The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. There is a blockbuster trade in the winds of Major League Baseball. Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana is heading to either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox in what will be a huge multi-player trade for one of baseball’s most sought after hurlers. The Red Sox are favoured after the Yankees refused to consider losing prospects Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes. The Red Sox are prepared to give up center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, pitcher Jon Lester and some minor league prospects. This one trade will determine who is favoured to win the World Series in 2008.

7. Subscription television coverage of American sports in Australia can be described as poor at best. This was bought to a head last weekend when no coverage was given to the Dallas-Green Bay Thursday night game or any of the NCAA Conference championship games. The Dallas-Green Bay clash was the first match-up between two 10-1 teams since 1990 yet no Australian could see it. The game was covered on the NFL Network in the U.S as was the Falcons-Colts game the week before. Fox Sports showed that game yet gave no air time to the massive NFC clash. Rather, we were given fishing, poker and rodeo. ESPN Australia is no better, offering no coverage to a big week in NCAA Football. These station programmers have to realise Australian’s want live, quality sport. The NFL and the NCAA provides this.

6. The win of Takeover Target in Sydney on the weekend was truly remarkable and confirmed his status as one of the greatest Australian sprinters of all time. In what was the highlight of Sydney’s reopening post-EI, Takeover Target carried 61 kilograms to victory in a courageous wins that had fans on edge until the final stride. After betting a crazy price about the multiple group one winner ($2.90 was top fluctuation), bookmakers paid the price when Jay Ford lifted his steed up and nabbed Dance Hero on the line. Takeover Target may be eight years of age but he is lightly raced and has at least two quality seasons of racing left in him.

5. Those at Cricket Australia would never have shut down the triangular ODI series that has been a staple of the Australian summer for thirty years if Kerry Packer was still alive. The tournament was interesting if two good nations were bought out and many enjoyed the format of the series. No longer. Now Australians must suffer through two meaningless five-game series each summer. Hopefully Cricket Australia will realise the silliness of their decision and revert to the three-way tournament structure that is as much a part of the Australian summer as beer and the beach.

4. Australia would be foolish to go into the Boxing Day Test with a four-pronged pace attack and no spinner. Those who think a pace quartet of Lee, Clark, Johnson and Tait would be successful are delusional. There is so much sameness among the styles of the four (particularly Lee and Tait, who rely only on sheer pace) that the Indians will soon adapt. Even the addition of a swing bowler would still not be an adequate solution. Australian selectors need to find a spin option for Boxing Day. It is that simple.

3. Australian cricketers should never again complain about the amount of cricket they are forced to play after signing on for the BCCI sponsored twenty-twenty tournament that is set to be played over forty days. Australia’s elite have signed a memorandum of understanding committing to signing up for the tournament. Whilst the players cannot be criticised for taking the lucrative contracts, they can no longer claim that their schedule is too long. Cricketers have it a lot easier than most sportsmen and should toughen up and stop whining.

2. The Bulldogs have let themselves down once more by not taking firmer disciplinary action against Reni Maitua. Maitua, who has a number of black marks against his name for breaches of club rules and the law, did not show up to training on Monday morning when seen out on the town as late as 4am the night before. Malcolm Noad and Steve Folkes should have learned from the entire Willie Mason debacle and ensured this wouldn’t happen again. Maitua has shown a pattern of disrespect for the Bulldogs and should have had his contract torn up. The message needs to be sent that no player is bigger than the club.

1. Rugby union is finally waking up and smelling the week-old coffee. After the game has taken a battering from most quarters for the stifled nature of play, the confusing rule interpretations and the constant kicking, lawmakers have stepped in to open the game up and make it clearer for fans. These new rules will be part of next season’s Super 14 and should make for a much better spectacle. Rugby lawmakers are to be applauded.

Upper of the Week: The probable return of a day time NRL Grand Final. The NRL has finally started listening to its fans with the NRL Partnership Committee expected to confirm the 2008 Grand Final will kick off at 3pm. The rugby league community is over the moon with the return to the traditional time slot. The NRL has finally stood up to Nine and showed who actually runs the game.

Downer of the Week: The tragic death of New South Wales jockey Daniel Baker. Baker fell heavily at Grafton on Sunday and did not regain consciousness. Baker was only 23-years old. His loss has devastated the racing industry and brings home how dangerous the life of a jockey can be.