7 November 2010 178.2 – The Panel welcome the return of John O’Callaghan and reveals he is a Green Bay Packer fan. The Panel talk about athletes who keep on getting into the news for all the wrong reasons – Favre, Fevola, Warne, Newman. Nicole thinks it is “younger man approaching middle age trying to hold on to youth”. John discusses the AFL Grand Final and thinks it now should be an extra time game and not a replay. The Panel again take Mark Fiorenti to task again about the FFA bidding for the 2022 World Cup and the money that looks like it is wasted on a probable failed bid. Nicole thinks Ricky Ponting needs to get some emotion back into his captaincy of the Australian cricket side as he is too full of management speak. The Panel aren’t excited about the coming Ashes series. The Panel ask Paul Dalligan what Joel Monaghan’s scene is… Paul is enraged about the response and believes people shouldn’t be blaming social media. Paul breaks that Greg Inglis may be going to the Rabbitohs instead of the Broncos. Sean Callanan comes on to talk social media who thinks it was apt that his lead in was the theme from Minder as some pro athletes need minders. He says social media is ubiquitous.
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Sportzfan Radio #178.1
7 November 2010 178.1 – Stan doesn’t take long to take Daniel to task about the performance on the Melbourne Tigers and queries whether the Tigers, Tiger Woods or the Australian cricket team will be the next to win. Daniel hints that one of the Tigers imports could be cut very soon. Stan wonders whether the Tigers should bring back Lindsay Gaze. One of our twitterers says bring back Andrew Gaze or the Tigers will remain a mess. Dan Butterly talks US sport including NFL with the Randy Moss/Minnesota Vikings/Brad Childress/Brett Favre debacle and the will she or won’t she tell the NFL. He also discusses the quarter back ‘controversy’ at the Washington Redskins with Mike Shanahan benching Donovan McNabb at the end of a game. MLB is wrapped up with the San Francisco Giants overcoming the Texas Rangers in five games. In College football, the Air Force Academy defeats Army to take the Commander in Chief’s trophy. The Panel talks with the Gelding and JC about JC’s horse ‘It’ll Be Fantastic’ then goes on to discuss the Emirates Stakes day and the winners and losers at the track.
Sportzfan Radio #177.2
31 October 2010 177.2 – The Panel give their Melbourne Cup selections. The ‘F’ word starts talking racing instead of soccer. He was in a marquee in the car park at Flemington yesterday and didn’t see one live race. He says it is all about the fillies! On a soccer note he talks A League soccer and thinks Melbourne Victory’s season is getting back on track after a slow start. He says the Melbourne Heart have a travel nightmare with a trip to Port Macquarie and then Perth within a week. Paul Dalligan talks Four Nations Rugby League and is expecting a much closer game against England than expected with Australia at AAMI stadium. Gambler talks cricket and wonders whether it is over exposed. The Panel talks to social media guru, Sean Callanan about what cricket can do, social media wise to improve things. The Gelding believes the 50 over form of the game is in trouble and maybe there should only be 20/20 matches. Sean thinks the fifty over version is too drawn out today and the state competition seems to be onto something with the two innings version of the fifty over game. Daniel talks about a Sydney Kings player tweeting that women shouldn’t be NBL referees. Sean thinks it is a cheap shot. Not surprisingly it has now been deleted. Daniel wants to know if he can pick four horses for the Cup like the Gelding. He likes half Shoot Out and half Harris Tweed and thinks it would be good if it was a tie so they can come back next week for a re-run.
Sportzfan Radio #177.1
31 October 2010 177.1 – Paul Gamble hosts this weeks show – can he fill the Professor’s shoes? The Gelding is brought onto the Panel at the last moment as the race meeting at Kilmore that Queen Asa was running in was washed out. Daniel observes that Gambler is dressed more suitably than the Professor was last week – “He was dressed like a 16 year old thug – an American football jumper with his hat on backwards!”. Even though the Professor had a week off, he was still on the phone talking the AFL draw, the Spring Carnival as Kelly Osbourne or Scary Spice wouldn’t add to his enjoyment of the races – they’re going because it is a party. He tells Daniel he hadn’t spoken to the VRC to arrange a million dollar appearance fee for him at the Cup and he wants to know when Southern FM are going to have their own celebrity tent at the Spring carnival. The future of cricket is a worry due to poor participation rates and probably of more concern, they are falling. The Gelding talks Derby day races and sums up the Flemington meeting. By the end of the meeting, the track was heavily affected by rain. So You Think had a comfortable win in the conditions and now has five Group 1 wins. The Sydney Colt’s tip, Skilled did not perform as expected even though he thought it would win.
Sportzfan Radio #175.2
17 October 2010 175.2 – Dr Leslie comes on and cleans up after the Gelding’s weather forecast and racing segment – stool gazing indeed! The Professor explains that the Sydney Colt was unable to be on the show this week due to an illness and increases the intrigue when he passes on that the Colt and Stan have never been on the same show together – like Clark Kent and Superman. The Panel welcomes Nicole Chvastek back to the show. Mark Fiorenti discusses the creativity and passion of A-League soccer and the Newcastle Jets gaining more funding under Nathan Tinkler. There is also discussion of the ever increasing debts of Manchester United and Liverpool and the foreign ownership of EPL clubs. Nicole talks about the interest or lack thereof in the Commonwealth Games and the many countries/athletes not competing at the Games, Daniel says it was good to hear that Australia picked up a late gold medal in the ‘Throwing the washing machine out the window’ event. Nicole observed “Well done those Aussies”. Nicole also discussed the legitimacy of naming AFL players even though they had not been charged with an offence. Paul Dalligan talks with the Panel about the Rugby League Four Nations tournament with the marquee match between Australia and England at AAMI stadium. He thinks that the first game between Australia and Papua/New Guinea is like the Aussies playing the Wesley College Old Boys. In a heads up, Paul has heard Jonathan Thurstons may be heading to the Parramatta Eels. The Panel finish off with a discussion of Australian cricket and Ricky Ponting. Is Shane Warne too old to come back? Finally, Daniel asks the Professor which number comes after 248. Strangely it is 250, as apparently Daryl Corletto played his 250th game after his 248th.
Sportzfan Radio #175.1
17 October 2010 175.1 – The show starts with the Professor asking the Gelding whether the Caulfield Cup race meeting should have been postponed because of the bad weather. Stan tells Daniel that in the season opening NBL match the Melbourne Tigers were hopeless. This then prompts a discussion of the Tigers players. In the US report this week Susan Shan talks about Brett Favre and alleged problematic texts and emails to a NY Jets female employee. San Francisco 49ers are her surprise due to their poor showing in the NFL season so far. In MLB she thinks Cliff Lee is beatable but not likely during the post season. She thinks the Phillies and Rangers will make it through to the World Series whilst the Cubs and Cardinals were the biggest busts of the 2010 season. She doesn’t think Bobby Valentine will be going back to the Mets any time soon. The Gelding discusses the Caulfield Cup day races and observes Chris Munce is one of only seven jockeys who have won the Big 4 – Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper. The Professor calls it the ‘Grand Slam’ of racing. Gelding awards an ‘S-Hit’ ride to the jockey of Shocking who he says should have won easily. The Professor and the Gelding again talk about their interest in Danish Rock.
Sportzfan Radio #174.2
10 October 2010 174.2 – Paul tells the story of a Yankees pitcher who made his displeaure known by taking all his gear out on to the field and setting it on fire. The Professor poses the question – Is this the end of the Commonwealth Games? with attendances non existent, star athletes staying away and TV ratings down. Paul believes the organisers should be building on it for the coming 2014 games in Glasgow. The Gelding believes that athletes are more interested in World Championships. Paul wraps the 2010 NRL season, talks about his experience at the NRL Grand Final and the great second half by eventual premiers St George. He thinks the Sydney Roosters panicked in the second half. He also highlights an NRL match being investigated with players allegedly betting on a penalty goal to start the game. Dr Leslie comes along and cleans up after the NRL segment. Mark Fiorenti talks soccer and chats about the Heart v Victory local derby and the Socceroos great 1-0 win over Paraguay.
Sportzfan Radio #174.1
10 October 2010 174.1 – The show reprises Daniel’s singing of the Collingwood theme song from show #173. The Panel discusses Michael Vick’s injury with Dan Butterly in his US report and Dan says a quarterback in the NFL can’t take the same chances to run the ball as players do in College. Paul Dalligan talks to Dan about the rumor on Brett Favre and a former NY Jets female employee and wonders whether Brett has been playing golf with Tiger Woods. Paul also talks about his surprise at the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs being in the match of the round against Indianapolis Colts. Dan also talks MLB playoffs and thinks the Yankees, Rangers, Phillies and Giants will win through. #1 ranked in NCAAF Alabama losing may reignite the BCS controversy and discussion on whether a BCS College that has lost a game is more deserving of playing in the BCS title game than a non-BCS College that has not lost a game. The Gelding talks about his selections at Caulfield and the Sydney Colt’s selections at Rosehill. He has a discussion with Daniel about backing horses each way. Daniel thinks backing a horse not to win does not make sense. The Professor starts off a discussion on the Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Sportzfan Radio #173.2
03 October 2010 173.2 – Mark Fiorenti tells the Panel that he has deserted Melbourne Heart and is jumping back on the Melbourne Victory bandwagon. Via twitter, our US listeners indicated they had not caught up with the change to daylight saving in Australia and missed the start of the show. Daniel talks about the NBL pre-season matches being played in Darwin and the Panel query why the games are hidden so far away from the rest of the population. He also talks about NBL games being over 40 minutes instead of 48 minutes and gives an example to prove his point that less is less when people want more. Stan thinks the NBL is on its last legs. Paul Dalligan is in Sydney to watch the NRL Grand Final and is pleased it is an all Sydney affair. He also gets to see his beloved Rabbitohs play in the Under 20’s. The Professor says that if St George score more than 15 then that might be curtains for the Roosters. The Panel talks to Lisa Szatsznajder from the VIS about VIS athletes who will be competing at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. She thinks the Aussies will go well and should win at least as many medals as they did in Melbourne four years ago. Daniel thinks Richmond’s player list is better than Essendon’s whilst Stan thinks James Hird has the job ahead of him as coach of Essendon. Daniel “tries” to sing the Collingwood theme song and Sean talks about his shimmy versus the Didak shimmy. He also thinks Julie Anthony should be wheeled out each year to sing the National Anthem.
Sportzfan Radio #173.1
03 October 2010 173.1 – The show starts off with the Panel discussing the AFL Grand Final replay and talk about Sean Callanan’s shimmy caught on camera at the GF (http://j.mp/bKJVwu) which even attracted tweets. The Panel try to decide whether Julie Anthony or Lionel Ritchie were better. Daniel wonders whether Julie was “limp” synching. We talk with Marie Baker about US sport particularly whether the ultimate games in sport should be replayed or subject to extra time. She also talks about tailgating and how big it is in the US and the quarterback carousel in the NFL this season. The Gelding talks about the fields at Flemington and the likely winners and also goes through the Sydney Colt’s selections at Rosehill. Gelding and the Professor discuss Queen Asa and the horse they both have an interest in, Danish Rock. There is a brief discussion about the Fremantle Dockers change to their football jumper and possible changing of their club song. Mark Fiorenti talks soccer and defends the decision for the Heart/Victory game to be transferred to next Friday away from the clash with the AFL Grand Final