Cadel Evans’ men’s senior world road championship victory isn’t only his most prestigious win, but the greatest by any Australian road cyclist. Australia is become a cycling super power.
Life / Sport
Reflections on a cracking Grand Final
St Kilda had its chances; the Cats got out of jail. When it counted, Geelong’s champions came to the fore. And the umpires were too prominent. Charles Happell reflects in the wake of AFL Grand Final ‘09.
Won’t somebody think of the football babies?
As the much-anticipated grand final between St Kilda and Geelong looms tomorrow, John Cash introduces meets of the die-hard Saints and Cats fans whose passions have been joined to the fate and fortunes of their club throughout a lifetime.
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Geelong vs. St Kilda supporters: who does more yoga?
St Kilda supporters are more likely to participate in dancing and yoga than Geelong supporters while Cats supporters are more likely to be petrol heads. Possum Comitatus does some timely number crunching.
Australia’s biggest sporting losers
In the lead-up to the NRL and AFL finals, no-one’s focusing much on the potential of losing. Except for the The Punch team. They wrap Australia’s biggest sporting letdowns from Collingwood to Mark Philippoussis.
A long time between drinks for Saints supporters
St Kilda FC has won just one glittering prize from five starts: 1913, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1997. I was at the last four, says Kevin Rennie. He’s still looking for a ticket to Saturday’s Grand Final against Geelong.
Kasparov vs. Karpov: it’s not 1984 but it’s still rock’n'roll
It’s the chess version of cricket dragging legendary figures out of retirement to play some well remunerated 20/20 games, writes Ian Rogers: great rivals Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov were at it again in Valencia last night.
Chess wars LIVE: Kasparov vs. Karpov: the rematch
It’s blood on the checkerboard as the world’s greatest chess grandmasters, Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, rematch their epic 1984 World Chess Championship battle. The Guardian are following all the action, as it happens, with a liveblog. Naturally.
Ablett’s Brownlow: a win for excellence and genetics
A truly deserved Brownlow Medal win for the man who could have taken it out three times by now, says Rohan Connolly. This was the climax of “sustained excellence by the AFL’s pre-eminent on-baller”.
Horse & Jockey: Caulfield: So many horses, so little money
When they first built a primitive racecourse at Caulfield in 1859, a track had to be crudely fashioned from the heath, sand hills and snake-infested swamps. It looks much the same today, writes T.P. Maher.
Ablett: always a bridesmaid, never a Brownlow bride?
It’s the last week of September, which means only one thing: AFL. Amongst all the Brownlows fake tan, will Gary Ablett Jnr be the favourite that didn’t take it home, again?
Renault: the biggest sports cheats of all time?
In a shocking act of cheating, Renault forced one of their drivers to crash, in order to let Fernando Alonso win. This is what happens when sport becomes about money not glory, says Simon Barnes.
NRL’s naked truths laid bare by female journos
What’s it like being a female journalist in a sport dominated by sex scandal headlines and mistreatment of women? Rugby League journo Jacquelin Magnay tells how to play the game.
Partner swapping: One Day Cricket’s opening stands
Openers who’ve had the most batting partners, and those with the fewest. Sachin Tendulkar’s had 19 — but that only puts him in fifth possie on Cricinfo’s table.
Tennis: like ballet but with balls
I suspect that most dance-lovers (and, I have a feeling, most particularly ballet-lovers) adore tennis, writes New York Times dance critic Roslyn Sulcas. Both require athleticism, power and fancy footwork.
WTF sport moment: Shaun Burgoyne’s manager won Big Brother
So it’s the silly season for both the AFL and the NRL. And like most sports junkies I love this stuff. Hissyfits, claims on disloyalty, home sickness etc, says Leigh Josey. But here’s a ripper. It’s time to go … Shaun.
Superstition on the brain
It’s been long known that there is a direct correlation between positive moods and superior athletic performance. But could superstition — also linked to neurochemistry — produce better sports stars?
The not-so-happy Valley
Remember that there is no such thing as smart money on the racecourse, writes TP Maher.
The worst sports column ever written
It’s important for a story to be newsworthy, but perhaps sports columnist Mark Whicker should have looked for a better ‘hook’ for his column than Jaycee Dugan, the girl recently found after being kidnapped 18 years ago.
Media treads heavily with Semenya gender issue
For teenage girls with gender ambiguity a good doctor would prescribe a long period of introspection, so they can figure out who they really are. The media has deprived runner Caster Semenya of that possibility, says Hanna Rosin
Lee Freedman: why new whip rules are overkill
Lee Freedman explains from a trainer’s perspective why the new whip rule which has the racing industry up in arms is excessive and unnecessary.
Jockeys striking? Solution: get monkeys
Melbourne’s iconic Spring Carnival is in crisis mode as the horse people with the small hands put the whip in the rack and refuse to race. Crikey’s Leigh Josey offers a solution.
Crack the whip over indulgent jockey strike
The horse racing Spring Carnival is in doubt, with jockeys taking industrial action against controversial new padded whip laws. Imagine the uproar if AFL players walked out on a game, says Ben Wise. Jockeys should just accept the changes and do their jobs.
Crikey Clarifier: How did the 16-year-old sailor collide with a ship?
How did 16-year-old Jessica Watson manage to crash into a container ship? Master Mariner Richard Morris says lay off Jessica, it was actually the ship’s fault.
