Worthington's dog of a day
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday October 31, 2009
TO PROPERLY understand this, the Quote of the Year, you need to get the context. See, last week in the NBL, Melbourne had just beaten Adelaide 81-70 to snap a three-game losing streak. Immediately after full-time, Fox Sports' Andrew Gaze grabs man of the match, Mark Worthington, Melbourne's veteran journeyman, for an interview. Gaze is fresh, polished and exuberant after calling such a great match. Worthington is exhausted, but thrilled with such a good win. Gaze: "Mark, it seems like you really started to control the game tonight ... really created some opportunities." Worthington: "The sun shines on a dog's arse once a year, Drewy ... and I was just lucky a couple of them dropped."THE MENACEDennis Cometti, in The West Australian, on soccer: "In Australia I'm tired of having the game broadcast to me by zealots. To hear them tell it, there's never been a match that sucked. Furthermore I don't like being told what I shall call a game. You will call it football. Well, no. I get confused enough already these days. Let's just stick with soccer. Then of course there's that term 'The World Game', which is designed to let you know you're a moron because you apparently 'don't get it' when the rest of the world does. It's a full-brother to 'The Beautiful Game' but unfortunately neither expression comes close to being the Australian game."MUSCLING INLast week, TFF described bodybuilding as "narcissism pumped up with steroids, disguising itself as sport", prompting many bodybuilders to form up behind the view of one that I am "a flabby f---wit who has no right to comment". By God, I resemble those remarks! I stand behind every word of my original comments, but, by way of balance, give you an eloquent defence of bodybuilding, provided by Fitzphile John Peterson: "Bodybuilding is the greatest challenge to change the human body by honing the power of the mind over cold steel. Anyone who relies on ego never becomes a bodybuilder, as they don't possess the endurance and guts. Have a look at the world bodybuilding champions of the last 10 years. They are the toughest-minded people, who choose to live in humility and train in what most people would call 'dumps' because that is where the true warrior abides €“ not in some fitness centre. Once a year or so these hard-arse athletes emerge from dark damp dusty pits to look for another like-minded warrior to compare himself to. The real battle though, was fought in the metal tree pit. Are these contests showing off, is it even a sport, or is it like any warrior €“ wanting to taste of glory for all the work that has been put in?" Eloquent, no? But I still think they're narcissistic nutters.ALL AT SEATFF also received a lot of correspondence about my piece on Jessica Watson, fairly evenly divided between those who support her and those who think a venture by one so young is sheer insanity. To those in the first camp, let them contemplate this. As we speak, the 30-foot yacht Berrimilla is in the middle of the Atlantic heading for Cape Town on its way back to Sydney after going around the world. Skippered by Australian Alex Whitworth with a single crewman, Peter Crozier, the two have a dozen Sydney-to-Hobart races to their credit, a couple of Fastnets, and many other open ocean races. And yet, despite their vast experience, if you check under the heading "Drama" on their blog (http://berrimilla2.blogspot.com) you'll see what conditions they face. At least with two of them, and their vast experience, they found a way through. But how, in the same situation €“ fierce storm, middle of the night, ship dead ahead €“ will this sole 16-year-old manage? It dinkum doesn't bear thinking about. I admire her courage, but am coming to the conclusion her venture is sheer madness.RICH LEGACYStand by, Australia. We are now only weeks away from the Summer of Richie Benaud beginning. And rightly so. After a combined cricketing and commentating career second to none, the great man is building to his retirement in February, and we can expect there to be an outpouring of emotion for him. If we're moving into an age when Richie will no longer be the sound of summer, then we really all must be getting older. But how to honour him properly? (Apart from the one-off specially signed 1000-print commemorative edition picture of him that Nine has no doubt got in the pipeline.) Well, Fitzphile Ian Donaldson has come up with an idea that sings. See, when the West Indies arrive shortly, they and Australia will be competing for the famed Frank Worrell Trophy. Frank Worrell, of course, was the great West Indies batsman and captain during the Tied Test in Brisbane in 1960. Who was the Australian captain? Why, none other than Richie Benaud! Why not, thus, rename the trophy the Worrell-Benaud Cup or somesuch, commemorating both cricketers. It's got my vote. It's got your vote. Let's see what the boards of West Indies and Australian cricket say.IN COD WE TRUSTTen years ago, the tiny town of Condamine started a rugby club, called the Condamine Cods. Having appeared in five grand finals, they have decided not to wait another 90 years to have their history recorded. Annabelle Brayley's book, Caging Octopuses, with a foreword by John Eales, will be launched on November 14. See, tree people? Rugby lives!
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald