Sport can so often provide a welcome distraction to the unpleasantries of real-world events we’d rather avoid. So to see so many competitions cancelled or postponed due to coronavirus is, to say the least, unnerving.
Particularly if you’re, oh, I dunno, the editor of a website which covers said events.
In times like these, it’s quite right for sport to take a back seat to the most pressing societal matters. Much as we all hate to see our local cricket finals cancelled and the start of the season for club rugby, soccer and other codes postponed, it’s hard to argue against them when you consider the seriousness of this pandemic.
While we confine ourselves to our homes, everyone will need to keep themselves entertained. Where sport would have been perfect, we now need something to fill the hours-long void left in place of AFL, NRL, Super Rugby, cricket, and just about every other competition in the world except for the A-League. And even then, it’s only a matter of time – likely as soon as this morning – before football is also forced into a hiatus.
Likewise, it’s going to be a little tricky for us to continue publishing opinion columns on sport’s goings-on when there’s no sport going on.
And while we’ve got a plentiful supply of ideas to keep everyone entertained in the coming weeks, this website wouldn’t be where it is – indeed, it wouldn’t exist – without the input of our loyal readers and commenters, and sports fans in general. So we want you to tell us what you want to read on The Roar in the coming weeks and months when there’s a hell of a lot less sport to watch.
Whether it’s looking back on matches past while there are no new ones to watch, ranking the best players in a sport like we’ve already done with the AFL and NRL this year, trying to forecast what Australian sport will look like once this mess is over, mock-up ‘live’ coverage of what the seasons might have looked like, or something completely and utterly different, let us know what you want to read and watch in the comments below, and we’ll do our best to make it happen.
If there’s an idea you’d like to make happen yourself, remember you can always send in an article (or articles) for us to publish.
Most importantly, this is a strange time for everyone. People everywhere are going to be feeling, among a range of emotions, uncertain, lonely and worried as countries and communities around the globe try to deal with the spread of coronavirus. So now, more than ever, please keep your comments on The Roar respectful, and look after yourselves.
One last thing: you’ll no doubt notice in the coming weeks that we’ve cooled our jets on the number of new articles and videos on The Roar. With live sport on hold and our advertisers pausing, we are sure you’ll understand and stick with us.
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
Id like to hear peoples personal encounters they have had with players over the years and how they came about. I did one called "Who says you shouldn't meet your heroes" and it was received well.
Dean
Roar Rookie
Please may we have more articles from Nicholas Bishop. Astute, accurate and engaging. He is a superb analyst and scribe.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It's not a bad idea. On Eurosport they had a series of graphics that helped explain how teams work in cycling and different tactics. They were short and very accessible to those who were unaware of how it all worked. A fantastic information tool that improves viewer's ability to engage with the sport. Check it out; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wmGp2pKF60
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
I want to see the old crew of contributors back. ones who will tell it like it is and suggest radical ways we can save the game and get rid of the wackers who have been running the show (into the ground). This site has gotten too soft and seems to follow the RA political line.
Murray
Guest
Hi How about a Rugby tactics 101. Similar to Spiros “ how to watch a game of rugby.” Why coaches and players do what they do. What the ‘systems’ are in defence. What are pods and why do it. Why breakaways and props end up in the backline etc. The idea being when sport recommences we are a more informed audience Thanks Murray
Rugbyrah
Roar Rookie
How about the upcoming second biggest event in history?
Kevin
Roar Rookie
Im concerned Macarthur might not even join this year.
R N
Roar Rookie
I haven’t got the time. RN is my job not my initials, but can someone please write the following articles for the downtime; – Hate to Love, Players you hated that you ended up loving – Love to Hate, Players you loved and ended up hating – Technicaly Correct, best one on one defenders – Locked Up, the best players that have served time – Purple Patch, the best purple patches of the the last 20 – Spares, what dead player should your team clone – Reconstruction, players that never reached potential due to injury – T2, who are the most durable players that can’t be put down – Bariatric, big boys who got the job done – Anomaly, players where statistical analysis can’t represent their true value Thanks that would be great.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
Personally, I always try to back up opinions with facts but I don't think we should stop the debates that go on here because they are based on unfounded opinions. We can always challenge them in the comments section. Allow everyone to have their say.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
I think so too Paul. To go out and do what he did while national Olympic committees laughed at him but carry on is very inspirational.
Republican
Guest
......expats again in Saffa Rowdy. Footy to the north and into Qld I believe was the norm up until it was politicised early 1900's, by some power brokers who were let's say, establishment imperialists. They managed to sabotage the Australian games influence in that region due to their political clout. Culturally, Australian Footy smacked of the rebel element, strongest in Victoria but not exclusively, while this was significant in the founding of the the code, esp in respect of the Irish diaspora. Australian Footy historically, is an insightful metaphor for this nations political power struggle between the status quo of Mother Albion and the rest.
Machooka
Roar Guru
:silly: :laughing: :laughing: :crying:
Republican
Guest
......its strength ironically lies in its domestic status. Australian Footy does not need to compete with the glut of mediocre international competing codes or Pitt itself against them commercially in a brutal market, since its support here is enough to sustain it. Ours is akin to home grown American codes as well as the Gaelic ones played in Ireland i.e. their indigenous footy code and of course Hurley.
Republican
Guest
......not entirely true. Hyperbole really. Those playing the code were predominately near the gold fields of NZ and were 99% from our fatal shores. That all ceased when war began and the vast majority departed NZ for home.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That's because people like you are the first to tear them down too.
mushi
Roar Guru
I can see 16 clubs, won't all have the same logo or location though. This is life, whilst I don't think this is a cycle ending shake up we need to remember the stability of the last 12 years has been odd in a world with increased innovation speeds leading to shorter product life cycles
mushi
Roar Guru
Can't speak for all of them but the NBA and the NFL the total player payments based on sports related revenues and have games played clauses in the CBA so there's no need to change the salary numbers to account for this. On the owners wealth, it’s worth putting into context that whilst the equity market was down 34% from peak to trough its “only” ~12% down on a 12 month basis. If they leveraged their lives based on the whole of market sustaining a 22 times multiple then it’s pure luck they ever got rich to begin with.
mushi
Roar Guru
Tobias Harris in the NBA is doing this on social media. His 76ers have performed incredibly well post the shut down
mushi
Roar Guru
8 draws this week
mushi
Roar Guru
But harsh to dish out the smiting to China and Italy first then! Maybe our omnipotent overlord is saying the opposite.