The Gabba-stack-a-thon is officially “ON’. Competitors met last night for the prologue stage at the Pig ‘n Whistle riverside, which turned out to be deep in enemy territory. Barmy Army on the left, Barmy Army on the Right, six men honest and true stood up and produced a stella rendition of Waltzing Matilda only to have it drowned out, not by the booming sounds of the English supporters but by a ‘Barmy Army’ Favourites CD – Techno version.
Not to be deterred the competitors focussed on the job at hand and went about completing the required 2 pints. With some early jostling for position it became obvious that there were only two contenders. FUC and the Kloss easily got through their first pint basically at the same time to have a fresh one placed in hand immediately. FUC then broke away and everyone thought that the race was over but his vanity became is ultimate undoing. Pausing with a mouthful to the finish FUC left the gate ajar just enough for the Kloss Dog to come storming home as FUC was distracted by the Johnny Walker girls.
A deserving Victor, Kloss was heard later saying that he felt good during the entire stage and he was looking forward to getting out into the teams event. He also noted that there are a few times in a person’s life when they look into the abyss of a challenge and the response they get back is “Yes, today is your Day”. (kloss glassed)
With the first ball now just hours away, competitors will all meet this morning at the Shangrila for a Jersey Presentation, Official Photo and a hearty breakfast.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Tell ‘Em They’re Dreaming
A guest post from jLo, Ficklish (www.ficklish.blogspot.com )(I am too drunk to work out the code)
I can only assume that I was asked to write this because, as a veteran of many First Day Stacks myself, I have a unique appreciation of the specific challenges involved. Of course, I always regarded The Stack as an art form – an homage, if you will – to be approached with humility and reverence rather than as a shameless, desperate vehicle for short lived, empty glory.
(Sigh). I don’t know. Kids today – they’ve got no respect.
Having said this, I have studied the analysis on these pages carefully and will be following the progress of these brave fellows with interest. I haven’t been there for the so-called ‘warm-up’ events, however I don’t regard this as a problem in terms of offering thoughts on their prospects. The Gabba Stack-A-Thon is a bit like the Melbourne Cup, in my opinion, in that past form means little in an event of this calibre. Many are called, few are chosen, and the darkest horse might just be worth a shot.
I do know the competitors. Some of them I’ve known their whole lives, others since the days they were throwing West Coast Wine Coolers down their teenage throats in a dodgy Ormiston car park. I’ve seen all of these gentlemen in action, and it’s safe to say I’m never been particularly impressed.
What I propose to do is to offer you a thought or two on each of the combatants, giving you a unique insight into their potential weaknesses and judging them according to their worth, rather than their ability.
Team LoveTrain
Captain Kloss
I find it very intriguing that glossary of this website specifically refers to a particularly significant event in both Gabba history and Lovell family lore: the day Dean Jones scored 145 on the hallowed turf. It may interest readers to know that we were all there on that memorable occasion, and Kloss slept right through it. It is his secret shame. Deep down inside, Kloss is still trying to atone for his sins against the Gabba. Guilt can be a powerful motivator, but in this case I suspect the stain will be too hard to scrub away.
Bill-A-Tron
Like the Captain, young Billatron has a lot at stake in this competition. The significance of this being his official Last Hurrah before he departs for foreign lands cannot be underestimated. I fear that, despite his form, he will try too damn hard to make this the performance of his life, rather than just letting his natural ability and excellent conditioning do the work. The choke is a real risk here. It might just be too much for him.
The ‘A’ Team
Loses points right off the bat for the name. Seriously, you guys. Glassed.
Dav Ross
Or, “Sir Pelican”, as he is known to some, namely me. His primary weakness, as far as I have been able to observe, is an apparently insurmountable vulnerability to high-quality sass. I once observed this fatal flaw during a particularly cut-throat Trivial Pursuit tournament: it was pitiful and not a little tragic to watch him disintegrate into meltdown as the mockery and piss-taking reached critical levels. I can only hope that he has worked on this aspect of his game, otherwise god help him when the Love train rolls in.
Sir Rhyso
Here’s the thing about Rhys: He is a steady and reliable performer who gets the job done. He may be a FUC, but he rarely pikes and gets karma points from me because he is the only one of the whole stinking bunch who bothered to visit me when I lived in Our Nation’s Capital. Good on you, Sir Rhyso. The force will be with you, always. The only weakness I can identify is that the Gabba sun may wreak havoc upon his sensitive alabaster skin.
Team NotmuchofaChance
The Ayatollah
I don’t know about you lot, but I have always been under the impression that Ayatollahs don’t drink. It certainly looks like he’s having some sort of crisis of faith in his official team photograph, in which case let me caution the punters on the basis that such emotional and spiritual instability may be a serious liability. Further, I have observed that Mr Tunn cannot resist wading into arguments he has no chance of winning, and the other teams will be well advised to employ this tool to throw the Ayatollah off his game. A risky bet, in my opinion but one I've taken in the past. (He pashes like a dream)
The Substitutes
They’re in Team NotmuchofaChance. Enough said.
That’s all I’ve got for now, kids. I’ll offer comments on the progress reports as they roll in. The only prediction I can make with complete confidence is that cricket (and beer) will be the winner on the day. And that’s just as it should be.
I can only assume that I was asked to write this because, as a veteran of many First Day Stacks myself, I have a unique appreciation of the specific challenges involved. Of course, I always regarded The Stack as an art form – an homage, if you will – to be approached with humility and reverence rather than as a shameless, desperate vehicle for short lived, empty glory.
(Sigh). I don’t know. Kids today – they’ve got no respect.
Having said this, I have studied the analysis on these pages carefully and will be following the progress of these brave fellows with interest. I haven’t been there for the so-called ‘warm-up’ events, however I don’t regard this as a problem in terms of offering thoughts on their prospects. The Gabba Stack-A-Thon is a bit like the Melbourne Cup, in my opinion, in that past form means little in an event of this calibre. Many are called, few are chosen, and the darkest horse might just be worth a shot.
I do know the competitors. Some of them I’ve known their whole lives, others since the days they were throwing West Coast Wine Coolers down their teenage throats in a dodgy Ormiston car park. I’ve seen all of these gentlemen in action, and it’s safe to say I’m never been particularly impressed.
What I propose to do is to offer you a thought or two on each of the combatants, giving you a unique insight into their potential weaknesses and judging them according to their worth, rather than their ability.
Team LoveTrain
Captain Kloss
I find it very intriguing that glossary of this website specifically refers to a particularly significant event in both Gabba history and Lovell family lore: the day Dean Jones scored 145 on the hallowed turf. It may interest readers to know that we were all there on that memorable occasion, and Kloss slept right through it. It is his secret shame. Deep down inside, Kloss is still trying to atone for his sins against the Gabba. Guilt can be a powerful motivator, but in this case I suspect the stain will be too hard to scrub away.
Bill-A-Tron
Like the Captain, young Billatron has a lot at stake in this competition. The significance of this being his official Last Hurrah before he departs for foreign lands cannot be underestimated. I fear that, despite his form, he will try too damn hard to make this the performance of his life, rather than just letting his natural ability and excellent conditioning do the work. The choke is a real risk here. It might just be too much for him.
The ‘A’ Team
Loses points right off the bat for the name. Seriously, you guys. Glassed.
Dav Ross
Or, “Sir Pelican”, as he is known to some, namely me. His primary weakness, as far as I have been able to observe, is an apparently insurmountable vulnerability to high-quality sass. I once observed this fatal flaw during a particularly cut-throat Trivial Pursuit tournament: it was pitiful and not a little tragic to watch him disintegrate into meltdown as the mockery and piss-taking reached critical levels. I can only hope that he has worked on this aspect of his game, otherwise god help him when the Love train rolls in.
Sir Rhyso
Here’s the thing about Rhys: He is a steady and reliable performer who gets the job done. He may be a FUC, but he rarely pikes and gets karma points from me because he is the only one of the whole stinking bunch who bothered to visit me when I lived in Our Nation’s Capital. Good on you, Sir Rhyso. The force will be with you, always. The only weakness I can identify is that the Gabba sun may wreak havoc upon his sensitive alabaster skin.
Team NotmuchofaChance
The Ayatollah
I don’t know about you lot, but I have always been under the impression that Ayatollahs don’t drink. It certainly looks like he’s having some sort of crisis of faith in his official team photograph, in which case let me caution the punters on the basis that such emotional and spiritual instability may be a serious liability. Further, I have observed that Mr Tunn cannot resist wading into arguments he has no chance of winning, and the other teams will be well advised to employ this tool to throw the Ayatollah off his game. A risky bet, in my opinion but one I've taken in the past. (He pashes like a dream)
The Substitutes
They’re in Team NotmuchofaChance. Enough said.
That’s all I’ve got for now, kids. I’ll offer comments on the progress reports as they roll in. The only prediction I can make with complete confidence is that cricket (and beer) will be the winner on the day. And that’s just as it should be.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Team NotmuchofaChance
The Ayatollah (Mick Tunny)
The unknown international. The ICC has moved to the UAE so perhaps Arabs can contend in a drinking competition, who really knows? The ayatollah has had an up and down year. He surprised many with his performance on Australia day, racing through a bottle of gin before the hottest 100 had really even got going, but long before the JJJ’s announced number 1 he had sensational crashed out after going to hard to early. His form at New Ballymore was questionable also, a few big performances (notably the South Africa test match) but also a number of poor performances.
Recently though his form has been strong, a solid gallop last Tuesday was backed up strongly on Sunday when he clearly out pointed the Kloss Dogg, perhaps this sand monkey is ideally suited to the hot conditions. He certainly has been talking up his own chances in both the green and yellow competitions, and AT M is hard to leave out of both. If he can show up to three days of competition, and back up all the Bull Shit he has been spinning, the Ayatollah could lead the randoms of Team Rookie to a massive upset. But it will be a surprise.
The Substitutes
There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Daily Subs for Team NotmuchofaChance. The first potential sub has for a long time been training in Canada with a great focus on ‘Sprint’ hard night sessions that would lead him to a situation where choking women was the thing to be doing. The J-Train has a great chance to completely undermine the 2 Cup sub penalty with what is sure to be a maniac approach to the competition
Sub 2, again has the potential to drink with the best of the best but questions will always be raised about his focus. Very well known for competing at the top level from the start but then his attention wavers and he loses interest. Also his true ability will always be flawed because if there is even the scent of a member of the fairer sex in the vicinity Sub 2 will just waffle on about ‘Stars’ for about half an hour and then verbally attack the women for absolutely no reason. Every Chance in the world and could be the key to Team NotmuchofaChance’s coming into the final day still with the leaders in sight. But every other team knows his weakness and I am sure an RJ call will put him straight out of the comp.
Sub 3 also has a bit of a maniac approach to ‘Big Days’. JetSeting around the world training in different conditions, different time zones and from all reports performing quite well. Again a threat to make the 2 Cup penalty a distant memory for Team NotmuchofaChance but in all realism, he probably has to fly to the south of France the next morning and we all hope that there is some sort of consideration of that as he partakes in the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon.
Sub 4 – T-to-the-MAC. The original member of Team NotmuchofaChance who unfortunately had to pull out due to injury (MSM reported that it was a work related injury but rumours have been floating around that it was a heart problem.) Still committed to the team enough to come in on the Saturday to anchor the run home but based on his past form, Team NotmuchofaChance had better be fairly close to the pack for him to make a difference.
So that’s the form, some contenders appear to be in fine fettle for the big dance, whilst some old favourites need to decide if they are going to contend or pretend on Thursda. As with any year three gruelling days in the sun will throw up many surprises, but we all know who the safe money will be on.
The unknown international. The ICC has moved to the UAE so perhaps Arabs can contend in a drinking competition, who really knows? The ayatollah has had an up and down year. He surprised many with his performance on Australia day, racing through a bottle of gin before the hottest 100 had really even got going, but long before the JJJ’s announced number 1 he had sensational crashed out after going to hard to early. His form at New Ballymore was questionable also, a few big performances (notably the South Africa test match) but also a number of poor performances.
Recently though his form has been strong, a solid gallop last Tuesday was backed up strongly on Sunday when he clearly out pointed the Kloss Dogg, perhaps this sand monkey is ideally suited to the hot conditions. He certainly has been talking up his own chances in both the green and yellow competitions, and AT M is hard to leave out of both. If he can show up to three days of competition, and back up all the Bull Shit he has been spinning, the Ayatollah could lead the randoms of Team Rookie to a massive upset. But it will be a surprise.
The Substitutes
There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Daily Subs for Team NotmuchofaChance. The first potential sub has for a long time been training in Canada with a great focus on ‘Sprint’ hard night sessions that would lead him to a situation where choking women was the thing to be doing. The J-Train has a great chance to completely undermine the 2 Cup sub penalty with what is sure to be a maniac approach to the competition
Sub 2, again has the potential to drink with the best of the best but questions will always be raised about his focus. Very well known for competing at the top level from the start but then his attention wavers and he loses interest. Also his true ability will always be flawed because if there is even the scent of a member of the fairer sex in the vicinity Sub 2 will just waffle on about ‘Stars’ for about half an hour and then verbally attack the women for absolutely no reason. Every Chance in the world and could be the key to Team NotmuchofaChance’s coming into the final day still with the leaders in sight. But every other team knows his weakness and I am sure an RJ call will put him straight out of the comp.
Sub 3 also has a bit of a maniac approach to ‘Big Days’. JetSeting around the world training in different conditions, different time zones and from all reports performing quite well. Again a threat to make the 2 Cup penalty a distant memory for Team NotmuchofaChance but in all realism, he probably has to fly to the south of France the next morning and we all hope that there is some sort of consideration of that as he partakes in the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon.
Sub 4 – T-to-the-MAC. The original member of Team NotmuchofaChance who unfortunately had to pull out due to injury (MSM reported that it was a work related injury but rumours have been floating around that it was a heart problem.) Still committed to the team enough to come in on the Saturday to anchor the run home but based on his past form, Team NotmuchofaChance had better be fairly close to the pack for him to make a difference.
So that’s the form, some contenders appear to be in fine fettle for the big dance, whilst some old favourites need to decide if they are going to contend or pretend on Thursda. As with any year three gruelling days in the sun will throw up many surprises, but we all know who the safe money will be on.
Friday, November 17, 2006
The 'A' Team (they came up with the name)
Dav Ross (Martin Ross)
A much talked about contender for the Gabba Stack-A-Thon, but really no one can work out why. A young contender who is a master of managing his own press Dav Ross has been in the second line of betting for much of this preparation but the facts and figures simply do not back it up. Going back a year to the ICC Super Stack-A-Thon many overlooked the fact that Rosco couldn’t run the distance, he missed the start and never really looked like winning. Few know this but he was heard to query after the first over he saw “why are they changing ends?”
Over a long preparation in 06 he has disappointed more times then he has impressed. The most notable performance of his year was the unbelievable Bakers Dozen at New Ballymore, but really, did anyone include Miss Finland in their cup bets? His late form this preparation is questionable, he stunned many by staying with TGO and fraternizing with the locals at 299, but then took the ridiculous approach of having a spell for two weeks. Since then he has struggled in all facets, reportedly being sent to bed on Sunday night in shame.
If Dav Rossi figures in the finish at the big game it will be against the ratings. He is untested over a full three days, untested at the gabba, untested at the Ashes, untested in the Sauna, untested in the Brisbane heat, questions remain. Questions have also been asked about whether or not he will have to run off to Temple as dusk approaches on the Friday night to recognise Shabbat.
A much talked about contender for the Gabba Stack-A-Thon, but really no one can work out why. A young contender who is a master of managing his own press Dav Ross has been in the second line of betting for much of this preparation but the facts and figures simply do not back it up. Going back a year to the ICC Super Stack-A-Thon many overlooked the fact that Rosco couldn’t run the distance, he missed the start and never really looked like winning. Few know this but he was heard to query after the first over he saw “why are they changing ends?”
Over a long preparation in 06 he has disappointed more times then he has impressed. The most notable performance of his year was the unbelievable Bakers Dozen at New Ballymore, but really, did anyone include Miss Finland in their cup bets? His late form this preparation is questionable, he stunned many by staying with TGO and fraternizing with the locals at 299, but then took the ridiculous approach of having a spell for two weeks. Since then he has struggled in all facets, reportedly being sent to bed on Sunday night in shame.
If Dav Rossi figures in the finish at the big game it will be against the ratings. He is untested over a full three days, untested at the gabba, untested at the Ashes, untested in the Sauna, untested in the Brisbane heat, questions remain. Questions have also been asked about whether or not he will have to run off to Temple as dusk approaches on the Friday night to recognise Shabbat.
Sir Rhyso. (Rhys Liddle)
A solid Gabba performer FUC has shortened in recent weeks as other contenders have fallen by the wayside. He has had a strong year on the southern way of racing, showing up the pretenders from the north on the second day of the two day Armidale Cup with a 3 am performance that had many surprised (NOTE: don’t read too much into this victory over TGO as the great man was distracted by a young vixen (could have been ‘The One’) that weekend (some suspect FUC interference)). He carried his southern form into a strong showing at NFC Straddie 2006, and is reportedly still going well. This kid is a proven performer, but there are some questions.
First he is coming of a long cold winter, into the Brisbane heat- it will be a factor for him (It snowed in Armidale yesterday and FUC was reported to be ‘over the moon’). Second he is coming of the pressure of ‘exams’ has he had too much stress to deal with to be able to concentrate on his drinking form? And finally, how will he go with the auditors from Arthur Anderson looking over his shoulder, we all know the struggles that Mick Tunny and young Scott the Mac have had since people started KPMGing them on the Golf Course, will Rhys be able to stay with the pack when the ‘pour the beer down the urinal’ play is taken away from him?
Don’t count him out. He has a long history at the Gabba, few will ever forget the last Ashes performance when TGO, FUC and the delightful ‘Viney’ put on a show for the ages. He can drink all day and can also turn it on for the sprints. A definite force in the green jersey and considering recent events for some of the pretenders must now figure in the yellow jersey race.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Team LoveTrain
The Defending Champions and the biggest team ever to hit the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon, Team LoveTrain is lean and mean and ready to take charge. With both the Favorite in the Yellow Jersey and the Green Jersey, Team LoveTrain will be very hard to beat.
KlossDog (Jim Lovell)(Capt) – 
The older statesman of Team LoveTrain the Almighty K diggity has done it all, most things he has done twice, but some are questioning whether the old dog is past his best. Time and time again the analysts have questioned the Kloss’s form and time and time again he surpasses expectations, everyone has very fond memories of last year’s competition when this ‘Old Dog’ surprised onlookers to lead his team out for a magnanimous victory.
Questions loom over this years preparation, after many months of clear spirits and red bulls people were questioning if he had all ready retired and was ready to start fathering children, but a few months ago a revolution occurred, he tasted a beer and realised that he didn’t hate it, since then a light has been on in the old dogs eye, like the light of life has been flicked back on. Since then his performances have been stellar, he was a new man at NFC Straddie and many big afternoons at the tote had many tongues wagging.
After this stunning return to life many began penciling KlossDog into their longer term doubles, and he ultimately firmed to outright green jersey favoritism. However in recent weeks things appear to have turned against the old man. First he went on some cultist like training camp with the renowned killer of super sportsmen Tracy Menzies, and since then he has struggled. On Cup day he looked solid but there was a frailty that few saw, he was off his food and the heat found him out. Since then he has been off the training paddock with colic, his performance at the Mirtna Golf day was below par (on the drinks and on the course) with many stunned when he tapped out from the pub before the sun was fully set. Finally on his final big hit out, Damon’s Bris, he was seen getting on the Diet Cokes long before other contenders TGO and the Ayatollah. Another problem for the K dog is the recent development of ‘SMS a Yob’ – can he control his own anger enough to not upset his fellow ashes supporters? And will this be too tempting an out for K Dog- will he SMS his own name to the federali’s as away of tapping out?
Some pundits are suggesting the K Dog is already a memory, just some Hall of Fame member who will be paraded out on day one to bring in the crowds but who won’t be pushed to try and save his stud value. Others are worried that he may not pass a drug test after his visit to the dance clubs this coming Saturday (not an ideal preparation). Include him in your trifecta if you want an nostalgic bet, but don’t expect too much from this PAST champion.
Bill-a-Tron (William Lovell) –
Following on from last years stunning display at both the ICC Super Stack-A-Thon and the one day sprint that was Gabba Stack-A-Thon 2005, The Great One’s (TGO) handlers immediately plotted a course for the big showdown, Gabba Stack-A-Thon 2006. They new it would be his final hit out before taking on his new role as shuttle stallion, traveling the world on a search for the ultimate brood mare. After a strong early start to the year he showed he had early form with a strong performance on Australia day, he maintained this strong form all year with countless hit outs at Harpoon Harries, New Ballymore, The Pit, Klub299, and the Shangri-La, one particularly memorable occasion wowing QLD Red Stalwarts John Roe and Andrew Brown with his ability to not only stay, but also play golf at the same time.
As the spring began to hit out he showed his true might with strong performances at NFC Straddie and Brunswick and in recent times has been claiming to be at the top of his form. His preparation came to a close this last week with a Last Man Standing performance at the Melbourne Cup and an Only Man on the Spirits performance at the Mirtna Golf Day. All he needs to do now is keep it ticking over this weekend and he will enter the big dance as a short priced favorite.
TGO has form at this distance, this track, and in the conditions. A Definite Favorite.
The older statesman of Team LoveTrain the Almighty K diggity has done it all, most things he has done twice, but some are questioning whether the old dog is past his best. Time and time again the analysts have questioned the Kloss’s form and time and time again he surpasses expectations, everyone has very fond memories of last year’s competition when this ‘Old Dog’ surprised onlookers to lead his team out for a magnanimous victory.
Questions loom over this years preparation, after many months of clear spirits and red bulls people were questioning if he had all ready retired and was ready to start fathering children, but a few months ago a revolution occurred, he tasted a beer and realised that he didn’t hate it, since then a light has been on in the old dogs eye, like the light of life has been flicked back on. Since then his performances have been stellar, he was a new man at NFC Straddie and many big afternoons at the tote had many tongues wagging.
After this stunning return to life many began penciling KlossDog into their longer term doubles, and he ultimately firmed to outright green jersey favoritism. However in recent weeks things appear to have turned against the old man. First he went on some cultist like training camp with the renowned killer of super sportsmen Tracy Menzies, and since then he has struggled. On Cup day he looked solid but there was a frailty that few saw, he was off his food and the heat found him out. Since then he has been off the training paddock with colic, his performance at the Mirtna Golf day was below par (on the drinks and on the course) with many stunned when he tapped out from the pub before the sun was fully set. Finally on his final big hit out, Damon’s Bris, he was seen getting on the Diet Cokes long before other contenders TGO and the Ayatollah. Another problem for the K dog is the recent development of ‘SMS a Yob’ – can he control his own anger enough to not upset his fellow ashes supporters? And will this be too tempting an out for K Dog- will he SMS his own name to the federali’s as away of tapping out?
Some pundits are suggesting the K Dog is already a memory, just some Hall of Fame member who will be paraded out on day one to bring in the crowds but who won’t be pushed to try and save his stud value. Others are worried that he may not pass a drug test after his visit to the dance clubs this coming Saturday (not an ideal preparation). Include him in your trifecta if you want an nostalgic bet, but don’t expect too much from this PAST champion.
Bill-a-Tron (William Lovell) –
Following on from last years stunning display at both the ICC Super Stack-A-Thon and the one day sprint that was Gabba Stack-A-Thon 2005, The Great One’s (TGO) handlers immediately plotted a course for the big showdown, Gabba Stack-A-Thon 2006. They new it would be his final hit out before taking on his new role as shuttle stallion, traveling the world on a search for the ultimate brood mare. After a strong early start to the year he showed he had early form with a strong performance on Australia day, he maintained this strong form all year with countless hit outs at Harpoon Harries, New Ballymore, The Pit, Klub299, and the Shangri-La, one particularly memorable occasion wowing QLD Red Stalwarts John Roe and Andrew Brown with his ability to not only stay, but also play golf at the same time.
As the spring began to hit out he showed his true might with strong performances at NFC Straddie and Brunswick and in recent times has been claiming to be at the top of his form. His preparation came to a close this last week with a Last Man Standing performance at the Melbourne Cup and an Only Man on the Spirits performance at the Mirtna Golf Day. All he needs to do now is keep it ticking over this weekend and he will enter the big dance as a short priced favorite.
TGO has form at this distance, this track, and in the conditions. A Definite Favorite.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Welcome
Welcome one and all to the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon Diaries. With just over a week to go to the start of the Prologue session, teams and competitors are all into their final preparations for the 2006 competition.
Over the next week we will introduce you to all of the competitors on a team by team basis, giving you a brief history of their past exploits and a review of their current form. As the prologue nears the Tote will open up and all form analysts will be able to place their ‘bets’ (comments section, no actual money will change hands) on who they think is the one to beat. In the lead up next week different ‘Celebrity’ analysts will give you their thoughts on current form and the final MPM reports will be posted on the final lead up events this weekend.
During the Competition, there will be posts left at the end of each session with a complete and up-to-date tally of current standings as well as the competitor’s unique brand of commentary reviewing the progress in the Test Match.
So all who are interested (and those who aren’t), please set your faces to excite and your RSS feeds to update quickly and strap yourself in for an awesome week and a half of pointless competition and unabated self promotion
Over the next week we will introduce you to all of the competitors on a team by team basis, giving you a brief history of their past exploits and a review of their current form. As the prologue nears the Tote will open up and all form analysts will be able to place their ‘bets’ (comments section, no actual money will change hands) on who they think is the one to beat. In the lead up next week different ‘Celebrity’ analysts will give you their thoughts on current form and the final MPM reports will be posted on the final lead up events this weekend.
During the Competition, there will be posts left at the end of each session with a complete and up-to-date tally of current standings as well as the competitor’s unique brand of commentary reviewing the progress in the Test Match.
So all who are interested (and those who aren’t), please set your faces to excite and your RSS feeds to update quickly and strap yourself in for an awesome week and a half of pointless competition and unabated self promotion
A Brief History
The Gabba-Stack-a-Thon is essentially a convenient way to combine the joys of watching cricket, drinking copious amounts of beer and competing with ones fellow man for no particular reason.
The competition in its current form has developed over a number of years and has seen many people pull on the honoured ‘wife beater’ and have a go at the title. Dating back to the early to mid ‘90s when Rupert McCall was renowned for his poetry and not his corporate speaking tour and appearances on “The Great South East”, the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon has now become the premier drinking event of the Spring.
Starting the preparation months in advance, competitors nominate for the event by purchasing tickets, the moment they go on sale, for the First Test of an Australian Summer. The competitors then declare who the other member of their team is (teams are made up of 2 competitors) or are allocated teams if they have no pre-defined team.
Training is then purely in the hands of the competitor, or their handlers in the case of bigger teams and it becomes a major part of their focus for the next five months with several lead up events like NFC Straddie, Brunswick Birthday Bash and the less popular Armidale Road Trip. Teams put their competitors through vigorous regimes to try and help them deal with the harsh summer heat and the relentless pace as to which the competition is run. As the training and preparation progresses throughout the year the other part of the training raises its ugly head, The Mind Game.
Sent to the other competitors through the Mass Print Media (MPM) or just as plain old SPAM, teams have been known to stoop to unthinkable levels of SASS to throw the other competitors off their game and to boost the notoriety of their own team and their individual stars. Sparking email wars between the teams the SASS becomes a great indicator as to the ability of each competitor to last the distance and more specifically their mental toughness. The MPM also keeps the gambling public up to date on the progress of each competitor through the lead up events and gives comprehensive analysis of the form all the way up to the Prologue Session, held the night before the first ball is bowled.
From very humble beginnings the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon has developed from year to year to the more notable competitions of recent years like “Viney in Bay 19”, the highly successful break off competition of 2005 the “ICC World 11 Vs Australia-Stack-a-Thon” and the controversial “Tap Out of 2005” where several competitors couldn’t handle the intense heat of a Queensland Summer. With numerous more competitions in coming years (including the much anticipated Viva Le RWC World Cup-Stack-a-Thon in Europe 2007) the competition for 2006 looks to be one of the closest and most hotly contested ever.
The competition in its current form has developed over a number of years and has seen many people pull on the honoured ‘wife beater’ and have a go at the title. Dating back to the early to mid ‘90s when Rupert McCall was renowned for his poetry and not his corporate speaking tour and appearances on “The Great South East”, the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon has now become the premier drinking event of the Spring.
Starting the preparation months in advance, competitors nominate for the event by purchasing tickets, the moment they go on sale, for the First Test of an Australian Summer. The competitors then declare who the other member of their team is (teams are made up of 2 competitors) or are allocated teams if they have no pre-defined team.
Training is then purely in the hands of the competitor, or their handlers in the case of bigger teams and it becomes a major part of their focus for the next five months with several lead up events like NFC Straddie, Brunswick Birthday Bash and the less popular Armidale Road Trip. Teams put their competitors through vigorous regimes to try and help them deal with the harsh summer heat and the relentless pace as to which the competition is run. As the training and preparation progresses throughout the year the other part of the training raises its ugly head, The Mind Game.
Sent to the other competitors through the Mass Print Media (MPM) or just as plain old SPAM, teams have been known to stoop to unthinkable levels of SASS to throw the other competitors off their game and to boost the notoriety of their own team and their individual stars. Sparking email wars between the teams the SASS becomes a great indicator as to the ability of each competitor to last the distance and more specifically their mental toughness. The MPM also keeps the gambling public up to date on the progress of each competitor through the lead up events and gives comprehensive analysis of the form all the way up to the Prologue Session, held the night before the first ball is bowled.
From very humble beginnings the Gabba-Stack-a-Thon has developed from year to year to the more notable competitions of recent years like “Viney in Bay 19”, the highly successful break off competition of 2005 the “ICC World 11 Vs Australia-Stack-a-Thon” and the controversial “Tap Out of 2005” where several competitors couldn’t handle the intense heat of a Queensland Summer. With numerous more competitions in coming years (including the much anticipated Viva Le RWC World Cup-Stack-a-Thon in Europe 2007) the competition for 2006 looks to be one of the closest and most hotly contested ever.
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