RIP 2024
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Laurie Johnson - TV & Film composer aged 96.
As well as films like Dr Strangelove, he composed the iconic Avengers theme:
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Carl Weathers who played Apollo Creed.
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/carl-weathers-dead-rocky-predator-star-wars-1235895634/
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Carl Weathers who played Apollo Creed.
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/carl-weathers-dead-rocky-predator-star-wars-1235895634/
RIP Apollo, Action Jackson, Greef, Dillon and whoever else he played.
Cool guy, always brought a real nice guy quality to the tough dudes he played on screen.
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Carl Weathers who played Apollo Creed.
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/carl-weathers-dead-rocky-predator-star-wars-1235895634/
RIP Apollo, Action Jackson, Greef, Dillon and whoever else he played.
Cool guy, always brought a real nice guy quality to the tough dudes he played on screen.
They don’t come any tougher than Chubs Pedersen.
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It’s all in the hips
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Carl Weathers was a favourite. My son was legit shocked by the news. But 76 is a decent innings.
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One of the good ones we saw I thought Barry John. Had a brief career really, as far as we saw down here. Retired early and good on him, had other things to do. Was the man who more than any other who introduced the 'round the corner' kicking to NZ rugby.
Part of an incredible Lions backline where every player looked bloody brilliant. -
He John Dawes and Mike Gibson visited my school in 71. All made a real impression. Very generous with their time and wonderful speakers.
That 71 touring party ignited a change in NZ rugby. Saw John play live three times that year. Fantastic player. Definitely a candidate for GOAT.
Tough few weeks for Welsh rugby
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That 71 touring party ignited a change in NZ rugby.
I know this is commonly said but was it really that true? Fred Allen's 60s ABs and the 60s Bay Shield holders both played 15 man rugby.
NZ rugby seemed to regress for the mid 70s before blossoming with the 1978 Grandslam team - did we wait between 71 and the 80s before the change was ignited?
Edit: RIP Barry John.
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That 71 touring party ignited a change in NZ rugby.
I know this is commonly said but was it really that true? Fred Allen's 60s ABs and the 60s Bay Shield holders both played 15 man rugby.
NZ rugby seemed to regress for the mid 70s before blossoming with the 1978 Grandslam team - did we wait between 71 and the 80s before the change was ignited?
Edit: RIP Barry John.
Probably a bit OT but it's pissing down where I live, so here goes....I was seriously into Rugby in those days and think it was a combination of things:
Fred Allen's '67 team wobbled on until 1970 and most of the key players retired (or had had enough) by then. The '71 AB's were pretty poor in reality and player stocks were low. We ended up bringing in a former no.8 to lock with Pinetree FFS.....
Other nations, particularly Wales and England, had started thinking. And they had Carwyn James. Rugby as a whole in NZ stopped thinking. While some administrators and coaches like Bill Freeman could see the writing on the wall and the need to change, there was a belief we had all the players we needed and a new, successful provincial wonder-coach would put us back at the top of the tree.
The disastrous '72-'73 tour exploded the Wonder Coach theory and left rugby in NZ in a unbelievable mess. There was talk about whether the game would survive as playing numbers dropped. After the NZRFU in-fighting, people like JJ Stewart and Eric Watson started to be listened to.
The '76 B side tour to Sth America was a masterstroke, deepening the player pool and produced players like Stu Wilson, Mourie, Haden, Spiers, Taylor etc.
The '77 Lions tour was the turning point. They played some of the smartest rugby I've ever seen against a bloody good Lions side. The Lions have a huge scrum which is pushing us back? No problems, we'll do a 3-man scrum so the ball's out so quick it doesn't matter. Oh, and Watson threw out the old guard and installed a young bloke called Mourie as Captain.
The rest, as they say, is history.
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Ian Lavender. Last surviving Dad's Army actor.
Got the complete series as a present a few years back and it's still a joy to watch. Brilliant, funny and fresh.