You’re probably going to find this hard to believe, but I swear it’s true.

A little while ago, a footballer – let’s call him a newcomer to the big smoke – a newcomer not completely au fait with the intricacies of big smoke living – racked up $26,000 in traffic fines over a period of just six months.

The amount owing wasn’t $26,000 immediately, you’d understand, but it escalated rapidly with every fine that went unpaid, with every parking infringement notice, every toll, every speeding ticket that was filed furtively in the rubbish bin.

The recipient feared he would get into trouble if anybody in authority learned of his traffic transgressions.

Surprise surprise, they did eventually – about the same time the club decided not to renew the rookie footballer’s contract. Club officials negotiated with the various traffic authorities on his behalf, finally reaching settlement of $8000 – which just happened to be the payout figure on his footy contract.

Wacko. We’re all square. Thanks, now off you go. [Read more…]

Is there anything more Awstrailyan than getting in that last little punch?

I’m guessing it stems from our childhood – jostling with your siblings for space in the back seat during those long trips in the Kingswood or the Valiant (or for the younger kids – the Toyota, the Kia, the Hyundai or the Subaru).

Do you remember? No matter who started it, the most important thing was getting in that last little rib tickler before Mum or Dad – usually Dad – yelled: CUT IT OUT THE LOT OF YOU – OR I’LL STOP THE CAR AND YOU’LL WALK.

I couldn’t help but think of those old backseat skirmishes when reading the other day of Steve “Stumper” Rixon’s culling from Australian Cricket’s coaching ranks.

Rixon had been advised that his contract as an assistant coach was not being renewed. What did he do? He got in that last little punch, a parting shot at the decision makers as he picked up  his kitbag and marched out the door. [Read more…]

Gee don’t we love the “1 and 2” percenters in this day and age?

If we can just reduce our error rate by 1 percent, if we can get them 1 percent fitter, 2 percent stronger…

It’s the same in business – a 1 percent improvement in staff engagement, 2 percent in efficiency, a 1 percent reduction in the cost of raw materials.  There are so many of them – my mate Dean reckons there could be up to 100!

We try all sorts of stuff to achieve these 1 percenters.  We have more meetings, more video sessions. We employ more experts, who fill up our heads with more instructions and more ideas.

[Read more…]

Ah the Ashes. Is there any sporting contest quite like it? The old Mother Country, going head to head with its brash, even errant off-spring, in a three month battle of wits and willow, guts and guile.

Close your eyes and you can almost hear the crowd stamping their collective feet as the bowler charges in for that suspenseful first delivery. Steve what’s his face – Harrison? In 2006, he must have had his eyes closed too – his first cherry almost hit the English gully fieldsman in the shin. [Read more…]

OK – State of Origin over for another year. Still some young league lovers roaming around Sydney who haven’t yet witnessed a Blues victory. Never mind. Stay patient. As the wise cracking, cigarette puffing, non-try scoring Rugby great Stan Pilecki used to say, “anybody can have a bad decade”.

While it’s impossible not to admire the tenacity and passion of this current Maroons side, when I think Origin, I still think Gordie Tallis. I can’t help it. The bulging whites of the Raging Bull, staring down Hollywood Bill Harrigan as he marched him for dissent. Even more vivid, the memory of the big man picking up Blues fullback Brett Hodgson in Sydney and dragging him, what was it – 10, 15, 20m? – before flinging him over the sideline like a rag doll. How good was that? Gordie developed that technique when he was a kid playing against his elder sisters in the backyard in Townsville. Wonder how they’re going now? His sisters? Still traumatised would be my guess, and probably still scarred from the rose bush thorns. [Read more…]

I wonder how Ben is getting on.

Remember him? Ben Cousins, indomitable AFL superstar. Fabulous, fascinating but unequivocally flawed, a drug addiction that in stark contrast to his beloved red Sherrin footy, he’s never been able to kick. Sad.

Of all the things I’ve read, seen and heard about Ben, one staggered me more than any other – the fact he was allowed, as a high school student, to wear white sneakers to Perth’s prestigious Wesley College.

That’s right. All you other boys – black lace ups. Ben – you’re going to be an AFL superstar – you can wear what you like.

The brash, confident young Cousins kept on pushing the boundaries, only to find they’d been removed. We can’t upset Ben. Incredible talent. He’s going to be an AFL superstar – 38 kicks last week.

What the? [Read more…]

Good to hear former Cowboys coach Graham Murray is back on his feet after a recent health scare.

Terrific bloke “Muz” – one of Rugby League’s best. Over almost two decades as a top grade coach, he always had one eye on his players’ wellbeing, as well as worrying about what they were doing on the field.

I remember five or so years ago, being asked to lend a hand with one of his young charges. The bloke was an emerging superstar – my task, help him understand some of the strings attached to his new “job” as a high profile professional footballer, and the implications of his impending fame. I couldn’t quite get a handle on the rookie so I asked Muz directly: What’s he like? [Read more…]