In a typical pre-Christmas work-avoidance email conversation with some fellow Almanackers, the cricket savvy Tony Roberts offered us (the finest literary, mathematical and anagrammatical minds of the Almanac brigade; his words, not mine), a sporting quiz that was used at the Victorian ASSH Christmas dinner. One question of particular interest to me was the following: [Read more]
Footy: Mighty Mick Conlan continues to stir powerful memories
December 15, 2009 by 3 Comments
Even though I grew up a Shinboner, my recent work sojourn to Sydney brought back memories of a great moment of watching VFL/AFL games that didn’t involve the boys from Arden Street. As I write I can sense the grumblings out Windy Hill way. It was one of those moments that would not be out [Read more]
The Legend of Chicken Man
December 14, 2009 by 5 Comments
Not over the Hill – Issue 1 by Andrew Gigacz I’ve been known by many nicknames over the years. These days most people know me simply as “Gigs”. But at various points in my life, and for various reasons, I’ve also had the monikers Gene, Roy, Bop and, more recently in these tech-dominated times, Gigabyte [Read more]
Footy: Gary Ablett jnr and Joh talk turkey (or is that chooks?)
December 14, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Gary Ablett Jnr: Son of you-know-who. Two time Geelong premiership player, Brownlow medallist and dazzling on-field magician. Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen: Former Queensland Premier, plantation paternalist and gerrymander general. Ruled for over 20 years with a unique blend of authoritarian cronyism, faux naivety, homespun ruthlessness and pumpkin scones. Gary jnr is astride the proverbial horns of [Read more]
Music: 27 hours at the Corner Hotel … and loving it
December 14, 2009 by 2 Comments
Thursday, 9pm. Normally nearing bed time for an early next-day start for a visit to the gym (Helen) or a walk around the tan (me). Instead we give the kids a kiss goodnight and head out. The band is Akron/Family (and I don’t know the significance of the oblique either) and they are scheduled to [Read more]
Tassie and WA produce one for the ages
December 12, 2009 by 10 Comments
by Patrick O’Keeffe The Sheffield Shield competition is just grand. Occasionally, the competition turns out an absolute pearler of a game. Take this little blinder of an encounter which finished on Friday afternoon at the beautiful Bellerive Oval. I observed from a distance, receiving updated scores via the internet over the four days. It is [Read more]
Cricket: What if they had a game and nobody came?
December 11, 2009 by Leave a Comment
If you’re asking the above question, there’s a fair chance that you’re at a Sheffield Shield match. Yours truly was moved to venture down to the Big Smoke to watch day one of the Victoria v South Australia Shield clash. This decision was mainly prompted by a desire to see Brad Hodge’s MCG Shield swansong. [Read more]
A thoroughly Australian few days
December 11, 2009 by 10 Comments
by John Harms I have always had a sense of being Australian. Not in a flag-waving, Aussie-Aussie-Aussie sense. It’s more a feeling of being connected to the place I come from. The land. The people. The way of life. A job if you can find one. A beer and a bet. My first overseas trip [Read more]
Sports Science: Too much technology is bunk; coaches should rely more on instinct
December 9, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Clint Youlden I’m all for technology when it comes to sport, but I do see an alarming trend towards over-analysis. Isn’t the whole idea of sport to compete against others on an even playing field? Shouldn’t it be the cast that coaching and winning instinct make the difference between victory and loss? I’m wondering [Read more]
Cricket: Country boys take block for a good cause
December 9, 2009 by Leave a Comment
By Kara Bell Late afternoon, 17 January 2009. Farmers v Graziers in the annual Colombo Creek Classic at the Whiteheads’ Colombo Creek property outside Jerilderie in the Riverina. Farmer Ed Ryan is at the crease and has only two balls remaining to rein in the Graziers’ target of 198. The crowd is silent and the [Read more]
Soccer: A-League gets early pass mark
December 9, 2009 by 3 Comments
By Stephen George In 2003, Australian football was struggling to make an impact on the national sporting stage. In April, the Independent Soccer Review Committee chaired by Mr David Crawford concluded “that the current structure of soccer in Australia is ineffective, does not work and needs changing”. The output on the field was viewed by [Read more]
Second Test, Day 5: What conclusions can we draw?
December 8, 2009 by 6 Comments
by Chris Riordan I know Test Cricket can be a bit of a tedious, eccentrics’ game with the old joke of five days, 30 hours and then a draw. It takes a certain type to want to persist with the time, patience and faith in the hope that something worthwhile will emerge. The Second Test [Read more]
Footy: Glenn Archer a champion on and off the field
December 8, 2009 by 2 Comments
By Stephen George Where egos can overshadow champions of Australian football, few players have had an impact like North Melbourne champion, Glenn Archer. Throughout his career, he admitted to feeling violently ill before games because of nerves, such was his fear of failure. This didn’t prevent him though from confronting each contest on the field [Read more]
Soccer: Demetriou overreacts to World Cup talk
December 8, 2009 by 45 Comments
By Martin Reeves The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is just around the corner, but it’s Australia’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids that are dominating the headlines as the culture wars are reignited on the Australian sporting landscape. At the centre of the latest war is an Australian of Greek descent, representing the [Read more]
Second Test, Day 5 Preview
December 8, 2009 by 16 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz On a ground that has produced its fair share of tight finishes, the Second Test is poised on a knife-edge. My rule of thumb is that a team batting second in a Test needs a lead of 100 in the first innings to break even. On that basis, the Windies are well [Read more]
Footy Talk: Richo and Hamlet ponder what might have been
December 8, 2009 by 5 Comments
by John Butler Setting: Matthew Richardson – magnificent, flawed prince of the Richmond Football Club. Recently retired after 282 games, no premierships and not enough finals. Hamlet- tragic, flawed prince of Denmark (long before the guy who married the Tassie realtor).
Second Test, Day 3: A challenging day
December 7, 2009 by 2 Comments
by Tim Adam Watching cricket in Singapore is strangely dissatisfying … and culturally challenging. The internet tells me that at drinks in the midst of the first session on day 4 the West Indies are 2/64 in their second dig with the honours going to Australia this morning.
Could we please review the Review?
December 7, 2009 by 3 Comments
by John Butler An issue which has already commanded far too much attention this summer is the new review/referral system. So naturally I’m going to add to the clamour. My initial judgement on the changes made to this system were along the lines of “much ado about nothing”; that it would be just another of [Read more]
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