Pubcast Episode 3

Hey, grab a beer, knock the top off, sit down and join in on the conversation as MD & the Sideline Reporter discuss the sporting week at the Coral Cove Resort.

Also the Sideline reporter explains why he dressed up as Santa and went for a run on a Sunday morning. I am trying to find some photo evidence.

Howzat: The test is over and what an shambolic performance by Australia, but who is to blame. Is the new Test lineup the right way to go? Also the BBL has started and a quick review is made and a bit of a laugh is had as the new technology is discussed. Even a flasher gets a mention in this segment. And we are still plugging #givebenabowl & #givejoeago

I See Red:  The A-League is in trouble if the standard of refereeing stays the same and the match review officials keep making poor decisions after Broich was sent off for doing nothing and the Sydney FC player gets away with a stomping tackle to the back of a leg with no case to answer. Don't be surprised if MD gives his beloved Liverpool FC a mention as well after they qualified top of their group in the Europa League.

Game In Heaven:  Finally it is known what Folau is doing, but is he chasing money or seriously trying to challenge himself and set a great record of being the best multi-sport international? A chance isn't missed either to mention the All Blacks lost to England either.

Simply The Best:  That Bronco's Jersey, ground breaking, slightly different but we like it. Was it designed before the shoulder charge was banned?

Awards: 

Might be a few contenders for the Marto Award. If you watch the cricket you might understand why some or most of the commentators get a mention. Some unkind words about one in particular too.

The Bryce nomination was a unanimous decision and if the FFA keep getting themselves nominated it could be upgraded to the man at the top. The Muppet.

Also it has been decided that the poor form award will be known as the SSO Fail ward. MD self nominated here for failing to have any nominations but the challenge is out there.

Don't forget there is a challenge for South Sydney fans to turn up to the pubcast.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

 

Pubcast Episode 2

We didn't stuff up too much last week and turned out for another recording of the Sporting Sport Opinions Pubcast from the bar at Coral Cove Resort.

In another pro-Australian & Queensland Episode we delved into a few issues that occurred over the last week while we enjoyed a few Summers in preparation for the start of summer.. We don't like being dull but the mention of the word brings to though only one thing - South Africa's batting. Ricky Ponting's retirement gets a mention as well as the selection decision for the 3rd test and who should of been there. #givebenabowl is a growing campaign.

Rugby is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Is Quade Cooper a boxer or chasing money like Folau & is the IRB judiciary a farce to scared to deal harsh punishments after a meagre suspension to Andrew Hore. The Kiwi's start copping a bit of flack but it is all in good jest.

If you are a South Sydney supporter then this is worthy of a listen as we give the Falcon a mention as we announce an interesting challenge. Also a sneak peak for the Brisbane Heat fans in put out as a teaser.

Reports may have been circulating of Bundaberg's own "Pump Up The Volume" occurring on the coast but a visit from the boys in blue ensured that the pubcast is ok.

The Awards wrap things up as more candidates put their hand up for the Marto, Bryce & Poor Form award. Listener nominations are always welcome but need to be backed up with photo, video evidence or just a well written reason. 

As always we thank you for listening and welcome your thoughts and comments.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Weekend Wrap

Another installment of the weekend wrap and all being well it should be a regular item again.



Was It A Good Draw?

Australia had South Africa on the ropes in Adelaide in the 2nd test match but down a strike bowler in Pttinson, they couldn't deliver the final punch required to seal the victory. Many in the media have spent the day talking about how great an effort it was by both sides but in particular South Africa for holding onto a draw but I would beg to differ.  Whilst a close draw can be exciting and have you on the edge of your seat, it can also be crowd killing. Like it or not the modern game is constantly under threat from the shorter format with society now demanding results and exciting cricket.

After a draw in Brisbane it was looking like Adelaide was going to end in a result after Australia scored so quickly in the first innings.On a pitch that produced a first innings score of 550 @ 5.12 runs per over, South Africa seemed to dawdle in their first dig to score 388 @ 3.18 rpo. Maybe the pitch was starting to slow up but with Australia scoring at 3.81 runs in their 2nd innings it seemed that it wasn't a testing pitch to score runs on.

This is where I get frustrated with South Africa. Their run rate ability. Although they lost early wickets on day four, no one would have expected a run rate of 1.68.  To highlight how slow they went, AB de Villiers faced the most balls without scoring a boundary in test cricket. His return of 33 runs off 220 balls is not going to attract people to test cricket.

You may think I am being overly critical but I look at it differently.  If South Africa took a more pro-active approach to their batting they may have even changed the result of the first test match when Amla & Kallis meandered along once they were settled into their innings. Then you take the 2nd test match. There were no demons in the pitch so if they managed to get an extra run every second over in the first innings there is another 60 runs. Then take the second innings and if they look to score at a pedestrian 3 an over there is an extra 140 odd runs. South Africa at the close of play were 181 runs short of the target Australia set. Although attacking cricket may have seen more wickets and a loss to South Africa, it is a sign that their negative mindset when at the crease is not going to win them matches like this. Considering they are the number one test match it is an interesting scenario. Imagine how exciting the game would have been if South Africa were close to the target.

Where Now For The Roar

Something is amiss in Brisbane and the team is on the verge of imploding. Every other team and the media are more than happy to stick the daggers into Brisbane during the struggle they are in, so they need to show resolve and not tear each other apart in the down times. Comments that have been coming from the coach are some that may be better said behind closed doors. If Brisbane keep on playing like they are I expect them to be chasing a coach soon. As everyone knows, it is easier to change a coach then a playing roster. Look for a mention of the McBreen tackle on Smith in Friday's pubcast.

Up And Away

On a beautiful Friday evening typical of Queensland, my sideline reporter and I sat down to record the first pubcast for Sporting Sport Opinions. We were venturing into unknown territory but had great faith in our idea and after 44 minutes a calypso high five was produced. With no hitches during the show we will recording our pubcast every Friday afternoon at the Coral Cove Resort in the bar area. If you are ever in Bundaberg feel free to drop in and watch and hang around for a chat. Who knows you might even feel the urge to participate and discuss the sporting world.

Debut Podcast By The Reef Episode 1

With nervous excitement after weeks of planning the scene was set for the debut podcast out of the bar at the Coral Cove Bistro on the scenic Coral Cove Golf Coarse overlooking the ocean. Some choice beverages were ready, the equipment tested and we were ready to go.

Not knowing what we were really delving into, my sideline reporter - Johnnyjojoshabadoo aka John and myself cracked the first beer and we were off. It was harder trying to figure out how to upload the audio to i-tunes then it was to do the show. 

The debut episode covered:

Introduction:

Welcome to the first ever Sporting Sport Opinions Podcast. Taking in all things sport that the media won't delve into. No subject is unwarranted but a warning must be in place. If you are looking for a neutral Commentary on the sporting world then you have tuned into the wrong place. We will be unashamedly bias towards all things Australian, furthermore we are Queenslanders and proud of the fact.

Straight off the bat - The Test match, is Michael Clarke a once in a generation player?

The NRL Draw - who won, the fans, the clubs or Channel 9?

Shoulder Charge - An issue that won't die.

ARU - Do they understand contracts in sport or is it a tactic to remove Quade Cooper

Is Beckham Coming to the A-League or is Gallop just dreaming?

SSO Awards - Bryce Lawrence nomination for Bias & The Poor Form Nomination

Thoughts for the weekend and sporting highlight of the week.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Shoulder Charge Banned

The Australian Rugby League Commission has made the extraordinary decision to ban the shoulder charge at all levels of the NRL from 2013.  After reviewing a detailed report into shoulder charges it deemed that they pose an unacceptable risk in the game.

Reviewing some of the statistics that have been highlighted by the ARLC is it really that big a problem?


Statistcs noted are as follows:

Shoulder charges made up .05% of tackles in 2012.

So of the 142,355 tackles there were 71 shoulder charges. In the NRL season there were 201 matches which equates to one shoulder charge every 2.8 games.

5% of shoulder charges resulted in injury to either the defensive (1%) or the offensive (less than 4%) player.

So of the 71 shoulder charges effectively 4 tackles caused injury. 1 to a defensive player and 3 to an attacking player. One could argue that more players are injured due to poor ground conditions.

Essentially the ARLC has imposed a ban on a tackle that occurs every 2.8 games and results in injury every 40th game played. Rugby League is a high impact game where big hits are a large part of what draws the crowd. Has it made a rash decision to stamp out a play that it could have just imposed suspensions for high contact when it occurred. Whilst the safety of players needs to be paramount the ARLC also needs to ensure that it doesn't change the fabric of the game in the process. I can't see the ARLC getting too many supporters or players on their side with this decision even it is a tackle that occurs very rarely.

For a more detailed look into the shoulder charge ban go to my article on Armchair Selector -

Shoulder Charge Bane - Proactive or Reactive?

What Is The A.R.U. Doing?

With reports abound that Quade Cooper has quit Australian Rugby, the wisdom of the officials has to be questioned. Although nothing official has been announced, the ARU has placed Cooper in a position where no positive outcome can be seen for the game.

Since the World Cup, Cooper has been the scapegoat for the ARU and media alike for everything that is going wrong with the Australian team. When Cooper made alegations of a toxic environment and imposed a fine of $40,000 and a suspended 3 match ban for his comments, there was only going to be one of two outcomes. Cooper accepted the punishment and both parties move on in a positive direction.

Instead it seems that the ARU felt that Cooper still needed to be punished and offered a new contract that can only be seen as either an insult or a sign to Cooper that he was no longer wanted. Why would the ARU offer a 24 year old player, who at his peak is one of the best game breakers in the game and undeniably the best in his position, a low-grade incentive contract that is usually the norm for rookie players who are yet to establish themselves at the top level. 

Considering the Rugby Union Players Association questioned the severity of the punishment and whether or not it was allowable under the collective bargaining agreement now gains more momentum. If the ARU is seen to be punishing Cooper further then it can only be seen that he is no longer wanted in Australian Rugby but instead of cancelling his contract which may have led to legal action they have tried to make Cooper quit.

If the reports of Cooper quitting are just a smokescreen to test the ARU and see if they offer a topped up contract is a gamble that may end poorly for both. Cooper is obviously on the outer in an organisation that has shown it has little regard for his services and if he is bluffing he will find he is looking for a new job very quickly. Is this how the ARU wants to be seen though? If Cooper walks away from the game the ARU might find more stories start coming to light and they won't be in a position to sanction or punish.

If Cooper does walk away from the game and blames the ARU then it will be interesting to see the reaction from the Queensland Reds. Will they look to take action against the ARU for compensation, which they would be quite entitled to do. 

It won't be long until the truth is known but the sentiments will stay the same. Quade Cooper is right. The ARU is toxic and it needs a clean out. Not of players though, this time the officials need to be evaluated.

It's Just Un-Australian

Bundaberg Rum is pulling out of sponsorship of all Australian sport and only focusing on international sporting events. If my sources are correct this is a major blow to the NRL at a time when it cannot afford to lose major sponsors after Harvey Norman also pulled out earlier in the year as the major sponsor of State of Origin.

As a resident of Bundaberg it is intriguing to hear that an Iconic Australian drink no longer wants to be associated with sport within the country and is only focused on the international scene. This would indicate that Bundaberg Rum is preparing to make a global launch of it's brand.

The NRL currently states Bundaberg Rum as "the proud naming-rights sponsor of Bundaberg Friday Night Football, Bundaberg Super Saturday Football and the official dark rum of the National Rugby League".  This highlights either the NRL don't know yet or are waiting for an official announcement from the international owners, Diageo, before any statements are made. If the facts are true, the NRL needs to make a move quickly in a market where sponsorship if highly competitive.

Diageo also needs to be careful in how it handles this situation. Everyone know Bundaberg Rum is a well established drink within Australia but a poorly handled change in sponsorship strategy that may be seen as Un-Australian could have a damaging effect on the brand that may cost more than what the sponsorship did.