the start of the season and everything fits into place with the quote. I really doubt the Irish Times would succumb to this to be honest.

Em, the quote above refers to an "ankle" injury, not a "shoulder" injury. Also, it says he got injured 8 weeks after he got here, not arrived here injured.

I understand the two are very similar so I've added wikipedia links so you can tell them apart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder

Perhaps I'm one of the lucky few who can tell an ankle and a shoulder apart simply by looking at a person. I'm at a loss to explain the difference between "now" and "8 weeks in the future" though, I think it's some form of NZ dialect...

andrewdcs · 13-10-2009 3:12pm

Sounds like one of Cullens buddies (or the great man himself) reacting to this article from a couple of weeks back

low brow of the times to print it really, unverified.

A facebook friend of mine is his 'mate'*... I shall ask him and report back!

* school together

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:12pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Em, the quote above refers to an "ankle" injury, not a "shoulder" injury. Also, it says he got injured 8 weeks after he got here, not arrived here injured.

I understand the two are very similar so I've added wikipedia links so you can tell them apart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder

Perhaps I'm one of the lucky few who can tell an ankle and a shoulder apart simply by looking at a person. I'm at a loss to explain the difference between "now" and "8 weeks in the future" though, I think it's some form of NZ dialect...

Honestly this forum really doesn't need your condescending attitude, if you can't debate then don't post, post reported.

I know the difference between a shoulder and ankle injury hence why I quoted a piece about his ankle injury at the start of a season.

Out of interest if it's not Cullen who do you believe it to be whether real or fake?

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:13pm

andrewdcs wrote: »

Sounds like one of Cullens buddies (or the great man himself) reacting to this article from a couple of weeks back

Starting to make sense now, thanks.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:16pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Honestly this forum really doesn't need your condescending attitude, if you can't debate then don't post, post reported.

I know the difference between a shoulder and ankle injury hence why I quoted a piece about his ankle injury at the start of a season.

Out of interest if it's not Cullen who do you believe it to be whether real or fake?

I suspect it's fake, but if it's real it's probably a guy called Clinton Huppert.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:18pm

andrewdcs wrote: »

Sounds like one of Cullens buddies (or the great man himself) reacting to this article from a couple of weeks back

low brow of the times to print it really, unverified.

A facebook friend of mine is his 'mate'*... I shall ask him and report back!

* school together

But that article specifically mentions Cullen's injuries, whoever the player is feels the fact that he was injured was overlooked.

There's no way it was Cullen, imo.

RuggieBear · 13-10-2009 3:19pm

pair of you please be civil.

I initially thought huppert too tbh but he hasn't been around for 5-6 years has he? Why blow up now unless the IT mentioned him again.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:20pm

RuggieBear wrote: »

pair of you please be civil.

I initially thought huppert too tbh but he hasn't been around for 5-6 years has he? Why blow up now unless the IT mentioned him again.

Bad day?

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:23pm

RuggieBear wrote: »

pair of you please be civil.

I initially thought huppert too tbh but he hasn't been around for 5-6 years has he? Why blow up now unless the IT mentioned him again.

He's often mentioned in any piece looking at "Worst signings" despite the fact that's long gone. Cullen is usually treated with well deserved respect and sympathy, whereas Huppert is something of a running joke (clearly running on a bad ankle).

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 3:23pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Honestly this forum really doesn't need your condescending attitude, if you can't debate then don't post, post reported.

I know the difference between a shoulder and ankle injury hence why I quoted a piece about his ankle injury at the start of a season.

Out of interest if it's not Cullen who do you believe it to be whether real or fake?

You clearly dont as despite the evidence you continually refuse to take facts on board before posting your considered opinion.

If you feel the need to report me, please feel free.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:24pm

PhatPiggins wrote: »

You clearly dont as despite the evidence you continually refuse to take facts on board before posting your considered opinion.

If you feel the need to report me, please feel free.

Fact, Cullen suffered an ankle injury at the start of a season.

Care to dispute it?

RuggieBear · 13-10-2009 3:25pm

lads. Debate the posts no the poster. No more warnings.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:29pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Fact, Cullen suffered an ankle injury at the start of a season.

Care to dispute it?

8 weeks after he arrived in Ireland?

To save you looking, the answer is "no".

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 3:32pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Fact, Cullen suffered an ankle injury at the start of a season.

Care to dispute it?

Yes, because you're wrong about the season thats being debated.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:37pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

8 weeks after he arrived in Ireland?

To save you looking, the answer is "no".

for all you know he could mean arriving back for a new season

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:39pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

for all you know he could mean arriving back for a new season

Clutching at straws now RF, the ankle injury you referred to happened at the end of the season, hence, he missed the HEC final, not the start of a new season.

Nope, it's pretty clear it's not Cullen.

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 3:39pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

for all you know he could mean arriving back for a new season

Just admit you're not sure of your original statements and move on.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:42pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Clutching at straws now RF, the ankle injury you referred to happened at the end of the season, hence, he missed the HEC final, not the start of a new season.

Nope, it's pretty clear it's not Cullen.

Ever heard of a recurring injury? O'Driscoll's thigh problems being a prime example of recurring injuries that players with some difficulty can play through.

andrewdcs · 13-10-2009 3:43pm

These few discrepancies with timing and injuries are leaning me toward the "Cullen defender" pretending to be him and not "The Great Man Himself" hypothesis. I don't think Huppert has had anything to respond vituperatively to in the past couple of weeks, esp no gripe with the times in particular. He's been a joke for a long time and doesn't really have a rep to defend.

[shame faced admission]
my old work colleague from Sydney has defriended me on facebook! I am cast aside, empty, alone, with only 174 people I vaguely know, but whom I can spy on, for comfort. Perhaps I went a bit harsh on him when France beat the ABs again back in 07. He was a sensitive soul where they were concerned.... I'll try to win back his digital love, but I'll feel dirty.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:43pm

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Just admit you're not sure of your original statements and move on.

No one on this thread can be sure unless they are the journalist himself so thats quite irrelevant. What I will say though is it is highly unlikely the Irish Times would make up statements.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 3:49pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Ever heard of a recurring injury? O'Driscoll's thigh problems being a prime example of recurring injuries that players with some difficulty can play through.

Yes, but now you're adding more to the injury than the quote says. Everything about the quote makes it likely it's not Cullen.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 3:53pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Yes, but now you're adding more to the injury than the quote says. Everything about the quote makes it likely it's not Cullen.

I disagree, how many Munster players from New Zealand were scuppered from injuries and missed vast amounts of the season? How many Munster players from New Zealand suffered serious ankle injuries forcing them to miss games? How many Munster players from New Zealand are consistently mentioned in our media? How many Munster players from New Zealand would have an ego big enough to even respond to such pieces?

Just one, Christian Cullen.

Whether its a hoax or not its intended writter is definitely supposed to be Christian Cullen.

andrewdcs · 13-10-2009 3:56pm

Ah, more digs at Cullen in the times a few weeks back....

Novel challenge a perfect fit for driven De Villiers

So it's obviously Cullen we're talking about here, but I'm still in the "Wounded Cullen Fan" belt, not "TGMH" camp.

I'm pretty sure if we look hard enough at the internet, a rugby forum in Kiwi land will have a scathing attack on the Irish Times for denigrating "God" and one of their more highly strung members will have made a "christian.cullen@internetaddress", or simply modified their "from" header.

Of course, the Irish Times being a paper of record shouldn't fall for that, and its very likely that they will have received legitimate correspondence from him in the past (discussing articles, interviews and whatnot) so they could verify from a "known address".

Possible it's him though.... just possible*

*reading the quote, its written in a very childish way and has the line "if I had the money I'd come over and kick your teeth in", very odd, together with other injury discrepancies, I think Johnny HAS been duped and should clear this up. One thing to dig at TGMH another to insinuate he's a childish "tosser" in the parlance.

I think Gerry Thornley prints his personal email address for suggestions etc. let's petition the Lord with prayer.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 4:07pm

Yeah its definitely is or is meant to be Christian Cullen as he has been repeatedly criticised in the Irish Times recently. Hubbart hasn't been mentioned at all from what I can recall.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:15pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

I disagree, how many Munster players from New Zealand were scuppered from injuries and missed vast amounts of the season? How many Munster players from New Zealand suffered serious ankle injuries forcing them to miss games? How many Munster players from New Zealand are consistently mentioned in our media? How many Munster players from New Zealand would have an ego big enough to even respond to such pieces?

Just one, Christian Cullen.

Whether its a hoax or not its intended writter is definitely supposed to be Christian Cullen.

Clinton Huppert

Btw, Cullen could afford the airfare.

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 4:16pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Clinton Huppert

Btw, Cullen could afford the airfare.

Has Clinton Huppert been mentioned in the Irish Times in the last few weeks like Cullen has?

I reckon it was a figure of speech if it was indeed Cullen

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:17pm

andrewdcs wrote: »

Ah, more digs at Cullen in the times a few weeks back....

Novel challenge a perfect fit for driven De Villiers

So it's obviously Cullen we're talking about here, but I'm still in the "Wounded Cullen Fan" belt, not "TGMH" camp.

I'm pretty sure if we look hard enough at the internet, a rugby forum in Kiwi land will have a scathing attack on the Irish Times for denigrating "God" and one of their more highly strung members will have made a "christian.cullen@internetaddress", or simply modified their "from" header.

Of course, the Irish Times being a paper of record shouldn't fall for that, and its very likely that they will have received legitimate correspondence from him in the past (discussing articles, interviews and whatnot) so they could verify from a "known address".

Possible it's him though.... just possible*

*reading the quote, its written in a very childish way and has the line "if I had the money I'd come over and kick your teeth in", very odd, together with other injury discrepancies, I think Johnny HAS been duped and should clear this up. One thing to dig at TGMH another to insinuate he's a childish "tosser" in the parlance.

I think Gerry Thornley prints his personal email address for suggestions etc. let's petition the Lord with prayer.

Andrew, all those articles point out that Cullen was injured. The player who wrote to the Times complained that the paper overlooked he was injured.

Honestly, there's no way it's Cullen, the injuries don't tally up.

Cullen did not injure his ankle 8 weeks after arriving here.

Anyhow, as Jim Morrison tells us, you cannot petition the Lord with prayer.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:22pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Has Clinton Huppert been mentioned in the Irish Times in the last few weeks like Cullen has?

I reckon it was a figure of speech if it was indeed Cullen

No, because all the articles about Cullen mention his injuries, none of the comments about Huppert mention his.

Like I said, no way it was Cullen. Not the same injuries, not the same timeframe, not the same manner of reporting (Cullen is not a figure of fun).

RugbyFanatic · 13-10-2009 4:32pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

No, because all the articles about Cullen mention his injuries, none of the comments about Huppert mention his.

There hasn't been an article in the Irish Times mentioning Hubbert since 1998 according to it's archive so I think we can rule him out at this stage.

Like I said, no way it was Cullen. Not the same injuries, not the same timeframe, not the same manner of reporting (Cullen is not a figure of fun).

Cullen could be referring to injuries he played with that were never mentioned.

andrewdcs · 13-10-2009 4:35pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Andrew, all those articles point out that Cullen was injured. The player who wrote to the Times complained that the paper overlooked he was injured.

Honestly, there's no way it's Cullen, the injuries don't tally up.

Cullen did not injure his ankle 8 weeks after arriving here.

Anyhow, as Jim Morrison tells us, you cannot petition the Lord with prayer.

I'm thinking our suspect is now "Ardent Cullen Fan With A Grudge". The injuries not tallying up doesn't cancel out the fact that all the threads are pointing at it being a Cullen nom de plume. Albeit one lacking a full grasp of the facts.

was it you amazotheamazing?? eh? well?

Hell with that psych-profiling it could have been me. It could have been any one of us! EGAD! We have the means and we have the motive.

Ah, the Soft Parade, (listening to it at the moment!!) good man Jim.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:37pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

There hasn't been an article in the Irish Times mentioning Hubbert since 1998 according to it's archive so I think we can rule him out at this stage.

Cullen could be referring to injuries he played with that were never mentioned.

He was mentioned as recently as May, 2009 according to the good floks on munsterfans.com

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 4:39pm

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

There hasn't been an article in the Irish Times mentioning Hubbert since 1998 according to it's archive so I think we can rule him out at this stage.

Cullen could be referring to injuries he played with that were never mentioned.

Do you honestly think that any player with the status that Cullen still enjoys is going to write such a foul mouthed rant to a national paper?

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 4:40pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

He was mentioned as recently as May, 2009 according to the good floks on munsterfans.com

Yeah i remember that article, wasn't it along the lines of best and worst imports ever?

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:40pm

andrewdcs wrote: »

I'm thinking our suspect is now "Ardent Cullen Fan With A Grudge". The injuries not tallying up doesn't cancel out the fact that all the threads are pointing at it being a Cullen nom de plume. Albeit one lacking a full grasp of the facts.

was it you amazotheamazing?? eh? well?
Hell with that psych-profiling it could have been me. It could have been any one of us! EGAD! We have the means and we have the motive.

Ah, the Soft Parade, (listening to it at the moment!!) good man Jim.

Look at the full quote again.

The main gripe is that his injuries are never acknowledged. Now, since every single article on Cullen acknowledges his injuries, there's no way the quote can be from Cullen. Nothing about the quote ties it to Cullen.

Also this guy slags off Irish rugby, but we know Cullen still helps out Munster rugby, so another inconsistency.

Always thought the Soft Parade was an underrated album.

Amazotheamazing · 13-10-2009 4:43pm

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Yeah i remember that article, wasn't it along the lines of best and worst imports ever?

Here's a link to it.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0523/1224247216196.html

Here's a link with all the New Zealand players who've played for Munster since the game has gone pro.

http://www.munsterfans.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=21948&PN=1

PhatPiggins · 13-10-2009 4:45pm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Here's a link to it.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0523/1224247216196.html

Here's a link with all the New Zealand players who've played for Munster since the game has gone pro.

http://www.munsterfans.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=21948&PN=1

Yeah thats the one cheers.

NZ Munster signing criticises the critics

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