Football codes are uniting against a Health Task Force recommendation that would see advertising during live sport broadcasts phased out during high adolescent/child viewing times and the end of alcohol sponsorship of sport, writes Simon Chapman.
Life / Sport
Ah, sweet mystery of life found at Cox Plate
The W S Cox Plate has been running at Moonee Valley since 1922 and is billed as “the greatest two minutes in sport”. But this year’s version took your breath away more than all the knee-tremblers you could possibly fit into 124 seconds in a month of Sundays, recounts TP Maher.
Carey and Cousins may be buffoons but don’t be too quick to judge
The behaviour of sporting bad boys has pulled apart by all manner of social commentators in the last few years, some thought-provoking, others laughably simplistic. Just examine Ben Cousins and Wayne Carey.
Albo gives Howard’s NRL dreams the boot
The SMH reveals how Labor MP Anthony Albanese played a key role in scrapping plans to give former PM John Howard a senior position administering the NRL.
NSW Blues bat their way to a million-dollar pay-day
The NSW Blues are set to leave India’s Champions League Twenty20 competition with at $US1.3 million — and a potential $US2.5 million if they can take out the series. Howzat?!
UFC Australia vs. The Moral Minority
Next year, the UFC — the world’s largest Mixed Martial Arts promotion — is coming to Australia. Prepare yourselves for an onslaught of fist waving and moral indignation from the mainstream media, says Ruth Brown.
Family ties: the curse of sports fans
Last week, Neil Walker did something far worse to his four-year-old son than hitting him with a wooden spoon: he took him to his first football match.
CC tips: I like the Pricer and the wog horse. Turf accountant fancies Vigor
If the new breed of online celebrity bookies had read Runyon, they might not have turned Irish Lights out to 5/2 on Wednesday for Australia’s premiere mile race for fillies, TP Maher.
How playing poker made Obama powerful
Poker has long been a game for every race, sex and political persuasion, with many US presidents being poker fans. How is poker so intrinsically linked with power in US society?
Dwarf jockey fights Midget Cup criticisms: “Not tacky!”
One of the actors in the middle of the ‘Midget Cup’ scandal at Cranbourne Cup has come out against criticism of his work. ” I was hired as an actor to professionally act”, writes Jeremy Hallam.
Sheer, unadulterated Starspangled pleasure at Caulfield
Flexi boxed winnings were reclaimed by the turf accountant on an otherwise splendid day of horse racing at Caulfield racetrack, writes TP Maher.
Hard tracks, soft options and the Maxsted great scheme of things
Irish trainer Dermot Weld says he’s not bringing Profound Beauty to Australia. TP Maher will keep his money in his pocket.
Taxpayers can’t separate Tiger Woods from its IMG fees
While the rest of the country slowly pulls itself out of recession, a full-scale Tiger Woods-led recovery will be raging down in a little suburban pocket of south-east Melbourne.
John Howard transforming NRL: there goes the black fan base
Rugby league has been a dying game for many, many years — is John Howard really the man to revamp it? It makes even less sense when you consider a large percentage of the hard-core league fan-base is black.
Can John Howard save the NRL?
The Tele, owned by News Ltd who also co-own the NRL, is reporting that former PM John Howard is a likely contender to head up a new independent NRL commission.
Does hosting the Olympics pay off?
Olympic host cities are usually lucky to even break even on the net cost of hosting the Games. But there are some unmeasured financial boons for staging such “mega events”, as seen with the huge surge in Brazilian stock prices yesterday.
Turnbull victory the height of well-priced efficiency
The $502,000 Turnbull Stakes is a good test of horse, jockey, trainer and connections’ staying power at a middle distance, writes TP Maher.
NRL: A perfect Storm
The Melbourne Storm grand final win “has insinuated a once-scorned code into the consciousness, indeed affection” of their AFL crazy homeland, writes Greg Baum.
America’s big Olympic sook
How could Chicago not get the 2016 Olympic Games? cries the US media. They had Oprah! And the Obamas! And the Northern Hemisphere! At least they won one thing, says Mike Hegedus: a gold medal in naivete.
The Saints who didn’t quite reach heaven
What is it like for footy fans who get so close then fall so far? Nearly one week on, two Saints fans put pain to paper. Get ready for the grieving Melbourne Storm or Parramatta Eels fans.
Why the Parramatta Eels need to win
A victory for the Parramatta Eels over Melbourne Storm this Sunday would be a victory for the rugby league heartland and tribalism over the corporate dollar, writes Chris Seage.
The Olympics’ biggest losers
The biggest competition in the Olympics isn’t on the field or in the pool: it’s the battle to be the Games’ host city. But only one city can take gold every four year. The Economist looks at the cities with the most failed bids at hosting glory.
Dear IOC: say ‘no’ to Tokyo 2016
The IOC will announce the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games later today, and residents of Chicago, Rio, Madrid and Tokyo are holding their collective breaths — except Tokyo local Garrett DeOrio, who explains why the Olympics will bring nothing but problems to the city.
Can Eels weather the Storm?: NRL Grand Final preview
Seven months, 26 rounds of Rugby League, and come Sunday evening it all comes down to to eighty minutes of football in front of a sold out ANZ Stadium crowd.
