General Sport Discussion (non-AFL)

Albi_Mangler

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NBA Finals Game 1 starts today.

This series has everything. Superstars - Lebron and Curry. Terrific match ups. Australian born players Bogut, Dellavedova even Irving. GSW strong inside and out, Cavs with awesome individuals. Both teams with the longest droughts of success, GSW 40+years, Cavs never.
 

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POBT

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NBA Finals Game 1 starts today.

This series has everything. Superstars - Lebron and Curry. Terrific match ups. Australian born players Bogut, Dellavedova even Irving. GSW strong inside and out, Cavs with awesome individuals. Both teams with the longest droughts of success, GSW 40+years, Cavs never.
I like that it doesn't involve a team which has had prolonged success. No Bulls, Lakers, Heat, Spurs etc. Hoping for a Golden State win, only because that Cavs side is going to be odds on to win next year if it can get Love back and keep LeBron and Irving on the court. This might be Bogut's only shot at it.
 

POBT

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Congrats to Adam Voges for a debut ton. Probably been a little unlucky to be perceived to be in form when there were no spots and out of form when we had vacancies. Something to be said for these guys who have had long careers learning their game inside out.
 

Fatcat08

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Congrats to Adam Voges for a debut ton. Probably been a little unlucky to be perceived to be in form when there were no spots and out of form when we had vacancies. Something to be said for these guys who have had long careers learning their game inside out.
Was certainly the knock of someone who knows exactly how he plays best. Geez the strength of our tail with the bat certainly has helped us out in recent years. At 6-126 with the pitch turning and us having to bat 4th I had the Windies clearly in front in the game. Few hours later and we're favourites to take it out. Sure Voges played brilliantly but there's no recovery without Johnson, Lyon and Hazelwood staying with him. Surely tail order batting is something that a few other countries really need to put some time into just given sheer the number of games that we've gone from a 50/50 situation to a winning position through our tail order batting.
 

Albi_Mangler

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Was certainly the knock of someone who knows exactly how he plays best. Geez the strength of our tail with the bat certainly has helped us out in recent years. At 6-126 with the pitch turning and us having to bat 4th I had the Windies clearly in front in the game. Few hours later and we're favourites to take it out. Sure Voges played brilliantly but there's no recovery without Johnson, Lyon and Hazelwood staying with him. Surely tail order batting is something that a few other countries really need to put some time into just given sheer the number of games that we've gone from a 50/50 situation to a winning position through our tail order batting.
Agree 100% regarding lower order batting. It is something that is very clear over the past 5 years and probably related to the need for bowlers to be able to bat and play shots if they want to be selected for the shorter forms of the game. All our young crop of quicks average over 20.

"Amazingly it is the fourth time in the past 12 months Australia has added over 100 runs for the last three wickets, while over the last two years the Aussies have averaged a combined total of 77.3 for wickets eight, nine and ten" FoxSports
 

POBT

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I do wonder if that is part of the John Buchanan and Steve Waugh legacy. Buchanan was big on multi-skilled players. Waugh would give tailenders the confidence to bat.

I reckon that was the period when our bowlers went from being either complete bunnies or sloggers to at least attempting to build an innings like a batsman would.
 
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Really want to like the bloke but Kyrgios is becoming increasingly insufferable.

Really came across as a petulant tosser in his run in with the umpire, and in the post-match presser.
 

SizeMatters

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I cringed in his first match when he said he wasn't going to play until court official came out... Then his childish remarks to the court umpire about feeling strong up on his chair in his second match.. And his constant swearing (has toned it down so far)... And his interviews which he gives out information such as the 'benefits' of being a tennis player on tour with lots and lots of sex... And his seemingly deliberate styling choices so he can become 'marketable'...

Besides all that I actually like his post match pressers (the short interviews straight after the match). Gives good insight and doesn't really say anything bad IMO
 

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lionshine

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So many tennis players lead this sheltered, artificial existence through childhood that doesn't allow them to shave off the rough edges of personality.
Can't help but feel at the same time though that they are professional tennis players because they are so arrogant as opposed to being arrogant because they are professional tennis players if that makes sense? To make it as a top tennis player you have to have the mindset that you are way better then everyone else or you quite simply won't win a game. And everyone says "oh but look at Federer and Djokovic, they are classy individuals". Have a look at them as 18 year olds. Djokovic was an absolute tool and Federer had serious anger issues. All tennis players grow and mature and I expect Kyrgios to do the same. It is easy to judge 18-21 year olds but if you were playing professional sport and everyone you met told you you were God's gift to this planet you would eventually start to believe it.

This was not necessarily directed at you by the way POBT.
 

MacMum

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He was such a breath of fresh air and so likable when he first burst on the scene......but now I just want to slap him, fast becoming totally UNlikable..

Tennis Australia or someone of importance, needs to have a very stern talk to him and tell him to pull his bloody head in.

He is actually making Tomic look like an angel, and who by the way I was very impressed with last night. Thought he had a real mature look about him....and no histrionics either.

TA could also deal with Mr tomic once and for all while they are at it.

Bernie said during the week he is trying to put all that other stuff aside and just get on with his tennis. Hope he can, and his career isn't ruined like young Jelena Dokics was.
 
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MSB ROYS

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He's no different to just about every other 19 year old tennis player over the years. Federer was a right shit at that age
Agree - but he does need to tone it down a bit. A bigger problem in tennis are those collective bunch of losers called the fanatics. They are an embarrassment to Australia.
 

POBT

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Can't help but feel at the same time though that they are professional tennis players because they are so arrogant as opposed to being arrogant because they are professional tennis players if that makes sense?
I think there's certainly a bit of that.

I tend to think solo sports don't allow for personal growth the way that team sports do. You are right that successful people in solo sports have to have a high degree of self-confidence / arrogance but I also think that there is something to be said for having to play a role in a team, having to suppress your ego at times and having people around you who will call you a dickhead when you act like one.
 
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Maybe, but they only became prominent when Lleyton started winning.
I actually thought they were bigger around the mid 90s with Rafter and the Poo and faded a bit during the "*******" Hewitt era and after. They seem to be more of a reflection of the players they are barracking... So if the Aussies who are competing have a bit of knobbishness about them the fanatics become insufferable.
 

lionshine

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I think there's certainly a bit of that.

I tend to think solo sports don't allow for personal growth the way that team sports do. You are right that successful people in solo sports have to have a high degree of self-confidence / arrogance but I also think that there is something to be said for having to play a role in a team, having to suppress your ego at times and having people around you who will call you a dickhead when you act like one.
Yep you can't dispute that.
 

lionshine

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They were definitely big in the Rafter era. I think they became a corporate entity in the Hewitt era.
I think everyone mistakenly believes they are "Hewitt's fanatics" because Hewitt was literally the only prominent Australian player for almost a whole decade so people only really saw them at Hewitt's matches.

Speaking of Hewitt his Round 1 match was a fitting end to his wimbledon career as it summed up his fighting spirt that he has possessed his whole career. Losing 11-9 in the 5th set to conclude an epic 3 hour+, 5 set match in which he saved 3 match points before going down was such an accurate reflection of his career. Say what you will about Lleyton but no one can deny he has always been a gutsy character who has always given 110%, never given up and always stood up under pressure. Imo they are admirable qualities. I am looking forward to his final Australian Open campaign..
 

James North

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At a point in my late teens it was either music or tennis for me. I was playing all the tournaments and circuits etc, but was being beaten by kids whose parents were super controlling, or who played tennis 7 days a week. I would've been playing 3-4 and did it because I enjoyed it.

It's definitely got that 'bubble' vibe about it, and I'm glad I didn't go down that path.

There's a bit of psychopath personality going on with some younger players, and some are just brats.
 
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