Cricket

A letter I wrote in response to a column written in the Sunday Times. It irked me, to say the least!

I have been a long time follower and fan of South African cricket. I have for just as long been an, unapologetic supporter of the supposedly arrogant captain of the protea’s team. When Mickey Arthur joined the fray as coach of the team, I thought it was a breath of fresh air and I looked forward to seeing South African cricket reaching new heights. All things equal, these lofty new heights were reached. An unprecedented test series win in Australia as well as a series win in the limited overs form of the game, then the test series victory in England. Feats not to be sneezed at.   Not unless you’re a politician in this country trying to take the gloss off some really quite brilliant results.

I was incensed to read Faizel Dawjee’s article in the paper last week. In essence blaming the lack of transformation on the senior national team coach. What a turn off it is to read such articles.   I am in full agreement that not nearly enough is being done to change the game in this country. I also cannot nor will I dispute that this game (much like wealth) in this country remains in the hands of a few.  However, it is not nor should it be the job of the senior national coach to ensure that development is taking place in the sport. Surely, he has more technical issues which require his time? The administrators-whose job we’re led to believe is to administrate-should ensure that there are appropriate structures in this country to ensure long term development and transformation in the sport of cricket. 

Dawjee makes a number of sweeping statements to justify his political point of view. Being one of the “self-styled” cricketing experts he spoke of I’ll offer some of my expert opinions on issues he has raised. Justin Ontong was and is a fine cricketer. He was I think an unfair tool in a political farce. I don’t think he was ready to be playing at international level at the time and it is possible that the brouhaha raised in that whole saga has put paid to his international career. Ashwell Prince was injured in the first test and replaced by JP Duminy. Duminy impressed in the subsequent test and went about cementing his place at no5 in the batting order, Dawjee will recall that upon return Neil Mackenzie was left out of the side following some out of sorts’ performances and replaced by Ashwell Prince who then excelled in the role of opening the batting. Clearly unsuited? Maybe. Making lemonade when life gives you lemon? Definitely!  Dropping the world’s best wicketkeeper would be a blunder of epic proportion. The likes of which can only be seen in movies. Why does Dawjee’s expertise take precedence over ours? I notice he doesn’t talk of Boeta Dippenaar’s eternal battle to be a fully fledged Protea. Nor does he touch on Johan Louw’s dalliance with the team, nor Justin Kemp, nor Claude Henderson who performed admirably for a number of seasons without a selector even batting an eyelid. My point is there are a number of players who are good enough-in our expert opinions- to make the national team but the coach shouldn’t be forced to pick the players we want. He should pick the players he wants! The players he feels will take South Africa to the number one ranking in world cricket. Oh and by the way did Lonwabo Tsotsobe play his first match for the Proteas in Mickey Arthur’s team?

The age group coaches and scouts should not rest until they’ve unearthed most of the prodigious talent we have in this country. There should be a solid grounding and platform for the less advantaged to have a chance to thrill us. That really should be what we’re discussing. Not the senior national teams’ inability to pick from a pool of 5 or 6 players.

In terms of good governance I’m not sure that the President of CSA should be involved in on-field activities. If we argue, however, that he should; then we should see him from day to day in his shorts or tracksuit going to net practices. We should see him helping with player’s deficiencies, getting to know and understand the team dynamic. Until the President of CSA is doing those things perhaps he shouldn’t be getting involved in on field issues.

The danger with politics and politicians is the more they meddle, the more they ruin.    

NBA finals part deux

And so we have it. The Dallas Mavericks have gone and done what I thought was the unthinkable. Yep, they’ve won the NBA finals. Dirk and his merry band of men have outwitted, outclassed and in the most crucial parts of the series outplayed the Miami Heat. Moreover, they’ve outscored them, plain and simple.

Much will be written and said about Lebron James’ failure to take a strangle hold on the finals. It’ll be questioned whether Dwayne Wades hip injury was at all a factor in game six. This will all be water under the proverbial bridge though. Once all is said and done, what will remain will be a memorable win for an ageing yet truly remarkable Mavericks side. They were simply brilliant at times and are fully deserving of their rings.

I have to be honest and say that whenever I thought about the match up-before the finals actually begun- I wondered how one man, Dirk Nowitzki would be able to outdo three, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh. It just didn’t weigh up. It seemed the odds were stacked heavily in Miami’s favour. Add that to the fact that they beat a very good although slightly geriatric Boston Celtic, and then overcame a spirited Derick Rose and his Chicago Bulls team, the odds looked good for Erik Spoelstra’s team.

 Taking nothing away from the Mavericks and their road to the finals, as they accounted for Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers. That, in and of its self was a major achievement but the Mavericks barely celebrated this great achievement. They were so driven and so focused that they would not be distracted by minor battle victories. They were in it to win the war. One has to believe their experienced heads were key in keeping the team focused. The team played like men possessed. Suddenly a one man show, turned to a multi-show act. Shawn Marion played like the matrix he was and apparently still is. Tyson Chandler was immense in his defensive duties and popped up to score some really important points. His rebounding was exemplary all throughout the series.  For me, however, Dirks deputy in chief has been the hard working, trash talking Jason Terry. ‘Jet” as he is affectionately known has scored points at exactly the right times for Dallas and has come up with some really big plays as well. It would be remiss of me not to mention the future hall of famer that is Jason Kidd. Passing, defending, and hitting the odd three pointer, he was a revelation in the finals.

With all that said though, the brilliance, sheer determination and strong will showed by Dirk Nowitzki  were worthy of an MVP award, an award he duly claimed. Going in to the regular season the Mavericks were at 18-1 odds to win. I’m not sure what odds they’ll be at next season when the regular season commences, but if you’re a betting man and have got a couple of cents lying around...

NBA Finals

It’s come to that time of the year again, the time where ESPN becomes one of my best mates. Yep, its NBA finals time. I receive more flak for my love of basketball than I do about my ability to hold down a steady relationship! That is no mean feat! In my relatively mainstream group of mates, beer and rugby, or beer and soccer, and on the odd occasion beer and cricket go together like a horse and carriage. Or Michael Owen and Injury! It makes sense too, we’re South African reared private school boys. Basketball just didn’t feature on the list of things to be in love with when growing up.

I, however, spent the formative years of my life at an American school. Basketball was in fact at the top of the list of things to love. The dream team was a team full of legends. One might have described them as the disciples, so close were they to Heavenly! At the time that I got into basketball, Michael Jordan ruled the roost. He was the biggest sports star in the world, bar none! He glided up and down the court and punctuated his timely finishes with an exclamation mark of epic proportion. He left you in no doubt who the king of the court was. He played on a Chicago Bulls team with some really exceptional players. Players so talented that, had it not been for the over shadowing presence of MJ, they’d in all likelihood be regarded as greats of the game right now. Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, and Steve Kerr to name but a few would all be legends now had it not been for that freak of nature. These players combined to make the sport of basketball so entertaining that even as a young African boy absolutely in love with Kaizer Chiefs, I could not turn my back on their exploits. Whenever the All-star weekend, or the all important finals rolled around, I had no choice but to wake up at all manner of odd hours in order to watch this feast of entertainment.

It is, thus, that I’ve spent the past week or so waking up at the ungodly hour of three a.m. You see as a technological snail, I’m yet to purchase the all important PVR.  It is no matter though, such has been the enthralling-as ever-nature of the finals to date. Before I go into my review of the final, I must declare my allegiance. The Miami heat has two of my favourite players currently playing the game. Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are two giants of the game. In the case of Lebron, both literally and figuratively. (He stands at 6’8 and weighs about 200lbs). In rugby terms he’s the size of a flanker but has the skills and plays like an inside centre. In essence he is a cross between Carlos Spencer and Pier Spies, while Dwayne Wade is a scorer, and passer in the vicinity of Michael Jordan. Together they are a splendour to watch, and throw in there Chris Bosh-the big centre-and you have a team that can on their day blow any team away.  

Game 1 played in Miami was a tight affair. All of these games are going to be tight affairs despite both teams having some of the great scorers in the league. In Dirk Nowitzki the Dallas Mavericks have probably the best shooter in the game. In fact he is possibly the most complete player in the game. He stands 7’0ft tall and is able to combine his shooting exploits with the kinds of skills that’d be considered normal for a seven footer. Ably assisted by an ageing yet rejuvenated, highly  skilled Jason Kidd-who can spot a pass even before it’s a possibility-the Mavericks put up a brave fight. Miami was too good though, and their defence won through. It is remarkable that both these teams with the kinds of points scorers they have, take such pride in their defensive ends as well. 

Game 2 also played in Miami was one of the strangest games of basketball I’ve ever seen. For forty two minutes of a forty eight minute game, Miami absolutely dominated. Wade, James and Bosh scored at will, while effecting turn-overs and completing them with reverberating exclamation marks. With six minutes to play, Miami led by 15 points. A nearly unassailable lead! Somebody should have told Dirk Nowitzki and his Dallas team that. The Mavericks mounted a comeback, the likes of which I have not seen in an NBA final. In football terms, it was akin to Liverpool’s comeback in that final against Milan. Nowitzki and his men proceeded to outscore the stunned Miami team by twenty two points to five in the final five minutes of the game. In short, they blew Miami off the court. My surprise was matched only by my bleakness. It was though a really enjoyable game. A fantastic advertisement for the game of basket ball. I wish my mates had been watching it so they might ease up on me!    

Game 3 in Dallas was supposed to be Dallas’ opportunity to drive home their advantage. Having stolen game two at Miami’s home, and surely with the momentum in front of a packed, hostile American Airline centre in Dallas, they would win comfortably and begin to strangle the Heat out of the final. It is not the finals for nothing though. These are the two best teams in the league and neither is going to allow the other to steal the march. Thus, the Heat with Dwayne Wade letting everybody know “I’ve been here before” launched a quite stunning assault on the Mavs. Intensity and aggression were the order of the day for Messers Wade and James, and when Mr Bosh took the game winning shot and scored, it became even more evident that these finals are a war of attrition with no quarter given and none asked.

I’m salivating at the prospect of game  4 in Dallas!

Written before Dallas emerged as eventual-deserved-champions.

I opine

Sport is probably the most opinion filled form of recreation we have in the world. Most supporters or fans are highly opinionated and indeed wholly sure that their opinions are the right ones. You’ll often find these sports fans are walking talking encyclopaedias, spewing statistics, averages, and all manner of Factual information off the top of their often balding heads.  You’ll find them in pubs lecturing their unconvinced friends about a particular club or player. You’ll hear them indoctrinating their offspring towards the only imaginable ideal-in their opinions-possible. Even when they’re out doing the monthly shopping with their chosen life partners you’ll hear them offering their expert opinions on which player should be playing, and which coach isn’t qualified to coach their Sunday league side.

I say all of this, comfortable, in the knowledge that I am one of those chaps. I have no doubt in my mind that Manchester united is the best football team in the world. And given half the chance I could clearly and-not so concisely- explain to you why this is a fact. I could provide you with statistics to guide you to this truth.

Interestingly, my good friend Jason could also furnish you with statistics, and explanations proving that his beloved Arsenal is in fact the best team in the premiership. Moreover, our friend Justin could present a flowing and utterly moving account of why his team Liverpool is in fact the only team worth supporting in the Premier league.

This leads to me to wonder whether we sports fans are not actually mad people? Surely all we need do is look at the statistics and make our decision based on those findings. I mean surely the team that’s won the last three domestic titles and reached the last two champions league-widely regarded as the hardest club competition in European football-finals, as well as winners of an overall total of 18 domestic league titles should comfortably be regarded as the best side in the premiership. However, what of Arsenals unbeaten season? Should a team that goes a whole season without losing in arguably the hardest league in Europe not be considered as the best side in the premiership? The “invincibles” were virtually perfect and played many teams off the pitch, both home and away. And the scousers? Ah those scousers, who have themselves, won the domestic title a total of 18 times. Anyone who can show me a better comeback, better tenacity than that inexplicable come back in the Final of the afore mentioned champions league would have their work cut out for them.

So what does this mean exactly? Does it mean that honours are even? Never! We’ll argue to the bitter end to prove our respective points. We’ll call each other names, speak ill of each other’s mothers. On a good day a right hook might even connect. However, we’ll be right back at it the very next day. Sport without opinion is pointless. Get my point?

The Reluctant Bachelor

Don’t hate the player...

It’s fairly ironic that my favourite song ever should be titled “My Love is Waitin’”! This song resonated with me the very first time I heard it. For the record I’m one of those males-apparently there aren’t many of us-who listen to a song, take the lyrics on board and really feel it. I digress, however, because really what I want to talk about is me and my apparent inability to either find the woman of my dreams or to nab her once I have found her!

I must be one of very few men, scratch that, people who’ve got to twenty six years of age without having a really serious relationship...ever! Perhaps I’m exaggerating a little bit because, my parents and siblings will tell you in no uncertain terms that I’ve had a long and generally happy relationship with my partner of about 15 years namely Manchester United. You will I’m sure agree, that perhaps this relationship may not be able to offer some of the wonders a relationship with a female might. Though I must stress once again that it has been a euphoric if at times nail biting ride with the love of my life. There are certain things however, that my Manchester United just can’t offer me. I’ll skip the obvious! But something like a quiet consoling word when my days not been as good as it should be, an unwanted-though at times desperately required-piece of fashion advice before a night out on the town, the unmasked conversation between a man and a woman post coitus! Small things like that. Someone to share your greatest highs, and deepest lows with. Clearly I haven’t been in a steady relationship...just look at how romanticised my view of relationships is!

I have been on many dates, and have encountered many pretty girls and have indeed had many...erm...encounters of an adult variety with said girls. I use the word many loosely, but that’s beside the point. What I’m getting at is that meeting women isn’t the problem at hand here. Au contraire, I’ve met and know many beautiful women (my facebook profile will attest to this!) however, none of them have been “lovers” of mine. And by lovers I mean, none of them have become my girlfriend. Sad. But true.

I am a nice guy or so I’ve been told. Far be it for me to make a decision like that. It always makes me laugh when someone’s asked to describe him or herself and one of the things they say is “I’m funny, nice...” I always think how the hell do they know? Has it ever occurred to them that people may just be humouring them when they say these things to them? Again, this is beside the point. Back to the matter at hand, and that is that I think I’m easy going, I’ve been told I’m easy to get along with and I’m pretty sure I’m good at holding conversations. That is unless I feel awkward because the person in question makes me feel awkward. So all of those things should be good qualities, I don’t think they’re factors standing in my way. I’m fairly tall, above average height at least-which I’ve been told is attractive, and while I’m a little pudgy at the minute I make up for it with a deadly smile. I know it is! It’s a secret weapon in my arsenal that I know makes woman the world over go weak at the knees. You’re told something enough times, eventually you start to believe it. They’re not humouring me!! I owe this special smile to an unflattering (when you’re 15/16) physical trait. I’ve got really thick lips, which leads me to my irresistible kiss! It is! I know it is, I’ve heard it enough times too. I figure it’s got something to do with my angle of delivery (the height factor) and the luscious, full lips. What can I say, it’s a gift. Yet again, I digress. I pay for meals, and drinks as matter of courteousy, rather than of course. I’m polite, charming (I hope), chew with my mouth closed, listen intently and make inappropriate yet funny comments.  I’ve watched Hitch so many times I could in fact be Hitch. None of it has worked. So I figure sometimes you’ve just got to accept your lot in life and let your love stew for the rest of time. It’s a tough life, but somebody’s got to do it!

“My love is waitin...for you”  

My first Blog..Ever

My blog...About everything and nothing. It's for the everyman and perhaps even some women. It'll give you no great insights, it'll add no value to your life. In short it'll be like an episode of Generations. Yeah I said It!