What’s your idea of a good game? A “we flogged ‘em” or a “quality contest? University of Nottingham philosopher, Stephen Mumford, considered the journey from anguished barracker to peaceful, still passionate, observer in his “Watching Sport: Aesthetics, Ethics and Emotion” (Routledge, 2011), as explained in an interview aired on newbooksinsport.com. He also pondered the complications [Read more]

How much do you really hate “your” team’s despised enemy? Could it be that you need them more than you might concede. Does  Barcelona truly exist without Real Madrid? The Red Sox minus the Yankees? Glasgow Rangers are critically wounded. Their plight is triggering an avalanche of associated discussions, many of which look at the [Read more]

  “I can’t believe any Englishman wants a foreigner as manager of our country, I can’t believe there is one out there!” “We’ve had enough of these foreigners, they ain’t got no passion, no commitment. All they want is the money.” “Englishman in charge of England.”  (Barry Fry, after Fabio Capello’s resignation, in support of [Read more]

Being a team man is one thing but, all too often, sportsmen know that they are competing with “mates” for a spot in the side. When the chance comes, you just gotta take it. I always felt a little sorry for Peter Anderson. crio

Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka has usurped perennial doubles journeyman Max Mirnyi as her country’s greatest ever tennis star by winning this year’s Australian Open and capturing the coveted No1 world ranking forty years after her compatriot, gymnast Olga Korbut, was named World Sportswoman of the Year. Australia prides itself on “punching above its weight” so should [Read more]

Barry Nicholls* mused: “I measure life’s key moments through cricket. The end of primary school spells Australia – West Indies 1975-76 (when) we hammer them 5-1. Year Nine the Centenary Test, Hookesy’s five fours in a row and Mr Davis making history at least accessible. So my question is how do you measure moments in [Read more]

The unmistakable response of the crowd to the caller’s  “They’re off in The Cup”. The groan/giggle that echoes around the ground after a batsman gets hit in the box. The boom of a big ace. “Sounds of sport.” Some are instantly recognizable. As a kid I vividly remember the respect rising to a roar as [Read more]

Rather than “the cricket’s on the radio”, the companion sport for this summer is becoming “the BBL on FOXTEL.” For pubs, couches and campsites with access, the Big Bash is the preferred distraction. It is carving an undeniable place in the holiday landscape, but some parts still worry me. The music, for example. Especially in [Read more]

“I just call it as I see it”. The mantra of a commentator – sports, politics, whatever. But that’s not always the case. As Richie would say, “Welcome back to the cricket”. Bill’s pumping up the Vics, Tony’s stirring couch Aussies and the watchers whinge of blatant bias. Who would have thought? Remarkably, though, they [Read more]

Good advice to potential speechmakers is simple: “If you can’t be great, be brief”. Sports “events” organisers clearly disagree. Look at the evolution of “pre-match”. crio

I think I wanted Phil Hughes to fail. Melbourne supporters might understand. Maybe even Tiges when Jordy’s late kick sailed through? “For the greater good”. “The end justifies the means”. Have others found themselves secretly (or overtly) barracking against the result they should favor? It can be malice, money or ulterior motive…but I’m guilty many [Read more]

I’d just reflex flicked on the car radio in transit from home to can’t remember. My guess is that it was a draftee being interviewed. The answer I was hearing intrigued me…here’s my recollection…   “Bit like Dale Morris.” “Love how Josh Gibson goes about it.” “Hard at it like Campbell Brown.” Presumably he was [Read more]

Those of us who watch and comment on Test Cricket are convinced of its unique qualities and enduring fascination. We love it. “Why…just look at the AUST/SA and INDIA/WI Tests completed last week.” But others are less convinced. Slow. Irrelevant. Outdated. “Look”, they counter, “at the crowds and coverage last week!”. crio

Let’s not let the great win at The Bullring hide the need for Australian cricket to embrace a transitional phase. This should be exciting – a far cry from the “unchanged” lineups when teams were so predictable. It also should place increased emphasis on Shield and Futures performances as players strive to thrust their names [Read more]

Is the conviction and jailing of the Pakistani cricketers a positive or a negative? Is it a confident statement of intent or confirmation of rampant corruption? There’s been months of Moody scuttlebutt on the grapevine, for example, with the disclaimer that “they can’t rub him out because it would cripple the Industry.” How’s a bloke [Read more]

There are seasonal trivia questions which to insiders are general knowledge.   Last week a racing panellist said he never goes to a trivia night that doesn’t ask: “What ran third to Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star? (The Filbert)   We all know the type: “Who’d Jezza mark over?” (Jerker)   As Charlie Dixon slotted [Read more]