45 to 27 by Peter Flynn

It is ten minutes or so into the second quarter of the 2011 Grand Final. Geelong is playing reasonably well. Johnno can’t feel his knee (a good sign). Selwood, as usual, is maniacally attacking the ball.

The Great Mare and the Beast

  Saturday brims with options for the musically inclined, the sporting minded and the thirsty. At nightfall and no doubt coinciding with a sizeable drop in temperature, Rockin Rod will rock the Rock. Nothing syrupy appears on the impressive play list as Rockin Rod plans to tap into the era of the Faces. Alas, I [Read more]

South Africa v Australia Second Test Day 1

by Peter Flynn Australia once had a ‘Big Ship’ as captain. Now it’s South Africa’s turn to have a skipper who cuts an imposing figure. Smith and Clarke look like Big Nick and a young Ted Hopkins as they make their out for the toss.

VRC Cantala Stakes Day Knacker Selections

V.R.C. Cantala Stakes Day Almanacker Selections Short-term volatile investors have been presented with a strong (and tough) finish to another memorable Flemington carnival. If you are hosting today in the Nursery or the Rails, the best tip for Cantala Stakes Day (marketed as a family day) is watch your eskies. Those pesky urchins can be [Read more]

V.R.C. Derby Day Almanacker Selections

A ripper card at Flemington tomorrow. The predicted inclement weather adds complexity to the equation solving process. Our experts have been busy unlocking the form guide code and secrets. This is what they’ve come up with. Race MOC’s Morals Flynn’s Fancies Smokie’s Smokies Harms’s Hopes 1 Galah First Course Meethaq Galah Galah Meethaq First Course [Read more]

M.V.R.C. W.S. Cox Plate Day Almanacker Selections

I’m as mad as hell. The reason? I’m self-appointed president of an underground resistance movement called the Keep the Initials in the Race Names Freedom Fighters or K.T.I.I.T.R.N.F.F. Come the spring, the K.T.I.I.T.R.N.F.F. peruse the form guide looking for those initials internalised in our pomp. Sadly we’re disappointed. Where is the W.S. in the Cox [Read more]

Caulfield Cup Day Almanacker Selections

During the Cups Carnival, The Footy Almanac will provide an unparalleled tipping service. These keen form analysts have seen and done it all on a racetrack. They’ve backed winners from Dederang to Broome. They’ve scooped massive trifectas, quadrellas and cups doubles. Some have purchased dining room tables with the winnings. Some have had the misfortune [Read more]

A short history of Geelong

The narrow yet convincing triumph over the Magpie juggernaut in round 8 instilled a belief in Cats fans that Collingwood could do a ‘Devon Loch’. Geelong’s final round devouring of the Pies was surely make-believe. Watching it in Galle, Sri Lanka, I thought it was a fix. And I reckon this anomalous result muddied pre-Grand [Read more]

Sri Lanka v Australia Third Test Day 3

Over the generations, Test cricket connoisseurs have savoured many great tandem acts. For Australian fans, the incandescent bowling partnership formed by the menacing moustachioed DK Lillee and the frightening beach-bum-looking JR Thomson unfortunately shone all too briefly. Other partnerships, like those two miserly yet very attacking bowling geniuses Warne and McGrath, or the masterful English [Read more]

An Australian in Galle on Test eve

There is much conjecture among cricket purists here in Galle regarding the makeup of the Australian side, and the predicted behaviour of the pitch. Experience and reliability are important components in the selection conundrum, particularly with regards to the formation of the bowling attack. It’s comforting to know that the recently-published and damning (in many [Read more]

Stevie da Vinci

Both sets of fans trudged out of Kardinia Park disappointed. Melbourne supporters had to swallow their team’s sheer ineptitude, insipidness, lack of effort, lack of spirit and lack of pride. One Demon, who was harder to understand than a Glaswegian bus driver, took solace in the fact that he attended the 36.22.(238) to 6.12.(48) debacle [Read more]

Maurice Flitcroft: good old boy

This is the story of Maurice Flitcroft: golfer.   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291587/How-worlds-worst-golfer-gatecrashed-Open–truly-teed-men-blazers.html

Seve: a shot of genius

The many obituaries devoted to golfing legend Seve Ballesteros are rightfully glowing. No golfer was more cavalier than Seve. And no golfer was more fearless than Seve. Very few if any golfers possess the mental and physical capabilities to win Open Championships from car parks. Check out the link below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpcBFvZlyDk Physically, Seve’s skill largely [Read more]

Chappy’s pact remains intact

The two arch-rivals prepare to do it all again. Mooney is a late scratching. Menzel the Magician (leading the goal kicking at Geelong) is named as substitute. The match begins under glorious hazy sunshine. I’m standing among a bunch of triumphal Hawthorn fans. Where is Charles Darwin when we need him? The message emanating from [Read more]

Ronnie’s 147

April 21, 1997. I’m playing pool with Previous Ann in a smoky Galway boozer. Previous again demonstrates her prowess on the baize by nailing the black. I’m left to ponder how I’ve been rolled again. She can play this girl. Sadly, I can’t. Discussion quickly turns to the prospect of devouring chips and curry sauce [Read more]

Round 1 Geelong v St-Kilda: Winning Ugly

Tennis journeyman Brad Gilbert penned a ripping book called Winning Ugly. His tome details all manner of methods used to conquer more talented opponents. He concentrates on the mental rather than the physical. He details myriad ways to finagle. Gilbert didn’t have the panache of a McEnroe (although after beating him in three sets at [Read more]

Black Caviar does a Thommo

Jeffrey Robert Thomson REF (the E stands for extremely, exceptionally etc) was able to propel a cricket ball at velocities that, on occasion, probably exceeded 160 km/h. At these kinetic energy levels, pink plastic cricket boxes designed to protect a batsman’s ability to procreate were unable to absorb the impulsive force of cricket ball on [Read more]

Third Test, Day 1: Australia Plays WACA Test Cricket

Australia Plays WACA Test Cricket by Peter Flynn On a much-welcomed sporting first day pitch that contained a greenish tinge and provided appreciable (but not quite back to the halcyon days) WACA bounce, Australia were invited by England captain Strauss to collapse first with the bat. They promptly and predictably did so. Just after lunch, [Read more]

A Tiding of Magpies and an Interloper Farewell Haiku Bob

by Peter Flynn It is early Saturday night not long after sunset. I saunter down Gertrude Street listening to Port versus Hawthorn. Bizarrely, I find myself barracking furiously for Port Adelaide. It’s funny who you can end up supporting in neutral sporting contests. Each Port pack mark in front of goal evokes a well-concealed short [Read more]

AFL Round 4 – Geelong v Port Adelaide: Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air by Peter Flynn Love is in the air Everywhere I look around Love is in the air Every sight and every sound It’s a shorts and beer Sunday in April and I am at Kardinia Park with my old china Ando. After a protracted conversation regarding our various age-related ailments, [Read more]