Macca

Here's an intricate and eye-opening article by Greg Chappell about the state of cricket in India and how we fare as a comparison 'Only Surprise is that Anyone can Compete with India at all' Footnote: The good news (!) is that we don't play India again in a Test series until October 2022 (4 Test series in India) Personally I'd rather be playing India earlier than that but we've got nearly 2 years to prepare at least

Another fine win to Streets of Avalon in the G2 Australia Stakes. Seems to improve every season Next up is the Futurity Stakes (which the horse won last year)

Tampa Bay 21 @ Green Bay 30 Buffalo 23 @ Kansas City 31

Agreed Not sure the South African tour will go ahead though with the stronger strain of the virus emanating from that country Could be played elsewhere (even in Oz)

You've made a number of good points AM but our top 7 includes only 2 absolute mainstays The 2 debutants need lots of time, Warner may not be the same batsman he once was (and he struggles overseas) and the 5 spot is not occupied by an A Grade Elite player either Paine is a good keeper but not great and his batting is reasonably good without being outstanding. As a captain* he's there by default and he's done about as well as he could have done My ideal top 7 means that every spot is filled with an A Grade Elite player. Nothing less *I wouldn't be going back to Smith as captain but that might happen

You're right about rotating the quicks NoSoup ... another selection issue Pattinson could have played in at least 2 or 3 of the Tests and we wouldn't have been worse off. Patto is a Test standard quick after all A bit of foresight knowing that India were always going to take it up to us was all that was required Most people I spoke to prior to the series were expecting India to be formidable opposition so what were the selectors thinking? And as for the leadership, we are paying a price (still) from sandpaper-gate. Paine was just about the only choice and to blame him for our batting woes is quite ridiculous The Green & Pukovski selections are a step in the right direction but picking 2 debutants in such an important series tells us where we sit with the batting doesn't it? Wade, Harris, Head & Burns have done very little. Warner has averaged 16 only & Smith by his own standards has been below par Labuschagne made 426 runs at 53 whilst Paine averaged 40. Green averaged 33 We just did not make enough runs especially when considering that their top 7 bowlers were missing for a lot of the time. Yet their 2nd & 3rd stringers continued to trouble our batting I wouldn't be going back to Smith as captain though. And if they are going to play Wade (the keeper) as a batsman why not Alex Carey? That young fella has got some real talent

Our batting is the issue and we've had major problems building an A Grade Elite batting order since the early 2000's At times over the last 2 decades we've been very good, other times average and poor on many other occasions ( e.g. the last time we visited Sri Lanka we lost 3-0) Batsmen are supposed to set up wins and our batsmen (as a collective) don't deliver For instance, we should have made 450+ in the first innings in this test match ... but 4 or 5 batsmen threw their wickets away Our bowlers were out on ground too much this whole series and that doesn't happen if the batting occupies more of the match time Placing the blame on Paine's shoulders is classic scapegoating. His own players let him down (primarily the batsmen) Selection is the root-cause of our batting woes though. We pick too many teams for the right-now without having a real eye on the future Since Michael Clarke we've only produced one long term A Grade Elite batsman - Smith. Labuschagne could get there but he is not there yet Warner is good on home decks but struggles overseas. Is there anyone else AM?

There were some telling moments in the Saints/Bucs game including of course Tampa having 4 takeaways with their defence But at 3 & 11 late in the game deep in the backfield that spectacular Tyler Johnson catch was also a game changer (or a game saver) Kept the drive alive which led to a field goal and a 23-20 lead instead of punting the ball away And Tom Brady is heading to his 14th Conference Championship game. That number is just phenomenal. Managed the game exceptionally well today (again) To me it's a no contest Brady is the Greatest Of All Time Here's that catch

Old School Gorg Old School!! Lambeau is a monument and I hope they never move or change it too much But Brady has got those Bucs firing and they will be hard to beat. His cold weather experience with the Pats will be invaluable too You can just see him telling his players to smarten up, get on with it and do the business Any sort of win will suffice Rodgers vs Brady ... classic match-up

So we're the cheeseheads playing at a crappy ground now are we Gorg You lot are such bad losers haha Enjoy watching from the sidelines next week knowing that your own team isn't up to it ha ha ha ha ha!!

Well, well! You blokes were all right about Tampa Bay Brady & his crew now march into Lambeau ... I hope the Packers are ready for them! Leaderboard - Tipping Comp (remembering that we play for a total of 12 points next week) 19 - Dee Zephyr (DZ has shot away like Dan Zephyr in its last race!) 13 - Gorgoroth 12 - Go the Biff, JV7, Macca 11 - Clintosaurus 6 - DeeSpencer

Live Leaderboard - Tipping Comp 15 - Dee Zephyr 12 - Macca 10 - JV7 9 - Gorgoroth 8 - Go the Biff 7 - Clintosaurus 4 - DeeSpencer

Yes I agree Earl and from what I can gather it is being forensically investigated. They're making a number of arrests and many of the perpetrators are being identified as a matter of course Not sure we're going to like some of the answers we might get though (as to why, who, motives & agendas) It is certainly a divided country and that makes one appreciate how relatively good we've got it here. The Coalition & the ALP aren't all that different from each other as I see it and the issues we have are quite mild in comparison to the States As an example, they don't seem to know how to deal with Covid but we're right on top of it on a day to day basis. Their 'attitude' to the wearing of masks is negligent where as here we tow the line and do the right thing

Packers were on their game apart from letting in a couple of easy TD's. But there again, our defence isn't top notch anyway so if we're going to beat the good sides a lot rests on Rodgers, our WR's and the new found (and reliable) running game It's the best I've seen the team play for quite some time. The Rams weren't too bad, they just ran into a better team on the day. Donald not being able to get onto the field was a big blow. You can't replace A grade elite You'll be thereabouts next year ... with Goff? Again, he wasn't the reason you lost today but if the offence improves around him, you'll be back in the playoffs with him or perhaps with another QB

This 60 minute podcast takes you inside the Congress building as the unruly mob were taking control ... first hand accounts with frightening (real) audio emanating from the perpetrators throughout Most inside the building would have been fearing for their lives with Vice President Pence (amongst many others) only minutes away from being ambushed. Many other high profile targets from both sides of the house were being hunted down by these crazed imbeciles. Policemen beating into other policemen (that did happen by many reports) Utter chaos Four hours of insurrection (A must listen IMV)

Live Leaderboard - Tipping Comp 11 - Dee Zephyr 10 - Macca 8 - Go the Biff, JV7 7 - Clintosaurus, Gorgoroth 4 - DeeSpencer n.b. The NFC Championship game will be the early game next week (AEDT Monday 7.05am) The AFC Champioship games will be played at 10.40am Monday (AEDT)

That's an excellent TD by Akers of the Rams ... well thought out play as well. The 2 points after just as clever 7 point game ... now 25-18. GB need another one of those minute sapping drives Edit: Rams had their chances but Packers too good on the day

That TD reply looked a bit easy Gorg ... Green Bay's defence sliced through just as easily It's far from over ... an unforced turnover could swing things either way

The Sprint race I found to be the toughest to find a winner but Bella Vella is a real chance Gorg Swift Witness in the 2yo Classic, Isotope in the Guineas & Athiri in the F&M feature should all get into the finish Every year this particular meeting becomes more appealing ... not long after (Aust Day this year) we're into the Blue Diamond previews Then we're into the Autumn features before you know it

Magic Millions tomorrow ... high stakes with very competitive fields Full Fields, Odds & Form - Gold Coast

Get ya tips in fellas - 16 points up for grabs this weekend (see the leaderboard and the breakdown of the points available in the post directly above) @titan_uranus @layzie @Clintosaurus @Dee Zephyr @Gorgoroth @JV7 @Go the Biff @DemonDave @DeeSpencer I'll kick things off with ... Sun 8.35am Rams 21 @ Packers 25 Sun 12.15pm Ravens 21 @ Bills 30 Mon 7.05am Browns 24 @ KC 34 Mon 10.40am Tampa 22 @ Saints 30

Hadn't thought of that ht but I couldn't see him attending the ceremony anyway

Trump has tapped in and emboldened a part of America that has always existed. Lord help them (the good Americans - Republicans included) It's going to be an interesting week ahead deets. Not holding my breath that there won't be carnage of some description Trump hosing down future violence won't help that much. These fanatics have already made up their minds. They're angry and almost certainly well-armed

A more than revealing podcast from The New York Times ... well worth a listen. Towards the end of the 30 minute podcast a suggestion was made that these groups might decide to bide their time for a year or 2. And that they are not going away in a hurry Is More Violence Coming? And here's a revealing article from SBS FBI warns armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration

Whilst I'm not at all surprised at the storming of the US Capital, the worst may well still be ahead of us Apparently there are 50 planned armed 'Rallies' earmarked for the 50 State capitals (in the last fews days of the run-up to the Biden inauguration) This is according to the FBI (use google for more details) A frightening prospect even if only a few of these rallies get going They're going to need a lot of law enforcement just to quell things down. The reports are very real too, not scaremongering These people are fanatical and they seem to have a complete disregard for the law. And they number in the millions If we get say, 3 (of 50) carbon copies with what happened at the Congress building, lives will be lost. Many lives (especially when considering their archaic gun laws) Parler has been shut down at least but there are numerous other forms of social media where these fanatics can organise themselves I'm all for free speech as long as it doesn't endanger peoples lives