Macca

Another track from Jeff Lorber Fusion ... 'City'... includes Kenny G in his early days ... Macca's jazz 5.8

Good 1st set win to Murray. Vital. Novak needs to step it up.

I agree with you totally on the balance, though all the nations will probably chase the cash so we will all have to be ready. Just on chasing the cash ... I read somewhere that Cricket Australia received 6 million dollars from the BCCI for each ODI that India were involved in last February (2012) . It was one of the reasons we had a round robin series involving Sri Lanka as well. CA received similar amounts for the India/Sri Lanka ODI's. Obviously driven by the huge TV audience back in India. It's any wonder we play India on an annual basis now (Tests and/or ODI's) . I stand corrected on the 6mil figure but I'm almost sure that's right. (couldn't find a link)

Ah yes TD, and every team needs a top class captain . Love him or loathe him he leads the no.1 nation ... Round 4, pick 28 Graeme Smith (South Africa) That's my 2nd Protea gone and I still haven't picked a fast bowler (who says that bowler's win games?) Is DK Lillee available ? All yours Biff....

Good post TD and you make some excellent points. I think it's more about a mindset here rather than who is right and who is wrong. I suppose I'm just one of those people who (on occasions) will embrace something new straight away, without hesitation. I've been a critic of modern footy for a number of years (as opposed to the 'glorious' days of the 70's, 80's and 90's) but have only recently decided to change. Mainly because those days aren't coming back and it's time I got on with things. So I've finally changed my mind and I already feel better for it. There is nothing wrong with hanging on to the past but if you know the future is going to be vastly different you have to adapt. I'll address your points individually TD ... 1 :- Australia day weekend :- I think on this particular weekend we may well go back to ODI's and the t20's will come later. Maybe it's because they've got to fit 5 ODI's in against the Windies in early February and then immediately go to India is the reason. Not sure on that but it seems they've chucked these 2 t20 games in before the Sri Lankans go home. Could be just an expediency thing this time around. 2 :- t20 World Cup :- Yep, every 2 years seems a bit over the top but the tournament only goes for 3 weeks and once again, it probably comes down to demand and money. Tomorrow's crowd could a huge one for instance and the counter argument for those who love t20 internationals might be - "Why aren't there more matches" . As an aside, a few years ago, ESPN paid 1 Billion dollars for the rights to broadcast the Champions League finals (another annual 3 week tournament) Money talks. 3 :- City based Big Bash teams :- I reckon in time the City based teams will be almost totally accepted. Remembering that this sport has a huge appeal to women and young people (who may or may not have any connection to the Bushrangers or such like) . Stars and Renegades pulled nearly 50,000 to their 2nd clash . That's good numbers. Perth, Hobart and Adelaide regularly played to packed houses. There's talk of Geelong and Canberra having teams in the future. The Big Bash could get very big. 4 :- Test status for minnow nations :- Maybe we could have a 2nd tier Test cricket system or for clashes between non Test nations, it just continues to come under the banner of 1st class cricket . Zimbabwe's and Bangladesh's infrastructure isn't strong and is largely the reason these 2 nations struggle. (though both nations have produced some fine cricketers) Don't know enough about Ireland's cricket infrastructure so it's hard to have a definitive view. You made some interesting points though TD. Think the Boxing day Test is fairly safe. Though we did get a Big Bash game in the evening! I view both sports separately so switching from one to the other is like switching from AFL to NFL Just a final point. Shield cricket has been heavily subsidised for many many years. It doesn't even go close to paying for itself. Of course, many of us would like it to stay in it's current set up. It's the lifeblood of our Test side and is still a strong and vibrant competition. But it plays to sparse crowds and has done for years. It would cost millions to run it. As a business model it doesn't really work but there is no talk of scaling it down. T20 pays it's way and in time it may end up helping to subsidise shield cricket. That's part of the reason why I believe t20 is good/great for cricket on an overall basis.

Most team sport is played over a 2 - 3.5 hour time period. Cricket, and in particular Test cricket, is played over a long period of time and on the World scale is not a massive sport. I love it but I also recognise that the sport itself needs to grow. But this is not about any particular individual's opinion. It has to be viewed as the masses view it. We've now got a version of cricket that goes for ...... 3 hours . 'Hey presto', it's really popular. IMO t20 can only get bigger as the years go on. Many people regarded ODI's in the early days with extreme skepticism and branded it 'rigged' or part of the 'Packer Circus'. I maintain that t20 can bring more people to the sport as a whole and it can help and enhance Test cricket (mostly of an indirect nature) Interesting that all 3 versions of the game were invented in England. I don't know how people can resist not sneaking a peek when Warner is at the crease in a t20 match.

In terms of paying customers and TV viewers, t20 is going to be a huge part of cricket's future . Some people may not like it, 'TD', but they will have to accept it. We're seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of the amount of International t20 and to a lesser extent, domestic t20 games being scheduled. The opposition to t20 reminds me of the opposition to One day cricket / coloured clothing and lights etc in the late 70's. Test cricket scoring rates have most probably improved because of the influence of One-day cricket. Test scoring rates may get even better still because of t20. Dave Warner came through the t20 system to Test cricket and he's definitely a drawcard in the longest form of the game. Taking all personal feelings and all emotion out of things and then looking at t20 in a totally practical way, it's hard to see it failing in the future. Many see it as a threat but I believe it will bring about more popularity to the sport as a whole. There is a new kid on the block and the kid packs a punch. Many women and young people love the sport (already) and that alone possibly points to a 'sure fire winner'. My view isn't a popular one and will upset the purists but ... It should be remembered that my first love is Test cricket and probably always will be. I've never really compared One day cricket to Tests and doubt whether I would ever compare Test cricket to t20's. It's like comparing the marathon to the 100 metre sprint - view them separately and you may find you like them both. There is room for all 3 forms of the game going forward. Michael Clarke has decided to play in the IPL this year. The view is that he will command somewhere in the vicinity of 750k to 1 million for this season alone. Not too shabby for 6 weeks worth of 'super short' cricket. Edit : I agree with you somewhat re the Adelaide Test over the Australia Day weekend but I can't see it coming back in a hurry. Next year's Ashes series (here) has the 5th test being played in Sydney from Jan 3 to Jan 7.

Yep, there are conflicting rules on the field depending on what position you play. Suppose if the same rules applied to the way the QB is protected, we'd have quite a soft sport. Over there, many complain about the sport being less violent (so to speak) yet recognise that the sport has a major issue with concussions. Anyway, we've got the 'Pro Bowl' on Monday (our time). Another high scoring game will no doubt ensue. I'm not sure that many care who wins these games. Usually sells out and gets a large TV audience but often falls flat. I'll probably still have a look though Some sport is just pure 'entertainment' I suppose. Little bit like how some ODI's and t20's are viewed by many fans (in the 'other' forms of cricket).

Watched a fair bit of that game at White Hart Lane. Great late equaliser. The place was rockin' Anyway, the EPL takes a break this weekend but there is a full fixture being played next Wednesday and Thursday morning (our time) ESPN are covering the F.A Cup this season and are broadcasting quite a few games this weekend. Leeds vs Spurs tomorrow night (just after midnight) could produce a few goals and tonight's clash (11.45pm) between Stoke and Manchester City is another match-up that is worth a look. Here is the full weekends fixture ... F.A Cup fourth round

I'm more sold on the Tigers than I am the Blues, though I can see both teams missing the 8. Richmond might sneak in but if they get major injuries to Cotchin, Deledio or Reiwoldt they're in trouble. Martin - who knows? The interesting team to watch are the Cats. They've still got some great players on their list. The Blues forward line is a bit dysfunctional and their backline isn't great either. They rely too much on Murphy and Judd. Look what happened to them last year when both of them were out (Murphy, primarily) ? There's the Malthouse factor but ... Plus, Carlton should be hated by all and sundry

Yep, money talks P_Man. Esp 2 mil in your 1st year. Not bad coin for an unproven player. Who knows where he'll end up? Frankly, who cares? We, in many ways, were probably always going to get and keep our man - Trengove. However, stress fractures in a foot is a debilitating injury and it's doubtful we'll see his best footy this year. Pre-season largely missed and all. 2014 and onwards is where the expectations should be re JT. The injury can't be played down. He may still get quite a lot of game time once he starts playing.

Every Tiger fan I know had their eye on Scully (who was a 'mad' Tiger fan) They did not necessarily want to win that game in '09 and it could be argued that Richmond were playing 'ducks and drakes'. Richmond lost their last 4 games that year - 3 of them to teams outside the 8. We win that game and they possibly would have landed Scully. Martin was an afterthought in many ways. Reckon they are still a bit dirty on us and partly explains why their fans are the strongest in pointing the finger at us (re the tanking). I know a few that are convinced that Scully will end up in Richmond colours.

It's funny, I saw it as Roger making a lot of unforced errors (albeit in his attempt to hit the far corners or near the sidelines) Wouldn't be ruling a line through him yet, though if Murray wins on Sunday night we might start seeing a small gap between the top 2 and the next 2 (but probably mainly on hard surfaces) A big '4' would be fantastic for the sport. Not sure about Tsonga - maybe someone else will emerge in the next year or so. Nadal seems to get a few injuries but he's still only 26. The next slam is the French which is Rafa's favourite. After that it's Wimbledon (and we know how good Roger is on grass) . Still a fair bit to play out 'dl' and the final on Sunday will tell us a lot (especially if Murray wins)

Top 5 MVP . Putting aside the injury 'comebacks' I still reckon AP has been a standout. 1 - Adrian Peterson 2 - Tom Brady 3 - Peyton Manning 4 - Aaron Rodgers 5 - Calvin Johnson Top 5 coaches . San Francisco's Jim Harbaugh has been the best in the last 2 years in my opinion. 1 - Jim Harbaugh 2 - John Harbaugh 3 - Bill Belichick 4 - Pete Carroll 5 - Mike Smith

We go to a 5th 'dl' . It's a toss up. The match deserved a 5th set.

We could be here for quite some time. Really good match so far. Could go either way. I'll be happy for either Murray or Federer to get through. Maybe a slight leaning to the 'Fed' though Andy is a much more rounded player after his US Open triumph over Djokovic

Ozzy Osbourne with 'I Don't Wanna Stop' Macca 12.2

Matt Prior (England)

That's interesting re the USA/Canada game. Might make time for that. I know that there's a rink at Docklands and I'm fairly sure it hosted the 3rd or 4th tier World Cup a ways back. Edmonton has a huge shopping complex. You've gotta do these things Kamloops was a laugh. Remember spending a big night at the 'Ned Kelly' bar or roadhouse or such like. Think it was in Kamloops? Might have been Vancouver - anyway, the locals didn't know much about him and we spent the whole night telling stories of his deeds - a fair bit of embellishment went on. In true Aussie fashion we were the last to leave. Good folk over there and magnificent part of the world. I'm finding myself being attracted to the various Canadian teams and some of the teams in the 'traditional' Hockey towns of the US. Vancouver is my team because I've got family over there but I'm not too fanatical. (unless 'Good Times Grimes' (Toronto) stirs me up then it's 'Game on'!) Hockey on the radio is fun - it's like listening to the footy in a way. Got Foxtel and the NHL site is very good so probably don't need the pass.(though it is great value)

Had a listen to the end of a couple of games today . The Canucks win a shoot-out over Calgary and Toronto had a good win in Pittsburgh. They love their Hockey in Canada . Edmonton Oilers playing to packed houses even though they have been a terribly performed team of late. Went there years ago as part of a West Coast tour. Like following the fortunes of a few teams. Hockey doesn't get much of a run on Sportscenter - more's the pity.

When you think of Ceylon, you think of tea and you think of Kamahl (though he was born in Malaysia)

Bad luck you can't watch the game. Not sure if you're in any position to listen to the game but the following site provides links to a live radio broadcast of games (quite legal) ... San Francisco 49ers radio stations ... the 1st link (1360 KUIK) has broadcast games previously. Just a heads up for anyone reading this who may want to listen to live sport from the States - just google up the full team's name and add 'radio stations' and google will take you to all the listings via 'tunein' . For instance - by clicking on this link 'Chicago Bulls radio stations' ... Google's 1st choice will be ... this ... from that list, scroll down to ... 1250 WSPL for live broadcasts of the Bulls games . If I get a chance I'll post the radio stations that broadcast the games on the appropriate threads. It's a bit hit and miss but a lot of the time you'll pick up a game.

Dunn seems to be earmarked as a role player by the match committee and his long kicking is certainly an asset. He's also been used as a defensive forward on occasions so he may well play quite regularly. Hard to pick these teams with so many changes having been made to our list and with so many of our existing players down on form last season (we now know that our list were doing another virtual 'pre-season' during the year, so some of that poor form can be explained) There's always surprises and disappointments as the year progresses. And injuries can play a huge role. Reckon many of us want to see how our new players will fare. My team placed a heavy emphasis on the new players. Tynan and Gillies are another couple that I'd like to see get some game time. Today's footy is becoming more about the overall squad rather than any particular 'best' team. We'll see more players being periodically 'rested' due to the demands of the modern game.

There are a number of things to consider but I believe we can't really judge how Jack will turn out until at least the end of the 2014 season. He's got very good basic footy skills so that bit is not an issue. I believe at under 18 level it's impossible to judge how all players will turn out by the time they reach the ages of 21 to 23. Opinion is still quite divided right now on Jack. Opinion is not so divided with high draft picks from 2006 or earlier. We are generally seeing the finished product so it's a no-brainer. Like Trengove, Scully and others, we still haven't seen the finished product with Watts. Cook being delisted can cloud people's judgement a bit but I don't necessarily see the comparison. The Cook decision was an internal one and most of us had no clue until very late in 2012 that he was going to be delisted (and not picked up again). The match committee had probably made up their mind early last year about Cook. Same with Gysberts to a certain degree. If you look at any draft prior to say 2006, then the 'real' order would be quite different every single time. The Draft is littered with odd choices and dud picks. And it will continue to be the case. They keep saying that they're better at judging these kids it but I reckon that's total rubbish. Just more spin. Every player needs to be judged separately. Jack has got a long way to go but I'm hoping he turns out to be a very good player for us . Star quality, 'A' grade elite ? That may not happen but it depends on your expectations - I won't be disappointed if he's not an absolute star because I never placed those sort of expectations on him. Ditto for Trengove, Sylvia, Hogan, Viney or Toumpas.

As Jack gets older he'll hopefully develop more and more 'go' . It should come with maturity and a more seasoned and hardened body. Some blokes are just born with that manic courage whilst some others take a fair bit of time. Deledio and Goddard play a similar role down back and neither of those 2 are super courageous. Ask any Tiger or Saint fan. But both are really valuable. Running around in the backline Watts can play from behind a fair bit but he should learn some good accountability skills and develop a decent defensive side to his game. There will be times when he will need to take the front position in defence and if he does so it will aid in his development. He's got the skills set - it's the other stuff that needs to come out. It may be another couple of years before he hits his straps . He's still only 21 years old. At 23 we should be able to fully judge him. He showed some glimpses last year. He needs to put on some real muscle. I'd like to see him use his pace out of the backline, break the lines and deliver deep into the forward line. He is such a good kick. Like many/most of our players last season, his confidence was not showing. Still believe he could eventually play forward. He may have to pinch hit there this season or even be given some extended time in the forward line.