A digression
Six years ago, before the shit hit the fan, when his absences were genuinely work related, I had the chance to sit down and watch the early morning sport from Sydney during the 2000 Olympics and I would cry with pride despite being a Melbournian through and through.
Now, half an hour ago I stood and watched the start of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games which Melbourne is staging and the tears that sprang were not tears of pride but rather sadness. I should be there, though not necessarily at the games.
This meet is regarded with a mixture of disdain and apathy among potential spectators, potential corporate sponsors, the sporting community outside the commonwealth (and possibly to some extent within). A significant proportion of BBC coverage has focused on this aspect in the lead up.
The flying W-Class is probably best glossed over. Followed not long after the bizarre spectacle of Johnnie Howard making the Her Maj's youngest look really very tall and almost manly, which must be the oddest thing Wee Johnnie's ever done.
The two uber-world class athletes who might have been there, Thorpe and Radcliffe, have had to withdraw. I have no idea what the withdrawal of the latter has done for the field who'd otherwise have been trailing in her wake in the Women's Marathon or whatever event she was competing in at these games, but the absence of Ian Thorpe from the swimming pool has surely thrown open the swimming meet across the board. With Hackett out as well through a shoulder injury the possibility that we'll have the 1500m title prized from our grip and/or that we don't come out as top nation in men's swimming is all too real. Thank goodness the woman's team is so so strong.
See I really am Australian. I just can't help myself. Just when I've got myself all fired up to be apathetic, the little snippets of sporting trivia that my brain soaks up without my permission and coalesces into some semblance of an informed opinion seep back out again thus transformed.
UPDATE:
The ceremony has now moved on. The baton has been passed through a succession of AFL team captains; entertaining sideline was BBC presenters struggling to sound knowledgeable, by and large succeeding admirably, then falling flat on their faces: GEE-long not GHEE-long. And we Melbourne Football Club supporters knew all along Ron Barassi walks on water, too.
The pyrotechnics actually didn't just look like a desperate attempt to match the spectacular Sydney can throw without putting in much effort thanks to a spectacular natural harbour and the coat hanger strung out across it. At least we could see where a sizeable chunk of the $90 million was spent.
Oh, and I WANT ONE OF THOSE DRESSES - the blue ones with the delightly 50s bodice and full skirt in various shades of blue. Lovely.
Now, half an hour ago I stood and watched the start of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games which Melbourne is staging and the tears that sprang were not tears of pride but rather sadness. I should be there, though not necessarily at the games.
This meet is regarded with a mixture of disdain and apathy among potential spectators, potential corporate sponsors, the sporting community outside the commonwealth (and possibly to some extent within). A significant proportion of BBC coverage has focused on this aspect in the lead up.
The flying W-Class is probably best glossed over. Followed not long after the bizarre spectacle of Johnnie Howard making the Her Maj's youngest look really very tall and almost manly, which must be the oddest thing Wee Johnnie's ever done.
The two uber-world class athletes who might have been there, Thorpe and Radcliffe, have had to withdraw. I have no idea what the withdrawal of the latter has done for the field who'd otherwise have been trailing in her wake in the Women's Marathon or whatever event she was competing in at these games, but the absence of Ian Thorpe from the swimming pool has surely thrown open the swimming meet across the board. With Hackett out as well through a shoulder injury the possibility that we'll have the 1500m title prized from our grip and/or that we don't come out as top nation in men's swimming is all too real. Thank goodness the woman's team is so so strong.
See I really am Australian. I just can't help myself. Just when I've got myself all fired up to be apathetic, the little snippets of sporting trivia that my brain soaks up without my permission and coalesces into some semblance of an informed opinion seep back out again thus transformed.
UPDATE:
The ceremony has now moved on. The baton has been passed through a succession of AFL team captains; entertaining sideline was BBC presenters struggling to sound knowledgeable, by and large succeeding admirably, then falling flat on their faces: GEE-long not GHEE-long. And we Melbourne Football Club supporters knew all along Ron Barassi walks on water, too.
The pyrotechnics actually didn't just look like a desperate attempt to match the spectacular Sydney can throw without putting in much effort thanks to a spectacular natural harbour and the coat hanger strung out across it. At least we could see where a sizeable chunk of the $90 million was spent.
Oh, and I WANT ONE OF THOSE DRESSES - the blue ones with the delightly 50s bodice and full skirt in various shades of blue. Lovely.
posted by Enyo @ 9:56 am
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