1. Tennis Spat. Gotta shake your head at Nick Kygrios. He gets upset being compared to Bernand Tomic, but in the minds of many, the petulant behaviours merge into one. Hopefully when they both grow older they will realise that if they were simply more pleasant and let their talent speak, no one would care.
Meanwhile Ash Barty rolls on through the Madrid Open, quietly steaming forward. Nick should note her style.
2. AFL. A shocking loss by the much fancied Western Bulldogs. Surprisingly not on song after a dazzling start to the season, even with Dustin Martin in New Zealand for the Tigers. Collingwood are lurching from disaster to disaster (worst start since 2005), but the Suns look sharper than usual, even winning at the MCG! Their season (like the NRL, Cronulla Sharks) seems done on the back of off field nonsense. The axe is sharpening for a few coaches too of course, including Nathan Buckley. He seems flat and almost disinterested.
GWS seem to have perked up a bit, Port are Powering and there is a lot of umpire praising to occur from the Swans who really should have lost in the last seconds. Papley is a great competitor. An exciting brand of footy, but something needs to be done with North Melbourne. They are not helping TV ratings and the Melbourne Demons dusted them up badly after some promise. West Coast looked better, but up and down!
3. Social Media Sewer. Interesting to see a shutdown of social media by many of the European sporting organisations (ManU, Lewis Hamilton, International Tennis federation, etc) against the racist trolls online. A few worked out long ago that as Lady Ga Ga once said..."social media is the toilet of the Internet".
4. Mitchell Moses. Much maligned and he wafts in and out of games against tougher opponents, but $900,000 should have him at church on Sundays thanking the heavens. He has a great pass, kick, goalkicking and the defence has improved when he concentrates. In the row in front at church will be Chadd Townsend. Goal kicking ability helps, but that is absurd money that can kill a club long term. It can also kill a coach and their future. Ben Hunt is Exhibit A.
Jarome Hughes is going better than them all, but is not getting that sort of money. I noticed Cherry-Evans fears getting the tap on the shoulder too. It cruels a team because it is too much and squeezes the cap on everyone else. Blind club executives. Parramatta's inability to unearth local talent in the halves over many, many years is very troubling. Brad Arthur's son has ability, but I am not sure that it is NRL standard. he is no Nathan Cleary yet.
The signing of Kyle Flanagan who after eight rounds, still cannot go to the line at pace, run straight, straighten the attack and then fire a right to left pass or either dummy and accelerate is a serious concern for player and coach. He must have the hippopotamus ears on - not elephant ears... that or the coach continues not to realise. They need this changed immediately or they need a new option.
Awful news for the Roosters - Morris and Collins...added to Tedesco, Cordner, Friend ...Keary, Lam... There will be some significant salary cap there for them moving ahead. Suaalii may graduate from the 18th man ranks soon!
5. Rugby. Not that anyone sees the game anymore, but we understand a team called the Western Force were beaten and the Reds will now play the Brumbies for the title...whatever title that is. Good luck to the code.
I noticed the Penrith Emus hit rock bottom again after a win last week's win and lost 50-0 to Sydney Uni. The excitement was short lived.
6. Cricket. The IPL is evenly poised now. Dave Warner has been sacked, but will excel not being captain. Losses does that to skippers. He needs to relax and just play the game well. Kane Williamson has been the Sunrisers captain previously and they are going badly, so an interesting change (how was this overlooked at the start of the season?).
7. EPL. If it was ever in doubt, Man City are now basically confirmed as EPL winners again. Their record over the past ten years is amazing. Adding this year's title, it is 5 wins, 3 Runners Up and One third placing...only missing the top three once in ten years. Sounds like the Melbourne Storm.
8. A-League. Western Sydney Wanderers finally grab Scott McDonald and with it, a win over Sydney FC. Their run has been lean for the past two weeks, so a welcome return of the flares, hysteria, security fluro jackets and smoke at BankWest Stadium, Good crowd numbers.
9. Daniel Riccardo. His season is a disaster so far. He could be back at Bathurst before he knows it. No shortage of media however. We live in hope he can excel and not blame the track, the car, the weather, the equipment, the tyres. Dry shoes thus far.
No comments:
Post a Comment