Mark: I'd like to open this week with a, "ha, ha, told ya so". That's right, I picked Jordan Spieth and you picked Sergio Garcia. I came first and you came 17th and, what's more, I came first by quite some margin. While I was rooting for Spieth to break Tiger's lowest total Masters score, in a way I'm sort of happy that he didn't. The Masters is synonymous with Tiger and even I will admit it was good for golf to have Tiger back and prowling around. At the very least it gives me someone to root against.
Andrew: You're up two this year with your overt barracking for the Aussies to be the killjoys of the Cricket World Cup. Don't mind me though, picking Sergio was just trolling and while a top 30 finish for him is admirable, what isn't admirable is Spieth forgoing the rest of his college career to chase the money; that's the only questionably negative thing about Spieth. If only your tipping can be as accurate with the Highlanders, who you've turned your back on.
Mark: Why the heck would Spieth want to remain in school? It's not like he needs to get a job. He's set up for life in 72 holes of golf. I have not turned my back on the Highlanders at all. All I did was in a moment of weakness get seduced by another team and, let's face it, the Crusaders were so hot they were irresistible. However, like every straying lover, I quickly realised that such flings are never satisfying. I want the Highlanders back and realise that what they have and what we had was something very worthy and something of substance. You and your Hurricanes are nothing more than the flavour of the month, a fleeting gimmick, rugby trash whose showy look will soon be passe.
Andrew: So, firstly, seven rounds are played over two months and this is a new experience for me since the giddy heights of winning seven straight in 2003, which is being now under attack for them winning. I now have a glimpse at what life is like for Crusaders fans, but oddly not Chiefs fans that seem to be the most antagonistic towards Hurricanes fans for feeling good about their team. For the Waikato-based outfit play the "no one really gives us a chance, week in week out" card which is fine really because it suits them down to the ground. Chiefs just don't like seeing a new fan base feel happy. Which is where most darts players are: happy and grounded and the demand for tickets to them crashed a website earlier in the week. Is this the new spectator sport?
Mark: And while you self-professed Super Rugby super teams argue among yourselves, us Highlander fans just work the underground, achieving in silent and liking it that way. Yeah darts, eh! Amazing. However this is what I call the Richardson phenomenon -- if you tell the masses something for long enough, and with enough fanfare, the masses start to believe it. I have been telling anyone who will listen for some time now that I am New Zealand's leading sports broadcaster and television personality, and now that is exactly how I am regarded. It's the same with darts. ESPN says darts is awesome, and makes a song and dance, bangs in production and rent-a-crowds and, hey presto, darts is awesome! It's a simple concept but you have to be a leader. You could say the Hurricanes are awesome till you're yellow and black in the face but there'll still be resistance; ESPN on the other hand are a leader on sports broadcasting.