The Roar
The Roar

Andrew Leonard

Roar Pro

Joined January 2011

34.8k

Views

27

Published

51

Comments

Published

Comments

Fair comments from all – I did mention that Hewitt has been a giant of the game for Australia and was merely offering opinion that it is time to promote the players that have been battling and slowly making inroads on tour. I can’t see the benefit of Hewitt playing round one and getting bundled out compared to the benefit of Duckworth, Mitchell, Jones or Matosevic playing round one and getting bundled out. The latter four have more scope to improve and a round one match offers more benefit to them than Hewitt.
LK – was certainly aware of Ferrer being top 50 at 21. The point is though that the consistency and improvement came at 26. I would still rather have 3 26-30 year olds in the the top 100 than have only one teenage star to pin media hype and public hopes on.
Johnno, if you played tennis at that level it is quite surprising that you have fallen out of love for the game so dramatically.

Tennis Australia wrong to hand Hewitt French Open wildcard

On the crowd last night, I am not sure how they got 56000 as a number. Where I was sitting there were empty seats all around us. Whole rows in fact were empty. Perhaps they were all standing and didn’t make way to their seats.

Why Victoria should never host another Origin match

Agree – certainly didn’t see him taking a short step. Just made an interesting decision which didn’t come off.

Who are the real cowards of the AFL?

Obviously the consensus of comments is that I was having a go at the AFL and their stance during the ultimately failed World Cup bid attempt. This is not the case. The point of the article was more to highlight the once in a lifetime horse that we are all so enthralled by. It was a congratulations piece to SAJC, Adelaide Crows, the AFL, the Seven Network and Fox Sports.

The point was more to highlight the true scale of the Black Caviar phenomenon. In an earlier draft I also had it that the AFL in all likeliness would change fixtures if they see fit to do so, however it wasn’t the point.

Oh and apologies on the timeline error, of course the hoo-ha over venues was 2 years ago now.

Black Caviar show bigger than the AFL

Appreciate the comments.

Clipper – I would say the Manchester United probably have more support outside of Manchester than they do in their home city. Possibly the same could be said of Barcelona as well.

Storm and Swans reaping benefits of low profile

The clip in this blog was enough for me to agree that it was a penalty. By clipping the left leg of Berisha, thus making that leg not land where it should, making the ball deviate from where Brisha expected it to be meant he had a fresh air shot. There was no dive and there was a touch which affected the ability of the player to shoot.

Ultimately this is a decision I think could have been handed to a 4th official looking at a video monitor. The referee should do as they do in Rugby Union and not ask for a decision on the incident, but should ask for a reason not to go along with their decision on the pitch.

“I am thinking about awarding a penalty, can you provide me any reasons why I shouldn’t?” Its a simple question. The 4th official would then be able to review the incident and provide reasons or confirm the the decision of the referee on the pitch.

This would immediately remove the ugly scenes of players protesting in the face of the on field referee.

As other posters have stated. The restart to play is a simple one. Either, goal kick, free kick, corner or penalty.

The only time this would be an issue is if the ball stays in play and the defending team is on the break. The referee would have to stop play to go to a review. Then possession would be forfeited temporarily and return to the last team in possession much like when you have an injury.

Video technology argument adds up in football

The clip in this blog was enough for me to agree that it was a penalty. By clipping the left leg of Berisha, thus making that leg not land where it should, making the ball deviate from where Brisha expected it to be meant he had a fresh air shot. There was no dive and there was a touch which affected the ability of the player to shoot.

Ultimately this is a decision I think could have been handed to a 4th official looking at a video monitor. The referee should do as they do in Rugby Union and not ask for a decision on the incident, but should ask for a reason not to go along with their decision on the pitch.

“I am thinking about awarding a penalty, can you provide me any reasons why I shouldn’t?” Its a simple question. The 4th official would then be able to review the incident and provide reasons or confirm the the decision of the referee on the pitch.

This would immediately remove the ugly scenes of players protesting in the face of the on field referee.

As other posters have state. The restart to play is a simple one. Either, goal kick, free kick, corner or penalty.

The only time this would be an issue is if the ball stays in play and the defending team is on the break. The referee would have to stop play to go to a review. Then possession would be forfeited temporarily and return to the last team in possession much like when you have an injury.

Video technology argument adds up in football

Has anyone got the link to the video of behind the scenes?

Great to see GreenEDGE set goals and achieve them. Now if they could somehow sneak another major classic or a stage win the Tour it would be an unbelievable season.

GreenEDGE silence their critics

Concern has to be the full 120minutes for GWS but am getting excited when the Giants press forward.

GWS Giants vs Sydney Swans: AFL live scores, blog

I am the first to admit there are some contradictions in my rationale behind the improvements of some teams and decline of others. Unfortunately to get a mini assessment of all teams in the one article it required limiting the reasons behind decisions.

Ultimately though, a team tends to rise that is not expected and a sure thing tends to fall a bit.

Predicting the AFL season from the bottom up

Cancellara was on the Schleck’s team last year as well, so no change there. They have lost O’Grady who is with GreenEdge and has been a solid domestique in recent tours.

If anything Evans’ team has more targets and might have to do more work with 3 gun riders. The two of of Hushovd and Gilbert might spend time in breakaway’s trying for stage wins.

Contador ban means Evans may go back to back

Whilst it is good – and the right decision – that the ban has been implemented for Contador, Joe failed to mention that the amount found would have done nothing to improve his performance. That is not an excuse, it just shows that Cycling is more stringent than ever in detecting and outlawing doping of any kind. They are prepared to take out the big names and are the most advanced sport in testing procedures to eliminate all forms of doping.

However as Joe correctly states, unless all the details and facts are presented to the public, the perception will continue that cycling is a sport infiltrated by by drug cheats, which as MisterPhotoCyclist comments is not true. The few that do cheat now, get caught and that is a good thing.

Contador reinforces cycling's association with drugs

Certainly agree with TomC on this one. The selectors suggest they pick a team loosely on positions but ultimately they pick the team that they would pick if playing an international against someone.

For example, I have no issue where on the ground Adam Goodes – based on this year – is named in the team so long as he is in the team.

The major problem I think is the perception that selectors reward a player for 2 good years rather than pick the outstanding player of the past season.

Overhaul of All-Australian team selection criteria needed

Good article but its wrong to suggest Collingwood were favoured in many of those Grand Finals. They got there on hard work and less talent than their opponents. However to give up a winning position in 1970 does allow us to question the tightness of their jumpers around their necks that day…

When the choking stops in the AFL and NRL

Great concept – but include the ACT to make it 4 games over an Origin weekend – it would be brilliant. Play one game on the Friday night, one Saturday arvo and evening and one Sunday.

I think play every year to try and keep the same players playing in each team.

Play Home or away against a side like Davis Cup and rotate against that team only. Therefore it theoretically takes you 4 years to climb from the bottom up to the top to be crowned Australian Champion State.

How to structure an AFL State of Origin

Pretty sure I alluded to the 2 home and 2 away fixtures against each side as being an important step Qantas…

What is the A-League season waiting for?

Midfielder

Turn things around is another conversation alltogether, I am talking about the gap between seasons and launching the new season. My aim was to emphasise that the league should be starting in August and not October as there is an appetite for it.

I agree with Kasey above about choosing a set time for the league to run. that way anticipation grows for the start of the new year, by knowing that kick off is always…. (the second weekend in October, or the 2nd weekend in August, or the first week of September).

What is the A-League season waiting for?

Chris – that’s the problem for me – they would begin their marketing campaign at the start of the winter codes finals. Added to that there is the Rugby World cup this year as well.

I felt there is no problem with starting the season in August. As lovers of football we are all getting excited about the European leagues starting now, so there is an appetite.

As I mentioned, in Australia there will always be competition for air/print/online space so be strong, launch in August and get the season rolling.

What is the A-League season waiting for?

He is the oldest rider post WWII to win the TdF. He is the oldest rider since 1923 to win the race.

Awesome work – felicitations Cadel.

@aleonard5

Cadel Evans crowned king of Tour de France

Gabriel Gaté’s Taste le tour is of course a must see as well. SBS does an outstanding job. It should win best sports coverage Logie every year! Unfortunately, I don’t believe the readers of TV Week are likely to be sitting up watching the Tour.

Tour de France is TV's greatest sporting spectacle

Turbodewd – Yes they might get an injury that ends their ability to earn big dollars but they have still had a great financial start in life that their peers who have not played the game haven’t had. They all still have the opportunity to enter the workforce or go to Uni, the difference being that they (should) have a pretty solid bank balance as a student / apprentice / graduate employee already.

Stars greedy or getting their two cents worth?

Michael – I wrote about this “Sports stars are greedy or getting their 2 cents worth” and got hauled over the coals by the readers…. I agreed with your premise that it is more a PR battle with the public than arguing over waht they actually deserve witht he AFL.

Mark Young is correct to an extent though – if there is a heap of money there then why shouldn’t the players get it. However from the AFL’s perspective – the game is not the number one across the entire country, it has two new teams in markets that are not even 50% sold (even less in West Sydney) to pay for and still has clubs haemorrhaging money all over the place.

AFL players can’t win PR battle on pay rise

Yes it was live in Melbourne.

Congrats on the ratings RL fans. I certainly enjoyed it, mid week sport is a great thing and SOO should be kept mid week as there is a prestige about a midweek competition, much like the Champions League in Europe.

Origin TV ratings: Decider sets new records (updated)

“Would Carlton versus Collingwood be a better game without Judd, Carrazzo, Waite, Swann, Cloke and Thomas? That’s about as hard to answer as, ‘Does Malcolm Blight ever make any logical sense?’”

My comment here is that no team is going to lose their three best players as you have suggested. If as suggested each club lost its best three to the new clubs that would make the new clubs very good indeed as 16 x 3 = 48 spread over the new clubs means that 4 of those guns wouldn’t get a game every week…. (then you have the top draft picks as well….)

As is mentioned in the comments by expanding the competition the talent pool is expanded too. Your comments about the NBA backs up what the AFL’s strategy is. Sure we might see an initial fractioning on the quality of talent but give it a decade or so and this will only level out and increase quality across the competition further.

As for me I certainly don’t see any issues with the game this year with a 17th team.

Andrew Demetriou: the spectre of evil?

Agree on the sentiment, however its probably a bit late – isn’t the award normally based on achievements over a career where they were highlighted particularly in that year. In general the public consciousness of Kostya is lower now thant it was 3-4 years ago when he should have be given the honour.

Kostya Tszyu is one of the all-time great Australians

close