The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. Hank Steinbrenner is doing his best to be his father. Hank, who has taken over the running of the Yankees in recent times from his father George, has not been shy in speaking out. Last week Steinbrenner berated the National League for their no-designated hitter rule after Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang was forced onto the Disabled List after he injured himself running the bases in interleague play. Steinbrenner said that the National League needs to “grow up and join the 21st century.” Steinbrenner has made few friends since taking over the Yankees. That is fine if the Yankees are winning. If they continue on as they have this season, Steinbrenner may become the most hated man in New York City and in baseball.

7. The Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions. And in winning the title they have provided hope to nearly every fan of every sporting team in nearly every competition around the world. It was only last season that Celtics fans were at their lowest. They finished with an appalling 24-58 record, the second worst in the NBA, and endured a franchise record eighteen game losing streak. To make matters worse, the Celtics missed out in the NBA Lottery where Greg Oden and Kevin Durant were regarded as probable future superstars. The organisation didn’t moan. They acted. They bought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to play with Paul Pierce. They then made the most of the skills of Rondo and Perkins and added depth on their bench with the likes of Cassell and P.J Brown. The rest is history. They turned it around in the space of a season and are now world champions. Fans of all teams will look on and hope that their team is capable of such a monumental turnaround.

6. Takeover Target may not have saluted during the Royal Ascot carnival but he lost no admirers. The most popular horse in Australia and an international winner finished second in the King’s Stand Stakes before a courageous fourth in the Golden Jubilee. Jockey Jay Ford believes the fairytale steed that has taken him, as well as trainer Joe Janiak around the world and into the annals of racing lore, was feeling sore and as such, lacked his usual zip. For a horse to be sore and still perform as admirably in two of the finest sprinting races in the world is a true testament to the courage of Takeover Target. He will be back. And there are more wins ahead for the mighty flyer.

5. There is little sadder in professional sports than watching an aging boxer come out of retirement years past his prime for one last pay cheque. Perhaps seeing two such fighters take each other on is the only scene more depressing. That is what fight fans are in store for tomorrow when Jeff Fenech takes on Azumah Nelson. Fenech is 44 and hasn’t fought in over twelve years. Nelson is 49. Nothing will be gained from the fight and nothing will be proved. And this fight certainly won’t change the history of the two. Only a true desperate will watch this very sad chapter in boxing history.

4. The Western Bulldogs are the real deal. Of that, there is no doubt. The Bulldogs disposed of Collingwood last night by ten points, putting the sword to yet another top-eight team. It sent the Bulldogs to second on the table with eleven wins and a draw from thirteen games. Their only loss was to the Kangaroos and even then the Bulldogs had a kick after the siren to snatch victory. Rodney Eade has built a winning team around skill, speed and class and it has worked to perfection. The Bulldogs do the small things right and can beat any team on their day. With the experience of Akermnanis, West and Johnson and the exciting skill of Cooney and Murphy, the Dogs are going to go very close to winning their first flag since 1954.

3. The loss of Greg Bird to injury may be the telling factor in Origin III. Bird injured the ligaments in his knee when attempting to score a try for the Sharks yesterday and could be out for anywhere between two weeks and the season. Bird is desperate to be named for the Blues but appears to be no chance of playing. Braith Anasta is the likely call-up. Bird is the most aggressive person in the New South Wales team and that cannot be replaced. He has the perfect game for Origin. Anasta is an adequate replacement but has never starred at Origin level. If Queensland are as on song as they were in Origin II, the Blues could get beaten by even more without Bird.

2. Things continue to go from bad to worse at Canterbury. With the Bulldogs starting the season in a state of political turmoil, the Bulldogs have seen the injury toll rise while they continue to stumble from controversy to defeat and back again. The Bulldogs then reached rock bottom on Saturday night where the team was beaten 58-18 by a Canberra Raiders team that have struggled to win on the road in recent seasons. It was an appalling display that was followed-up with coach Steve Folkes calling many Bulldogs supporters “niff nuffs” for calling on him to blood young talent. The call is not without merit. The Bulldogs have nothing but pride to play for this season and should be blooding as many youngsters as possible in preparation for 2009. If Folkes isn’t prepared to do this, he should step aside immediately.

1. The NRL certainly needs to look at how they can prevent the player drain to English rugby league and European rugby after another star signed himself away from the NRL. In form Dragons prop Jason Ryles recently signed for French club Les Catalans, abandoning the Dragons after they told him he would be granted a release if he found a better deal. The NRL needs to relax the rules on third party sponsorships while also being more flexible in providing discounts for loyal players. A balance is needed and at present the NRL is too hard on player payments. They still need to be vigilant with the salary cap but at present, the situation is creating too much leakage.

Upper of the Week: The performance of “Aussie” Guus Hiddink in guiding Russia to the Euro2008 semi-finals. Hiddink’s Russia defeated his homeland Holland 3-1 in what was a truly stunning display. Australians still feel a deep affection for Hiddink after he guided the Socceroos to the knockout stage of the 2006 World Cup. He is the best football manager on the planet and most Australians will be cheering on the Russians against Spain in the semi-final.

Downer of the Week: The knee injury that will keep Tiger Woods from competitive golf for the rest of the season. Tiger Woods, one of the greatest athletes of our time or any other, will undergo surgery after claiming his greatest win over 91 holes at the U.S Open. Golf will not be the same without him. Hopefully Tiger will be back to his best in 2009.