Almanac Cricket: The Test debut of Shamar Joseph

Shamar Joseph has made an outstanding debut in his Test Cricket career. Taking a wicket with his first ball, and together with his batting efforts suggests there is a long career ahead for him writes Michael Viljoen.

How watching Test cricket helped me solve a Biblical puzzle that had theologians stumped for 2,000 years

Michael Viljoen looks to cricket and Maths and multiplication to make sense of a Biblical mystery.

Almanac Chess: The 17th World Chess Champion!

Ding Liren from China is the 17th World Chess Champion, Michael Viljoen highlights Ding’s road to the championship.

Almanac Cricket: Should I go to the cricket on Tuesday?

With all that is still currently in play concerning the Covid-19 virus, and in light of the now annual debate that surrounds Australia Day, Michael Viljoen wrestles with what might otherwise be a straightforward question – should he go to the cricket on Tuesday?

Jack Riewoldt’s application of Newtonian physics

Michael Viljoen comes up with interesting takes on Newtonian physics, simple arithmetic and proposed penalties for inane television commentators. (Sign him up, Gillon! – Ed.)

Opinion: What it meant for AFL players to ‘take a knee’ this weekend

Michael Viljoen brings his perspective to the recent Black Lives Matter protests, politics and cultural divides and the actions of AFL players to take a knee in response.

Rugby World Cup – and unravelling the unholy mess with Israel Folau

Michael Viljoen has a fair dinkum look at the complexities of the Israel Folau ‘issue’.

2019 Cricket World Cup Final – That’s a Draw, Mate!

Michael Viljoen certainly has his thinking cap on this week. Following on from his ‘epic journey of biblical proportions’ earlier in the week, he’s now trying to undo the Gordian knot of how to fairly decide the outcome of a tied ICC World Cup Final. He gives us several options to consider.

50 years on – a perspective on the moon landing: An epic journey of biblical proportion, but did it really happen?

Who do we believe? Michael Viljoen presents his compelling arguments with regards to the conclusiveness of historical events, asserting their believability is within the recorded evidence.

Social Commentary: What do Dane Rampe, Danny Baker, Israel Folau, Chris Gayle, and Count Dankula have in common?

Does the rush to react to controversial comments help or hinder mutual understanding? Michael Viljoen gives his view on some recent examples of speech which has attracted official sanction.

The Spirit of Cricket

‘For a long time, I’ve been wondering about the ‘Spirit of Cricket’. We sometimes think of cricket as having two components, its Laws and its Spirit, something like a person having a body as well as a soul.’

The Hughes inquest: assessing the risks.

Michael Viljoen considers the place of risk, danger, fear, intimidation, courage and other elements of existence in assessing the inquest into the tragic death of Phillip Hughes.

Almanac Soccer: Coiffures, posers, and show-offs: ‘Ronaldo’s’ European Cup Final.

Michael Viljoen reviews the theatrical performance of Euro 2016 final and applauds Ronaldo, the best actor with footy boots.

Chris Gayle: Hitting across the line, or colouring only between them?

Michael Viljoen views the recent Chris Gayle incident, selecting a lens which offers an alternative view to the orthodoxy established by other lenses.

What follows interstate success

Michael Viljoen’s research has unearthed this interesting statistical tidbit which may, or may not be of note to investors and fans alike.

Adam Goodes – Zero tolerance to racism

Michael Viljoen presents a personal and communal view of policy and action based on inappropriate racist ideology, condemning Social Darwinism,and outlines its personal and societal impact.

Masters Golf and Justice

Michael Viljoen, a Masters veteran, follows the tournament via radio from Cameroon. In this delightfully -paced philosophical piece, Michael contemplates the nature of the tournament, and the place of fate in making sense of the world.

Keep The Rules The Way They Are

(An ode to Kevin Bartlett and the Rules Committee) by Michael Viljoen   (Sung to the tune of Just the Way You Are – B. Joel)     Don’t go changing the rushed behind rule We’ll try to keep the ball in play,  Mmm Sometimes I fumble across the goal line Disguised in my own [Read more]

A rushed point for an April Fool

By Michael Viljoen The morning of April 1st I received an alert from one ‘Yellow and Black’ football blog uncovering the surprise news that the iconic Richo (following the trend of Geoff Huegill, Ian Thorpe, and Pauline Hanson) was preparing his own comeback, to hopefully act as a foil for Jack on the Tigers’ forward [Read more]

General Footy Writing: The Footy Almanac is like the ravens that feed me in the desert

By Michael Viljoen Gadala, Cameroon When I came to work as a linguist in rural Cameroon in 2002, I knew the land was an Aussie Rules wilderness. Internet connections were feeble and fluky. The first Grand Final cassette sent to me was lost in the post. Occasionally I went weeks without hearing a result. My [Read more]