Ya'll know...

...I have a thing for the guys who are 'presenters' on the BBC America show 'Top Gear'.  The things these three, slightly overweight, middle aged men will do strictly for the entertainment of others make me laugh out loud. And I love the way they approach everything with a stiff upper lip, tongue in cheek, gut-wrenching stamina, genuine enthusiasm, and stalwart good humor...Pip, pip.

Here's a good example. It was toward the end of last night's show that James May and Jeremy Clarkson wanted to show the agility and sturdiness of a particular car, and decided the best way to do that was to have a Rugby game...using the cars...in place of human bodies.

I could not believe the genuine excitement these men exuded as their cars raced up and down the 'pitch', chasing a huge ball that looked much like an American football. Seriously, there was a great deal of yelling, vehicle bumping, and a lot of chasing that outrageously huge ball.  However, after locker room chats at halftime, all bets and rules were off, and I gotta tell you, these men got knocked around very, very badly.  And the 'pitch' became a mucky, miry, muddy, gunky place. 

However, watching this ridiculousness, I became very intrigued.  Since I know nothing about the game, this morning I looked up Rugby on the Internet and found a site called Rugby for Dummies by Bill Rayburn.  In a nut shell he explained some of the terms and rules of the game.  He says, for instance,  quoting another gentleman, Peter Winder, "Rugby provides a suitable outlet for the controlled release of any frustration or aggression within the structured framework of a sport."  He's right!

And, he is quick to add..."legalized mayhem has therapeutic value."  Again, he's
right.  I felt great after my accidental encounter with the 'car' game on Top Gear.

According to Bill, there is some terminology and jargon you will need to know in order to enjoy the game...and I quote...."The basic terms are pitch, scrum, ruck, maul, and hooker."  It sounds rough and...believe me... it is..."because no pads or helmets are worn in Rugby and a player is expected to play hurt if at all possible"...clearly, injuries are an expected part of the game.

The basic rules of the game, states Bill, "involve 15 players per side, though seven-a-side tournaments are popular too. The responsibilities of those 15 positions are loosely interpreted, depending on the league and/or country where the game is played, but the 15 positions include 8 forwards, 2 halfbacks, 2 centers, 2 wings, and 1 fullback. The field of play is called a "pitch," usually the size of a soccer or football field (i.e., whatever's available, especially in the U.S.)."

While the object of the game is "to score as many points as possible by carrying, passing or kicking a leather oval ball, about twice the size of a football, toward the scoring zone at the far end of the pitch called the in-goal area, akin to an end zone in football. Grounding the ball (literally touching it to the turf) in the in-goal area must be done with downward pressure, and results in a try (score), worth 5 points."

Are you intrigued?  I'm telling you, I am and think I could like this game better than American football.  I'm going to see if I can find myself a good pitch, and some jolly good fellows to form a team.  Hmmm, maybe I have enough grandsons' to do exactly that.  Pip, pip.