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    • Ancient philosophers discuss what makes the beautiful game beautiful! Laozi and Socrates get technical.
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Not everyone is worth listening to 1.

March 1, 2016 By SOCRATES Leave a Comment Filed Under: Editorial, SOCRATES' THINKING

Welcome to the very first posting of Sportsocratic. I hope you get a kick out of the content. In this “Not everyone is worth listening to” section I get my chance to have an editorial spray at either a subject in the news that has pissed me off or to fill you in a on some of the things that crop up in this edition of Sportsocratic that I think are important. In other words… it’s all about me. I can say what I want! While every issue will have its degree of opinionated piffle the editorial section will be the place where rubbish is most concentrated. If you don’t agree, I’d love to hear about it. Posted comments are not only wanted but craved. You don’t even have to be nice… though I would prefer it if you were. Along with having a big mouth I also have a thin skin.

Our first issue has two stories that I particularly think you will appreciate. Have you ever stopped to wonder how a profoundly deaf person can be a professional dancer? Anna Seymour’s story about her life as a sporting and human movement addict will thrill you, I bet. Discover how (as is the case with surfing) a dancer does not have to rely on music to move with great beauty and flow.

The rhythm of nature
Dancing to the rhythm of nature

You will also get a kick out of the Secret Dad’s (name withheld to protect the guilty) story about how tough life can be for a talented young one when mums and dads earnestly try to juggle the needs of each individual in the family and the family as a whole. Any parent with a house load of sports loving kids just has to read this.

Peter FitzSimons puts on his “have you ever noticed” hat when he points out a number of sporting syndromes that we may not have identified ourselves. In his story Peter shows us why he is one of the most perceptive (and funniest) blokes in the world of sports journalism.

Take a look at the “The things that made me” section in the right column. Every issue we will feature an athlete, a sporting administrator or a coach who will provide some insight into the things that make them tick by describing some of their most important influences. In this issue we take a peek at the things that have made Jana Pittman what she is. Jana is already one of Australia’s most important athletes but if she wins selection for our Rio team this year she could well go down in history as one of our all time great sports heroes.

In our “What does it mean” section (also in the right column) each month we will feature an odd phrase or expression from the world of sport that’s meaning can do with some clarification. I love the way sport generates really creative use of language.

There are also a few bits and pieces from myself and from my friend Tim Edwards. I will leave you to judge whether they are worthwhile or not.

It develops power in the frail
Sport develops power in the frail

Before I set you free to have a browse through the first edition of Sportsocratic I want to make a quick comment on why I think sport and adventuring are so important. Yesterday I heard an academic on the radio say that sport and recreation are key elements of possible future programs that might deal with and possibly even eventually cure dementia. Today I heard a prominent politician on the radio say that his finally dealing with his depression (at least partially through sport and exercise) has given him the best four years he has had since he was twelve years old. The very next guest on the radio program was talking about her book about dealing with grief (she had a world record breaking bad year where she lost a twin, a parent, a partner, a dog, a cat and sundry other items all in the one twelve months) and one of the keys to her recovery was walking and walking and walking (and rowing) all over the world. Sport helps with the self-esteem of the anxious, the strength of the frail and the self-belief of those who feel down. Sport is not only good… its great… important even… and necessary.

Its not just great... its necessary!
Its not just great… its necessary!

Sport is not just about being a good medicine that achieves much for the body mind and soul. It is much more than that. To paraphrase a very rude comment from a former professional surfer who was trying to make the point that he doesn’t just surf for the money or for all the other physical and psychological benefits he gets from it… “I surf for the same reason that I bat myself off within an inch of my life every day… I do it because it feels so good.”

He has a point. We can play sport for lots of good reasons but the best reason of all is because it makes us feel soooo good.

Socrates

SOCRATES

Short, fat, slow, uncoordinated and clumsy, ancient Athenian Socrates had very few of the physical quality required of the elite athlete. He did have, on the other hand, a better than average brain between his ears and a mouth that could talk opposing players, referees and coaches half into their graves. Socrates, as a sport analyst, is what the world needs and misses. He is an opinionated so-and-so that actually thinks deeply about sport and adventuring and likes nothing better than provoking others into deep thought. Socrates is the antithesis of the sporting jock or the West Sydney soccer supporter.

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Thanks for reading this story! We appreciate your visit to Sportsocratic… and love providing alternative information, opinions and angles from the sporting world. The world of sport is so full of the same old stuff from the same old sources that it drives us nuts… and it makes our day giving voice to less orthodox views. If you appreciate our free service, give some thought to helping us out. It costs us big bucks to keep Sportsocratic going but, if our readers support us, our future is much more secure.

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Dar Es Salaam to Zanzibar – reviewing a short (but lonely) journey

February 20, 2024 By SOCRATES Leave a Comment

Socrates takes us back in time when he spins a travel yarn about his journey from Tanzania capital Dar Es Salaam to the beautiful island of Zanzibar. As an Aussie expat with years of living in cushy Europe he initially finds his destination intimidating. Find out whether things got better for the intrepid sissy adventurer as he settles into his guest house in the ancient and exotic “old town” of the city of Zanzibar.

To Jambiani – Exploring Zanzibar (travel destination review)

February 18, 2024 By SOCRATES Leave a Comment

Shy and nervous Aussie Socrates doesn’t know what to make of unfamiliar and intimidating Zanzibar old town. The absence of the woman he is starting to fall for doesn’t help. Things make an unexpected turn for the better when the Netherlander heartthrob arrives at his hotel door and lets him know that she will be joining him on his exploration of the beautiful East African island after all. Join them in their journey from the bustling and eye-catching, ancient old town to the simple fishing villages of the Jambiani coast. Will the adventuring pair become an adventuring couple?

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When Socrates found out that Rugby League legend Wally Lewis had pulled off an outrageous State of Origin scam without a soul even realizing, it occurred to him that sometimes pulling a swifty should be tolerated. Here Socrates explores the history of sport and tries to establish the circumstances under which a little bit of rule book stretching is okay. Click the pic and see if you agree with him.

Wallaby v France test – the moment that soared above all the others

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There were many great moments in the final Wallabies versus France rugby test last week but according to Socrates, one stood our far above all the others. Was it a great try? A brilliant tackle? A perfect scrum or line-out? A fantastic bit of work at the break-down? According to the rotund Greek hooker it was none of those things. He reckons that the highlight of the game was a much quieter, simpler and more subdued moment. A moment that might have escaped the attention of millions of spectators. Find out about Socrates favorite moment of the test. Click the pic.

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Have you ever wished that you could meet and have a conversation with someone you idolize? What would you say to your idol to convince them to want to stay in the conversation? What would they say in response to your brilliant social skills? How would the conversation go? How would it leave you feeling? An Australian ex-professional athlete who had played with and against some of the greatest basketball talent that this country has ever seen (Andrew Gaze, Ricky Grace, Shane Heal, Phil Smythe) once, by chance, had a meeting with possibly the greatest and most famous professional sports person that has ever lived. The superstar he bumped into, in a New York elevator, just happened to be the Aussie basketballer’s idol. How did the meeting turn out? Click the pic and discover the six most memorable words in this Australian point guard’s life.

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Team Names on Sports Uniforms? Why?

May 23, 2024 By SOCRATES Leave a Comment

Socrates has been playing and watching sport for decades and one of the (many) things that has mystified and annoyed him from a young age is the way that some teams (usually basketball teams) emblazon their uniforms with their team name in text. He doesn’t get it. And he worries about where this tradition might be heading!

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Is the behavior of some elite athletes judged more harshly than others because of their make-up, their nails, their eyelashes, and their personal style? My own reaction to the most recent NCAA women’s basketball tournament final and the shenanigans of one LSU star player in the final moments of the game had me wondering. At the very least the public reaction to these few seconds of hard-core “trash-talking” should remind us that we should not make hasty judgements about individuals on flimsy information. Always consider the full context.

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Its just a job. Grass grows. Birds fly. Waves pound the sand. I beat people up. – Muhammad Ali

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When it comes to best Australian sporting photographs with a killer back story, this one is hard to beat. What a beautiful image of a champion surfer and his mate at the infamous Sunset Beach in Hawaii. Think it looks good now? Wait until you see what the editors at an American advertising agency did to it. Ouch. Click the pic and read the full story!

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Surfers and melanoma – how great is the risk?

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We all know that surfers are at greater risk of skin cancer than the average non-surfer. It’s obvious. They spend more time in the sun. Should that be of real concern to surfer? Is it really that big a risk? Recent research from Southern Cross University indicates that it is a way bigger risk than most surfers… and people… imagine. Going through treatment for skin cancer lesions, even when the treatment is successful, is not fun. Surfers should be aware of the risks and take precautions. Click the pic to get the full story.

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Who was the college recruiting scout talking about when he said the following to his head coach.

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March 8, 2023 By SOCRATES Leave a Comment

Celtic football coach Ange Postecoglou’s post League Cup interview avoided the normal “we knew we had to…”, “full credit to the boys…” and “we talked about blah blah blah during the week…” bollocks that is so common in post-match player and coach chats with the media. The coach actually revealed important insights into the way great coaches think and how they seek to get the best out of their players. Any coach aspiring to become a great coach, no matter what sport they teach should listen to this interview. Postecoglou is the real deal. There are few coaches better at getting the most out of their team.

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To buy The Bangalore Test, John Campbell’s new ebook novella, just click the link.

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