V.R. - or for the technically incompetent like me.. Virtual Reality.
Another brave new world of sport is on its way.
The CEO of Sport NZ Peter Miskimmin is in no doubt this will be a game changer.
"This is the disruptive technology that's keeping a lot of sporting administrators and rights' holders awake at night," said Miskimmin.
"It's dramatically going to change the sporting landscape and the experience you get through V.R. means you will not even have to leave your home to watch the All Blacks"
Former Australian Netball Skipper Liz Ellis, who's moved into the administration of sport, believes V.R. is the biggest challenge facing our traditional codes over the next decade.
"I think a lot of sports and even governments haven't got their heads around it, in terms of what difference that is going to make to people's viewing of sport," said Ellis.
As was explained to me by one sporting administrator this week, you could be sitting in your home in Christchurch, I could be at mine in Auckland, together we could be united in Seats 54 and 55 in the North Stand of Eden Park watching an All Black test.
Sounds ludicrous - right?
Wrong.
Depending on who you speak to, this 'game changer' is not that far away.
Pop on a pair of V.R. glasses.. access your chosen code, for a fee of course - and suddenly leaving home in the middle of winter, to queue for crappy food and beer in plastic bottles, just got a lot harder!
Ian Taylor is our ground breaking pioneer in the animation of sport. His company - Animation Research - made the America's Cup watchable.
He takes a different view on the V.R. debate. Limit it to stadiums only.
Make sporting bodies, stadiums and technology companies work together to give fans at live-sport an experience they cannot get at home.
For example: Kane Williamson brings up another test century - you pop on the glasses and a highlights package of his innings flicks into the eye line.
Or a complete catalogue of his batting stats... the possibilities are endless.
Make no mistake, sport is in the battle of its life.
For those in charge of filling stadiums.. V.R. could be a potential savour in terms of enhancing the game day experience - or it could kill it off.
Watch this space.
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Villain? Or Just good bugger?
A reminder from Jimmy Spithill this week, why we need characters in sport.
He's never going to be on the Christmas card list of Grant Dalton and Team New Zealand.
In fact, I know they view him as a giant pain in the back side.
He's never going to be forgiven by elements of the New Zealand sporting public for the way he broke our collective hearts in 2013.
But, the way he's handled defeat of Bermuda deserves recognition.
Sure, Jimmy plays the game and I'm not talking about action on the water.
He's a master at manipulating the message.
This week, while launching his book in NZ, it was not so subtle barbs at Dalton's ability to move the Cup forward and the potential of Team NZ to take it backwards with monohulls.
Having interviewed him twice this week, he wouldn't look out of place in politics or selling you a house with great indoor-outdoor flow.
He's that good at the 'chat.'
Not bad for a kid who was bullied at school and was too shy to speak in front of people.
Food For Thought:
Did anyone else feel more than a little uncomfortable watching Brisbane winger Corey Oates play again on Friday night, just days after being knocked out cold and stretchered off?
Failing the Ferns:
Why has it taken a month to formally recognise our World Champion Black Ferns?
And more importantly, given the momentum and public hype has moved on.. what if no bugger turns up next Thursday?
Sean O'Crien
Was Irish flanker Sean O'Brien serious this week, when he blamed poor management and over training on the Lions not winning the series in NZ?
Is he kidding? The Lions could not have asked for more things to go their way. Like SBW being sent off 20 minutes into the second half, or the referee forgetting the rules in the dying seconds of the deciding test.
I found it interesting, that post every Lions tour - win or lose - someone out of the camp generally comes out and has a whinge.
