I met a former NBL point guard, who, for the sake of anonymity, I will call Dave. Dave told me how he remembers the day he approached Shane Heal (one of Australia’s greatest ever basketball guards), before a game, and told him that there was no way that Heal was going to drop 38 points on his head in the way that he had to other guards in recent matches. Shane and Dave had … [Read more...]
New State of Origin Format Proposal – Exclusive!
A senior Australian Rugby league official recently leaked to Socrates that the ARL are looking at experimenting with the State of Origin team selections for future interstate matches. While not being totally dissatisfied with current arrangements the official argued that it was experimenting with selection rules that turned interstate Rugby League fixtures into the success that … [Read more...]
Walking with Nietzche – John Kaag follows in the philosopher’s footsteps
While preparing a thesis on Friedrich Nietzche, philosopher John Kaag took at trip to the Swiss Alps to experience some of the places and pastimes that influenced the 19th century Swiss/German philosopher's writing. While Nietzche didn't specifically discuss his exploration of the high mountains in his work, the impact that the mountains had on his thinking became clear to Kaag … [Read more...]
Research shows whipping horses doesn’t make them run faster, straighter, or safer — let’s cut it out
Like many others I have always viewed horse racing with ambivalence. Previous and current generations of my extended family have had strong equestrian links but, on the matter of horse racing, opinions of family members have been split down the middle for decades. Attitudes were so powerful and entrenched that it was strictly forbidden, at family gatherings, to mention to Aunty … [Read more...]
Sportswear with a mission – Patagonia!
The store manager handed me a copy of “Let My People Go Surfing” by Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, and said that it would give me a good foundation for understanding the company and what it stands for. While we were chatting, a well-dressed young woman approached the manager and asked if she could submit a resume because she was looking for a job. He politely accepted … [Read more...]