The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. The controversy over Brett Favre’s return to the NFL is going to get a lot more unpleasant for all involved with the Green Bay Packers and Favre further apart than ever on Favre’s return. Favre has demanded a release after Packer management refused to accept him back as the team’s number one quarterback. Rather, they have stated that he will compete in training camp with Aaron Rodgers for the quarterback role. Packer management has also refused to release Favre for fear he will join divisional rivals Minnesota, whom have been accused of tampering by the Packers. Favre has earned the right to return and if the Packers don’t want him, they should grant him a release. That won’t, however, be happening.

7. With only six stages remaining, Cadel Evans is in the box seat to become Australia’s first ever winner of the Tour De France. Evans may have lost the yellow jersey after Australia’s Simon Gerrans courageous stage fifteen victory but he remains the firm favourite to win it back and retain it sometime over the next six stages. Evans has been brave in yet another Tour marred by drugs, fighting on without much help from his teammates. If Evans does go on to claim the race, it will rank as one of the greatest achievements in Australian sporting history.

6. Padraig Harrington joined an elite group of golfers that includes Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Peter Thomson, Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones as winners of consecutive British Open’s after a magnificent 69 on the last day to win the 2008 version at Royal Birkdale. Harrington is a tremendous golfer and a fine advertisement for the sport and his victory was well deserved. With Tiger gone for the rest of the year, the well-liked Irishman is the man to step up and keep golf relevant.

5. The Carlton Football Club has done exactly the right thing in suspending negotiations with star full forward Brendon Fevola until after the season. The protracted negotiations have proven a massive distraction to Carlton with Fevola courting other teams while professing to be a Blue through and through. His position has not been helped by recent poor form and the perception that he is playing without heart. Carlton still have September aspirations and must tackle the remaining rounds distraction free.

4. Joel Bowden showed wonderful smarts to ice the clock in the final minute of Richmond’s game with Essendon by rushing two behinds to provide Richmond with a much needed four point victory. He has been criticised from many sources with claims he acted contrary to the spirit of the game. What rubbish. Bowden acted in the true spirit of the game, which is to win. Bowden was clever and the Bombers were not. It is that simple. If the protectors of the game are not pleased with Bowden’s actions then they should change the rules to penalise such behaviour. As the rulebook currently stands, Bowden’s action were not only legal but highly intelligent.

3. News Limited’s attack on both Canterbury and Canberra over supposed off-field “incidents” on the weekend. Bulldogs players were allegedly involved in a bit of push-and-shove at a nightclub in Cronulla while Raiders player Bronx Goodwin was allegedly involved in a fight outside a Canberra pub. News Limited has labeled it “rugby league’s night of shame” in what is another pathetic attempt to sell newspapers through hyperbole. The organisation has no qualms in tarnishing the image of the game if it will increase circulation. It is disgraceful and the journalists who are employed by News need to reexamine what they actually hoped to achieve when they entered the field.

2. Ricky Stuart should check his own backyard before criticising the backyards of others. Stuart has come out today criticising the Melbourne Storm for their wrestling tactics, claiming the Storm are working over players wrists and shoulders in an attempt to slow the play-the-ball down. While Stuart may be right, it is Cronulla who have become the masters at slowing the game down through wrestling. Cronulla would not even be in the eight if it wasn’t for their ability to work opponents over in the tackle. Stuart’s comments are completely hypocritical and nothing more than an attempt to derail the Storm’s quest for back-to-back premierships.

1. Gavin Badger completely overreacted in sending Dragons prop Jason Ryles from the field against the Melbourne Storm in what was one of the most spiteful encounters of the season. Badger dismissed Ryles only minutes after sending three players to the sin bin for their involvement in a wild brawl. Ryles struck Jeff Lima with his foot in a scrum in what was a silly move but one that certainly didn’t warrant a send off. The inexperienced Badger, flustered from the previous incident, immediately marched Ryles. Ryles should have been sin binned but to be sent off for such a petty incident was a stain on the game.

Upper of the Week: The return of the Shark. Greg Norman, these days’ fulltime businessman and only part-time golfer, had the golfing world enthralled with his amazing run at the British Open. The 53 year old legend was simply remarkable in tackling the tough Royal Birkdale, leading after three rounds before finishing in a tie for third. Many questioned whether there would be interest in this year’s Open after Tiger Woods succumbed to injury. Norman saw to it that the 2008 British Open was one of the most memorable ever.

Downer of the Week: The hamstring injury to Nathan Deakes, Australia’s champion walker, which has robbed Australia of our best medal hope in track and field. Deakes’ withdrawal comes only weeks after Jana Pittman succumbed to injury. Australia’s two best track and field gold medal hopes are now gone and it could be a long Olympic Games for the athletics team.