Let me just distract you from the major betting sites for a moment or two while sitting there at your desk wondering whether Moment of Clarity can win the Coonabarrabran Cup this arvo and how you’re going to sneak out of the office to get to the Trans-Australian Bank to see it. And get on. [Read more]
Headlines Heresy Halted – Hooray!
October 25, 2010 by 13 Comments
In a recent Federal Court case, Justice Bennett found that newspaper headlines are not protected under Copyright law. Footy sub-editors must have breathed a collective sigh of relief. A ruling the other way could have rendered a gem like “Power switched on” never to be repeated again – the prospect of being a very sad [Read more]
A YEAR IN REVIEW
October 25, 2010 by 11 Comments
There is something amiss, something not quite right. 2010 was supposed to be a very balanced year. It is a lovely even number is 2010. No rough edges, nothing sticking rudely out like “1997” for example with all those tails and hard angles. But 2010 has confounded me. It started early in the year. There [Read more]
The Albatross Rules: The Finale
October 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment
30. Birth and Rebirth Loudest amongst the voices raised in celebration was that of Benny Cotton. Still coming to grips with the crutches he’d sported since the preliminary final, Benny half hopped and half swung down onto the ground before the siren had barely stopped ringing. Nobody begrudged him the chance to join his comrades [Read more]
Magpies looming already
October 23, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Sweating furiously, I looked around in every direction. I needed eyes in the back of my head. Was that it up there? No, definitely not. Is that it? Nope, my imagination getting to me again. I started walking slowly again, keeping an eye on the big tree 20m in front of me. WHOOSH! I ducked [Read more]
The Mug’s Cox Plate Preview
October 22, 2010 by 2 Comments
Not sure where to start it’s been so long since I put pen to racing paper. Not too many wins to report either which is about to change, now that Cox Plate Day has become one of mine: thanks to Gallic and El Segundo and Wally F. Beaver about a decade ago. I spotted [Read more]
Almanac Racing: Cox Plate 2010
October 22, 2010 by 16 Comments
The Cox Plate is always a Spring highlight and this year’s installment, with its dramatic build-up, will produce a memorable race for the big crowd expected to pack the Moonee Ponds amphitheatre. Excitement has necessarily been tempered by news of the tragic death of jockey Stathi Katsidis, another wasted talent gone too soon. There’ll be [Read more]
Commonwealth Games Underwhelms
October 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment
To say the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games underwhelmed would be an understatement. Many Australians would be surprised to find that the event was actually the largest games ever with 17 sports, 285 events and 72 competing nations. They were also the most expensive games of all time costing the capital more than $1.6 billion. But [Read more]
The Disinterested Boy
October 21, 2010 by 3 Comments
You see him at the footy, or on the replay. At the MCG or on the Dome. He sits behind the goals, next to the bag of spare footies. It’s a prime position to watch your heroes on the big stage. What a gig! He probably even gets paid for it, too. I have been [Read more]
Myth and Reality in the Common Wealth
October 21, 2010 by 9 Comments
“… the Commonwealth Games are Australia’s gift to the weaker nations of the region…” Perry Crosswhite – Head of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association. It is tempting to write off a comment like this as just another entry to the Sir Les Patterson School of Australian diplomatic niceties, but it does seem pertinent to the [Read more]
Grand Final Replay: Nothing to Worry About
October 21, 2010 by 2 Comments
THERE IS NO WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS. My cousin Steve and I are consoling a guy who has slumped in his seat. His shoulders are down; he is weeping openly. A Saints cap sits on his head; a red, white and black scalf is draped around his sagging shoulders. Eventually Steve and I grab one [Read more]
Year 12 toughie
October 21, 2010 by 25 Comments
I’m the toughie of the group. I’m like the Luke Hodge or Jonathan Brown of my group. One of my closest friends who ive been to school with for thirteen years had never seen me cry until this night. I am human, of course I do show emotion (mostly when it involves my Collingwood boys) [Read more]
The Loneliest Footballers
October 20, 2010 by 26 Comments
By Phil Dimitriadis After chatting with Andrew Gigacz about football tragedies and the 2010 Footy Almanac cover, the 2008 Footy Almanac engaged my attention in a way it hadn’t done before. Jim Pavlidis’ perceptive painting captured the loneliness of Matthew Richardson the footballer. The crowd is a blur, there are no teammates or fanfare and [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Sports Siblings
October 18, 2010 by 132 Comments
It runs in the family! Though urban myth insists that Nellie Melba’s sister couldn’t whistle, evidence suggests there’s something in a gene pool. No sooner had another progeny of High Chaparral pocketed a Gr1 (Descarado, trained by Gai Waterhouse, daughter of legend T J Smith), than news reached me that Chris (brother of Brad) Scott was to be appointed [Read more]
International Rules: Moments We Won’t Likely Forget
October 18, 2010 by 8 Comments
This coming weekend the International Rules Series returns to the Emerald Isle for the first time in four years and the highly anticipated build-up serves as a timely reminder of how this ambitious experiment to bind two codes together has effectively paid off. Indeed, the International Rules concept has provided us with a variety of [Read more]
Melbourne Cup lunch at the Clyde
October 18, 2010 by 4 Comments
You are invited to the Loose Men Charities/Almanac Melbourne Cup Lunch: Monday, November 1 from 12.30pm at The Clyde Hotel, Carlton $40 drinks at bar prices RSVP essential – [email protected] Traditionally, and very noisily, at this lunch we raise some cash through a raffle (the prizes for which are world class). We invest the proceedings in [Read more]
In A League Of Its Own- Edition 13
October 17, 2010 by 5 Comments
Tom’s weekly outlook on the A-League After the break involving Australia defeating Paraguay and the inaugural Melbourne Derby, the A-League returned as the top footballing code in the nation. This is the time of the season where FFA should look to capitalize on their position in the sporting landscape. One thing that is important and [Read more]
Season Review: Adelaide Crows 2010
October 17, 2010 by 11 Comments
Highlights: Not a lot of highlights in a dark year for the Adelaide Crows, but the Round 11 game against the Fremantle Dockers sticks out as perhaps the moment of the decade for Adelaide. In Tyson Edwards 321st and last game, the Crows came up against an in-form Freo side at AAMI Stadium. It was [Read more]
Paul Chapman with Hair
October 17, 2010 by 6 Comments
Chappy as you’ve never seen him before (well, not recently anyway). http://paulchapmanwithhair.tumblr.com/page/1
Season Review: Port Adelaide 2010
October 17, 2010 by 5 Comments
Highlights: Port Adelaide started the season in a bright manner, winning the first two games against North Melbourne at home and West Coast at Subiaco Oval. The match against the Eagles was full of fight and courage, with Jason Davenport scoring four goals in the final quarter to lift his side to a narrow three [Read more]
Recent Comments