Charity Bashes Or The Ashes, Lee Can Deliver
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday March 31, 2001
The injured Australian fast bowler Brett Lee spoke at a fundraiser for a fellow with a brain tumour at Bondi's Hakoah Club last Sunday night, and was most impressive. Entertaining, eloquent and humble. Among other things, he reported that he hoped to be back bowling within three weeks, and had every hope of making the Ashes Tour.
NRL's broadcast blues
I note with interest that 2UE did a live cross the other night for the launch of the Swans' season and, in the course of proceedings, announced that Ray Hadley would be broadcasting Swans home games this year. Hadley has also called the home games of the Waratahs in the Super12. One wonders just what the NRL marketing department makes of it all. For all his many sins, Hadley was broadcasting 12 hours of rugby league on the airwaves of the most popular radio station in the city, including up to three live calls of games each weekend. But when the rights to broadcast live rugby league games went to 2GB, it was obvious 2UE would start giving great exposure to league's two greatest competitors. Sheer marketing insanity.
It's all gone quiet
I'm not going to risk it and you can't make me. Whenever I write anything in this space that is remotely critical of rugby league, I get long and eloquent emails from a reader by the name of Peter K, who gently implies that I am nought but a toffee-nosed, leather-patched rugby evangelist doing all I can to pump up the share price of rugby and drive down the price of league. It has been in vain that I have pointed out that I bow to no other journalist in terms of bitterly critical things I have written about the Australian Rugby Union over the years. So, when I wanted to note the reports that emerged this week that television ratings for league had fallen 20per cent this year, with one in five viewers seeming to simply disappear into thin air, I thought to be on the safe side I'd get his take on just why it is so. Far be it for me to opine that the game's on the wane, why don't you tell them, Peter K, just what those figures mean? (Peter didn't get back to me, but no doubt will next week!)
Bitter pill to swallow
Has the NRL judiciary got rocks in its head? How can Craig Field and Kevin McGuinness get six months for taking recreational drugs something tens of thousands of Sydneysiders did on the same weekend while John Hopoate got only 12 weeks for going where no footballer has gone before? Who brought the game into more disrepute? Who will be remembered with a shudder 10 years from now, while the others will be completely forgotten? Where is the NRL's consistency? And why was the penalty handed to Field and McGuinness greater even than the suspension of Rodney Howe for 22 weeks, when he was caught CHEATING, by taking steroids? What's the message you're sending here? In the meantime, Nicole Kidman would be well advised not to try her hand at rugby league because she, too, admitted this week that she has tried drugs. [Yes, yes, I know that Field and McGuinness shouldn't oughta have dabbled, but effectively wiping them out for a year of their professional lives is a bit much.]
The defence rests
Last Wednesday, Scotland beat San Marino 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier, thanks in part to defender Colin Hendry knocking in two goals in the first half. Hendry was involved in a great deal of controversy, however, when San Marino teenager Nicola Albani appeared to be felled by a Hendry elbow. San Marino said he was so badly hurt that he had swallowed his tongue, but Hendry would have none of it. ``He could not have swallowed his tongue," he said, ``judging by the things he was shouting going off the pitch on the stretcher." No further questions, yer honner!
Daddy cool
This was too long for Quotes of the Week, but too poignant to leave out. This was part of John Bradman's eulogy for Sir Donald, at the memorial service held in Adelaide last Sunday. ``At heart for me, he's just my dad. That's how he saw it, too. I was about 10 when I introduced a school friend to my dad and turned and said in my grandest little voice, `And this is Sir Donald Bradman'. And my dad had an incredibly quick mind and could have also said something but he also had a great capacity for restraint and I think it was one of my favourite qualities. He waited until we were alone and he took me aside and very quietly and warmly talked about his values ... and said, `It's how I am as a father, not who I am that matters'. And he said that `no matter what, I am just your dad and that's how you should introduce me and that's how you should see me'."
Prize pack
The 2001 Cancer Council Posh Auction will be held in the Grand Ballroom at The Westin Sydney on Saturday, April7. Black tie. Tickets, $175 each. One of the auction items is: ``Phil Kearns, Richard Harry and Andrew Blades will: provide a skills session; attend your corporate function; or be your special guests at a dinner party in your home." (I'd go for the skills session myself. Feeding those blokes at your home may be extremely expensive.) If you wanna go, contact Jenny Menzies on (02) 9334 1898.
If you're looking to support something worthwhile with a little more action, tomorrow at 9.30am there is something called the Balmoral Burn, a sprint for 420m up almighty Awaba St to raise money for the building of a Royal North Shore Children's Hospital.
Various corporate teams are competing in four-person relays, but there are also races for the public, in different age groups, for the glory of the win, a perpetual trophy and a possible record in the event. Families that attend will have face painting, jumping castle, bacon and eggs etc. A celebrity race will also be held about 9am, boasting Ray Martin, Phil Kearns (again!), Jane Flemming, Sharyn Ghidella and Steve Liebmann. Registration: 8am ; $10 for adults, $5 for children.
In the meantime, the Children's Cancer Institute has also come up with a good fundraising idea which the organiser, Libby Allaway, tells me they'd be delighted if other groups ripped off. Tomorrow, students from Mosman Prep, Shore, Loretto Convent and Middle Harbour are being sponsored to wash their own families' cars. Called Kids to Kids Car Wash day, all money will go to helping their fellow children recover from cancer.
Elementary ...
I like this, most particularly because I was alerted to it by the star of the piece's ``proud older brother". The scene: Sydney Uni Oval No1, Sydney Uni inter-faculty cricket, Medicine v Pharmacy, last Saturday. With Pharmacy 4-150 after 21 overs, the captain of the Medicine team, David Watson, decided that since everyone had had a bowl, he'd have a trundle with his left-arm orthodox spin. In his first over he took three fer 0. In his second over he took three wickets again, in successive balls. Final figures: two overs, two maidens, six fer none, including a hat-trick, with five of his victims bowled! Is David Watson the next Shane Warne now that there's nearly a vacancy or were the Pharmacy students trying out a new pharmaceutical product?
Long live the king
Somewhere I read this week that after Sir Donald's death, the mantle of Australia's most revered living cricketer must go to Richie Benaud. I disagree. That title, I believe, belongs to Keith Miller, who is now living in Melbourne.pfitzsimons@mail.fairfax.com.au
© 2001 Sydney Morning Herald