Sheek is absolutely right. I remember seeing ads during the Super League war days calling for rugby league commentators who could make a call in Mandarin. As another blogger says, this was probably part of the News Ltd hype to justify what they were doing. But, of course, it never amounted to anything. There was also a much-touted (by Roy Masters) Super League move into the Pacific Islands,especially Tonga. Sheek's earlier point that most of the major codes have trouble migrating out of their places of origin is a valid one. The case of gridiron is illustrative. It is played on the professional basis in the USA and Canada and nowhere else. AFL is played on a professional basis only in Australia Rugby league is simllarly confined to a couple of countries. Football is the outstanding example of a code that is played everywhere in the world. It is the Coca-Cola of of the codes that have emerged from the football wars of the late 19th century. Rugby also has a growing world-wide playing profile with professional leagues in all the continents. But it is Pepsi-Cola compared with the geographical reach and popularity of football. The AFL should stop wasting money on being an international sport. This is never going to happen, if only because new stadiums catering for the dimensions of the AFL game would have to be built ewverywhere, except in cricket countries.. As for league, I've never understood why there hasn't been a concentrated effort to bring Papua New Guinea into the Premiership, and also a fresh attack on the AFL territories inside Australia including Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and West Australia. Before for a code that is so entrenched in NSW and Queensland, it is amazing that the country beyond the Barassi Line is still enemy territory as fas as league is concerned.
2 Mar 2013This is an interesting insight into the social and judicial implications of the Pistorius affair. It is written, obviously, by someone living in South Africa who has an understanding of the political and social implications of the case. The whole business of gated communities and the competence of the police authorities raises crucial issues about the way the case will be prosecuted, and its outcome and the repercussions from whatever decision is finally made. Oscar Pistorius' obsession with guarding himself against intruders and the way he stockpiled weapons to destroy them, at face value, does seem to be over the top. But we have to remember his vulnerability when his synthetic legs were off. If he is found guilty, this vulnerability is no excuse, of course. But it does go towards an explanation of sorts as to the state of Pretorius' mind perhaps as the tragedy was unravelling.
28 Feb 2013
Test cricket live on Roar Radio: Australia vs India, Third Test, Mohali
great stuff, men. i'm enjoying this humourous and informed commentary more than the banal stuff on the box.
15 Mar 2013