1. So Kevin Mitchell Junior produces his only ever pitch in living memory at the Gabba that has not seen batsmen skittled left right and centre. Now it is a road. First one since the Gold Coast Highway was built. A draw for mine, but our attack was benign.
2. Peter Siddle. Copped a bagging from me (and others) which was duly returned. I still maintain that across the series if we were each to nominate a bowler who would take most wickets, Siddle may not be the guy. I don't see many wickets near his name in the second innings. For that matter, has there been a worst game in living memory than Johnson's? A duck, a dropped catch, no wickets. Doing well.
3. Wallabies. An emphatic victory and the brightest tour for some time. Unfortunately soured by the England performance. The All Blacks have been outstanding. The work from Sonny Bill in offloading the miracle ball is amazing. Two Grand Slam's in recent years tells me they chose the right coach.
4. NSW Cricket. Stuart Clark needs to retire.Putting the (c) next to his name makes this impossible. Why do they need him with Starc, Cameron and Copeland? Hughes and Khawaja are not trying. Phil Jacques is in better form than both of them. Nic Maddison is the goods. They'd be better off selecting him. The career of Henriques is near an end. He is in trouble. Maybe a swap to Tasmania is not far away.
5. Greater West Giants. Midgets at present but signing the ex Port Adelaide coach in Williams and a few others - Silgvani et al, shows they are fair dinkum.
6. Tennis. Federer and Nadal in the ATP shootout. Could be one of the great contests. Talk of Hewitt winning another major title suddenly seems ridiculous.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Wrap - Mafia Hits
1. TASMANIAN Cricket Mafia. OK, take me through this. Selector Boon, new recruit selector Jamie Cox, batting coach Dene (spelling tells yo they are off the pace) Hills, bowling DUD coach Troy Cooley, Ponting, Hilfenhaus, Paine then remember Krezja and the madman quick - Geeves - and think through Australia A - George Bailey. Who do they bring in this week into Australia A when there was an injury in the latest hit and run...Ed Cowan. Who is next? Xavier Doherty?
Greg Chappell needs to break this down. Maybe Akermanis will play for Australia in cricket yet after signing to join them last week in AFL.
2. I went to the GWS Season launch on Tuesday night just gone. The colours are terrible and Wests Tigers have every reason to blow up. Unoriginal. Sheedy says all the right things but there is very little Western Sydney in this outfit. They will struggle. The worst thing about their operation is that they needed a stadium in western Sydney - with a rail station nearby. They had this possibility then they move to Homebush. Sydneysiders do not see Homebush as a 'home' of anything. It is a place you go for an event only. No loyalty can be built through that venue - ever.
3. Khawaja and Ferguson. What a pair of duds! Kerry O'Keefe puts it this way: MORE NICKS THAN AN ATHENS NITECLUB!!! They are given every reason to play and they fall over at the crucial time. All credit to Hussey who like Graeme (Gra - heemee) Wood before him was able to pluck out a ton when everyone thought he was gone. North better perform too. I agree with Slats. We surrender any advantage with a soft middle order.
4. Hauritz. Flash forward twenty years. "Kids yes, Poppy is not lieing... I played cricket for Australia and can you believe they also put me on a tour to India twice..." 'That's bullshit Pop".
5. Alyce Perry has a voice on commentary that sounds like a five year old boy. Shocker. Bring back Kate Fitzpatrick or Stephanie Brantz to the commentary cheam.
6. Wallabies. Isn't the end of the season tour the same old story? It is that boring it is unbelievable. When will they take it seriously. Alan Jones is right. Too many blokes in the team. Too many combinations. If I was a NRL executive I'd be offering Giteau money to come to league. Deans has never rated him. he would be near rock bottom at present.
7. Chelsea. They have hit the wall and have some serious problems to solve before the Russian mafia solve a few of them for themselves. Ambromovich will not tolerate this slump.
Greg Chappell needs to break this down. Maybe Akermanis will play for Australia in cricket yet after signing to join them last week in AFL.
2. I went to the GWS Season launch on Tuesday night just gone. The colours are terrible and Wests Tigers have every reason to blow up. Unoriginal. Sheedy says all the right things but there is very little Western Sydney in this outfit. They will struggle. The worst thing about their operation is that they needed a stadium in western Sydney - with a rail station nearby. They had this possibility then they move to Homebush. Sydneysiders do not see Homebush as a 'home' of anything. It is a place you go for an event only. No loyalty can be built through that venue - ever.
3. Khawaja and Ferguson. What a pair of duds! Kerry O'Keefe puts it this way: MORE NICKS THAN AN ATHENS NITECLUB!!! They are given every reason to play and they fall over at the crucial time. All credit to Hussey who like Graeme (Gra - heemee) Wood before him was able to pluck out a ton when everyone thought he was gone. North better perform too. I agree with Slats. We surrender any advantage with a soft middle order.
4. Hauritz. Flash forward twenty years. "Kids yes, Poppy is not lieing... I played cricket for Australia and can you believe they also put me on a tour to India twice..." 'That's bullshit Pop".
5. Alyce Perry has a voice on commentary that sounds like a five year old boy. Shocker. Bring back Kate Fitzpatrick or Stephanie Brantz to the commentary cheam.
6. Wallabies. Isn't the end of the season tour the same old story? It is that boring it is unbelievable. When will they take it seriously. Alan Jones is right. Too many blokes in the team. Too many combinations. If I was a NRL executive I'd be offering Giteau money to come to league. Deans has never rated him. he would be near rock bottom at present.
7. Chelsea. They have hit the wall and have some serious problems to solve before the Russian mafia solve a few of them for themselves. Ambromovich will not tolerate this slump.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wrap - The Cut Of His Gib
1. Can Webber do it? Liking the emerging cut of his gib, but he is up aginst it. His qualifying was immensely disappointing. Red Bull do not want him beating their No. 1 driver of course either. I'm tipping a non finish for a few of them, so it could be interesting - especially if the wind/ sand springs up.
2. Parramatta signings.That just about leaves only Willie Mason and Joel Monoghan to sign now. Got Webb, Matieu, Chris Walker and every other goose.
3. Mark 'Bomber' Thompson. Has there been a greater charade and lie in sport? Here he is saying the pressure of Geelong is too much all the while having signed to coach at his former club as a player - Essendon. No credibility any more sadly. had he come clean and moved on people would have accepted that more readily. Why lie?
4. Wallabies. Rugby Union. Just when we looked like we were on the up, they lose badly. Goalkicking is terrible, but what a game - 16 shots at goal. No wonder the ground was packed. Beale our best again. Who was that fat Aussie fullback who could not run and get the Pommy winger? Hopeless. Mitchell? Go away and lose some weight. Haven't seen a slower outside back since Ross Conlon played for Australia - or Chook Herron - or Paul Carige.
5. Rugby League. Gus made a goose out of himself saying that Australia's Origin experience would bring them home. Lote was awful, Lockyer has had enough and we paid for some lame brain selections like leaving Darius Boyd out. Too many old blokes when it mattered most. Steve Kearney's stocks keep rising. Parramatta will knock that out of him.
6. Brent Tate. He is the modern day Brett Papworth. Ruined by injury and always able to secure big contracts regardless. Clever.
7. Appleby. Strong performance, but Brant choked and should never have lost in the JB Were. Tiger is not far away from some brilliance again.
8. Manny Pacquiao. There is no greater boxer on the planet. Get a look at this bloke on You Tube. Unbelievable and again a winner on the weekend.
9. Lastly, the Ashes. We are in trouble. Clinging to age again - Hussey...surely he goes. When we dominated, young blokes lifted...Slater, Hayden, Ponting, McGrath... Surely a Ryan Harris type, a Bollinger (if fit) and Hify are our pace certainties. I do not class Johnson as a certainty at all. He has LOST HIS MOJO! He cannot bat either any more.
What about an Opera House announcement before the Australia A game...arrogance and stupidity. Thank God they sacked Merv. Only Boonie and Hilditch to go now.
2. Parramatta signings.That just about leaves only Willie Mason and Joel Monoghan to sign now. Got Webb, Matieu, Chris Walker and every other goose.
3. Mark 'Bomber' Thompson. Has there been a greater charade and lie in sport? Here he is saying the pressure of Geelong is too much all the while having signed to coach at his former club as a player - Essendon. No credibility any more sadly. had he come clean and moved on people would have accepted that more readily. Why lie?
4. Wallabies. Rugby Union. Just when we looked like we were on the up, they lose badly. Goalkicking is terrible, but what a game - 16 shots at goal. No wonder the ground was packed. Beale our best again. Who was that fat Aussie fullback who could not run and get the Pommy winger? Hopeless. Mitchell? Go away and lose some weight. Haven't seen a slower outside back since Ross Conlon played for Australia - or Chook Herron - or Paul Carige.
5. Rugby League. Gus made a goose out of himself saying that Australia's Origin experience would bring them home. Lote was awful, Lockyer has had enough and we paid for some lame brain selections like leaving Darius Boyd out. Too many old blokes when it mattered most. Steve Kearney's stocks keep rising. Parramatta will knock that out of him.
6. Brent Tate. He is the modern day Brett Papworth. Ruined by injury and always able to secure big contracts regardless. Clever.
7. Appleby. Strong performance, but Brant choked and should never have lost in the JB Were. Tiger is not far away from some brilliance again.
8. Manny Pacquiao. There is no greater boxer on the planet. Get a look at this bloke on You Tube. Unbelievable and again a winner on the weekend.
9. Lastly, the Ashes. We are in trouble. Clinging to age again - Hussey...surely he goes. When we dominated, young blokes lifted...Slater, Hayden, Ponting, McGrath... Surely a Ryan Harris type, a Bollinger (if fit) and Hify are our pace certainties. I do not class Johnson as a certainty at all. He has LOST HIS MOJO! He cannot bat either any more.
What about an Opera House announcement before the Australia A game...arrogance and stupidity. Thank God they sacked Merv. Only Boonie and Hilditch to go now.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Wrap - Hard To Be Humble
1. Rugby Union v Wales. Wouldn't it be a change to have a UK Tour where we won something. A good start. Beale is our X Factor. We need him firing.
2. Rugby League v NZ. A high quality game. Not a lot between the sides, but a difference in what is between their ears. The NZ team do some silly things but are willing and strong in the physicality of it all. Marshall is electrifying, but so too is Boyd and Morris. Surely Boyd needs to be in the team. Axe Choc too. Scott had a brilliant game.
3. NZ v India. The sight of Sehwag pounding the NZ bowlers reminds me of Glenn McGrath and his half century. They look hapless when they are down. Jessie Ryder batted very well, but is there a bigger goose in world cricket? He loves a drink and is bigger than Cosgrove's food bill.
4. Michael Clarke. Under fire and fair enough. He needs to scale back and fall on the sword a little - esp 20/20. A bit hard for Clarke to be humble as he is not used to it. Not getting a lot of help from Cameron White who is batting atrociously. Mitchell Starc looked sharp today. Better than Siddle and Johnson.
4A. Has there been a worse start to an International Cricket Season? We need a huge injection of new faces/ new talent. Greedy promoters with 20-20 in their sights - before blokes have started seeing the ball properly.
As soon as the conditions get tough, the Aussies make up excuses. Be it the dust of Nagpur or the dampness of the SCG, they will have a reason. Siddle cannot be picked because he bowls straight up and down and too short and Johnson still has control issues. Johnson is our big gamble. The signing of the Tasmanian bowling coach - Cooley - was perhaps our worst investment since Wests signed Denis Kinchela in 1987.
5. Webber. Can he do it? At the time of writing this, he was in trouble, behind Vettel on the grid. He is our new Jana Pittman - Dramas!
6. Black Caviar. Tremendous horse, but I'd like to see Typhoon Tracey take it on at full tilt. Disappointing to see So You Think sign with a French Rugby Club.
7. Kelly Slater - continues the famous name in sport - Robbie, Michael, and the Pakistani quick Seeya...10 world titles. best ever. Stephanie Gilmour is not bad either - and can surf!
8. Soccer. Sydney FC get lucky but need every ounce. Second last but could make a late run.
9. Joel Monaghan. Haven't seen the photo, but when is Mad Monday going to get the bullet? Fair dinkum...surely blokes can be expected to behave better than that. They are like school kids still. Great mates too throwing it up on Twitter. State of Origin and Australian player. Gone....
10. Inglis to Eels - not the Rabbits - is what I am hearing. Great to see an angry Bruno Cullen carrying on about it all. Couldn't happen to a better club.
2. Rugby League v NZ. A high quality game. Not a lot between the sides, but a difference in what is between their ears. The NZ team do some silly things but are willing and strong in the physicality of it all. Marshall is electrifying, but so too is Boyd and Morris. Surely Boyd needs to be in the team. Axe Choc too. Scott had a brilliant game.
3. NZ v India. The sight of Sehwag pounding the NZ bowlers reminds me of Glenn McGrath and his half century. They look hapless when they are down. Jessie Ryder batted very well, but is there a bigger goose in world cricket? He loves a drink and is bigger than Cosgrove's food bill.
4. Michael Clarke. Under fire and fair enough. He needs to scale back and fall on the sword a little - esp 20/20. A bit hard for Clarke to be humble as he is not used to it. Not getting a lot of help from Cameron White who is batting atrociously. Mitchell Starc looked sharp today. Better than Siddle and Johnson.
4A. Has there been a worse start to an International Cricket Season? We need a huge injection of new faces/ new talent. Greedy promoters with 20-20 in their sights - before blokes have started seeing the ball properly.
As soon as the conditions get tough, the Aussies make up excuses. Be it the dust of Nagpur or the dampness of the SCG, they will have a reason. Siddle cannot be picked because he bowls straight up and down and too short and Johnson still has control issues. Johnson is our big gamble. The signing of the Tasmanian bowling coach - Cooley - was perhaps our worst investment since Wests signed Denis Kinchela in 1987.
5. Webber. Can he do it? At the time of writing this, he was in trouble, behind Vettel on the grid. He is our new Jana Pittman - Dramas!
6. Black Caviar. Tremendous horse, but I'd like to see Typhoon Tracey take it on at full tilt. Disappointing to see So You Think sign with a French Rugby Club.
7. Kelly Slater - continues the famous name in sport - Robbie, Michael, and the Pakistani quick Seeya...10 world titles. best ever. Stephanie Gilmour is not bad either - and can surf!
8. Soccer. Sydney FC get lucky but need every ounce. Second last but could make a late run.
9. Joel Monaghan. Haven't seen the photo, but when is Mad Monday going to get the bullet? Fair dinkum...surely blokes can be expected to behave better than that. They are like school kids still. Great mates too throwing it up on Twitter. State of Origin and Australian player. Gone....
10. Inglis to Eels - not the Rabbits - is what I am hearing. Great to see an angry Bruno Cullen carrying on about it all. Couldn't happen to a better club.
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