26 February 2012 236.1 – Daniel emulated Sportzfan Stan’s usual start to the show by launching his own rants, starting with Stan himself. Daniel suggested to the Professor that Stan needed to be sent to Florida if he continues to wear cardigans on 36C days. He quickly moved on to Ricky Ponting and whether he retired or was sacked by Cricket Australia. He discussed NFL and Troy Aikman’s comment that American football will not be the most popular sport in America in 10-15 years due to parents’ perceptions towards contact sports and Daniel posed the same question about the AFL. Dan Butterly returned to the show to deliver his U.S. report and rehashed the lack lustre 2012 Super Bowl. He thought the commercials were the highlight rather than the game itself and that the Peyton Manning saga overshadowed the Giants/Patriots matchup. Dan also considered questions posed by Daniel regarding Eli Manning versus Peyton Manning. With March Madness due to start, Dan’s pick for the NCAA Final Four was, Kentucky, Michigan State, Kansas and North Carolina. He also predicted some upsets caused during the tournament. Finally he looked at ‘Linsanity’ that has taken over not only New York but also the NBA. The Gelding reported on the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield and the Sydney Colt’s results. Sportzfan Stan’s rant du jour was the usage of drugs in sports and the bad image caused by abusers. The panel expressed their confusion on the penalties outlined by the AFL and the lack of criminal charges for those found offending.
Tag Archives: nba
Sportzfan Radio show #235.1
19 February 2012 235.1 – Sportzfan Stan kick started the show with his weekly rant, this time on the AFL’s first financial loss in a decade amounting to $23.6 millon. The AFL’s blame-game included the start up costs of the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney teams. John O’Callaghan observed that it’s bad economics and can’t be blamed on expansion costs that should have been factored into the budget. Tackling the issue of lack of media coverage for women in sport, Janice Crosswhite, President of Australian Women’s Sport and Recreation Association & current VP for the International Association for Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women spoke with the Sportzfan Radio panel. The Professor indicated that the Herald Sun’s only sports article on women this week was on Olympian, Sally Pearson but was buried towards the back pages. Janice shed some light on the Sports Commission’s research in 2010 showing some progress for equality for women in sport. She also commented on Olympic historian, Harry Gordon’s claim that since 1956, women have outperformed men in teams proportionate to medals won. Janice observed there was a lack of full time sports writers devoted to covering women’s sport or other “B” sports like basketball, swimming, track and field, squash, and gymnastics. Social media may be part of the solution as traditional means have failed to date. Daniel Eade came on to talk hoops and discussed the NBA and the NY Knicks surprising the league with their “Linsanity” Jeremy Lin. Daniel thought that after losing Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire for games the Knicks would be gone but they have rebounded with Lin at point guard. Injuries were a topic of discussion too, due to the condensed season with the big name’s not being able to handle so many minutes per night. There was also comment that the NBL had yet to release any further news about the new franchise bids for Melbourne and Brisbane.
Sportzfan Radio show #233.1
22 January 2012 233.1 – With Dan Butterly’s first appearance of 2012, he recapped the end of the U.S. college football season with the deluge of bowl games involved and discussed the pros and cons of underclass men leaving college in the hopes of being drafted to the NFL. Dan expressed surprise at teams in the NFL Championship game after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Giants and the San Francisco 49’ers defeated the New Orleans Saints. He thought the match up would have been between the Saints and Packers. Dan says the Ravens will fall to the Patriots this week and the home advantage going to the 49’ers over the Giants for the Superbowl. The NBA strike has been the cause of numerous early injuries to players and predicts that the accelerated schedule will increase that number. Also, aging players might fall prey to being traded as teams will have to weigh whether or not they can keep up with the season’s gruelling schedule. Less than a month until pitchers and catchers report for spring training in the MLB! The Gelding was back in form this weekend selecting three winerss and two placings from his five choices. It took Sportzfan Stan thirty-eight minutes into the show before he called for the first sacking this week. He also observed that “some horses are faster than others”. Daniel talks NBL and felt that Ayinde Ubaka’s sacking with eight games left in the season was the worst timing by the Melbourne Tigers.
Sportzfan Radio – show #232.2
15 January 2012 232.2 Mark Fiorenti goes on to talk about the sacking of Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic and the appointment of Jim Magilton. He thinks the Victory could still slip into the top four. Mark also talks about the Melbourne Heart and says they are clearly the best side in Melbourne. He discusses the A League initiatives of Big Wednesday concept with five games being played on the one day and the coach of Gold Coast being miked up during the game. Daniel says if he owned the team he wouldn’t have allowed it. Mark finally looks at Arsenal signing Thierry Henry for the next few months and Eric Cantona vying for the French presidency. The Panel talk cricket and the test series against India. The Gelding says that Craig McDermott is doing a great job as bowling coach. Paul Dalligan comes on to talk both NRL and NFL especially his beloved Denver Broncos. He thinks Billy Slater will be fit to start the NRL season and that Canterbury Bankstown are a special for the coming season. Tennis is the next topic of discussion and the Professor quizes the Panel about how many Australian men and women are in the Australian Open draw. The Professor also queries whether Ian Thorpe should have come back after a fifth place in the Victorian championships. Daniel likens it to the embarassing comeback of Tony Lockett. Daniel also talks both NBL and NBA looking at the LA Clippers, Melbourne Tigers and Patty Mills.
Sportzfan Radio – show #232.1
15 January 2012 232.1 Daniel starts with the observation that when Sportzfan Radio went off air in 2011 the Australian cricket team sucked, but now they are world beaters. Sportzfan Stan talks about China being a great market for Australian Rules Football. Special guest Jamie Pi comments on this and also goes on to talk about the growing impetus of players of Asian heritage contributing to AFL with Lin Jong being drafted by the Western Bulldogs. He says it is very important to get the message out that Asian kids can play the game. Jamie also comments on how the Southern Dragons will perform in 2012 in division 2 of the Southern Football League. The Panel have a brief discussion of the NFL playoffs and each teams chances. The Gelding talks racing and starts with a discussion of the penetrometer and the grading of the track. He didn’t have a great day yesterday at the track but did manage to get a selection up for the ladies from the Tennis club. Mark Fiorenti comes on to talk soccer and says his soccer wishes were fulfilled at the end of 2011 but not to good for the start of 2012.
Sportzfan Radio show #230.1
11 December 2011 230.1 – The Panel comprising the Professor, Daniel Eade, Paul Dalligan, the Gambler and Sportzfan Stan lead off the show talking US sport with Dan Butterly including the NBA nixing the Chris Paul deal. He also looks at Major League Baseball talking about the recent free agent moves with the Miami Marlins leading the pack. Paul Dalligan talks NFL with Dan and Paul says he likes the New Orleans Saints. Dan says any team can win on any given day. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders also discussed. Dan revisits the College Football championship game and says every game can’t count in the regular season if Alabama is playing in that game. He likes Robert Griffin III from Baylor for the Heisman trophy. The Panel look at Barry Hall’s announcement that he intends to enter the boxing world and the Professor says he is already 4-0 following his AFL career. There is a discussion about the second test and another poor batting display by Australia. Sportzfan Stan says there are some players in the baggy green who are not good enough and they should be sacked. Mark Fiorenti comes on to talk soccer and he starts with a review of the Melbourne Victory/LA Galaxy game featuring David Beckham. He also looks at how the Victory are travelling at the moment and says they are not getting enough from Harry Kewell.
Sportzfan Radio show #229.2
4 December 2011 229.2 – Mark Fiorenti continues with his look at the A League and the Melbourne Heart playing a match this weekend against Wellington in Gippsland. He also looks at the LA Galaxy playing Melbourne Victory next week at Etihad Stadium. John O’Callaghan & Nicole Chvastek join the Panel for the last hour of the show. Sportzfan Stan opens the discussion regarding St Kilda Football Club’s anticipated million dollar loss mostly due to playing at Etihad Stadium. John says he finds it extraordinary and simplistic to just blame the return from the home ground. He poses the question whether football is sustainable at AFL level. John reprises his push to have a criminal law against doping in sport and also match fixing. Paul Dalligan talks rugby league and the tragic news of the death of Arthur Beetson and says it is a massive loss for rugby league. He was the first indigenous person to appointed captain of any sporting team in Australia. Paul also discusses the proposed changes to rules for the All Stars game on a trial basis. Nicole starts a discussion about the development of Michael Clarke as Australian cricket captain. John says he thinks the Australian cricket captain’s job is second only in importance in Australia to the Prime Minister’s job. Daniel suggests maybe Michael Hussey should have been given the job. Sportzfan Stan says Ricky Ponting has been a great servant to Australia but his time has come and he shouldn’t be in the team. The Panel look at the proposal for topless basketball by Rick’s Cabaret and give it the thumbs down and says it denegrates not only women but also basketball.
Sportzfan Radio show #228.2
27 November 2011 228.2 – Sportzfan Stan predicts Australia will lose the first test against New Zealand. Paul Dalligan comes on to talk rugby league and quips that Mark Fiorenti is ‘suddenly’ in love, that he went to a Russian wedding that went longer than the last Aussie cricket innings and he turned into Boris Yeltsin after a lot of vodka. He discusses the final of the Four Nations Championship and said Australia were good flat track bullies and once they got in front they weren’t going to be beaten. Darren Lockyer’s last game and he got a standing ovation. He gave Tim Sheens an 8 or 9 for his coaching of the Australian team. Paul also talks Wests Tigers with Robbie Farrer and Tim Sheens having problems. He predicts Cameron Smith will be the next captain of the Kangaroos. Melbourne Storm have recruited Jason Ryles and Ryan Hoffman during the break. Mark Fiorenti makes it albeit a bit late to talk soccer and reviews the happenings in the A League and thinks the Melbourne Victory are in crisis. He also looks at the English Premier League and Champions League. A pleasant surprise that Daniel Eade calls in to talk NBA with the lockout apparently being over and dependant on a vote by players and owners. He also looks at Patty Mills taking a large contract in China and leaving the Melbourne Tigers. Daniel says the Tigers still might make the final four in the NBL.
Sportzfan Radio show #226.1
13 November 2011 226.1 – Due to a technical glitch at Southern FM with the logger we come in during the US report with the Panel speaking with Dan Butterly about the huge story developing at Penn State University and the sacking of football coach Joe Paterno. Also to lose their jobs were the University’s President and Athletic Director over the sex abuse charges laid against former Penn State defensive co-ordinator Jerry Sandusky. Is it co-incidence that Paterno became the winningest coach in NCAA Div 1A last week and the scandal broke this week? Dan encourages those who want to know more to read the Grand Jury testimony. He also discusses the NBA lockout and feels if things keep going the way they are there will be no winners and no losers. Dan thinks there will not be a season as the owners aren’t worried if there is no season. Finally, Dan reviews the tip off of the College basketball season with the opening game pitting UNC against Michigan State played on an aircraft carrier on Veteran’s Day. The Gelding talks racing and reviews both his selections at Sandown and the Sydney Colt’s Rosehill tips. Sportzfan Radio tipsters picked 6 placings including 2 winners from 7 selections. Sportzfan Stan asks the Gelding how Danish Rock’s preparation is going but the Gelding says it will be a while before he races again. The Professor has trouble playing Dr Leslie’s community service announcement and the Gelding questions whether she may have fallen off her stool.
Sportzfan Radio show #225.2
6 November 2011 225.2 – Mark Fiorenti discusses his pre-season predictions against how the placings are on the current A-League ladder. He says he’ll do a mid season review to compare placings at that time with his earlier predictions. Mark reviews the Melbourne Victory draw with Brisbane Roar and says it is the best live game he has seen this season. He also looks at the Premier League results and says Arsenal has turned its season around in the last few weeks. The Panel then talk about boxing and in particular the world bantam weight title fight being screened on free to air television on 7 mate between Darchinyan and Moreno. Sportzfan Stan says it is a brutal sport and nothing is gained by watching two men try to knock each others brains out. They then discuss Ricky Nixon’s attempted venture back into player management. Paul Dalligan comes on to talk rugby league and the four nations tournament. He is also worried that Russell Crowe may not continue his support of the Rabbitohs. Daniel Eade talks basketball with the Panel and the Melbourne Tigers getting back on the winners list in the NBL. He also talks about ONE HD showing matches at 1.30am in the morning and says it must be programming for security guards. Daniel then looks at the NBA negotiations and says it is quite possible the entire season could be lost. The Professor and the Gelding talk about their love of the Great Western Hotel as a place to have a production meeting. The Panel finally look at the International Series and believe that to survive the games need to be more than just an after thought and they wonder why the best players aren’t playing.