Sporting Exile IV

Ok, this is meant to be an attempt at promoting the positives of sport and our sporting communities… but if I could just for a moment point attention to anyone who’s interested to the Four Corners story this week (22.04.13) on some of the drugs in sport stories that are prevalent at the moment.

It’s really important that sport is for ALL Australians. Not just for those who think it owes them and for those people who ONLY want to be associated with winners and names. We need to create organic environments for children, and adults for that matter, to enjoy and develop a whole range of skills on sporting fields, gyms, courts etc. From skill acquisition and problem solving through to socialisation and understanding of others.

What is dangerous is that some of the people who receive the platforms to comment on sport too often come from an ignorant, arrogant or one dimensional point of view. So therefore the problem is not necessarily what they say but who and what they ignore, put down and the negative connotations that have towards other opinions that have merit and deserve to be heard.  

At the moment we are falling short of some standards and ideas that reward skills, integrity and honesty. Administrations, Boards, Player Unions and Player Managers, Television rights and promotion of gambling are creating false gods out of people and a misunderstanding of the learning and development process – we’ll talk later, but interested in any views on this.

Of an even greater concern are the events at the Boston Marathon last week. Sad for so many reasons. The words of Robert Kennedy on violence ring as relevant as ever, “Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet……No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason”

 

So, where were we…..oh yeah, happy thoughts…..sorry! Our next Ten things Great About Sport:

21. Sporting Movies – Come on, it’s ok to admit you have one or two or in the case of someone I know “The Entire Mighty Ducks franchise mate”. For me I’m a bit of a sucker for some Baseball action. Field of Dreams, For Love of the Game, The Rookie, Moneyball, Bad News Bears….throw in a bit of Major League and you won’t see me until Monday. I know there’s a lot of Rocky People out there too which leads us to no 22…..

22. Sporting Montages – The boys from Team America World Police had it right you do have to love a montage. Particularly a sporting one:

“The hour’s approaching, just give it your best
You've got to reach your prime.
That's when you need to put yourself to the test,
And show us a passage of time,
We're gonna need a montage (montage)
Oh it takes a montage (montage)

Show a lot of things happing at once,
Remind everyone of what's going on (what's going on?)
And with every shot you show a little improvement
To show it all would take too long
That's called a montage (montage)
Oh we want montage (montage)

And anything that we want to go from just a beginner to a pro,
You need a montage (montage)
Even Rocky had a montage (montage)

(Montage, montage)

Anything that we want to go from just a beginner to a pro,
You need a montage (montage)
Oh it takes a montage (montage)

Always fade out in a montage,
If you fade out, it seem like more time
Has passed in a montage,
Montage”

23. Crazy Extreme Sportspeople – Bless these folk who do all the things and more that your parents told you not to do and broadcast it for us to watch in amazement. Again you’ll all have your favourites but you’d have to agree that Felix Baumgartner freefalling from the edge of space recently is definitely something your Mum would have frowned at…..

 um....wow

 

24. Volunteers – The Australian Bureau of Statistics report recorded that 2.3 million Australians volunteered for sporting purposes in 2010. Whether they be parents, coaches, officials or that great club stalwart who is talked about for generations it’s so good to have people helping other people be involved.

25. Oranges at half time – It’s been a tough first half. The Centre Half-Forward, Wing Attack, Lock Forward, Opposition’s Key Weapon who you’ve been specifically asked to shut down, is all over you. A good coach might take you through some options and see what you’re thinking but you know the one you’ve got is more likely to send you a verbal spray. It’s going to be a terrible half time….hang on, someone’s brought oranges cut into quarters. Yes! Problem solved.

That'll fix it

 

26. Under 7’s Playing Football – Of any code, anywhere in the world is there a better sporting moment than this? No matter how you try to structure or spread them out it simply turns into a game of pass the parcel until someone runs with it and gets chased down or scores. When you’re team is down at half time (should I mention the Brisbane Lions here Jim?) an Under 7 match on the ground is one of the few things that can make you smile.

27. The magic spray – He’s been hit. There’s no way he’ll be able to shake that off and continue. Every chance it’s a fracture. Yep, here comes the trainer, he’ll have to come off now. No, wait, the trainer has something in his bag. What is it? It’s magic spray…he’s putting it on now. Compound fracture issue – solved. Play on son.

 That'll fix it

 

 

28. Finishing a marathon – As a tribute to any and all involved this week gone and marathon runners in general. How amazing was it to see Bill Iffrig, the 78yr old runner in Boston who was blown off his feet during the bomb blast get back to his feet and finish! His thoughts, “After 26 miles you’re not going to stop there”. Fair point. Anyone competing in and finishing a marathon is worthy of praise.

29. Playing for Your School – Although in some regimes where sporting scholarships and recruitment to win trophies and premierships is growing there also remains something special in playing with your mates at school and the memories they generate. I had a drink the other night with a true rugby and sporting fan. He was the First XV openside flanker at my high school the year ahead of me and in a well beaten side (most times – sorry guys) he gave his all every time. He still looks like tearing up each time I ask how hard it was to miss the game with our great “rivals” through injury. After his children I believe his School No. 7 jersey is his next favourite possession. If I asked him to choose between the jersey and his medical graduation certificate I wonder which one he’d pick…..?

30. The Smell of Dencorub – Amazing how smell can evoke such strong memories. Playing a game of touch football with old (very) friends the other day and one of them broke out the deep heat. It took me back to a time of dressing room pranks and preparations. Great moment.

Thanks Sport.

Talk soon.

Lach.