It’s funny where you can garner life lessons from. They can come from the musings of great historic philosophers, right through to a seemingly off-hand remark from a casual acquaintance that parks itself in the forefront of your mind as having much greater significance than you first gave it credit for. And in rare cases, … Read more
It is Monday morning, Sydney time and Ricky Ponting will almost certainly play his last Test innings at Perth in a few hours. And I feel more than a tinge of sadness, despite the bad feelings I have often had towards him. There was once a time when Ricky Ponting did little but infuriate me. … Read more
Madge Can’t Survive This: Michael Maguire was all but gone last year before the Tigers’ ineptitude prevented them from sacking a coach that most in the club and almost 100% of supporters wanted to happen. It was hoped Tim Sheens could help shave off some of his sharp edges. Whether that has happened is unclear. What … Read more
Last Sunday, I played the role of the prophet. I converted a girl whose sensibilities are more food and fashion and taxidermied foxes to the world of football. Louise, a lady friend in the biblical sense, attended her first game of Australian Rules football, her first professional match of any sport as a matter of … Read more
Full Tilt Poker was, to quote Obi Wan Kenobi, a wretched hive of scum and villainy. Under the stewardship of Howard Lederer and his squishy sidekick, Ray Bitar, Full Tilt Poker was a company that was, at best, horribly managed or at worst – according to the US Department of Justice – a criminal enterprise. … Read more
n the spirit of the finals, during September the Monday Milestone will examine some of the great moments in NRL finals history. This Week in History:1998, NRL Grand Final qualifierOn the back of fullback Paul Carige’s efforts, Parramatta relinquish an 18-2 lead, ultimately going down to Canterbury in extra time. “Look, I was just trying … Read more
I occasionally wonder with some awe how Steve Robilliard has managed to avoid being committed to a facility for the mentally infirm. To me it defies belief and reason that he has managed to remain not only a professional of the highest order but non-institutionalised and seemingly a fully functioning citizen of society. He has … Read more
This story was first published on Punting Ace in 2008 This weekend, at Radio City Music Hall, the NFL will hold its 73rd draft. All thirty two teams will have finished with all the research, the workouts, the film study, the interviews, the measurements and the forecasting and will be complete and with crossed fingers and … Read more
One issue that has been brought back to the forefront of my attention as a result of reactions to Making The Nut’s February 9 piece about Kelli Underwood and the role of women in sports coverage is that both female sportspeople and female journalists/ broadcasters rarely get the best of it when it comes opportunities … Read more
As we head towards the rugby league finals, the Milestone takes the Delorean forward another decade this week, this time focussing on rugby league in the 1980’s. This Week in History1986, September 21Canterbury win through to the Grand Final to take on arch-rivals Parramatta in the latest chapter of their ongoing battle for supremacy in the 1980s. … Read more