The Professor will be back behind the microphone this Sunday from 5.00pm on 88.3 Southern FM with John O’Callaghan, Mordiboy (aka Fatman), Paul Dalligan and DC Coutta in the line up talking AFL, NRL, Paralympics, sports betting, the NRL Almanac and a whole lot more.
We’re back and better than ever!
Hot off the 88.3 Southern FM wire, Sportzfan Radio will return on Sunday 12 January 2014 for two weeks between 4.00pm and 5.00pm. Glad to be back with the Professor and all the usual suspects. Can’t wait to be back on air! Tune in!!!!!!!!
I think I have commented on Shane Watson’s fragile physique before, but watching him come into bowl and do his hamstring re-emphasised this point. I mean the man was hardly charging in like Dennis Lillee on the long run, he ambles in like a park cricketer! Don’t get me wrong I am a bit of a Shane Watson fan because I think he is a genuine all rounder and they do not pop up very often. At his best in both batting or bowling he probably gets a game in the Australian team, but he is so rarely at his best that he does get very frustrating for the fan. Couple this with our captain’s bad back and the continued breakdown of our fast bowlers and it is no wonder we are struggling internationally.
Keeping to the cricket theme I was disappointed with Warnie’s rant the other day about Ricky Ponting. I think you read between the lines and you sense some sour grapes about missing out on the Australian captaincy. He is clearly supporting his friend Michael Clarke, but Clarke is the current captain of the team and can look after himself. Having said that, I never thought Ponting was a great captain, although his record would suggest otherwise, at least he kept the team together. Michael Clarke is a better on-field captain, but seems to lack the other qualities which make great captains like Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell who were both good on and off the field.
Now getting on to the Melbourne Cup and this is a comment through my hip pocket. Leading up to last weekend I had been on Fiorente, but after Dear Demi’s run in the Mackinnon I jumped horse and had a bit each way on her. I still had Fiorente in quinella’s and trifectas. I was never happy with Dear Demi in the run and she never seemed to settle and was gone a long way from home. I was then astounded to read Chris Munce’s comment the next day that he was happy in the run, but she didn’t stay!! My guess is that he stirred her up early to get a good position before the first turn, which she did have, but this was contrary to how she had been running and it ruined any chance she had. A great performance by Fiorente and fully deserved win for Gai Waterhouse.
Not satisfied with stuffing up on Melbourne Cup day I did a similar thing on Oaks Day. I was on Solicit in the Wakeful and changed to Gypsy Diamond for the Oaks. Solicit just gets pipped and runs a good third, while Gypsy Diamond struggled into fourth. The trick is to get onto the horse I was on, but got off and you will have a win!
Good to see the Gunners get up twice since the last Musing. A good win over Liverpool and a very good away win over Borussia Dortmund which extends their away record to eight months without a loss. The big test will be this week against Manchester United.
Sticking to the world game, I saw the A-League game last Friday night between Adelaide and West Sydney and it was a very good standard and it will not be too long before Tomi Juric plays for the Socceroos.
Have a great weekend and go Gunners!!
Not an equation that I learnt in maths class at High School, but one that the touring Indigenous All Stars thought was the solution to a lack lustre first up performance in the first International Rules Test against Ireland.
All Stars coach, Michael O’Loughlin said “It’s about that bonding stuff…….have a few beers and tell stories and you get to know each other”.
O’Loughlin must have missed the large number of articles and studies on the adverse effects of drinking a lot of alcohol. He must have also forgotten that elite athletes specifically avoid alcohol during competition.
If it was all about the bonding…….why did they need alcohol or a late night to seal the deal?
It was disappointing to see Atlantic Jewel is out of the Cox Plate as she was the clear favourite and it would have been great to see her win the race. It is now a lot more open with Itsadundeel likely to start the favourite, but having missed a run with a foot abscess, I think he is vulnerable. I am going to get in before the Gelding and tip (Mark) Fiorente to keep it in the Sportzfan family!
Also disappointing to see the Gunners concede a late goal against Borussia Dortmund and not escape with a draw. Arsenal has had a great run since their opening loss of the Premier League season against Aston Villa. The Champions League group stage has got a bit to play out so all is not lost.
I did finally get a look at Jack Wilshere’s goal scored against Norwich City. What an absolute cracker and an early nominee for the Goal of the Season!! In the newspaper article they suggested that it was a goal that had Arsene Wenger written all over it and I would agree it is the type of slick football that is the trademark of his teams. Perhaps a bit more focus on defence will take them further in all competitions though.
A regular part of Sportzfan Radio was the Friday musing provided each week by Chris from Barwon Heads.
Luckily, prior to the end of the free agency period, we have managed to convince Chris to continue providing the musing each week for the online version of Sportzfan Radio.
Check back in next Friday to see what Chris has turned his mind to in the World of Sport!
On a recent Sportzfan Radio show we discussed at length with our soccer expert, Mark Fiorenti, the notion that the Socceroos coach should be appointed for a period well beyond the next World Cup. The rationale behind such an appointment was to encourage the coach to rejuvenate the playing squad at regular intervals with younger players so as to not be left with what we have now……a lot of players that are past their use by date. The average age of the team that lost 6-0 to Brazil several weeks ago was 32.7 years. The average age of the Brazilian team was 26.3.
In fact, the Sportzfan Radio panel has been discussing the average age of the Socceroos players since the qualifying rounds for the last World Cup and said way back then that youth needed to be infused. This didn’t happen and now we are left with the sad reality that, whilst Australia is going to the World Cup, we look like we are simply making up the numbers.
Who then to appoint to replace Osieck? This will depend on whether the FFA has learnt anything
from the current situation. I have heard calls to bring back Guus Hiddink or to insert a credentialed coach from Europe. Both suggestions are not the answer. Guus at 66 years of age (67 when next year’s World Cup is on) is yesterday’s man and also past his use by date. He will only be thinking about achieving something in the World Cup (like Osieck) that will not take care of the Socceroo’s future. Same could be said for any profiled European coach.
I am all for giving one of the current Australian A League coaches a shot with the mandate to coach for the future of the Socceroos and not be blinkered to think the future only extends as far as next year’s World Cup. As an example, look at the great building job Tony Popovic has achieved at Western Sydney Wanderers in one season.
The FFA needs to insert KPI’s into the contract that reflect the need for identification of young talent and the need for youth to be injected into the squad. Only then, will the national team be capable of approaching the past glories that the Australian public has become accustomed to!
Poor form by Braves players who refused to catch the ceremonial first pitch from Chipper Jones. By the way Chipper just happened to play 19 seasons with the Braves, 8 time All Star, 1999 NL MVP, his number retired by the Braves and no doubt a first round Hall of Fame entrant when he is eligible.
The petulant players sent out the Brave’s mascot instead to catch the ball.
Chipper’s crime? His forecast to the media that he thought the Dodgers would beat the Braves 4-1 (which they did).
Me thinks the Braves as an organisation need to take a good hard look at themselves! A terrible way to treat a former champion.
Braves……you have struck out!
After 306 shows and six and a half years on air, Sportzfan Radio comes to an end on Sunday 29 September 2013. A most fitting day as it is the first anniversary of the demise of Sportzfan Stan. Unlike nearly every other sports program we strived to discuss the real issues in sport and to provide thought provoking discussion.
We like to think that our ‘experts’ really know the games that they talked 
about – Dalligan on League, Fiorenti on soccer, Mordiboy on golf, the Gambler on lawn bowls, the Gelding & the Sydney Colt on all matters racing, John O’Callaghan on the legal issues in
sport, Daniel Eade on NBL, NBA & AIHL, Sportzfan Stan on sackings, Dan Butterly on US sport and the Professor on……well he commented on anything and everything.
We have enjoyed all the production meetings at the Great Western Hotel and every minute of presenting the show. We hope that you enjoyed our analysis on sport, but wonder where the ladies at the Tennis club will now get their Saturday morning race selections from. Maybe we can prevail on the Gelding and the Sydney Colt to still post their expert predictions on the website.
Don’t miss the last show from midday tomorrow!
The Gelding’s attention is on Moonee Valley today with the running of the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes feature race. The return of the good horses makes selecting a winner just that bit more difficult, but, the Gelding is up for the task.
As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.
Moonee Valley
Race 4 Horse 1 – Atlantic Jewel (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 5 Horse 1 – Moment of Change (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 6 Horse 8 – Super Cool
Race 7 Horse 1 – Clear for Action
Race 8 Horse 7 – Elite Elle
The Gelding will also have a flutter at Echuca today in Race 8 Horse 5 – Danish Rock!
You can hear the Gelding discuss racing with the Professor every Sunday on Sportzfan Radio at 12.30pm on 88.3 Southern FM. The Gelding’s segment is sponsored by the Great Western Hotel.
Good luck and good punting!
The Gelding