The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. The first Alps stage of the Tour De France was Australia’s most disastrous stage in the history of the race. Yellow jersey hopeful Michael Rogers, who was well placed in the General Classification, crashed out and abandoned the race. Stuart O’Grady suffered serious injuries when he also fell, breaking eight ribs and puncturing a lung. And pre-race Green Jersey favourite Robbie McEwen was disqualified after failing to complete the race within the prescribed time limit, virtually handing the title to American rival Tom Boonen. Australia’s last chance is Cadel Evans, who is currently sixth in the General Classification standings and looking good.

7. Phil Mickelson has again bought to the fore the questions surrounding his ability to win tournaments after another disastrous capitulation. Mickelson played well throughout the Scottish Open and looked ready to run away with the British Open leadup before throwing it away down the stretch. Mickelson played an appalling tee shot on the last and was lucky to shoot only a bogey to make it to the playoff. It just got worse for Mickelson, who played an even shoddier tee shot on the first playoff hole to eventually lose to the little known Gregory Havret. Mickelson’s confidence is surely down and it would take a game man to bet on him in the British Open.

6. The incompetent Socceroos of the Asian Cup hardly resemble the fairytale team who captured Australia’s hearts at the 2006 World Cup. The team that played the beautiful game the way it should be played to nearly down Italy in the round of sixteen at the World Cup is long gone and has been replaced by a brawling rabble more focused on fighting than football. The energy is gone and so is the unity. The man bearing the brunt for the awful showing that has seen a draw and a loss against lowly rated Middle Eastern opponents has been coach Graham Arnold and while he is certainly part of the problem, the players need to step up and be accountable. Too often in sport the coach is made the scapegoat but until players take some of the flak, the problems will continue.

5. Bettors may have been pleased with the finale of the New Zealand-South Africa clash but bookmakers certainly were not. With the margin look set to be twenty in favour of New Zealand, the All Blacks played on for minutes after the final siren with Dan Carter eventually scoring a fifty metre broken play try. The try and subsequent conversion sent bookies into fits of frenzy as it ensured the heavily backed New Zealand minus covered. The try was scored in spite of the handful of knock-ons and forward passes in the last play. Rugby has to realise that the game is eighty minutes long and should introduce a rule to ensure play does not continue so long after the final bell.

4. The Shinboner spirit has been alive and well throughout 2007 and was there for all to see on Sunday evening when the Kangaroos recorded a courageous victory against Fremantle. The Kangaroos were brilliant, traveling to Perth and coming away with the biscuits. The win shows just how far the Kangaroos have turned things around since a disastrous 2006. Drew Petire has been brilliant since moving up the ground, Glenn Archer looked rejuvenated and Adam Simpson was a delight to watch. If the Kangaroos maintain their team-first focus, they can go deep into September.

3. Alan Tongue proved once again why he is such a valuable footballer for the Canberra Raiders this weekend. The Raiders, without Tongue last week, were terrible and were beaten by over forty points. Tongue returned this week and the Raiders came out and won by forty plus. He showed why he is one of the last footballers left in a game now played by athletes when the skillful lock grubbered and re-gathered to score a key try just before the break. Tongue is a workhorse, an inspiration to his teammates and a hero for Raiders fans. Hopefully one day Tongue will get the dues he deserves.

2. It is a little rich for South Sydney coach Jason Taylor to be so critical of Parramatta mentor Michael Hagan and to do so in such a petulant manner is unbecoming to himself, his club and the game as a whole. Jason Taylor has hardly set the world on fire with South Sydney, despite a very good roster, and to attack another coach’s talent and record is entirely unnecessary. Simply, he doesn’t have the standing in the game to do so. His behaviour was childish and both South Sydney and the NRL should take action against him.

1. The loss of Darren Lockyer for the season certainly damages the chances of the Brisbane Broncos in 2007 but it also presents an opportunity for Wayne Bennett. Bennett now gets the opportunity to test Karmichael Hunt at five-eighth, a position the youngster looks ready made for. There is no doubt Hunt is a brilliant fullback but at the back, his opportunities are sometimes limited. In the number six jersey, he will get a lot more touches and his sharp running and sound passing game could really spark an already firing Broncos. It must be remembered that Darren Lockyer was once a fullback. With Hunt at five-eight and Justin Hodges at fullback, the Broncos can get a glimpse at life after Locky.

Upper of the Week: The magnificent steeple victory of Some Are Bent. The new jumping sensation recorded a brilliant victory in the Dominant Steeple, making it eight jumps wins on end. He is definitely one to follow.

Downer of the Week: The renewal of the Darryl Brohman-Les Boyd feud. Les Boyd broke Brohman’s jaw with a vicious elbow shot but it was 1983 and the feud should be well and truly settled by now. There is certainly no need to replay it all in public and Brohman was completely out of line in writing a provocative article calling Boyd an embarrassment. Nobody can win out of this and all the protagonists should be quiet before more reputations are damaged.