“That was just a tragedy”. Last year at this time I wrote about my then 6 year old son and his apparent adoption of St Kilda. Having watched Nick Riewoldt dominate the season, in the Grand Final, and for the first time in his young footy supporter’s life, he managed to sustain his support for [Read more]
Fixing the national anthem problem for the replay
September 26, 2010 by 12 Comments
I know a lot of people probably don’t agree, but I reckon Advance Australia Fair – when it is sung well (and only then) – can be great. I can never hear it anywhere without adding the MCG siren sound at the end and 100,000 people yelling in my head. The GF anthem is one [Read more]
2010 for the West Coast Eagles
September 9, 2010 by 5 Comments
Season highlights Beating Essendon. Twice. Actually, starting a review of West Coast’s 2010 season with highlights feels bit like putting air in the tyre after a car wreck – technically it’s possible, but you know it doesn’t make any sense. There were some isolated moments to savour, but the fact that they became season highlights [Read more]
2010 for the West Coast Eagles
September 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment
by David Bruce Season highlights Beating Essendon. Twice. Actually, starting a review of West Coast’s 2010 season with highlights feels bit like putting air in the tyre after a car wreck – technically it’s possible, but you know it doesn’t make any sense. There were some isolated moments to savour, but the fact that they [Read more]
The Feudal Minor Premiers
September 2, 2010 by 2 Comments
In sport there is always a temptation for us fans to take a “Feudal” perspective and say that if you beat the current Number 1, then you assume the status yourself. It rarely actually works that way – transitive logic (if A > B and B > C, then A > C) and team sports [Read more]
Not a good day for the AFL in Canberra
August 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment
It’s been a bad day for the AFL in Canberra. First, I don’t know if the Geelong-Collingwood was any good. One assumes that at least the first bit will be. Unfortunately it won’t be on at 10.45pm, and then (conveniently) a bit later than that on pay-TV. Luckily the game between the 15th and 16th [Read more]
Is Brian Lake an Alien?
May 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment
I’ve seen the Bulldogs play an oddly high number of times this year. Conspiracy theorists might wonder just why the Bullies and my lifestyle are so compatible, but personally I’m prepared to give coincidence the benefit of the doubt for now. They’re a fun team to watch, so I haven’t minded at all really. It [Read more]
Momentum
May 15, 2010 by 1 Comment
The Best of Van Halen has a quote on the liner notes: “what is understood need not be discussed”. I can’t remember the attribution, but it makes a certain amount of sense. In sport, there are a few things that are known. A week is a long time. The boys on the winning team really [Read more]
Footy Rivalry: Factoid versus fiction
April 25, 2010 by 5 Comments
In the modern era, rivalry is a brand. Just like a wee bit too much of the wide, wide world of sport these days, it is used by some people to extract a few extra bucks from other people. Go back a little while though, and I think rivalry was both a little more serious [Read more]
Cricket: Weighing up the harmless and dangerous aspects of twenty20
March 1, 2010 by 1 Comment
I’ve been pretty negative about truncated cricket. It’s surprisingly fun to play, but I can’t say I get much out of watching it, and even less out of thinking about it. Those animated conversations about great games from last year just don’t seem to happen. Even half-watching what’s left of the West Indies trying to [Read more]
AFL Grand Final: Post-siren concern for Saints suggests a moment that could last forever
September 27, 2009 by 6 Comments
By David Bruce I don’t know for certain, but I imagine that the day you somehow lock down your lifetime football allegiance must be a keystone day. There is certainly enough research into the psychology of supporters to surmise that the club you end up being passionately but non-influentially entwined with must have some influence [Read more]
Cricket: Twenty20 might just save Test cricket
August 23, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Some of us fear that Twenty20 cricket might kill Test cricket. It will almost certainly kill 50-over cricket, and there is a plausible argument that it will get Tests as well. But while the last rites of ODIs are probably inevitable, twenty20 cricket might just save Test matches – and only Australia and England have [Read more]
AFL Round 9: West Coast lose to the Pies at home?
May 25, 2009 by 1 Comment
by David Bruce I didn’t watch this game. Didn’t see a single second of it, and if I have my way it will stay that way. In truth, I’ve not watched a game live since the 2005 GF, but living here in Canberra it couldn’t be any other way even if I wanted it [Read more]
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