Here is the second in my selection of the most important photographs in Australian sporting history. The images are not ranked or presented in any particular order. Ranking is a subjective notion that I don’t want to buy into. Each image presents a frozen moment in time that has historical significance in the Australian world of sport. Even more importantly, each image opens … [Read more...]
Team Names on Sports Uniforms? Why?
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! When I was a young pup playing hooker for the … [Read more...]
Greatest cheats ever Contender No. 1. Nero
Who were the greatest... most egregious... most vile... most talented cheaters in the history of sport? Socrates announces his list of favourites. He starts his series with Emperor of ancient Rome, Nero. Think that politicians could be tempted to cheat at sports? Surprise surprise. They do. It’s not just a recent phenomenon, either. Fudging the rules of sports by leaders has … [Read more...]
Book Review – “CHEAT – The not so subtle art of conning your way to sporting glory” – by Titus O’Reily
What do Luis Suarez' teeth, Nancy Kerrigan's knees, Cameron Bancroft's pockets, John Hopoate's fingers, an Olympic Games Intellectually Disabled basketball competition and the Barbados national soccer team (oh... and lots and lots of other soccer teams and players) have in common? They all take center stage in some of the world's nastiest and most hilarious sports cheating … [Read more...]
Olympics Rugby Teams – Who are the greatest?
U.S.A. Olympic Rugby Champions The mighty United States of America hold the record, of course! The Seppos won the gold medal in the 1920 (Antwerp, Belgium) games and the 1924 (Paris, France) games meaning that they are the only country to win the Rugby Olympic gold medal twice. Other gold medalists are France and Australasia (Wallabies) who have won the gold once … [Read more...]