FIFA plays the victim card

You’ve got to hand it to FIFA. Soccer’s ‘governing’ body has finally admitted that World Cups have been bought with bribes. But only because there might be a buck in it. In perhaps its most brazen step to date, which is saying something, FIFA is claiming ‘victimised institution’ status and seeking restitution from the US…

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The Aussie Open on a ground pass

Having a kid changes the way you watch live tennis. Pre-progeny, I’d hunker down in Rod Laver Arena all day, working those neck muscles left, right for hours on end, me and 15,000 people getting into the soporific rhythm of summer tennis. You’d have time to study the nuances of the game, the tweaks players…

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A night at the Fast4 tennis

I’m a purist. I don’t like stuffing around with tried and tested formulas. Fifty-two types of Tim Tams? Just give me the original, thanks. The latest Star Wars? Ain’t going there. I also like to see innovations widely road tested before I jump in. For at least a few years. Which means I was one…

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Enough talk about pink balls

In recent weeks there’s been more talk of balls than you’d get in a schoolyard full of teenage boys. We’ve heard that pink balls are hard to see, go soft pretty quickly, behave abnormally, are not real swingers and can turn green with wear and tear. Which is definitely not what you want in your…

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Guess who doesn’t know the rules of soccer?

“Australia was a little bit offside.” Interviewed for the ABC TV program Played, this was how FIFA boss Septic Bladder explained Australia’s failed bid to host the 2022 World Cup. Which suggests Septic needs a crash course in the rules of soccer. Because you have to be on the actual field of play — and,…

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A Winter Olympics… with no snow

When the International Olympic Committee met last weekend to decide the host city for the 2022 Winter Games, it had a choice between two cities: one with snow and one without. But who needs snow, right? After all, the last Winter Olympics were held in the tropical slushie of Sochi. So Beijing got the nod….

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A bizarre twist in men’s tennis

Until recently, Serena Williams was the torchbearer for wacky on-court fashion. You name it, she’s donned it — denim, leopard print, a leather catsuit, cut-out dresses, school blazers, at one point even something resembling an Australian hockey uniform. Enough outfits to do Beyonce proud. Not to be outshone, sister Venus once played in a corset….

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What’s the hurry, sport?

OK, I’ll admit I’m a late adopter. If there’s a new gadget on the market, I’ll get it about three years after everyone else. I’ll embrace a fashion trend just as the hipsters are sending it to the charity bins. And it’s taken this sports devotee twelve years to appreciate the merits of T20 cricket….

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