International Rules dying a slow death
After yet another International Rules series ended with a violence on field and scoreboard, we must now ask if the series has a future.…
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After yet another International Rules series ended with a violence on field and scoreboard, we must now ask if the series has a future.…
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I completely agree. Only one thing can stop the speculation and that’s Malthouse coming out and saying flatly “I’ll pursue other opportunities on their merits” or “I’m done with coaching”. It sounds like he’s closer to the former. He probably felt he needed to tell his side of the story
On your last point – surely anything Hird does/did this year would be viewed as a success for the Dons? Especially when considering the unpopular regard in which Knights was held, their results and the in-fighting around the club. The bandwagon is rolling again, memberships are peaking, they’re playing competitive (mostly) footy; success may be too definite a word, so let’s go with “progress”.
Collingwood carousel can learn from Leno
Reading an article in The Age, perhaps the most touching thing I discovered about Bobby was that in the late ’70s he took his family to England for a year to sell cars to see if he could survive without Aussie Rules. The article said that he loved it so much, he nearly stayed. I just love that image – of such an iconic AFL guy having perspective enough to be able to walk away.
Remembering Bobby Davis
Back in the old days, I used to hear that my team (Geelong) was often people’s “second team”. As a neutral observer, they had everything – the freakish play of Gary Ablett, toughness in Gary Hocking etc, Paul Couch was a garbageman, they kicked mammoth scores, they played well and finally, absolutely were never a threat to beat your team in the Grand Final as they’d always choke. The Aussie love for the Underdog is strong, but only until they actually become a threat to your team.
The demise of AFL fans having a second team
Redb, that’s a fantastic point – I hadn’t taken into account the whole Supercoach/Dream Team phenomenon. As an NBA fan from way back, I don’t really have an NBA franchise I barrack for (it used to be the Bulls, but nearly everyone in Australia could say that) but due to fantasy basketball I’ve just got guys I like (usually the guys on my fantasy team). The same has happened without question in the AFL.
The demise of AFL fans having a second team
Mushi,
As regards Tennessee’s location, you’re quite right – it’s not exactly the Midwest as defined. Memphis is popularly acknowledged in the USA as a college sports town and a market which doesn’t fully support pro basketball. The Memphis Tigers have successful football and basketball programs – partly evidenced by Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans’ recent emergence under John Calipari. If you took a straw poll in Memphis about which team they supported more, the most popular answer would be the Tigers. Perhaps Pro Basketball purgatory would be a better term – especially for a team which until the past two years has had, at best, modest support.
I’d also argue your calling Memphis a “basketball town”, but that comes down largely to definitions.
I’ll admit to disappointment that the Sonics aren’t in the city I currently call home. But having grown up following the NBA, there’s more to it than that: it’s also that the Sonics were a significant part of the NBA landscape and to see a league without them (even before moving here) feels awkard and slightly wrong. The history that went along with forty-one years of Seattle Supersonics now doesn’t play much of a role in the NBA, which I find sad – as they played a significant role for most of their NW life. We’re allowed to mourn changes we disagree with to a league we love.
NBA's what could have been: Oklahoma City vs. Memphis
Kevin, you’re right – speculation on what might have been in useless. But really, the depth of feeling here in the Pacific NW is still very strong regarding the Sonics leaving town, as are many in Vancouver. Whether the Thunder/Grizz would be competing today were they still in their original cities isn’t so much of an issue rather than years on there’s still enough good memories – especially the Kemp/Payton runs of the mid-90s – which are blotted out now by the bad. Vancouver, due to poor management, never stood a chance of remaining in Canada although fan numbers were quite good. Let’s not be revisionist about the last decade, but it is fair to note people still hurt, ten or only three years on – and it’s not made easier by seeing the franchises succeed.
NBA's what could have been: Oklahoma City vs. Memphis
While he has come out and said he was trying to minimise the number of French-trained players playing for other coutnries, Blanc is implicated (but not necessarily guilty) simply by being at said meeting without objecting on the record. According to the Football Weekly podcast, the manager of the France U18 Coach, Pierre Mankowski was the only person to object. It could be that Blanc is completely innocent but was unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don’t want to think Blanc is a racist, nor xenophobe. In fact, I don’t think he is, but should the comments attributed to him be correct – especially regarding the Spanish national team’s success (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/france/8483800/French-football-approved-quotas-on-number-of-black-players.html), then he is guilty at least of being very misguided. His fomer player at Bordeaux and current France international, Alou Diarra, says Blanc is not a racist, and I believe him, but when the FFF Technical director Francois Blaquart has been suspended already, it seems that this smoke leads to fire somewhere.
As for your assertion that short skillful players are more likely to be white than black, I’m not so sure. It may (or may not necessarily) be true, but I would suggest your first responsibility is to encourage the best talent anywhere in the country. As for the problems of players electing to play for another country, putting a blanket-ban across players on the basis of skins colour or ancestry most certainly does not reflect well on the decision-makers and may not even solve the problem.
France's alleged quota system unravels
The Age has now reported that Sierakowski could well face a grilling from the ALFPA for his remarks:
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/manager-called-to-explain-remark-20110817-1iy9b.html
Patrick McGinnity really asks: How far is too far?