By Spiro Zavos
December 25th 2009 @ 12:40am
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All I want for Christmas is…
Australia's Mitchell Johnson, right, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of England's Alastair Cook on the second day of the fourth cricket test match between England and Australia, at Headingley cricket ground in Leeds, England, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Tim Hales)
My Christmas wish list includes the following: 1. The Australian cricket squad to win back the Ashes next year looking something likes this: Katich, Hughes, Ponting, Clarke, Ferguson, Watson, Haddin, Johnson, Smith (Steve), Pattison, Hazelwood, Bollinger.
2. That the NSW Waratahs will play winning rugby in the running and attacking Waratahs tradition that was set in 1929.
3. Shane Watson hopefully will grow up and stops behaving like Corey on a bad day.
4. That players of all codes and sports remember that the booze and drug culture is their enemy and should be avoided at all costs. And that administrators start to boot repeat offenders out of their game.
5. That the ARU will not rise to the bait set by Jonathan Thurston and make him rugby union’s second million dollar man from the rival code of rugby league. If the new Melbourne franchise is looking for a five-eighths of quality they should look to Brock James, currently playing splendidly for Clermont Auvergne and rated by The Independent as the 50th player in its 50 best rugby players in the world in 2009.
6. That Australia wins the hosting rights to the Football World Cup of 2022, and that FFA does not continue its triumphalist games and realises that there are three other football codes in Australia with interests to protect.
7. That Tiger Woods sorts out his family problems, one way or the other, and gets back to making news by sinking putts and winning tournaments.
8. That St George win the NRL premiership.
9. That Tennis Australia brings Paul McNamee on board as CEO as soon as possible to oversee the beginnings of a renaissance in Australian tennis, in the women’s and men’s game.
10. That in 2010 all the Roarers continue their passionate and informed discussion on The Roar at the same high level of discourse we have all enjoyed this year, and that our numbers swell as our roars encourage and excite many thousands of others to join in the fun.
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Billo said | December 25th 2009 @ 2:24am | Report comment
Spiro,
I agree with your points, but I would just add that I wish the media would stop trying to victimise sports stars, particularly NRL players, which probably just shows that I’m living in a dream world.
Congratulations on the website, and more power to its elbow. And from chilly London, may I wish you and everybody connected with the Roar a terrific Christmas.
Mr cheese said | December 25th 2009 @ 4:36am | Report comment
Chilly London ? At least you didn’t ( I guess…) do the same thing as me i.e. slip up on the ice and land on my right arm. Ouch.
I have only 2 wishes for Christmas:
1) England win the World Cup. This is pretty much inevitable. Like day following night. Like Thursday following Wednesday. ( Je plaisante. Don’t get angry with me ).
2) The capos of European cycling will stop all their silly talk about ‘expansion’. The tour of Italy is planning to start its race in Washington DC in 2012. The tour de France will perhaps follow suit. Tokyo and Qatar have thrown their hats into the ring.
Keep the faith – A vaincre sans peril, on triomphe sans gloire.
vinay verma said | December 25th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Spiro, firstly a Merry Xmas to all the Roarers and secondly I too,have a Wish List,though a lot smaller than yours:
1.Sports administrators in general,and cricket administrators in particular,not be blinded and seduced by short term riches.They need to keep their eye on the main game.
2. Sports fans worldwide and Australia in particular play the game and not the person. A visiting team is a guest in Australia and must be treated with respect and cordiality. Our standards must be higher and not lower than other countries.
3. Australia has a proud legacy for producing outstanding sportsmen and most of them have been great ambassadors. Our sporting captains must set the example and there is no excuse for bad manners.
4. I wish more people would appreciate the Kookaburras as they have consistently been one of our greatest sporting teams for almost 30 years.
Finally,permit me to single out Greg Russell as the writer I most enjoy on the Roar. His thoughtful and well researched pieces are both stimulating and exceedingly well written. His comments,too, on other people’s writing are always pertinent and never personal. Honourable mentions to Brett McKay,Sheek,Kersi and Freud.This is not to lessen the contribution of other Roarers on sports like AFL,Rugby ,Soccer and League. My opinions are personal and not meant as a ranking .Simply expressing my enjoyment.
socrates tennyson said | December 25th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
you got to be kidding about your suggested change at tennis Australia. You are clearly ill informed and have no real knowledge of the skills that the person you think should be in charge of the sport. Look back at his history – it will tell you what is likely to happen in the future.
M1tch said | December 25th 2009 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Happy christmas to all..
How can Steve Smith be in the test side? No offence to the kid as he is a talent, but his FC bowling is terrible, and he will be a Cameron White player within 2 years..top 6 batsman who will give you a few overs.
Pretty simple wish list
NSW to win back Origin
Eels or Tigers to win NRL premiership
England to win 4 nations
Sydney FC win a-league
eric said | December 25th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
Ok Spiro, Who are Patison & Hazelwood?
Good luck with the wish re Waratahs, or move to Canberra!
I’m with you on the tennis, but what is it you want McNamee to do?
Just on tennis, in Wagga, the region that produced Tony Roche and Eyvonne Gooloogong, 4 years ago there was no Saturday junior tennis comp. A determined volunteer got it going, and 170 kids showed up. 2nd year, 270 kids, 3rd year 370, and same again this year. Juniors are already filling in the senior comps. A great story.
tom said | December 26th 2009 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
1. Queensland Reds finish top 10 while playing the exciting rugby they used in 2009
2. Will Genia and Quade Cooper bring their spring tour form into the 2010 S14
3. No more bad incidents for rugby
4. Australia wins back the Bledisloe and Ashes double
Fisher Price said | December 27th 2009 @ 7:37am | Report comment
Pattison? Smith? Hazelwood? You do realise the Ashes are next summer?
hammer said | December 27th 2009 @ 8:26am | Report comment
Better moderation on this site and the editors to cull repeat articles
Mad Mex said | December 27th 2009 @ 6:54pm | Report comment
Perhaps Peter Siddle should move to NSW? This would appear his best chance at securing a gig in Spiro’s 2010 Ashes side…if only Hodgey had elected to do the same
Mr cheese said | December 27th 2009 @ 11:35pm | Report comment
Peter Siddle is as tough as old boots. He is half-man, half-ferret.
People say that he was brought up in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.
Michael C said | December 27th 2009 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
I’m assuming Spiro means James Pattinson,…and not his English rep brother….
what about big George from SA??
my wish contained something along the lines of…….green grass in March/April in Melbourne……the Vic State Govt to be held accountable over the FFA/Etihad/Bubbledome expensive roof fiasco……Ben Cunnington to play 12 games in debut year for North and be the ‘next’ Joel Selwood.
captain nemo said | December 28th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Seasons greetings to spiro and all.
1. Done deal
2.Tahs playing running rugby, we can only dream
3. Don’t care
4 You can lead a horse to water but in the case of a footballer, you can’t stop him from drinking
5 agree 100%
6 Yes and I don’t think it matters as it is being blown out of proportion
7 don’t care
8 Dragons to pick up a title and the Tahs play running rugby, have you been reading my letter to santa spiro
9 don’t know enough to really comment on this topic but like most on here would love to see the return of the glory days for Australian tennis
10 hmmm
JohnB said | December 28th 2009 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Some interstate roarers might wish for a world in which NSW players had to (a) be technically up to scratch and (b) perform before getting in the Australian cricket team!