Roar Guru
Joined April 2014
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Sydney based writer with a particular interest in the history and culture of sport. Likes Sydney FC in the A-League and Cronulla Sharks in the NRL. Follow me on Twitter @70s_mo
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On the 28th February this year a significant event took place at FFA headquarters in Sydney.
I learned two things about the Kansas City Chiefs this week. Firstly: their home stadium is not actually in Kansas. Secondly: their seemingly straightforward march to the top seed of the AFC has hit a snag.
Houston Texans’ nine-game winning streak was halted and the New England Patriots blew the chance to wrap up the AFC East in a helter skelter round of the NFL.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the Lone Star state hosts two of the biggest football teams in the land.
For the first time this season, the New Orleans Saints have taken over as the number one seed in the NFC. In fact, they now have the best record in the NFL.
The Hollywood scriptwriters must have been hard at work prior to the hugely anticipated clash between the offense-crazy Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 10 of the NFL opened at Heinz Field when Pittsburgh Steelers hosted an in-form Carolina Panthers.
Halloween serves as a convenient halfway point of the NFL season. After the weekend’s games every team has played at least eight of their 16 fixtures.
Week eight of the NFL began with the Houston Texans hosting the Miami Dolphins.
The Western Sydney Wanderers take on Sydney FC this Saturday in the first Sydney derby of the 2018/19 A-League season.
Who’s in an NFL tipping competition? I am and I’m running dead last. My average score of 50 per cent is no better than someone randomly picking wearing a blindfold. It’s a score on a par with a marsupial or a fence post.
American football moved offshore for the first time this season, with Wembley Stadium in London hosting the match between Seattle Seahawks and the Oakland Raiders.
On the outside of Churchill’s Sports Bar in Kingsford is a collection of life-sized sporting posters. The NFL one is of a quarterback in classic throwing pose – a quintessential American football image.
We are lucky in Australia to have such a great variety of sports and last weekend was a perfect example.
As a proud Australian, I followed every play of Jarryd Hayne’s brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, which made me appreciate the game a lot more.
The Matildas will go into the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France full of confidence. Currently (August 2018) ranked eighth in the world, they showed at the 2018 Tournament of Nations what a class act they are.
Waking up at 4am to see the blood moon brought back memories of the World Cup.
Dick Smith Electronics was a revelation when it first opened around 50 years ago. It was the era where anything electrical or technological was like a drug to the new consumer class of techno-nerds.
At last the World Cup has started and as I got off the bus in Sydney on Friday morning I was expecting the city to be abuzz with football fever.
I can’t believe it’s been 44 years since I started watching World cups. In 1974 we watched on a black on white TV that had one button, a knob to change channels and a little dial for the volume. How technology has changed.
Champers? Compliments of The Roar? Is it Pinot Roar? Yes, yes, sharing is caring.
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 25
The Crowd are on a roll – the people have spoken!
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 24
Was a great venue and a great weekend. Such great potential in the future for football journalism and literature and football itself. Good to see such a diverse group, young and old, men and women. Very good write up Stuart and on a personal note you did very well in your session!
Punter, Stevo, AG074, Nemesis, Midfielder – get yourself along to next year’s conference!
2019 Football Writers Festival: An inspiring weekend with Jens and Foz
Very well said Matt. Relocation is not expansion – it is robbing passionate RL fans of their sport and dropping it into an area where no-one gives a toss. In anti-corporate terms it’s a lose-lose scenario. The Bears would be massive.
Relocation is madness. Bring back the Bears
Hi Mr Football. I was interested to note that when questioned about it just the other day, the new SW Sydney franchise people said they absolutely welcomed promotion and relegation. Just a bit of bravado or is this representative of a new way of thinking?
What do football fans want from an Australian second division?
Financial viability is a huge factor Redondo but who really is an expert on this aspect? Not me. Mr Nogarotto and co. have made some pretty bullish noises about this – I expect they are in a better position than me to make it happen.
What do football fans want from an Australian second division?
Cheers Nem. There are so many facets to this I could have kept writing and writing but if you gaze too far ahead you’ll never see the challenges right ahead of you. The thing that impresses me (and even surprises me) is the absolute enthusiasm and commitment of the people involved.
What do football fans want from an Australian second division?
Should we demand a recount Griffo? (Although I’d probably go backwards if we did)
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 21
All 13 home games. Does that mean next season will have 26 or 27 rounds?
Western Sydney Stadium is the feel-good story the A-League needs
Thanks for the grand walk down memory lane. Well played David
A lifetime of great sporting memories
Trophy? Please make those enquiries Stuart. I’m clearing a space on my mantle piece just in case.
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 20
My bad. Castro of course. Well spotted Haydos.
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 19
So my one point was actually good? Well it’s certainly tight at the top. Should be another cracking round this week.
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 19
I’d agree with all of these but I think you’ve left out the biggest one – that is to ensure that the best Australian players are available for most of the tournament – which can only happen if Internationals end after the Sydney test. People are getting sick and tired of watching 2nd rate teams going around. If international white ball games must be played, do that later in Feb after the BBL
What Cricket Australia must do to fix the Big Bash for 2020
Relax Mike, things will change next season when we have one more match a weekend to watch… actually with 11 teams we won’t really… hmmm….look I am on a commuter bus in Sydney and although I have my earphones in, all the buzz is about Tarneit (is that how you spell it?) some hipster has a t-shirt that reads: New York London Paris Tarneit
The A-League has six months to save itself from oblivion
Congratulations on the Perth ABC gig Evan. Nemesis has a good summary which I concur with wholeheartedly (although I’m kind of hoping you drop out of the tipping comp.) Good show lad, keep those Sandgropers on their toes.
An illustrated review of Australia's 3-2 win over Syria, and my last column
My line “Brisbane coach John Aloisi’s position seems to be safe for now” – famous last words.
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 10
I’ve got it. The expansion decision came through on a Friday (I think) …so…. Tarneit Friday. (comp. Sheffield Wednesday). Fridays in Oz are all about happy hours and POETs days – a good day in Oz culture.
For SWS I’d definitely have Fisher’s Ghost in there somewhere – Macarthur Ghosts.
An aesthetic assessment of the A-League's new expansion teams
They are calling it the Miracle in Miami.
NFL Week 14 wrap: The Patriots fumble, the Texans stumble, and the Rams take a tumble
Baltimore Colts! Talk about old school! Thanks for pointing that out Tom – I’ll see if the editors can change it.
NFL Week 14 wrap: The Patriots fumble, the Texans stumble, and the Rams take a tumble
Hi Peter. No problems. The Super Bowl is contested between the winners of the two conferences: the AFC and the NFC. Each conference has four divisions – East, South, North and West. For each conference I have listed the divisional leader: so LA Rams lead NFC West; New Orleans lead the NFC South; Chicago lead NFC North and Washington lead NFC East. Not sure if I have explained that too well mind you!
NFL Week 11 wrap: Spectacular Rams help unite Los Angeles
Cheers for your comments Kangas. I do have a soft spot for the Bears as well. Let me know if there are any tweaks you’d like to see in the article format – I’ll see if I can accommodate them.
NFL Week 11 wrap: Spectacular Rams help unite Los Angeles
Awesome update Spinksy. I’d like to think Mayfield and the Browns could do well. Maybe they need a bit of luck – do you think they could give it a shake?
Five takeaways from the NFL thus far
Thanks for the extra facts Greg. Very interesting.
Mothering the Matildas: The trailblazers who kickstarted Australian women's football
Wasn’t the exact tweet “Sydney can’t lose from here”? In which case he was technically correct?
The Roar's A-League expert tips and predictions: Round 25