The S Files : Episode 67

An Emotional Letter from an Italian Supporter

It's been a few days since Origin and the Tinman & Shabs have settled down and pretty much gotten over it. To be honest we are pretty much over how the NRL is run and the approach the administration and media take to the game.

The fallout from game 2 has been a very high injury toll, a season ending & possibly career ending injury for Brent Tate. Also Matt Scott's season may be over after he suffered a fractured eye socket in a tackle that somehow Channel 9 has no footage of. Also of question is why the NRL scheduled byes for New Zealand during Origin and gives them a run of 3 home games as well. Add to that the Brisbane Broncos also have to back up from Origin, fly across the Tasman and face a side full of Kiwis coming off a break?

The Boston 13's are going well in the USARL. After a surprise defeat in round 2 to the Brooklyn Kings 24-26, the 13's bounced back with a good win in a sometimes spiteful match against the Rhode Island Rebellion, 68-18. This placed the 13's at the top of the North East Conference. Unfortunately the 13's lost overnight to the undefeated DC Slayers.  We are also proud to report our sponsored player, AJ Mudford, played his first game for the season last week and opened up his try scoring account.

The Rugby International calender is well under way and the Aussies are on a very good run after another victory over France last week and wrapping up the series 3-0 just after we recorded this episode. The real test for the Aussies will be in 8 weeks when they take on the Kiwis but the signs are a lot better now we have an Aussie in charge.  Why there is an 8 week break is strange but obviously there was a reason.

The World Cup is in full swing now and even though the Aussies are going home early, they have impressed. Unlike a few countries that were expected to at least win a game by now. There has been some very entertaining games and as always some controversy along the way. The Tinman has been getting a bit of stick from our Italian special guest of late but it seems he is in hiding after Italy lost to Costa Rica.

We wish the Queensland Firebirds the best of luck in the ANZ Championship today and will be reporting on that next week.

The awards are always good and this week we have to great StubbyStrip nominations to give out. Patty Mills and Tim Cahill are in the news for all the right reasons and are flying the Aussie flag proudly.

Pubcast Episode 29

Another Grand Edition of the pubcast was recorded at the Grand Hotel Bundaberg with The Tinman & The Shabadoo. The F1 Adonis was present but was not quite ready to see if the Pirelli tyres would hold up.

As the preview indicates we covered State of Origin game 3, the NRL.  Just who will fill in for Paul Gallen everytime NSW need to cry to the ref? How bad did the Queensland sides play alst weekend. The Wallabies & the final Lions Test match, just who was worse? The Wallabies, James O'Connor or the French ref?. And of course the Ashes is a hot topic with at least one Aussie doing well. The same cannot be said for the umpires or DRS though. The Queensland Firebirds are in the Final on the weekend as we cover a few topics there.

The Aussie Sandflies have also made the finals at Beach 365 and hopefully next week we will be announcing a victory.

The Awards are no surprises this week with commentators in Rugby and cricket getting Marto nominations, the French ref from the Lions Test was a unanimous decision and a certain player from Manly gets the Fail.

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Pubcast Episode 25

Episode 25 is brought to you by The Tinman, Johnnyjojoshabadoo & The F1 Adonis. Straight away we get into the State of Origin review and focus on the moment were Paul Gallen turned on the waterworks and complained like a nagging ex to the referee to justify his actions. What will Queensland need to change for game 2.

What is wrong with the Broncos & Cowboys? Is a coach being sacked soon or will players be the first axed.

With another biting incident in world sport the game of Rugby is focused on as well as the Reds and Quade Cooper's chances of making the Wallabies.

The F1 Adonis gives us the wrap on Formula 1 with Mercedes & Pirelli under investigation for illegal mid season testing. 

Why was the Adonis chanting MVP? We had a good night at Beach 365 during the week so that might have something to do with it. 

Johnnyjojo gives a massive shoutout to Netball & the ANZ Championship.

With the Ashes almost upon us and some interesting political decisions being made do the Aussies have any real chance of winning over the next couple of months?

The awards wrap it up as usual and it is no surprise that Ray Warren & the Wide World of Sports Commentary team at Channel 9 win the Marto nomination easily. The Bryce is a no brainer after the poor efforts by Ashley Klein & co in the Origin. And the SSO fail was down to Cricket Australia for giving Channel 9 another 5 years to annoy us with cricket commentary but Paul Gallen was a deserved nomination for his "poor me" performance.  It was only fitting that we finished the episode with a song as apt as "Why's Everybody Always Pickin' On Me - Bloodhound Gang"

Pubcast Episode 12

Sporting Sport Opinions as always kicks off with who we are and what we are about, but this week MD & Johnnyjojoshabadoo are proud to say we are part o of the team behind the Bundaberg Sports Flood Appeal to help raise fund for some of the sporting associattions & floods heavily affected by the floods. Extra thanks to Emma McCarthy & Legado for all of their support.

We then obviously get straight into the big issues in sport while enjoying a few Corona's.

The Blade Runner Incident - Was it a burglar is is he just a grouch with a penchant for shooting things that go bump in the night. We take make a few puns at the expense of Oscar Pistorious as he now faces murder charges for killing his girlfriend.

The big issue of the week though has been the so called drug scandal in Australian Sport, is there fire behind the smoke or is this a political ploy? Is this the worst handled case with no real evidence?  We give our angle on the farcical handling by ASADA & the ACC.

Rugby is back on and with the Reds about to kick off we have a quick look at the Super Rugby.

One last serve is given to cricket, the bias selectors that just love leaving out players from champion side if they are Queenslanders, and we cannot miss a chance to sink the boot into Channel 9 again and the annoying Bill Lawry.

The priceless coaster & Johnnyjojo's working stationery, the Keno Pencil & form.

The game that is "Simply The Best", the NRL,  is not far off and a few updates are handed out.

A red card is issued tot he A-League for the "any age is OK" policy for officials to handle games. Try not to mention the Roar or Liverpool to MD though with poor performances of late.

With time running out we don't forget about the awards:

Marto: At the end of the international cricket season it is fitting that Channel 9 and in particular Bill Lawry finish with another nomination.

Bryce: Rather than an on field official, ASADA, ACC, & Kate Lundy do well this week for their efforts in the drug debacle.

SSO Fail:Seems MD was extremely happy to announce Brad Haddin after he showed his poor keeping skills that seem to impress the national selectors

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Weekend Wrap

After a bit of a hiatus, the wrap is back.  And there are some interesting things happening in the world of sport. As usual I will be having a dig at match officials and maybe a crack at a few commentators.

Reds vs Kaplan

Regardless of what whether or not the Red's were beaten by a better side, the Sharks, this was a game where the officials had too big an influence on the game.  To start with the Red's were missing Quade Cooper, who was suspended for one week because the guy carrying the ball fell as he was about to be tackled and was "hit high".  In the same week we saw Sam Kasiano of the Bulldogs in the NRL charged and then let off on a very similar incident. The red's decided not to challenge but maybe they knew that things weren't not going to go there way.  Their decision may have been influenced by the fact that SANZAR appointed a South African ref and sideline official for a game where the away side was from South Africa.  Surely in a game of this level a ref from New Zealand was needed. Also the Red's were dealt a cruel blow with an injury early to Lucas and then moved Genia to flyhalf where he was not his elusive and attacking best. Once the game got started it was clear the Red's were without a chance.  Blatant forward passes, and an offside play for an intercept were missed and although the Sharks were continually penalised and warned for repeated infringements in the ruck when defending their tryline, Kaplan only seemed to remember he had a yellow card in his pocket in the 79th minute. In the 2nd half there was the disallowed try that I am still scratching my head as to why it was not allowed. For me it is at a point with this referee that if I see he is officiating a game, I will not watch it.

Scott Chokes??

Will Adam Scott forever be remember in the same vain that Greg Norman is. A choker.  With four holes to go and a 4 shot lead the British Open was his to lose and with 4 consecutive birdies he did.  But golf is a game where you can go back to any shot over 4 days and maybe his bogey on the 18th in the first round that would have given him the course record was the key moment.  Either way he still played a great 4 days and this may make him more determined in the future and could be the catalyst he needs to win a lot of majors.


Magic Win 

Congratulations to the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic on winning the ANZ Championship and becoming the first New Zealand side to win the title.  Whilst I did not watch the game personally, I was getting constant updates on social media and understand it was a very exciting match. What is disappointing is the coverage in the media today. Any details on the game are well hidden on sports sites and the game of Netball deserves more.  While the media focuses on the bigger entities of football and is over-focused on the Olympics they are missing the opportunity to grab hold of and dominate a very large market. It was not until I wrote my first article on Netball and then saw how big the following is online and in social media that I realised the marketing potential. It is just a shame that the large media companies do not give the credit that is deserved in their write ups in the following days.

Only a short wrap but stay tuned for some interesting articles on NRL and a story or two on the Cane2Coral Fun Run which will be held on the 5th August and will be raising money for Cancer Council Queensland, Bundaberg Surf Life Saving, Ronald McDonald House and many local charities in the Bundaberg region. .

Weekend Wrap

With Origin midweek and the continual focus on one incident from a game in which one could find plenty missed by the refs for both sides, it would be easy to think nothing happened on the weekend.

Firebirds in a Thriller

The Firebirds one point win over the Fever was a nail biting thriller to the end. The Firebirds streaked ahead on many occasions that credit must be given to the Fever for stretching them all the way.  Not often does Netball have me cheering and fist pumping in the lounge room, but on Sunday it certainly did that. In the end it was the nerves of steel defence of  Laura Geitz who took a match saving intercept at the end that got the Firebirds across the line.  Although it was a nervous finish as the Fever had one last chance to tie up the game.  In the first half Jacinta Messer was on fire whilst Romelda Aiken was being well held by Fever's Susan Furhmann. It is the tight wins like this that really count at the end of the season. 

Reds Keep Rolling

Wasn't good to see Horwill going off injured

What an interesting finish to the Super Rugby lays ahead.  The Red's who were written off from the start of the season and never given a chance when they hit a run of losses are now a realistic chance to finish top of the Australian conference after a gritty win over the ACT Brumbies. The Brumbies missed a penalty at the death which would have gifted them victory but thankfully the kick was offline. I say thankfully as I always believe a team that cannot score a try never deserves to beat a team that does. Especially when you have a game like this one where the ref feels a need to blow the whistle every time he exhales.  Yet misses blatant penalties when they are on offer.  With 5 rounds to go and only 5 points between the Brumbies and Reds it will be a tight race.

And for those who still don't rate the Australian Conference remember one little fact that shows why the competition is biased.  Australia enforces a salary cap on their teams, New Zealand & South Africa don't. 

Webber wins Monaco

Mark Webber has won for the 2nd time at Monaco making him the first Australian to achieve the feat.   Now Webber only needs to have every race held there and he would win his first Championship. This year has also seen 6 different winners for the first 6 races, meaning the championship race is wide open this year and the first driver to win multiple races will be at a great tactical and mental advantage.

Collingwood and the Rort

How is it that one of the biggest AFL clubs and also one of the biggest financial clubs has been given a $10 million dollar grant by the Federal Government? Why does the government even need to help out a club in a code that that is firmly entrenched in it's own market?  This is the sort of decision that not only adds weight to the growing reasons to turf our government but also adds to why everyone hates Collingwood.  Imagine how all those regional sporting associations around the country are thinking after hearing this. Most regional clubs struggle and get very little help if any at all.  Yet here is a wealthy club, that is financially viable, runs at a profit and is heavily backed by sponsors getting a hand out. Compare that to the under 9 side I coach - I provided the training equipment, the match ball, and the parents of the team are looking at sourcing and providing a new playing strip.  And this is what you will find at most grassroots sporting teams all around the regional part of Australia.

Transfer Window Almost Open

With the Barclay's Premier League summer transfer market about to start it will be interesting to see how many of the rumours that circulate are nothing more than rumours. Personally I am only interested in what moves Liverpool make and I really wish they had appointed a new manager by now to enable them ample chance to consolidate the team and make best use of all opportunities available. It does seem a certainty that Liverpool will offload a few players and make a move in the market, it is just a matter of who they get rid of and who they buy. Because it won;t matter who they hire as manager if they don't get the personnel right.

Weekend Wrap

Has much happened in the world of sport? It all depends on what you follow and how much interest you take in sport. There is always plenty happening and it what I write about may not cover it all.

Quade is Back

The Reds have copped a lot of criticism along with the rest of the Australian sides from foreign quarters yet with another win on the weekend, the Reds are priming at the right end of the season. Queensland also welcomed back Quade Cooper who played the first half before being rested at half time, which was always in the plans. It did not take long for Cooper to get back into the groove of Super Rugby. All season, the Reds have been missing that extra flair and also the bullet, crisp long passes that Cooper can place perfectly onto the chest of a fellow team-mate.  His presence with the ball also gets the defenders in two minds and on the back foot and the Brumbies will be in for a tough game next week when the Reds continue their run to get back to the top of the conference.  More credit though should be given to the Reds forward pack who continually stop and push back the opposition in defence and make strong metres in attack, laying the ground work for so many attacking movements.  The only negative from the game which needs highlighting is why an official will continually call players out for illegal tactics yet rarely call advantage or blow the whistle, yet when the other side does the same there is no hesitation. All fans want is consistency regardless of the standard of calls.

Firebirds Win Again

The Queensland Firebirds have now had three wins on the trot after holding on for a narrow 1 point win over the Southern Steel in New Zealand. Although I did not watch the game, it seems obvious the Firebirds are getting back into the form that saw them as the dominant team last year. Although of to a slow start the Firebirds are working their way back up the ladder and will be pushing into the top four if they can keep the momentum going. The only worrying thing for the Firebirds will be the final quarter fade out that made what should have been a comfortable win,, closer than it should have been.  

Champions League Final

A small mention to Chelsea for claiming their first Champions league title with a penalty shootout victory over Bayern Munich. I chose to sleep instead of getting up to watch the game, which shows how much interest I find in the playing styles of both sides. Maybe the result just shows how much Chelsea under achieved this season to finish 6th in the English Premier League, especially when you consider they won the FA Cup final as well.

Sad Side of Sport

Perfect example of how stupid a player looks when staging

I cannot abide by players who feign or stage. Take a dive is the better known term. When you hear the term, diving, most will quickly refer to Football, soccer for those who must insist on the term.  Watch any game of AFL though at the moment and you will see some of the best acting outside of Hollywood.  League is no stranger to the simulation either if they feel they can get a penalty for their antics.  It is how the codes crack down on the situation that shows how seriously each is prepared to stamp it out.  

Football has long since started handing out yellow cards for simulation, which if accumulated will automatically lead to a suspension and with continual replays in the media a player very quickly gets a reputation which is carried through their playing career and reduces the chance of a referee reacting in their favour when a penalty offence occurs.

AFL has started their typical limp wrist approach that is as strong as their drug policy. If observed a warning might go to the player, a second offence might come with an official warning, and then maybe a fin might come down the line.  Still by the time anything of drastic nature is done the players has already benefited their team with many favourable calls.  But this is also a game that will reward a player for ducking his head at the last second to achieve a high contact penalty or penalise a slight love tap on above the shoulder.

NRL in it's strange wisdom is not doing much about acting at the moment. A ref will make a call on the field mentioning milking when a players tries to stage a ruck infringement like holding down, but does little else.  How often do you see a player go down like he has been poleaxed, only to get up once the whistle is blown to take the next hit-up or make the next play after walking back to his team-mates and giving a sly wink.

Rugby Union also has it's problems.  In a game where there is constant stoppages, what ruins it for the spectator is the ref allowing forwards to drop to one knee before a scrum or line-out to get assistance. Occasionally the player may be injured but more often than not it is a deliberate tactic to slow down the play. If a player is genuinely in need of attention then he should be made to leave the field for attention.

In the modern professional era of sport though, all these acts will continue in some way.  What needs to be done though is a serious effort by the associations and the media to highlight all players that do it. 

St Luke's Clean Sheet

It cannot go without mention that the St Luke's U9 Football side had a commanding 4-0 win on the weekend. Whilst I was proud of the boys for their win, I was prouder of the clean-sheet.  The opposition had ample chances to score, but with great keeping and urgent defence, no shot was able to be produced on target and all shots were from well outside the area.  This is a young team that is slowly learning that value of defence, and that all good teams win from the back.  Their structure is slowly coming together as each of them understands the strengths of the other players and they settle into their combinations. Knowing where to go instinctively when their team-mate has the ball is the next step for this team.

Weekend Wrap

Another weekend gone and another round of sporting events to write about.  

Hat-trick of Classic Goals

When I stayed up to watch Liverpool FC vs Norwich, I was not sure what to expect. I was confident they were going to win, not sure why, just had the feeling this was a game not to miss.  On the 24th minute my feeling were confirmed when Gerrard set up Suarez perfectly for what was a clinical finish to start the scoring. Four minutes later when Suarez, scored again 4 minutes later with another clinical finish to make it 2-0, I knew I was about to watch Suarez score his first hat-trick for Liverpool. Although it took until the 82nd minute for the third to occur, it was worth the wait. Most players would have played out the situation very diffently when receiving the ball in clear space from half-way, instead of pressing forward and closing down with partners in co, Suarez instead coolly, sent the ball on it's way, finding the keeper way off his line and no chance of stopping what will e one of the great goals for he season.  What a perfect way to finish off what were all great goals.

A Cheat in my book

Rugby Union

Instead of focusing on one game or incident instead I will talk about how this game will lose viewers quicker than any other code in Australia if it keeps going the way it is.  Why is it that Australian teams always seem to get the rough end of all decisions in Super Rugby?  With so many dubious calls, it cannot be errors or poor refereeing. One only has to watch a game where Kaplan is in charge to understand my frustration. As I Queenslander I love nothing more than seeing NSW lose in sport, but against the Crusaders (Yes I admit I love seeing a New Zealand side lose more), the Waratahs were never given a chance by Kaplan. Although if NSW had a decent centre instead of Carter they would have won the game, which shows how poor a side the Crusaders are even with the help of the officials. Rugby Union is one game where when played in Australia, you  very rarely see "Home town advantage".  Outside of Australia, it is a very different story.

Loyalty Wins Out

When I heard that Genia had signed with Western Force, I was not happy.  I can understand a player wanting to sign for more money and who can blame them, but with what the Red's have built and the players they have retained I was surprised.  I was also surprised when I read today that Genia had done an about face and re-signed with the Reds. What doesn't surprise me is why he did it. A winning culture and knowing that he can continue to enjoy that feeling of winning and enjoying it with a great team.  Reading between the lines, he has decided that no money is worth it for the losing feeling every week.  

Queensland Firebirds Fall Short

From the outset, the Firebirds look like a team on fire and on a mission.  Unfortunately they were pipped in the final minute of a game that they never should have lost.  But that is sport and they will bounce back and learn from the experience. Also the debut of Nicola Gray for the Firebirds was very impressive and I think she can go on to great things after what I saw. One thing I need clarification on though is the rules of Netball. As I am not an avid watcher I do get frustrated with the calls and especially the advantage call. Some games you never hear advantage and the whistle blows constantly and then you get a game like the Firebirds vs Vixens where you hear advantage called more than once, the ball never gets further than one pass yet a turnover is allowed.  This is where I need clarification. Is this poor officiating? If advantage is called, does that not mean anything if no advantage is gained?

Yet again I may have missed many stories and sporting events.  If you feel there is a sporting vent coming up that you want my insight into, let me know.  I will aslo state at this point, I need to write down thoughts I have during games, as I am sure I told the Sideline Reporter I would mention something from yesterday.

Weekend Wrap

With the amount of work I have been doing it is amazing that I was able to find time to watch sport. Actually, who a I kidding. I will always find time to watch sport. Depending on who you support depends on how your weekend went but for me it was all good.

Australian Cricket Team Win 

After 3 days this game looked like it only had two outcomes, a West Indies victory or more likely a draw.  With the Windies crawling along to 400+ and Australia's top order failing again at 8/285 it was not looking good. But as seems to be the story lately this game was turned on it's head by the bowlers who once again saved the day. Harris scored a magnificent maiden half century and was well supported by Hilfenhaus and Lyon.  After the batting heroics the bowlers then went on to dismantle the West Indies and leave Australia with only 192 to win.  But as usual the batsmen made hard work of it and left it to the bowlers to tidy it up again.  Harris was a well deserved man-of-the-match, yet the bowling attack as a group could have been awarded this.  What is worrying though is yet again another double failure by Ponting. I have a feeling this could be his last series if he fails to get any scores on tour.

96


A simple number but one which I will never forget. When most hear the number 96, many different things come to mind. For me though the first thing that comes to mind will be followed by a moments pause before I try and explain what it means to me. But rather than have me explain I would rather you do some research into the number and draw your own conclusions.  For me it will always be about the families who waved goodbye to 96 people who left to watch a game of football and never saw them again.

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/ 

Liverpool Heading for Wembley Glory

All day I was full of anticipation about the FA Cup semi final against Merseyside rivals Everton. A victory in this game and Liverpool are one step closer to Double Cup Glory which will make up for the terrible season they have.  At half time though it was not looking good.  Down one nil after a terrible defensive error and overall not playing great football, things needed to change if Liverpool were even going to equalise.  I always like a team that shows patience with the ball, but Liverpool were taking it too far and being hesitant and unsure. Against a better and more clinical team, I fear Liverpool would not have been able to come back.  Thankfully though Everton returned the favour with a horrible defensive error that gifted the ball straight to Suarez who was never going to let down. Once the ball found the back of the net, the balance and intensity of the game shifted and Liverpool dominated for the rest of the game.  Andy Carroll may have been having trouble locating the direction of the goal but once he did,  knew it was all over. This goal after his late winner in the previous game may be just the thing that turns his game around.  Liverpool are now in the FA Cup final!!!!!

In 1986 I watched my first ever FA Cup final live on TV with my father.  For a man that never played football, his knowledge from as early as I can remember is up there with some of the experts in the game. He has watched football for as long as I can remember and I have always enjoyed listening to what he has to say about the game.  I can remember being excited to watch and had chosen to support Liverpool as an Aussie called Craig Johnston was in their team. I have memories though of my father telling me that Ian Rush was the one to watch. If Liverpool where to win, it was Rush that would win it for them. Now all this time later I will be able to sit down with my son and together for the first time watch Liverpool in an FA Cup final.

Firebirds On Board For #BBin2012

From the start of the game the Queensland Firebirds were in control and it only looked like a matter of what the margin would be. Now that they have a win on the board and a good win at the that, the Firebirds have got their campaign under way.  There are still areas of improvement but it was a different team on the court today. The intensity and speed where there and smart decisions were being made. It is a shame though that the coverage dropped out at half time as reports say that they dominated further in the 2nd half. Next week will be a good test for the Firebirds to see if they are back on track with an away game to the Sydney Swifts. If the Romelda gets her radar on track and gets her confidence it should be a good trip to Sydney with Pittman, Medhurst, Nourse and Steel all back towards there best.

With Channel Ten receiving a lot of criticism of their coverage recently, they need to ensure things like that don't happen again.  ALso the times of replays need quick addressing if Network Ten wishes to appease the fans whose next step should be complaining to the sponsors and advertisers.  Upset the source of money for Ten and things will improve.

Olympic Legend Murray Rose

Today was a sad day for the world of swimming and Australia.  Murray Rose passed away aged 73 but will always be remembered.  A legend always lives on and that is what Rose is. A four time Olympic Gold medallist who will also be known for his work out of the pool for his role in charity with the Rainbow Club. If you are not familiar with what Murray Rose achieved in his lifetime, when you have some spare time do some reading.

Central Coast Chokers

Seems the Mariners have celebrated winning the Premiers Plate too early and where bundled out by Perth Glory in the Preliminary Final in a penalty shoot-out.  I was not surprised by comments today by Graham Arnold when he said that the ACL was more important and that he may have fielded a weaker side in the Final. Seems like a poor sport to me. Regardless of the sport you always want to win trophies and bragging rights. And if Arnold never really wanted to win then why not field a weaker side in the semi and allow you stars to be fully rested for the upcoming ACL game? With the poor press the game has given itself lately it was not a smart thing to come out and say when you know the media will pick up on any negative comment in football.  But as a Roar fan I was more than happy to see the Mariners choke out of the finals as I a confident that the Roar will make easy work of Perth in the Final.

Weekend Wrap

Easter weekend for me is always about time with family and time to watch plenty of sport. Admittedly though I was just happy to get 4 days break from work to recharge. Add to that the chance to draw a picture that hopefully will raise good money for charity as long as I can get some good publicity and help from outside sources (shameless plug but it is all for a good cause - charity yet to be finalised)

As usual there will still be an NRL Issues of Contention post if you feel I have missed anything on that front.

More to come on this tackle In NRL Issues of Contention

Broncos Hold Off Tigers & Ref

I will openly defend the fact the Broncos had to defeat more than the Tigers outfit on Friday night. How the Tigers were so good in discipline to only concede one penalty shows what a good job Sheens has done in his whining week in week  For a Premiership favourite team it amazes me that people still think the Tigers are aa good team. With so much going in their favour if Benji Marshall was as good as the Channel Nine Commentary box made out then he should have ran riot according to all the press write ups. If the Broncos held on to two passes in the first half it would have been all over by half time and if the Tigers were penalised like other teams for holding down, offside and walking off the mark then Brisbane would have carved them up more. I can also point out two tackles in a row where the sin bin should have been showed in the same way it was shown without hesitation for Jack Reed against South Sydney and he didn't even hold down the player. The Broncos without a doubt are one of the form teams at the moment and that is with their attack not clicking yet in the way that the Storm are. Where the Broncos are dominating though is in defence. Week in week out this Broncos team is showing the basis of a top level team and with a very young squad it is a daunting prospect for other clubs.  Once the attacking flair clicks in this team then the Broncos will be up there with the Storm as the team to beat.  I only hope that Wallace stays off the Origin radar so he is there to guide the team around when it is needed during the Origin period.

Liverpool Just Can't Seem To Win

A draw is better than a loss but too many times has Liverpool drawn at home. Early in the game though there was what should have been a goal when the ball crossed the line before Aston Villa keeper Given stopped it. His sheepish look to the sideline official was enough for all to know what had really happened. If this goal was awarded then maybe the result would have been very different. But it was the failing of Liverpool's attack to convert all the possession and pressure into goals. It seems that Liverpool have a great ability to hit the woodwork with consistency it is amazing that Dalgliesh is not bald from pulling his hair out. Liverpool definitely need to make a change to their roster in the way of a good midfielder and an forward that can convert. Carroll, Henderson and Adam are the ones that I would be looking to trade. They may have talent but it doesn't show itself in the structure that Liverpool play and their error and turnover rate are just not of an acceptable level.

Firebirds Struggling

Only 2 rounds have gone in the ANZ Championship but the Queensland Firebirds are 0 from 2.  Not the start that they were hoping for. Watching the game it appeared that the team is just lacking on speed, intensity and confidence. Things aren't quite working fluidly and as champions when every team wants to beat you, a new level has to be found each week to stay on top as every opposition wants the champions scalp. I am no expert on netball but from what I saw there was definitely a lack of intensity and patience with the ball. Too many turnovers and failure to capitalise on turnovers were costly. I also thought there was an inconsistency in the officials calls at either end which must frustrate the players. When one constantly calls every thing and the other lets a lot go, it does not create a good dynamic in the game and some of te calls or alck of alls were just dumbfounding. Either way though the Firebirds were not the better team on the day but it is early in the season and things can improve from here.

I did enjoy though being able to watch my first game for the season and catch a chance to watch the Firebirds live and will definitely be heading to a game next time I am in Brisbane. It is great for netball that they are getting great coverage on free-to-air and as much as I hate commentators plugging TV shows, I understand that the coverage comes at a cost. What I personally found hard though was identifying the players. As a person with Facial Agnosia it is amazing how they all pretty much look the same. Maybe I just need to watch more game and get used to the players in their position. What could help though is the bibs as I felt they didn't really stand out.  I also found the camera angle could have been higher especially when it came to showing shots on goal. Like basketball I feel it looks better when the angle is above the net not below.

AFL Has Lost Me

As much as I like the Brisbane Lions and still support them the game of AFL has lost me.  Whilst the Lions did not deserve to win, this is a game where the rules and the inconsistent interpretation of the rules has turned me off.  Add to that a game where if any other teams are playing there is no interest factor at all. And a game that thinks expanding and splashing millions of dollars just to have teams losing by massive margins makes you wonder why they bother. Add to this the fanatical one eyed supporters of AFL who love to bag every other code yet scream blue murder when anyone attacks the game of AFL is laughable. I always will always stand by the comment when anyone says that AFL is the best game - "If it is so good why does a hybrid game need to be played against Ireland as the only form of representative fixture that no top level players wants to play. "

Reds are Back Winning

Although I missed the game, I was assured by my Sideline reporter the the Reds were deserving winners regardless of what you read.  As much as the commentators kept trying to say the Red's were lucky , then it is about time. How many times have the Red's copped bad decisions? Seems everytime the Red's lose they are bagged and when they win they are lucky.  And reports have also filtered in that Greg Martin was back to his usual ways and it is amazing that he is even allowed though the gates of Lang Park. If the Reds make the finals again this year, it might be time for a montage of all Martins negative talk about the Red's to be shown, so that when he jumps back on their bandwagon he can be pushed back off whilst htey are at top speed.

Lang park will be a sea of Orange for the A-League Final

Roar Ready For Back To Back

The Central Coast Mariners were always facing an uphill battle to stop Brisbane from hosting the A-League final, needing a 2-0 nil win as a minimum. And when the Roar went up early with a brilliant free kick from Broich (only controversial on Fox and down south) it was a done and dusted game. Mitch Nichols then sealed the result with an excellent first touch to make it 2-0, even Mariners fans must have known that scoring 4 unanswered goals was never going to happen.  Admittedly the mariners did well to claw it back to 2 all, but they never looked like scoring 2 more without letting Brisbane in.  The interesting point to come from the game were the yellow cards to key mariner players. These player now tread dangerous line against Perth with another yellow seeing them miss the final. Brisbane Roar will now be heading into the Final with a week off which is crucial during the ACL championship games and have dealt a psychological blow to the Mariners.

Well I might have upset a few people with some of my comments like I did with comments yesterday about AFL but I will not retract from what I said. As always these are my opinions and I try to write what the media won't. Hopefully what I can do is create positive debate not negative argument.

Weekend Wrap

The winter sporting season is well under way and strangely there is little for me to write about.  Main reason is that when i am busy it means I don't get to see as much sport as usual. My wife will disagree though.  NRL has given me fuel for thought which will be covered in the Issues of Contention article to come, other than that though it is all bad news for the teams I support.

The Liverpool Fans are tearing their hair out

Liverpool, What is going wrong?

Again I frustrated myself by watching another display that sorts out the true fans from the fairweather ones.  I may coach an under 9 Small Sided Football team but even  can see what some of the problems are.  Whatever the tactics are for Dalglish, his roster are not the ones for it.  Yet again the petulant child that appears to be Andy Carroll, failed to show why anyone would pay even a dollar for his services. Constantly everyone is saying, give him time and he is still learning, but with a price tag of 25 million he is beyond the point where a return is required.  Overall the team as a whole is out of form and lacking confidence & belief. Nothing is working as it appears that they do not have the belief in themselves any more. There are elements in the team that need to be changed and only a few changes may be all that are needed.  Liverpool have the players but it is the few spread through the team that hold everyone back. For me the main problem is the midfield ever since the loss of Lucas Leiva through injury. No team will ever be successful if the midfield is short on ability and this is where Liverpool should be focusing their attention in the next transfer window.  That and a good swap for Carroll.

Vent is over, I will continue to support Liverpool FC with passion, but I will not hold back my frustration until things start changing for the better.

Queensland Firebirds


Sadly I missed this game, which is frustrating as I promised myself and told the Firebirds that I would watch the game and then do a write up.  For months I have been looking forward to the start of the season and getting prepared to cover the Firebirds and ANZ Chamionship and show that the football codes aren't the only ones that are strongly followed.  One only has to know how popular my articles on Chelsea Pittman were to realise this.  Even now I am still getting many visits to the site just to read the articles relating to Netball and the Queensland Firebirds.  With that I do hope to be able to watch the next game and give an analysis from a point of view that is not normally seen in the game.  That and my passion for Queensland teams guarantees I will be locking in to watch as often as possible.

AFL

For those that think this game is the only game, here are my thoughts.  Only game I cared about was the one that involved the team that no-one gave a chance. Melbourne Demons Vs Brisbane Lions.  regardless of how much the AFL ruins their game and spectacle I will always follow the Lions with the same passion as any other Queensland team.  Even without the events leading up the the game, no-one down south would have given the Lions a chance playing at the MCG in round 1.  Just shows how sheltered they are in their little goldfish bowl in Melbourne.  Hopefully this continues and the look of the table after round is similar at he end of the season.  If so then you would have only 2 Victorian teams and no Collingwood.  AFL and the Victorians need to accept that if they want their code to be truly National and popular across the country then they need to get familiar to this site.

Brisbane Roaring

I couldn't have a wrap where the one of the most clinical first halves of finals football was not mentioned.  Brisbane Roar easily accounted for Central Coast in the first leg of the A-League semi-final and showed why they are the best team in the competition. Brisbane completely smothered the mariners out of the game and allowed them no time with the ball if letting them have the ball at all. The complete defensive pressure from the defenders to the strikers is how football should be played.  The Mariners may have come back in the second half and played better but there was never any doubt on what the end result would be and going into the next leg  with a 2-0 advantage has Brisbane not only one step closer to another home final but also has the Mariners facing the prospect of topping the table and missing the final.

Also to come will be the next instalment in the "New Force" series about the St Luke's U9 Football side and their first game.  Due to the age of the children, all parents consent must be attained before I can go into detail.  With a 2 week break due to Easter, the delay might be a bit longer than expected and I do not want any child missing out unless otherwise indicated.  What I would like to see though is plenty of encouragement for the team words of wisdom from the elite sporting fraternity to help the team reach their goals.

Chelsea Pitman - Part 2: Sport & The Bigger Issues

Part 2:  Money, Role Models & Charity.

In having the opportunity to interview Chelsea Pitman it gave me the chance to talk about some of the issues in sport besides the expectations of the next season and what drives a person in sport.  I was able to get the perspective from someone inside the game rather than what some panel of former players or sideline expert thinks (myself included).

I for one was surprised that the salary cap for teams in the ANZ Championship in netball was only $260,000.  A paltry amount when you see players in the NRL and AFL who have not even played for their country commanding and demanding million dollar contracts.  Quite simply I put in in plain terms, how much harder is it for women in professional sport to survive financially?  Chelsea did not hesitate and without any doubt the answer was refreshing to hear, "not an issue,  love sport.  Give us a $100 a game and we would still do it".  This could be said for anyone in sport but it was what came next that started to show the true character of Chelsea.

"I would love to do it (play netball) full time, most (players) work full time.  It teaches life experience."

Life is a balance and the players who have to earn money off the field learn how to balance their life.  Is this the lesson in life that our young sportsmen need?  Should clubs be making their young players do more than just train and do preparation for life after the game?  I know that clubs around Australia make their players do more than just train but when you have to work to survive it teaches you humility.

Chelsea is well aware of where netball sits in Australia and knows that when it comes to sponsorship and media coverage there is a pecking order and in Queensland the Firebirds are competing in what is essentially a male dominated arena and Queensland has many teams and very successful teams at that.  With Netball having a great partnership with Network Ten though the slow process of enhancing the game is happening and now the media coverage is good, it should only be a matter of time before netball gets its fair share of general coverage in the mainstream and with that the sponsorship dollars that follow.

When the day comes that women in professional sport can survive through the sport alone, I hope that the culture they presently have does not change.  I don't think it will change though.  One conversation with Chelsea showed a maturity and sensibility in women's sport that is not always there in men's sport.  Behaviour off the field is a reflection of this maturity and sensibility.  This is one that will always get more headlines than a great performance on the field and has many administrators of sport scratching their heads every year.

Rarely if ever will you read a story in the press about a female sports person in an off field incident.  I put this to Chelsea as I wonder whether the lack of spotlight on the players is why little is heard.  Chelsea was adamant that if the media spotlight was there like the NRL and AFL has, there would still be nothing found.  When referring to the Firebirds in particular it was indicated that they are role models naturally which is a sign of their upbringing and environment.  Simply put "If in a uniform or not, it is not hard to behave".

Alcohol is an issue and one that society in general is dealing with and when I mentioned this to Chelsea she stated, "It is a privilege to be where you are", they know there is extra scrutiny and as for maturity and behaving, "It is my job."    It is about the "beginning culture" and having the right leadership groups.  If players are brought into a culture that has problems and the leadership group is part of the problem or refuses to handle it then the culture will not change.

It is because of the great role models women in sport like Chelsea make that should have the media showcasing more of the efforts that are done off the field, especially when you consider that they are holding down full time jobs as well.  Chelsea came across as a natural role model through her maturity and intelligence.  I asked Chelsea about what the Firebirds do for charity as I knew nothing about what they do until I delved deeper.  Currently Netball Queensland have a campaign called Stand Tall which is about spreading the message that "netball will stand up in a time of adversity, now and in the future".  This is a great campaign that has evolved from the flood relief in 2011.  The Firebirds are looking forward to what new ways they can assist the community in the future and have some exciting adventures in the pipeline. Chelsea has become an ambassador for the Zig-Zag Foundation aimed at helping children aged 0-18 who are sick and underprivileged and is looking forward to doing some great work with this foundation by lending her time as much as she can. For Chelsea if she can "pass on some goodness and help change paths" then she knows she has made a difference. As the Firebirds and Netball get bigger in the media Chelsea will look for more involvement in charity.

This interview has really highlighted to me a what surely is obvious to most. Why have male sporting organisations not taken a leaf out of women's sport if they want to improve their public image?  Women's sport do it all without the big money and the horde of sponsors and still get it right. Avoiding bad press is something that men's sport is always dealing with and struggling to fix yet the answer is readily available.  Only trouble is whether or not they are man enough to ask the women how they do it. Because if I was a sponsor I would be wanting to sponsor the team that has the players with positive press stories.

Chelsea Pitman: Grounded and Talented

Part One:  Where from and where to.

Myself & Chelsea Pitman

A Championship & Australian selection and Chelsea Pitman has reached her goals at the age of 23.  Not many sports stars can say they have achieved this.  When you look at where Chelsea was 18 months ago you would not have thought it was in the making, well not so quickly anyway.

After 2 years in the AIS Netball Program in 2008-09 and gaining selection in the Australian Netball Team for the World Youth Cup in 2009 there was no doubt that Chelsea had talent and potential.  When the Mercury Energy Taxtix offered her an opportunity, Chelsea had no hesitation in crossing the Tasman to further develop her skills in Christchurch and start her career in the ANZ Championship. What Chelsea did not foresee was a serious ACL injury in round six that would end her season and ultimately have her looking for a new team for 2011.

Instead of playing out a debut season and being well on her way towards her goals, Chelsea was instead going through rehab.  No sports person ever plans for major injury and especially a young aspiring talent. With a great support network and family to help her Chelsea was able to focus on rehabilitation and just saw it as a vital step in her path back to sport and at times felt that rehab could not be done quick enough.  Adding to the frustration of rehabilitation was the prospect of also having to find a new club to play for.  It must be stated at this point that Chelsea holds no grudges or bad feelings towards the Taxtix as sport is a business and injury or not she was only on a 12 month contract.

Interest had been received from the Queensland Firebirds and Chelsea knew that if she was to be a chance for National selection, playing for an Australian based team would improve her chances immensely.  Even though she was from Sydney, Chelsea wanted to know more about the Firebirds and asked around her contacts on what the Firebirds' setup was like.  Chelsea knew the Firebirds had an "Amazing Coach in Rose" (Roselee Jencke) and all the feedback was positive. This is a team that had a good culture, their training was intense and the team was in their prime.  This is a team that would suite Chelsea in the way they trained and played.  When I asked why she chose a team that had previously never finished higher than fifth when her goals included winning a championship, the answer came swiftly. "The Firebirds were a good team in the past, they just needed to learn how to win."  Chelsea never had any doubt that the Firebirds could win the championship.

One season and 15 games later, the Firebirds had won the title undefeated and Chelsea had now achieved one of her main goals.  What Chelsea did not expect was to be called into the National Team to play for the Diamonds.  Within 12 months of getting back on the court Chelsea has achieved her goals and now preparing for the 2012 season is in new territory.  Sitting with her and talking about the past and also what the future holds, I can be nothing but impressed.  Chelsea is heading into her first pre-season ever injury free and is excited to see how far she can go and what limits she can push herself to.  Chelsea does not want to be a "one hit wonder" she may have reached her goals but now the posts have been reset.  Now the goals include another winning year and to be a regular for national selection. It is not hard to see Chelsea reaching her new set goals as this young woman is very grounded and yet to reach her peak.

In 2012 it will be more of the same for the Firebirds and Chelsea.  The Firebirds have retained the majority of their squad and only have two changes to their squad welcoming Shannon Eagland and Jacinta Messer into their fold.  Training will be just as intense and there is no extra pressure or expectation within the team, this is a team that is well coached and managed off the field. Heading into the pre-season competition that will be featuring all the teams in the ANZ championship for the first time the Firebirds are wanting to do well but it will be used more fore working on combinations and getting ready for the season proper.   The last thing the Firebirds want is to peak early and get serious injuries to players.

One of the best things you could do this year is to see this team play and from all reports tickets are still available but they might no be for long if 2012 continues on a winning note.  Round one is starting on April 1 for the Firebirds, but if you can't get to a  game channel Ten is scheduled to show all the games on Ten or One and there will be plenty of live games shown as well.  For more information of scheduling visit ANZ Championship Home Site.

Continuing in Part 2 will be more in depth discussion on sport off the field and it was when discussing these aspects I found a great respect for Chelsea and the maturity that is beyond her years.  I will go on to discuss the difference for women in sport compared to men and the isssue of role models and charity work.  And I look forward to being able to write many more articles on this talented team from Queensland.