5.30am and 4.40pm starts – on the same day

Alarm rings at 5.30 AM. Just in time for Olympic opening ceremony. Not a problem as was asleep early on Friday night, couldn’t stand to sit up and watch the Hawks again after their demolition of the Pies last week. Text Uncle Deano, he’s up early for the opening ceremony too. Could have stayed in bed until 6 as Eddie and Leila McKinnon waffle on for half an hour. Finally it starts, typical historical but sometimes cringeworthy ceremony.

Props and settings very good, 45 million Pounds well spent. As a big James Bond fan very happy to see the great man included in a part that involved the Queen. She looked very happy about it. The Arctic Monkeys played, I didn’t know their own song but they did a cracking version of the Beatles “Come Together”. Rowan Atkinson features in a “Chariots of Fire” skit, very funny, probably the highlight. Paul McCartney played too. Heard a line on 774 Melbourne the other day by James Reyne, “the Beatles are dying in the wrong order”. Hard to disagree after Paul’s “performance”.

Then the best bit, all the countries walking out with their uniforms and their flags, always great. Great fireworks too. Ring Uncle Deano at 9.30 to get his thoughts. Similar to mine, and he was thrilled with the Russian’s choice of Flag Bearer (Maria Sharapova).

Catch up on home duties until 4.30PM when it’s time for the big clash between the Pies and GWS at the Sydney Showgrounds. Giants play better in firsthalf of both first and second quarters before the Pies get on top. I’m disturbed by both the goal umpires’ inadequate decisions (3rd umpire is a joke and takes too long) and the commentators’ constant reference to Luke Power as just “Luke”. Sounds like “Luke” has a job waiting for him at Fox Footy. Game was much easier to watch after I moved my 4 and 2 year old boys into the “other lounge room” at quarter time to watch a Simpsons DVD provided by my cousin Jeremy. Thanks Jeremy! My boys love the Pies but only for 10 minutes or so!

Caloan Mooney kicks his first ever goal during the second quarter, a great moment for the young man from County Down, Ireland. Brings a great roar from a man sitting on his own in a lounge room in South West Victoria. I was at his first game against Fremantle at the MCG and won’t forget the roar from the crowd when Mooney was subbed on during the last quarter. Already a Pies fan favourite.

Swan was brilliant as usual, surely another 3 Brownlow votes. Cloke’s best game since the West Coast game. But only against GWS, needs to perform against other contenders. Wood was adequate in the ruck but I would have loved to have seen Jarrod Witts get a hometown debut, he is our ruck future. All in all not the most convincing 120 point win.
Votes for the day: 1 vote: Travis Cloke 6 goals great game but can he do it against a top 16 team?
2 votes: Dane Swan 38 possesions and 5 goals, wont hurt back to back
Brownlow chances, could take over as highly paid forward if Cloke goes, probably better at it. At least Juddy can’t rob him of Brownlow this year!

3 Votes: Rowan Atkinson. Clearly best today. Mr Bean at his best. Makes up for terrible Johnny English movies.

About Luke Reynolds

Cricket and Collingwood tragic. Twitter: @crackers134

Comments

  1. Your a cracking reporter Luke …..Love your work champ !

  2. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Entertaining Luke and Good Luck today Go the Bulls

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