Almanac Rugby League – NRL Finals Week 1: Canberra v Cronulla – Keep the light on

Paul McAdam, Cronulla man, brings us this beauty from the NRL Finals pressure cooker. “It feels like a turning point. Not just for this season, but potentially in the history of the club…”

AFL Z: Next-next generation football

With all the talk yesterday of ‘AFL X’, Mike Hugo offers up his suggestion of a shortened format of Australian Rules football, ‘AFL Z’. What are your thoughts/suggestions? Do we need another format?

Almanac Soccer: David Luiz going back to Chelsea confirms the Transfer Market has gone Mad

Chelsea signs Brazilian David Luiz for his second stint at Stamford Bridge, Vaughan aka DrCruel73 cannot believe it, his U11s play better!

Almanac Racing: Greyhounds and circus performers

Harold Peacock introduces us to a man of interesting character and with the demise of Greyhound Racing in NSW, suggests a decline in these colourful personalities.

Almanac Paralympics: We’re the Superhumans

“It is advertising that changes people’s perceptions…” The wonderful Channel 4 ad for the Rio Paralympics. Share widely.

Almanac Golf: Golf Capital – Reed takes first playoff win as Pieters get picked for Europe

Hamish Neal provides a collection of golf thoughts from the week plus some player performance/form notes.

Almanac History: A Tom Wills doco, two articles and some news on the gravesite restoration.

See the Tom Wills doco now – it’s 45 minutes well worth spending. Read a couple of articles about the doco. And see where the gravesite restoration is up to.

1936, the Year of the Olympics and the Alternative Olympics: a Cocktail of Sport and Politics

Demonymic discusses the controversy surrounding the 1936 Olympics.

Everyday Obituary: An ode to my old man, the Olympics and Usain Bolt.

Matt O’Hanlon’s father was a wonderful Queenslander (as is Matt). In this magnificent tribute to his Dad, Matt can’t help but demonstrate those elements of a sporting life which once drove the sporting culture and broader Australian culture. Those in powerful positions – in government, in sports administration, in media, and even in educational bureaucracy (not at the coal-face so much) – should read this piece. They will see what sport means to people, the level of their interest and engagement, and the sheer wisdom in Michael Joseph O’Hanlon’s approach. Vale Pop O’Hallaron. [An all-time classic – JTH]

Almanac Rugby League – JT Enters the Starship: Nothing’s Gunna Stop the Cowboys Now!

After deafting the Bulldogs at Belmore, Archie, with artistic licence from Starship, feels nothing is going to stop JT and his Cowboys.

Almanac Golf: Golf Capital – Park victorious in Rio on stellar weekend for South Korea

What does Rio and Luck have in common, both part of Hamish Neal’s Golfing round up.

Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 24: Souths v Cronulla – Chumbawumba

Paul Macadam’s Cronulla Sharks were hot, now it seems they’ve gone cold, losing this time to Souths.

Almanac Olympics: Polishing Tarnished Ideals (an extract from the Griffith Review 53 – Our Sporting Life)

In this essay, extracted from The Griffith Review 53 – Our Sporting Life, John Harms remembers two wonderful months immersed in the theory and practice of Olympism at the little-known International Olympic Academy, at Ancient Olympia, in Greece.

Almanac Olympics: Sayonara Rio

The carnival is over. And as the Olympics ends, Tony Robb gives his review of the Rio games.

Almanac Music (and Ice Hockey): The Hip

The Tragically Hip played their last show last night. Rob Chanter is moved to paint us this wonderful picture of Canada, ice-hockey, people and place.

‘Democratised’ Olympics? The International Workers’ Olympiads

Demonymic offers this timely perspective on the early Olympic movement, contrasting it with the ideals of Spartakiad – an ongoing, international multi-sports event sponsored by the USSR Communist Party between the wars.

Almanac Olympics: Saudade

John Harms caught some of the closing ceremony from Rio this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see the reference to saudade.

Almanac Rugby League – Archie Correctly Calls the Provan-Summons Trophy Lifter Six Weeks Before the Big Day Out in September

It’s Official! Archie has made the call, JT and Cowboys will storm into the NRL final four and take the Anchor north again.

Almanac Olympics: Boom Boom Boom, Pau Pau Pau and it’s Hasta La Vista Skippy – The Spaniards Sink the Sunshine Boys in the Last Ten Seconds – It’s the Greatest Choke Since Peter in the High Priest’s Courtyard

Archie has endured the Boomers Olympic Basketball campaign through early mornings and sunset sleeps and is not happy with the result.

Almanac WAFL: Early elimination final for WAFL by Les Everett

Les Everett reviews WAFL round 22 with one spot still available for top 5, who will take it?