September 29, 2004
FEAT PRECEDENTED
The Sydney Sun-Herald’s Alex Brown needs to consult his Australian football history books:
Pencils sharpened and erasers at the ready, AFL historians prepared for Brisbane's ascension to ethereal realms.
Four consecutive premierships. An unprecedented feat.
Well, apart from the fact that it isn't.
(Via reader Ben H.)
Posted by Tim Blair at September 29, 2004 02:00 AM
I recall when Lance Armstrong won Tour de France #5 last year, there was this media boomlet about how rare of an achievment it was -- as only four other people had done it in the 100 year history of the Tour de France -- which meant, of course, that 1/4 of all wins were made by people in the midst of a 5 year streak. Impressive, yes, but not rare.
Unprecedented is only four steps away from traditional (unprecedented - remarkable - famous - proverbial - traditional). It's traditional to confuse them.
Posted by: Ron Hardin at September 29, 2004 at 04:16 AMIt's a nitpick, but whilst it has precedent in the VFL, four premierships is unprecedented in the AFL.
Posted by: ausduck at September 29, 2004 at 09:27 AMYou have to remember Tim, that when the Collingwood penguins won four in a row, there was about 2 teams in the competition and the other team had a goat at full back and two paralytic drunks in the centres. Four in a row is an unprecedented feat in the AFL. Four wins in a row in the times when they used to scrape the gutter for another team to play in the grand final,doesn't really matter. The real amazement is how collingwood ever actually lost a game? I think it is more of an indictment on them that they could only manage four flags. In reality, three flags in a row shits on the four you have. Besides, you still have Eddie, so don't expect any more flags for the forseeable future.
Posted by: Todd at September 29, 2004 at 10:10 AMIt's a nitpick, but whilst it has precedent in the VFL, four premierships is unprecedented in the AFL.
The AFL sees itself as the VFL rebadged.
Don't you remember the AFL Centenary in 1996?
The VFA now calls itself the VFL.
Posted by: peggy sue at September 29, 2004 at 11:01 AMGuys,
Its a Sydney journalist.
Who honestly expects a Sydney journalist to know anything about AFL ?
Posted by: Andrew at September 29, 2004 at 11:08 AMIf you thought the 'unprecedented four' was bad reporting, then read further :
'But the resumption of hostilities, most notably between retiring Brisbane veteran Alastair Lynch and Chris Johnson, coincided with Port's return to the scorers' column.
Moments after Lynch left the field bloodied and dazed after wearing several powerful, crisp Johnson uppercuts'
Wow - Chris Johnson was having a go at his own team mate. I wonder where Darryl Wakelin was, and why he subsequently was reported !
Go the Power !