Sydney has been the focus of some interesting discussion over the past couple of weeks. A lot of conversation has centred on whether or not Sydney has lost its ‘mojo’, specifically with relation to the arts and nightlife. The increasing cost of living, unreliable and expensive public transport, poor parking options and a faster paced environment are all factors that have been attributed to Sydney’s recent demise and the elevation of our country cousins, particularly Melbourne and Brisbane, into more culturally vibrant cities.
Personally I do think that post Olympics Sydney has lost a little bit of its oomph. We’ve become overly reliant on icons such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge to continue to set us apart from the rest of the pack, but a lack of intelligent investment, both in infrastructure and culture, has led to a city that is becoming a little bit blasé.
But that’s neither here nor there.
How does this all relate to sports?
If Sydney is losing its cultural mojo, are we losing our sports mojo also?
Part my morning ritual each workday is to listen to the Big Sports Breakfast on the wireless. This week TK and Slats were interviewing young Rooster Tom Symonds, the hero from their heart stopping win over Souths Sydney in a cracker of a season opener.
During the course of the interview the topic turned to the crowds during the opening round. By all accounts the turnout was fantastic, with the NRL announcing a record combined attendance for an opening round. Well done to all concerned, and a pat on the back to besieged NRL CEO David Gallop.
Then Symonds mentioned the great turnout during the Souths vs. Roosters game and that’s when I hit the brakes.
Really?
Two foundation clubs;
Inner city rivals;
The Roosters coming off a Grand Final appearance;
The Rabbitohs debut of Greg Inglis;
Opening game of the season;
Fans salivating for some footy after a summer of discontent watching the Ashes debacle;
A stadium capacity of 80,000;
The most populous city in the country;
And 28,000 turn up!
To quote the Wolf (Pulp Fiction): “Let’s not start sucking each others d#cks just yet!”
How does a crowd of 28,000 at a season opener between two rivals (both with great news stories) constitute a good crowd? Is this all the NRL can muster?
Why is it that the AFL can generate crowds of 50,000 plus for regular season games, and yet the NRL can’t crack the 30,000 mark for a showcase season opener?
I was in Melbourne a couple of weekends ago when the Swans played Geelong (I think it was Geelong) in the NAB Cup. I trawled the streets for an hour before the first bounce looking for a chwarma (as a health dinner option) and I noticed that the bars, cafes and sidewalks were teaming with fans wearing colours from both clubs. All finishing off their last Belgian Beer or Unwooded Chardonnay before heading off to the game. And this was just an insignificant preseason game.
Why is it then that rugby league, the dominant football code on the Eastern seaboard, can’t generate this sort of human traffic?
So I started thinking (I do that sometimes).
Is this a rugby league issue, or is it a Sydney issue? Are small crowds a symptom of Sydney’s high cost of level, poor public transport, lack of parking, and general lack of time?
Maybe Sydney’s lack of mojo extends to sports as well as the arts, fashion and other areas of higher culture.
After generating a lot of noise when the A-League first launched a few years ago, Sydney FC has struggled to consistently draw big crowds. The NSW Waratahs have had similar issues over the past couple of seasons. And the Sydney Kings...let’s not even go there. Obviously it doesn’t help when the product you’re promoting isn’t performing, but even the most poorly performed AFL teams can boast healthy gate receipts.
The NRL obviously has a great product. And judging by television ratings is definitely a sport that continues to grow its viewership. But personally I believe there is a long way to go before the NRL can start to crow about crowd numbers with great confidence.
Wouldn’t it be great to see team colours on the streets every weekend in the lead up to big games? Atmosphere is delivered on the ground, not through the idiot box. I don’t care how high the definition is, or how many dimensions they’re telecasting in.
Maybe it’s the cost, maybe it’s just lack of time.
Or maybe Sydneysiders are just too cool to pop on a beanie and wave a scarf when kicking back at a funky wine bar serving average wine at above average prices before heading off to watch the big game.
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THUMBS
UP: Novak Djokovic on extending his unbeaten run to 17 games after dismantling compatriot and Davis Cup hero Viktor Troicki at Indian Wells. Playing the best tennis of his career to date.
UP: Sydney Kings. Props to Moose Robilliard and his charges for not tanking the entire season. After such a disastrous start it would have been easy for them to mail it in for the whole season. Instead they’ve turned it around and become on of the form teams of the competition. Some may say too little too late. But sometimes pride is worth playing for.
DOWN: Ricky Ponting. Punter just doesn’t look like a man who is enjoying his cricket at the moment. His childish and petulant reaction to a fielding mishap with Steve Smith was of a man struggling with form and motivation. Without denigrating his amazing accomplishments in both forms of the game, it might be time to pack it in.
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TIPS
Last week I tipped 4 from 8, which wasn’t such a horrific start. If the Steelers hadn’t been gifted two competition points by the referee and if the Panthers has turned up to play I might have nabbed six. Don’t you just love dealing in hypotheticals?
This week I like:
Friday March 18
Eels vs. Panthers @ the Gates of Heaven aka Parramatta Stadium
TIP: Eels. Scares the hell out of me when my team has to face someone coming off a shellacking...and Penrith where seriously spanked last week. As a fan it’s hard to stomach total lack of effort from your team, especially the first game of the season. Pemrif fans have a right to be furious with their outfit. So expect the Mountain Men to be switched on tonight. Still, with the Eels playing a new brand of no frills football, I see them grinding out another impressive win
Raiders vs. Broncos @ Canberra Stadium
TIP: Raiders. Canberra has a great record at home. Impressive first up win with some key players out injured. Ox coming into the team. Too much for the Baby Broncs to match up against
Saturday March 19
Storm vs. Titans @ AAMI Park
TIP: Storm. It’s a long trip from the Gold Coast to Melbourne. Different time zone, different climate. Heck, it could even be a different country. Storm too strong at their Mexican stronghold
Tigers vs. Warriors @ Leichhardt Oval
TIP: Tigers. They really disappointed me first up against the Dogs. I honestly thought they were specials. I expect them to fire up this week, although this one could go down to the wire
Cowboys vs. Knights @ Dairy Farmers
TIP: Cowboys. Knights were as impressive last week as Penrith were poor, but the Cowboys make a living off winning at home, so expect more of the same. Plus, they’ll be on a massive high after getting a rare win in Brisbane to open the season
Sunday March 20
Rabbitohs vs. Bulldogs @ ANZ Stadium
TIP: Bulldogs. For mine the most impressive performers from last week, considering how many new faces are playing in key positions. The Rabbits showed some good fight to get themselves in a winning position against the Roosters, but their inability to play a consistent brand of footy for 80 minutes is a worry for Russell Crowe and cohorts. Plus they’ve suffered injuries to some key personnel and I don’t think they have the depth to cover well. Editors Note: I hate tipping the Dogs
Roosters vs. Sea Eagles @ SFS
TIP: Roosters. Forwards dominated the early proceedings last week, setting the platform for the backs to open up a big lead. Switched off for twenty minutes and almost lost the game, but showed great courage to get a deserved win. Too much firepower for a Manly outfit lacking form and depth
Monday March 21
Sharks vs. Steelers @ Toyota Stadium
TIP: Steelers. If you can’t get up for a local derby then you shouldn’t be playing the game. But the Sharks would need an absolute miracle to get anything out of this game. Look to the Steelers to aim all their attacking kicks high and at the ref
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INFARKT SPORT: Raising the heart rate of sports fans worldwide @infarktsports
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Like Father, Like Son
I’m a proud Dad. I just signed my eldest boy a junior membership of the Parramatta Eels Footy Club. From the tender age of three I’ve consigned him to a life of disappointment, despair, failure and futility. He’s completely oblivious to what pain lies ahead in the years to come. Ah, the innocence of youth. Despite my melancholy though, watching him bounce around the home proudly holding his 2011 membership card screaming ‘Sparky Junior Eels’ to anyone who’d listen had me bursting at the seams with joy. And isn’t that what sport is really all about? Knowing that you’re destined to lose, and still enjoying the ride!!!
I’m excited that this weekend will mark the official return of the NRL to the front of the back page...even though Todd Carney, Benji Marshall, Nathan Tinkler and Ryan Tandy have been doing a great job of whetting our appetites over the pre-season.
SIDENOTE: I hate how the NRL has turned into a public soap opera with all of the drinking and punching and groping and gambling etc. Most of the sports journos now are just glorified gossip columnists. I will make one statement related to all of the recent off-field drama. If I see John Elias competing in a tipping comp...I’m taking his picks!!!
This season I’ve decided to put my traditionally pathetic tips in the public domain. Maybe putting me up for public ridicule can change my luck somewhat. Not likely I know, but I’ve got to cling onto whatever hope is available.
Before I get to my (admittedly crappy) tips, I just need to vent a little about all the hoopla that was created when the NRL announced Bon Jovi’s ‘This is our house’ as the official song of the 2011 NRL season. Talkback radio was inundated with pensioners, rednecks, surfers, skaters, dole bludgers and the like all complaining that an American band was used to promote an Aussie game. An example from a particularly crusty old lady went something along the lines of:
“How come a game invented in England and played in Australia needs Americans to promote it?”
When asked who she’d like to hear sing the song instead she responded:
“Anyone Australian!”
Right...let’s invite Human Nature or Savage Garden to sing the NRL anthem. Maybe Natalia Imbruglia wants to have a crack. Possibly a Guy Sebastian duet with Anthony Callea? Are the Wiggles in town?
Seriously folks. Bon Jovi are one of the world’s biggest rock bands, can resonate with both an older audience and the younger market, and have a great track record producing catchy hits that go mainstream. Let’s congratulate the NRL on doing something right for a change – heaven knows that screw a lot of things up – and move onto bigger issues.
But I digress. Without further ado, here are my tips for Round One:
Friday, 11th March
Broncos versus Cowboys @ Suncorp Stadium
TIP: Broncos. Coming off Darren Lockyer handing Ivan Henjak his notice, the Broncos will be ready to put on a good show in what is a year long plea for Wayne Bennett to return to his spiritual home.
Roosters versus Rabbitohs @ SFS
TIP: Roosters. Carney’s sober again, Inglis is still fat. A tight win for the tri-colours.
Saturday, 12th March
Titans versus Steelers @ Skilled Park
TIP: Titans. Always strong at home. The Illawarra boys still suffering jet lag and hangover after winning the ‘World’ Club Challenge.
Warriors versus Eels @ Eden Park
TIP: Eels. I can’t tip against my team!!!Which is probably why I’ve never won a tipping comp. Inu and Mateo to showcase why they got shipped across the ditch with some phenomenal skill mixed in with a number of brain explosions and general lack of effort.
Storm versus Sea Eagles @ AAMI Park
TIP: Storm. I know they’ve got a team of juniors and rookies, but they’re keeping one set of books now, and will be chomping at the bit to cast aside the bitter memory of 2010.
Sunday, 13th March
Raiders versus Sharks @ Canberra Stadium
TIP: Raiders. Always tough at home...and let’s face it, the Sharks are shite.
Panthers versus Knights @ Centrebet Stadium
TIP: Panthers. Knights districted by ownership issues. Panthers to take a close one at home.
Monday, 14th March
Bulldogs versus Tigers
TIP: Tigers. I know that the Dogs are everyone’s favourite pick after recruiting so well in the offseason. I just think Benji will kick everyone’s arse in this one.
THUMBS
DOWN: Manchester United. Followed a tight loss at Chelsea by announcing that Michael Carrick has re-signed for four more years. FOUR MORE YEARS!!! Then they had the gall to get spanked by Liverpool 3-1. I don’t think I’ve experienced a more depressing week as a Man U fan. I can live with the losses...barely. But paying Michael Carrick to stay at the club for another four years?!?! That’s a disaster. He was pitched as an elegant, ball playing central midfielder when he arrived at the club, in the same mould as an Iniesta or Xavi Alonso. Now he’s just a useless turd. Sell off Carrick to a mid table EPL club. He’s English and can kick a ball in a straight line (barely) so you can still whack on a decent price tag. Then buy a central midfielder who can actually dominate a game like a Wesley Sneijder. Scares the living hell out of me that we’re still so reliant on Scholes and Giggs (PBUT).
UP: The Fighting Irish. Although the opening games of the Cricket ‘World’ Cup are decidedly boring, Ireland’s run chase to defeat England was amazing. Every now and again a minnow will beat a giant in cricket by virtue of an extreme batting collapse in the superior team. Rarely does the minnow chase an overwhelming target.
UP: NBA Trade Deadline: The Melodrama is over and Carmelo Anthony is now a New York Knickerbocker. Deron Williams packed his bags for New Jersey. The Thunder scored a big man with championship experience in Kendrick Perkins. The Celts got more flexibility, but lost an important glue guy. The Trail Blazers got a great
3rd/4th banana (Gerald Wallace) for not much at all. Lot’s of activity leading to a lot of intrigue for the remainder of the regular season. I still tip the Lakers to take it out (injury permitting) and Kobe to equal MJ with six rings.
DOWN: The NSW Waratahs: Fancy calling Sonny-Bill Williams the weak link in the lead up to facing him! I’m no SBW fanatic. But the guy is a former league international who boxes for fun. He’s built like Jake the Muss 2.0. In the wonderfully soft world of Union...calling SBW a weak link is tantamount to signing your own death warrant. No wonder they got crushed. And the Rah Rahs are meant to be the smart ones!!!
UP: Jelena Dokic. Great to see the Serb, Aussie, Serb, Aussie, Serb, Aussie get back in the winners circle by winning the Malaysian Open. She’s struggled for form and fitness for years now. Nice to have some reward for all the hard work and persistence. Bravo!
I’m excited that this weekend will mark the official return of the NRL to the front of the back page...even though Todd Carney, Benji Marshall, Nathan Tinkler and Ryan Tandy have been doing a great job of whetting our appetites over the pre-season.
SIDENOTE: I hate how the NRL has turned into a public soap opera with all of the drinking and punching and groping and gambling etc. Most of the sports journos now are just glorified gossip columnists. I will make one statement related to all of the recent off-field drama. If I see John Elias competing in a tipping comp...I’m taking his picks!!!
This season I’ve decided to put my traditionally pathetic tips in the public domain. Maybe putting me up for public ridicule can change my luck somewhat. Not likely I know, but I’ve got to cling onto whatever hope is available.
Before I get to my (admittedly crappy) tips, I just need to vent a little about all the hoopla that was created when the NRL announced Bon Jovi’s ‘This is our house’ as the official song of the 2011 NRL season. Talkback radio was inundated with pensioners, rednecks, surfers, skaters, dole bludgers and the like all complaining that an American band was used to promote an Aussie game. An example from a particularly crusty old lady went something along the lines of:
“How come a game invented in England and played in Australia needs Americans to promote it?”
When asked who she’d like to hear sing the song instead she responded:
“Anyone Australian!”
Right...let’s invite Human Nature or Savage Garden to sing the NRL anthem. Maybe Natalia Imbruglia wants to have a crack. Possibly a Guy Sebastian duet with Anthony Callea? Are the Wiggles in town?
Seriously folks. Bon Jovi are one of the world’s biggest rock bands, can resonate with both an older audience and the younger market, and have a great track record producing catchy hits that go mainstream. Let’s congratulate the NRL on doing something right for a change – heaven knows that screw a lot of things up – and move onto bigger issues.
But I digress. Without further ado, here are my tips for Round One:
Friday, 11th March
Broncos versus Cowboys @ Suncorp Stadium
TIP: Broncos. Coming off Darren Lockyer handing Ivan Henjak his notice, the Broncos will be ready to put on a good show in what is a year long plea for Wayne Bennett to return to his spiritual home.
Roosters versus Rabbitohs @ SFS
TIP: Roosters. Carney’s sober again, Inglis is still fat. A tight win for the tri-colours.
Saturday, 12th March
Titans versus Steelers @ Skilled Park
TIP: Titans. Always strong at home. The Illawarra boys still suffering jet lag and hangover after winning the ‘World’ Club Challenge.
Warriors versus Eels @ Eden Park
TIP: Eels. I can’t tip against my team!!!Which is probably why I’ve never won a tipping comp. Inu and Mateo to showcase why they got shipped across the ditch with some phenomenal skill mixed in with a number of brain explosions and general lack of effort.
Storm versus Sea Eagles @ AAMI Park
TIP: Storm. I know they’ve got a team of juniors and rookies, but they’re keeping one set of books now, and will be chomping at the bit to cast aside the bitter memory of 2010.
Sunday, 13th March
Raiders versus Sharks @ Canberra Stadium
TIP: Raiders. Always tough at home...and let’s face it, the Sharks are shite.
Panthers versus Knights @ Centrebet Stadium
TIP: Panthers. Knights districted by ownership issues. Panthers to take a close one at home.
Monday, 14th March
Bulldogs versus Tigers
TIP: Tigers. I know that the Dogs are everyone’s favourite pick after recruiting so well in the offseason. I just think Benji will kick everyone’s arse in this one.
THUMBS
DOWN: Manchester United. Followed a tight loss at Chelsea by announcing that Michael Carrick has re-signed for four more years. FOUR MORE YEARS!!! Then they had the gall to get spanked by Liverpool 3-1. I don’t think I’ve experienced a more depressing week as a Man U fan. I can live with the losses...barely. But paying Michael Carrick to stay at the club for another four years?!?! That’s a disaster. He was pitched as an elegant, ball playing central midfielder when he arrived at the club, in the same mould as an Iniesta or Xavi Alonso. Now he’s just a useless turd. Sell off Carrick to a mid table EPL club. He’s English and can kick a ball in a straight line (barely) so you can still whack on a decent price tag. Then buy a central midfielder who can actually dominate a game like a Wesley Sneijder. Scares the living hell out of me that we’re still so reliant on Scholes and Giggs (PBUT).
UP: The Fighting Irish. Although the opening games of the Cricket ‘World’ Cup are decidedly boring, Ireland’s run chase to defeat England was amazing. Every now and again a minnow will beat a giant in cricket by virtue of an extreme batting collapse in the superior team. Rarely does the minnow chase an overwhelming target.
UP: NBA Trade Deadline: The Melodrama is over and Carmelo Anthony is now a New York Knickerbocker. Deron Williams packed his bags for New Jersey. The Thunder scored a big man with championship experience in Kendrick Perkins. The Celts got more flexibility, but lost an important glue guy. The Trail Blazers got a great
3rd/4th banana (Gerald Wallace) for not much at all. Lot’s of activity leading to a lot of intrigue for the remainder of the regular season. I still tip the Lakers to take it out (injury permitting) and Kobe to equal MJ with six rings.DOWN: The NSW Waratahs: Fancy calling Sonny-Bill Williams the weak link in the lead up to facing him! I’m no SBW fanatic. But the guy is a former league international who boxes for fun. He’s built like Jake the Muss 2.0. In the wonderfully soft world of Union...calling SBW a weak link is tantamount to signing your own death warrant. No wonder they got crushed. And the Rah Rahs are meant to be the smart ones!!!
UP: Jelena Dokic. Great to see the Serb, Aussie, Serb, Aussie, Serb, Aussie get back in the winners circle by winning the Malaysian Open. She’s struggled for form and fitness for years now. Nice to have some reward for all the hard work and persistence. Bravo!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The year of the Rabbit
I missed the modern calendar New Year. Far too busy.
I also missed the Julian calendar New Year. Still too busy.
Well now we’ve come to the Chinese New Year...and I can’t keep using the busy excuse. So it’s time to look back and review the highs and lows of 2010, and preview some of what’s to come in 2011 – all in very condensed point form. After all, I am very f#cken busy.
We’ll start with the most recent events. The Ashes, and the Australian Open:
1. Ole, ole, Nole: Now a two time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic has well and truly arrived. Nole burst onto the scene as a gangly teen with a ripper backcourt game, fantastic sense of humour and fragile temperament. He won a Slam in 2008, won the fans over with his impersonations and was seemingly on his way to winning just about everything. Then the Nole express stalled. A series of high profile melt downs had everyone questioning his mental and physical abilities to compete at the highest levels. Those questions have now been emphatically answered. The dismantling of a hapless and hopeless Andy Murray, on the back of a three set drubbing of the Fed-Express (Editors note: why doesn’t Fed-Ex sponsor Federer...isn’t it a match made in heaven?) in the semi final, have put to rest any lingering doubts about Nole’s status as a champion. Two Slams, Davis Cup Champion, Olympic medallist, several Masters Series titles. And only 23 years of age. The big two is now a big three, with Rafa and Roger looking over their shoulders as the Djoker bears down upon them. And not only is he great on court, he has also become a fantastic spokesperson of it. An intelligent and insightful interview, Nole is always well spoken and presentable, and does the Serbian nation proud. Napred Nole!!!
2. Aussie Kim?!?: Congratulations to Kim Clijsters on adding yet another Slam to what is an extremely cluttered trophy cabinet. You’ve proved yourself a class above the rest of the field, and I sincerely hope you play on for many years to come. However...there’s always a however...what is going on with the local media’s fascination with calling her ‘Aussie Kim’? You’ve got to be kidding me! She dated Lleyton Hewitt many, many, many moons ago. So they made out in the back of his dad’s Commodore on Rundle Street. And she probably used to say ‘G’day’ when she was in the country. She may have even tried one of Adelaide’s famous pie floaters. Kim is now married...not to Lleyton. She also has kids...not Lleyton’s. Meanwhile Hewitt has his own family. When is this obsession going to end? Honestly. I can’t imagine the Mayor of Brussels calling Lleyton to invite him over to open a new chocolate factory in the town centre. I don’t think their local media calls him Belgium’s favourite adopted son. I can’t even imagine Hewitt choosing a Belgian beer over a VB. Tom Cruise isn’t Aussie Tom because he was with Nicole Kidman. And they were married for crying out loud. So message to the media, forget the Aussie Kim crap. COME ON!
3. ASHES TO ASHES: One of my first blog posts was about the declining fortunes of the Australian cricket team. This followed the Ashes defeat in 2008. Three years on and everything is still relevant. Suffice to say that there are some serious issues in Australian cricket, which can no longer be masked by the greatness of immortal players like Waugh, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist. Sheffield Shield is no longer a nursery for players ready for the unique requirements of Test cricket. T20 and ODI’s are destroying the subtleties required of a true Test cricketer. Many years ago Aussie batsmen used to use their feet at the crease. Now young bucks like Dave Warner, Phil Hughes etc. just try to stand and deliver. That doesn’t work in the long form of the game. And Mitchell Johnson is still angry that his mum doesn’t like his girlfriend!
4. And the winner is...QATAR: FIFA delivered a real sh#t sandwich to the football world when Qatar was announced host of the 2022 World Cup. Why doesn’t Sepp Blatter just post the hosting rights on eBay and ask for interested parties to bid for the rights? Because at the end of the day that’s exactly what has happened. At least with the eBay scenario there would be a semblance of transparency to the process. Heck...it would be great to see a live auction. Imagine cash rich oil countries bidding billions of dollars online, and then having to enter in their Black American Express details to verify the transaction. Classic. After the initial shock of the announcement people started asking legitimate questions about the weather (from stinking hot to unbearably stinking hot), the size of the country (like Sydney...only much smaller), the ban on alcohol...so now we’ve got a situation where Mein Fuhrer Blatter is calling for a World Cup to be hosted in the European winter, along with UEFA head Michel Platini proposing a Gulf World Cup. WTF?!?! Are these people normal? How is it possible that the World Game is run by such buffoons? In hindsight Frank Lowy and the Aussie bid team should have told Mark Arbib to stay home, called over Elle, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, asked them to perform a private striptease for all of the voters while Frank opened up is cheque book and asked ‘How much?’. Stories are started to gather steam about the mismanagement of the Asia Cup final in Qatar, where thousands of ticket holders were locked out of the stadium with no explanation from the organisers. Blatter please take note.
5. Those damned vuvuzela’s: I can still hear them in my sleep. Like flashbacks from a troubled childhood. I close my eyes and that annoying buzz that was the trademark of the 2010 World Cup starts to dominate my thoughts. Overall the World Cup in South Africa was a huge disappointment. Fours years of clock watching for very little inspiration. This isn’t a knock on the host country or the organisation of the event. By all accounts it ran very smoothly .Rather it was on the football field where the trouble lay. The stars of club football just didn’t turn up. Kaka, Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney, Torres, Drogba to name a few ranged from ok (Messi) to totally, inexcusably insipid (Rooney). There was no spark. No story. No va-va-voom. Just those damned vuvuzela’s.
6. F1: What an amazing season for the peak classification of motorsport. Five quality drivers were still vying for the championship with a handful of races to run. Hat’s off to Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton and Button for providing phenomenal drama throughout the course of the season. All too often F1 has been a one or at best a two-horse race. This is thankfully no longer the case. The Red Bull team obviously has had the faster car, but Ferrari and McLaren have proven champions driving them into contention. Let’s hope 2011 can deliver more of the same.
7. Independence Day: For the past couple of years the debate has raged with the world of rugby league. Do we need an independent commission to run our game? The AFL model, so successful in establishing Aussie Rules as the nation’s premier football code, has been looked on with envy by many on the Eastern seaboard. Now as the 2011 season approaches it looks like the league boys are finally going to smarten up, remove the layers within the organisational structure of the game, streamline the bureaucracy and deliver a better product to the clubs, the players and the fans. It will be interesting to see who the commissioners are. Let’s hope it isn’t the same group of faces that have been part of the game for the past few decades. If the NRL is serious about its growth and viability, new faces and ideas are required.
8. Taking my talents to South Beach: When LeBron James hosted an hour long, nationally televised program on ESPN (The Decision) to announce that he would be joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade at the Miami Heat – and in the same process effectively killing basketball as a sport in the city of Cleveland – he changed the power structure in the NBA. These three young rivals decided to join forces rather than battle one another, and create a dynasty for themselves. Owners, team presidents and coaches were bypassed. The players had the power and were calling the shots. Since the formation of the Heatles, NBA experts have been speculating about which other players are looking to create Heat 2.0. When Chris Paul toasted Carmelo Anthony at his wedding, and joked about joining forces in New York, the owner of the Denver Nuggets threw up in his mouth. And with the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire, its fun and games for the NBA. Expect a long and divisive lock out before this one gets resolved.
9. 70-68: Without doubt my favourite sporting moment of 2010. To say that John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played out a marathon tennis match at Wimbledon is like saying the Titanic hit an ice cube. Just doesn’t do it justice. The score in the fifth set was 70-68!!! The set lasted longer than most matches. If you played out a five setter where each set went to tie break you’d play 65 games. This one set had 138 games! WOW. This is one of the greatest achievements in sports history. No kidding. If this match were played out by two more high profile names the story would still be circulating. As it stood, little known journeyman Mahut played against up and coming giant Isner in a match that will never, ever be replicated.
10. Did you hear the one about the Englishman who could kick a ball?: The recent flurry in transfer activity in the Premier League was as exciting as it was astonishing. First and foremost, Europe is supposedly still in the midst of economic ruin, yet two teams (Chelsea and Liverpool), proceed to shell out tens of millions of pounds on a couple of players. Although this is puzzling, it is nowhere near as head scratching as the transfer values placed on Darren Bent and Andy Carroll. Both are good players, but it seems that any time an Englishman can kick a ball in a straight line one of the major English clubs will pay well in excess of any reasonable sum of money. This isn’t a knock on Bent or Carroll. It’s not their fault. But there’s no way in hell either of them come close to David Villa, who was priced at thirty odd million when he was bought by Barcelona. Based on that value, I wouldn’t pay more than 10 million for Bent or Carroll. They’re not the only ones of course. Shaun Wright Phillips is a prime example of an overpriced English footballer. He’s quick, has scored a goal or two from the wing. Let’s pay twenty million. Michael Carrick. He can pass the ball from side to side (in reality he doesn’t even do that too much). He’s worth twenty million. It’s crazy, and symptomatic of the problem with English football. They overvalue their own talent so much, that they really believe that they can compete on the world stage. The total transfer value of the English football team would overshadow almost every other team in the world, which obviously increases the level of expectation. Unfortunately the level of skill isn’t at the same level. Most clubs on the continent must look on with bemusement.
11. The Incredibles: Not many teams have ever gone through an entire season and remained undefeated. Regardless of the sport, it’s a tough task and an amazing achievement. Yet once in a while a team will flourish and defeat all comers before them. This year Manchester United are looking to following in the footsteps of Arsenal’s Invincibles. Unlike the Londoners though, Man U aren’t defeating all comers...they are drawing against most of them. Should that form continue it will be enough to remain undefeated, and will more than likely to help clinch a record 19th Premiership. I don’t think though that I’ve ever seen a poorer team with a better record. The goal scorers are sporadic. The midfield is reliant on an over the hill winger who has no pace. The goalkeeper is close to pension age. Only the defenders can stack up and say they are performing at a high level. Yet they still continue to churn our results, nab late goals to secure unwarranted draws, or in some cases, unwarranted wins. Not that I care. If title number nineteen makes its way to Old Trafford keep the drab play coming. Glory, glory Man United.
12. Cheaters never prosper: Without a doubt the biggest story in local sports was the Melbourne Storm salary cap drama. After systematically rorting the system for a number of years, and collecting a number of premierships in the process, the NRL got wise to the Storms double book keeping and found that several players had payments that weren’t registered with League HQ. I’m not going to point the finger at the Storm and whine about their accounting skills. I’m of the belief that several, if not all, NRL clubs get a little creative with their book keeping. It’s the salary cap that needs to be looked at. Although the cap does achieve one goal in keeping the talent pool fairly equitable throughout the league, it doesn’t reward success, longevity or junior development. There is no incentive to create a long term plan, when after a couple of seasons you are forced to sell off players to stay under the cap. Over the past five years player turnover has been massive, and its all cap related. The first challenge for the Independent Commission is to create a new system which is fair, equitable and rewards success.
Happy New Year folks...and welcome to the year of the Rabbit.
I also missed the Julian calendar New Year. Still too busy.
Well now we’ve come to the Chinese New Year...and I can’t keep using the busy excuse. So it’s time to look back and review the highs and lows of 2010, and preview some of what’s to come in 2011 – all in very condensed point form. After all, I am very f#cken busy.
We’ll start with the most recent events. The Ashes, and the Australian Open:
1. Ole, ole, Nole: Now a two time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic has well and truly arrived. Nole burst onto the scene as a gangly teen with a ripper backcourt game, fantastic sense of humour and fragile temperament. He won a Slam in 2008, won the fans over with his impersonations and was seemingly on his way to winning just about everything. Then the Nole express stalled. A series of high profile melt downs had everyone questioning his mental and physical abilities to compete at the highest levels. Those questions have now been emphatically answered. The dismantling of a hapless and hopeless Andy Murray, on the back of a three set drubbing of the Fed-Express (Editors note: why doesn’t Fed-Ex sponsor Federer...isn’t it a match made in heaven?) in the semi final, have put to rest any lingering doubts about Nole’s status as a champion. Two Slams, Davis Cup Champion, Olympic medallist, several Masters Series titles. And only 23 years of age. The big two is now a big three, with Rafa and Roger looking over their shoulders as the Djoker bears down upon them. And not only is he great on court, he has also become a fantastic spokesperson of it. An intelligent and insightful interview, Nole is always well spoken and presentable, and does the Serbian nation proud. Napred Nole!!!
2. Aussie Kim?!?: Congratulations to Kim Clijsters on adding yet another Slam to what is an extremely cluttered trophy cabinet. You’ve proved yourself a class above the rest of the field, and I sincerely hope you play on for many years to come. However...there’s always a however...what is going on with the local media’s fascination with calling her ‘Aussie Kim’? You’ve got to be kidding me! She dated Lleyton Hewitt many, many, many moons ago. So they made out in the back of his dad’s Commodore on Rundle Street. And she probably used to say ‘G’day’ when she was in the country. She may have even tried one of Adelaide’s famous pie floaters. Kim is now married...not to Lleyton. She also has kids...not Lleyton’s. Meanwhile Hewitt has his own family. When is this obsession going to end? Honestly. I can’t imagine the Mayor of Brussels calling Lleyton to invite him over to open a new chocolate factory in the town centre. I don’t think their local media calls him Belgium’s favourite adopted son. I can’t even imagine Hewitt choosing a Belgian beer over a VB. Tom Cruise isn’t Aussie Tom because he was with Nicole Kidman. And they were married for crying out loud. So message to the media, forget the Aussie Kim crap. COME ON!
3. ASHES TO ASHES: One of my first blog posts was about the declining fortunes of the Australian cricket team. This followed the Ashes defeat in 2008. Three years on and everything is still relevant. Suffice to say that there are some serious issues in Australian cricket, which can no longer be masked by the greatness of immortal players like Waugh, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist. Sheffield Shield is no longer a nursery for players ready for the unique requirements of Test cricket. T20 and ODI’s are destroying the subtleties required of a true Test cricketer. Many years ago Aussie batsmen used to use their feet at the crease. Now young bucks like Dave Warner, Phil Hughes etc. just try to stand and deliver. That doesn’t work in the long form of the game. And Mitchell Johnson is still angry that his mum doesn’t like his girlfriend!
4. And the winner is...QATAR: FIFA delivered a real sh#t sandwich to the football world when Qatar was announced host of the 2022 World Cup. Why doesn’t Sepp Blatter just post the hosting rights on eBay and ask for interested parties to bid for the rights? Because at the end of the day that’s exactly what has happened. At least with the eBay scenario there would be a semblance of transparency to the process. Heck...it would be great to see a live auction. Imagine cash rich oil countries bidding billions of dollars online, and then having to enter in their Black American Express details to verify the transaction. Classic. After the initial shock of the announcement people started asking legitimate questions about the weather (from stinking hot to unbearably stinking hot), the size of the country (like Sydney...only much smaller), the ban on alcohol...so now we’ve got a situation where Mein Fuhrer Blatter is calling for a World Cup to be hosted in the European winter, along with UEFA head Michel Platini proposing a Gulf World Cup. WTF?!?! Are these people normal? How is it possible that the World Game is run by such buffoons? In hindsight Frank Lowy and the Aussie bid team should have told Mark Arbib to stay home, called over Elle, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, asked them to perform a private striptease for all of the voters while Frank opened up is cheque book and asked ‘How much?’. Stories are started to gather steam about the mismanagement of the Asia Cup final in Qatar, where thousands of ticket holders were locked out of the stadium with no explanation from the organisers. Blatter please take note.
5. Those damned vuvuzela’s: I can still hear them in my sleep. Like flashbacks from a troubled childhood. I close my eyes and that annoying buzz that was the trademark of the 2010 World Cup starts to dominate my thoughts. Overall the World Cup in South Africa was a huge disappointment. Fours years of clock watching for very little inspiration. This isn’t a knock on the host country or the organisation of the event. By all accounts it ran very smoothly .Rather it was on the football field where the trouble lay. The stars of club football just didn’t turn up. Kaka, Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney, Torres, Drogba to name a few ranged from ok (Messi) to totally, inexcusably insipid (Rooney). There was no spark. No story. No va-va-voom. Just those damned vuvuzela’s.
6. F1: What an amazing season for the peak classification of motorsport. Five quality drivers were still vying for the championship with a handful of races to run. Hat’s off to Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton and Button for providing phenomenal drama throughout the course of the season. All too often F1 has been a one or at best a two-horse race. This is thankfully no longer the case. The Red Bull team obviously has had the faster car, but Ferrari and McLaren have proven champions driving them into contention. Let’s hope 2011 can deliver more of the same.
7. Independence Day: For the past couple of years the debate has raged with the world of rugby league. Do we need an independent commission to run our game? The AFL model, so successful in establishing Aussie Rules as the nation’s premier football code, has been looked on with envy by many on the Eastern seaboard. Now as the 2011 season approaches it looks like the league boys are finally going to smarten up, remove the layers within the organisational structure of the game, streamline the bureaucracy and deliver a better product to the clubs, the players and the fans. It will be interesting to see who the commissioners are. Let’s hope it isn’t the same group of faces that have been part of the game for the past few decades. If the NRL is serious about its growth and viability, new faces and ideas are required.
8. Taking my talents to South Beach: When LeBron James hosted an hour long, nationally televised program on ESPN (The Decision) to announce that he would be joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade at the Miami Heat – and in the same process effectively killing basketball as a sport in the city of Cleveland – he changed the power structure in the NBA. These three young rivals decided to join forces rather than battle one another, and create a dynasty for themselves. Owners, team presidents and coaches were bypassed. The players had the power and were calling the shots. Since the formation of the Heatles, NBA experts have been speculating about which other players are looking to create Heat 2.0. When Chris Paul toasted Carmelo Anthony at his wedding, and joked about joining forces in New York, the owner of the Denver Nuggets threw up in his mouth. And with the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire, its fun and games for the NBA. Expect a long and divisive lock out before this one gets resolved.
9. 70-68: Without doubt my favourite sporting moment of 2010. To say that John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played out a marathon tennis match at Wimbledon is like saying the Titanic hit an ice cube. Just doesn’t do it justice. The score in the fifth set was 70-68!!! The set lasted longer than most matches. If you played out a five setter where each set went to tie break you’d play 65 games. This one set had 138 games! WOW. This is one of the greatest achievements in sports history. No kidding. If this match were played out by two more high profile names the story would still be circulating. As it stood, little known journeyman Mahut played against up and coming giant Isner in a match that will never, ever be replicated.
10. Did you hear the one about the Englishman who could kick a ball?: The recent flurry in transfer activity in the Premier League was as exciting as it was astonishing. First and foremost, Europe is supposedly still in the midst of economic ruin, yet two teams (Chelsea and Liverpool), proceed to shell out tens of millions of pounds on a couple of players. Although this is puzzling, it is nowhere near as head scratching as the transfer values placed on Darren Bent and Andy Carroll. Both are good players, but it seems that any time an Englishman can kick a ball in a straight line one of the major English clubs will pay well in excess of any reasonable sum of money. This isn’t a knock on Bent or Carroll. It’s not their fault. But there’s no way in hell either of them come close to David Villa, who was priced at thirty odd million when he was bought by Barcelona. Based on that value, I wouldn’t pay more than 10 million for Bent or Carroll. They’re not the only ones of course. Shaun Wright Phillips is a prime example of an overpriced English footballer. He’s quick, has scored a goal or two from the wing. Let’s pay twenty million. Michael Carrick. He can pass the ball from side to side (in reality he doesn’t even do that too much). He’s worth twenty million. It’s crazy, and symptomatic of the problem with English football. They overvalue their own talent so much, that they really believe that they can compete on the world stage. The total transfer value of the English football team would overshadow almost every other team in the world, which obviously increases the level of expectation. Unfortunately the level of skill isn’t at the same level. Most clubs on the continent must look on with bemusement.
11. The Incredibles: Not many teams have ever gone through an entire season and remained undefeated. Regardless of the sport, it’s a tough task and an amazing achievement. Yet once in a while a team will flourish and defeat all comers before them. This year Manchester United are looking to following in the footsteps of Arsenal’s Invincibles. Unlike the Londoners though, Man U aren’t defeating all comers...they are drawing against most of them. Should that form continue it will be enough to remain undefeated, and will more than likely to help clinch a record 19th Premiership. I don’t think though that I’ve ever seen a poorer team with a better record. The goal scorers are sporadic. The midfield is reliant on an over the hill winger who has no pace. The goalkeeper is close to pension age. Only the defenders can stack up and say they are performing at a high level. Yet they still continue to churn our results, nab late goals to secure unwarranted draws, or in some cases, unwarranted wins. Not that I care. If title number nineteen makes its way to Old Trafford keep the drab play coming. Glory, glory Man United.
12. Cheaters never prosper: Without a doubt the biggest story in local sports was the Melbourne Storm salary cap drama. After systematically rorting the system for a number of years, and collecting a number of premierships in the process, the NRL got wise to the Storms double book keeping and found that several players had payments that weren’t registered with League HQ. I’m not going to point the finger at the Storm and whine about their accounting skills. I’m of the belief that several, if not all, NRL clubs get a little creative with their book keeping. It’s the salary cap that needs to be looked at. Although the cap does achieve one goal in keeping the talent pool fairly equitable throughout the league, it doesn’t reward success, longevity or junior development. There is no incentive to create a long term plan, when after a couple of seasons you are forced to sell off players to stay under the cap. Over the past five years player turnover has been massive, and its all cap related. The first challenge for the Independent Commission is to create a new system which is fair, equitable and rewards success.
Happy New Year folks...and welcome to the year of the Rabbit.
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