Willow and Stumpy - Sky Sports' animated shame

We've had our first view of Willow and Stumpy today. For those who don't know, Willow is a talking cricket bat and Stumpy is, not entirely unexpectedly, a stump. Together they explain the ins and outs of cricket for the benefit of no-one. They crop up intermittently during Sky's cricket coverage.

Children know when they're being forced to learn something. They're particularly attuned to those times when they're taught something in a 'fun and exciting' way. Are they so stupid that they can't tell that the subject matter's dull simply because it's being expressed by a talking cricket bat? Edutainment: The worst of both worlds.

If kids are watching cricket they'll pick things up as they go along. There's no real point getting them to use all the correct terminology. They don't care. If they want to play cricket, they just want to play it. They can find out what all the shots are called afterwards.

The only conceivable use for Willow and Stumpy would be a sequence depicting Stumpy being hammered into the ground using Willow's face. The ensuing damage to Willow's visage ought to teach kids to look after the faces of their cricket bats. That's a picture of a cricket stump mallett. Get one. Look after your bat. Or at least use the end of the handle. Cricket bats cost money you know, you little ingrate.

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Saturday, May 13, 2006


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10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

you are talking rubbish. This is a great way for kids to learn. I am a school teacher and I have videoed the footage from sky interactive to show my cricket team. Where else can you find explanations for the Doozra?

7:49 pm  
Blogger Blue and Brown said...

Show us a kid who needs to know what a doosra is and can bear Willow and Stumpy. We'll show you a kid who is either a spectacularly precocious cricketer or one who is unbelievably resistant to patronisation.

If you're real 'anonymous' (and that's by no means guaranteed) well done in trying to enthuse kids about cricket, but why are they watching videos rather than playing the game?

9:12 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Willow and Stumpy are legends

10:13 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i want to give stumpy a blow job and i want willow to spank me

10:14 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You don't know what you're talking about. Willow and Stumpy is a great way to learn how to play cricket!

4:11 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree that you are talking rubbish!!! Willow and Stumpy are great. Why is everyone so worried about them? They last about 2 mins, and dont interrupt the game, they just fill in the time when not a lot is happening. Are you just trying to find something to moan about?

3:37 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmm yeah i think you're just far too cynical. My boyfriend is OBSESSED with cricket, and i've found that i can't beat it, so i might as well join in...and Willow and Stumpy are a pretty great way to understand stuff that my boyfriend can't explain to me because i seriously know NOTHING about cricket - so hooray for Willow and Stumpy, and who cares if it's patronising! Are you really that pretentious?

6:39 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just think its hilarious when the stump gets hit in the face every time the bat explains a type of ball

3:03 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Willow And Stumpy Are Cool And Great For Kids It Helped ma baby sis to understand them and she think there funny

10:17 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

dave and chaz fink willow and stumpy are legends 4eva and no u cant give him a b**w job u div that is very offensive to the childrens learning asscosiation
From Chaz and Dave (yes the real chaz and dave and yes the ones wiv da beards!)

10:59 am  

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