I want to apologise to any regular readers that I had who have given up on any chance of me updating the site. A lot has happened in the time leading up to my previous post in November and after that time. In October last year I changed jobs and my time to update during the day disappeared because the hours I worked at my new job didn’t coincide with good sport watching/writing opportunities. I guess I also lost motivation and kept telling myself that no-one was really reading the site anyway. However, when the time came to renew the domain, I just couldn’t let the site die as I really did enjoy writing about sport - something I had always dreamt of doing.

In a nutshell, since the last time I updated Australia regained the Ashes, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts won the Superbowl, Roger Federer won yet another Grand Slam title (as did Serena Williams), Manchester United started on another quest for the 3 big trophies (Premiership, FA Cup, and Champions League title), Michael Phelps broke Ian Thorpe’s 200 metre freestyle World Record at the Swimming World Championships (as well as a current total of 6 gold medals and 3 more World Records), Ian Thorpe has been (wrongly and disgracefully) labelled as a drug cheat, and Australia launched its defence in the Cricket World Cup.

Meanwhile, I got to fulfill a lifelong dream by visiting the home of Cricket, Lords.

Growing up playing cricket, it was my dream to one day play for my country and hit a big hundred on the ground. Unfortunately for me, a lack of talent stood in the way of this dream being fulfilled. However, it did make me feel good knowing that I could easily have hit a 6 on the ground. It was a really special day for me, I got to stand in the pavillion where this photo was taken…

and I got to touch the ground…

It pissed me off though when our friendly old tour guide asked everyone not to walk on the ground and then two Sri Lankan guys proceeded to walk onto the ground. Hopefully they will get payback and be knocked out of the World Cup soon enough!

It was definitely one of the highlights of my European trip and for anyone who has an interest in Cricket or the history of one of the most popular sports in the world and happens to be in London, I would recommend a trip to Lords.

The most memorable moment for me from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games was the 200 metre freestyle final, which pitted Australian hero Ian Thorpe against the phenomonal Michael Phelps from the U.S. Thorpe held the World Record in this distance leading up to the race, and he stood in the way of Phelps winning a record amount of gold medals. Also in the race was Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, the man who had denied Thorpe Gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Of course, in the final at Athens, Thorpey destroyed his two great rivals, winning the final by over half a second. He silenced the hopes of Phelps and gained retribution for his defeat at the Sydney Olympics.

Thorpe’s reaction after winning the 200 metre freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics

The pressure he received at home to succeed coupled with his recent battles with illness left Thorpey unmotivated to succeed, which is why he decided to leave the sport. In Australia, there is no higher status than being a sporting celebrity and Thorpey is right up there with Don Bradman, Dawn Fraser, Pat Rafter, and Steve Waugh as legends in Australia. He’ll never have to buy himself a beer in any pub!

Thorpe finishes his career after breaking 13 World Records and winning 11 World Championships and 5 Olympic gold medals. He still holds the World Record in the 200 & 400 metre freestyle.

This one may not make sense to many of the American viewers of this site, but I thought this was incredible. I especially like the look on the umpire’s face and Andrew Symonds’ reaction - classic.

In the past few days I have been trying really hard not to write about any of the negative controversies that have been dominating the sports media, whether it be Floyd Landis coming up with new excuses for his positive tests, Justin Gatlin doing the same thing, or former Australian cricket star Dean Jones calling a South African cricket player (who happens to be a Muslim) a terrorist while commentating, but I’m caving in today. I read this article on Maurice Clarett on espn.com this morning and thought it was really well done.

In the space of 4 years, Clarett has gone from this:

Clarett with some bling

to this

Clarett with some newer bling

Clarett became the next big thing in 2002, when he led Ohio State to the National (college) Championship, scoring the winning touchdown against Miami in the second overtime. Clarett unsuccessfully challenged the NFL’s rule that you must be out of high school for three years before entering the draft and was left in the wilderness for the next few years. After being drafted by the Denver Broncos last year, Clarett was cut before a preseason game was even played - effectively ending any chance he had of playing professional football.

On January 2 of this year, Clarett turned himself in to police after an armed robbery of two people outside of a nightclub. Couple that with the arrest (armed with an AK-47, two blocks away from the residence of a witness who will be testifying against Clarett in relation to the armed robery charges) two days ago and you have one of the most dramatic falls from grace in recent memory.

If Clarett had have spent the two years after winning the National Championship with Ohio State instead of thinking he was bigger than the league and an exception to the established rules, he would no doubt now be a millionaire many times over. Now, instead of living in a mansion, he’ll be living in a 6′ by 6′ room that he can call his own. Kids, stay in school!

Following the positive result of Floyd Landis’ B sample, Oscar Pereiro may now consider himself the winner of this year’s Tour de France, but honestly, after yet another drug controversy in cycling, there are no winners.

Landis once again denied the results of the B sample stating, “I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone. I was the strongest man at the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion.”

Well Floyd, it seems that there was a reason you were the strongest man - performance enhancing drugs will most definitely help athletes go beyond their normal limitations, and in your case, they did the job. Unfortunately for you, you’ll be remembered as the drug cheat who disgraced a sport that was already in danger of dying following drug scandal after drug scandal. You’ve disagraced yourself and ruined what remaining credibility cycling had.

The Tour de France no longer recongnises Landis as their champion

Who tells these athletes who test positive for performance enhancing drugs to use the excuses they use? First Floyd Landis uses the ‘it was the alcohol’ that caused his high levels of testosterone (this has been proven to be false), and now it’s a massage therapist who is sabotaging Olympic Champion, World Champion, and joint World Record holder, Justin Gatlin, by rubbing testosterone into his legs? Do athletes think that sports followers are ignorant? Gatlin already tested positive once before, for amphetamines, and as a result he faces a lifetime ban.

Please don’t ban me for life

It’s not looking good for Gatlin - he is coached by Trevor Graham, who was a controversial appointment by Gatlin considering Graham’s involvement with the BALCO scandal and his history of coaching athletes that have tested positive for banned substances. His excuse for the positive test is flimsy and surely will not hold up. If he is indeed banned for life, he will be remembered with Ben Johnson and Tim Montgomery as 100 metres champions who have had their careers end in drug disgrace.

While the huge amounts of money continue to be offered to the premier athletes in the world, athletes will continue to push the envelope when it comes to drugs. Athletes continue to be willing to risk being caught taking performance enhancing drugs in search of the big payoff. Gatlin has no doubt made millions of dollars in endorsments since his Olympic victory in Athens, but now he is disgraced. He’ll just have to go into hiding in his mansion or take a drive in one of his luxury cars - tough life for someone who cheated the system.

*Insert mock shock* A rider in the Tour de France tested positive for performance enhancing drugs? NO! Tell me it isn’t so? Unbelieveable! Say what? It was the winner of the tour?

Landis after winning the Tour de France over the weekend

Cycling has always been shrowded in controversy when it comes to performance enhancing drugs - especially at the Tour de France. If what is being reported about Floyd Landis is confirmed after they test his B sample (his A sample was found to have excessive amounts of testosterone in it), what little credibility the Tour has left will all but vanish. There is still a cloud hanging over the tour from Lance Armstrong recovering from cancer to win the tour 7 straight years. Although nothing has been proven, the accusations against Armstrong will continue until something can be proven against him. I’m not saying that I believe Armstrong cheated, but the numerous accusations levelled at him are troublesome. The Tour lost 1998 winner, Jan Ullrich, prior to the start of this year’s race following a doping scandal. If Landis returns a positive B sample, the sport will lose what little credibility it has left.

Attention MLB, NBA, NFL, etc., this is how you deal with players that use banned substances. None of this first offense, second offense crap - the player in question here, Australian Rugby Union star Wendell Sailor, was banned for two years and had his contract ripped up. He got caught using cocaine, not steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. What would the NBA, NFL, or MLB look like if they banned every player they caught using recreational drugs? You would find a significant amount of star players being banned. You can’t have a clearer picture than saying to your players - if you’re caught, you’re done for two years. In Baseball, the first time you’re caught you miss 50 games (the equivalent of 2.5 months), the second offence is 100 games or 5 months, and the third offense is a lifetime ban. In the NBA, they ask players to attend drug rehab. In the NFL, only after the fourth offence are players banned for one year.

Wendell Sailor - cocaine

Ricky Williams - marijuana

Barry Bonds - steroids??

Tougher bans are needed for these sports to maintain any amount of credibility. Pussy-footing around this issue only further embarasses these organisations. If only they cared about the credibility of their leagues in the same way they cared about lining their pockets. A harsh sentence for a first offence is the only way to send a message to players that drugs will not be tolerated in any form within professional sports. At 32, Wendell Sailor’s career is now all but over. I don’t feel pity for him - he wanted to get a quick high by snorting some drugs. His banning should be a message to all professional athletes in Australia not to throw away your career and your legacy by making stupid decisions.

Look mum, no pads!

I’m not a huge fan of Horce Racing, but what happened to Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro, in the Preakness over the weekend was horrible. Although I didn’t actually witness it live (I was enjoying a 3 day camping trip), after watching the video on youtube and reading about it through various news services, I was left with a sick feeling in my stomach that this horse, in the prime of his career, could potentially be euthanised on the track. Thankfully they were able to get him in an equine ambulance and get him treatment for his career-ending injury. Even though this injury was ‘only’ a broken bone above and below the ankle - without being able to stand, a horse can not survive.

A lot of work to save Barbaro’s life

This is an x-ray photo of Barbaro’s leg following the surgery. Although the surgery was a success, there is still a 50/50 chance that Barbaro won’t survive the procedure because any infection that reaches his leg will be potentially fatal. I’m hoping that he pulls through successfully and can still live a full life in spite of the fact that his racing career is over.

I was pointed in the direction of a list of the top 10 strange sports scandals, and I thought I would have a go at putting together a list of my personal top 5 scandals that I’m familiar with. Notice I said ‘familiar with?’ I get annoyed when the likes of ESPN, Sports Illustrated, etc. put out these lists of ‘top sporting moments ever’ and it’s all American-related with hardly anything from overseas. So I’m going to be a hypocrite right now and make a list of Top 5 scandals that I, as an Australian, am familiar with.

#5 John Hopoate Getting a Little Too Personal - Sticking your finger in your opponent’s ring-hole to put them off their game is hardly sporting - to say the least.

This shoud not be a part of any sport

#4 Phar Lap’s Death in America - Australia’s favourite racehorse ever (forget the fact that he was a New Zealand horse) ends up dead before he can race America’s finest racehorse of the time - conspiracy?

#3 The Super League War - Rupert Murdoch divides Australian Rugby League into two competitions with players choosing sides between the established Australian Rugby League and the new Super League competition. Players signed huge playing and loyalty contracts, which had never been seen before in the sport. The competition only lasted one season before both factions rejoined to create the National Rugby League - winning fan support back.

#2 Trevor Chappell’s Underarm Delivery - Australia’s least memorable sporting moment. With the New Zealand cricket team needing 6 runs to win, Australian Captain, Greg Chappell, orders his little brother, Trevor Chappell, to roll the ball along the wicket, essentially denying New Zealand the chance to win and triggering trans-tasman hostilities that still exist to this day. The New Zealand Prime Minister at the time remarked “It was an act of cowardice and I consider it appropriate that the Australian team were wearing yellow.”

Notice Rod Marsh shaking his head - even Australian’s weren’t happy.

#1 Bodyline - Given the fact that it is in an Australian’s genetic make-up to hate the English, if there is one single incident that can be pointed to for a reason why, it would be Bodyline. They devised a gameplan to deter Sir Donald Bradman’s ability to score runs by bowling shoulder high deliveries every ball and placing fielders in the appropriate positions to take catches.

A typical field setting for Bodyline bowling

This led to a lot of bad blood between the Australian and English teams, with several Australian players being struck by the cricket ball - one player was left unconcious after being struck in the temple. An excellent write up on Bodyline can be found here.