The baggy green cap

[GVGjr]

I had a good debate with a work colleague today over the Aussies not wearing the baggy green in the Jamaica game because Haddin wasn't prepared to don it before he has actually played a test later in the week. The rest decided not to wear it in a show of unity.
My work colleague thought that they were being to silly.

Is the team taking the tradition of the baggy green to seriously?

[hujsh]

Only a day ago they weren't taking it seriously enough;)

[Twodogs]

Is the team taking the tradition of the baggy green to seriously?



The short answer is no-it's impossible to take the tradition to seriously. The Baggy Green is one of the icons of world sport and it's difficult to overstate the importance of it. There arent too many other countrys that have a similiar respect for a sporting symbol.


The long answer is that the blokes who have already earned one should have every right to wear it when they represent their country. But if they dont want to as a mark of solidarity for a collegue well and good-but I would like a consitant policy. If we are going to it for Hadden then the next obvious debutant should be accorded the same respect. Maybe we just shouldnt wear them outside of test cricket at all?

[ledge]

Represent your country you wear the baggy green i say, being sold out looking like we represent a brewery. In years to come will look back at the photo and it will look as stupid as those yellow caps WSC invented or even Andrew Symonds clown look.

[Mantis]

I think you should only wear a baggy green once you have played a test match. I suppose it's Australian cricket's badge of honour.

When we play a test match and a sub fielder comes on who hasn't played a test match he wears either a floppy white hat or goes hatless. He is made to earn the honour.

It might be outdated, but it makes receiving one a bit more special.

[The Underdog]

The short answer is no-it's impossible to take the tradition to seriously. The Baggy Green is one of the icons of world sport and it's difficult to overstate the importance of it. There arent too many other countrys that have a similiar respect for a sporting symbol.


The long answer is that the blokes who have already earned one should have every right to wear it when they represent their country. But if they dont want to as a mark of solidarity for a collegue well and good-but I would like a consitant policy. If we are going to it for Hadden then the next obvious debutant should be accorded the same respect. Maybe we just shouldnt wear them outside of test cricket at all?

I'd argue about it being an icon of world sport. Only perhaps 7 or 8 nations would have any idea what it is. It's an icon of Australian sport, a nation which in all honesty, takes sport overly seriously, something I'm guilty of at times. I think they should only wear it in test matches if they are going to be consistent about it.

As for the other issue about wearing a sponsor's cap instead, I don't see the problem. We spent the summer watching them whore themselves out to whoever would give them money during the ad breaks and they have a sponsor's logo on their whites, why should it matter what they wear on their heads? Isn't corporate sponsorship what sport is really about nowadays?
In short the whole issue is a non issue.

[Twodogs]

I'd argue about it being an icon of world sport. Only perhaps 7 or 8 nations would have any idea what it is. It's an icon of Australian sport, a nation which in all honesty, takes sport overly seriously, something I'm guilty of at times. I think they should only wear it in test matches if they are going to be consistent about it.

As for the other issue about wearing a sponsor's cap instead, I don't see the problem. We spent the summer watching them whore themselves out to whoever would give them money during the ad breaks and they have a sponsor's logo on their whites, why should it matter what they wear on their heads? Isn't corporate sponsorship what sport is really about nowadays?
In short the whole issue is a non issue.



Disagree strongly that cricket is a minor sport. On world population numbers alone more people would play/follow cricket than all but a couple of ball sports. Soccer would be bigger but what other team sports would have the undivided attention of basically half of the Worlds population?


In terms of inconaclism The Baggy Green would be second behind a list of a few countries Soccer shirts-England, Brazil, Italy, Argentina and ummmmm...?


You could argue that maybe a few individual sports have the Yellow Jacket in the Tour de France or the Masters jacket in the Masters or the British Open have more panache but their not team sports and team sports are what really counts in terms of international prestige.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Disagree strongly that cricket is a minor sport. On world population numbers alone more people would play/follow cricket than all but a couple of ball sports. Soccer would be bigger but what other team sports would have the undivided attention of basically half of the Worlds population?


In terms of inconaclism The Baggy Green would be second behind a list of a few countries Soccer shirts-England, Brazil, Italy, Argentina and ummmmm...?


You could argue that maybe a few individual sports have the Yellow Jacket in the Tour de France or the Masters jacket in the Masters or the British Open have more panache but their not team sports and team sports are what really counts in terms of international prestige.

If I knew what 'inconaclism' means I'm sure I'd think that post was a load of bollocks!

You just made that word up.

[Twodogs]

If I knew what 'inconaclism' means I'm sure I'd think that post was a load of bollocks!

You just made that word up.


Sez you!

[ledge]

Isnt lawn bowls the biggest sport in the world?
Thats what i heard.
I like American Baseball its world series and i think its only USA, Canada and Japan.

[The Underdog]

Disagree strongly that cricket is a minor sport. On world population numbers alone more people would play/follow cricket than all but a couple of ball sports. Soccer would be bigger but what other team sports would have the undivided attention of basically half of the Worlds population?


In terms of inconaclism The Baggy Green would be second behind a list of a few countries Soccer shirts-England, Brazil, Italy, Argentina and ummmmm...?


You could argue that maybe a few individual sports have the Yellow Jacket in the Tour de France or the Masters jacket in the Masters or the British Open have more panache but their not team sports and team sports are what really counts in terms of international prestige.

Unless you take India out of the equation which automatically halves the world population numbers who follow cricket. I was also arguing less that cricket is a minor sport and more that the baggy green is not really an iconoclastic symbol to anyone but Australian's. It's more our self-importance as a sporting nation that has us place it as something important on the world stage. I'd also argue that while it was a prized item amongst test cricketers that Steve Waugh is responsible largely for the re-mythologising and weight now placed upon it as a symbol.
I certainly don't remember a lot of talk about the pride of baggy green when I was a kid, but then we were essentially a rubbish test nation for a large amount of that time. Maybe there's not as much pride in a hat when your busy having your arse kicked by the West Indies.

I'd bet that if you put a baggy green and a Yankees cap in front of a cross section of people around the world then more would be able to tell you what the Yankees cap was too.

[Twodogs]

Unless you take India out of the equation which automatically halves the world population numbers who follow cricket. I was also arguing less that cricket is a minor sport and more that the baggy green is not really an iconoclastic symbol to anyone but Australian's. It's more our self-importance as a sporting nation that has us place it as something important on the world stage. I'd also argue that while it was a prized item amongst test cricketers that Steve Waugh is responsible largely for the re-mythologising and weight now placed upon it as a symbol.
I certainly don't remember a lot of talk about the pride of baggy green when I was a kid, but then we were essentially a rubbish test nation for a large amount of that time. Maybe there's not as much pride in a hat when your busy having your arse kicked by the West Indies.

I'd bet that if you put a baggy green and a Yankees cap in front of a cross section of people around the world then more would be able to tell you what the Yankees cap was too.



I think that the ongoing sucess of the Australian test team has made it respected and feared right around the cricket playing world as a symbol of cricketing prestige. You're right, Waugh was the one who reestablished it's importance but if the team hadnt gotten better and better under Taylor, Waugh and Ponting it wouldn't have the cache(did you like that one Jim?) it enjoys.


All I've ever wanted was a Baggy Green and a premiership medallion playing for the 'dogs. I'm starting to think it might not happen.

[Sockeye Salmon]

All I've ever wanted was a Baggy Green and a premiership medallion playing for the 'dogs. I'm starting to think it might not happen.

Don't let those negative thoughts creep in or it will never happen. Live the dream.

[Twodogs]

Don't let those negative thoughts creep in or it will never happen. Live the dream.



I'm still quite positive the call will come one day. Maybe I should move to NSW???



After all Peter McIntyre played test cricket and he moved to Queensland!