2020 Rugby PickEm Awards (The RPA's)

Rugby PickEm · 2020 Rugby PickEm Awards (The RPA's)

What a year 2020 has been. Would anyone have ever thought an entire rugby season would be cancelled, postponed or altered over something that we knew could happen ... but just never thought it WOULD? Strange times. 

While the majority of the North American rugby season was cancelled, the rugby media industrial complex (bloggers and podcasters with nothing better to do than strive for clicks, upvotes and the ever elusive rugby-internet fame) were hard at work. 

Lockdowns across the world drove human kind indoors with nothing better to do than slowly become obsessed and addicted to the suck hole that we call the internet. 

We at Rugby PickEm enjoy busting balls (or as our Southern Hemisphere friends like to say ..., "taking the piss mate") of people who call themselves (or answer to the term) "pundits". In fact we'd like the make the hashtag #RugbyPunditry a thing in 2021. 

There were PLENTY of (so-called) rugby pundits who got their toes wet in today's modern day rugby media. Some excelled, others just gave up and stopped publishing (quitters), and the rest filled out the already crowded world of Rugby Blogs, Podcasts and general MLR based "Content". 

So ... to honor the players AND the media, we decided to have our first annual Rugby PickEm Awards show. That's right folks, sit back and enjoy the first ever RPA's brought to you by your favorite rugby podcast that tries not to take itself as seriously as we do our awards show. Cue the champagne bottle pop, and enjoy.

All In on The 2020 RPA's!

Story of the Year

MLR Faces A Pandemic, And Corrosive Politics - Martin Pangelly, The Guardian

This got A LOT of play online when it was first published. The article read like a Shakespearean tragedy, mixed with intrigue, outrage, and downright tomfoolery. Did Guthrie come off as butthurt? Absolutely (someone please publish the 56 page dossier). Is there an internal war between Erik Anderson and Adam Gilchrist as they race to buy up as much of the league ownership as possible? Maybe. What we do know is that Pangelly and the Guardian got their clicks with this drama filled article.

RFU Unethical Concussion Study - Matt McCarthy, Rugby Wrap Up

Matt's show pretty much covers it all for the informed rugby fan, but this story showed that without any accountability, unions will continue to squash anything resembling player welfare. The R.F.U. railroaded a new "trial" forcing the tackling line down to the nipple. The intention was to see if they can make a safer way to execute full tackle rugby. The problem was that concussions ended up rising during the trial. This could be because the tackler was now at serious risk for head trauma due to the fact that they are forced lower into the tack and expose their own skulls. The tried to make it safer and it didn;t work. But here's where the RFU is full of shit.... They completely bulldozed the player group, and implemented these changes without asking or clearing it with anyone. Matt dives into depth on this issue with 

One Man's Quest to Get America to Care About Rugby - NYT (Douggy Scho)

This was written back in 2016, but just wanted to include it as a nominee because ... well we like to dredge this article up any chance we get .... #NeverForget the shit show that was PRO Rugby and Douggy Scho

And the winner is...

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This story is well worth your time. Educate yourself on the state of the game and concussions. This will be an issue our sport has to seek to understand for decades to come. The RFU is as cutthroat as it gets when making decisions that weigh $$$ vs. the health & well-being of their players. Thanks to Matt for reporting on it.

MLR Team Associated Podcast of the Year

And the nominees are:

Full Contact CEO - ft. Alex Magleby

From word-association sessions, to an onslaught of marketing buzzwords (synergies is show favorite), Mags brings you into his crazy world of running the FreeJacks. With some massive names on his guest list, the Full Contact CEO is a must for not just FreeJacks fans, but anyone who wants to improve their business acumen as well. Recently featured in Forbes, Mags is dominating the clout game and hyping up his squad for the 2021 season.

Cat Chronicles - ft. Coty Davis

The rugby world got to know some of the legendary players and coaches who are currently in Houston with the SaberCats (in our completely unbiased opinion, no one interviews better than Taylor Howden). Coty does a great job digging into their music preferences, what they enjoy outside of rugby, and delivers on the SaberCat culture each and every podcast.

The Austin Rugby Podcast - ft. Dustin Zerrer

Dustin and the Austin rugby community have seen it all over the past 2 years. From the (not so) Austin Elite, to a month as the Austin Herd, they have finally settled down as the perfectly named Austin Gilgronis. The most recent interview with head coach Sam Harris and assistant coach Mark Gerrard was very insightful. We expect big things from the recently hapless Austin based rugby franchise in the future, and have no doubt that the Aussie coaching group will turn things around.

Road to Glory - ft. Jimmy, Bri & Rollie

Short lived (last publication was the week the season shut down around 3/14/20) , but moderately entertaining while it lasted. Will this spark back up in 2021? We hope so.

And the winner is ....

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Have you Herd of this podcast? It's a good one

Hats off to Dustin for sticking with this. Contrary to what most people think, podcasting isn't easy. It becomes harder when the topic, focus and central theme of your podcast is constantly changing (aka the Austin franchises' first 3 years). The fact that he has stuck with it through the turmoil has landed this podcast the "MLR Team Podcast of the Year" RPA. Congrats! 

Ex-MLR Team Associated Podcast of the Year

DNVR Raptors Rugby - Colton Strickler

This was a special podcast award category that only Colton's podcast qualified for. It's not every day that a founding team withdraws from the league, but Colton and the Glendale media were able to adapt and roll with the punches. In just one year, the Raptors launched an MLR season with a full roster, had that season cancelled, had the team dissolved, and STILL managed to bounce back and launch the Rugbytown Crossover Academy in their newest venture to develop future USA Eagles. Rugby purists may scoff and poo poo the idea of teaching great athletes a crash course in rugby, but this is a determined group. I have no doubts that Pete Borlase & Pete Pasque can accomplish anything they put their minds and expertise towards. Colton has had the pleasure of watching it all unfold, so we gave him a call to accept his RPA...

Independent Podcast of the Year

Quick Tap Rugby - Nate Augspurger

This guy's the real deal. Eagle (15 & 7's), Legionaire and recently launched his own rugby based clothing brand. 

The Rugby Player - Harry Benno

Harry loves a good yarn. The Rugby Player Podcast dives into the person beyond the jersey, bringing you into the lives of world class rugby players around the globe. 

The Rugby Hive - Dallen Stanford & Robin McDowell

You can take the rugby away from Dallen Stanford, but you can't take Dallen Stanford away from rugby. Once the season was cancelled and the lockdown hit, Dallen made quick work of forming a dynamic duo with Robin McDowell and introducing the internet to the Rugby Hive. 

And the winner is ... 

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Harry truly understands good chat. He brings out the best in the players backgrounds, and most importantly, his show encourages rugby players to share their experiences to help others on the same path. The Rugby Player Pod is a must-listen if you are keen to understand and dive into the perspective of the modern professional rugby player. 10/10

Production Prop of the Year

Dan Power's Green Screen - Dan got REAL comfortable with Zoom once the lockdowns hit. A pop culture enthusiast himself, he often turned the home studio into a work of art.

Dan Power: Self Proclaimed Gilgroniac (condition or a way of life?)

Alex Goff's Whiteboard - Alex is often connecting big ideas and concepts so having a whiteboard to (literally) connect the dots is crucial. He often finds himself chalking up reasons 

Looks like a volatile stock

And the winner is ....

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Alex Goff's whiteboard! Aside from Alex himself, the whiteboard is the star of the Goff Rugby Report YouTube page. The prop of the year helps rugby enthusiast follow the direction of Alex's reporting and makes us all more informed on today's game. Congrats

Blogger of the Year

Americas Rugby News - Bryan Ray

A consistent, direct approach to covering all things rugby in the Americas. From player signings, to futuristic "could this happen" op-eds ( .... one we particularly liked was the proposed Lions 2028 North America tour), to simple game reports, ARN is a good site to have on your home tabs if you are inclined to stay up to date with the game of rugby in the Americas.

Goff Rugby Report - Alex Goff

"Be A Student of the Game", an apt description of Goff's blog that covers just about everything (Alex is a grizzled veteran when it comes to reporting on rugby in the US).  The most recent focus has been directed on the College and High School game, one which we all know is utterly important for our grassroots growth (and chronically under covered). Alex is on top of his game whether it's tracking eagles abroad, to dropping in on a local HS tournament to do in person interviews, he always delivers on culminating content to help educate the average American rugger.

Rugby Outake - Hugh Mungus & Harry Cox

Well these two pseudonym writers came out swinging! Funny, overly-sarcastic blogs, starting with a scathing take of the inaugural MLR Draft. It was the edgy, not to serious, type of blogging we adore here at Rugby PickEm! .... but after a hot start this summer, the blog puttered out and the two anonymous pundits have gone MIA since August. We all know it's easy to start hot .... but can you stay hot? Hopefully we'll see these two return in 2021.

And the winner for Blogger of the Year is......

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Bryan Ray

We called Bryan and peppered him with a few questions as he accepted his RPA...

Biggest Victory Lap of 2020

Seattle Seawolves - Still Champs. 2020 wasn't pretty (1-4 start), but they're still the only franchise in the MLR with any hardware. Until that changes, the victory lap continues!

📸Connie Hatfield / Pink Shorts Photography

Mark Killebrew - That's right ..., Ol' Commish was on a victory lap this past summer, mentioning that MLR paid out the remainder of the 2020 salaries .... on EVERY possible interview imaginable. Marky "Kill Em" Killebrew took a massive victory lap on what is clearly THE RIGHT THING TO DO. Of course other leagues garnished some player salaries ... but considering how small the teams salary caps currently are in the MLR, and how most players make next to nothing (and work jobs on the side to subsidize their income) it would have been COMPLETE LUNACY not to pay out the contracts for a cancelled season. Commish has done some massive things so far for the league's long term survival (landing the Gilchrist deal for one), but every time he mentioned that they paid out full player salaries (like it was a badge of honor) it left me SMH (shakin' my head for the Boomers in the room).

Scott Razor Robertson and the Crusaders - After getting brushed aside for a serious chance at the AB's head coach position, Razor did the only thing he knows how ... keep winning. His squad won their 3rd straight title, and continue to add to the legacy of the franchise.

Was Scott Razor Robertson overlooked as the AB's head coach....? A True Players' Coach

And the winner for Biggest Victory Lap is ....

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Cufflinks Optional...

Major League Rugby applied for (and accepted) a PPP loan (roughly $1-2 Million) to cover lost revenue from the pandemic. Let's be clear here, we're not faulting MLR for taking the loan. Not at all. The loans are meant for tough times like this (the pandemic, cancelled season), and they have every right to apply for and use the financial tools available to them. But ..... please, don't go publicly boasting about doing the right thing and making good on payroll, especially when you received a bridge loan on the tax-payer dime. It's just not a good look Commish .... 

(ps. would love to have the Commish on Rugby PickEm in 2021 ... )

off the cuff, ... top 3 interview gets (if a genie was granting wishes ...) 

1) Gilchrist

2) Ol' Commish Killebrew

3) Mayor Mike

MLR Reddit Commenter of the Year

Smashedembro - No one gets controversial downvotes more than epic MLR Reddit commenter Smashembro. This commenter lives up to the name, continually smashing bros with ridiculously hot takes that surely only downvoted out of sheer jealousy from other MLR Reddit hot take artists. If you're looking for Reddit Karma ... don't look here 😤

DystopianRugby -  If the award was based on sheer volume, this commenter would take the cake. If the name is any indication, the commenter is a bit of a Debbie Downer, truly dystopian indeed. 

Bobbobberson - the soliloquy written after Pengelly's article was from another planet. Ol' Bob must have spent hours drafting up a scathing critique the "journalistic integrity" of the article. Will Pengelly offer up a mea culpa after the verbal beating or will he sleep like a baby knowing he's happy with the legitimacy of his article? The world waits with baited breath ... In the meantime, Bobbobberson will continue to 

And the winner for MLR Reddit Commenter of the year is ....

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King of the Downvote: SmashedemBro stays undefeated ....

Game of the Year

Pumas defeat the All Blacks - the historic win was one to remember as Pablo Matera became an overnight meme sensation (and 2 weeks later the center of outrage). The stache, the annoyance at the breakdown, and finally the tears ... the Argies played ferociously and their efforts paid off. A historic win for the Pumas. 

Utah Warriors defeat NE Freejacks -  a shootout in dessert was the best game of the (objectively unsuccessful) Vegas Rugby weekend. After New England shocked the world, whooping up on RUNY in their opener, the Utah Warriors did the same to the Freejacks, winning a high scoring affair at (an empty) Sam Boyd stadium. This seemed like a momentum shifter for Utah after struggling in their first two seasons (even though they went to the playoffs in 2018 with a 3-5 record). When the season was called in March, Utah was second in the West only behind undefeated San Diego. No doubt ex-Wallaby Chris Latham has turned this founding member MLR into a contender.

Canterbury defeat Auckland to avoid relegation  - Canterbury just edged out eventual 2nd place Auckland to avoid being sent down a level in the ITM cup. If we know anything about rugby fans in Canterbury NZ, it's that they expect to win .... everything .... all the time. The Crusaders are riding another 3x hardware hoisting, and they would not have been happy seeing their provincial ITM side in the bottom ladder. Alas, they survived and will look to top fellow South Island rivals Tasman in 2021.

And the winner is .....

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"We did it guys .... we finally did it 😭"

Biggest Disappointment of the Year

Cancellation of the 2020 season - this was a punch in the gut to rugby fans here in the US and around the world. Unions will go broke, mental health will unfortunately suffer with people closed off from their usual rugby communities..., it's a tough spot to be in as a sport. Hopefully we'll be able to pick up the pieces when people return to play, but the gap in games will certainly have a impact on grassroots development.

Bill Beaumont wins "Election" vs. Gus Pichot - the hypocrisy that pulsed through Bill Beaumont's World Rugby administration this year was disheartening to the future growth of rugby. Not only did they rush through an election during a global pandemic, but they clearly did their best to secure votes from smaller nations by any means possible. One only needs to watch Oceans Apart, to see how his administration and the "old guard" of World Rugby handle themselves when it comes to equity within the global sport. After battling for the top position only to come up just short, Gus Pichot has now chosen to leave the sport as a high level World Rugby administrator. After seeing how resistant Beaumont is to change, we don't blame him.

Colorado Raptors withdraw from the MLR - this one hit close to home for Rugby PickEm as we were season ticket holders (I guess you could consider that a minute minority ownership stake too), and we were loving the way the team had bounced back after a tough 0-3 start. Beating the Toronto Arrows in their final game before the season was cancelled, it looked like the team was rolling in a weaker Western conference.

And the biggest disappointment of 2020 was .....

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Young, Energetic Firecracker vs. Boring, Same Old, RFU Boys Club? 

As bad as the pandemic has been for rugby, the reelection of Bill Beaumont may be worse in the long term. Simply put, Tier 2 rugby unions will be set back for another 4 years with Bill Boomer Beaumont at the helm. 

Gus Pichot was instrumental in creating tournaments like the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) allowing tier 2 teams to get more meaningful test level games in. Beaumont and his henchman Bernard LaPorte did everything they could to retain power (who doesn't these days?) and by doing so will continue the practices that focus intently on tier 1 rugby nations while squandering the opportunity to grow the game amongst smaller, yet emerging rugby nations.

Rugby PickEm Voicemail of the Year

We know that you know, but in case you don't know .... call 720-259-8825. Leave us a VM and we'll be sure to include it in one of our esteemed Voicemail shows.

The Guru - Teary eyed and missing his rugby peoples

Jodi From Detroit - Who has the best legs in the MLR?

Stewart McClanahanahan - What are the biggest rivalries in the M.L.R. (who's fighting in the stands?)

And the winner for Rugby PickEm Voicemail of the year is .....

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Guru ..... Never Stop Being You

Want to add another award category to our list for next years RPA's? Call 720-259-8825 and tell us your idea. 

Thanks again to Colton Strickler, Harry Bennett, and Bryan Ray for accepting their awards live on the airways!

More Rugby PickEm coming this week, stay tuned!

PICKEM!