Anthony Mundine defends his WBA super middleweight title against Nader Hamdan. AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
Sydney Sun-Herald readers will be familiar with Danny Weidler from his inside-back page gossip column, The Last Word. League fans will also know him from Channel 9, where he has cultivated a veritable forest of wooden delivery.
Despite being overblown, self-important and basically the same every week, Weidler’s column remains one of the weekend’s guilty pleasures. Here’s my 5-snippet tribute.
1. That Rugby League player you thought was a tool is not as much of a tool as you thought he was
Whether it’s Paul Gallen visiting sick kids between testicle grabs, stitch-rippings and renditions of “you black c***”, or Willie Mason courageously under-performing between public urinations, Danny never misses a chance to talk up the undeserving. I presume it’s his way of gaining exclusive access to the relevant bad boys and their agents?
2. Sonny Bill Williams is the new Muhammad Ali
A former regular in Snippet 1, Sonny Bill Williams is now a weekly feature in his own right. Whether it’s an update on his French lessons (the language ones, not those involving Candice Falzon), his rugby career or – in this week’s highlight – an improbable comparison to the king of all sportsmen, Danny rarely misses an opportunity to write about New Zealand’s thirteenth best centre.
3. Anthony Mundine is the old Muhammad Ali
Either Khoder Nasser is on speed-dial, or Danny’s office is in the back booth of the Boxa Bar, because The Man features on Sunday mornings as surely as an eight-count follows a knock-down. Story A is “Mundine is Australia’s Greatest Athlete” while Story B is “Mundine is misunderstood” (see also Snippet 1). I enjoy Mundine more than most, but it’s fair to say he overtrades in Danny’s columns given he fights only three or four times a year.
4. Wendell Sailor is good for the game, whichever one that is at the moment
Big Dell hasn’t attracted many headlines of late, probably because he hasn’t done anything incompetent or stupid. But when he does, you can bet he’ll be back in Danny’s column!
5. Brett Lee is fitter than ever – really!
A bit unfair to pin this one exclusively on Danny, since this story spreads like swine flu every time the paceman’s Test spot is in doubt. However, the likeable quick has been promoted by Weidler as often as anyone else, despite averaging 32 or more with the ball in all but three years since his debut in 1999.
In addition to being a sports nuffy, Andrew Jones is a co-founder of local business ratings website Customer Underground - check it out at customerunderground.com.
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Steve Kaless said | June 2nd 2009 @ 3:25am | Report comment
No one plays favourites like Our Danny. That Sonny Bill what a gentleman, Choc Mundine a genuine sporting megastar.
It is truly amazing though how much mileage Weilder can get out of a fairly limited stable of players.
Boof said | June 2nd 2009 @ 3:35am | Report comment
Wow a personal attack on a fellow hack err journolist,old Danny Weidler must have nicked off without shouting,your such a self rightious bunch of pre madonna`s you sports writers,i reckon its because deepdown you know that sport dosen`t really matter.
& anyone who say`s Wendy isn`t good for the game has no idea.
pothale said | June 2nd 2009 @ 6:05am | Report comment
Eh Boof – that would be prima donnas. Or in the case of sports journalist, he’s more likely to be a primo uomo.
The Answer said | June 2nd 2009 @ 7:29am | Report comment
It doesn’t Boof, that is why we all love it so much.
Also I’d rather see a bit of criticism flying in that the constant “he/she is such a brillant writer and great thinker.” The constant pats on the back and protection is what is the real bore.
Dell may be great for the game, doesn’t mean Wielder isn’t a peanut.
Bill said | June 2nd 2009 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Big Dell is a personality as much as he is a league player.
Long may he continue to run over the top of opponents to score tries, give verbal to opponents on the field & in the press, show emotion when he or his teammates score, get his melon on tv etc.
Brett McKay said | June 2nd 2009 @ 8:18am | Report comment
Andrew, don’t forget the weekly correction of anything Rebecca Wilson writes in the opposition paper, usually accompanied by “she has no moral standing” or something simliar. And funny you mention Candice Falzon, ‘cos she features in snippet 1 just as often!!
I used to enjoy Danny Weidler’s writings, but ever since SBW upped and headed to France, his column has becomes a constant SBW update on anything and nothing. Likewise the defending of Willie Mason – the classic for me was after Mason was dropped by the Roosters for turning up to training with a blood-alcohol reading, Weidler leads his piece to camera with “I was at Willie Mason’s place when he left for training at 7am, and…..”
What the?!?
sheek said | June 2nd 2009 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Danny Weidler – “full of self-importance & wooden delivery”. That sums the guy up.
I don’t bother reading him anymore.
sledgeross said | June 2nd 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Boof, there were sports journalists around before Madonna!!!
Weidler is a blight on Rugby League, just as much as Rebecca Wilson is. Both are envious of the adulation the players get, but handle it differently. Weidler is a lick-spittle sycophant who gains irrelevent pieces of info garnered by buying players drinks and writing only positive articles, he is “mates” with them. Wilson suffers from penis envy. Shes not a bloke and as such has a chip on her shoulder, which is a shame because she knows alot about the game. She has a penchant for hysterical and biased reporting which is just as bad as Weidlers, though I find Weidlers much more offensive, because he makes his stories up ie exclusive SBW scoop, SBW likes using 3 ply dunny paper!
Boof said | June 2nd 2009 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
er pothale ,your right its Prix for some & Prix for you…keep on inhaling ..
Marty said | June 2nd 2009 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Wieldler is a moron.