Sweden’s Josefine Oqvist, left, challenges Australia’s Kim Carroll during the quarterfinal match between Sweden and Australia at the Womens Soccer World Cup in Augsburg, Germany, Sunday, July 10, 2011.(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
In this line of work, the last moment you experienced always seems like the most important. On Wednesday night, I watched Darren Lockyer play his final State of Origin game for Queensland.
The legendary Maroons captain was hoisted on to the shoulders of teammates who will one day also be chaired off the same ground as legends.
It was a moment in Australian sports history that will be replayed for decades to come and it happened before my very eyes.
To say the feeling was surreal would not do it justice.
Even if you’re from New South Wales you found yourself feeling content that this future immortal received a fitting farewell from the biggest stage the game has to offer.
This may seem a little like a ‘dear diary’ entry, but I’ll arrive at my point shortly.
On Saturday, with those scenes still dancing around my head, I picked up the Sydney Morning Herald and a piece about the Matildas’ World Cup campaign caught my attention.
In it, the article claimed that if Tom Sermanni’s side made the final of the tournament it would be the biggest Australian sporting event of the year.
My initial reaction was to think nothing could top the last game of Darren Lockyer for a Queensland side breaking records with ease.
It’s a big claim, but not one that is wrong.
The only problem with a blanket claim is that everyone will have a different view.
Regardless of the result of last night’s match it’s a question worth considering because one day it could happen.
I posted the following question on Twitter.
“SMH claims that if the Matildas reach the final of the women’s world cup it’ll be the biggest Australian sporting event of the year. Discuss.”
The responses reflected two things. That sport can provide some of the greatest talking points, and that you’ll never get a group of sports fans to agree on anything.
Here’s a sample of some of the responses.
@champagnesocial wrote: “Sorry ladies, but there’s a Rugby World Cup. W’s world cup only bigger if they win and Wallabies are dumped out in the QF’s.”
@Jardz said: “Probably more correct to call it the biggest Australian achievement of the year rather than the biggest sporting event.”
@Skilbs added: “NRL and AFL premiers would be talked about more. They would have to do something spectacular to be remembered as best for 2011.”
@sammystrongarm agreed with the Herald. “It already is the biggest event on my calendar. Reaching the final is a bonus.”
@Maesy was also in favour: “For Australia as a whole yes. Wouldn’t it be the biggest event if it were the Socceroos?”
It’s easy to change this into an argument about men’s versus women’s sport, but trust me it isn’t.
It’s all about opinion, and now you get the chance to voice yours.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Fair enough post. The last two years, I'd say the biggest sports stories in the media have had nothing to do with any results on the field, any field (or court for that matter).
S.McG
Guest
It comes down to popularity in the end. Let's talk about what ifs to make it comparable. So if the Matildas won the WWC and the Wallabies won the WC, which would be the biggest Australian sporting event? It's going to be the Wallabies due to it's popularity in this country. Apparently it's not a men vs women thing but I'm sorry it still very much is. Mens sports coverage on a yearly basis vs women's sports coverage in a newspaper is actually embarrassingly weighted, it has to be a World championship or national final for women's sport to get a decent write up (something longer than a tiny brief on the last page). It has been promising to see the media coverage of women's sport over the past few weeks but it's taken outstanding performances from the women's football, rugby, cricket and hockey teams within a short period of one another to create an awareness of women in sport and their on field success. It has been long over due and hopefully has started a precedent for things to come. Every day men's afl, union, league, cricket, football are written about in match previews, player profiles, match reports, sports columns and news stories and it's all down to the demographics of the sport readers. It's men who are the majority of sports section readers and therefore it is them who the articles are written for. Times have changed women are fast becoming as successful (and in some sports more successful) than men so it's time the Australian public recognized their achievements in the same light as those of men's sport teams. Popularity will always be the deciding factor of what is recognized as the best achievement and the men's team of any sport will unfortunately always be the most popular. I'm sure if the Australian women's gymnastics team won the world champs this year it would not be seen as Australia's most successful sporting event of the year, simply because gymnastics is not a major sport in the eyes of the Australian public, yet being the champions of the world in any sport is the best achievement there is. It's great to see how women's sport has progressed and the coverage the Matildas had during their campaign is extremely promising for the future. At the end of the day there will not be ONE single most successful sport event in this country this year, there will be numerous.
kovana
Guest
Lol..
Corey
Guest
It depends, I would say it's difficult, nay, impossible for Northern Territory to win the State of Origin.
Corey
Guest
The Rugby World Cup will be much more watched in Australia than the Women's Soccer World Cup. Agreed. I will be watching it and I'm a Leaguie. I love sport, I love the Rugby codes and I love the tribalism that comes along with it. I love the feeling you get when you hug a "mate" you've never talked to before, I love the feeling when your team does something that shouldn't have happened and all you can think is "that's my team, that's how we do it" even though you're thinking, "how the hell did he/she do that". At the end of the day, whatever makes you feel that makes it big to you. For me any League game that the Broncos, Maroons or Kangaroos are playing in is the most special, and for me it will always dominate the game of soccer - whether female or male. But for others that may not be. I think that's your answer. Also, I don't think hockey (the real one - field hockey) get's enough of a wrap. The women dominated in the 90's and now the men are winning every trophy, and I mean EVERY trophy. They have the most respected coach in any sport in Australia, and have been rated the most successful team in any sport for the last 2 years. That's pretty good for some semi-pro's where you have the likes of teams such as Barcelona who have so many top 10 players in their team. They are unfortunately left out too much and they should be mentioned more than the women's soccer team. They also represent ALL of Australia as well, in comparison to most of our winter codes.
Corey
Guest
Mate, whatever happens this year in any other sport, QLD has dominated the Australian sporting landscape. If the Broncos win - or even our Northern brothers, the Cowboys - than QLD will probably secede from Australia and name itself the sportsperson capital of the world. If we win a cricket contest as well, and do something in the AFL then everyone will have to listen to us bignote ourselves even more.
Corey
Guest
same here in Uganda - my step-dad was ticked off. He lives in WA and only has FTA and so I got the result before him, and I'm on the other side of the world. We had a couple of Queenslanders at the Irish Pub and the Irish got into it, and I work with some NSWmen, so it was great. Everyone enjoyed it, even the locals understood some of it.
Emric
Guest
Agreed about the Diamonds - A come from behind 1 point victory against New Zealand. Remarkable game, remarkable win - Congrats Australia and the netball girls. Also my follow Kiwis - What a terrible sporting weekend, losing the netball, losing the rugby. We can promise our Australian cousins one thing. We will be back.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Interestingly, the Netball world championships have been held on a continuous basis since 1963. Six teams have shared in the top 3 placings (as many as have shared top 3 placings in the women's soccer world cup). Sixteen teams competed in the recent netball world championships, as many as compete in the women's soccer world cup. Just because Australia and New Zealand have broken away from the rest in the last 16 years, is not an adequate reason to downplay the achievement of the Diamonds. There remain more than 60 netball federations around the world.
mick h
Guest
my son has just returned home from turkey and guess what the soo was live on tv over there.
scareface
Guest
What about Casey Stoner? He is leading on a major world stage.
Tortion
Guest
It really drew very little attention in England though - the wc I mean.
Ken
Guest
Yeah that one's a bit of a furphy, Reds have done well and there's no denying that their supporters have come out of the woodwork. They should be proud of their performances and their crowds. Try comparing their crowds halfway through the season though with the current Broncos numbers - pretty sure they will be significantly lower. After the run-up to the finals and a probably home semi, the Broncs numbers may be considerably higher. As I said though, Reds should be proud of a good season, they brought the crowds in by winning in style.
Ken
Guest
Sure, if the question is 'which Australian team/competitior got the most international media?' then Origin isn't going to make too much of a splash. Completely unscientifically, I think Mark Webber would win the top 5 spots for the year whenever he has a headline F1 race - I'm not sure that this is the greatest method for determining the biggest Australian sporting event of the year though.
punter
Guest
Yes pure theatre, watched it develop this morning on the foxsports.
punter
Guest
The super Rugby final was awesome, this is a great year to be a Queenslander.This goes well for the Wallabies in the WC year. The netball well.. well done, but small sport really by global standard, only 2 or 3 countries that play to any decent standard.
Matt F
Guest
100% agree. i think you've also summed up just exactly how stupid all the code wars articles are. just enjoy the sport you enjoy
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Not sure why these two sporting events are picked out over and above, say, the recent Super Rugby final, which broke a record on Fox Sports. What about the Diamonds winning yet another classic clash agaisnt NZ for the netball title?
Midfielder
Guest
Nice read .... my two bobs worth .... it comes down to understanding how difficult the achievement was / is.. Everyone knows to win the SOO is difficult ... but to win a football WC in a tournament playing away from home against the rest of the world.... Essentially to win a Football WC is a very nay very very very difficult task, far more difficult than winning the SOO.. Meaning as these things build as a team gets closer to the final ... it builds.... if Australia could ever win a senior WC I am sure the reaction would be huge... however most of it would be based on those coming to the party and after the party many will return to their own home.... so IMO winning the female WC would way out do the SOO (remember the SOO is mainly NSW & QLD based) ... but could those numbers be held long term I doubt it...
Redb
Roar Guru
The jostle between Webber & Vettell was enthralling.