tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63539778613484762162010-03-18T00:46:15.150-07:00As We See ItThat's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-20781360137008670042008-06-27T20:44:00.001-07:002008-06-27T20:44:52.121-07:00Thank Heaven for Little GirlsToday’s just confirms what everyone outside Manly is thinking.<br /><br />Jamie Lyon is an overrated oaf.<br /><br />I said it last year before he got towelled up by Greg Inglis and now he’s gone and done it again.<br /><br />He’s publicly declared he has no desire to play for NSW this season, after snubbing them earlier for origin II as well.<br /><br />Craig Bellamy, the Newcastle Knights and the Brisbane Broncos have all called for him to be stood down due to the clause in player contracts that if they reject representative selection that they should be similarly unavailable for their clubs.<br /><br />Is he scared of losing?<br /><br />Probably, he snubbed selection in Origin II and NSW were belted.<br /><br />His opposite man ran all over Mark Gasnier in that match and would have been set to do so again down in Sydney.<br />Maybe he’s afraid of Greg Inglis?<br /><br />Or, maybe he is just confirming that he is THE MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN THE GAME, playing for the most overrated club in the history of the game.<br /><br />When Manly’s CEO was asked if Lyon should be stood down for moral reasons, his response was “I suggest Steve (Knights CEO Steve Burraston) check his facts. I can’t see any reference to morals.”<br /><br />I’m sure you don’t Mr. Mayer, and I’ll bet in all your time at the club (and probably in your extensive administrative career) you haven’t encountered them anywhere else either.<br /><br />You see, that’s why Manly are so hated.<br /><br />Never in his thinking did it occur to Greg Mayer that when a player is asked if he is available for representative duty (regardless of whether he was actually picked) and says no, then he logically should be unavailable for club duty too.<br /><br />Sure, to the letter of the law, he wasn’t actually picked, but then why bother picking him if two selectors and the coach phone the guy and he says no?<br /><br />Seems futile, doesn’t it?<br /><br />I would be entirely surprised if the Manly camp even entered into a moral discussion as to whether this was the right course of action to take.<br /><br />It certainly doesn’t seem so from the mouth of their spokesman.<br /><br />I can guarantee for a fact (Thanks HG Nelson) that almost all of the other NRL clubs would have stood their player down immediately.<br /><br />In fact I’m of the opinion that he’s at Manly only because no other clubs would want him.<br /><br />Speculation continues that he will be targeted by UK super league again next year in a four year $1.6m; Manly may also benefit to the tune of a $1m transfer fee to release the ‘five-eighth’.<br /><br />As far as I’m concerned (and let me tell you, I’ve replaced the following phrase about nine times so that it can be published) he can make like a shepherd and get the flock out of here.<br /><br />I hope they take the CEO too.<br /><br />And that’s how I’m seeing it.<br /><br />Mickos.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-2078136013700867004?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>Mickoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544272944660547720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-5503773223767316542008-06-27T08:29:00.000-07:002008-06-27T08:50:23.870-07:00Origin II, 2008 - The RantAs I floated home from Suncorp Stadium in a wave of Euphoria, I made a promise to issue a written apology to Darius Boyd, the two-try hero in Queensland's record-equalling 30-blot drubbing of the Blues in Wednesday night's second origin encounter.<br /><br />During the week I had intimated to all those who would listen and many who wouldn't that Boyd wasn't in the class of player required for origin football. Sure, he is a solid club player and a more than adequate try scorer but not in the top two or three outside backs in the game, particularly as he would be assigned the Fubster (or the shimmy shimmy whoosh man – Mark Gasnier) who terrorised the left defence in Origin I.<br /><br />But handle it he did in fine fashion, scoring two tries, albeit on the back of some outstanding work from Greg Inglis, showing a clean pair of heels to score a double on debut.<br /><br />This punter, one of only 52,000 rugby league experts to attend what many have described as the most knowledgeable and intellectual gathering of minds ever assembled in any sporting stadium anywhere in the world (cop that Willie Mason) had adjudicated that the selection of Harrison and Boyd at the expense of Hodges (suspension) and PJ Marsh was still no recipe for success. <br /><br />Game one was a selection debacle – Karmichael Hunt (as much as my respect has grown for him enormously this season) is no playmaker and Queensland looked lost for options in attack. And no Scott Prince.<br /><br />What does the man have to do? <br /><br />Prince was underrated in game II, with many criticising his usually pinpoint kicking game. I thought Prince was an excellent foil for Thurston and indeed took the pressure off both playmakers having multiple options on either side of the ruck. <br /><br />For the first time in what seemed like years fans were treated to two playmakers in unison, attacking interchangeably, at first or second receiver, or one on the left, one of the right, alternating scheming runs to the line with good support angles and, most importantly, proper depth in attack.<br /><br />It was rugby league in the days of yore, and it was brilliant to watch.<br /><br />Mal Meninga must take credit for one of the best tactical performances I have seen by any coach. The backline for Queensland got it just about spot on on every occasion, with great combinations and sublime skills and execution. Sure, a few kicks didn't quite find the mark, but if they did the score would have been a lot worse for the sky blue boys.<br /><br />Given a few years in partnership and Thurston and Prince might even be in the same heady echelon of greatness as Langer and Lewis, Daley and Stuart, Fittler and Johns.<br /><br />Queensland's defensive tactics were even better.<br /><br />Credit must go to the forwards who were a different unit to the one dominated in game I.<br /><br />Price and Civoniceva were evergreen up front and showed that experience (and a big ticker) counts in important matches. Thaiday and Hannant were also good performers off the bench, with Thaiday's work rate out of his own end particularly impressive.<br /><br />But I have special mention for Michael Crocker. Queensland will sorely miss this man when he joins the exodus to the UK next season. His hard running and outstanding defence were a real highlight, exemplified by his 80m support effort in the dying stages. Perhaps if he hadn't tackled and run himself to a standstill in the first 75 minutes he would have been able to bend down and reel in the final pass having made a tackle during the play, and run 80m in support, extending the Queensland lead into a record margin.<br /><br />Harrison and Johnson tackled themselves to a similar standstill, and Tate racked up an almost unbelievable 35 tackles out in the centres protecting Thurston and Prince.<br /><br />Queensland were smart too, and extremely well disciplined and organised. Nowhere more so was this evident than in the defensive tactics in protecting Scott Prince and Jonathon Thurston. Each were assigned a minder or two in defence and began each set of six either defending on the wing or one in.<br /><br />As the set progressed each playmaker moved slowly towards the centre of the ruck as NSW moved their attack wider, a clear display of the nous Meninga has extracted from himself and his staff.<br /><br />Also worthy of mention was the defence of Karmichael Hunt – outstanding in game I, he continued in game II, making devastating tackles in a roving role, moving from fullback to the outside backs, and enjoying a stint at lock during the second half.<br /><br />He didn't look out of place either.<br /><br />Despite an odd looking line-up the Queensland side looked better balanced, more aggressive and more hungry than NSW.<br /><br />So where to for the blues?<br /><br />Well, I have been saying it for some time - I don't rate Greg Bird as a five-eighth, in a similar way that I don't rate Hunt as a five-eighth. Sure, he is dominant in rep fixtures when the side is dominant in the forwards and the side has such momentum that he can function as a devastating ball runner with the ability to offload the football, while providing plenty of starch in defence. Actually that's the definition of what a lock forward should do.<br /><br />Having said that – you don't win three consecutive man-of-the-match awards for your state and country being a complete muppet – the man clearly has talent. The reason Bird has been so dominant in recent rep fixtures is that his forwards have been so dominant that the side needs only the dummy-half and halfback as creative options – without them in game II he was found lacking in creativity.<br /><br />The worst flaw though was the kicking options – when your forward pack is eating up the yards field position comes easy and there isn't any pressure on the kicker, as Thurston and Smith found to their detriment in game I. <br /><br />Bird's almost non-existent kicking game highlighted NSW lack of options in game II when searching for much needed field position; Peter Wallace was hounded all night by the best charge-down merchant in the game in Steven Price as NSW were starved of genuine long or short kicking options.<br /><br />As a Queenslander I am much more concerned when he and Paul Gallen form part of what continues to be a devastating back row. <br /><br />Surely Braith Anasta can shake off his tag as the game's most overrated player (a mantle now firmly cemented by Manly's Jamie Lyon) and grasp a firm hold on the six jumper for the next few years with a solid return <br /><br />While Peter Wallace struggles to recover from his ruptured lefty, Kurt Gidley, Jarrod Mullen, Brett Finch and Mitchell Pearce all come into contention for the other halves spot. Don't rule out Todd Carney though; as this goes to press he is running a swathe of destruction through the hapless Bulldogs – his turn may have arrived.<br /><br />In the engine room up front though, they need to consider taking more than one specialist front rower into the game; Jason Ryles, Luke Bailey and Brent Kite should come into consideration.<br /><br />On the plus side though I thought that Brett Stewart slightly outpointed Billy Slater at fullback, mainly because so much was asked of him in the last line of defence that he had to be right on his game all night.<br /><br />Queensland showed that genuine creativity and multiple options can be devastating – lets hope they keep the same side for game III.<br /><br />With Lockyer all but ruling himself out origin III one thing is for certain – he will become miraculously available sometime in the next 72 hours and be rushed into the squad.<br /><br />Which means someone will miss out.<br /><br />Cue Scott Prince.<br /><br />What does the man have to do?<br /><br />I for one hope that Prince is in...<br /><br />Long Live the Prince!<br /><br />Bring on the decider!<br /><br /><em>That's how I'm seeing it,<br />Mickos.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-550377322376731654?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-1642415655574579102008-05-23T09:24:00.000-07:002008-05-23T09:30:56.917-07:00Twenty Miles of Hope, Six Miles of TruthOkay, so maybe the title is a little facetious, but last week I completed my first ever marathon, and I can tell you it is the absolute truth. The marathon distance is just over 26 miles / 42 kilometres, based on some Greco-Persian war two and a half thousand years ago. In layman's terms: a bloody long way (think of the town you live in and where you could get to in 42 kilometres of road).<br /><br />In what was more of a drunken dare gone terribly wrong, I found myself at the starting line amidst a good few thousand competitors in the Belfast City Marathon (unfortunately one of the more difficult ones due to a massive hill smack in the middle of the course) last Monday morning (on the May Day holiday). I'd actually done some proper training for it (three months, which is woefully inadequate for this sort of event), so there was a decent chance I'd survive and maybe even get through the race within the time limit. I wasn't interested in racing anyone really, I just wanted to make it to the end of an entire marathon, one of life's big achievements. As anyone who's done something like this before knows, competing against yourself is the purist form of competition.<br /><br />Moving through the seventeen mile mark, I was unbelievably feeling good (experiencing what actual runners refer to as the "runners high"). Unfortunately I went hurtling into "the wall" at about the nineteen mile mark. It wasn't that the pain got particularly worse (though that was still definitely a factor), but it was more like someone showed up, handed me a fridge and said "mate could you just carry this to the finish line for me?".<br /><br />The last three or four miles (still carrying my invisible fridge) were seriously hard work. My knees were badly hurt at this point, hips and ankles were killing me and my feet were floating around on a sea of blisters (when I took off my shoes after the race my feet took on a disturbing similarity to bubble wrap). I swore during those last thirty or forty minutes that I'd never do this again and would NEVER accept that "it wasn't that bad". The crowd lining the route were very generous with their encouragement, which helped a lot, plus the idea of raising more money for my charity (the Red Cross), indiscriminant sprays of my knees with painkiller and my utter refusal to stop moving (call it stubbornness, ticker, maybe that Australian "don't know when you're beat" attitude, or plain and simple stupidity) got me to the finish.<br /><br />Phew, so I made it in the end! One of the volunteers handed me the finishers medal, which I just stared at for ages. I'll probably frame it one day... when I eventually take it off. That night was spent numbing my body from the inside out (via enormous quantities of Harp lager and Irish whiskey), which gave me a headache in the morning to take my mind off the leg pain.<br /><br />It took me a couple of days before I could get up off the couch without a major ordeal, and about a week before I stopped limping. The good news is that I managed to raise about 400 pounds for charity, which was a big bonus. I even did a little light training today and am feeling good. In hindsight I guess it wasn't that bad...<br /><br /><i>That's how I'm seeing it<br />Al.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-164241565557457910?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-43536386429637072482008-03-06T06:04:00.000-08:002008-03-06T06:11:09.173-08:00What's in a (Nick)Name?The current nickname problem in the Australian cricket side as some of the old school starts to call it quits is one that can quickly get away from you. In five years time we could be looking at a team full of "Robbo's", "Mitch's" and "Clarkie's", and suddenly we've got a crisis on our hands. I don't think it's any coincidence that the brightest period of Australian cricket (and as seriously dominant display in a genuinely international sport as ever there was) coincided with the highest level of nickname originality and imagination ever (Tugga, Junior, The Sheik of Tweak and one of my favourites Savlon just to name a few).<br /><br />I'm happy with Buck (Mike Rogers) and The Trap (Phil Jacques), they're definitely working for me and are showing some positive signs for the future. Mitch is just not cutting it, although Notch might be a suitable interim nickname while we debate the pros and cons of Bonk vs Jenny vs Stumpy. This brings us to Stuart Clark and the genius that is the "Wendy Jr" nickname, which feets him like a glove, or indeed like Warnie's protection of choice as he takes yet another supermodel's temperature with his all-beef thermometer.<br /><br />You can't deny the proportional relationship between awesome nicknames and awesome sporting performances (just think Master Blaster, the Human Highlight Reel, Voss the Boss or King Wally, even The Don). Strength coaches, conditioning coaches, fielding coaches and sports psychologists are all well and good, but where the real success and longevity lies is in nickname coaches. It's time our cricket team got a jump start in this department, keeping us a step ahead of the opposition – and I know just the two bloggers to do it!<br /><br /><em>That’s how I’m seeing it,<br />Al “Doctor Colossus” McCabe.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-4353638642963707248?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-62791678360866668282008-01-11T05:45:00.000-08:002008-03-06T06:03:03.950-08:00The Spirit of the Game?If you live in a serious cricket playing country you'd have to be living under a rock not to hear about the furore surrounding the second test between Australia and India (Jan 2-6). The test itself was one of the best matches in a long, long time, going down to the wire with the Aussies taking three wickets to win it in what would have been the second last over of the contest. Not to mention the fact that this win equals the all time record for consecutive test victories at sixteen.<br /><br /><p>Unfortunately a couple of incidents during the match (and several after), greatly overshadowed what should have been a showpiece for the game. Allegations of racial abuse (from an Indian player, directed at an Australian) and "cheating" umpires have been levelled, and shamefully India has seen fit to attempt to hold the cricket world to ransom by threatening to cancel the tour if the suspension for racial abuse of their "golden boy" Harbhajan Singh isn't overturned (and probably want him nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize...).<br /><br />A lot of abuse is now being thrown at the Australian cricket team for being too aggressively competitive (although while playing entirely within the rules of the game, throwing everything at your opposition is <i>surely</i> what's expected of an elite professional sports team!?), allegations of claiming catches that weren't caught, and of falsifying the racial abuse claim. I can't help but think that if the Indian tail didn't crumble in the dying minutes, and they'd managed a draw, Steve Bucknor wouldn't have been dropped as an umpire and the whinging and threats would be a lot quieter.</p><p>Then all of a sudden the halo over Harbajan's head ("he'd never do anything like this") slipped when the news broke that <a href="http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23030835-23212,00.html" target="_blank">Harbhajan has a history of racial abuse</a>. This prompted the MAIT blog author Mickos into action - please excuse the sarcasm:</p><p>To summarise the Indian team’s complaints and to borrow a well worn summary device:</p><ol><li><em>Harbhajan didn’t say anything to Symonds</em>: Actually this would be the second time that Symonds has received this abuse, the first time he let it slide. Odd actions from Symonds,<br />supposedly a racially motivated player playing against the spirit of the game. <p>One player here is racially abusive, the other is not.<br /></p><li><em>Match referee Mike Procter refused to take the Indian’s word against Australia’s</em>: One only has to recall the supposed absence of racially motivated chanting in India during the last one-day series that was strenuously denied by the BCCI as having never taken place; that is, until there was photographic evidence proving otherwise. Australia were<br />obviously making that up then and they are still just as insane now.<br /><p>One side is in denial here, the other is not.<br /></p><li><em>Australia don’t walk</em>: Neither do India. Neither does any other test playing, second tier, provincial, state, county, first grade, second grade, or under 12 primary school third eleven anywhere in the world. Nor does it happen in many other sports. Would Thorpie have stopped racing because he thought he got slightly too good a start? Would Joey Johns hand the ball over to the opposition five metres out from his own line because he spotted a small knock on by the front rower playing him the ball? I could go on here, actually I will do; did Fabio Grosso admit that he took a filthy, under-handed, cheating dive to put Australia out of the 2006 soccer World Cup? <p>Did Sourav Ganguly or Ishant Sharma walk in the last test match? I think not. No-one has walked in 50 years in Test cricket except for Gilchirst. And he’s one of the Australians who’s allegedly most culpable for not playing in the spirit of the game. No, the Aussies don’t walk en masse, but at least they leave when they are given out, and as a community are not taking to burning effigies in the street if a decision in a game doesn't go the way they want.<br /><br />One side respects the decision of the officials here, the other does not.</p></li><li><em>Australia claim catches that weren’t taken and unduly influence the umpire</em>: Refer to the pre-test agreement on catches, ie. if the fielder claims the catch it's out. Both replays proved that Clarke and Ponting took fair catches. Fact. As for the influencing of the umpire, one of the catches in contention here was given not out. Not a single complaint was made by an Australian against the decision.<br /><p>One side appeals excessively, the other does not.<br /></p><li><em>The umpires are cheating whiteys (or darkies, or something)</em>: Yes India got the raw end of a very large pineapple in the second test. So did Kumar Sangakarra in the Sri Lankan tour, as did Sachin Tendulkar in the last tour, Brian Lara before him and Michael Vaughan probably did too somewhere in between. We remember these decisions because they went against the opposition’s gun bat (well, except for Vaughan...). That’s why we remember them, because it affected the opposition’s chance to mount a contest because their side seriously lacked depth. Australia have obviously gotten a few raw ones too, Kasprowicz in the ashes comes to mind (again because it was a big one), and it wasn’t so long ago that two neutral umpires were brought into the game to curb poor home town decisions – where were the majority of those again? At the end of the day, you get just as many pineapples as you do supermodels. Just ask Warney. <p>One side is having a big whinge, the other is not.<br /></p><li><em>Australia sledge the opposition</em>: True, and we have been for years. Nothing new there. What is new is the increase in the amount of off-field verbal coming out of the Indian team of late (instigated by their good selves I might add) and nothing is being said about their spirit of cricket pledge. Actually they don’t have one. For what it’s worth I think their "I’m not taking this sh*t lying down" attitude is great – its almost Australian and can you guess who gave it to them? That’s right – an Australian, one G. Chappell. All great but you can’t have it both ways boys. Either put up or shut up. As Will Smith would say – don’t start notin’, won’t be notin’ aaeeiit?</li><p>Both sides are guilty as sin, thus ruining my cunning summary device.</p></ol><p>Finally, a mea culpa for the Aussies. They may play tough cricket but need to behave better under the pump. Having been on the received end of a few hidings in my career its no fun, even if you are winning. I’m not surprised Ponting gets the shits, as well he might if things are going badly. Unfortunately with a higher standard of play comes a higher moral obligation to the game as well it seems – gone are the days where "Captain Grumpy" becomes a cult hero in Australia. Remember the last time you had a shitty day at the office – was Australia calling for your sacking and did your coworkers threaten to go home for the rest of the week? I sure hope not. Now, Ponting is crucified by his press and effigies of him (and the umpires too) are burned across India. Don’t get me started on the racial and personal vilification there, not to mention a complete lack of respect for officialdom.<br /><br />One must also feel sorry for Anil Kumble as he has not yet managed to impart his own disctinctive tough but fair style of play on some of his team mates. Most of them have got it spot on and are to be commended; more power to them if they stand up to be counted on the field and put on some competitive performances.<br /><br />Both sides need to settle this the old fashioned way – get together at the end of the day’s play for a beer. There’s too little of that these days and is the leading contributor to the us-and-them mentality so clear in evidence here.<br /><br />At the end of the day if India want to go home – let them. They were down 2-nil anyway. Bring on the Kiwis and the Sarfies – or dare I say it, Australia A.<br /><br /><i>That's how I'm seeing it,<br />Mickos (and Al).</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-6279167836086666828?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-59975921186184270832008-01-02T05:38:00.000-08:002008-03-06T05:44:18.859-08:00What Makes a Good Team?Apologies in advance for attempting to introduce an intellectual discussion into a sports blog, but bear in mind, we were <i>very</i> drunk at the time this originally happened.<br /><p>Mickos (my MAIT partner in crime), myself, and five other dwarves (long story) were on a plane to Wales to watch the Wallabies play the Welsh in a rugby test match. It was in celebration of the birthdays for myself and my brother in law, which happen to fall on the same day. We'd arrived at the airport a couple of hours early and needless to say, we all made a bee-line to the bar. About twelve rounds later we managed to get ourselves on the plane and were on our way.<br /><br />Mickos and I were easing into a couple of in-flight refreshments and, as we tend to do this many beers in, started an intellectual (in most cases, this term fits rather loosely) discussion on some aspect of sport. On this occassion the topic was "what makes a 'good' team?", and my explanation ended up coming out pretty well so I thought I'd share it here.</p><p>The angle I was coming from actually started because I was reading a book on Zen Buddhism (longer story), called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Anyway, we started out by thinking about it as the qualities of the team itself (leadership, quick thinking, mental toughness etc.), but it quickly became apparent that the "goodness" of a team can't be measured objectively like this. The reason is that a team that displays these desirable qualities on one level (for example, the champions of the local state or province), when compared to a team chosen for a higher level (say, for the national side), they're not that "good" anymore. Is it then a matter of perception? Well not really, because there are some teams that are generally accepted as good (certain Australian cricket teams, USA basketball teams, New Zealand rugby teams etc. are accepted by everyone as being "good").<br /><br />Well where the hell did that leave us (and flight attendant can we have two more beers over here)? "Goodness" then is <i>neither</i> a direct quality of the team, <i>nor</i> directly attributable to perception. One drunken epiphany later and I (a little too loudly) came up with my own explanation: goodness isn't subjective or objective, but is found in the <i>relationship</i> between the two - it actually lies at the dimensionless point at which subject and object meet!<br /><br />There you have it then, the "goodness" of a team is actually an <i>event</i> rather than a characteristic. It's the event at which the subject becomes fully aware of the object. I'm going to have to give this a little more thought, but it seems to work reasonably well and lines up with some other aspects of philosophy. Anyway, if you've read this far and have any thoughts of your own let me know.<br /><br />I'll stop channeling Lao Tzu (for now) and get back to watching some more sport and swilling some local lager.<br /><br /><i>That's how I'm seeing it.<br />Al.</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-5997592118618427083?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-24109963494851455632007-08-08T06:07:00.000-07:002008-03-04T06:09:41.858-08:00Think Before You Open Your Mouth<p>So it's finally happened...</p><p>Anthony Mundine's big mouth has finally jeopardized and perhaps even ended his career. Ironically though, not in the way we all thought.<br /><br />In a bizarre move, this humble punter understands that "The Man" used "The Mouth" to clean a contact lens he had been wearing following a result of minor eye surgery the previous week.<br /><br />As a result, Mundine was left with a serious eye infection that was feared could have cost him both his career and possibly the use of his eye. It is understood that most of the immediate danger has passed, however doctors will be keeping a close eye on the situation over the coming weeks, as it were.<br /><br />Even Mundine, not often short of the dirty words, must surely have known that the tongue isn't the most hygienic of cleaning products.<br /><br />Surely this is a poke in the eye for the beacon of common sense that is the Mundine persona; for most punters, the thought of cleaning a contact with the tongue surely rates just below not washing the hands afterwards, or going knuckle deep into the Lionel Rose (nose) looking for a mid-morning snack.<br /><br />Admittedly, this boxing fan had begun to develop some begrudging respect for "The Man", as he has managed to keep the lip to a minimum since beating the Green Machine. It was a refreshing change that has possibly endeared him to many fans across the nation. Sadly, this latest incident has highlighted one salient fact many doubters have clung to throughout the hype; Mundine should perhaps engage his mind a touch more before opening his mouth.<br /><br />I'm sure many boxing fans will be wondering just how he's going to be able to come back from this one. Let's hope he makes a speedy recovery and get back where he belongs, as the sporting geniuses Roy and HG would put it, in the squared circle.<br />All the best choc, hope you get well soon.<br /><br /><i>That's How I'm Seeing It,<br />Mickos.</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-2410996349485145563?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-12480808880387634702007-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:002008-03-03T06:27:07.465-08:00The Drug of SportThis blog is about the seemingly ever-present drugs-in-sport issue. I guess it was prompted by the "bitter pill" of drug cheat Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar coming back to play for his country without serving any suspension at all - the second disgraced drug-taker to do so for Pakistan in a matter of weeks (the other being Mohammed Asif, who even more revoltingly was <em>promoted</em> to vice captain). The pair were originally banned for steroid use, but their suspensions were overturned on a technicality - there was never any dispute that they tested positive and had the drugs in their system. It turns out that because the testing was done by Pakistan, and not the International Cricket Council (ICC), the ICC is powerless to act on the ridiculous over-turning (apparently based on the two not properly having it explained to them that drug cheating is not legal).<br /><br />This sort of thing is certainly not limited to cricket, and even more certainly not limited to Pakistan. In Australian rugby league, a Melbourne Storm player by the name of Rodney Howe was famously caught using band substances and suspended for a year. Gordon Tallis, a barn-storming second rower famous for his honest and hard-working (and ferocious) approach to the game wrote in his book "Raging Bull" of an incident not long before Howe tested positive. Tallis had longed topped player polls of "the guy you'd least like to have to tackle" (they say if you tackle him, it feels like he's tackled you). In the incident, Tallis hit the very large Rodney Howe with a monster tackle, the biggest he could muster. Howe more or less laughed the tackle off and Tallis was left feeling like he'd been hit by a car. Apparently Tallis even considered giving the game away as a result, feeling that he'd lost the spark that made him such an enforcer.<br /><br />When the news broke of Howe's positive test, Tallis was very vocal about how he felt cheated by a guy who took a shortcut and became a huge success as a result. Howe served his year-long suspension and made his comeback against, you guessed it, Tallis' team the Brisbane Broncos. Howe was a shadow of the former juggernaut that he was with the aid of the drugs, and was visibly upset on the field - partly because of his inability to inspire fear and control a game like he used to, but perhaps even more by the lack of respect from his fellow players (Tallis in particular took great pleasure in referring to him as "The Chemist" during their on-field encounters). Tallis took some criticism for this, but I personally think that he was well within his rights and if that's the worst abuse that Howe took upon his return he should count himself lucky! To Howe's credit though, he did (eventually) put his hand up and serve his suspension (which is more than can be said for other people mentioned in this article).<br /><br />The Tour de France (or Tour de Farce, as it is increasingly becoming known) is another popular target for drug cheats. Entire teams have pulled out in previous years due to threats of race organisers to perform mass drug testing. It has been over eighteen months since a valid winner of the race was last declared, with the 2006 winner Floyd Landis being disqualified for testing positive for banned substances, along with the subsequently declared winners! It seems increasingly likely that no real winner will be declared for last year's race, with Landis still contesting his disqualification, and that we'll just go ahead with this year's event. It also seems likely that organisers will throw their hands in the air and not be so gung-ho in insisting on drug testing, letting the cheats have their way.<br /><br />The last mention I wanted to make is probably the most well known case of a drug-related disqualification ever, and one which disappoints me more than any other because of the blatant double standards. The 1988 Olympic 100 metre final featured one of the best fields ever assembled, including Carl Lewis, Linford Christie and Ben Johnson. I still remember the fearsome image of an extraordinarily powerful looking Ben Johnson in the blocks at the start of the race. The gun fired and Johnson stormed away, winning the race easily in record time. Not long after, Johnson had tested positive (a fact which he does not deny) and, rightfully, disqualified from the race. This promoted the legend Carl Lewis to the gold medal postion. The only problem was that Carl Lewis had already tested position three times, to pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine in the months prior to the 1988 Olympics. Yet he was still allowed to compete. In fact, the <em>only</em> runner from that final who didn't test positive for a banned substance either before, during or after the Olympics, was fifth placed Brazilian Robson da Silva (in a time of 10.11 seconds). Personally I think he should be allowed to climb the dias at the next Olympics to receive his gold medal!<br /><br />So what do we do about all these drug cheats? As long as there is elite sport, there are going to be people trying to gain an unfair advantage. Maybe the option is to have a "drugs allowed" version of these contests, where the winner is the <em>team</em> with the best combination of human, training and drug research facilities! Maybe a drugged up/drug free categorization instead of professional/amateur? Even "drug assisted" versions of world records! Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see drugs wiped out of sport completely and it come down to a contest between physical gifts, hard work and preparation of competing athletes. Realistically this is never going to happen however, and with sporting bodies going soft on the cheats, even letting them off on "technicalities", it can only get worse.<br /><br /><em>That's How I'm Seeing It,</em><br /><em>Al.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-1248080888038763470?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-500370762133675062007-04-17T06:03:00.000-07:002008-03-03T06:25:22.217-08:00GOOD Banners at the CricketThose of you that read this blog regularly might remember that I was actually over at the cricket World Cup in the Caribbean for three weeks (a personal sacrifice I was willing to make to help out with our CWC preview blog entry). You also might have read the "Waugh Crimes" entry about the lack of imagination with fans' signs at the cricket, which have become something of an institution.<br /><br />I'm happy to report though that at the 2007 World Cup there has been a distinct lift in standards, and there was one in particular at the Australia vs England game that I thought was blog-worthy.<br /><br />It was a huge sign on a yellow bed sheet held up by a bunch of Aussie fans, in reference to Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff's late night antics (and the resulting fallout). The sign read:<br /><br /><table cellpadding="5" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="color:yellow;"><span style="color:green;"><strike>Captain<br />Vice Captain<br />Pedalboat Captain<br /></strike>Captain Morgan </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />If I have to explain it, it probably loses a lot of it's comedic value, but I'll include a brief explanation for those not familiar:<br /><br /><span style="color:green;"><strike>Captain</strike></span>: "Wilma" Flintoff was demoted to vice captain when Michael Vaughan returned to the side from injury and re-took the leadership.<br /><br /><span style="color:green;"><strike>Vice Captain</strike></span>: He was then stripped of the vice captaincy after a late night drunken incident during the World Cup.<br /><br /><span style="color:green;"><strike>Pedalboat Captain</strike></span>: The late night drunken incident referred to was Flintoff having to be pulled out of the sea after falling off a "pedallo" at 4am.<br /><br /><p><span style="color:green;">Captain Morgan</span>: A popular brand of rum, drunk in earnest in the Caribbean.<br /><br />Anyway, good to see the Aussies performing well, both on the field and in the stands.<br /><br /><i>That's How I'm Seeing It,<br />Al.</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-50037076213367506?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-26042129145294840382007-03-02T05:52:00.000-08:002008-03-05T06:17:00.959-08:00Cricket World Cup 2007 PreviewWith the cricket World Cup approaching faster than a well directed Makhaya Ntini bouncer I thought I'd peer into my well-polished, slightly tampered, extra-strong mint enhanced crystal cricket ball and provide a few thoughts for the upcoming festival of cricket and culture that will take place in the Caribbean over five fabulous weeks of sporting entertainment. Not to mention, Alan has selflessly opted to fly out to Trinidad to provide some on-site insights into things.<br /><br />This tournament doesn't start in earnest until March 27 when the second round of clashes of the "Super Eight" begins. Expect the chasm between the haves and the have-nots to be painfully obvious; although Ireland and Kenya could force a surprise if they catch a top side unawares. Realistically, Kenya is the only side not to compete at the champions' trophy with any chance of qualifying for the second round. Yes, they did make the final four at the last world cup, and with England in their group in current form England are capable of losing to anyone.<br /><br />This World Cup features a total of 11 matches for the winning side, and a minimum of nine for those who make the second round. Unfortunately for the underdogs, the extended second round of six matches for each side makes the tournament a battle of attrition and limits the value of one or two good performances at the right time in favour of sides with greater depth. Expect Australia, South Africa, and to a lesser extent India and Pakistan to wear other sides down during the tournament as injuries and fatigue take their toll. These sides, Australia in particular, will be afforded the luxury of resting players in early clashes with lesser nations to keep key men fresh for the business end of the tournament.<br /><br />So here they are: four groups, sixteen teams and their chances of bringing home the chocolates...<br /><h3>Group A</h3><b>Australia:</b> A month ago it would have been hard to find an opposition worthy of Australia. Even without a couple of their preferred players the Aussies were sweeping all before them, crushing the English in record style in the Ashes and were cruising in the triangular one day series with England and the Kiwis. Since then though, while the wheels haven't totally fallen off, they are starting to wobble pretty badly and make some unusual noises. They've lost six of their last seven matches and had some enormous scores chased down (albeit on some pool-table sized grounds in NZ), so their bowling is in need of a bit of a tune-up. To make matters worse there are now some lingering injury worries with Symonds in serious doubt, Brett Lee is out, and the truck-hearted Queenslander Hayden nursing a newly broken toe. Add that to Gilly missing the early part of the tournament to be with the newest addition to his family, and rightfully so. Even if these guys make it back in time for the business end of the tournament it will be hard for them to integrate seamlessly back into the side.<br /><br />All of that said, they still have more potential firepower than any other team in the competition. That Ricky Ponting guy just can't stop himself scoring centuries, Hussey is totally impossible to get out and Gilly up front can slaughter any bowling attack in the world on his day and can have a match won inside the first twenty-five overs. McGrath will quietly deliver awesome performances as he always does and if they put together a couple of good wins they will be back to their pack hunting best. Those who doubt the ability of an Australian team to hit back like Mohammed Ali right hook are directed to the recent Ashes history: shock loss in 2005, record breaking annihilation of their opponents in 2006-07.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Staying healthy and getting a couple of confidence building wins early on, and controlling the haemorrhaging of runs in the last 10 overs.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> If they can get some build wins early and build some momentum, Ponting will have the winners' speech drafted by the half-way mark...<br /><br /><b>South Africa:</b> Take perhaps the strongest form into the tournament with home wins over India and Pakistan. Unlucky to be drawn against Australia in the group; at least they get a chance to avenge their demons on ’99 and ’03 before they meet in the semi-finals. Expect South Africa to be strong and to test Australia in the group stage, particularly if Australia rests a bowler or two. Gibbs, Kallis, Pollock and Boucher must show the way once again, and they need contributions from the likes of Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers and Andre Nel to continue. Dale Steyn and Boeta Dipenaar look to be unlucky to miss out to the quota system, despite denials from South African cricket. Heaven help them if they face Australia in the semis (given their past crimes against mathematics and utter lack of cool under pressure), a few players might be joining Daryll Cullinan on the psychiatrists couch.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Contributions from outside the core of experienced players.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Lose in a nail-biter to Australia in the semis – of course.<br /><br /><b>Scotland:</b> Their best chances are to surprise a cold and lethargic Australia in their opening match. The contest between Scotland and The Netherlands will likely boil down to who can bounce back from expected heavy defeats against South Africa and Australia respectively. A strong showing there from one or two players could really lift team morale to the point where they may have an edge over their opposition. Scotland has played well recently; expect them to beat the Dutch in a low-scoring affair.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Try to look good losing.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Group Stage.<br /><br /><b>The Netherlands:</b> Lucky to no longer hold the world record for most expensive bowling in a one-day international (Mick Lewis of Australia was nice enough to concede 113 from his allotted 10 overs against the cricket-boks last year). The Netherlands shouldn't pose any team meeting headaches for Australia or South Africa. Expect Ponting to book an afternoon round of golf or a twilight cruise on the bay (in the case of a day-nighter) for his boys.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> They don't have one.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Will go home winless, but high as kites having done serious comparison tests between homeland and Caribbean party drugs.<br /><br /><h3>Group B</h3><b>India:</b> Again a reasonable threat to take the title; legendary Sachin Tendulkar has scored more runs than anyone in the World Cup, though was dwarfed in the 2003 by the Aussies crushing batting performance (cue Punter). They do take series win over Sri Lanka into the tournament. Sourav Ganguly is back in form and seemingly back in form at the top of the order. India may try Sehwag in the middle order to boost his form and the robustness of a sluggish middle-lower order. MS Dhoni, who has featured the ODI player rankings of late must perform on the big stage as well. As always Kumble and Khan will lead the bowling, and it looks as though it may be the swansong for at least one of those two in the ODI arena. Expect plenty of spin at both ends on the turning Caribbean decks. The turbanator may feature strongly in the player of the series voting courtesy of batsmen going the tonk with the constrictive bowling of Kumble at the other end.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Batsmen staying injury free and Sehwag finding form, will falter in the Super 8 stage otherwise.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Will bow out in the Super 8.<br /><br /><b>Sri Lanka:</b> Sri Lanka is a hard side to pick. They were World Cup Champions back in 1996 and on their day they can be crushed, or crush any other team in the world. They've put together some good performances in the last year or so, smashing England 5-0 in England, drawing the Kiwi's away as well as India. Jayasuriya is still hanging around and if you know anything about international cricket you'll know that on his day he is capable of doing absolute horrible things to any bowling attack. The "bent-arm bandit" Murali (come on, call a spade a spade!) will be chucking out batsmen in all directions as well, so they do have quite a solid core group. Outside of Jayasuriya their top order can be a little thin, but they'll cruise through to the second round in this easy group.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Marvin Attapatu, Russel Arnold must score runs to take the pressure off Sangakara and Jayawardene. Murali desperately needs support in the bowling.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Will give the semi-finals a serious shake, most likely will end up mid table in the Super 8.<br /><br /><b>Bangladesh:</b> Will beat Bermuda but will otherwise be pummelled from pillar to post by their more experienced and better credentialed subcontinent opponents. Leaving out their experienced wicketkeeper for an untried youth may be a mistake, but won’t make a difference in their W column at the end of the day.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> To be fair they did beat Australia once, not too long ago. If they lift at exactly the right time, well they'll probably still lose.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> They'll beat Bermuda, that's it.<br /><br /><b>Bermuda:</b> You're kidding aren't you? A triangle between third man, deep square leg and long off should see the entire team disappear without a win. Expect a batting bonanza for Sri Lanka and India against these guys and probably a record or two to fall. Experienced heavy losses to Canada in the build-up, Bermuda are the real minnows of the competiton.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Several "Bermuda Triangle" puns and the desperate hope that the other team doesn't show.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Last, but they'll have a good time.<br /><br /><h3>Group C</h3><b>New Zealand:</b> The black caps are starting to hit some serious form coming into the competition with impressive performances against England and especially Australia late in the Australian summer series. Somehow missed out on the CB finals, which is still a complete mystery, but hit hard in the Chappel-Hadlee series against an admittedly under strength Aussie side. They have plenty of batting prowess, all seemingly hitting form at the right time. The return of hard-hitting Jacob Oram, discovery of Taylor, frequently awesome bowling of Shane Bond, ever consistent Daniel Vettori and captaincy of Stephen Fleming will all conspire to carry the Kiwi's deep into the tournament.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Despite having a list of talented players for a long time, they've consistently found new and varied ways to simply not gel. They're gelling at the moment, but they need to keep it together long-term. They're also struggling a little for depth, so need the top seven or eight guys to remain healthy and in form.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> In the semi's and threatening for a final spot.<br /><br /><b>England:</b> Let's not get carried away with a couple of consolation wins at the end of a desperately bad tour of Australia. England still have no chance at the big dance.<br /><br />As always Flintoff and Pietersen will be the keys to their batting, but will too much be asked of them to prop up a struggling top order? Paul Nixon is perhaps the biggest selection surprise ever at 36, but has recently showed glimpses of form with the bat and the gloves down under to go with a distinguished county cricket record. With fitness clouds providing typical English mizzle (a more than slightly depressing combination of mist and drizzle for those who've never experienced the delights of English weather) over all of their key players, including mercurial skipper Vaughan, Pietersen and more recently James Andersen, may be costly in a side lacking serious depth in quality in all departments. Expect Panesar to bring life to the team, and possibly pick up wickets on the slower decks if consistency and pressure can be built at the other end. Darren Gough, also 36 may be the answer; he has passion, belief and desire sadly lacking in the English team at the moment.<br /><br />Considering the drubbing they have received at the hands of New Zealand and Australia this southern summer (a blip in the finals series notwithstanding) and their outstandingly poor record against all comers they may miss out on the second round. For all those English fans chuckling quietly into their lukewarm pints at the absurdity of that thought, and the bacon-and-egg tie merchants huddling around the famous urn in their long room thinking wistfully with longing of better times in ’05, just remember that Kenya made the final four in their last world cup innings. The only sad side-effect could be that the barmy army could be back on the plane before that get a chance to tell anyone whoooooo they are, and wheeeere they come from.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Andrew Fintoff must shrug off all expectations (and stay out of the bar) in order to have any chance of meeting them. Pietersen should perform but their other ringers must also stand up if the Poms are to get anywhere.<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> Second in group, but will not get close to the semi finals.<br /><br /><b>Kenya:</b> Convincing winners in the World Cricket League trophy, Kenya will be hoping to repeat their miraculous semi-final appearance in the last world cup. They are a chance of making the second round if they upset England in the group stage.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Other results must go their way, and to pray for an upset over NZ or England.<br /><br /><i>Prediction:</i> Will probably just miss out on the Super 8.<br /><br /><b>Canada:</b> Canada are no slouches, and despite a poor showing at the world cricket league. John Davison is a good player but most nations’ standard and their wicketkeeper (Bagai) was named player of the tournament. Another of the also-rans, they will struggle to compete other commonwealth nations England and New Zealand, but may be in with a show against Kenya. Maybe.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Mammoth performances from John Davison – just like the last World Cup.<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> Last in group.<br /><br /><h3>Group D</h3><b>Pakistan:</b> Afridi in doubt due to an incident with the crowd where he thrust his bat in the direction of a sledging spectator, and Abuld Razzaq being injured will cast serious doubt over their ability to make it through the Super 8. Their top order is weak, and no amount of run scoring from Mohammed Yousuf can drag them out of trouble every time. Will Akhtar and Sami play? Who knows. They will still power through the group phase though, probably at the top of the pool, which is no indication of their strength in the next round.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Mohammed Abdul has some very big boom boom shoes to fill for Razzaq, and maybe also Afridi if he serves a long ban.<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> The bottom end of the Super 8, if they're lucky.<br /><br /><b>West Indies:</b> Interestingly, the team hosting the cricket world cup has never won it. We kinda doubt that's going to change this time around. Having said that, they played very well in last year's ICC Champions Trophy, eventually losing to the Aussies in the final. The hosts will enjoy some success in the early stages (they're not exactly in the "group of death") and the steel drums will be infectious (I might have to buy one myself), but even the great Brian Charles Lara will not be able to lift the side to win consistently against the top three or four teams. With the batting power they've got they need to be taken seriously, but with consistency issues and a fairly meek bowling attack, they won't be able to go all the way.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> The right Brian Lara showing up. Consistently.<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> Deep into the Super 8, in the mix for a semi spot.<br /><br /><b>Ireland:</b> Ireland surprisingly have claimed the odd big scalp in their history (including a crushing win over a Clive Lloyd led West Indies). Without Ed Joyce though (possibly opting to play for England instead of his native Ireland), they're not really going to be too much trouble for the big guns.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Take the opposition out the night before the match. .<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> I'd love to see them do well, but I'd be the first one spitting Guinness back out my nose in shock if they made it through the first round.<br /><br /><b>Zimbabwe:</b> Zimbabwe cricket has gone from bad, to worse, and inexplicably even worse since the player contract dispute of a few years ago. The effects of the Mugabe regime extend even to their cricket side it seems. Without any class players they fall right back into the ranks of the also-rans. Matsikeneyri and Taibu will fight hard but won’t receive adequate support.<br /><br /><i>Key to Victory:</i> Prayer.<br /><br /><i>Predicted Finish:</i> Will bow out in the group stage.<br /><br /><br /><i>That’s how we’re seeing it... so far.<br />Mickos and Al.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-2604212914529484038?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-2875159555655988212007-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:002008-03-03T06:24:28.596-08:00Bad banners at the cricket - a case for Waugh crimesI'm all for witticisms and otherwise clever banter at sporting contests, but I've yet to see a name-pun banner that has instantly got me thinking – "Now why didn’t I think of that?" Yes, we know that Steve and Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, and if you continue the war theme, Paul Reiffel’s names (even Allan Border at a stretch) lend themselves neatly to a themed banner but it's already been done chaps. Yes, Australia has a "Taylor" made formula for victory (well they did in the 90's, New Zealand must have stolen their plans for they seem to have one now too) - I don't think many "punters" will be disagreeing with that, but seriously, the whole thing is getting a bit "Gilly" for mine. Okay, that one was stretching it. I mean, it doesn't take a level 9 word-smith with an advanced diploma is word-smithery from the "Exclusive Cambridge School of Words and phrases and other things good English" to realise that England "Giving them the full monty..." is hardly stuff of genius. Nor is referring to how much New Zealand has "Bond-ed" on this tour down under. The only saving grace is that nothing rhymes with Hilfenhaus, Dalrymple, Styris or Mahmood. Maybe it's time to raise the White flag. Selectors should be looking for players like them in the future, if only for the sake of our kids to get more creative when coming to the cricket.<br /><br /><em>That's how I'm seeing it...</em><br /><em>Mickos.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-287515955565598821?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-22891964678620422192007-01-10T05:36:00.000-08:002008-03-03T06:22:54.551-08:00Stumps Called on Cricketing GreatnessAs most people in the sporting world know, January 5 2007 saw the curtain come down on two of the great careers in the history of test cricket. It was a fitting culmination for two of the best bowlers of all time in Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, running rampant as part of a crushing 5-0 victory over the English, a team officially rated number two in the world. This was the first Ashes whitewash in over 85 years and "Warney" and "Pidgeon" typically played major roles.<br /><br />A lot of people have referred to Shane Warne as the greatest bowler of all time (and he's got a world record 708 test wickets that argue this point very convincingly). It's impossible to compare different eras, with players such as Dennis Lillee, Curtley Ambrose, Fred Trueman (and I'm sure there's a huge number of other names that people would put forward) and many others all able to stake their claim. Talking about players from the same era though, it's very hard to put anyone above Glenn McGrath. He's got 563 wickets of his own (a record for fast bowlers that will last a VERY long time), but perhaps more importantly, in my opinion, is that he was responsible for so many of Warne's wickets. The fact that he just offers nothing to batsmen and keeps up that practically unplayable line and length for long spells means that Warney was there to capitalise at the other end also. And trying to get S.K. Warne away was a suicide mission.<br /><br />It was as a team that they were truly fearsome for opposition batsmen. They were a perfect compliment for one another: the grinding, metronomic accuracy of McGrath and the dramatic, ripping leg-spin of Warne. Both equally unplayable in their own way. They have over 1,250 test wickets between them and over 1,000 in games that they played together (a record that may never be broken). It was fitting both that McGrath took a wicket with his final ball in test cricket and also that these legends finished their test careers bowling in tandem.<br /><br />Warne was always the entertainer. He brought spin bowling back as something of an art form and something that kids wanted to bowl. Turning balls square, the slider, the googly, the zooter and the legendary flipper - it was never dull. He produced the "ball of the century" in his first Ashes delivery ever (spinning the ball the width of Mike Gatting - a feat in itself); single-handedly rescued the 1999 World Cup in a match against South Africa when many had lost faith in him; set an Ashes record in 2005 with 40 wickets in the series and an all time record with 96 wickets in that calendar year: for a generation of cricket fans, both Aussie and otherwise, knew that no matter the situation, it's not over 'til the fat man spins. He finished his career saying that he hoped he's made things interesting and that people have enjoyed watching him play. "I'd like to think it's been enjoyable", he said. It has.<br /><br />McGrath, as already mentioned, has taken more wickets than any other fast bowler in history. The guy's strength of character has come out in his complete unwillingness to allow a batsman or circumstance put him off his game. One of the things that separates him from so many others in the game is that he always targetted the opposing team's best batsmen. Almost without fail he would pick up one or both of the openers as well as others in the top order (as an indication, his two most dismissed batsmen are Michael Atherton and the great Brian Lara). Taking out Sachin Tendulkar for just four and sealing the 2003 World Cup final for Australia was another example of his showing up at crunch time, and his average speaks for itself. I was fortunate enough to meet McGrath on one occassion while I was in Sydney, and his natural warmth and friendliness (as well as the size of his bloody hands!) are impossible to miss (although not many batsmen saw this friendly side).<br /><br />Warne and McGrath both personified the spirit of the Australian team they were a part of. They perfectly embodied some of the major properties of great champions:<br /><ul><li>When it seems like they've got absolutely nothing left they reach down and somehow find something more;</li><li>They always think they can win, whatever the situation;</li><li>They never, ever, <em>ever</em>, give up.</li></ul>A selfish part of me wants to see them playing for ever and quietly hopes that Warney and Pidgeon will announce they're comeback, but they both seem very happy and comfortable with their decisions. It's fitting, I guess, that these two champions walk away still at the height of their respective powers (or very close to it) rather than after a slide into mediocrity. The advice given to Warne from Ian Chappell (originally passed onto him by another Australian legend, Keith Miller), was to "retire when people are saying why did you, rather than why don't you", is spot on.<br /><br />They, along with the other retirees this Ashes series, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn, will be sorely missed by the Australian team. As much of a cliche as it is, it still holds true: world cricket, and indeed world sport, will be poorer without them.<br /><br /><em>That's How I'm Seeing It,</em><br /><em>Alan.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-2289196467862042219?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353977861348476216.post-40646919463622719022007-01-08T05:59:00.000-08:002008-03-03T06:21:20.822-08:00Welcome to the game...<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">As We See It...</span><br /></strong><br />Welcome to the MAIT sports blog, subtitled "As We See It". It's something I've been wanting to do for a while and the beginning of 2007 was as good a time as any to kick things off. Basically its a vehicle for the MAIT team to vent our respective splenes on various topics in all kinds of sport. In other words, it's an "As We See It" on the world of sport, so to speak.<br /><br />It will also contain relevant details on what is going on with MAIT. We hope you find it interesting.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />Alan and Michael.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6353977861348476216-4064691946362271902?l=www.mymait.com%2Fawsi' alt='' /></div>That's how we're seeing ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471328163890460798noreply@blogger.com0